Courtesy The Alpharetta BeaconCouncil member Bill Lusk said he was "sickened" by the news (of City Manager Billy Beckett's resignation) according to an article in the recently released Alpharetta Beacon. "It was the intent of certain Council members to chase out the most competent city manager we've ever got in the city," Lusk said. "The actions today by one Council member was so degrading that nobody could have sustained any more crap like that." The councilmember Lusk is referring to is Alan Tart. "It's nauseating and sickening and it's time for the city to recall every council member," Lusk added.
Council member Alan Tart had a different view. "The fact that Mr. Beckett made statements to citizens relative to the sewer issue that were incorrect is reflective of Mr.Beckett's incompetence," said Tart, "and the fact that he would rather resign than to correct the mistakes he made demonstrates his lack of professionalism. He took this way too personally, in my opinion. An extreme move like this is from someone who was supposed to be as professional and seasoned as Mr. Beckett purported to be is appalling to me. The expansion of sanitary sewer into currently un-sewered areas is one of the most important issue facing the City of Milton. The citizens deserve city staff and elected officials who will be truthful with them on this issue. Only then can we have healthy, honest debate on this issue."
So what are your thoughts? Do you agree with Lusk regarding a complete recall? If so, who would you suggest take their place? If not, why? Have your say today in the Accessmilton comment section below.
45 comments:
Well, first off if Bill Bailey becomes the new city manager, the hpw a bout the dog, Daisy as one council member? That way the two of them could work on thing while Bill is "Driving Miss daisy"!
How about putting Tart and Lusk in a room and letting them work it out?
That is what should have happened. But we are not dealing with healthy people.
There is no telling what would happen behind closed doors with those 2?
If you look closely at the picture of these two, there is a very close resemblence. Could Tart be Lusk's long lost love child?
Do you think Tart will slap Lusk?
Finally a council member has spoken out with no fear of jzb and her band of thugs.
Lusk is the man you see "on stage". He is the one who would be best to leave first and be the bigger man. After all, he thinks its the answer. He could stop blaming others on Council and get back to that old saying, Do unto Others as You would Have them Do unto You. After all, on many occasions, he's been the "Tart" he's now complaining about and further damaging the City of Milton's reputation. Some people take advantage of situations to further their own cause. Watch their actions closely. Don't be fooled buy (typo intended) words.
He resigned, he didn't have to. He wanted to. It was his choice. The only thing wrong with Councilman Lusk and the bloggers is their uncanny ability to point the finger and blame others.
We know the facts. Billy resigned. Alan probably said some things he could have reworded. Bill is in the press again. Joe is in the middle. And all is quiet from Karen, Tina, Burt and Julie. Why haven't they said anything publicly yet. Is this another version of the game of Survivor? You all know it is. Sad but true. On TV its fun. In real life, it's not so fun when you feel its yourself that's been "tricked" and you didn't even know you were in the game.
So, let's talk about Billy Beckett and the Sewer Map.
BILLY ISSUE:
My own experience with him, though very limited, has been wonderful. He is enthusiastic, encouraging, smart, honorable - from what I know. I'm sure given more time, I would learn more about him either way. Good and Bad. Just like us all. That's what makes the world go round.
He could not do the job his way, the way he has performed and made progress in other cities. The reason he could not do his job is because he was always discussing one thing and one thing only. Sewer. Not anything else separate from sewer.
Now you could say that the other issues like traffic, crime, clean streams and rivers, trash collection on our roadsides, parks and recreation, community development, and many more important things, all have to do with sewer. In all honesty, they do eventually just because sewer increases density and that equals more people. More crime, more traffic. More litter, More, more more and more.
SEWER and MAPS:
Most everyone just wants to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but THE WHOLE TRUTH. Give the residents a visual of the sewer maps the "debate" keeps referring to but no one has shown us all together. Not by either camp. (Hello Access Milton??? Can you please find them and post them.)
I have heard there are two maps that have turned into three maps. But has anyone actually seen the maps?
MAP 1.. MILTON SEWER MAP: Outlines those properties within Milton city limits currently with sewer hook up.
MAP 2.. FULTON COUNTY MAP: which is both Milton's MAP 1 - PLUS - Additional properties approved by Fulton County (aka Commissioner Lynne Riley) for sewer extension BEFORE the City's Incorporation.
MAP3.. CITY STAFF MAP: This is the map referred to as that City Staff's Map which supposedly added about another 30 acres or so of land not slated for sewer either by Fulton or Milton. (This is where Billy Beckett is getting heat from certain council persons.)
This is the map that is not being talked about accurately. It depends on who you talk to as to what they'll say about it. And if you don;t understand why "advocates" worry about this particular map then you haven't been paying attention to the BID DEBATE in Milton, sewer expansion and how it affects Growth.
MAP 4.. The TRUTH. Have no idea what it looks like. This map is not on anyone's SIDE of the debate. I want Billy Beckett to show me that map. I want Alan Tart and Bill Lusk to show me that map. I want ALL of them to show me that map.
For Goodness Sakes, then maybe the COMMUNITY can decide which map to use. Not the left or the right. Not the Green or the Black. Not the Republicans or the Democrats. Not the Council or the Staff. Just Show us all the MAP with the number 4!!!
Maybe we need to call "Mapbusters".
'Finally a council member has spoken out with no fear of jzb and her band of thugs"
You have got to be kidding me. "finally a council member". Where have you been the last two years? This guy's been doing it the entire time along with "the other side" and his own band of thugs.
C'mon, be real.
Where do I sign the petition?
I will sign to turn in the City Charter and revert to unincorporated Fulton County.
Maybe another way of examining this one:
Joe isn't in the middle, he is in the corner, scratching his head. It is admirable he acknowledged in the press Alan has embarassed him. Alan owes him and should get hammered, if for no other reason than for biting the hand that put him in office. If anyone else spent the cash and "markers" that Joe did in the election to keep Julie and plug in Bert & Alan, they would by all rights have strangled him already, just for the bad press.
Let's face it, Joe has his work cut out for him and needs our support. He can't seem to get a break, but that is a post for another day.
Speaking of JZB, she never gets out in the open on these things-her style is to use/hide behind surrogates whenever the ride is rough. She is only in front at ribbon cuttings.
Sewer/mmaps/schmaps. Total BS.
JZB and "Mini-Me" (her short surrogate, who lives in a plastic rowhouse on sewer)sent out totally false emails to rile up the sycophants and appear heroic, as usual.
The real problem is there is no problem.
Milton would never tolerate sewer extension (actual extension, not the pretend politically calculated bulls*** kind that makes people who don't have time to figure out what is going on, realize they are being manipulated);
Fulton has no plans to enlarge/extend/develop/increase service area;
Fulton has no money or desire to do the above, in fact, will be hard pressed to just keep up the infrastructure they have and get a fire truck to a call in the next few years.
Fact is, JZB has made up the whole sewer crap, capitalizing on people who have some fears about potential density that sewer may allow, (if eleven other factors fall into place, also). Now that she is the sewer goddess, like Al Gore is to global warming, its the only play in her playbook.
As long as the dollars roll in from busy, uninformed Miltonites, she is happy as, well, you know.
If Lusk is a military guy, he probably got tired of waiting for someone to show some leadership and stepped up before we become Fulton County again, with tripled taxes. He is not good looking or articulate enough to be a press hog, just a crotchety old bastard that probably has had all of Julie's cliche's that he can stand.
Beckett is a pro, in a City Manager driven organization.
If someone with his qualifications and 30 yrs experience gets driven out of his mind by a couple of dummies on the council in only a couple of months, it says a lot about what is going on behind the scenes.
He probably has a thousand things on his plate, like roads, police, taxes, laws,compliance and all the things the council should be anticipating for Milton & helping him with.
Instead, you have poor Joe getting stabbed in the back and embarassed by the very people he installed to "take the City back". He is probably getting it from all sides, with an airhead in too much makeup trying to get ready to run against him, Julie working her tired, tiring schtick, and Tart, (knowing an easy scam when he sees it)copying her to a "t".
So Beckett gets blamed when Alan gets caught with his pants around his ankles when his copy of Julie's totally inflammatory, silly email gets noticed. When some heat comes his way, as he hobbles around with pie in his face, someone on the staff quickly gets the shaft to cover their a**.
It aint about sewer, it could be anything.
It aint about maps or anything else.
Its politics and ambition and if you live in Milton, it is costing you a wagon load of money.
Joe needs our help and support. It aint his fault, except picking the wrong folks to bet on when he shuffled the deck. I vote justifiable homicide if he does strangle alan. He asked for it.
Oy Vey, your use of Yiddish got my attention.
Sewer schmewer?? Maps Schmapps??
Mazel Tov.
P.S. Happy New Year!
Tart with his pants around his ankles
Thsat why this site so hilarious
I dont think Joe "picked" this slate, especially Tart, but these were the only ones running.
"Joe's in the corner scratching his head." This is a real confidence buster.
If Lusk feels he should be recalled he should merely step down and save the voters time, effort and the expense of a recall.
Typical Lusk, steamboat mouth with a rowboat a**.
Does this guy talk before he thinks?
Remember his very public "loaded question" to a zoning applicant as reported in the Beacon:
"Lusk then asked if he felt the Mormon church had been treated fairly – a seemingly loaded question given state and federal equal opportunity laws."
"Such an assertion (by Lusk) could potentially lead to a costly lawsuit for the city..."
Milton's attorney had to remind him and other council members to stick to the application at hand.
WOW!!!
ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!
Sham Wow!
Maybe if these two would ride around in the back of Bill Bailey's truck, while Bill and Daisy are in the front, Alan could either slap Bill Lusk or Bill Lusk could shoot Alan. Then, and only then< would these two finally get along.
PS: What does everyone think about Bill's mustache?
I think Lusk's mustache should be bigger to hide his foot in his mouth.
Bottom line...Milton problems will not get better until Julie is OUT..
RECALL her and watch Milton become a normal city.
No one else is as dangerous on the council. They are all just trying to survive.
Tart just has gotten cocky under the safety of Julie's wing.
If you shave Bill's mustache, you might find sewer!
Alan should have the mustache. Any irony in being a meat inspector?
What sorts of meat does he have the most expertise on?
Brats, weiners and so forth.
Big challenge for govt to keep safe because of all the mixing, processing involved.
So, what you are saying is that if Alan would spend more of his time at work inspecting weiners, then maybe there would be less problems at city hall?
For some it's work, others it's a hobby.
For the lucky few, life allows them a vocation that is their avocation.
After all the bitching, pi##ing, moaning, groaning and name calling maybe you should look at a possible solution for your city.
Promise Alpharetta that you will be willing to double your city tax, after you turn in your city charter, if they will annex you. This sounds drastic, but in the short and long term, you will still be ahead of the game.
At the rate you're going, you will be spending twice as much within two years and will still be in the same situation you are today.
Be realistic and think about it, Alpharetta has a functional city council; public safety; good roads, something you will never have.
And just think, no JZB, Tart, Hewitt, Thurman, Tina and Luskie to deal with. In addition you would not have to worry about whether you can hire a competent city manager because they have a very good city manager that you could not run off.
The only drawback is you will not be able to boast about being from Milton. On second thought this might be an asset...many people will quit laughing at you as they do now.
Are you ready?
Since you are such a big fan of what Alpharetta "is" why don't you just move over there then you won't have to get on this site and complain about living in Milton.
Alpharetta = too much commercialism (strip mall or industrial park on every corner that a bank, grocery store, nail salon, dry cleaners, or gas station isn't on), too many homes on top of each other, crowded roads, etc. etc. etc. Thanks but no thanks.
They should post pictures of Lusk and Tart that aren't smiling. Someone has to have a picture of Lusk for sure with a frown on his face, taken at City Hall maybe? Hey, P., got any??
If I didn't live in Cherokee I'd consider Alpharetta...prefer unincorporated area to any city.
Bet you drive and shop in Alpharetta and probably came from some place much more congested.
Ever think you might be a part of the problem instead of the solution?
Born and raised right here, 51 years ago. If I "really" want to shop, I'll go to Atlanta or Phipps/Lenox, or shop online, nothing in Alpharetta for me other then strip malls that are the same everywhere. Publix and Wachovia and gas stations are everywhere so I don't need to go to Alpharetta for that either.
So if you live in Cherokee why do you care about Milton and our City enough to blog blog blog. Bored? Maybe you and all the Cherokee drivers are part of Milton's traffic problems, and not the solution.
I want to know who the "airhead in too much makeup trying to get ready to run against" Joe is!
Looks like the real problem lies with Mr. Beckett, this is a repeat of the the last City he managed. The fact that football season is in full swing couldnt possibly be the reason, perfect timing if you ask me. To all the bloggers, just come to the meetings and voice your concerns, opinions ect....
Beckett resigns over conflict with football
By EILEEN SCHULTE, Times staff writer Published August 3, 2007
SAFETY HARBOR - After enduring criticism for taking time off from city business to work at his other job officiating football games, City Manager Billy Beckett has decided to resign.
His last day is scheduled for Oct. 1, but he indicated he'll depart sooner if the City Commission desires.
Beckett, 58, had no comment other than to say his resignation letter to Mayor Andy Steingold and city commissions "says it all."
The letter cites "extenuating circumstances" which "caused me to critically evaluate the overall operating environment here and the likelihood of a sustained tenure here does not appear to me to be the option that I once believed it to be."
He wrote that "it would be in the best interests of all parties involved if I stepped aside."
Since he began his $120,000-per-year job in late October, Beckett has taken about a month off. Many of the absences were on Fridays before college and Arena Football League games he refereed.
Mayor Steingold noted the absences in public comments about Beckett's performance, but did not call for his resignation.
At a meeting last month, a commission majority vigorously defended the manager saying he was doing an outstanding job. But Beckett "didn't think he had the commission's support," City Commissioner Joseph Ayoub said. Ayoub also said Beckett felt taking unpaid leave from the city to officiate football games would negatively impact his finances.
Beckett's wife couldn't find a job in the area and remained in Georgia along with his children.
"I think it's too bad," Ayoub said. "I think we're losing a good city manager."
"Beckett is the problem. It CAN'T be Milton council's fault."
HA HA Now that is funny!!
What about the other city leaders that have left. I know - it was their fault also.
What a hoot....
This all got started over Little Billy's resignation. In every city there are "the liked(sewer expansion)" and "the dis-liked(no sewer expansion)" but if our council people are staying true to their campaign, thats all I care about as a citizen; and there are several that are not doing what they said they would do(we call those liars where I am from), and the ones that do stay true to their promises are raked over the coals. "a man is only as good as his word" is true. the rest is BS in my opionion.
AHHHHMEN!(sound of trumpets in the background)
D E N N Y CRANE!!! You said it.
Sewer Creep Sewer Creep Sewer Creep Sewer Creep Sewer Creep Sewer Creep Sewer Creep Sewer Creep
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