5th District Fiasco in Athens reaches out to Watkinsville as well
This is one of the more pathetic episodes in a long history of overblown political fiascoes in Athens and Oconee County. First I have to add the disclaimers. I do work for attorney and 5th district Athens-Clarke County commission candidate Dave Hudgins, but am not working on his campaign, nor do I live or vote in the 5th District. Second I have known and worked with Jared Bailey at least 20 and maybe closer to 30 years in the Athens music scene and AthFest. Third I coach the 10 year old son of Bailey's girlfriend and have known her possibly longer than Jared and been to their house (not all that far from mine) on numerous occasions.
This story by Dave Marr did reveal several interesting facts that I did not know, including the police report in Watkinsville. We are a tight knit community and do notice when people are taking photos or hanging out in the woods near our houses. The following paragraph illustrates the small town nature of Watkinsville and the fact that I broke the rope on my lawnmower this past weekend and took it to be repaired at the site of Bartenfeld Electric, a 3rd/9th district home business next door to some property that the Ellis family evidently owns (and sometimes parks at during football games) at Meigs and North Church Street. The recent decision to yellow stripe (and thus eliminate street parking on) North Church Street is a legitimate 5th district campaign issue as the north side of Meigs is in that district, and it has had an adverse effect on the parking of three houses with a potential 10 apartments in a very small area.
Yesterday a neighborhood kid wanted to mow my lawn for free, and I turned him down because I have had two less-than-stellar experiences with him and my property and did not want to get involved with him again, and this is just an example of the closeness of the community that I call home. I cherish my lawn and my privacy. I have a bunch of Democratic candidate yard signs dotting my lovely half acre and so far they have remained undisturbed this political season.
I am aghast that the Holmes have decided to besmirch themselves with mud sullying all of the candidates to some degree or another. Love Jared, hate Hudgins, elect Ellis, do what you want, but do not let this tawdry episode cloud your judgment on who might be the best candidate for you for the 5th District Commissioner slot in Athens-Clarke County. Obviously I am entirely too intertwined with all the candidates to have the least bit of objective viewpoint or advice. My son's mother lives in that district and she has helped Bailey by taking some signs from his girlfriend. Jared does not tell me how to coach my so far winless soccer team (even though he does come see some of the games) and I do not tell him how to run his campaign.
I have met the Ellises for the first time at a recent Ashford Manor Bed and Breakfast concert and they seem like nice enough people with a beautiful family. I salute them for not taking the affidavits to the media or making more hay out of this series of events. Hudgins has run an old school campaign so far realizing his constituency is getting older by the minute. He does not pay me one cent more for my considerable experience and opinion. I do not tell him what to do or how to do it, and even if I did, I do know Dave well enough to know he might not take my advice anyhow.
The effect on the race will be interesting if not impossible to discern. I do think people should respect the privacy of the candidates unless it directly effects the policies or performance of the political campaigners. I look forward to the debate by the Athens Press Club next week with these three candidates especiallyh
City Dope: Oct. 13, 2010 - Flagpole Magazine: Colorbearer of Athens, GA
This story by Dave Marr did reveal several interesting facts that I did not know, including the police report in Watkinsville. We are a tight knit community and do notice when people are taking photos or hanging out in the woods near our houses. The following paragraph illustrates the small town nature of Watkinsville and the fact that I broke the rope on my lawnmower this past weekend and took it to be repaired at the site of Bartenfeld Electric, a 3rd/9th district home business next door to some property that the Ellis family evidently owns (and sometimes parks at during football games) at Meigs and North Church Street. The recent decision to yellow stripe (and thus eliminate street parking on) North Church Street is a legitimate 5th district campaign issue as the north side of Meigs is in that district, and it has had an adverse effect on the parking of three houses with a potential 10 apartments in a very small area.
Yesterday a neighborhood kid wanted to mow my lawn for free, and I turned him down because I have had two less-than-stellar experiences with him and my property and did not want to get involved with him again, and this is just an example of the closeness of the community that I call home. I cherish my lawn and my privacy. I have a bunch of Democratic candidate yard signs dotting my lovely half acre and so far they have remained undisturbed this political season.
I am aghast that the Holmes have decided to besmirch themselves with mud sullying all of the candidates to some degree or another. Love Jared, hate Hudgins, elect Ellis, do what you want, but do not let this tawdry episode cloud your judgment on who might be the best candidate for you for the 5th District Commissioner slot in Athens-Clarke County. Obviously I am entirely too intertwined with all the candidates to have the least bit of objective viewpoint or advice. My son's mother lives in that district and she has helped Bailey by taking some signs from his girlfriend. Jared does not tell me how to coach my so far winless soccer team (even though he does come see some of the games) and I do not tell him how to run his campaign.
I have met the Ellises for the first time at a recent Ashford Manor Bed and Breakfast concert and they seem like nice enough people with a beautiful family. I salute them for not taking the affidavits to the media or making more hay out of this series of events. Hudgins has run an old school campaign so far realizing his constituency is getting older by the minute. He does not pay me one cent more for my considerable experience and opinion. I do not tell him what to do or how to do it, and even if I did, I do know Dave well enough to know he might not take my advice anyhow.
The effect on the race will be interesting if not impossible to discern. I do think people should respect the privacy of the candidates unless it directly effects the policies or performance of the political campaigners. I look forward to the debate by the Athens Press Club next week with these three candidates especiallyh
City Dope: Oct. 13, 2010 - Flagpole Magazine: Colorbearer of Athens, GA
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