The Watkinsville City Cemetery is an oasis amidst the houses on the east side of the municipality, near the neighborhood once called Sidney. There is a large section of the cemetery that remains a mystery, but perhaps we can work together to dignify the eternal resting spot somewhat better than the current neglected and forgotten (not to mention unmarked) graves of 70 people, more than likely of African-American descent. They deserve to be honored as well. An effort has been undertaken to repair the graves with fill dirt to stop the continued erosion amongst the graves. The most recent grave and bench belong to Larry Sheats, and as any one who played basketball at Herman C. Michael Park or knew him otherwise can attest, he was among the best people this county has ever seen. Larry was always ready to help. Now it is our turn to help. Do it for someone you knew there, maybe the Hardens, or the Downs, or any number of other people, but allow me to reminisce about how L...
Comments
I don't regularly read these kinds of blogs but was alerted to this one because of more misinformation, so checked it out. I believe you and I shared two email exchanges in the months since Dec. 31st, 2009. You may want to pull those for reference.
In the first exchange, I noted that I had informed my fellow board members that I had resigned from Williams & Associates. Not that I was resigning from the board at that time. I clarified this to you then. I had resigned from my place of employment and had not announced resigning from the board. I may need to in the future, but not now.
The second note you wrote that you were hearing a lot about me resigning from the board from credible sources and just wanted to ask again what my plans were. I told you my plans were the same as last time you wrote.
When I resigned from W&A, our family intent was to move to the Asheville, NC area. We have always been fond of the area and the mountains and my wife has also been taking yoga training certification classes there for the last year, so it was becoming even more appealing. One of the things you may talk about doing at retirement, well you start to think, "hey, let's just go for it... a leap of faith and a fun adventure for the family in the mountains nearer to my wife's family where we wanted to be one day anyway." Of course, with a family, a lot of things have to happen for a move like that when you have no immediate employment lined up, etc., etc.
So my decision to announce and when to announce my resignation from the board is mine only, right? There are two primary reasons why I waited to announce that resignation. Even though those reasons are nobody's business but mine, I don't mind sharing them with you. First, I wanted to try and stay on until the end of the school year and attend the graduation ceremonies if I could (finding employment out of the area sooner may have impacted that). Secondly, I was also considering some pretty interesting professional opportunities within a commutable distance from here. So, if something like that panned out, I wouldn't have had to resign the BOE at all. That's it. I was just not going to quit something that I was enjoying doing given the unknowns. I would think most people could understand that.
At this point however, graduation is upon us, we've found a place in Jonesborough, TN, to reside, and hope to be settled there in July, with June being a transition month.
- see next comment for continuation
Just wanted to clarify all this for you. I resent that you are the one who has in fact lied about our previous conversations. I try and choose my words carefully and I think you will see when you reread them that I have not lied to you or anyone else.
I would appreciate you posting this comment in its entirety so others that may have doubted what they've heard and want to know what my thoughts were could get it from me. I'll keep a copy if I need to put it out in another way, but I don't like engaging in that kind of activity. Or if you want to talk to me, I'd be glad to have that conversation. One odd thing I've seen in my short political career is that people too often want to assume things instead of just waiting for the facts to come out. And even at the level of school board member, they get frustrated when you don't share private facts of your life with them just because you are also a public official. If you want to get together for lunch or something to talk about other things, I'd be glad to do that too. Just let me know.
But please do retract your statement about me. I have a thicker skin than I used too, but as much as I love the internet and everything it does for us, the unfounded accusations like this and others that happen all the time stick around for a while and often times hurt innocent people, children, and family members that hear it from their peers based only on gossip and insinuation.
Thanks for listening. And really do give me a ring or send a note if you want to get together and talk. I know your forum touches a lot of folks out there and I really don't have anything to hide from you or anyone else. Might be a good story for you. :)
Best regards,
Tom Breedlove
tom.breedlove4@gmail.com
May 12, 2010 - 9:57am