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<\/a>\r\nNew details of a federal investigation paint a troubling picture of\r\ncorruption deeply embedded in Gwinnett County—allegations that\r\nmay undermine the county’s previously sterling reputation as an\r\neconomic dynamo.\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\nBribery allegations have now embroiled two county commissioners, a\r\nplanning commissioner and a zoning board member….\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\nOne of Lasseter’s first acts upon taking office in January 2009 was\r\nto appoint Gary — a longtime friend — to the\r\nMunicipal-Gwinnett County Planning Commission, which would pass\r\njudgment on his development plans, including the waste transfer\r\nstation off Winder Highway.\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\nMore dominoes in the federal corruption probe began falling last\r\nweek, when prosecutors filed a bribery charge against developer Mark\r\nGary. They say Gary paid Lasseter and Fanning $30,000 in casino\r\nchips in 2009 for Lasseter’s vote for a waste transfer station Gary\r\nwanted to develop. Gary is expected to plead guilty to the bribery\r\ncharge and is cooperating with investigators.\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\nOne of Lasseter’s first acts upon taking office in January 2009 was\r\nto appoint Gary — a longtime friend — to the\r\nMunicipal-Gwinnett County Planning Commission, which would pass\r\njudgment on his development plans, including the waste transfer\r\nstation off Winder Highway.\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\n“I thought it was a conflict of interest, him being there and\r\nhaving applications at the same time,” said Hastings, who\r\nserved on the commission with Gary. When the transfer station came\r\nup for review, the planning commission was unable to make a\r\nrecommendation because Gary and two other commissioners abstained.\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\nThe Board of Commissioners approved the project 3-1 in April 2009,\r\nthough it was never built. Gary’s alleged payment to Lasseter and\r\nFanning came that June.\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\nAnother company, Advanced Disposal Services, tried and failed in\r\n2004, 2006 and 2007 to win commission approval for waste transfer\r\nstations the county’s planning staff supported.\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\nBut the company apparently lacked what Gary had: Close ties to\r\ncounty commissioners.\r\n<\/p>\r\n
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<\/a>\r\n“It’s almost like the people that abide by the rules and try\r\nto do things the right way don’t win,” said Steve Edwards,\r\nAdvanced Disposal’s Georgia marketing manager. “The people\r\nthat bend the rules, they’re the ones that wind up winning.”\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n
\r\nNone of that could ever happen around here, right?\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\nLet’s hope not:\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\nGwinnett’s fall from grace has been fast and dramatic….\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\nJeffrey Finkle, president of the International Economic Development\r\nCouncil, said corruption can scare off business prospects if it’s\r\npervasive.\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\n“I could point to small communities where you didn’t know\r\nwhere you could find an honest official in town,” Finkle said.\r\n“Those are the cities that are going to be routinely skipped\r\nby everybody.”\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n
\r\nOne result was many county commissioners got voted out in Gwinnett County.\r\nHm, didn’t that happen here in Lowndes County after the County Commission\r\napproved Sterling Chemical locating here?\r\nThe VDT reminded us of that\r\n\r\n19 December 2010<\/a>,\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\n…citizens are tired of being told what’s best for them, having no\r\nsay so in how their tax dollars are spent, and having their concerns\r\nignored.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n
\r\nWhy is the Lowndes County government \r\nwasting taxpayer money<\/a> suing a local business trying to put it out of\r\nbusiness for the benefit of a company owned by investors in New York City?\r\nAfter\r\n\r\nthe VDT reported after last year’s County Commission Retreat<\/a> that\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\nCommissioners decided that getting out of the “trash\r\nbusiness” was best and that a non-exclusive agreement with\r\ncurrent curbside pickup companies (which about 12,000 citizens\r\nalready employ) would provide service without putting any people out\r\nof business.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n