Is Lee County Government becomming Corrupt?

In case you didn’t know the Lee County Commission is composed of 5 commissioners, elected one from each district in the County. Each year commissioners elect within themselves, a chairman and vice-chair. Ed Duffy was chosen as Chairman and Rick Muggridge as Vice-chair.

I don’t remember hearing an outcry from the Public when the commission removed the Parks and Recreation Authority and replaced it with themselves, all in the name of the public good. They knew how to manage Grand Island better or so they said, I do know that we have put a lot of public money into Grand Island the past 2 years. The Chair and Vice-chair are both big supporters of Grand Island. By law what they have done is legal according to the Lee County Municipal Code. But at the same time they have apparently broken the law and broken it 2 ways.

1. They have broken the public trust per O.C.G.A. § 45-10-3(8), in that they have failed to manage all other parts of the Parks and Recreation except for Grand Island.
2. They have failed to schedule and hold regular Parks and Recreation meetings as required by law OCGA 50-14(d). They have only held special meetings.

A vote will take place on Tuesday. They will be reappointing or replacing 3 members of the Utility Authority. The Authority is composed of 7 members and the Lee County Municipal Code says that up to 2 of the positions may be county commissioners. Currently the vice-chair is held by County Chairman Ed Duffy, and another member of the Authority is Frank Richter a neighbor of Ed Duffy. My sources tell me that 2 members are to be replaced on Tuesday by County Vice-chair commissioner Rick Muggridge and his neighbor, giving control of the Utility Authority to 2 individuals.

Will be posting the results Tuesday night on the Lee County Tax Pay Association Web site. (http://groups.google.com/group/LeeCountyTPA). If this comes to pass, we all know where the county government is going, Call 229-846-5521 to join or visit the Web site to join the Lee County Tax Payer Association.

-Mike Sabot