The local organizer for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program has come out publicly to refute claims by the city of Carrollton that Rep. Tim Bearden helped with the annual campaign while serving as a consultant for the city.

Since late 2005, Bearden, R-Villa Rica, has been paid $2,100 monthly to serve as a consultant for the city, although no contract exists between the two and the city has not produced any evidence of any work product or invoices produced by Bearden.

In a paid advertisement printed in the Sunday, June 21, issue of The Times-Georgian, Carrollton Mayor Wayne Garner listed briefly “a sampling of the projects Rep. Bearden has either solely or partially been responsible for.” These include the Police Department’s “Save a Life ... Stop on Red” campaign, the “Fans for Seniors” program aimed at helping the elderly keep cool during the summer and the Toys for Tots drive that occurs every year during the Christmas season. In addition, Garner’s letter says that Bearden has also served in “an advisory capacity on sensitive police issues that are not open for public disclosure.”

But Carlis Baker, the area organizer of the toy drive, said in a letter to The Times-Georgian that his organization has no records of Bearden’s work, and if he were to be paid for his services to Toys for Tots, it would be a violation of the spirit of volunteerism that makes the program a success.

“All activities conducted by Toys for Tots is voluntary, payment for support or activities is neither implied nor authorized,” Baker says in the letter. “Toys for Tots has no record of contributions, or support ever being received from Wayne Garner the Mayor of Carrollton, or Tim Bearden the State of Georgia Representative for District 68. Any and all support provided to needy children in West Georgia by Toys for Tots is entirely due to tireless volunteers and the wonderful contributions of the community and will remain so.”

Calls and e-mails to Garner and City Manager Casey Coleman went unreturned on Monday. Bearden also could not be reached for comment.

Carrollton City Council members Peter Balega and Gerald Byrd issued a joint statement on June 25 criticizing the city for its relationship with Bearden, saying “We were as shocked as you were when we discovered the relationship and the payment of monies to Mr. Bearden. We were unaware of any paid services rendered (to the City) during the dates stated on the checks, which were made payable to Mr. Bearden by the City of Carrollton.”