This is Viewpoints for Sunday, May 6, 2018

A bigger waste

The article about the bridge near Mercer was a big waste of time, mine and the writers’. It appears that many people contributed to the article, I guess, by standing around counting the number of people using the bridge, in order to come to the conclusion that it is mainly Mercer students who use the bridge. I believe Mercer has over 8,000 students, most of whom contribute to the community while they are students and are the kind of people we would like to remain in Macon after they finish their studies. There seems to be a concern that taxpayers contributed to a bridge that benefits these students. If anyone is really concerned about taxpayer money, they need to try to recover the millions that Dallemand and his cohorts stole from the taxpayers and hold responsible the people that allowed that to happen.

Abrams vs. Evans

I wanted to respond to a reader's letter, “Looking at candidates for governor,” that examined the distinction between plans offered by gubernatorial candidates Stacey Abrams and Stacey Evans. I took it upon myself to look at Abrams' website, and even a quick read shows she has comprehensive policies and plans and detailed positions on issues, while Evans seems to be offering Democratic talking points that barely scratch the surface.

Abrams has released: a highly technical Advanced Energy Jobs Plan; a 10-page Bold Action for a Brighter Future Plan that addresses education and child care; an eight-point criminal justice reform plan; a six-point veterans and military families plan; and a lengthy higher education plan that elaborates upon both cost and the specific legislative and executive pathways that Abrams would use to achieve her goals.

The irony is that Stacey Evans has run a campaign focused almost exclusively on revitalizing the HOPE scholarship, but has yet to produce any semblance of a plan outlining concrete steps to do so. Governing a state as dynamic as Georgia requires two things — a real vision and a concrete plan for how to get it done. Evans doesn't seem to have shown much of either.

Appreciating the reporting

Thank you to Linda Morris for providing the general public answers about how the system failed at the Macon Industrial Authority and what steps are being taken to prevent problems in the future. Thank you also to Chairman Robby Fountain and acting Executive Director Stephen Adams for agreeing to sit down with her to discuss their accounting process. This is the kind of reporting that makes the public feel informed and empowered to take action in holding our public servants accountable, and the kind of open operations that make us feel we can trust those in leadership positions.

The press is the eyes and ears of those without direct access; we all depend on their courage and ethics to keep us informed of the facts without bias. It isn't just national or international issues; there are so often local stories that leave readers wondering if there is anyone out there asking the right questions or taking proper responsibility for our shared resources and human rights. We don't want political grandstanding, just facts, documentation and accountable statements made for the public record.

More, please.

More respect and fairness at council is needed

The City Council of our fair city of Centerville has tried to intimidate my husband and me several times during the last few council meetings. Our freedom of speech has been encroached upon while others in attendance were not held to the same standards.

Residents were given rules of decorum, which are to be strictly followed (three minute limit at the mic, no moving around, among other rules). Attempts to intimidate us began some time ago when I breathed a sigh of displeasure. A speaker at the mic had asked the mayor a question, and no reply had come forth from him. I was admonished by the mayor who then said he wanted no moving, no loud whispers, no talking in the audience.

During the meeting of April 17, he looked at me after my public comments, saying that he would be watching me. During the rest of the meeting, I sat quietly — yet many in the audience were talking and the mayor never said a word to them. When my husband, worried about the spread of crime and drug use, asked the council if guests of affordable housing tenants would also be screened in the same way as tenants, the mayor made the snippy remark “No, does anyone screen guests that come to your house?” My husband and I have been made the targets of derision. Respect and decorum from the mayor and City Council would certainly be appreciated.

Power is with the voters

It’s that time again. A chance for voters to be heard. Will we vote for someone who while representing us in the past gave us the Dallemand debacle, property tax increase, franchise fee increase, paying garbage fees in advance and consolidation or will we elect to vote for someone who may do a better job of representing us such as Dale Washburn? Just asking.

Wanting to recycle

I am also upset about the lack of recycling centers in Macon. I've lived here all my life and have recycled consistently since the 1980s. I now live in a condominium complex and have been taking my recyclables to the fire station but now due to budget restrictions the big dumpsters are gone. I called the county waste management two weeks ago for a recycle bin. Since I still haven't received one, I called again today and was told I was on the list but they didn't know when I would get it — just whenever my name came up on the list. In the meantime I have bags of recyclables piling up. Who can I contact to take care of this?

This story was originally published May 7, 2018 at 9:00 AM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Sunday, May 6, 2018."