And que Mary with the complaints in 3...2...1...

Let's all focus on the key issues of which the mayor spoke on.
When the mayor spoke about Hickory Lakes Apts. He is quoted as saying I am pretty much open to anything. He is saying he is open to sale it to anyone. Mayor quote we will look at doing things smarter. Mayor Bacon I ask you What is so smart in 1st purchasing a property, 2nd tearing it down with $4million dollars and not having one building plan. So now you have purchased on a property during the worst economic times and you have just let everyone know you never had a building plan. Mayor Bacon what is so smart about adding more empty spaces in and around Smyrna. Belmont is a eyesore. It did not have to be that way. Mr Halpern is a rich man. Go take at look at Toco Hills Shopping Center Mr Halpern owns the property and is in re-development stages. He did not bulldoze it down he gave it a facelift. That is called good relations. A smart Mayor would have said to Mr Halpern, leaving a 55 acre empty space for years will not be acceptable. It will bring down house values and stall growth for Smyrna. Belmont Hills had tenants. He could have remodeled section by section while moving the business at one section of Belmont Hills. I do believe people who live here would had preferred a remodeled shopping center then a torn down empty space.
Jonquil shopping center was a nice looking shopping center but now it is gone. Why! This mayor and council only had destruction plans not building plans.

Jonquil had plans to build 200 senior housing unit. Belmont hills was zoned for Luxury senior condos. At Cumberland pkwy a senior housing was zoned in. What town can only survive on seniors? Seniors do not pay certain taxes ,like school taxes? How smart is that? Plus Cobb Commissioners are closing Senior Facilities. We need to build for young professionals, seniors and all age groups. That would be smart planning for the future.
720,000 property tax less then last year. Mayor would it be smart to wait and not build a 5th fire department. $500,000 will be taken out of the general fund to match the grant to build the fire station we do not need . The property was given to the city, so wait and build when we need it not before. Property taxes are low but you still build a government facility. Save the general fund for a rainy.
Franchise taxes are up. That only means franchise businesses are investing Smyrna. A franchise is not a unique business. In other words you can go anywhere to buy Popeye's Chicken, or a Chik-fil-a, you don't have just drive to Smyrna. What would be smart is planning Uniqueness. When parks are planned they should be unique. Having unique parks, unique shopping malls. Excepting just anything mayor is not thinking smarter or outside the box.Is it smart thinking to zone in a gun store/ shooting range right across from a elementary school. The gun store will sell over 10,000 guns! 31 years is enough of this smart type of thinking.

This is what leaders do. They don't zone mega gun store/firing rages across from a elementary schools. That boast selling10,000 guns. They don't zone in only parts of a population that will not school tax. They zone in a mixed use community of ages. They don't zone in 2000 sq ft minimum selective housing. They don't create large empty spaces to add to the empty spaces here in town. They don't build a government building when you have a short fall of property taxes. You don't demolish the old city development building. Then use park SPLOST Funds to renovate Brauner and then hand it over a 10,000 sq ft building to the city development dept. Which only employees 10 people. You don't kick out families in the middle of winter and openly say after words you never had plans for the property. Smart Growth planning I have yet to see it from Mayor Bacon only Destructive planning. 31 years of destructive planning is enough, and let me tell you citizens of Smyrna their is more to come if he is re-elected. I have seen the plans. Smyrna needs a new Mayor. I am Donna Short Woodham. I am your Neighborhood Mayor. Vote Smart Noverber 8
Just to put the record straight Racetrac has not purchased the daycare centers.

Thank you Mayor Bacon for your frank and direct address. You are a great leader and I appreciate your vision for the future. The city was smart in applying for the grant for the fire station while it was available. This along with the donation of the land will save the taxpayers a lot of money, Not to mention the lives that will be saved on the West side of town thanks to this Fire Station. While Belmont hills was a falling down, rat infested shopping center, if you can call it that with its' hispanic pool hall and a Rainbow discount clothier, The city stood by and helped Mr. Halpern with his plan for the center. I do realize that Jonquil plaza is in foreclosure and that has slowed down that development, but the city has stood vigillantly by awaiting the plans for that development. The new kroger is coming along and will be ready for next year. This will include a new, much needed traffic signal for that area. Adventure Outdoors, which is just moving down the street to a new, much larger facility will be a Model for other outdoor businesses.

Thank you Mayor Bacon and council for having the vision to buy Hickory Lake apartments. This purchase has really cleaned up the neighborhhod and reduced police service calls and allowed them to concentrate on other areas. And thank You Mayor Bacon for not furloughing our emloyees. This shows great management, unlike Cobb and others who are in huge deficits. Things can continue to get better and they will.

Look, he's not fooling anyone but himself!
It's obvious that no-one's willing to invest in Smyrna!
Proof is the distinct obvious cutoff of anything quality as soon as you leave the Cumberland/Galleria & Vinings area.
To encourage good growth & smart city planning,... would mean pink slips for many!
Certain denial won't allow progress!!
Krogers getting a new store because TriLand properties came on board,.. a company out of Chicago that specializes in rundown properties no one else wants! It's a Kroger,...gez,... you'd think we were getting a W Hotel or a botanical garden or something,... the way some of these paid city employees squawk!!
Jonquil- SHOULD have become a mixed use 'village' type community- similar to the Woodstock Old Town, Duluth Town Center, Brookhaven Village or Glenwood Village.
Instead the investors & developers tucked tail & split!
Smart on their part, since it sits directly across from the Market Village that is steadily emptying out & becoming much like a ghost town.
I am curious about the new 'watch for pedestrians' signs scattered around in there.
What should we do if we actually spot one- call the police??
43 million in the 2005 SPLOST for Smyrna,... was supposed to be to work on Smyrnas ROADS! Suppose it's just a joke to this mayor to not use the money the way the voters expected??
My road in Smyrna Heights is so cracked we have WEEDS growing through the middle !
Ever considered a little accountability, Mayor Bacon?

And you Mary would save the World ? Yes, we are getting a new Kroger. Good for them. I don't even shop at Kroger but I am glad to see something new develop. I love your "what should have beens". Buy these properties or go into Governement design. You find the money and send the ideas to the city. Find solutions or just continue to sit back and complain. Or better yet, take your proof of all the wrongdoings to the Grand Jury. Just as I thought, you don't have any. I am pretty sure the city employees aren't excited about a new Kroger or a botanical garden. They haven't had a raise in four years and yet continue to work for you and the other tax payers. Try spraying Round-up on the weeds in the street in your free time. That should help.

Oh,... & if any one isn't clear about back room deals, winks & handshakes.
Outdoor Adventure got a 3.2 million dollar bond from the Cobb County Development Authority to go towards the 5 million dolllar renovation. Hickory Lakes had to GO,.. for that project to move forward.
Wheelin' n dealin'
Now the cities stuck w/ an overpaid piece of property.
How do you market this property?
Do you show how close Harmony Hill Apartments (projects) are behind it?
Do you show how close one of the WORST 3rd world trailer parks is w/in walking distance on Gray Road?
Do you show the income of the surrounding neighborhoods @ poverty level?
.... or do you hope some fool driving past from Paulding County will plop down 14 million??
... I'll bet ya Halpern would take less for his piece of asphalt.
--- Henry county bought Tara Airport this week,.. including runways, hangers & over 600 acres from Clayton County for 17.7 million.
--Jamestown properties bought the wonderful old Sears building from the city of Atlanta this week ,.. for less than 20 million!
THOSE sound like good deals!!
Property in Smyrna a deal??.... not so much!!

Thanks Sydney for the recap! Do you know where I can find a text of his address, if one is avaliable? BTW, what's the count of people running for mayor? I've only got Max & Donna on my scorecard.

It is the mayor's job to say we're doing well, even if we aren't.
What I think isn't going so well is a career politician siting at the helm for 31 years.
I didn't realize ole Maxie-Poo had been in there so long.
I'd like very much to see TERM LIMITS put on each and every person in Smyrna's City Government. I think rotation of officials is vital to stay fresh, and not offer up as many opportunities for complacency and unethical behavior.

I have loved living in Smyrna for well over a decade, but the trends I'm seeing coming out of the Mayor's office and the rest of the City Council have become disturbing.
A smart leader knows when to step aside and let someone else have their day.

I'm ever so curious as to when our current mayor is going to graciously remove himself from public office and allow someone with a newer, fresher, more vibrant approach to city management than himself take the reigns? And allow them to bring Smyrna back to that Welcoming Town I saw when we moved here all those years ago?

I am not endorsing anyone, and having said that..I think it's time for Mayor Bacon and all who sit on the Council to go.

The great thing about our Mayor & City Council is that they are elected officials. Body & Kathy, if the majority of the Smyrna community thought it was time for them to go or that they had reached their expiration date, then they wouldn't keep getting reelected. See, in a democracy, majority rules. Kathy, the mayor wasn't giving a "State of the Citiznens" address. He was giving a "State of the City" address. We do have great citizens and I'm sure Mayor Bacon would agree. Of course, there are and always will be a small group of citizens that only complain and are never satisfied. This small group is never happy, just a Chris stated earlier, it doesn't matter to this group what the city does, it will be wrong. Do those in this small, complaining, bitter group even read the articles before they comment on them? The article states that in the past Mayor Bacon has been critisized for being too critical of our city. So this year he gave a very positive and upbeat speach and of course, this group is not happy about that. I am proud to live in this city and have seen the City of Smyrna make great strides in a struggling economy.

I feel the Mayor has much to be excited about with the direction he has lead our Great City. Thank you Mayor for the balanced budget, the foresight to use available grants and donations to assist with building a much needed fire station, and the ability to make tough decisions, like purchasing the Hickory Lake crime zone, that are best for our city even though a few may be opposed. Thank you Mayor Bacon for your care and concern for our Great City. Your leadership is greatly appreciated.

It might be helpful in understanding why certain people take such a strong stance on some of these important issues facing the city, if we knew WHO they are.
I wonder who Rio Ally is. Is she Rosemary Rivera(executive assistant to city administrator), or possibly the cities spokeperson & community relations director, Miss Jennifer Bennet? If they would come out from behind the curtain from which they hide,.. I believe it would bring clarity to their cities praise on every & all issues, w/out thought on the effects these decisions are having on citizens & specific neighborhoods. A mayor of 31 years,.. has clearly become drunk w/ power & blind to the condition of his city,..& clearly has a huge ego that long steadfast employees will stoke in trade for job security.
And,.. Rio, Rosemary, Jennifer or whoever you are,... the mayor doesn't continue to rule this city because people are 'happy' w/ his leadership,... it's called APATHY, my friend,.. simple & clear!!

....oh , and we are very aware that all the elected city officials are reading Patch.
Jimmy, Max, Mellanie, Ron, Mike, Wade, Teri & Pete(,..well maybe not Pete, he could be napping)--
,,,so it just goes to show that there is no open communication, dialouge, discussion or desire on the cities part , to involve citizens(openly & honestly), w/ the design, direction of future of (their) city!
(& yes Teri A. does resspond once in a while,.. but usually to correct Donna,.. or ask someone to e-mail her PRIVATELY)
I say all communication should be public & open!!
The city is accustomed to closed doors & limited communication!
Let us eat cake!!

Mary, I work for a non-profit organization in another city. I don't even know anyone in City hall other than seeing them at Council meetings or city functions. But as usual, you don't care about the facts. Guess, insinuations, name calling and misinformation seem to be about all you know. Kathy Brooks left a threatening comment that has since been removed. You demand to know everyone's personal information. I think all can see who are the bully's here. There is nothing wrong with a difference of opinion and open debate. The threats and name calling by those that constantly twist the facts to fit their own agenda shows some don't understand that concept. A Mayor of 31 years shows me that the people that are involved and care about the city, the ones that actually make it to the polls, keep voting this person in office not, as you say, a Mayor 'drunk or blind'. Your name calling has no factual basis.

No-one is ever @ the council meetings, except city employees & the couple from Williams Park.
( & me & Alex<... & I know you aren't Alex).
Why don't you come clean & introduce yourself Monday nite?
It must be tough to live in the shadows.

Hmmm...here's your civics lesson.

republic definition:
A form of government in which power is explicitly vested in the people, who in turn exercise their power through elected representatives. Today, the terms republic and democracy are virtually interchangeable, but historically the two differed. Democracy implied direct rule by the people, all of whom were equal, whereas republic implied a system of government in which the will of the people was mediated by representatives, who might be wiser and better educated than the average person. In the early American republic, for example, the requirement that voters own property and the establishment of institutions such as the Electoral College were intended to cushion the government from the direct expression of the popular will.

We live in a REPUBLIC. Popular will is NOT recognized here. And everytime anyone praises the Mator, or any other "elected" official for having the "vision" to do what's "best" for the city, they're showing they're perfectly fine with a figurehead doing the thinking for them.

I for one am not.
The lack of transparency coupled with the lack of ease I've encountered as to getting even simple questions answered by Smyrna's Mouthpieces makes me most uneasy.

At some point, yes, you do want the day to day goings on handled by those who're in office, rather than having to call a vote to even buy copy paper. But we're not really talking about office supplies at this stage of the game, are we?

*make that Mator..as in fresh grown 'mator from the vine, MAYOR please.*

I have to agree with Kathy about Smyrna not having a strong turn out in the polls at election time. 2,000 people voted for Mr. Bacon. This is just not a majority of Smyrna. Apathy is the real issue here. As long as people take the stance that "it doesnt' effect me," "there's nothing I can do about it," "you can't fight City Hall," or the worst "all politicians are crooks anyway, so what's the point?" The true voice of Smyrna and countless other places across America are never going to be heard. And when you have people, such as yourself Rio Ally who insist that a difference of opinion is a Bad Thing and must be smitten, of course people are going to slink off. Most people just don't have the time, energy or inclination to argue about these things.
But being loudest doesn't make you right. It just makes the rest of us deaf.

For the record, I believe we need New Blood in our City Government.
Term Limits, Period.
The Status Quo is usually only good for a very small handful, and frankly, I'm not one of them.
We the people should never be afraid of our government.
Our government should be afraid of it's people.
And it's time we remembered that We The People have a say so in what happens in our city. We don't have to lay down and accept whatever the talking heads tell us.
Smyrna doesn't need Career Politicians.
Or bullies who would browbeat their neighbors into submission and silence.
Even if it is merely thru their keyboards.

For the record, Body, I never said a difference of opinion is a Bad Thing. What I said was, " There is nothing wrong with a difference of opinion and open debate." But open debate by those that disagree should not include name calling, misrepresentation of the facts and threats against those that may disagree with them. Kathy threatened every person that disagreed with her. Mary routinely calls our elected officials names. Donna simply makes up the facts as she goes along. I chose to make up my own mind and not be bullied by such types that would, as you say, browbeat their neighbors into submission and silence. I disagree with you about our Mayor. There is nothing wrong with our disagreeing. It is the people that resort to threats and name calling that do not understand what an honest debate even means.

Kathy, you posted a link to a youtube video and said that you'd sent the addresses of those who you felt were against you to Jennifer Jade Jones. No sense in sending an address without a name, right? Screenshots, ain't they grand?