Cordele —

Dear Mr. Crapse:

It has come to the attention of the undersigned, a group of community leaders concerned with the future of our community, that both you and some of the commissioners are directly responsible for the failure to reappoint to the Crisp County-Cordele Industrial Development Authority, Bob Evans, who has held this position for over 20 years.

It has further come to our attention that the manner in which this was accomplished directly violates Georgia’s open meetings law. 

Specifically, this decision was discussed and agreed upon in executive session and then voted on in open session, in violation of such law. The appointment of the position to said Authority is not excluded pursuant to O.C.G.A. 50-14-3. 

Accordingly, if your action is not rescinded immediately, appropriate legal actions will be filed against you and the Board, along with a request for attorney’s fees and other appropriate damages.

There is no man in this community who has been a bigger cheerleader for our citizens than Bob Evans. His qualifications are well known to any involved citizen, but we list them for your benefit and for the public’s benefit:

• B. S. in Business Management.

• 37 years experience in Commercial Banking.

• Chairman of the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce (1982 & 1988).

• 35 years of experience in Cordele-Crisp County recruiting and retaining industry through involvement with the Cordele-Crisp Industrial Development Council, United Industrial Development Authority, Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and the City of Cordele Downtown Development Board.

• Championed community development causes because of his love for this community and a passion to make it better; and not for selfish gain.

• Worked for over 30-years and served as chairman of the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce’s Higher Education Committee for over 10 years leading an effort to bring a permanent college to Cordele

• He is the founding president & CEO for Central Savings Bank now Ameris Bank where he requested that the bank donate the old bank land and building to the Industrial Development Authority on behalf of the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce.

• He has been one of the leaders for the past 8 years to develop the Inland Port facility in Cordele.

• He served on the Cordele-Crisp Recreation Department for 21 years, most of them as chairman, where he led the effort to build new recreational facilities.

• He was on the organizing committee and original Board of Directors that founded the United Way in Crisp County.

• He was one of the original organizers of the 4-county group that lobbied the State of Georgia for the funding of the golf course, conference center, lodging, and marina that operates now as Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club.

• He has served First Baptist Church as chairman of the Board of Deacons, finance chairman, and church treasurer

Bob Evans had already attended the required training through the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and obtained his certification for Development Authority board members. 

We challenge you and other commissioners to publicly state the qualifications and accomplishments of Mr. Ritch McCutchen and to otherwise discuss anything he has done to affect this community in a positive way. 

We understand that Mr. Evans dared to openly disagree with your decision and instead, pushed for progress in our community (with the entire support of the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce Board and a large group of community business leaders) by insisting on funding the Darton College Project and the Inland Port Project through SPLOST. 

We understand that this may have interfered with your other pet projects on your priority list, but you need to understand that you and the Crisp County Commissioners are the servants of this community, where you will be held accountable for your decisions.

There will be consequences for not supporting projects that are clearly in the best interests of the majority of the voters and taxpayers of this county rather than catering to the interest of politically connected associates.

It is our sincere hope that you will not waste public funds by failing to rescind your appointment and will appoint Mr. Evans to this position simply because he is the best qualified to lead our Crisp County-Cordele Industrial Development Authority to success with its projects.

 Sincerely,

David Rainwater, Greg Turton, Paul Mechler, Bill Griffin, Wesley Turton, Chris Greene, Hal Carter Jr., Hall Carter Sr., Bill Turton, Shearer Turton, Lamar Perlis, Phil Berryman, Dan Spires, Joel Owens, Brad Ellis, Chip Wells, Kael Wilcox, John Gordon, George Holmes, John Donohue, Charles Clark, Carden Summers, Janis Summers, Sarah C. Summers, Jimmy R. Williams and Louis Perlis.

 

Read another letter and an editorial on this subject in Sunday's Cordele Dispatch.