Category: Election 2017

City Council Candidate Bentley, Council Member Bill Lusk, Election 2017

Milton Herald Gets Story About Influence of Money in Milton Politics Completely Wrong

Posted on by Milton Coalition

December 8, 2017

Following is a link to an article by the Milton Herald that asserts that Laura Bentley’s defeat of incumbent Council Member Bill Lusk hinged on money.

Campaign War Chests Prove The Difference in Milton

This assertion is categorically wrong, as the Herald analysis focuses on campaign contributions, not campaign spending.  Yes, Ms. Bentley raised more money.  However, Mr. Lusk spent more money and that is what matters.  Based on the last campaign finance reports (from November 1st), Ms. Bentley had spent $13,812 and Mr. Lusk had spent $22,867–a huge gap of over $9,000.  Spending advantage:  BILL LUSK.  And remember that the final campaign finance reports will be submitted on December 31–a fact omitted by the Milton Herald.  I suspect we will see an even bigger gap in campaign spending based on the final finance reports.

This spending gap makes Ms. Bentley’s victory that much more impressive.  She walloped an 11-year incumbent who also outspent her.  Contrast this fact with the Milton Herald‘s assertion that Ms. Bentley effectively bought the election.

Of course, the Milton Herald article (like many others in the past) had me seeing RED.  Once I calmed down, I fired off the below letter to Hatcher Hurd, Executive Editor the Milton Herald.  Note that I mention that, despite her heroic efforts to advocate for citizens, Ms. Bentley has been largely ignored by the Milton Herald.  However, I would bring your attention to the following article just published by an on-line newspaper, North Fulton Neighbor:

Bentley aims to be a voice for the residents as newly elected councilwoman in Milton

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This is the kind of story the Milton Herald should have written, but instead opted to write a story that dismisses Ms. Bentley and her victory as an example of the influence of money in politics.

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Mr. Hurd:

Laura Bentley did not buy the election as you seem to imply in the Milton Herald.  In fact, your own story on campaign finance provides evidence to the contrary.  Read on . . .

I have long been concerned about superficial and biased reporting in the Milton Herald.  An article in the most recent edition of the Milton Herald further validated my concerns.  The headline of the article read “Campaign War Chests Prove the Difference in Milton.”  Really?  That is the Milton Herald’s explanation for Laura Bentley’s historic blowout victory (over 71% of the vote) over an entrenched 11-year incumbent?  Interestingly, even your own article refutes this explanation.  The article clearly states that Mr. Lusk significantly outspent Ms. Bentley.  Your article asserts that Ms. Bentley’s spending was 65% less than Mr. Lusk’s.  So using the “facts” from your own article, it seems the headline should have stated “Insurgent Achieves Historic Election Blowout Despite Being Outspent By Entrenched Incumbent.”  And when the final campaign finance reports are released on December 31, I think you will see an even more lopsided campaign ledger.

It is obvious, except to the Milton Herald, that what matters are campaign expenditures, not campaign contributions.  The Milton Herald’s conclusion that Ms. Bentley’s electoral win was the result of campaign contributions is reckless, reprehensible, and just plain false.

It does not surprise me that the Milton Herald lacks understanding of why Ms. Bentley won the election.  For the last 2 years, you have overlooked (intentionally, I believe) the citizens’ revolution that unfolded here in Milton.  Citizens were fed up with reckless development, poor governance (at the Council level), the influence of Special Interests, and arrogant/self-serving politicians.  They desperately wanted change.  Ms. Bentley represented that change.

As you know, for over 2 years, Ms. Bentley has attended nearly every City Council meeting.  She has also attended many dozens of other city government meetings.  She has spoken at countless  meetings.  Ms. Bentley has worked closely with various citizens groups to achieve justice in land-use matters.  Laura became a clear and unequivocal voice for citizens.  And she led citizens in achieving a number of important victories at Council.  She did this in relative anonymity . . . she is a humble servant for our community.  You will not find a citizen that cares more for our community than Laura Bentley.  I believe she was deserving of regular coverage from the Herald, but rather she was largely ignored by you.

Furthermore, Laura worked hard to win her council seat.  She bootstrapped her campaign with a personal loan.  She worked tirelessly for 4 solid months.  She held 30 meet-and-greets.  She knocked on thousands of doors all over Milton.  She ran an exceptionally smart and clean campaign.  Laura Bentley won because she connected with citizens and worked hard.  And those of us who witnessed her hard work and passion are not going to let you get away with your false assertion that Bentley essentially bought the election.  That claim is patently false and insulting to not only Ms. Bentley, but to the citizens of Milton . . . your readers

Mr. Hurd, as the executive editor of the Milton Herald, the buck stops with you.  You owe Ms. Bentley an apology.  Furthermore, you should retract your false story and replace it with a factual and substantive account of Ms. Bentley’s election win.  That would be the honorable and right thing to do.

Mr. Hurd, I believe a fair, honest, and objective press is important to good governance in Milton.  I would welcome the opportunity to sit down with you or anyone else at the Milton Herald to honestly discuss your coverage of Milton’s politics and government.  Like Ms. Bentley, I have worked nearly full-time advocating for Milton’s citizens.  This includes attending nearly every City Council meeting for 2 years and speaking dozens of times before Council and other city government entities.  I believe I have an informed perspective on Milton’s politics and government that might be instructive and beneficial to you and others at the Milton Herald.

Respectfully,
Tim Becker
Note:  The Milton Herald responded to my letter and stated that they are standing by their story.
City Council Candidate Bentley, Election 2017, Good Governance, Smart Land Use

Election Was a Battle of the I’s: Information vs. Incumbency

Posted on by Milton Coalition

the-best-argument-against-democracy-is-a-five-minute-conversation-with-the-avertage-voters-politics-quote

The above quote from Mr. Churchill is one of favorites.  And generally I agree with the sentiment expressed, particularly as it relates to state and national politics.  However, Milton is different.  As with so many things, Milton’s citizens showed their exceptionality in Tuesday’s election.  Voters understood the issues facing Milton, like overcrowded schools and insufficient transparency, and delivered a mandate for change.  They delivered a mandate for smart land use and good governance. 

And make no mistake about it, Ms. Bentley’s capturing of 71.23% of the vote against an entrenched, 11-year incumbent is a huge mandate.  Furthermore, Ms. Bentley’s message resonated throughout the diverse geographies of Milton, from the town homes in Deerfield to the mostly still rural areas in the far north reaches of Milton.  In fact, Ms. Bentley racked up huge victories in Crabapple (76%) and Milton Lakes (78%).  These southern areas of Milton are where rezonings to higher density pose the biggest threat to quality of life and property values.

Election Map
Areas Won By Bentley (shaded in green)

Ms. Bentley also racked up big victories in District 3, including in Crooked Creek (65%).  I mention this because District 3 Council Member Longoria chose to not endorse a candidate.  And the other District 3 Council Member Mohrig tacitly supported Mr. Lusk, including waving signs for Mr. Lusk on election day.  The result was that Lusk signs often outnumbered Bentley signs in many parts of District 3, including on the lawns of some influential Miltonites.

And frankly, the abundance of Lusk signs and the many strong advantages of incumbency did cause some within the Bentley camp to fret about a possible close election.  I was not among the fretters.  I predicted Bentley would win 72% of the vote; she won 71.23%.  And please know that it is especially difficult to predict the outcome local elections.  We had no polling data.  And our proxies for polling data (e.g., likes at a Facebook page) were crude at best.

So how did I know the election would be a Bentley Blowout?  Answer:  conversations with (mostly random) citizens–a foreign notion to some sitting council members.  Stretching back two years to the battle over the CSO, I have spoken with many hundreds of citizens about the issues facing Milton.  I found that most citizens were/are increasingly dissatisfied with over-development in Milton.  And furthermore, this sentiment does not vary depending on where citizens live, as we all sit in the same traffic.  We all send our kids to the same overcrowded schools.  We all are concerned about our property values.

Even two years ago, this community sentiment against reckless development was obvious with opposition to the CSO.  At the time, the dueling CSO petitions showed that 70+% of citizens opposed the ordinance, which citizens realized would accelerate development, introduce high density housing where it did not belong, and allow HOA-run private sewer systems.

For the next two years, this overwhelming citizen opposition to over-development was repeatedly demonstrated in various zoning hearings–e.g., Ebenezer Road, Donegal Lane, and Reserve at Providence.  However, some on Council–sometimes a majority–repeatedly refused to acknowledge the obvious and strong community opposition to reckless development in Milton  . . . much to their detriment, as 2 new council members dedicated to smart development will join Council in January.

This past Tuesday, informed Milton citizens showed up in droves to the polls and rejected the status quo.  Information trumped incumbency.  With the election, the specialness of our community shone through.  Miltonites are a smart, caring, and hard-working lot.  It is these good qualities and so many more that have made us the number one community in Georgia.  And it is these qualities that will ensure that our community maintains its special sense of place and becomes number one in good governance.

On election day, power was indeed shifted back to the informed citizens of Milton.  Ms. Bentley’s platform for change was overwhelmingly approved.  Now the hard work of implementing that change begins.  Click here to find Bentley’s campaign platform–a blueprint for smart land use and good governance:  Bentley’s Blueprint for Smart Land Use and Good Governance  And please stay engaged.

Advocating For Citizens,

Tim Becker

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Postscript:  I will be blogging about Pizza-gate, so stay tuned.

City Council Candidate Bentley, Election 2017

Laura Bentley Trounces Incumbent Bill Lusk, Winning 71% of Vote . . .

Posted on by Milton Coalition

. . . Citizens Strike a Blow for Smart Land Use and Good Governance

November 7, 2017

Citizens:

Tonight, Laura Bentley trounced 12-year incumbent Bill Lusk.  The unofficial results show Bentley crushing her opponent Bill Lusk for the District 2, Post 1 City Council seat with 71 percent, or 3,164 votes. Lusk only polled 29 percent, or 1,278 votes.  In the coming days, I will have more to say about Bentley’s victory and Mayor Lockwood’s victory over Laura Rencher.  Suffice to say, a new day is dawning in Milton.  Citizens have taken the city back and the Special Interests are on their heels.  Good governance will once again prevail in Milton.  Thank you, Milton citizens.  You have proven once again that we truly do live in a special community.

Advocating For Citizens,

Tim Becker

City Council Candidate Bentley, Council Member Bill Lusk, Election 2017

Laura Bentley: The Clear Choice for Senior Voters

Posted on by Milton Coalition
Senior Mailer - Lusk
Lusk Mailer to Seniors – Received November 3, 2017

November 4, 2017

Bill Lusk sent the above mailers to seniors.  Quite a few contacted me and asked for my take on this mailer.  Here goes . . .

Well, the short answer is that Mr. Lusk has done nothing for seniors and his platform at his website includes no initiatives for seniors.  To understand Mr. Lusk’s sudden passion for seniors and their issues, you need to understand Laura’s Bentley’s history and platform.

Ms. Bentley has long had a passion for seniors and their unique issues.  Bentley’s passion for seniors led her to volunteer at Milton’s Senior Center.  Eventually, the Senior Center hired Bentley as Assistant Manager.  Every weekday, Ms. Bentley works with Milton seniors.  Through her interactions at the senior center, Bentley became aware of the issues that seniors face in Milton.  In particular, she became deeply concerned about high and rising property taxes facing seniors . . . taxes that might force seniors from their homes.  Laura educated herself on the issue and found that Milton offers 3 specific exemptions for seniors.  And much to her dismay, she found that many seniors were not taking advantage of these exemptions–often, because they were unaware of them.  Bentley felt the City needed to be more proactive on this issue.  Accordingly, Bentley began advocating that the City should reach out to seniors and assist them with maximizing their available exemptions.  And she made this goal a plank in her campaign platform.

Senior Plank - Campaign Platform
Excerpt From Bentley Campaign Website – Platform Webpage

More importantly, Ms. Bentley has made her senior exemption initiative a key element of her stump speech at her meet-and-greets.  Apparently, word got back to Mr. Lusk and he got religion on the whole senior issue.  However, let’s look at the facts more closely.

First, the obvious question:  What has Mr. Lusk done for seniors over the past 12 years?  Hmmm . . . interesting question.  The answer is nothing . . . zero . . . zip . . . zilch . . . nada (for our Spanish speakers) . . . a big goose egg.  In fact, in his list of accomplishments at his website, nothing for seniors is listed.

Of course, Mr. Lusk will claim that he “fought the Fulton County Board of Commissioners to rescind Property Value Assessments” and that helped seniors.  (BTW, the Board of Commissioners supported the rescission.  It was the Board of Assessors that opposed the rescission . . . that is a basic fact to get wrong.)  However, I was involved in fighting the property tax increase and I can tell you that Mr. Lusk was MIA.  Don’t believe me.  Watch this video of the first Council meeting discussion of the tax increase.  Lusk says nothing.  And he doesn’t strike me as caring much about the topic.

I attended multiple town hall meetings on the tax increase and spoke at one of these meetings.  Mr. Lusk attended one town hall meeting and said nothing.

Lastly, I attended and spoke at the all-important Board of Assessors meeting in downtown Atlanta.  Also speaking were Mayor Lockwood, Council Member Kunz, Commissioner Bob Ellis, Senator John Albers, and Fulton Commission Chairman John Eaves.  And again Mr. Lusk was MIA . . . he did not show up . . . he did not speak.

So it is fair to say that Mr. Lusk has done nothing for seniors and does not propose (in his platform) to do anything for seniors.  Frankly, even his mailer is pretty darn lame.  What does it mean “to fight for Senior Homestead Exemptions”?  And does it really matter that Lusk is a senior?  What matters is his record for seniors . . . he has none.  And specifics about what he would do for seniors . . . there are no specifics.

Conversely, Laura Bentley has a specific, substantive, and implementable initiative for helping seniors.  Through her work with seniors, Bentley understands senior issues . . . she will be a strong advocate for seniors.

Please forward and share this post with your senior friends, neighbors, and family members.

Advocating For Seniors,

Tim Becker

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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