Patterson to be terminated tonight

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Tuesday, December 21. 2010

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Lamar County administrator Wayne Patterson is cleaning out his office this afternoon in anticipation of being terminated at tonight's county commission meeting.

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#1 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 01:27 PM

There's total dysfunction on the county level and now the commissioners find a scapegoat in Wayne Patterson. Will Gretchen be promoted to county manager since the grand jury recommended she be rehired?

#1.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/21/10 at 01:42 PM

Not if she was paid a sufficient amount to keep quiet.

#2 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 01:31 PM

What's next? Or should I say who's next?

#3 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 01:31 PM

Gretchen is cleared and Wayne is released. I think the story finally comes together.

#3.1 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 01:43 PM

Hit the nail on the head!!

#3.2 Sheila Tolley on 12/21/10 at 01:44 PM

If she spent money that was taken illegally, she is still guilty.

#3.2.1 Anonymous on 12/23/10 at 04:01 AM

Not according to the Grand Jury!

She is free, like it or not.

#3.3 Sheila Tolley on 12/21/10 at 04:35 PM

Who terminated Grechen?

#3.4 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 04:59 PM

Sounds like race had a lot to do with it. They both should be in jail. How stupid do they think we are. I think all of this crap needs to be looked into. What do the law abiding citizens have to do to make that happen?
How many more no-bills have happend this week? What freaking rock did they find these juriors under?

#4 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 01:38 PM

people all over the state look at lamar county an just shake their heads.this county is the laughing stock of georgia.and the sad truth is it will never get better it will only continue down hill.i see it becoming the dekalb county of central ga.a festering boil on the buttocks of the country.i say let the savages and sorry trash have it,maybe they will kill each other off and one day a long time in the future it can become a nice little community again.

#4.1 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 04:05 PM

Wow...really? Maybe you need to try the decaf or get your meds checked. "Savages and sorry trash?" A lot of good people live here and, you know, maybe you shouldn't if you're hoping human beings kill other human beings. That's not part of any kind of solution.

#4.2 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 04:31 PM

That's funny I was in North Ga the other day, and they hadn't heard of Lamar co. Almost EVERY county has the same problems as Lamar. TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT!

#4.3 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 05:58 PM

#4 you speek the truth.to bad the locals are letting what used to be a alright place,(it never was a good community unless you were one of the good ol boys)go to the dogs.it wont be long it will be just like clayton county.

#4.3.1 Anonymous on 12/22/10 at 06:09 AM

Uhhh....you are #4.

#4.3.1.1 Anonymous on 12/23/10 at 07:50 AM

Uh no, that was 4.3

#5 Charlie Rangle on 12/21/10 at 01:41 PM

Also,they are all meeting to see all those $80 checks that they just recieved and who gets what. crooks! all of them a bunch of damn crooks!

#6 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 02:53 PM

I certainly HOPE that she still must repay the extra money that was inappropriately credited to her paycheck, whether Patterson is gone or not....

#7 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 03:58 PM

Don't think for one minute Ms. Ellerby is as clean as the newspaper article makes her sound. Even if she was told to do, she knew it was wrong. Two wrongs don't make a right. With both gone county going in right direction.

#7.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 08:35 AM

Not Quite. You have a grand jury with some potentially very dangerous members, or even worse jury tampering at its best.

#8 H B on 12/21/10 at 03:59 PM

Bubble, Bubble, Toil, and Trouble, The Fire Burns and the Cauldron Bubbles

#9 Rat smeller. on 12/21/10 at 04:05 PM

So will this position be filled or can we get by without it and save some money? I hope for the county's sake that if they do refill the position that they at least advertise for the job. Because if they just put this Ellerby woman in it, I'm gonna cry racial discrimination and sue. I am a white minority and am qualified for the position. I want my shot at it.

#10 Not fond of politics at all! on 12/21/10 at 04:22 PM

Politics...to get what ones want..Sad is all I have to say about it! Wayne left the crooks from Clayco to enter the Lamar Co. crooks...They stop at nothing...

#10.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 08:42 AM

You should not blame people for trying to better themselves, Lamar County has a better class of crooks.

#11 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 04:34 PM

Maybe all the commissioners will quit/fire them selves.

#12 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 04:49 PM

She should not get her job back! She should also be made to pay the money back. Patterson is the scape goat. What a sorry state of affiars.

#13 Arnold S. on 12/21/10 at 05:36 PM

GET TO THE CHOPPA WAYNE!!!

#13.1 Anonymous on 12/22/10 at 08:41 AM

uh...Billy....Get to the Choppa !

#14 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 06:21 PM

dont know who this sheila tolley woman is but i can say after reading the comments for the first time you are an IDIOT...if all you have to do id stay on the blog all day i feel sorry for you....get a life or run for office and really change things

#14.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 08:20 AM

I don't know who Anonymous is, do you?

I am glad you have been blessed with sufficient funds so that you can afford to be politically robbed. The hard working taxpayers do not have this luxury.

#14.1.1 Anonymous on 12/22/10 at 10:09 AM

Ms. Tolley give Lamar County Citizens the greatest present ever by just going away and find another blog to post your nonsense.

#14.2 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 08:31 AM

If you were given a book to read, and after the first chapter, you hated it, would you toss it or read it?

A smart person would consider their time too important to waste on worthless text. But you have obviously read many of my blogs.

Who is the fool?

#14.2.1 Anonymous on 12/22/10 at 01:22 PM

No one was calling anyone a fool, just that there are a lot of good citizens in Lamar County and some are tired of you bashing our county. You need to just find another blog to constantly put your two cents in. How can one not avoid reading you imputs when your nonsense is posted on almost every topic!

#15 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 06:28 PM

Gretchen is gone and now Wayne is gone! Who will the Commissioners blame it on now?

#15.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 08:21 AM

Tell it all Wayne, tell it all.

#16 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 06:31 PM

I agree with #11. Let's demand that the Commissioners fire themselves! Not one deserves to be there.

#16.1 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 08:55 PM

Ummm...maybe I'm missing something but I thought that in a representative democracy the people fired the politicians. And hired them for that matter.

If you don't like your government, you only need to look at yourself in the mirror.

#16.2 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 08:40 AM

That is ONE privilege that has not taken from you yet. YOUR votes can fire them, but only in sufficient numbers.

Always VOTE citizens, pay your hard earned tax money to the one you approve for hire.

#17 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 06:35 PM

I am so disappointed in these Commissioners. They just don't get it! They don't think before they act. They did't do that with Gretchen and now with Wayne. Do the due diligence before you act. That is also why this county is in financial trouble.

#18 abbycadabby on 12/21/10 at 06:53 PM

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."

#19 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 07:07 PM

I just left the County Commission meeting and felt like puking! When a question was raised about funding the budget or paying debt. The Chairman's remark was "we have the legal right to impose taxes!". With that attitude, no wonder we are in the condition we're in. The whole attitude of the commission (with the exception of Thrash) was "raise taxes to meet the budget". Instead of "budget to meet taxes".

#19.1 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 08:07 PM

we have the legal right to vote your sorry ass out when the next election rolls around too.

#19.1.1 GW on 12/22/10 at 03:30 PM

I'll certainly be voting to oust them, every one!

#19.2 GM on 12/21/10 at 09:03 PM

The people elected them so they got what they ask for. However, the commission may have the right to raise taxes but the people have the right to recall those self acclaimed elected elitist. I can’t understand how the people allow a person to have so much control over the county’s money when money management woes exist in his past. I guess nearly bankrupting a bank is just chicken feed to running a county in the ground. The mentality of the unwise is to think they can do everything possible to discourage business while thinking they can just make it up by taxing the property owners. Ignorance is bliss I guess.

You want control instead of relying on a hypocrite? Get a petition together and recall – recall – recall. Sometimes it is better to start anew than to keep digging the same hole.

#19.3 Ricky Bobby on 12/22/10 at 08:02 AM

Why must you come home and vent under anonymous. Why didn't you get up and tell the Commissioners how you felt as a tax paying citizen while you were there. All I am saying Anonymous is be part of the Anonymous solution not the Anonymous problem. I saw and heard people ask questions for the last hour of the meeting. I saw people talking with commissioners after the meeting and yet you rush home to express your disconcern on the
Biological Lopsided Opinionated Garbage website as Anonymous. Merry Christmas to you Mr. and Mrs. Anonymous!!!

#19.3.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 08:46 AM

Well said, Ricky.

#19.3.2 #19 on 12/22/10 at 07:52 PM

Some people choose to stay "anonymous" rather than mislead others by using an alias like "Ricky Bobby".
As for "GM" "Preston Thompson" as much as I respect your opinions and tend to agree. Please respect MY choice to remain "anonymous". Some of us "anonymous" people need our jobs and publicly voicing an opinion could be detrimental to said occupation.

#19.3.2.1 GM=Gary McCall on 12/27/10 at 06:07 AM

I can do respect your opinion to remain anonymous. It is your right to do so. I know too that people have lost their jobs for voicing their opinions when those opinions were directly related to their jobs or mainly to their employer. It takes a weak and tiny excuse of an individual (employer) to terminate someone because they know facts or truths about something and choose to exercise their right to expose such truths. That old saying that the truth will set you free may actually be correct in some situations whereas it sets a person free from their jobs. However, is a job so important as to protect a crooked individual? I can't answer that as no one else could that isn't in the same situation. So, although I preach using an identity with a post, I do understand some that are reluctant to do so. But that would only encompass about 1%; so what about the other 99% that fear their own opinions?

#19.3.2.1.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/27/10 at 09:13 AM

I am glad to see you put your name out there, Gary. Now put it on some election posters.

#19.3.2.1.1.1 Anonymous on 12/27/10 at 02:24 PM

I wish you would, tolley. That way I can vote against you.

#19.4 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 08:24 AM

The taxes must be raised in order to support their self-imposed pay increases.

#19.4.1 Yellot Aliehs on 12/23/10 at 07:18 AM

If Patterson was so innocent and a "victim" then why couldn't he pass his lie detector test as Mrs. Ellerby did? Seems like she did as she was told to do by Patterson who then lied about it. Patterson has ultimately paid the price with his job but I wish the commission would just stand up front and center and say "Wayne Patterson was a crook who tried to throw Gretchen Ellerby under the bus for doing what he told her to do." Gretchen wasn't the only one with a payraise! Why are you not demanding that Wayne and others pay their illegal raises back? Why the double standard, Sheila??

Gretchen's name should be cleared.

#19.4.1.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/27/10 at 09:03 AM

This is not my, Sheila Tolley's, comment. It belongs to someone dyslexic.

#20 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 08:03 PM

I just left the County Commission meeting too and felt like puking....but it was because of Thrash!

#21 Tax Payer and paid my 80 dollar xtra tax TOO!!! on 12/21/10 at 08:11 PM

Well the Chairman needs to hit the road as well. I paid my 80 dollar tax on the 15th, a lady in from of me aked the lady taking the money for the Commissioner's............what was this for , the lady for the county said and i quote: to generate revenue.....that was the reason for this . When she got my check ,i told her she was right....it should generate a lot of revenue. This was the final day --it had to be paid on the 15th, and i asked what percentage of the lamar co taxpayers had paid this fee--she said and i quote---i have no way of telling...............go figure.

#22 smilin on 12/21/10 at 08:19 PM

Well most of this crazy stuff started when Wayne and Bill joined forces.... It's been down hill from there. As for Ms.Ellerby she had her day in court and was found NOT guiltly; so let her be... There was not as much junk when Bill was caught with DUI not once but twice in county vehicle's and Wayne and Jay allowed Bill to fire some of Lamar County's senior employees but yet Bill was allowed to keep his job. Bill could not do half of what he said he was quilified to do.

#22.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 08:49 AM

OJ Simpson was found not guilty too.

#23 GM on 12/21/10 at 09:08 PM

All of you commentators airing complaints about the commissioners and them firing themselves, yet none of you stand by your complaints with an identity. How do you all expect them to take “anonymous” seriously?

#23.1 Ford on 12/22/10 at 09:32 AM

Where is your name?

#23.1.1 GM on 12/22/10 at 04:13 PM

If you don't know who I am by now then I question if you can even read. Go back in your closet.

#24 Anonymous on 12/21/10 at 11:08 PM

jungle fever

#25 Dwight Fleming on 12/22/10 at 05:15 AM

I am a new resident to the county and I was impressed by Wayne's prompt, courteous, and common sense responses to the questions and requests I put to him. I don't know the whole story on this issue but I wish him well.

Also, take a look at all the comments posted here. Out of about 30 there are only a couple with enough fortitude and integrity to sign their names to their opinions/comments. Honest disagreements cause healthy discussions. Your intrgrity is in question if you hide behind "anonymous."

#25.1 Dwight Fleming on 12/24/10 at 01:55 PM

Is this better?

#26 anon on 12/22/10 at 05:18 AM

Lets give Vernon Worthy a "shot" at it!!

#26.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 08:26 AM

He is in solitude at the moment writing his book. "The Magic of transforming an Indictment into a Joke."

#27 abbycadabby on 12/22/10 at 06:08 AM

bend over dear citizens, here it comes

#28 Anonymous on 12/22/10 at 07:08 AM

The Chairman thinks he is untouchable, kinda like a king with divine rights. Hate to tell him his "rule" may be over sooner than he thinks, and if he has aspirations for a higher office, he can forget that too!

#28.1 Preston Thompson on 12/22/10 at 10:21 AM

It's really pitiful for someone to sign Anonynous. Such a brave individual.

But as bad as this all stinks, you all need to remember what you see is just a sympton of of the problem. We have much to clean up. When anybody's votes for a candidate because he's black, or I've known him all his life, or his daddy was my boss, or what ever reason other than the fact of a persons character or honesty, the problem is not him, it's us. You say they're all crooks. Who in the world voted those "crooks" in office to begin with. Wayne was not the whole problem. Yes he was part of it but it's goes deeper.
And lastly, how in the world does Gretchen write herself a raise, if no one knew and not be responsible for it? If Wayne knew, then he should be brought up on charges for blaming her and causing her to be fired by Jay.

Will anybody ever know the 'truth'? We're not getting it now.

#28.1.1 Anonymous on 12/22/10 at 10:52 AM

Mr. Thompson(if that is really your name)- you must be one of the chairman's good old boy buddies looking to point the blame everywhere else but at him. Your days are limited- the old guard is on the way down....matthews name carries no weight any more....sorry

#28.1.2 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 01:36 PM

Jesus is the only one who knows the complete truth on Worthy and Ellerby. He is also aware, I am sure, that Worthy cursed him and Ellerby knew that her check was overstated. I wonder how much time would have elapsed before notification if it were short by $5000 per year.

It would have been reported the same day....I guarantee it. You know it too Gretchen.

#29 B Brown on 12/22/10 at 07:55 AM

I have a few questions and some comments:
When will the Commission Chair Mr. Matthews be terminated/recalled for his part in this mess?

Do any of you remember the "mess" Mr. Matthews made at First Naltional Bank (now gone under/out of business)? He was quietly sent to the Water Authority and then to the County Commission to make a mess. Where will he land next?

What other things have been covered up at the County level?

Speaking of cover ups, when will the City government and Mr. Kenny Roberts be put under the microscope? I suspect some of the same misdeeds/issues are happening in the City that are happening and coming to light in the County.

Mr. Geiger can you get the ball rolling and uncover the unauthorized pay raises, misdeeds, unfair hiring and promotion polices, etc. going on in City government?

Mr. Geiger if you investigate and report that all is well and on the up and up in the City, I will take your word for it.

#29.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 08:55 AM

Mr, Geiger is no fool.
He needs no lesson in futility.

#30 do da on 12/22/10 at 07:59 AM

remember the chairman signs the checks wish we could fire him now before the next election.
maybe we could then get out of this financial mess he's gotten this county in

#30.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 08:57 AM

How many did he sign for Gretchen?

#30.1.1 do da on 12/23/10 at 06:58 AM

normally the chairman and one other commissioner signs all checks it requires two signatures.

#30.2 Sheila Tolley on 12/22/10 at 09:03 AM

How many inflated checks did he sign for Gretchen?

#30.2.1 Anonymous on 12/22/10 at 01:10 PM

Signing checks has little to do with people changing the amounts. No one would ever look at all the records for checks crossing a desk. It is not normal to do that.

Get off Jay's back about that.

The problem is with the person who authorized the rate change without the commissioners knowing.

#30.2.1.1 B Brown on 12/23/10 at 05:25 AM

If you have the authority to sign chechs, then you have the responsibility to make sure what you are signing is accurate. Espically if this a job that the citizens have elected you to o. I work for a large government agency with check signing responsibilities. Each time a check is presented it must have the supporting documentation (source documents, bill, etc.). When a pryroll check is signed, the supporting documentation for each employeee is attached (printout) with name, ssn, position, rate of pay, deductions and gross amount of check. Before I affix my signature to the check, I check all of this informaion, initial it for accuracy and to verify that it was reviewed and then affix my signautre to the actual check. There are check and balance protocol for signing checks. The question is, does Mr. Matthews and any other person signing checks take the time to review the information? Is this information being attached? If not, why not? Maybe the entire process needs an overhaul. No person in his right mind (and I say this jokingly) would affix their signature to any check that is not from his/her personal account without proper documentation. I think we need to start from the ground up and get some safeguards in place so this cannot happen again to all the "Good Citizens" of Lamar County.

#30.2.1.1.1 Sheila Tolley on 12/23/10 at 09:24 AM

You sound like you are thinking with a full deck. I have pointed out constantly that no one has an annual $5000 increase in their check without being aware of it.

There are some real underhanded and illegal happenings going on in Barnesville.

#30.2.1.2 Anonymous on 12/23/10 at 08:46 AM

He is as crooked as a snake. Walter only lets certain comments come through here about Jay. I have 2 that havnt made it that was in no way against any rules that are in place. I didnt even mention a last name.

#30.2.1.3 do da on 01/02/11 at 09:59 PM

what kind of responsible person would not look at the amount of check he was siging unless he dont care abount our tax dokkars quit taking up for jay he is as irresponsible as all the others that work for this backward county dummy you must be related to him like most of this county

#31 Ann West on 12/22/10 at 03:48 PM

Well somebody needs to step forward and run against Jay next time. Isn't there one person in this county who can balance their checkbook? It doesn't seem like it would be that hard a job. How bout we start throwing names out there? Anybody know somebody besides Luther who would be a good candidate?

#31.1 Anonymous on 12/23/10 at 08:44 AM

I am suprised your comment got posted. Walter seems to "throw away" my comments reguarding Jay and his political status. I guess some people look at him like a messiah like they do Obama. The local good ole boy " dont talk about my friend like that" network

#32 Fed up with it all on 12/22/10 at 06:44 PM

If I were all the county commissioners & county government officials as well, I would stick my head in the sand and never come out.

#33 jec. on 12/23/10 at 11:18 AM

MERRY''CHRISTMAS''TO YOU ALL AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR'''.

#34 Call N. Alcars on 12/23/10 at 01:49 PM

I have a burning LEGAL Question that needs answering, BUT, I don't want to pay.

The pseudo law degree I have is the fancy one I printed from my computer so I could win friends and influence people. Besides that benefit, I could tack it to the wall in front of my two hole crapper to be used when I run out of corn cobs.

Also, I am acquainted with a few disbarred lawyers, but, I don't trust Wee, Cheatem and Howe to give the correct answer. Therefore, I will try to reap benefit of the obama socialistic idealism and and seek a FREE answer from the legal braintrust that peruse and contribute to the HG commentaries.

My burning question:

Can criminal charges or civil suit be brought against Gretchen Ellerby and the signers of her payroll checks for MISAPPROPRIATION AND MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS and BREACH OF THEIR FIDUCIARY DUTY?

Maybe DA Milam can chime in here with his legal expertise and render a FREE opinion. Any lawyers out there willing to help me salve my "burning question"?

Further:
Quoting Big Jay Matthews from HG article regarding firing Wayne Patterson.

"I don't think it is fair to the man but the votes are there. The commission expects so much out of Wayne but doesn't give him any authority," Matthews said.

DUH! Why have a County Administrator with a BIG SALARY if he has NO authority?

Oh, I see, that job is a buffer between the Commission Fiefdom and the serfish public and can be forced to 'fall on the sword' and absorb blame for incompetent officials.

CNA
steppin' down from my soapbox..yes suh!

#34.1 Anonymous on 12/23/10 at 03:00 PM

"Maybe DA Milam can chime in here with his legal expertise and render a FREE opinion."

I think he be from Chi-Town and don't really have any expertise on abiding the law - only sliding in under it.

A waste of O2.....

#34.2 Sheila Tolley on 12/27/10 at 09:08 AM

They had the need to hire a truckload of spiders to create this web of deceit to fool the taxpayers. The last two weeks may have truly exposed enough facts to put an intelligent twist on upcoming elections.

Hi Call.

#35 Anonymous on 12/23/10 at 02:59 PM

#36 Tax payer and subscriber to the the Herald on 12/23/10 at 06:12 PM

i have tried to post twice on the good ole boy system , but my posts never make it to print on the web. Jay is the worst commisioner i have ever seen in Lamar County. Not one of them can balance our budget for a small county like Lamar. ( Glad it's not Fulton County) Jay should step down,i can't wait till election time....all the people he thinks are his friends /followers---- I think he will find out election time. :=).......when he loses in will be a GREAT day for Lamar County.

#37 Monica on 12/25/10 at 05:35 PM

I know GM and he would be a great choice to chair the county commission.

#37.1 Al Medcalf on 12/25/10 at 10:08 PM

If GM is who I think it is, I agree.

#38 an on 01/01/11 at 04:18 AM

i worked for wayne patterson he said he was goin to get me a job at the county then he said he wasnt responible for the hiring it was bill brown he is a crook

#39 aaron on 01/01/11 at 04:24 AM

i liked it more when bobby burnette was in the chair what a great man

#39.1 Anonymous on 01/07/11 at 06:16 AM

You like the guy who was in the chair when this big debt we have now was run up. Good for you.

#40 Anonymous on 01/07/11 at 08:48 AM

our goverment and officials are backwards cont trust any of them with your lives every time a budget gets set some one dips into it and takes our tax dollars and puts it into their own pockets did you see the truck that wayne has have you seen where he lives and what he owns wayne made in the upwards of 9 grand a check and he didnt do s*** i bust my rear for my money and bring home 200 dollars a week it must be nice to live the life of luxury

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