Dear Editor: From all we’ve heard over the last week or so, hopefully the Newton County Commissioners realize they don’t work for Chairperson Morgan. She seems to think they do. Pressure from her for various and sundry items on her wish list have become political footballs, more so than anything else we’ve seen in recent history, primarily because they don’t make much sense to the majority of the people in the county.

Morgan, the Commissioners work for the people, the citizens, the taxpayers and voters who placed them in a position to be watchdogs for reckless pork projects like some of the ones you are trying to coerce them into voting for.

I, for one, believe strongly you should spend more time doing the jobs you are responsible for and quit wasting valuable time and resources on projects we don’t want and cannot afford.

And in reference to your push on behalf of the few individuals who want a ‘walking trail,’ the City Council (having turned the project down) and the Newton County Board of Commissioners should move to pass a resolution which states that if the "Rails to Trails" project is developed by some other local or outside entity, that the citizens of Newton County will not be responsible for hiring at least four deputies who do nothing but patrol the trail 24/7, we will not furnish their vehicles, and in the event the private security hired by whoever develops the project experiences murders, rape, muggings, and the like, the financial liability will be on their shoulders when the lawsuits begin.

Samuel M. Hay III

Covington