COLUMN: Nepotism, arrogance are Pendergrass’ real problems
Some of those who are following the Pendergrass public corruption scandal may think all of this is something new.
It’s not. The Pendergrass area has long been associated with a culture of intimidation and corruption. That today’s Pendergrass town leaders appear to flaunt the law and ignore public opinion is just another chapter in a very long and sorry legacy for the community:
• It was a Jackson County sheriff that hailed from Pendergrass who in the early 1960s went to prison on car theft charges.
• Prominent Pendergrass citizens were deeply involved in a large car theft ring based in Pendergrass; some served time in jail for criminal activity during the 1960s.
• People from Pendergrass were murdered in the 1960s due to their involvement in local organized crime rings.
• It was a “kingpin” bootlegger based in Pendergrass who in 1967 paid to have the district attorney murdered by putting dynamite in his car and blowing him up.
That last act got the attention of state and federal officials, who swarmed into Jackson County. It took many more years, but Jackson County eventually began to shed its image as a haven for organized crime; even Pendergrass began to clean up its image.
But that was due mostly to outsiders who came in to mop up the county. The people in Pendergrass knew about all the organized crime in the area, but had done little to challenge it. They were scared and had stayed quiet, allowing it to flourish.
Although the major organized crime faded from the area, that culture of silence about community problems lived on. Over the years, I’ve received a lot of calls, mail and e-mail from Pendergrass citizens who didn’t like what was happening in their community, but who were fearful of speaking out.
That changed last week at the Pendergrass City Council meeting when area citizens showed they were fed up with the mismanagement of the city and embarrassed by the antics of the town’s elected leaders.
As citizen after citizen stood to speak, more and more people followed. It was a moment of liberation as the decades-old spell of fear and intimidation was broken. Last week, it was council members who had fear in their eyes, not citizens.
Since that meeting, there has been a flurry of activity; Pendergrass citizens are organizing; there’s talk of a recall; meetings are being planned; people are angry about the distortions and lies they’ve been fed by city leaders.
So where will all this lead?
If the GBI doesn’t find something to bring down city administrator Rob Russell, “the family” will oust him, hoping that throwing Russell under the bus will pacify all the angry citizens.
But either way, removing Russell won’t quell this backlash in Pendergrass. While a vast majority of citizens would applaud Russell’s ouster, he isn’t the real problem.
Fixing tickets isn’t the real problem.
Misusing SPLOST money isn’t the real problem.
Harassing drivers for money isn’t the real problem.
Settling a city lawsuit in secret isn’t the real problem.
Destroying city documents isn’t the real problem.
The real problem is Mayor Monk Tolbert and “the family’s” control over the Pendergrass government. The government doesn’t exist to serve citizens, but rather to serve “the family’s” extensive real estate interests in the town.
Nepotism and arrogance are the real issues in Pendergrass. Citizens are tired of “the family” stacking the deck with relatives, friends and sycophants to maintain a petty dictatorship.
Pendergrass is a tiny town, less than 500 people. But the Pendergrass government is a large embarrassment to all of Jackson County because of its backward leaders who flaunt the law.
Deep, fundamental changes are needed in Pendergrass, changes that will make it impossible for one person or family to dominate and control the entire city government.
By ignoring citizens and abusing their trust; by lying to them and misleading them; by defending that which is indefensible; by ignoring the mismanagement of public funds; by being exclusive rather than inclusive of the citizenry; by employing secrecy rather than transparency and openness; and by maintaining political control through nepotism and arrogance, Mayor Tolbert and “the family” gave life to this uprising of Pendergrass citizens.
They ought not be surprised when this revolt knocks them off their throne.
Mike Buffington is editor of The Jackson Herald. He can be reached at mike@mainstreetnews.com.
• It was a Jackson County sheriff that hailed from Pendergrass who in the early 1960s went to prison on car theft charges.
• Prominent Pendergrass citizens were deeply involved in a large car theft ring based in Pendergrass; some served time in jail for criminal activity during the 1960s.
• People from Pendergrass were murdered in the 1960s due to their involvement in local organized crime rings.
• It was a “kingpin” bootlegger based in Pendergrass who in 1967 paid to have the district attorney murdered by putting dynamite in his car and blowing him up.
That last act got the attention of state and federal officials, who swarmed into Jackson County. It took many more years, but Jackson County eventually began to shed its image as a haven for organized crime; even Pendergrass began to clean up its image.
But that was due mostly to outsiders who came in to mop up the county. The people in Pendergrass knew about all the organized crime in the area, but had done little to challenge it. They were scared and had stayed quiet, allowing it to flourish.
Although the major organized crime faded from the area, that culture of silence about community problems lived on. Over the years, I’ve received a lot of calls, mail and e-mail from Pendergrass citizens who didn’t like what was happening in their community, but who were fearful of speaking out.
That changed last week at the Pendergrass City Council meeting when area citizens showed they were fed up with the mismanagement of the city and embarrassed by the antics of the town’s elected leaders.
As citizen after citizen stood to speak, more and more people followed. It was a moment of liberation as the decades-old spell of fear and intimidation was broken. Last week, it was council members who had fear in their eyes, not citizens.
Since that meeting, there has been a flurry of activity; Pendergrass citizens are organizing; there’s talk of a recall; meetings are being planned; people are angry about the distortions and lies they’ve been fed by city leaders.
So where will all this lead?
If the GBI doesn’t find something to bring down city administrator Rob Russell, “the family” will oust him, hoping that throwing Russell under the bus will pacify all the angry citizens.
But either way, removing Russell won’t quell this backlash in Pendergrass. While a vast majority of citizens would applaud Russell’s ouster, he isn’t the real problem.
Fixing tickets isn’t the real problem.
Misusing SPLOST money isn’t the real problem.
Harassing drivers for money isn’t the real problem.
Settling a city lawsuit in secret isn’t the real problem.
Destroying city documents isn’t the real problem.
The real problem is Mayor Monk Tolbert and “the family’s” control over the Pendergrass government. The government doesn’t exist to serve citizens, but rather to serve “the family’s” extensive real estate interests in the town.
Nepotism and arrogance are the real issues in Pendergrass. Citizens are tired of “the family” stacking the deck with relatives, friends and sycophants to maintain a petty dictatorship.
Pendergrass is a tiny town, less than 500 people. But the Pendergrass government is a large embarrassment to all of Jackson County because of its backward leaders who flaunt the law.
Deep, fundamental changes are needed in Pendergrass, changes that will make it impossible for one person or family to dominate and control the entire city government.
By ignoring citizens and abusing their trust; by lying to them and misleading them; by defending that which is indefensible; by ignoring the mismanagement of public funds; by being exclusive rather than inclusive of the citizenry; by employing secrecy rather than transparency and openness; and by maintaining political control through nepotism and arrogance, Mayor Tolbert and “the family” gave life to this uprising of Pendergrass citizens.
They ought not be surprised when this revolt knocks them off their throne.
Mike Buffington is editor of The Jackson Herald. He can be reached at mike@mainstreetnews.com.
Keep the heat turned up!
Cheers,
Lindsay Cleveland
I agree, Mike - the "spell" is broken and there is no longer the fear of speaking out against the "family". There are enough new citizens living here now who do not care about the unspoken code of fear and intimidation that has oppressed this community in the past.
Moving Forward!