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closeDon’t think Macon police aren’t paying attention to next year’s budget.
Some 30 or more patrol officers, investigators, command staff and others joined Chief Mike Burns as he presented his budget to City Council’s Appropriations Committee on Thursday. They crowded into the council’s conference room before easing back and spilling into the hallway.
“Oh my God, the whole force is here,” Councilwoman Nancy White exclaimed.
“Who’s protecting the city?” asked Councilwoman Elaine Lucas.
Public safety spending has been an increasingly salient issue in the department, where officers have complained about a whittling away of their pay and benefits over the years. The lack of a pay scale has been cited frequently as a cause of poor morale and motivation for many officers to move on to other agencies after only a few years in Macon.
Burns said he took reinforcements to the hearing because they will be leading the department in the future and could gain a better understanding of the budgeting process.
Council members saw another reason behind the mass convergence of law enforcement on City Hall.
“It’s intimidating to some folks to see all of those folks in here,” Lucas said the next day.
Councilman James Timely urged the Appropriations Committee to allow no “sacred cows” extra protection from revenue shortfalls that will be felt by the rest of the city.
“You’ve got to be firm enough to stand up and say, ‘These things we’re not going to fund,’ ” he said.
ON THE PHONE WITH JOE
Mayor Robert Reichert took a call from Vice President Biden this week.
The mayor was on the line with the veep Thursday and a few other local officials from around the country.
Apparently, Biden wanted to check in with various city and county officials to make sure all of the federal stimulus money was working out as planned.
President Obama has tasked him with making sure everyone is using the funds efficiently.
“The vice president listened to concerns in terms of what the impact was,” said Andrew Blascovich, Reichert’s director of external affairs.
Reichert traveled to Washington a few months ago when Obama spoke to mayors from around the country about stimulus spending.
The phone call was a follow-up to that trip, Blascovich said.
VALDOSTA PAPER: SOUTH GEORGIA MAYOR GETS IN GOVERNOR’S RACE
The field continues to grow in the 2010 governor’s race.
Six Republicans have signed up. Gov. Roy Barnes threw his hat into the ring this week, becoming the fourth Democrat and fueling speculation that his shadow will cull the field.
But don’t forget an even newer addition to the race: Ray City Mayor Carl Camon announced his intention to seek the state’s highest office Thursday, according to The Valdosta Daily Times.
He will run as a Democrat, The Daily Times reported, and traveled to Atlanta for his announcement.
Ray City is north of Valdosta in Berrien County.
The U.S. Census Bureau says 772 people lived there as of 2007. Camon, 40, has been mayor for 12 years and said he’s been planning to run for governor since December, The Daily Times reported Thursday.
Said The Daily Times:
“Going from mayor of a small town with an approximate population of less than 800 people to being Georgia’s governor is a large leap. Camon knows this, but he also believes it gives him an advantage in returning the state to the people.
“As Ray City’s mayor of a dozen years and a councilman for three prior years, he is accustomed to dealing with people, face to face, on a daily basis.
“‘You hear what people have to say, what they want, every day,’ Camon said, comparing being mayor of a small town with politicians with more name recognition from larger cities. ‘In a small town, you can’t hide behind skyscrapers or get lost in a big city. You have to answer to the people.’”
Camon has a Web site up at www.camonforgovernor.com, though it appeared to be under construction Friday.
SPEAKING OF THE GUV’s RACE
Former DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones, who lost last year’s Democratic Senate primary to Jim Martin, fueled rumors of another run for elected office Thursday with a couple of e-mail blasts.
The first was from Jones himself, and he ticked off the failures of the state’s current leadership.
“Although for now, I’m a spectator in the stands, I’m still watching the political game,” Jones said.
That same day Camille Kesler, Jones’ communications director, sent out her own e-mail.
“Vernon Jones has been getting a lot of e-mail from you about running for governor,” it said.
“I agree with you, Vernon would make a great governor. You recently heard from him reiterating his passion for Georgia, especially regarding addressing critical issues like transportation, education, air and water quality, and creating jobs for Georgians. Vernon is considering all of your feedback and will make a wise decision that’s best for him, his family and all Georgians,” it said.
What does that mean? Who knows. Kesler said Friday afternoon that there was no news to report and no timetable for a decision.
She described the calls and e-mails asking Jones to consider another run “overwhelming” but declined to name the clamoring supporters.
Macon City Councilman Lonnie Miley, who supported Jones during his 2008 Senate run and represents some of his political infrastructure in Middle Georgia, said he hadn’t heard anything about a potential gubernatorial run out of Jones.
“I haven’t heard anything from him,” Miley said.
GRIFFIN PUBLISHES LIFE STORY
Former Milledgeville Mayor Floyd Griffin recently published his autobiography, chronicling his life and a political career of firsts.
The city’s first black mayor and his state senate district’s first black senator, Griffin titled his book “Legacy to Legend: Winners Make it Happen.”
The front cover shows him in full military uniform (he was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam) and the back cover is a picture of Griffin and then-Sen. Barack Obama.
Griffin said he met Obama when he came to Macon last year to speak at Harvest Cathedral Church during the campaign.
Griffin said he met with the senator in his hotel room, along with Macon Mayor Robert Reichert and former Mayor Jack Ellis.
“I had a chance to kind of pull him off to the side and talk to him a minute or two,” Griffin said.
The book is $24.95 and available only online at www.legacytolegendbook.com. Autographed copies are $30, according to the Web site.
As for future political plans, Griffin said he hasn’t made any decisions.
He also doesn’t know yet who he’ll support in next year’s gubernatorial race.
“I’m just sitting back, waiting, looking,” he said. “I’m in no big hurry.”
Telegraph staff writers Matt Barnwell and Travis Fain contributed to this report.
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