Political Notebook: Auditing the auditor

Former Warner Robins City Clerk Stan Martin apparently has begun his investigative audit into city dealings.

But Martin did not have a license to do business in the city until this week, putting him at odds for years with the rules he was charged with making people obey.

What’s more odd is that no bids for service were taken on the audit, approved by the City Council two weeks ago.

“A couple of days (after the vote), Stan came to City Hall with a contract,” City Attorney Jim Elliott said about the audit process so far.

Elliott said bid exceptions in place allow Martin to do the audit without it going through a bidding process. Martin, who was terminated from the city in December, is allowed to perform the audit because there was no finding of guilt of an act of malfeasance in his dismissal.

Without the business license to that point, that means Martin has not paid occupation taxes for work he’s done in the city. According to the city’s code, occupational taxes are required for “each person engaged in any business, trade, profession, or occupation in the city.”

Martin advertises his business as being located at 127 Carl Vinson Parkway.

Officials from the city’s business licensing office said Martin submitted an application for the license Aug. 18. It was approved, and he picked it up last week.

The heat is on

Remember that easy prediction about the Jim Marshall-Austin Scott race for Georgia’s 8th Congressional District getting more national attention? The race landed on the front page of the Wall Street Journal on Thursday.

No, this won’t be the last comment on the horse racing. But note well the Wall Street Journal’s phrase: “a race that polls indicate is increasingly tight.” That means, dear reader, it’s up to you. Keep an open mind, do good research, pay attention to the issues, attend forums and debates and then vote.

Nov. 2 is less than two months away.

Hoping to fail

Macon City Councilman Erick Erickson, who is no slouch when it comes to getting attention, succeeded again with a tweet: “I’m almost giddy thinking about a government shutdown next year. I cannot wait!”

He responded to someone asking about it: “Because gridlock is a wonderful thing.”

Told most government employees live paycheck to paycheck, Erickson replied, “That’s the downside. The upside? No laws passed. No gov’t spending. Can’t wait for the shutdown.”

Some conservatives are hoping a government shutdown could force a repeal of President Barack Obama’s health care bill.

Other conservatives have called Newt Gingrich’s shutdown of the federal government his worst mistake.

Liking government

Want to keep up with the Bibb County Commission? Search for board members on Facebook. Then click the “like” button.

No advice was provided on people who dislike but want to monitor the commissioners.

Tickets please, officer

Drinking from a beer bottle and in character as “Ray” from Macon Theater’s “Yankee Tavern” production, the theater’s founding artistic director Jim Crisp said “cops are people, too.”

Theater Macon and Macon police announced a partnership this week in which the theater will open its doors only to police officers and their families three nights this season for final dress rehearsals.

Police are invited to attend “Yankee Tavern,” which opens to the public Sept. 10, as well as “Steel Magnolias” and “My Fair Lady.”

Police Chief Mike Burns said the partnership will help the department’s morale.

“Our officers work hard every day and every night,” he said. “They put their lives on the line and don’t get much praise.”

Minute minutes

Minutes from the Bibb County Board of Commissioners’ retreat at Lake Blackshear were released with the agenda and supporting documentation for the Sept. 7 meeting.

The minutes themselves cover about eight hours of meeting and span less than a page and a half, but many more pages of documentation on requests from department heads follow.

See page 62 of the packet, available from tinyurl.com/bibbagenda or by visiting the board’s site.

Telegraph writers Mike Stucka, Marlon A. Walker and Amy Leigh Womack contributed to this report.