Commissioners have told me more than once that many Department Heads are afraid to talk to a commissioner. That is terrible! We should not have a dictator! Commissioners definitely need to be able to gain information independent of “the Melvin Davis Filter.”

AVOC

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July 29, 2009

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Oconee County ‘reorganization’ is no big deal and is long overdue

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By Wendell Dawson, Editor, AVOC, Inc

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The Oconee County Board of Commissioners is on the right track in asserting more of its authority.    Oconee County Government does not contemplate an Executive with absolute power.   The incumbent has amassed or claims power he does not really have.

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In 2000, Melvin Davis was going to make the Chairman Job Part-time!

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Melvin Davis announced his candidacy for Chairman in August 2000 on the Courthouse steps outside my office.   He announced that he would ‘go to a County Manager system’ and would be part-time.   Apparently he told family, friends and associates that he would only work part-time and would continue to participate in the softball league competition that took him out of town many weekends.   I was a little disappointed in his statements because he was echoing some of the claims of my worst critics.   My advice to him was to wait untill he got in the job and then consider the setup from the pressures of everyday service.

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Somewhere along the line, he decided to leave the job as it was and proceeded to assert more authority than I ever did.    From conversations with commissioners, former commissioners, staff folks and others, I know that Melvin Davis has not kept the other commissioners in the loop on many things.   He liked to be able to “make a decision” and “issue edicts’ unimpeded by the Board.    There has been disgruntlement from the time of his first year in office.

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Commissioners have told me more than once that many Department Heads are afraid to talk to a commissioner.   That is terrible!   We should not have a dictator!    Commissioners definitely need to be able to gain information independent of “the Melvin Davis Filter.”

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While there is some noise being made in opposition to the change, I understand it will take place.   The Board is tired of being kept in the dark by the Chairman.   I have had information from early on about his secret dealings and failure to inform and involve the board in many decisions.    The conflict stayed behind the scenes for several years.The commissioners that are bringing about the re-direction should be commended and not criticized.

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Some of Mr. Davis’s “groupies”, including the Oconee Enterprise, have come forward defending him.    One member of the Oconee GOP Executive Committee wrote a blistering attack on the four commission members in the Athens Banner-Herald.    (Where is “A Positive Voice for Oconee County”?!).

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Most of the folks defending Davis, including the Oconee Enterprise, did not support most of the commissioners in the last election.    They do not have the influence and standing that they assume they have.

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The Board should proceed “full speed ahead”!

FOR BACKGROUND, SEE:

Oconee Chair- Part-time or Full-time! A Continuing Topic 2001.pdf x

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The Athens Banner-Herald - July 29, 2009

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Some want Oconee reorganization delayed

Move to reduce power of commission chairman

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Lee Becker’s Blog

www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com

Oconee County BOC Chair Asks for Delay of Action on Reorganization

Some Opposition Builds to Oconee County Reorganization Plan

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Melvin Davis and Vinnie Williams