|
Last Update:10/13/2007
8:21:07 PM
Web Editor: Randall Savage - page
The dispute over widening Forest Hill Road has switched directions.
A
Macon man recently filed a complain with the state engineering board,
alleging Bibb County Commissioner Elmo Richardson acted unethically in
the Forest Hill Road widening project.
Richardson denies
that, saying he hasn't voted on any Forest Hill Road projects related
to Stantec since becoming a commissioner in September 2002.
The
Forest Hill Road project was controversial before the complaint was
filed. Some residents, including Carol Lystlund and Lindsay Holliday
have been trying to stop the project for years.
They say widening the road and adding lanes would destroy the character
of their north Bibb County neighborhood.
Now,
with the complaint alleging companies tied to Elmo Richardson made more
than $2.3 million off Forest Hill Road projects in the last decade,
opponents plan to work even harder to stop the project.
Lystlund said Richardson should put integrity first when considering
Forest Hill Road.
"I
would definitely advise him to withdraw from any discussion, from even
being in the room where the discussion is taking place," Lystlund said
Friday.
Richardson said his previous engineering company,
Tribble & Richardson, won contracts for the road project well
before he was elected commissioner in 2002.
The commissioner also pointed out that almost two years before taking
office, he sold Tribble & Richardson to Stantec.
"Actually,
those contracts go back to 1997 and 1998, which were originally Tribble
& Richardson contracts, and when I sold my business to Stantect in
November 2000, then, of course, those contracts were assigned to
Stantec," Richardson said.
Richardson served as vice president
of Stantec until December 2005 when he retired. Richardson said he
still rents office space to Stantec.
The complaint says Stantec
earned more than $300,000 from Forest Hill Road projects since
Richardson became a commissioner and that he voted on some of the
projects.
Richardson denies he voted as a commissioner to award contracts to
Stantec.
"I
did not vote on anything that had anything to do with extending those
contracts or anything directly relating to those contracts," Richardson
said.
But Richardson said he did vote to allow Forest Hill Road
to be designated a state route, which paved the way for more state
money to widen the road.
Lindsay Holliday, an opponent of the widening project, said Richardson
shouldn't be voting on Forest Hill at all.
"His
company Stantec has made quite a bit of money on this project,"
Holliday said. "We think it's only right that he should recuse himself
from any further deliberations and votes."
Richardson himself
sits on the state board that received the complaint against him. But
Richardson said he'll remove himself from the proceedings when the
board considers the complaint.
|
|
|
| cal on Saturday, October 13, 2007 8:32 PM |
|
| |
I've
missed you Bubba and so that's the real reason behind all of this
madness-settingtherecordstraight, thanks for getting the record cleared
for us, I missed 30 mins of the segment on Close-up today had to run
errands. |
|
| |
|
|
| bubba on Saturday, October 13, 2007 8:05 PM |
|
| |
Its
getting pretty warm in Elmo's kitchen.... Even Ray Charles from six
feet under and glossed over eyes can see this. What an absolute crock.
But hey, that ain't a bit new for Bibb County. Mayor Ellis and a former
engineer who happened to run for commission chair all had their fingers
in the cookie jar. Y'all thought they were barking over a taxpayer
funded hotel, nope, it was which family was going to get their piece of
the pie. Take a look at that money baby,,,, it leads right through a
judge's chambers and a law firm across the street.
Its all dirty money. Perhaps now Elmo can be C. Jacks campaign manager. |
|
| |
|
|
| settingtherecordstraight on Saturday, October 13, 2007 6:09 PM |
|
| |
Here
is the deal. This whole issue is not about roads, but rather about
ethical, fiscally responsible government. Citizens of Macon rebelled at
the voting booths at the last city election and now it's time for Bibb
Countians to do the same next year. Citizens should not stand for this
kind of unethical behavior among their elected officials. Mr.
Richardson should hang his head in shame. 90% of the FHR project is
within Macon's city limits, but the county is dictating road design to
city residents.That ain't right, brother, it just ain't right. (Please
excuse my use of colloquialisms for emphasis) The needs and purpose for
Forest Hill Road has changed and the demographics of the city have
changed, so there needs to be a complete, and unbiased, re-evaluation
of this project by a certified and nationally recognized Urban Planning
firm which is the win-win situation that everyone is looking for. The
Macon-Bibb County Road "Improvement" Program has become "Dollars For
Destruction" instead of its advertised, "Pennies For Potholes" Give it
up and let's do something right for a change. |
|
| |
|
|
| Spinelli on Saturday, October 13, 2007 5:49 PM |
|
| |
Not
just anybody gets to ride my Sit & Spin!!!! Only the very
priviledged. ;) |
|
| |
|
|
| David#1 on Saturday, October 13, 2007 4:57 PM |
|
| |
Semore,
Spinelli's got a Sit & Spin, would that help? |
|
| |
|
|
| Semore on Saturday, October 13, 2007 4:17 PM |
|
| |
"
If the city would povide helicopter rides for everyone then it would
solve the need to widen the road. Problem Solved .........." |
|
| |
|
|
| cal on Saturday, October 13, 2007 3:52 PM |
|
| |
David#1
they would definitely use another route. Unless Forest Hill RD. Just
got out of hand in a nine month period of time. I don't understand why
it's so important to widen the road. Also they all was on Close-up
today and Ms. Hanberry made some very interesting points and they are
open to re-development not the entire road and area. I wonder is she
DR.Hansberry's wife. I have been traveling that road for years and the
only time it's out of hand is when Lane Ele. let's out and the
employees at Charter get off from work. At Ridge RD. it's a problem, i
also like one of the gentlemen on Close-Up said use Hall RD. when going
straight through Riverside or getting off the Interstate. If he is
being shady and providing his own financial gain while in a public
position, he isn't the first, all of them are crooked, haven't i been
saying that All Of Them-. |
|
| |
|
|
| crj-101 on Saturday, October 13, 2007 2:58 PM |
|
| |
Bikers
Prayer: May the sun rise in front of you, may the rain fall behind you
and the wind follow you. May the angels of your brothers and sisters
who have gone before you guard your travels, for they know the perils
of the road ahead of you. Keep safe through the rough city streets on
your way to the land of the swirling turns and rolling hills. Let the
turning colors of fall keep you warm. Let the eagle guide you to the
mountain tops. Let the Moon's light guide you through the night. May
your tires not fail you, nor your engine grow old. May your bike draw
life from the streams you pass. Keep your seat soft and your mind
sharp. Let the air of spring breathe life into your soul, to journey to
another adventure beside your brothers and sisters. Keep the rubber on
the road! |
|
| |
|
|
| Lee on Saturday, October 13, 2007 12:10 PM |
|
| |
John
II, I bet you voted for Clearence Ellis |
|
| |
|
|
| Spinelli on Saturday, October 13, 2007 12:04 PM |
|
| |
And
don't forget to cut down all those trees so they don't have to use
blowers to clean up leaves in the fall! |
| David#1 on Saturday, October 13, 2007 11:49 AM |
|
| |
I
think we also ought to require all new construction (homes) to include
at least a 25' wide driveway. That way, if anyone has company over,
they'll have their own mini parking lot so no one will have to park on
the street, no matter how residential, and potentially block anyone's
path when cutting thru the neighborhood. Better yet, require all new
home construction to pave the entire fron yard for parking, as well as
to cut doen on emissions from lawn mowers; that'll help Owl Bore and
his anti-climate movement, too. |
|
| |
|
|
| Spinelli on Saturday, October 13, 2007 11:34 AM |
|
| |
That's
true, David. No one will be going to Tom Hill, it'll be a ghost town
soon. |
|
| |
|
|
| David#1 on Saturday, October 13, 2007 11:12 AM |
|
| |
Isn't
this becoming a moot point? By the time the new 'mall' opens on
Riverside, won't most people take another route there as opposed to
going thru Tom Hill? (I'm eagerly awaiting comments on That.) |
|
| |
|
|
| RocketScientist on Saturday, October 13, 2007 10:59 AM |
|
| |
Message
to John II: When Elmo sold Tribble & Richardson, he was then
immediately hired as a VP by Stantec.
On the professional engineering web site (www.sos.ga.us/plb) Elmo is
listed as a VP of Stantec. Stantec's license, necessary by law for it
to call itself an engineering company, lists him as an employee and
uses his license to justify the company's license. His license is what
is called a pre-requisite license. If he is really no longer a Stantec
employee, he needs to tell the state.
When Elmo was nominated last year by Gov. Perdue to be on the Prof Eng
Board, the biography issued by the Governor's office stated that Elmo
was a VP at Stantec. |
|
| |
|
|
| Ed on Saturday, October 13, 2007 7:53 AM |
|
| |
Is the
the original "Tickle me Elmo"? |
|
| |
|
|
| John II on Friday, October 12, 2007 11:38 PM |
|
| |
The
Forest Hill group has gone nuts. Richardson sold his company years
before being elected to the County Commission. This is just another
ploy for a bunch of "crybabies" to attack when they cannot get their
way. Hopefully it will backfire and now a full five lane road will be
built throu Forest Hill. It is needed. |
|
| |
|
|
| crj-101 on Friday, October 12, 2007 10:04 PM |
|
| |
Well,
in a true "who-done-it" homicide like this time is of the utmost
importance. As time passes each hour increases the chances that the
case will not be solved. They have to take everything they've got and
throw it at it non-stop until they get a break. There are plenty of
people left to "protect the city" - just some of the lower priority
cases will sit on a back burner for a while. |
|
| |
|
|
| George on Friday, October 12, 2007 10:04 PM |
|
| |
where
there's smoke, there's usually fire. Next look into what Elmo has and
will make from I16/I75 redesign. He may not have voted, but he has been
VERY influential with the other not so intelligent commissioners,
directing them how to vote. Elmo never met a concert truck or bulldozer
he didn't like. |
|
| |
|
|
| Lindsay on Friday, October 12, 2007 10:00 PM |
|
| |
Here is
the webpage with the ethics complaint:
www.macon-bibb.com/ELMO/PE_Complaint.htm
Clearly, Elmo did abuse his position and power. Let's move right
along... and let's see some consequences conferred on the instigator. |
|
| |
|
|
| Ed on Friday, October 12, 2007 9:31 PM |
|
| |
I'm
getting a little tired of this one......let's move right along. |
|
|
