Welcome to Fannin County

My View by Jim Yacavone

(June 4, 2016)

If you are a newcomer to Fannin County you may have heard that the county is run by good old boys who are suspicious of new ideas and resistant to change. You also may have been warned that it’s not a good idea to rock the boat by criticizing the establishment. 

Bill Simonds and the EEOC

My View by Jim Yacavone

Bill Simonds may be the best argument for Fannin County changing to a county manager form of government. Having a county manager would help ensure there is a least one trained, professional government administrator involved in county decision-making. The latest revelations of the county’s recent age discrimination settlement is but one example that illustrates my point.

Bill Simonds's Unforced Errors

My View by Jim Yacavone

In sports they are called unforced errors. They are mistakes that are not caused by the other team or game conditions but rather by a player’s carelessness or inattentiveness. Coaches hate unforced errors, and if a player consistently makes them, the odds are that he or she is not going to be in the game too long.

Fannin County Commission Chairman Bill Simonds has made his share of unforced errors, and some of them have cost the taxpayers money. On occasion his administration of the county more closely resembles amateur hour at a local talent show than it does an efficiently administered local government. You get the impression that there are times when Simonds acts without thinking or consulting anyone.

A Letter to the Editor

(This is a letter to the editors of the three weekly newspapers in Fannin County addressing the county's failure to codify and publish its ordinances. It was emailed to the papers on April 3, 2016.)

Dear Editor,

In 2001 the Georgia legislature passed a law requiring all Georgia counties to prepare and publish a codification of their “ordinances and resolutions” by January 1, 2002 and thereafter to update their codes of ordinances every year. Fannin County has complied with this statute only once in 14 years. In 2007 the county published a code of ordinances but has neglected to update the code since then.  

Do You Really Know What HB 757 Says?

My View by Jim Yacavone

A giant controversy has erupted over The Free Exercise Protection Act (HB 757) recently passed by the Georgia legislature. The LGBT community is urging Governor Deal to veto the act, and a number of large organizations, including the NFL, have threatened consequences for the state if the bill is signed into law. Deal has until May 3 to sign or veto the bill.

There seems to be a lot of misinformation about what the bill says. I was told by one opponent that it would allow a baker to refuse to sell a wedding cake to a gay couple. While there are bills in the legislature that may allow that, HB 757 is not one of them. 

Quit Your Whining, Democrats

My View by Jim Yacavone

You have probably read about the angry howls of protest from Senate Democrats over the Republicans’ vow not to vote on Obama’s Supreme Court nominee until after the Presidential election. On a quiet night you can even hear them here in Fannin County. Maybe those are coyotes—I’m not sure.

The Coming Storm of Development

My View by Jim Yacavone

There’s a storm com­ing to Fannin County. It will be over progress and development. It will cross the boundary between newcomers and old-timers and divide the county into two camps, and it has the potential to get mean, vicious and ugly.