Dear Editor: As one of the many citizen residents of Rockdale County who subscribe to other than Comcast, I'm CONTINUALLY disturbed by the many concern deficits that County Government presents us with. Most appalling is that all citizens of Rockdale County (including the City of Conyers) are being blinded by abuse and inefficient operations of CH 23.
Citizens are selectively and collectively inhibited from observing governmental policy in the making that address issues that positively or are negatively impacted every citizen, business, organization and visitor.
One flagrant example is demonstrated by the method of creation and subsequent questionable operation of Ch 23, a Government Access TV channel. Due to adherence to original fraudulently design, CH 23 continually fails to communicate accurate and timely access to all citizens (taxpayers) of Rockdale County. The design has permitted selective, trickle-down information that permits distortion of selective public information of record.
Through "Open Record Requests" and individual electronic search, gathered information is shared for your information as an independent inquiring-minded voter. Gathered information surfaced startling surprises suggesting the epitome of poor planning and ultimate "violation of public trust."
Click on the following site and experience the subtleties of special interest, personal interest, partisan interest and lack of timely Community/Citizen interest to procedures of local Government that impact every Citizen, resident, business, etc in the County. Even a 5th Grader can detect lack of transparency and illegally questionable actions.
http://www.rockdalenews.com/news/archive/2740/
CH 23 was designed by persons under the supervisions of the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners (BOC) who apparently had no experiences in negotiating a franchise agreement. Ch 23 was intended as "Government Access" for citizens of Rockdale County, to include the City of Conyers. A more accurate and applicable description is "Political Government Selective Trickle Down Access" - a conduit of message of Government controlled information. Information relating to Education and Community was intentionally aborted in all planning and production.
Paramount in the process was groups of appointed citizens permitted to create laws without control and or accountability by voters - this process continues.
Becoming more recognized as an increasing citizen asset, concern and pressure to modify the operation of CH 23 became a current reality after recognition of its growing asset to taxpayers. The following cite documents a key portion of the process to restructure. It also surfaced tangential information that suggests real and potential violation of public trust.
http://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Cable_Communications_Policy_Act_of_1984
Why do many Rockdale County citizens pay tax for but are precluded from receipt of this service? How and where is the tax money used?
Lewis Belcher
Rockdale County
