Information Came From County, Not Lies

Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2010 09:21:26 -0700 (PDT)
From: Bunkey Morgan
Subject: Department Heads and Citizens, Information Came From County, Not Lies

Chatham County commissioners Sally Kost and George Lucier met with county department heads last Tuesday morning to discuss employee salaries and the information that I have been putting in the newspaper.

I cannot make comments on the meeting and what was said because I was not there. The only statements I will respond to are the two I received through the Chatham Chatlist.

First, Sally and George stated they did not know where I had gotten all of my information. That really does not surprise me because neither one of them has contacted me to ask about the facts or figures nor where I got them. Apparently they have not taken time to check with the county finance department, or any other department, to see for

themselves if the information was true or false.

They just bluntly stated “all the information was lies” .

On July 9th I sent a request to the county manager and copied Sally and Vicki McConnell, Finance Director & Assistant County Manager requesting this information:

Copy of all county employee names and wages paid as shown on w-2s for the calendar year ending December 31, 2007 – December 31, 2008 – December 31, 2009.

The number of county employees on the date of June 30, 2008 and June 30, 2010.

The actual amount of salaries paid as stated on the budget at the end of FY2007/2008 year. The same for FY2008/2009 and FY2009/2010. If actual amount cannot be furnished at this time for FY2009/2010 please include staff’s estimate.

During the next thirty-five days I received forty-eight pages from the county with most of the information I requested. By state law they could not supply certain information. The only quote I made not from these actual pages was concerning raises given in closed meeting.  If you recall this subject came up last year when one of the commissioners voted against the budget and one of the reasons he gave was because of this action. This person’s raise was shown on the printout.

All of the information I have placed in my ads are true. The only reason I have gone to the trouble and expense is because the commissioners did not pay the employees the increase the county promised them.

I do not think the county manager’s office, finance department, county employees, Sally or George would want me to place all 48 pages in my next newspaper ad, but I will if I have to and if Sally and George do not correct their statement about my information being all lies.

Madam Chair & Mr. Vice-Chair, check out the information before you call me a liar.