Marty Smith goes over returns with Carroll County Commissioner Vicki Anderson Tuesday night at the county elections office. Smith defeated incumbent Bill Chappell in the commission chairman runoff. (Photo by Cliff Williams/Times-Georgian)
Challenger Marty Smith, a Carrollton developer and political newcomer, scored a landslide victory over Chappell, winning in all 30 precincts and capturing nearly 68 percent of the vote.
“Obviously, it was very disappointing to me,” Chappell said Wednesday. “I cannot explain it and won’t even try. There were a lot of factors and I don’t know which was which. But it is what it is and we’ll go on.”
He said he has no other political aspirations at this time.
“The chairman’s job is the highest you can go and be actively working for the people,” he said.
Chappell said he “won’t present any problems” to Smith’s transition to the office.
“I feel very strongly that the future of Carroll County is more important than political considerations,” he said.
Smith acknowledged the anti-incumbency mood. But he also praised the contributions of Walt Hollingsworth, who was the third candidate on the July 31 Republican primary ballot.
“Walt and I ran a close campaign in our platforms,” Smith said Wednesday. “A lot of folks who voted for him voted for me this time because our platforms were so similar.”
Smith said he was happy that his campaign was able to get voters back out to the polls.
He said he has no definite plans now on what changes will be made in county government, but said, “everything will be evaluated.”
Carrollton Mayor Wayne Garner noted that it was a bad day for incumbents across the state and feels Carroll County had a similar outcome.
“I hated to see Chappell lose,” Garner said. “He’s done a good job. We’ve worked well together. I’ve known Marty Smith and his family for years. He’s a good man and I think he will do a good job. The city is looking forward to working with him in any way we can.”
“It seems to be a clear and strong message of anti-incumbency,” said Robert Sanders, a University of West Georgia political science professor. “A huge turnout for a local election means there’s a lot of activist voters and they want something changed. It clearly showed strong distrust with government.”
“I think anytime an incumbent gets defeated, especially by a two-to-one margin, it sends a message that people are not happy with the status quo,” said Jim Watters, chairman of the Carroll County Tea Party and a Carrollton City Council member. “Bill ran a campaign based on what he has done and Marty ran a campaign based on what he will do. The results show that voters want new ideas and fresh leadership.”
Watters said everybody he has talked with were impressed by the voter turnout Tuesday. He said that’s a good indication they want their voices heard.
“Marty had a large base of support, distributed all over the county, that worked hard to get folks back to the polls on Tuesday,” Watters said. “Walt Hollingsworth’s support certainly helped the matter.”
Terry Agne, chairman of the Carroll County Republican Party, feels the vote reflected a discontent with Chappell from many different groups and individuals.
“There were several different factions that were upset with the way he’s run the county,” Agne said. “They liked what he did about balancing the budget and building parks, but they just disliked the way he was running the office.”
Agne said he doesn’t feel it was a single group, but several different groups and individuals who all turned out to vote against Chappell.
“It’s my experience, here in Carroll County, when voters don’t like something, they will get out and vote for change,” he said. “Apparently, they wanted real change this time.”
Agne said he was impressed that Smith got more votes in the runoff than he did in the July 31 primary. He noted that the primary vote was split nearly equally between Chappell, Smith and Hollingsworth.
“Hollingsworth played a major role in endorsing Marty and continuing to campaign for him,” he said.
He said he hopes Chappell and Smith work together for a smooth transitional period.
District 5 County Commissioner Kevin Jackson, who has often been on opposing sides of issues with Chappell, said Wednesday that the vote shows that people aren’t satisfied with the way local government is being run and the chairman’s role in it.
“It was an overwhelming majority,” Jackson said. “Definitely, the people spoke out in a very loud voice that they wanted to see change. They want to see a better working board, less bickering and more work from the chairman and board members. Smith heard that and he’s made promises to pull the board together. From the time I’ve been around him, I think he has the people skills to do that.”
“The county spoke clearly yesterday and I believe it was a win, not just for Marty Smith, but for Carroll County as well,” said District 3 County Commissioner Ashley Hendrix, who lost her re-election bid in the July 31 primary. “While we have accomplished many things, the question is, ‘what could we have accomplished with the board as a whole?’ The citizens want this from their elected officials.”
District 2 County Commissioner Vicki Anderson also feels voters see the board as an incoherent group, with one person (the chairman) making major decisions.
“With everybody working together, things are going to be fine,” Anderson said. “The people came out yesterday and said they want to be represented by the people they elected.”
Hollingsworth downplayed his contributions.
“I think Marty got out there and outworked him (Chappell),” Hollingsworth said. “I didn’t do anything other than what I said I’d do. I’m not going to take credit for his victory. I think everybody wanted a change, across the board. Bill’s voters didn’t come back out. People who were with me switched over to Marty. I did make some calls for him, but he would have done the same for me, if it’d been the other way around. If you look at the ratios in the primary, Chappell was beaten there.”
I hope that Marty will let God guide his every move, that he will honor is commitment to the people and I pray all who voted against him give him a chance to prove himself. I don't know Marty personally, nor did I know Ashley personally, but I was active in my voice as a voter and citizen. If I have offended anyone, if I have been wrong about anything, I sincerely say to all who feel this way, I am sorry that you feel this way and it was not my intention. I stood by and still stand by my friend, Bill Chappell, I believe he has done a great job as our Chairman, he is not the same as everyone, he has worked very hard for the people and has done what he said he would, all these personal attacks on him show bad taste, and that is what I tried to defend. I will remain his friend and I will say to all the people that I am proud you got involved in your right to vote, for this I am very proud, and I pray for each man as they start a new chapter in their lives. Let us all band together now as never before and make our community the great place it has been. Carroll county is a beautiful place to live, I came here from Gwinnett county in 1988, and I have enjoyed living and taking part in the politics here, very passion driven. I wish no harm on anyone, I wish only the best. Many people have spoken out in this paper or site and I just hope that everyone will try to understand this is a time for healing and one for a new government, it is clear that is what the people want. I want us to all take a minute to think about the feelings of all, I hope that all I have said will taken for what it was, defending someone I love, and I am going to move on to my life of witnessing for who I believe is the most important man to ever live, Jesus Christ.
With that being said, I pray for all of us to move on with a positive attitude and not live in the past. We are no good in the past, we have a chance to change the attitude and let's do it. God bless all who have taken an active part, this is America and I am proud to have the right to express my views and I am proud of every single voter, this is why we live and die on the battlefield, to have this right. God bless Carroll county, God bless Bill Chappell and Marty Smith and Ashley Smith Hendrix, who I do not know personally either. I do feel the love of God and that to me is the most important thing.
I pray that all of our citizens will just accept this change, accept this is politics and be who we need to be for the sake of all, willing to forgive each other and move on...
Thank you all for your contribution to this election, I have seen much passion on both sides and now is the time to accept the outcome and support Mr. Smith in his goal of making Carroll county a better place. Thank you Bill for all you did to keep our taxes from going up and for all the improvements we enjoy. I pray for us all.
As for the Chairman's $94,000 salary. In a County where the unemployment rate is over 9.3% and the average wage earner only earns $22,000 a year; shouldn't the Chairman roll-back his luxurious $94,000 salary to help lower the wasteful budget and give relief to the hardworking taxpayers of Carroll County? Absurd? I think not sir!
Mr. Smith correctly pointed out that the current Chairman spent over $136,000,000 in just the past few years! That's incredible and was meant to highlight the wasteful spending by the current Chairman during the past few years.
Mr. Smith has correctly pointed out that the current Chairman has also "benefitted" from the 2.00 mil increase that was reaped in July 2007; so, if the 2.00 mils were rolled back to 2007 levels, the budget would then have to be cut from $50 million down to approximately $40 million.Is this absurd or is this a sacred promise to the voters upon which Mr. Smith was elected?
As for #9, yes, one of Mr. Smith's most ardent suppoprters; the distinguished District 5 Commissioner, Mr. Kevin Jackson firmly believes prisoners should be kept in their cells 24/7 and only permitted to read the Bible instead of enjoying the frivilous perk of fresh air and mingling with the citizenry while working on a prisoner detail. Remember, Mr. Jackson, Miss Anderson and Miss Hendrix (Smith's 1st cousin) all wanted to remove the $5,000 in the budget to assist probationers in their rehab and re-entry into society.
Drunken chairmen -- you are right- they aren't going to let it go!
local tea party - you are quite redundant - basically - I think you might be someoneelse who has been mighty quiet but was posting under his "own name". Writing style, etc are the same. Either way - Marty did not promise raises. He's promised to "do what he could do" by the time he get in in January - after Chappy spends tax payers money on his cronies and the supply of iquor he is rumored to keep in his desk in his office - our county could be broke. After all - not only his in not going to be chairman - he's going to have to provide his own vehicle and his on fuel in 4 short months. Wonder if he even has a clue at the price of gas? Give it a rest...move on. Give Marty a chance. The people gave Chappy a chance and the people took back their control!!!! A VAST majority spoke. Chappy didn't even win his DISTRICT for Pete's sake!!! THAT says something!!!!
Now, to be clear, we absolutely support Mr. Marty Smith. We want him to be 100% successful in every way BUT most of all, we want him to honor his conservative pledge/promises/contract with us voters.
1. Give well deserved large pay raises to all fireman and deputies. Though you were somewhat non-specific, I'm sure you meant at least a well deserved 15% to 25% pay raise.
2. Cut the County's wasteful budget from $50 million down to $40 million
3. Cut the County's excess tax millage rate from 8.50 mils down to 6.50 mils
4. Refund/rebate to all taxpayers the $11 million dollar surplus that is wasting away in the County's coffers.
5. Have the General Assembly re-write the county charter to dilute the Chairman "dictatorial authorities" and share all of the Chairman's duties with the 6 District Commissioners. You should not be making any dictatorial management decisions without a majority approval of the District Commissioners. It might be helpful to schedule District Commissioner meetings every Tuesday & Thursday to help you in this.
6. Eliminate the Chairman's ability to issue and sign checks for less than $12,500 by having all checks countersigned by at least two District Commissioners. I'm sure Kevin & Vicki will make themselves available 24/7 for this purpose.
7. Cut the Chairman's pay from $94,000 down to a working wage of say $48,000; or ideally, the average salary of our Fireman and deputies. Plus, you won't need the wasteful use of a county vehicle, will you? I'm sure you won't be wasting our money by taking your wife and children to Georgia County Commission Association meetings and retreats in Atlanta, Savannah and other resorts. Stay at home and do the people's works 24/7.
8. Shut down the courthouse construction project and save lots of money being wasted on the new courthouse. Bring back the leaky trailers and leaking dilapidated buildings.
9. Do not let any more prisoners out on daily work details. Keep all the prisoners in jail 24/7; issue them all Bibles and let them sit on their bunks 24/7 reading the Bible and meditating on their sins. Punish those criminals and do not let a one of them off their bunks!
10. While still keeping the budget at or under $40 million; go out and create new jobs; obviously the same jobs now fulfilled by "working prisoners" (see #9 above).
11. While still keeping the budget at or under $40 million; go out and create more new jobs by paving more roads in Carroll County with contract union labor. Remember, this contract labor will cost at least $20 an hour per laborer but Marty, if anybody can do it, it's you. We need more paved roads in Carroll County and you can do it since you're a contractor. Ashley will help you.
Good luck Mr. New Chairman and remember; we're watching you 24/7 and if you mis-step even one little step, we will have recall petitions out there on December 31, 2013 faster than you can say: "I promised what to the voters and they believed me!"
Anderson has never had a clue what she's supposed to be doing.
Smith won because he got people to team up against Chappell. He spoke untruths about Chappell. Hollingsworth is a big wind bag. The public didn't want change. But they were fed half-truths from the Smith campaign. And were gullible to believe it. I suspect the Smith crowd will try to use it to their advantage.