A Carrollton blogger raises dust with news that a state lawmaker is on the city payroll
A blogger in Carrollton has raised some dust with news that, for the last five years, state Rep. Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica) has been paid $2,100 a month by the city.
Tim Clark at carrolltongeorgia.com has posted a letter from the city stating that “a verbal agreement does exist between the city and Mr. Bearden.
In an interview late this morning with the AJC, the state lawmaker acknowledged the payments, which he said were for a part-time consulting job for the Carrollton police department. Bearden is a former motorcycle officer with the city of Douglasville.
“There’s no secret about it,” Bearden said. The lawmaker said he has worked with the police department on outreach programs to school kids, and other on projects he was not prepared to discuss.
The payments began in October 2005, shortly after Bearden was first elected to the Legislature. The last check, according to the city, was cut on May 7. Bearden has received a total $92,400 from the city, according to a city list of the paychecks, posted on the blog.
Bearden represents eastern Carroll County and a swath of west Douglas — but not the city of Carrollton.
The lawmaker said that in addition to the part-time consulting job for the city and his legislative post, he has a full-time job with a local real estate firm.
Bearden said he has not seen the post that Clark wrote, nor would he look at it. “If he wants to make a case out of having a job in these economic times — okay, I’m guilty,” Bearden said.
Clark said he has operated his blog in a concentrated fashion for the last year. He also maintains web sites for other outlets.
Of his posting on Bearden, Clark said: “The fact that there’s no contract or work product, that’s a red flag.”
Creative Loafing this morning put a call into the Carrollton city administration:
Carrollton City Manager Casey Coleman [said] the city approached Bearden about conducting consulting work for the city’s police department. He said Bearden often leads programs and initiatives and assists with some matters “you can’t talk about.”
Coleman elaborated on the statement about Carroll County black ops missions, saying many of those efforts, for legal reasons, are not open to public records. He said Bearden has also assisted the city in some negotiations with the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services.
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26 comments Add your comment
Ernest
June 15th, 2009
1:23 pm
If he is a consultant, there should not be a problem with this. Problems arise if he was an employee of the Carrollton PD.
Interesting in that there is a recent case with former state rep Robbin Shipp. She had to resign from the legislature as she was recently employed by the DAs office in Atlanta. Seems there is a law indicating you cannot be employed simultaneously in the legislative and judicial branches.
Kevin
June 15th, 2009
1:35 pm
Wow!
If he is really consulting, then surely there would be some work product produced (memos, proposals, guidelines, something) during the 4 plus year period.
This does not look good at all for Tim Bearden or Carrollton Mayor Wayne Garner.
I noticed the link to Garner’s lobbyist page with the state in the article.
Kudos to the writer in doing his homework, and keeping the story focused on the facts.
Reagan Republican
June 15th, 2009
1:38 pm
I wonder if Mike Evans could keep his lobbying contract with Forsyth County if (God forbid) he is elected to Congress. Sure would make him a more effective lobbyist, and I’m sure come with a nice tax-payer funded pay increase!
Tim Bearden Needs to Explain This [updated] — Peach Pundit
June 15th, 2009
1:41 pm
[...] Rep. Bearden talked to the AJC after this went up and acknowledged the payments, which he said were for a part-time consulting job for the [...]
Johnson from Rural Ga.
June 15th, 2009
2:02 pm
I for one think that if we had “MORE” Representation Like Tim Bearden that our state would be a whole lot better off. He’s a working man, supporting a family and serving his post as legislator to his direct constituents and to the entire state. The man speaks his mind but listens to reason, judges not but hold everyone to a basis of good morals … Read Moreand when all the cards are stacked against him he has a power to stand alone to push on. This Carrollton Beligerant, I mean blogger, should focus on the legislation Rep. Bearden drafts, authors and co-sponsors to provide this state with dependence, civil liberties and a future of hope. Good job TIM for not caving to this bloggers level and for using simplistic reasoning as your defense to thwart a pot stirring session!
Blog: Rep. Bearden, R-Glock, paid by Carrollton — but for what? | Fresh Loaf
June 15th, 2009
2:12 pm
[...] spoke with the AJC’s Jim Galloway early this morning and said there was no secret about the arrangement. “If [the blogger] wants to make a case out of [...]
Keith
June 15th, 2009
2:22 pm
Guess we need another state law stating that no Georgia municipality, county, or school system can do business with any member of the legislature.
McAmnesty
June 15th, 2009
2:41 pm
Is Bearden the moron that thought pistol packin in Hartsfield Airport was a good idea?
Cade Thacker
June 15th, 2009
3:18 pm
“There’s no secret about it,” Bearden said. The lawmaker said he has worked with the police department on outreach programs to school kids, and other on projects he was not prepared to discuss.
To me, this is a simple question of: If you are recieving tax payer’s money, then you should be willing with a reasonable notice, to discuss all the projects you have been working on. (Just as you would in a real business to your client/manager) If you can justify $2k a month (which is not chump change) then you have nothing to worry about. If you can not, then well, you had better starting working up a good politcial spin to get you out. Lets say he is being paid $40 an hour to consult, that equates out to 52.5 hours a month of effort to earn $2,100. Can Rep Bearden prove that he has been working for 52.5 hours @ $40/hour for the last 4 years for the tax payers of the City of Carollton?
Black Ops
June 15th, 2009
3:50 pm
Cade – you miss the point – Timmy Bearden is working in “municipal black ops” – a most lucrative cottage industry here in Georgia — solving problems that never happened, doing secret things for people who weren’t born, in places that aren’t on a map, on days that were never on a calendar. Get it – “black ops” or you could say Carrollton is pouring it’s tax money down a rat hole or bribing their state representative or the Lobbyist Mayor is buying access to the state house or you could just keep calling what is really is (fill in the blank).
Kevin
June 15th, 2009
5:05 pm
Black Ops?
Sounds like the group of thugs dressed in black jump boot outfits just a few years ago that Wayne Garner took around through Georgia’s prisons to beat up on inmates. He got sued for that and lost big time!
Sounds like they are trying to intimidate that small town blogger with tough talk. “Better back off or we’re gonna send out our black ops team to deal with you!”
LJ
June 15th, 2009
7:34 pm
The only problem here is the moron whose blog this was on. Clark is malcontent that is not liked by anyone outside of his immediate family and probably not by all of them!
O.R.O.
June 15th, 2009
8:02 pm
LJ,
Whatever your personal issues are with the blogger (he must have really stepped on your toes),
the following facts stand on their own:
1. The documents in the blogger’s article are originals from the City of Carrollton
2. There is no written contract (read the city’s written response)
3. There is nothing to document Bearden has done any work at all (read the city’s written response)
4. Bearden admits to taking the money (nearly $100 Grand!)
Conclusion: This is Tim Bearden’s last term in office!
LJ
June 15th, 2009
10:06 pm
Stepped on my toes, no. I live on the very same street as the “blogger”. Suffice to say, he’s not a very pleasant man and I highly doubt he’d win a popularity contest around here.
O.R.O.
June 15th, 2009
10:20 pm
LJ,
In all honesty, seems as though you are attacking the messenger and not disputing the message.
Would you care to challenge any of the things I pointed out above? Or are you just going to keep throwing rocks at your neighbor?
Suffice it to say .. Carrollton doesn’t sound like a very pleasant to live or visit .. being a place where neighbors do not get along with each other. Also a place where the politicians are paying each other off using taxpayer monies.
As I made clear above, this is likely Tim Bearden’s last term in office, taking money for no work as he has.
LJ
June 15th, 2009
10:26 pm
Not sure what you want me to say? I think I’ll wait until I all sides of the story before I make up my mind. Maybe my neighbor is right on this one, maybe he’s not. However, knowing the blogger and the other parties involved, I think I’ll give the other parties the benefit of the doubt for now.
SQ
June 16th, 2009
7:49 am
Another big question is how many other consultants on the Carrollton city payroll are on a verbal agreement? I think we could all answer that one…and ‘these economic times’ were not too bad in October 2005 when this started. Yes, Mr. Bearden, you are guilty, and you should show some kind of remorse instead of defending this ethical violation and total lack of transparency in government. Have you not been paying attention to Governor Perdue’s initiatives regarding transparency? I guess you have been too busy doing things we can’t talk about.
Kevin
June 16th, 2009
2:26 pm
This isn’t the first time Tim Clark has uncovered blatant wrong-doing in his community. After reading LJ’s description of him, I read more of what he has written. Judge for yourself, but WSB’s Richard Belcher featured Clark’s earlier research in a story last year:
http://www.wsbtv.com/video/18147409/index.html
He is sharp, well prepared and the information he presents originates from thorough research. He does not seem bitter, but he does seem bothered by politicians doing bad things with public funds.
Producer
June 16th, 2009
4:58 pm
This story is not about to die, especially when we get nonsensical answers like the work Bearden did was “something we can’t talk about.” C’mon! The only thing missing here is “Uncle Jesse” and “Boss Hogg.” And don’t attack the messenger. He’s found something here that certainly needs further investigation.
Sandy
June 17th, 2009
11:53 am
What a crook.He needs to go.
aaron humes
June 17th, 2009
7:25 pm
sounds VERY fishy.
$2100 monthly doesn’t seem appropriate nor needed by carrolton police. what is this guy going to teach other cops? how to ride a motorcycle?
who is his boss? who contracted with him? where’s the contract?
or is this some form of a settlement?
more answers, please!
carrollconative
June 20th, 2009
9:51 pm
Garner has done the same thing trough his lobbyist business with Carroll County. His company was contracted by Carroll County Chairman, Bill Chappell, who is very good friends with Garner to making recommendations on “possible” land purchases to made by the county at sometime or other. Garners company was paid $12,500.00, which is the max the chairman can write without board approval, with an additional $88,000.00 to be paid at some time. The contract was faxed from an office at the capital not Garners office. All of this is wrong on every level. Each one of these people think they are too smart for the citizens to figure out how they are ’scratching’ each others backs. Well maybe the average citizen doesn’t get deeply involved, but Mr. Clark does and I for one appreciates him for doing so. I hope he continues to monitor their activies and report his findings on his web site, Carrolltongeorgia.com. Thank you Mr. Clark.
Rep. Bearden’s consulting efforts exist ‘in minds of [Carrollton's] children’ | Fresh Loaf
June 22nd, 2009
10:19 am
[...] Monday, news broke the City of Carrollton had paid state Rep. Tim Bearden, R-Douglasville, nearly $100,000 in [...]
Kevin
June 22nd, 2009
9:13 pm
Sure seems like this topic is not going to die!
http://www.peachpundit.com/2009/06/22/its-a-good-thing-that-the-work-product-exists-in-the-minds-of-children-because-only-a-4-year-old-would-buy-this-line-of-crap/#comments
So, it is probably about time for major media, big-time law enforcement or the state ethics board to take a hard look at these goings on over in Carrollton. This is probably just one of many deals going on out there.
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June 23rd, 2009
9:15 am
[...] week, we told you of Carrollton blogger Tim Clark, who had raised some dust with news that, for the last five years, state Rep. Tim Bearden (R-Villa [...]
Word: Rep. Bearden’s sweet Carrollton consulting gig | Fresh Loaf
July 4th, 2009
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[...] Bearden told the AJC on June 15, in reference to the Carrollton blogger who broke the [...]