posted July 24, 2008
The questions are: Did he really leave or not? Has anyone verified with the city of East Ridge that Curtis is really gone? Can the city attorney say he is officially gone?
Is Mr. Adams going to make another return after tonight's meeting the same way he returned after the budget meeting? How about his compensation for the time he was off? Will his pay be pro-rated to effect the partial pay period he is missing, or will the city be nice enough to go ahead and pay him for his hard work?
Questions...questions...questions. Seems like there are lots of questions in East Ridge, but not many answers.
Brandon Back
* * *
With Curtis Adams "again quitting" the city manager position, East Ridge has a great opportunity to move forward and leave this mess behind.
I am asking our mayor and city councilmen to please do a real and complete search this time. Please do not put our city through this again by bringing in another politician from the past who will only polarize East Ridge again. We need a qualified person with past successful experience who can help lead East Ridge to the next level.
East Ridge has so much promise with its tremendous location, Camp Jordan and a proud past. But we need to have a proud future.
Mayor Steele and city councilmen, please use this time wisely and do an exhaustive search for a city manager.
Gwen Adams
* * *
Well, finally we got an answer tonight at the commission meeting. A 4-0 vote....that I am sure really ticked off Card and Sewell to have to vote that way. With a pretty packed house what else would they do. Thankfully, Curtis will not be able to repeat coming back again. This is a huge relief to most citizens.
In Curtis's resignation the first time, which was just on July 12, he sang the praises of Mayor Steele and how he wanted him to preach at his funeral. Now 12 days later, he pretty much has blasted Mayor Steele.
Just two questions. 1) How in the world can you go in a 12-day span to praising someone to blasting them.
2) Now who will Curtis sing the praises of to preach at his funeral.
Mayor Steele, Commissioners Petty, Manning and the other two....oh yeah, Card and Sewell, heed the advice that I have been hearing over and over again. Please do a complete search and please do not bring in baggage from the past. We need someone fresh who does not play politics at all expenses.
Ron Ledford
* * *
Mr. Ledford, I have had a good laugh at what you said about now "who will preach at Curtis Adams' funeral" now that it appears he is disenchanted with Mike Steele. My, oh my....how things can change in just a few days.
There really is not a lot to add other than hopefully East Ridge can move forward and be progressive this time. Think out of the box and try something new this time instead of the same ole same ole.
Matt Conners
* * *
The arrogance of Curtis Adams. To blast everyone else when he himself calls himself a "lightning rod."
The press release was a joke at best. To say that he was told to "lay low" because the city has a reputation of firing city managers? When has anyone ever known Curtis Adams to lay low? He craves the attention and would never lay low. This time he did not get his way and like a child ran away - twice.
We did not need this and the citizens pretty much let it be known.
East Ridge does not need to be chastised by Mr. Adams.....it is the other way around.
Shame on you, Curtis Adams.
Cathy Ashburn
East Ridge
* * *
It was reported that Curtis Adams stated that he was again leaving because he had become a lightning rod. How long did it take you to figure that one out, Curtis?
If memory serves, you've been a lightning rod for years. You've lived in East Ridge long enough to know that it is a virtual political Peyton Place.
What...did you think that everyone just up and decided to get along in East Ridge politics? Ok, how many scandals, gaffes, innuendos, and blunders can you think of that were tied to East Ridge over the past 25 years? This is a quiz... The winner gets to be city manager of East Ridge for a week. (free car not included).
Mary Anne Watkins
Maryannewatkins39@yahoo.com
* * *
I have been keeping up with the troubles in East Ridge for the last few months. You see I lived in East Ridge for over 30 years. I moved a few years ago to be closer to my family. I still consider East Ridge home and that is why all of this has saddened me.
Our mayor and councilmen did not make a wise decision when they chose to put Mr. Adams in this position and made an even bigger error in letting him back in.
Today I read Mr. Adams' statement to the press that he would not have the heart to help bring in someone to East Ridge with the back stabbing that goes on. How dare Curtis Adams? He has done nothing but pull the community apart with all of his power plays and arrogance.
Again, the mayor and Councilmen Sewell and Card made an error in judgment I believe in bringing him in. I believe that Mayor Steele is now paying the price for supporting Mr. Adams too much.
Nan Rollins
* * *
Don’t single Mr. Adams out…
I’m not sure about everyone else, I’m getting fairly fed up of everyone from the police chief to the school board to the traffic cameras telling Joe Taxpayer to just shut up and open the wallet.
When did they become beyond question?
So far this year we’ve seen everyone blamed, but the people ultimately responsible.
David Carroll is responsible for the drugs and violence in schools.
Robert T. Nash is responsible for Jeannie Snyder’s Atlanta freak-out.
Everyone is responsible (and immediately guilty) for the traffic cameras.
Curtis…is just Curtis. Who’s surprised?
How many times this year have we seen press conferences called where a city or county official could have cut the rhetoric by just walking away?
Mike Dobbs
* * *
Curtis Adams learned well during his tenure on the Hamilton County
Commission about back room deals and deceptive practices. It seems
that is the norm in local government these days.
He seems to feel sorry for himself as being the victim of a "back biting, sneaky, under-mining" city government. Well, welcome to the real world, Curtis. That is the way we taxpayers feel every day of our lives.
We are the true victims of sneaky, under-mining, back room deals that go on in East Ridge and Hamilton County. We are the ones that have to pay for your "Wish List", like new lights for Camp Jordan. You know, that money comes from hardworking people that get up early every morning to go to work at an average job and on pay day wonder how in the world they are going to make their money stretch to cover all their obligations.
They can forget about a "Wish List" - their tax obligations gets that
money. This is the burden that spend thrifts like you put on us. Camp Jordan's lights are good enough, the city cars are good enough. We don't need 14 new employees, we have enough. Do like we do, and scrape by on what you have and you will find out that you can make it somehow on what you have and no more, just like we do every pay day.
Tina Davis
tinadavishomes@aol.com
* * *
Good to see Ole Curtis put it in writing this time so that our mayor and city attorney won't have a problem knowing it is a real resignation.
Mayor Steele supported Mr. Adams when he shouldn't have and, now that Curtis has blasted him and others, I am sure he now knows what a large mistake he made.
Mr. Adams sank to a new low yesterday by blasting East Ridge the way he did. East Ridge has allowed him to become the attention-grabbing politician that he has always been.
He said "thanks to Card and Sewell for standing tall?" I say East Ridge let's remember how tall they stood their next election day and help them find a hobby doing something else.
I say thanks to Commissioners Petty and Manning for standing tall during this ordeal. I am sure it was not always easy standing up to Curtis Adams and the others. I will remember you both on election day if you choose to continue on.
Ralph Johnson
* * *
I think it is very amusing to hear someone call Curtis arrogant because he calls himself a "lightning rod". He has been a lightning rod ever since he started his career in politics. The reason he is not being arrogant in calling himself one is because he never runs from a tough issue like most politicians do. He was asked to come and help the city of East Ridge, he did not ask for the job.
For all of you who seem to "know" Curtis so well, why don't you pick up the phone and ask him to sit down with you and discuss issues. I know for a fact that he has never been afraid to do this very thing. Do you really think you know exactly what has transpired between the mayor, the commissioners and Curtis?
Of course you don't, it is just easy to say negative things about Curtis because he is so open and puts his side of things out there for everyone to hear and criticize.
If any of the above posters can do a better job, send your application for consideration to Mayor Steele and then see just how impossible the job is.
Jennifer Hopper
Lookout Mountain, Tn.
* * *
Per Ms. Hooper's comment, everyone should expect support for someone for whom she made a political donation of $500. I am sure from her perch on Lookout Mountain she can really see what is going on in East Ridge.
And yes Ms. Hooper, I am sure there would be a line of people who could perform this job with more integrity than Curtis Adams for $60,000 a year who could do much more than try to shove a fifty cent tax increase knowing they are protected from having to be re-elected by the people of the city.
Maybe the people in East Ridge will wake up and kick Curtis out of his cozy commissioner’s seat and put someone in who really cares about serving the desires of his constituents, instead of those who make large donations to his campaign.
W.G. Stoner
* * *
To Jennifer Hopper, I am a home owner and reside in East Ridge. I spoke with Mr. Adams on Tuesday, July 23, concerning the fact that I was having problems getting a copy of the proposed budget. Mr. Adams said that he would take care of it and I would have my copy Wednesday.
That did not happen. In fact when I called about said copies the city recorder, who we have to deal with, was at a city manager's luncheon in Cleveland with Mr. Adams, Deputy City Manger Phillips and our new finance director.
When I finally got in touch with the city recorder around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, I was told that there was nothing to copy because the council was working on the building. I had told her before and I told her again that I wanted a copy of what the council had been given in the budget meeting. I was still denied.
Very upset when I got off the phone, I called Mr. Adams home and his office in East Ridge and left messages. I never got a response. I don't "know" Mr. Adams, evidently you do, so would you please call him and asked him to call me. He has my number. I would still like to hear from him.
Maybe he can shed some light on the problem. He is still my county commissioner and fellow East Ridge citizen, maybe together we can make a difference in East Ridge.
Frances Pope
East Ridge
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