Day: November 2, 2017

Election 2017, Smart Land Use

A Vote For Bentley: A Small Investment to Protect Your Big Investment

Posted on by Milton Coalition

A vote for Laura Bentley is a small investment to protect your big investment—the value of your home.

There are countless reasons to vote for Laura Bentley.  However, did you know that voting for Laura Bentley is a wise financial move for voters?  Consider the following:

  • The Pew Research Center reported that 81% of adults it polled stated that buying a home was the best long-term financial investment.
  • The Wall Street Journal reported that for the top 20% of wealthiest Americans, equity in their principal residence was 30% of their overall net worth and their single biggest investment. For the middle 60% of Americans, equity in their principal residence was 63% of their net worth.

The takeaway is that Americans care a lot about the value of their property, which is intimately tied up with their financial security and well-being.  For most Americans, equity in their principal residence is their largest financial asset, and they want to protect that asset.  However, most Americans and Miltonites might not realize that their local government has a big impact on the value of their home equity.  How Milton gets developed—things such as density and housing quality—influences the look and feel of Milton and our quality of life.  We only get one chance to get it right.  There are no do-overs when it comes to development.  If we get development wrong, property values stagnate or decline.  We see examples of poor development all around us.  Roswell and Alpharetta have significant areas of blight.  We can expect the same in Milton if we get development wrong.  Accordingly, our city’s land use decisions, particularly decisions at City Council, have significant and far-reaching effects. 

So voters must ask themselves which candidate—Laura Bentley or Bill Lusk—will better protect and enhance property values in Milton?  Mr. Lusk has made it clear that he believes that land use decisions are best left to developers—i.e., the City should largely defer to the wishes of developers.  Or in his words:  “Leave it to the professionals.”  Following are 2 videos—each about 2 minutes long—where Mr. Lusk very clearly demonstrates his view that developers should be largely left to their own devices.  In these videos, he is arguing against giving the Planning Commission additional authority to oversee development in Milton.  Listen closely as he berates the planning commission, asserting that its members are non-professionals rendering subjective opinions.  He uses an analogy to make his point, comparing developers to cardiologists vs. the planning commission, which is like going to your “Cousin Mike” for advice about whether to get a triple bypass.  He further asserts that he does not want to put any “hurdles” in the way of developers.  His low regard for our Planning Commission is stunning and reprehensible.  Watch these videos and then ask yourself whose interests Mr. Lusk is protecting:  your interests or the interests of developers?

City Council Candidate Laura Bentley has a very different perspective on development.  Recently, Ms. Bentley met with 18 realtors, most of whom live in Milton.  This group of professionals stands in stark contrast to developers.  Realtors are our community’s experts on property values.  Realtors are an important, but overlooked, stakeholder group in Milton.  Unlike developers, realtors have a long-term interest in protecting and enhancing property values in Milton.  Furthermore, realtors understand the macro factors that impact property values.  Ms. Bentley was keen to get realtors’ perspectives on development in Milton and its impact on property values.  And it was quite clear that realtors are concerned about reckless development negatively affecting Milton’s quality of life (e.g., overcrowded schools and congested roadways) and ultimately threatening property values in Milton.  Realtors and Ms. Bentley both understand that we cannot let developers drive land use decision in Milton, as Mr. Lusk asserts.  In fact, at least 2 dozen realtors have signed Milton Coalition petitions advocating for smart land use in Milton—petitions that Mr. Lusk has repeatedly berated and dismissed.

Of course, Mr. Lusk has a long and consistent record of bowing to the demands of developers.  Since he was re-elected in 2013, he has voted for 3 re-zonings to higher density.  He has voted to extend sewer 4 times to allow higher density.  He was the key sponsor of the so-called “conservation” subdivision ordinance, which was supported by Atlanta’s two largest developer lobbying groups and was intended to allow developers to profitably develop marginal land in Milton.  Lastly, Mr. Lusk voted against the citizen-generated Comprehensive Land Use Plan.  Ms. Bentley has strongly opposed Mr. Lusk on every one of these issues.

Clearly, Ms. Bentley is the candidate that will protect and increase property values in Milton.  She will not defer to developers.  She will listen to the community, especially our terrific local real estate professionals.  Citizens might consider their support and vote for Bentley as a small investment to protect their big investment—the value of their home and property.

Advocating For Citizens,

Tim Becker

City Council Candidate Bentley, Election 2017, Good Governance, Smart Land Use

Bentley: Representing Citizens For The Last 2+ Years . . . Let’s Make It Official

Posted on by Milton Coalition

Author:  Tim Becker

Citizens, for over 2 years, Laura Bentley has been representing us before Council.  Over the past 2+ years, Bentley has attended nearly every City Council meeting (and dozens of other government meetings).  Bentley has addressed Council many dozens of times.  Advocating for citizens has been a full-time job for Ms. Bentley.  She has weighed in a every major issue before the City.  And she has proposed a number of initiatives that have been put on Council’s agenda and been approved.  Bentley has been a leader in opposing reckless development in Milton.  This includes leading efforts to successfully defeat dangerous rezonings to higher density in Milton. 

No candidate for Council in the history of Milton has come close to this level of involvement in our city government.  Because of her involvement, citizens are more apt to come to Ms. Bentley with questions and concerns than her opponent, who currently sits on Council!  If you don’t believe me, ask the residents of Wood Road and Ebenezer Road.  She advised both groups about zoning proposals that were going to desecrate their communities.  Ask the residents of Brookshade and Vickery Crest.  Ms. Bentley advised them on multiple re-zonings to higher density that threatened their property values.

Through her advocacy, Ms. Bentley has accumulated experience that trumps her opponent’s claim of being the more experienced candidate.  Mr. Lusk’s time in office with no record of accomplishments is NOT experience.  On Day 1, Ms. Bentley will be ready to serve on Council.  For the past 2 years, Ms. Bentley has been there for citizens.  Now it is time for us to be there for her and make her representation official by electing Laura Bentley to Council.

Following are a number of videos that clearly demonstrate Bentley’s advocacy on the major issues facing the City.  They demonstrate that Bentley clearly stands with citizens and against reckless development in Milton.  In these videos, she demonstrates the passion and intelligence that are her hallmarks.

  1. Bentley Leading the Charge Against the Infamous CSO

Laura Bentley led the opposition to the infamous CSO.  This included enlisting dozens of citizens to come speak before Council.  The CSO was a developer-promoted scheme to increase density, accelerate development, and introduce HOA-run sewer systems into rural Milton.

2. Bentley led the opposition to the Ebenezer Road rezoning.  Initially, the builder sought to cram 55 homes on 65 acres, with some houses on quarter acre lots.  Today, 21 homes are being built on most attractive 38 acres.  The remaining and less attractive 27 acres will likely support only a handful of homes, if and when it gets developed.  Delayed development is conservation.  Following is Bentley at the first Ebenezer hearing.

Unfortunately, the Ebenezer rezoning passed during the first hearing.  However, based on significant procedural issues (e.g., Council Member Thurman interfering 9 times in the hearing when she was recused), the Mayor vetoed the Council decision.  The rezoning was denied during the second hearing.  Following are Ms. Bentley’s impassioned Council comments against the rezoning at the second hearing.

Following is the vote on the Ebenezer rezoning, with Lusk and Kunz voting against denial of the rezoning.  They sided with builder’s proposal for 48 homes.  Notice their green shirts . . . this was to show solidarity with those promoting the Ebenezer rezoning.  Mr. Lusk and Mr. Kunz both actively promoted the developer’s project and rezoning ahead of the rezoning hearing, violating their duty of judicial impartiality.

3.  Bentley speaks against generous granting of variances.  On the night of the 2nd Ebenezer vote, Bentley also spoke against a variance request from a developer, who was seeking variances for 80% of his unbuilt lots!  Developers in Milton know that if they perform poor due diligence in purchasing a property, they can always come to Council to fix their mistakes.  In this situation, led by Ms. Bentley, citizens once again faced down a developer, who ended up withdrawing his variance application.  Mr. Lusk was silent during the discussion.

4.  Laura Bentley led the charge on protecting 3 acre lots on gravel roads.  She met with a group of Wood Road residents on multiple occasions to advise them and ensure they were successful in their aim of protecting their community.  If you drive down Wood Road today, you will see a raft of Bentley signs in appreciation of Ms. Bentley’s leadership.  Mr. Lusk was largely silent during the 3-acre lot size discussion.  His protege, Matt Kunz, and Lusk’s political soulmate, mayoral candidate Laura Rencher, both supported allowing one-acre lots on gravel roads!

5.  Laura has promoted initiatives to maintain Milton’s rural viewshed to preserve the look and feel of our community, to uphold our property values, and to honor our rural heritage.

6.  Laura Bentley led citizens in expressing support for Milton’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).  The CLUP is a ctizen-generated document that is developed by a 17-member committee that captures the community’s desires and aspirations for land-use in Milton.  It designates how every parcel of undeveloped property in the city should be developed.  The CLUP was developed over a 12-month period, was facilitated by consultants, and involved several citizen workshops.  The CLUP was approved 7-0 by the Planning Commission.  Despite the 100s of hours expended to develop the CLUP and generous citizen input, Mr. Lusk (and Mr. Kunz) voted against the CLUP.  Lusk and Kunz argued that the CLUP should include the infamous CSO, despite widespread citizen opposition to this ordinance.  It was the ultimate act of disrespect toward citizens.  It was a vote against citizens.

Ms. Bentley spoke in favor of the CLUP every time it was on the City Council’s agenda.  Following is a video of Ms. Bentley speaking at a City Council working session.

Ms. Bentley also spoke in favor of transmitting the CLUP to the State of Georgia.  Following is a video of her comments before Council:

Conversely, Mr. Lusk opposed the CLUP transmittal, arguing in favor of adding language to allow so-called “conservation” subdivisions.  Listen to Mr. Lusk’s comments.  He just doesn’t get it or doesn’t want to get it.  Citizens have rejected this notion of cluster housing in rural Milton . . . end of story.  Mr. Lusk, what part of NO don’t you understand?

And here is the vote on the CLUP transmittal with Lusk voting against it.  Clearly, Mr. Lusk believes he knows better than citizens what is best for the City.

Finally, in October 2016, the CLUP came before Council for a final vote.   And once again, Mr. Lusk argued for his precious CSO.  Following are Ms. Bentley’s Council Comments urging approval of the citizen-driven and Planning Commission-approved Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

7.  Laura Bentley expressed clearly and concisely her and  citizens’ displeasure with the non-transparent changing of electoral district lines engineered by Council Member Karen Thurman so that she could keep her seat when she moved out of her district.

Citzens, Laura Bentley has been there for us–the citizens–for the last 2+ years.  It is time for us to be there for her with our support and our votes.  Vote For a Better Milton.  Vote For Bentley.

Advocating For A Better Milton,

Tim Becker

City Council Candidate Bentley, Election 2017, Mayoral Candidate Rencher

Mayor Lockwood Endorses Equestrian Chair Laura Bentley Over Incumbent Bill Lusk

Posted on by Milton Coalition

Laura Bentley (Chairwoman of Milton’s Equestrian Committee) has been endorsed by the Mayor of Milton, Joe Lockwood.  Mr. Lockwood has served as mayor since Milton was founded in 2006.  He is popular with citizens for his promotion of good governance and smart land use.  He and Ms. Bentley found common cause in the battle against so-called “conservation” subdivisions, which would have brought higher density housing  to Milton than existing zoning laws would allow.  Mr. Lusk and his key ally, Laura Rencher, were the key promoters of such high density housing in rural Milton.  Ms. Rencher and Mr. Lusk are now running as a slate of candidates against Ms. Bentley, Mayor Lockwood Lockwood, and Planning Commission Chairman Peyton Jamison.

With his endorsement, Mayor Lockwood has sent a strong message that he wants to steer the city away from the dysfunction—led by Mr. Lusk and facilitated by Ms. Rencher–that citizens’ have witnessed over the past 2 years.  Mayor Lockwood’s endorsement is a good sign that Milton will be set on a new course toward clean, competent, and citizen-centric governance.  I applaud Mayor Lockwood’s endorsement.  Thank you, Joe!

Lockwood Endorsement

Council Member Burt Hewitt and (future) Council Member Peyton Jamison have previously endorsed Ms. Bentley.

Advocating For Citizens,

Tim Becker

Council Member Bill Lusk, Election 2017, Milton City Council

A Baker’s Dozen of Reasons Not To Vote For Bill Lusk

Posted on by Milton Coalition

Recently, I endorsed candidates for the upcoming City of Milton elections.  The most important race in the City is for the District 2 City Council seat, which pits Laura Bentley, Chairman of the Equestrian Committee, against 11-year incumbent Bill Lusk.  I truly believe the Bentley-Lusk race is a referendum on the future course of our city.  The contrast between these 2 candidates could not be starker.  Ms. Bentley is the antithesis of Mr. Lusk.  Ms. Bentley stands squarely with citizens; Mr. Lusk stands squarely with Special Interests (aka developers).  Ms. Bentley is a strong advocate for good governance; Mr. Lusk opposes good governance at every turn.  For the last several years, Mr. Lusk (and his sidekick, Matt Kunz) have been at the center of dysfunction and gridlock in the City.  And Ms. Bentley, as a community leader, has politely, but firmly, opposed—and often thwarted—their political shenanigans.  

I have attended nearly every City Council meeting over the past 2 years and have been witness to Mr. Lusk’s poor voting record and his bad behavior.  The list of reasons to not vote for Mr. Lusk are many and varied, ranging from his advocacy for high density housing to his temper tantrums on the Council dais.  Following are a baker’s dozen (13) of these reasons—any one of which provide sufficient cause to cast a vote against Mr. Lusk, but taken in their totality show an elected official who is clearly out of touch with his constituents and who has violated the public trust.

  1. Lusk voted against the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP). The CLUP was written and unanimously approved by a 17-member Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC).  The CLUP captures the community’s aspirations for land use through multiple citizen workshops and citizen input at CPAC meetings; it is a citizen-driven plan.  The CLUP was unanimously approved by the Planning Commission.  The CLUP process was facilitated by professional consultants over a 12-month period using a rigorous, proven process.  Only Council Members Lusk and Kunz voted against the CLUP.  In so doing, they rejected the input of the community, 100s of hours of work by citizen volunteers, and the recommendation of the Planning Commission.
  2. Lusk promoted the so-called “conservation” subdivision ordinance—the infamous CSO. This developer-promoted zoning ordinance would have brought cluster housing to un-sewered areas of Milton.  Mr. Lusk attempted to circumvent the City’s process for developing ordinances in his attempt to force through the CSO.  After the defeat of the CSO, Mr. Lusk (and Mr. Kunz) attempted to achieve the goals of the CSO through the Ebenezer rezoning.
  3. Lusk has voted 4 times to extend sewer in Milton, resulting in higher density housing than would have been allowed under existing zoning. (See post on Sewer Creep = Higher Density = Higher Developer Profits)
  4. Lusk has voted for 3 re-zonings that resulted in 2-3 times higher density than would have been allowed under existing zoning. This includes 1) the townhouse development across from Cambridge High School and 2) the infamous Ebenezer rezoning.
  5. Lusk promoted Brightwater Homes Ebenezer project in advance of the Ebenezer rezoning hearing, thereby violating his duty of judicial impartiality in zoning hearings, which are judicial proceedings. This is akin to a judge advocating for a litigant in advance of that litigant appearing before the judge in a court trial.  Mr. Lusk and Mr. Kunz even sported green polo shirts to demonstrate their solidarity with the developer.  Mr. Lusk supported Mr. Kunz’s negotiations on behalf of the developer in the rezoning hearing.
  6. Lusk routinely lashes out at citizen-critics on-line, in the newspaper, and from the Council dais. This is a violation of the city’s policy that government officials show deference to citizens, even when those citizens are critical.  In his lashing out at citizens, Mr. Lusk has questioned both the patriotism and volunteerism of his critics.  Furthermore Mr. Lusk has shown disdain for citizens’ exercise of their First Amendment rights:  Free Speech, Free Assembly, and Right to Petition, even asserting that citizens are “abusing” and “violating” the First Amendment freedoms with their comments at Council and on-line.
  7. Lusk was the chief accomplice in the clandestine redrawing of District 1’s boundaries. Mr. Lusk was the only Council Member to write a letter Representative Jan Jones supporting the redistricting.  In so doing, Mr. Lusk kept an ally on Council while eliminating competition for his seat on Council.
  8. Lusk recently attempted to throw Milton City Council election qualification process into disarray by advocating against extending the qualification period, in opposition to state law and the advice of the City Attorney. In so doing, Mr. Lusk joined Mr. Kunz in savaging fellow Council Member Joe Longoria at a City Council meeting, where Mr. Longoria was recused and therefore unable to defend himself.
  9. Lusk engages, during council meetings, in private consultations with Council Member Kunz to coordinate their strategies on issues before council—this is a direct violation of Georgia’s Open Meetings Law.
  10. Lusk routinely circumvents the City Manager to directly engage city government personnel—in direct violation of Milton City code. Mr. Lusk has a widely known reputation for constantly meddling in the day-to-day operations of the City government.  This includes showing up (late) to a Charter Commission meeting and directing/interrupting the proceedings, including urging the commission to expedite its proceedings.
  11. Lusk successfully lobbied for a second vote on a subdivision platting that had been rejected by Council when he became aware that a developer friend was  involved in the project requiring the platting. Mr. Lusk then reversed his vote on the platting, which resulted in approval of the platting and creation of a non-standard one-acre lot on a gravel road.
  12. Lusk asserts that development of Milton needs to be entrusted to developers, as they are licensed and certified professionals. Furthermore, Mr. Lusk asserts that Milton should not put any additional “hurdles” in the way of developers in Milton.  And Lusk maintains that Milton’s Planning Commission is composed of non-professionals that render subjective recommendations, and accordingly should not be granted additional authority over land use.
  13. Lusk has promoted HOA-operated and maintained private sewer systems (i.e., community septic). These systems are relatively untested and have experienced issues both in Milton and in other jurisdictions.  Such systems are needed to support cluster housing in rural areas of Milton.

Advocating For Citizens,

Tim Becker

Council Member Bill Lusk, Election 2017, Smart Land Use

Must-See Video: Mr. Lusk’s Views on Development In His Own Words . . .

Posted on by Milton Coalition

. . . A Far Cry From His Campaign Mailer.

Lusk Mailer Excerpt - Land Use Claims
Snapshot excerpt of most recent Bill Lusk mailer.

Author:  Tim Becker

If you are visiting the blog today, it is probably because you received an email sent to Milton Coalition supporters.  You are an informed voter who is seeking more information.  Please do me a favor.  Watch the following 4 minutes of video.  After watching, if you believe Mr. Lusk represents your desires for development, please vote for Mr. Lusk.  However, if Mr. Lusk’s views cause you concern, then please vote for Laura Bentley.  I have provided a lot of written commentary below; however, feel free to skip the commentary and just watch the videos . . . I think you will get it.

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Recently, Mr. Lusk sent out a campaign mailer.  It confirmed what most of us think about most politicians.  Their actions and voting record belie their words.  For the last 3+ years, Mr. Lusk has shamelessly advocated for the interests of developers.  However, now that we are in the election season, Mr. Lusk is repositioning himself as a limited growth candidate that is going to “continue to fight over-development in our city.”  (See above mailer excerpt.)  Frankly, Mr Lusk’s mailer is nonsense.  His voting record shows that Mr. Lusk has voted for EVERY re-ezoning to high density over the last 3 years. Mr. Lusk favors unfettered growth; he has been a primary enabler of over-development in Milton.  Fortunately, Mr. Lusk has left a video record of his true positions on development in Milton.

(Note:  The videos are not sound bites, so are a few minutes in length.  I believe informed voters want the whole story, not manipulated sound bites.)

In this first video, Mr. Lusk shows his deep contempt Milton’s Planning Commission – that is, they are a group of non-professionals (he calls them “Cousin Mike”) that render subjective opinions.  Developers are compared to cardiologists to whom we should defer on land use issues!  The truth is that our Planning Commission is group of seasoned professionals that only focuses on land-use issues.  For example, Paul Moore has been involved in land use planning for over 20 years.  The Planning Commission has consistently and unanimously denied reckless rezonings only to be rebuffed City Council.  The Planning Commission has also led the effort to enhance our current zoning regulations to ensure developers are held to a high standard.

At the end of the video, Mr Lusk argues for leaving the development of Milton to the developers . . . “Leave it to the professionals.”  Does this sound like the something you would say if your were truly advocating that “growth should be limited” and if your aim was to truly “fight over-development”?  Of course not.

In the next video, watch as Mr. Lusk argues against putting any “hurdles” in the way of developers.  I ask you to look around Milton at all the reckless development occurring.  I think a few “hurdles” might be prudent.

Watch as Mr. Lusk states that “we have pretty good control over development.”  Really?  Has he driven around Milton lately?  Has he been stuck in the traffic circle line at the Cogburn-Hopewell roundabout that stretches for miles?  His kids were never in Milton’s schools, so he has not experienced the overcrowding.

Mr. Lusk cites the tree ordinance as an example of “good control” over development.  Really?  Has Mr. Lusk seen all of the clear-cutting in Milton?  Did you know that clear-cutting is actually illegal?  Probably not, because our tree ordinance is routinely ignored by developers because its penalties are minuscule.

And I think it would be good to make it more difficult to get land disturbance permits . . . currently, getting a land disturbance permit is as simple as ordering a burger at a drive-through.

Citizens, I got involved in city government 2 years ago because I was fed up with reckless development.  I have attended nearly every city council meeting since then.  And I can tell you that Mr. Lusk is not for “limited growth” and he has not fought over-development . . . quite the opposite.  Mr. Lusk is definitely the developers’ candidate.  Laura Bentley is the citizens’ candidate.  Vote for Smart Land Use in Milton!  Vote For Bentley!

Advocating For Smart Land Use,

Tim Becker

CHS Town Homes
Town house development across from CHS . . . Mr. Lusk made motion to approve.
City Council Candidate Bentley, Council Member Bill Lusk, Election 2017, Uncategorized

Can Education and Enthusiasm Overcome Incumbency?

Posted on by Milton Coalition

Author:  Tim Becker

The Bentley vs. Lusk election comes down to Enthusiasm vs. Incumbency.  The advantages of incumbency are many and powerful.  In fact, many voters will merely vote for an incumbent based on the “I” next to his/her name and/or name recognition.  However, Bentley’s strong campaign has largely neutralized Mr. Lusk’s incumbency advantages.  Citizens, it is horse race right now.

I am sensing a huge enthusiasm gap between Bentley voters and Lusk voters.  Frankly, Bentley’s supporters are hugely excited about their candidate . . . Lusk voters, not very much.  A number of indicators highlight this enthusiasm gap:

  • Ms. Bentley’s likes at her Facebook page are 3X the number at Mr. Lusk’s page.  And a Facebook page that is endorsing Ms. Bentley, We Call Milton Home now counts over 3,000 likes.  This is incredible given that the page was started only 16 months ago.  Following is a link to the We Call Milton Home website:  We Call Milton Home Facebook Page
  • Many more people have hosted meet-the-candidate events for Ms. Bentley (than Mr. Lusk), and the crowds at these events are increasingly larger and more enthusiastic.
  • Ms. Bentley has raised a ton of money for her campaign from ordinary citizens.
  • Every Friday night, Ms. Bentley’s supporters have flooded the intersections around the CHS and MHS football games.  The honks and other demonstrations of support for Ms. Bentley have grown steadily over time.  Mr. Lusk originally worked the ballgames.  However, after a few Friday nights, outgunned by Ms. Bentley, Mr. Lusk abandoned his sign-waving campaign.  And recent mailers would indicate he is ceding the voting segment, voters with school-age children, to Ms. Bentley.
  • Supporters are eagerly forwarding pro-Bentley emails advocating for Bentley.
  • Ms. Bentley has many more signs planted in front of residences than Mr. Lusk.  The number of signs may seem even, but look closely.  Many of Mr. Lusk’s signs were planted illegally on empty lots, on property lines, in HOA-maintained areas on the periphery of subdivisions, etc.

Yesterday, my hunches about the enthusiasm gap were confirmed.  I reached out individually to many dozens of voters.  To my surprise, about 80% of contacted voters had already early voted!  This is a strong indicator of enthusiasm for Ms. Bentley.  When asked for the reasons, early voters stated they were so excited by Ms. Bentley’s candidacy they could not wait until election day to cast their ballots.  Early voters also stated they did not want to leave anything to chance (e.g., snarled traffic on GA 400) that might prevent them from voting for Ms. Bentley.

Does this high enthusiasm for Ms. Bentley mean she will win?  No.  Again, incumbency is a powerful advantage.  The race is currently too close to call.  The key to victory is for Bentley’s raving fans to infect other voters (through education) with Bentley enthusiasm.  Today until election day, Bentley’s supporters need to work their phones and computers for Laura Bentley.  Drain your email lists.  Text your friends while you are watching your favorite college and professional football teams.  Talk up Ms. Bentley in your circles of influence–e.g., sports tournaments and club meetings.  Go like Ms. Bentley’s Facebook page and share it on social media.  One enthusiastic Bentley supporter is even transporting seniors to the Milton Library to vote.  Every little bit counts.

At my blog, I have changed my settings so that you can easily share specific posts.  Just go to the share button at the bottom of your favorite post or email, choose your communications channels, and share away.

Lastly early voting ends November 3rd.  You can vote at ANY early voting location in Fulton County.  So you should be able to find a convenient location near your work.  Following is more information on early voting times and locations.

Early Voters are Bentley Voters!  Vote Bentley and Spread the Fever!

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Election 2017, Good Governance

Many Small Acts of Political Courage Will Lead to a Tide of Good Governance

Posted on by Milton Coalition

bigfishlittlefish

 

This post speaks to the importance of public participation in our local governance.  Over the last 22 months, on quite a few occasions, we have seen that great results can be achieved when enough citizens publicly engage.  The Ebenezer rezoning was defeated because 1800 citizens signed a petition, 100s wrote letters to Council, and we achieved an overflow crowd at the rezoning hearing.  I love the above graphic because it clearly demonstrates the importance of public engagement.

Daily, I speak with many citizens about the elections and city politics more generally.  And much to my dismay, I find that many citizens are afraid—yes, afraid—to publicly participate in local politics.  How is this possible in America, where politics are relatively tame, we have a tradition of peaceful elections, and rule of law is so strong?  But then I remember the old saying that “all politics is local” (Tip O’Neill).  And the reality in Milton is that some long-time politicians have created a culture of intimidation in our fine community.  Citizens, and even some council members, are afraid of the consequences of “crossing” certain politicians.  Some candidates are finding they have many closet supporters that are reluctant to make even a small political gesture, such as planting a campaign sign on their front lawn.  Such is the climate in Milton.  Of course, this poisonous culture has recently worsened because of spewing invective and even rage from some elected officials.  And it is my belief that one objective of this bad behavior is to put people off from engaging in politics . . . make local politics so acrimonious that average citizens will disengage in disgust.  Then politics is left only to the crazies and Special Interests.  Average citizens are effectively disenfranchised.  Good governance recedes.

So my point is a simple one . . . there is strength in numbers.  No one needs to be especially courageous if enough of us engage in the political process.  Regardless of which candidate you support, get out and participate in this election.  Plant a sign in your yard.  Attend a meet-the-candidate event.  Sport a candidate magnet on your car.  Proudly wear a campaign t-shirt.  Endorse a candidate at their Facebook page.  If enough of us participate, the culture of fear will recede, and a tide of good governance will wash over our wonderful city.  But it will take small acts of political courage from all of us.

Yard Signs

Tim Becker

Council Member Bill Lusk, Council Member Matt Kunz, Council Member Thurman, Election 2017, Milton City Council

Three Sad Chapters in Our City’s Narrative . . . Let’s Turn the Page on Dysfunction in Our City

Posted on by Milton Coalition

Ask yourself:  Are Lusk, Thurman, and Kunz really the best we can do?

Triumvarate

It’s hard to watch the news anymore.  And no, I am not talking about the national news.  I am talking about the local news.  Over the last 4 months, Milton has gotten more than its fair share of negative press.  And it is always the same 3 Council Members at the center of the dysfunction:  Lusk, Thurman, and Kunz.  Let me take you down Bad Memory Lane:

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Chapter 1:  Thurman’s Redistricting – A Scandal of “Biblical” Proportions (July 2017)

In July, Council Member Karen Thurman was at the center of the redistricting scandal.  As you might recall, Ms. Thurman was moving outside of her district, but desperately wanted to keep her seat.  So Thurman found a legislator willing to sponsor a bill to redraw her district lines to include her new home.  The problem is that this change was made totally unbeknownst to Milton’s citizens.  Zero transparency.  Following is the story from the Milton Herald:

Milton Herald: Thurman Redistricting Scandal

This story elicited two very bizarre political speeches from Ms. Thurman.  In the first speech, Ms. Thurman descended from the council dais to deliver a speech to Council from the citizens’ podium.  Wrapping herself in an armor of Bible scripture, she delivered a rambling, holier-than-thou attack on her critics . . . we were all haters.

 

Then, a few weeks later and after the scandal had broken, Ms. Thurman again attacked citizens—this time from her lofty perch on the council dais.  Ms. Thurman cast aside her previous love-thy-neighbor theme in favor of Old Testament fire-and-brimstone.  In rambling tirade, Ms. Thurman screamed at citizens and even threatened the Milton Herald.  It was the epitome of a self-inflicted mortal wound.  Ms. Thurman had dashed all hopes for re-election and withdrew from the race for her Council seat.

 

However, Mr. Lusk later carried on the fight for Ms. Thurman, delivering a quite nasty speech in her defense while also excoriating fellow Council Member Joe Longoria.

 

Chapter 2:  Matt Kunz Meltdown – Heisman for Unsportsmanlike Behavior (August/Sept 2017)

Events in Milton got even stranger with Matt Kunz’s tirade against Joe Longoria prior to a special-called Council meeting.  Mr. Kunz squared up with Mr. Longoria and was yelling at the top of his lungs.  Longoria had the good sense to retreat to his seat.  During the council meeting, Kunz then doubled down on his bad behavior when Kunz tagged-teamed with Bill Lusk to humiliate Joe Longoria, who was recused from the discussion.  Following are stories from the Milton Herald and WSB:

WSB: Kunz Goes Off On Longoria

Milton Herald: Near-Violence Event Before Council Meeting

 

 

At a later council meeting, Kunz later made matters even worse when he later issued a weeping non-apology apology for his previous bad behavior.  See video.

 

In addition to his Heismann, Mr. Kunz recently won his merit badge for conflict of interest when it was revealed Kunz swore in the President of the Great Atlanta Homebuilders Association . . . the one and only Charlie Bostwick of Brightwater Homes . . . the developer whose project Kunz marketed in the Ebenezer rezoning.

kunz-swearing-in-bostwick 2

Chapter 3:  Bill Lusk Email Scandal:  Political Limbo – How Low Can You Go! (October 2017)

Not to be outdone, Bill Lusk wins the Oscar for Malfeasance and Misbehavior with his misappropriation and misuse of the Memorial Markers list.  Every major local news outlet covered that story.  No surprise.  After all, how often is a sitting council member reprimanded by the City Manager and City Attorney for a major ethics violation?  Mr. Lusk set a new low in city politics.  No matter how low the bar, Mr. Lusk somehow manages to shimmy his way under it . . . Lusk is a master of the political limbo dance.

Milton Herald: Milton Issues Apology for Improper Use of Emails

WSB: Longtime Councilman Using City-run Database to Solicit Votes

The Patch: Councilman Used Emails For Veterans Program To Promote Campaign Event

AJC: Milton Councilman Improperly Used Email Addresses From City

Chapter 4:  ??????????????????????????

After reading and watching these news stories, can you honestly say these Council Members (Thurman, Kunz, and Lusk) are the best we can do?  Do we really want our city to continue to be mired in dysfunction brought on by this triumvirate?  Citizens, with this election, let’s start a new chapter in City politics—one focused on smart land use, good governance, and listening to citizens.  Let’s begin by electing Laura Bentley to City Council.  Let’s leave behind the dysfunction of Lusk, Kunz, and Thurman.

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Thank you for your on-going support of good governance and smart land use in Milton.  Yesterday, the blog passed 10,000 hits . . . a major milestone.

Tim Becker

woohoo

Council Member Bill Lusk, Election 2017

Lusk Would Have Us Believe Impossible Things, Like Traffic is Not a Problem in Milton

Posted on by Milton Coalition

Alice-with-queen-of-hearts

Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said. “One can’t believe impossible things.”

“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

—Through The Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll

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These days in Milton, Mr. Lusk seems to be taking on the role of the Queen of Hearts.  Mr. Lusk wants us to believe impossible things . . . like traffic is not a problem in Milton.  See his latest Facebook post below:

Traffic Not A Problem - Lusk

And of course, a photo with a horse should fool some Milton citizens into believing Mr. Lusk is an equestrian.

meetbill_withhorse

And we are supposed to believe that Mr. Lusk is no longer the most pro-developer  member of Council.  Why?  Because he says so in a mailer.

Lusk Mailer Excerpt - Land Use Claims

Yes, Mr. Lusk would have citizens believe a lot of impossible things.

Greetings from Wonderland,

Tim Becker