Woody Merry is looking to stage a comeback.
The civic activist wants to reinvigorate his government reform group CSRA Help, and he's booked the auditorium at Fort Discovery at 6:30 p.m. Thursday for a town hall meeting to discuss a wide range of issues.
"We're out of control right now," Mr. Merry said Monday. "We're as bad off as we were 10 years ago. The corruption is everywhere."
What he wants to eventually do, Mr. Merry said, is form a "shadow government" -- a panel of 10 people from each of the 10 commission districts who would meet with elected officials and ask them to explain their actions. He said he wants to muster a large group of people, preferably about 100, to attend every commission meeting and scrutinize decision-making -- an idea based on the efforts of the League of Women Voters many decades ago.
He said he also wants the city to change meeting times from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. so working people can attend.
Asked if he thinks commissioners will go along with this plan, or cooperate with his 10-member panel, Mr. Merry said they will.
"They're public servants," he said. "They're here to serve, and if a group of citizens from their district asks to meet with them, those requests will be honored, because we're citizens and taxpayers."
Among the issues he wants to discuss at Thursday's town hall meeting:
- Property taxes and the looming $8.6 million deficit
- Who is "minding the store" as far as running the government, and how the government should really work
- Pending lawsuits involving the city, such as the X-Mart case, and what they mean
- Bribery allegations and "the need for public outcry"
- Why Augusta's police and firefighters are among the lowest-paid in the state
Also on Monday, Mr. Merry announced the launching of the CSRA Help phone tip hot line -- a number that disgruntled city employees and other insiders can call to anonymously report instances of graft and corruption. The number is (706) 364-9667, or csrahelpline@gmail.com.
A financial planner for AXA Advisors by profession, Mr. Merry challenged Augusta's government on multiple fronts earlier in the decade, using news conferences and court petitions.
Many of his efforts involved former Commissioner Marion Williams. He sued in 2007 to have Mr. Williams reprimanded for not paying back taxes and censured for trying to build a drag strip on property across the street from where his son-in-law planned to build a snack shop called Drag Snacks.
He also filed action against Mr. Williams and the city in 2006 challenging commissioners' use of abstentions to block majority wins and the mayor's ability to break a tie, part of an effort to get Mr. Williams to step down as mayor pro tem. The suit was dismissed by Superior Court Judge Carlisle Overstreet, who ruled that the mayor could decide how to count abstentions. That, however, was overturned when Mr. Merry appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court.
Lately, Mr. Merry has been keeping a low profile since his chest-bumping, kick-fighting brawl with former Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority member William Fennoy in 2008, which got both men charged with simple battery. The charge against Mr. Merry was dead docketed after he agreed to write a letter of apology.
Reach Johnny Edwards at (706) 823-3225 or johnny.edwards@augustachronicle.com
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
This guy is a nut and unbelieveably stupid. He wants a "shadow government" to do what? If U can't get elected and elected officials are following established laws, U gotta change the laws - and that takes voting. What this guy wants is townhall type of governing where shouting & yelling in public is the norm. It won't work...and who are these 100 people to do the shadowing? Yep, this guy has demonstrated, based on his past behavior, that he is reactionary and reckless with his personal conduct...and what makes his tax dollars nore important than mine?
The British do this on a national level. The opposition party always appoints 'Shadow' Government of Ministers (Same as our 'Secretary' of State or Defense, ect). The idea is to keep the sitting officials on thier toes and to provide media attention to governance. Good idea Woody. Hey Woody, can I be the DDA in Exile?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_government Here is a link about it. The 'government in waiting' idea behind it in UK is not what Merry has in mind it seems, but the idea of getting people interested in the process and participating, attending meetings, and meeting with people is a great idea. Maybe some good commission candidates will come out of it.
i dont see how more private citizen oversight of local government could be a bad thing.. hopefully Merry won't have a hard time getting people to volunteer for this.
It reminds me of the late night talk radio show, Coast to Coast, where they discuss spooky subjects and the "shadow people" are often brought up. Heh, heh, heh.
This squirmy little idiot needs attention, badly. Who does he think he is? He`s done nothing for the city or county but place barriers (of his own making) to possible income producing ideas. His tactics should raise some alarm bells; when he was protesting the Drag Racing Track he took a bunch of people that would never set foot at a drag race and played some extremely loud noises to make believe that was going to be problem. I live about 2 miles from that site and never heard a thing. Somebody give him a hobby, please...
Glad to see Woody is back and fully charged! All levels of government need oversight from the citizens they represent. Woody has got the locals covered.
The point is, Riverman, you listen to the show. I think that's what Woody is trying for.
Thank You Mr. Merry for stepping up to the plate to try to improve our county. Ignore the above naysayers as they would rather complain than act, especially the ignorant who resort to juvenile name-calling because they can't make a valid point without throwing stones.
I agree to an oversight committee to cover the taxpayers interests but I don`t agree this little twerp is it. The "Tee Center", that`s probably not going to happen, is tying up how many million dollars? The county is short how many million? Voila`, there`s an answer that none of the bright commentators have seen...
Of course Justus4 doesn't like the white guy. No surprise in that. Holding elected officials, black AND white accountable for their actions is what is needed in ALL government. And this is especially true with the CORRUPT Obama administration. Three more years and this NIGHTMARE will be over!
Oh, uhh, "Merry", is that sorta like "gay"??
What is corrupt about Obama`s administration? That he`s finally trying to do something for Americans and sorta shunning America`s big business? That and W were the cause of the problems we have now. Spending all our money on a make believe war of his own making, etc. Where`s all the money people used to have in savings and pensions? Big business un supervised, that`s where...
Sounds like Woody just wants to hold the city county government accountable. With crime on the rise, a major exodus to neighboring counties and tax revenues falling; someone needs to look after the county. Augusta use to be a thriving city, but now it is one decayed neighborhood after another. Sometimes a community needs a loud, somewhat quirky voice to get people listening and motivated to do get things under control. Two Americas just look at Richmond County!
Thank you Woody for being willing to do this. There needs to be more like you. You can only help a bad situation which certainly isn't getting better on it's own. May you be blessed with wisdom, strength and may all truth come to light. The Bible says to be great become a servant and may the Holy Spirit direct your path and words.
No one has anything to say when HUMBLEIDIOT attempt to bring race into a subject by baiting JUSTUS. Who by the way does not need baiting.
Hey Woody....how's this for a novel idea. Run for office!!!
Way to go, Woody! I don't live in Richmond County but I can certainly see that the government needs more help from concerned citizens who are willing to face off with them and hold them publicly accountable. It's time somebody did.
Well, justus4 doesn't like Woody Merry! I can't think of a better recommendation to support him. Thanks for the tip justus4. I now will consider joining Woody Merry's team.
jb5365, thank you for giving us insight into the political mind of an eight year old. You have a wonderful economy with words. I am waiting for your next posting with baited breath. Oh mental giant, please enrich this debate with more of your pearls of wisdom and golden nuggets of intellect.
I mean Woody is a nice enough fellow even if I did see him passing out sodas when protestors were marching in front of WGAC. I never figured that one out, but I get the feeling Woody and his shadow government run around looking for secret camps in this country where the UN interns Americans or something. Vote for Butch, someone who lays it on the line and has some common sense.
"Brad's baited breath." I visualize this fishing line hanging down from the upper teeth with a hook and worm on it. :)
with his own MERRY own band of brownshirts, right eh Riverman? ahahah. i need sleep.
go woody go !
LOL he was probably absent from this arena to take DEFENSE CLASSES. OMG LOL.
Clown season is about to open again. Strike up the band LOL.
Why doesn't Woody just do it right from the inside and run for office? Standing outside and filing lawsuits after something is done wrong actually costs more time and money than would be necessary if someone who claims to care so much about good government such as Woody was actually an elected official. If he's not part of the solution, then he's part of the problem. Pointing out problems with no plan to fix them can be meaningless. Preventing the problems is the way to go. If his group is not going to prevent problems, then it will be just as bad as the commissioners who cause them.
do it woody, you tha man!!!!
It appears clown season already started with fruity's 1058, hee, hee !
KJ: I don't know why Woody doesn't run for office, but a shadow government is not a bad thing. It has no power, doesn't have to win election, yet applies different reasoning to the problems facing RC. Members of shadow governments are usually experienced citizens giving their time for the right reasons. Filing of lawsuits to enact their findings is something I do NOT favor. A good shadow government can actually work with the elected government and solve divisive issues by applying a different perspective without the need of court intervention. They also don't cost taxpayers a single dime... unless they sue.