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A Letter to the Citizens of Roswell

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Guest Blog: From Roswell City Council Candidate Lee Fleck (Post 2)

Citizens,
Please see the above photo of the Financial History of Roswell. This was provided to me by the Current City Budget Director, Keith Lee  during the FY2011 budget hearings.
  • There is absolutely no way to frame this in a positive light and for the incumbent to state  that the council has been “preserving a balanced budget” is the height of deception.
  • To further state in the Georgia Voters Guide on the AJC Website (http://www.thevoterguide.org/v/ajc11/race-detail.do?id=221392494)  that Roswell continues with “sound spending practices and maintenance of healthy reserves” is untruthful.
  • The truth of the matter is that by the end of next year all your savings will be gone (Red Arrow) .
To quote Mayor Jere Wood from a publicized interview in Late June 2010:
“We’re not covering our current costs with current revenues. We’re covering them with savings. That’s not sustainable.  I’m looking a few years down the road. I see a deficit coming. At the current rate, the Council will have spent all of our available reserves by 2012. After that they will either have to raise taxes or make drastic cuts in the City budget.”
  • And prior to using “Reserves by Policy” (purple bar graph) which BY CITY POLICY is only to be used in the event of a catastrophic natural event (i.e. tornado, flood, etc)  this current Council will be forced to rack up debt to the maximum of the carrying capacity of the current bond millage rate. 
  • The city’s AAA bond rating is dependent on these reserves by policy.   But once the city is leveraged to the hilt  this administration & council will be able to spend this safety net of money.  To facilitate this objective these funds have conveniently been renamed, just this year,  as “sustainability reserves” so that any reference to the fact these savings are specifically earmarked has been eliminated.
  • When the dust settles after the election the current council will call for a General Obligation Bond in the amount of $40,000,000.  The reason they will do this is because the current Council is morally incapable of reducing expenses.   So they will rack up debt for younger citizens of Roswell to pay.
Please vote Tuesday November 8th.
Lee Fleck
Candidate for Roswell City Council, Post 2
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Goin’ Through It Like It’s Water…

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A lot of things in Roswell are swept under the rug and citizens know nothing about it–until their taxes go up. In the blog “Roswell Isn’t “Wynning”, Vote for Lee Fleck!” I mentioned the Revenue bond the city would be proposing after the election in 2011 and without the vote of constituents. The bond would go towards a new water plant in the city.

Some have argued that the plant will bring jobs and industrialize Roswell, but there are some much bigger costs:

  • Last fiscal year (2011) the city bought over $1.0 million in water from Fulton County
  • In essence, every glass of water you, and everyone who gets their water from the City, drink contains 50% Fulton County water. There are two major valves on the city’s water grid located on Holcomb Bridge that are directly tied to Fulton County.
  • Currently, the city has a water plant on Dobbs street that is capable of producing 1.2 million gallons per day (MGD). It was built in 1937 and has been refurbished to 1960 standards.—-The engineers analysis indicated that this plant will be obsolete in 10 years.
  • On average the City’s demand is well over 2 MGD and Fulton County supplies the rest of the demanded water for the very limited number of homes and businesses (approx 5000) that get their water from the City of Roswell.
  • The current cost to produce 1000 gallons of water is slightly over $2.00, however what customers are actually charged is a higher rate which includes distribution costs, and administrative overhead.
  • Contained within the Master Plan (pg 18) is the long-term sustainability costs which project this $ 2 cost accelerating to as much as $15 per 1000 gallons by 2060.
  • The proposed revenue bond will be funded with an annual utility increase of between 2-3 % through 2060.
  • Fulton County water costs in 2060 are projected to be $8.04 / 1000 gallons, suggesting that the City should rely on Fulton County for 100% of its’ water.
  • The above information is from the “Master Water Plan, July 2010” submitted by an engineering firm that the City of Roswell hired.

What’s the disconnect, people?

As mentioned before, Becky Wynn needs to go. To insure that the limited number of citizens who receive their water from the City of Roswell (and not Fulton
County) will actually have the final say on the $17 million “revenue” bond that will be presented by Wynn to build a new water plant. Again, Lee Fleck would like government to become more transparent and would call for a referendum for the people affected.

The full DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT GROUNDWATER WELL AND TREATMENT FACILITY PROJECT plan is available here.

Below is page 19 of the 2010 Master Water plan and it gives a projection of the future costs of 1000 gallons of water from a new Water Plant the will be the subject of the forthcoming “Revenue” bond.

The entire plan is listed below.

Roswell Water System Master Plan text 7-2010

For more information on Lee Fleck, to request a Yard Sign, make a donation or volunteer, visit http://fleckforroswellga.com/Home.html

Roswell isn’t “Wynn-ing”, Vote for Lee Fleck!

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I have long opposed the Roswell City Council. Their mismanagement of the budget, disconcert for what constituents want and disgraceful vendetta against the Roswell Chicken Man have left a bitter taste in the mouths of citizens. Thankfully, two of the problems are up for re-election this November, Rich Dippolito -Post 1 and Becky Wynn – Post 2. Both have opposition and both opponents have the right idea.

I am supporting Lee Fleck who is running against Becky Wynn. Fleck, a self-proclaimed ‘City Council watch dog’ has lived in Roswell for over 25 years. He has raised his family here and wants to keep Roswell a desirable place to live, work and raise a family.

Fleck has a long list of accomplishments including, but not limited to:

  • Commissioning the first water bottling plant in a war zone for the U.S. Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  • Being licensed by the Department of Homeland Security as a customs broker. He has helped the city implement the Systematic Alien Verification of Entitlements (SAVE) Program, which requires foreign nationals receiving public benefits to verify their legal residency in the United States.
  • Introducing the Roswell Police Department to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Secured Communities Program, a program that integrates all of the federal crime data bases to include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, ICE and Interpol with the state Georgia Bureau of Investigation criminal data bases at the point of arrest and detention

Mr. Fleck believes he is a better fit for the job than Councilwoman Wynn who has voted each year for a budget in which expenditures exceed revenues on average by $8,000,000 annually.

Fleck is also against Councilwoman Wynn, and others, who by the end of 2012 will have use up the City’s savings and have planned two bonds totalling $57 million containing some gratuitous expenditures. According to public record, besides a $40 million bond referendum, an additional $17 million “revenue” bond to build a new water plant will be implemented AFTER the November election, the latter without say by the taxpayers. The burden to repay the bond will be placed solely on the taxpayers.

When elected, Fleck plans to:

  • implement a Zero-based balanced budget and establishing a citizens financial review board will result in lower taxes
    (and fees), greater efficiencies, and more value for tax dollars spent.
  • insure that the limited number of citizens who receive their water from the City of Roswell (and not Fulton County) will actually have the final say on the $17 million “revenue” bond that will be presented by the Council to build a new water plant;
  • call for a referendum of those 7,500 residents who will be saddled with a $30,000,000 long-term liability to sustain such a facility that will be financed with a 2 to 3% annual increase in water rates for the next 50 years;
  • propose publishing the City’s check registry on the city website to promote transparency so citizens can oversee expenditures and even make cost saving suggestions.
  • provide the infrastructure and incentives to attract high tech business in conjunction with the Comprehensive 2030 Plan

This election, we have an opportunity to make a difference. Because of the Sunday Sales referendum on the ballot this November, a higher turnout is expected. It’s time to take Becky Wynn off the social committee and elect someone who can help Roswell function at its’ highest potential TODAY.

Lee Fleck is running for Post 2 of the Roswell City Council. Election day is Tuesday, November 8th. For more information, visit http://www.fleckforroswellga.com/ or e-mail Lee at leefleck@fleckforroswell.com . He is also on Facebook.

The Roswell Chicken Man and His Fight For His Constitutionally Protected Rights

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Mr. Wordes earned his name “the Roswell Chicken Man” just how you might expect he would. He owns chickens (and turkeys). But what you probably wouldn’t expect is the hassle, hardship and heartbreak he has encountered in order to maintain his right to have these animals and his property.

Mr Wordes is currently battling the City of Roswell (City Manager and City Council) over his right to have livestock on his property inside city limits. The order of events goes a little bit like this:

  • December 2008: Roswell Zoning Department issues a warning for the chickens on his property. (At that time, the City of Roswell’s Code of Ordinances said “On less than two acres you MAY NOT have livestock except for poultry and swine.”) The City decided to issue a citation anyway. Mayor Wood attempts to step in and stop the city, but the city moves forward. Both parties head to court.
  • Spring 2009: Mr. Wordes hires former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes to represent him against the city. Both parties presented their cases to Judge Maurice Hilliard who issued a dismissal of the case against the Chicken Man.
  • Summer 2009: The Roswell City Council rewrites the law, without a ‘grandfather clause’, to make all but 6 chickens on a property illegal–directly targeting and affecting Mr. Wordes. The law further states that the ‘legal’ chickens must remain in a permanent enclosure.**
    (**Mr. Wordes property sits on a flood plain. 3-4 feet of water rises on his property when it storms. Because of this, the city would not issue a permit for a permanent enclosure, therefore making it ‘illegal’ for him to have his birds. This is important because after the storms and flooding in September 2009, a sewer backed up behind Mr. Wordes’ home causing 6 feet of water in the back yard and 4 feet of water in the basement of his home. In order to save his home AND his chickens, Mr. Wordes borrowed a BobCat to move the dirt around. He was subsequently issued citations for too many chickens, illegal grading of property and too many cars on his property. The City also would not submit requests for FEMA funds for the property. The property has flooded several times since this initial flood.)

  • The City of Roswell contacts Mr. Wordes mortgage broker, an elderly woman who has held his mortgage for the entirety of his 16 years in his home. With the threat of liens, citations and grievances, the City pressures Wordes’ mortgage broker into SELLING the note to another broker for 50 cents on the dollar. The current mortgage broker is attempting to foreclose on Mr. Wordes home.
  • Mr. Wordes reports to court for his citations during the flood. Judge Hilliard again rules in his favor stating that he is ‘grandfathered in’ to the new law, but must complete 180 hours of community service for the illegal grading and the excessive number of cars on his property.
  • Mr. Wordes is harassed by the Roswell Police Department as well. He is pulled over more times than we can count, thrown in jail on multiple occasions, and given a number of petty citations. It’s common for multiple police cars to sit at the end of Mr. Wordes street and ‘wait’.
  • The City of Roswell files a 55-page civil suit against Mr. Wordes in an attempt to take his property from him. This is the first civil suit to attempt to take a man’s property in the history of Roswell. A civil suit was filed in attempt to deny Mr. Wordes his right to a public defender, as he can no longer afford to pay for representation. Fortunately because of Mr. Wordes involvement with Georgia Carry, they have provided legal representation for him.
  • The City lists Mr. Wordes home on the ‘Roswell 2030 Plan’ as a green space and parks area, publicly announcing and solidifying their effort to take his property. (View the plan here http://www.roswellgov.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1552 –the road you’re looking for is Alpine Drive. Can you believe this? He is still the lawful owner of his property but the City has a 20-year-plan to dissolve that. Note that Mr. Wordes has offered to SELL his property to the City, but they have declined. Instead, they want to take the long and painful foreclosure route.)
  • July 2011: Mr. Wordes leaves his home to attend a political rally. When he returns home, he finds that all of his chickens have been let out and feed is all over the ground. The next day, his birds begin to die. Mr. Wordes realizes that someone has poisoned his birds. Over the course of the next few days, Mr. Wordes loses 1/3 of his livestock, including 45 baby turkeys (10 of which belonged to Mayor Jere Wood), 25 chicks and 6 adult birds. I spoke with Mr. Wordes personally and he claims there is no doubt in his mind who was behind the poisoning. He alleges that it was his next door neighbor who has rallied with the city through this entire process. You see, Mr. Wordes has a very private backyard that is surrounded by woods. From the street, however, it would appear that people were home because there were a couple of cars parked in the driveway. Unfortunately, Mr. Wordes posted on his Facebook page that he would be attending this political rally. Mr. Wordes has indications that lead him to believe that his neighbor monitors the page through other names (via his neighbors own personal website that has a page dedicated to ‘The Chicken Man’). Mr. Wordes alleges that this neighbor is the only one that would 1) know the seclusion of the property, 2) have access to the property in addition to knowing where everything is and 3) have a motive to commit such an atrocity. A police report has been filed, but is not moving forward at this point due to the lack of proof. The birds were taken to two different forensic labs to determine the source of poisoning but the necropsies have not yet returned. In the meantime, this has become an economic hardship on Mr. Wordes since he cannot sell the eggs from his hens since the poisoning.
  • Mr. Wordes is due in court August 10 at 2:30pm. The hearing is public at the Roswell Municipal Court. He will be arguing a probation violation for missing a ‘check-in’ over the time his birds had been poisoned.

Currently, Mayor Jere Wood, Councilwoman Betty Price and Senator John Albers are all standing behind this brave man. These public servants have exhausted their resources, but remain vigilant with their personal support. All three should be commended for their continued support for Mr. Wordes.

The Roswell chicken man needs your help.

  • If you are a resident of Roswell, I encourage you to call your councilman or woman. Let them know what they are doing is WRONG. A few of these council people are up for election this November (Becky Wynn and Rich Dippolito). How about vote them out? Why would you want someone who denies us of our rights granted by the laws of government? You can also call or email them and let them know how shameful their actions are. Nothing will change if we all stay quiet.
  • Call the news stations, local and national. These villains need to be exposed. The city cannot get away with this. We must stop fearing the government and stand behind those who are fighting the good fight.
    -Huffington Post scoop@huffingtonpost.com
    -Fox News hannity@foxnews.com or oreilly@foxnews.com or kelly@foxnews.com
    -WSBTV newstip@wsbtv.com or 404.897.6276
  • Visit www.roswellchickenman.com to donate to this cause.
  • Spread the word. Tell everyone you know. This isn’t JUST about the chickens. It’s about the city and the personal vendetta they have against a citizen. It could easily be you or me, just in a different context.

“When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.”- Thomas Jefferson

LINKS
Roswell Patch Article 8/2/2001 http://roswell.patch.com/articles/roswells-chicken-man-heads-back-to-court
Roswell Patch Article 7/3/2011 http://roswell.patch.com/articles/roswell-chicken-man-cries-foul
CBS Atlanta Coverage http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/15037844/roswell-chicken-man-says-someone-vandalized-his-property-and-poisoned-50-of-his-birds
Facebook Support Page: http://www.facebook.com/RoswellChickenMan#!/RoswellChickenMan?sk=info