By DOUG NURSE / The Atlanta Journal-Constitution / Published on: 08/01/07These are strange days in city of Milton. Strangely quiet.
The typically talkative members of the city council have been uniformly silent. The normally accessible city manager has been out of pocket.
A new motto for the north Fulton city seems to have emerged: No comment.
This much is known, whatever "personnel matter" the city council discussed behind closed doors on Monday could not be resolved in a marathon 14-hour session. Thursday, the council is going back for more.
Another executive session has been called, to follow the council's regularly scheduled 7 p.m. meeting.
Prior to Monday's hastily called meeting, council members were outspoken in their criticism of City Manager Aaron Bovos and the handling of $900,000 in tax revenue that the city will likely forfeit because of a missed Jan. 1 deadline with the state.
The taxes in question are paid to the Georgia Department of Insurance by insurance companies based on premiums on all policies. The Department of Insurance returns the money to the cities and counties — as long as the proper paperwork is filed.
Some council members were also angered that it took them so long to hear about the error.
"The city council is extremely concerned about this loss of revenue and the fact they weren't informed of it for months, " Council member Bill Lusk said last week. "As a businessman, I understand that people make mistakes, but to not inform your superiors is inexcusable."
"It's about accountability," Council member Rick Mohrig said last week. "There needs to be accountability at the top. Under similar circumstances, if this happened in the private sector, there would be consequences."
City Manager Bovos, who can normally be found at City Hall, was not there Tuesday and Wednesday and could not be reached for comment.
According to Bovos' contract, he could be terminated by a majority of the council, but would be entitled to a year's salary, $145,000, plus benefits. Bovos came to Milton, a community of 20,000, in September from Sandy Springs, where he is credited with helping launch that new city in 2005. Supporters of cityhood for Milton considered it a coup to have landed Bovos.
Wednesday, neither Mohrig nor Lusk would comment on the executive sessions.
Avoidance of the topic was not subtle.
When asked to comment on Monday night's meeting, Lusk said:
"I just checked the 10-day weather forecast and it looks like good weather for construction. That's good because I have a lot of concrete to pour."
So, when will the Milton City Council reveal the topic of its closed-door sessions?
"We'll let you know when we make a decision," said Mayor Joe Lockwood.
A decision about what?"No comment."
7 comments:
Can't help but see similarities of Lusk and O'Brien in the Laurel and Hardy pic.
Loved it!
Wouldn't continued silence from Jan's gang of four be golden?
Were Lusk and O'Brien vaccinated with phonograph needles?
The "Gang of Four" are trying to find a scapegoat for the Council troubles lately. If Aaron Bovos' position is terminated, the City of Milton loses big time! And the gang of four get their way. I'd be willing to bet they don't particularly like our City Manager since he doesn't want to play their game. I hope folks start to realize how deep the troubles are in this city and get involved. And that the media reports the truth - and the whole truth. C'mon Milton, Let's get it together!! Get rid of these egomaniacs, one by one beginning this November!
I am with you brother, throw their butts out, November can't get here quick enough.
this was a simple mistake...are we already forgetting that we're still a new city...sh*t happens folks...we wouldn't be were we are now with awesome city staff like Aaron Bovos, Jeanette Marchiafava, and Carol Wolfe...
Do you think we can get the "Gang of Four" to understand that sh*t happens and this was a mistake?
No, because the gang of four has sh*t for brains
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