2 AUG 07: TONY THE PAPER TIGER?

Readers have asked here for news about Talbot County -- and the TV news helped us out with some Wednesday night. A petition drive is underway, to recall the mayor of Talbotton. Many people in the Columbus area would be challenged simply to recall who IS the mayor of Talbotton.

The petition signers say Talbotton Mayor Tony Lamar should be kicked out of office, because of the city's financial problems. The red ink has been estimated as high as $70,000 - which computes to about 70 dollars per resident. If all the lottery players in town would donate their dollars to City Hall for a couple of months, we could solve this.

The petition holds Mayor Tony Lamar responsible for Talbotton's red ink, because Georgia state law requires him to have a balanced budget. But at least no one's accusing him of wasting city money for personal gain - such as buying his own Tony Award.

A man told me several months ago that Talbotton Mayor Tony Lamar came up to him, and bragged about buying two new police cars on his own. The man seemed sure the mayor had gone around the city council to do it. But unless they're undercover cars for drug investigations, wouldn't someone notice sooner or later?

So should the mayor of Talbotton be recalled and/or fired? Residents seem divided about that. Former city councilman Garry Kring doubts the petition drive will do any good. He must have heard about those petitions passed around Hurtsboro - which still have brought no response from anyone higher up.

But Talbotton resident Horace Williams says Mayor Tony Lamar should leave office, if he can't do the job. He thinks along the line of Cindy Sheehan - but I don't recall Sheehan bringing any impeachment petitions to Columbus a few weeks ago.

My biggest question in all of this is why the petition drive is aimed only at Talbotton's Mayor. Shouldn't the entire City Council share the blame, for approving faulty city budgets? Or is Talbotton so broke that it can't even afford to have copies made at Office Depot?

Until the budget crisis is resolved, Talbotton city employees are on an unusual schedule. They work for one week, then are off for one week - which could be a preview of the upcoming Atlanta Falcons season.

One proposal for balancing the books in Talbotton is a big millage increase. There's talk of increasing property taxes 28 percent -- while some Georgia lawmakers are working on a plan to eliminate property taxes completely. At least this will encourage Talbotton Central students to learn mathematics.

Talbot County made news for another reason Wednesday. WRBL reported it's been added to a federal "disaster area" declaration, due to the drought. Somehow the sun is so powerful in Talbot County that city money evaporates, along with water.

E-MAIL UPDATE: Now let's check how East Alabama is handling tight budgets....

Richard, So the Governor of AL brags that AL fire departments have received $2.4 million dollars in federal Homeland Security money (more than any other state except PA) yet we hear on last night's TV news that two volunteer fire departments in Lee County are complaining about not having enough money. They are even threatening to eliminate services. Some of us residents might ask "what services"?

Many residents/taxpayers I've talked to will only approve of volunteer fire departments receiving more tax dollars when there is accountability of funds (financial statements and audits available to the public), elimination of nepotism (family members being Chief and Assistant Chief, etc.), standards for the firefighters. and elimination of self-perpetuating Boards. And we need to allow the Alabama Department of Public Examiners to audit these departments. (This is not allowed now because they are not state agencies.)

I've been given all kinds of information from firefighters and former firefighters about what goes on within these departments. In Lee County you are assessed on your property tax statement an additional $25. per year for the Volunteer Fire Departments. Last year there was a question on the ballot to increase that fire fee each year for the next five years. Voters defeated the measure overwhelmingly because of the reasons I've mentioned. Almost immediately the volunteer firefighters started complaining.

In addition to local, state and federal tax dollars these fire departments all have annual fundraising events. Why don't they ever publish how much money they make from these events.? And what about the scandal of volunteer firefighters receiving "free" car tags for their POVs but never being able to make it to a fire or dropping out of the department. I could go on about other questionable practices but this is not the time or place.

I'm not against volunteer firefighters Some perform a very valuable service. However when you are dealing with public funds and are asking taxpayers for more you need to be open about how much money you are receiving, how the money is being spent and justify why you need more.

These are "volunteer" fire departments, of course - so if only one family in a community volunteers to serve, is that nepotism or apathy?

The Lee County Commission plans to examine the needs of volunteer fire departments. If the commissioners can do this, why can't they oversee the department finances? And while they're at it, find out how friendly the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department really is.

And uh-oh - this e-mailer is asking for it, by prying into volunteer fire department fund-raising barbecues. If the fire chiefs reveal how much money they raise, before long they're going to have to reveal their secret sauce recipe.

Let's see if any other news from Wednesday will ring alarm bells....

+ The price of gas fell below $2.50 a gallon in parts of Columbus, dropping to $2.45 at two Circle K stores on Manchester Expressway. Ignore OPEC long enough, and it just might go away.

+ Continental Carbon unveiled a new TV commercial, with local plant employees explaining the importance of carbon black. I'm glad they use it in tires, and on the surfaces of race tracks -- but could we please leave it there? Some of us don't want carbon black floating onto our car hoods.

+ Russell County Sheriff's officers ended a two-day sweep with helicopters for marijuana. Lieutenant Heath Taylor told WXTX "News at Ten" the drought has hurt the growth of marijuana plants. This is an edgy new "this is your brain on drugs" ad just waiting to happen....

+ Harris County's Mike Jolley took an oath of office, to become President of the Georgia Association of Sheriffs. I noticed the longer hair on the back of his neck, and thought he might be auditioning for a sequel to "The DaVinci Code."

+ The late-night news showed West Point Police Chief David Kerr hang-gliding from Lookout Mountain. At long last -- we may have found a use for Elena Amos's old penthouse home, atop the Aflac parking garage.

+ Muscogee County schools began a three-day orientation session for new teachers. Lesson #1: Never bring up the Superintendent's salary in class.

+ The New York attorney general has subpoenaed records from Auburn University and Georgia Tech. There's suspicion students may have been directed to a specific loan agency, in a kickback scheme. We all know these schools would oppose kickbacks - otherwise known as punting.

+ Atlanta's baseball team indicated it will waive 48-year-old Julio Franco, in the wake of the Mark Teixeira trade. Is Franco old enough to file an age discrimination suit about this?

+ Instant Message to the driver of a car I saw, with the Alabama license plate "2 SCREWS": Hmmmm - either you install light switches for a living, or you're simply asking to have police follow you home from a bar.

SCHEDULED FRIDAY: What color are your socks? Are you sure you know?....

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