Last night’s council meeting was another eventful one. First of all, we learned that even while under the scrutiny of a pending ethics investigation, the Mayor’s tactics seem to have no limits.
You may recall that last month a resident filed a complaint against Mayor Mathews for ethics violations. Immediately following the filing, Mayor Mathews promptly reached out to the person filing the complaint asking for a private meeting to discuss the details of the complaint. Within just a few hours, David Ermutlu received a text message to his private cell phone from Mayor Mathews’ city cell phone, asking for a private meeting to discuss the charges against him. When no response was received, Mayor Mathews’ tried again, sending another text to Mr. Ermutlu, calling him out “man to man face to face” almost demanding that he hear the facts.
Is there anything wrong with this? You bet there is! This is intimidation 101. Although the complainant was obviously not deterred by the Mayor, he did feel that this was an attempt at intimidation. These actions beg the question: who else has the Mayor been texting? Has he been contacting members of the Ethics Board? What about the comments we have been reading about text messaging going back and forth between Councilmember Killingsworth and the Mayor during the meetings when he is supposed to be recused from all action and conversation? It appears that the Mayor either, is not taking these charges seriously or, feels that he is above all of this and cannot be touched.
Well, we applaud Mr. Ermutlu. Last night, he stood in front of the council, residents and anyone else who was present and he read the text messages that he received. He explained why it was an improper procedure for Mayor Mathews to try and have private conversations with him while an investigation is in progress. He also went a step further and called for the Mayor’s resignation. Does this seem extreme? Not at all. In light of the fact that these types of strong armed tactics have been going on in the city for years, this is completely reasonable. It happens to the residents and employees alike.
This type of behavior may very well be why the city of Kennesaw does not and cannot grow. Bad city leadership will always stifle development and growth regardless of how hard those below it work. There may be some peaks and valleys but in the end, bad management will prevail until someone comes along and has the guts to gather evidence, stand tall, refuse to be intimidated and fight.
Although this may have started off as an issue regarding two ambulance providers, the real problem goes much, much deeper. Mr. Ermutlu has pierced the veil of what lies inside city hall. He has shown just a few of the tactics that are being used by the current city manager, some of the council and Mayor. Let’s examine a few of the things that we have observed from public meetings or have been provided in documentation, shall we?
Mayor Mathews has a past filled with questionable tactics when things did not go his way. He has made threatening comments to previous council members such as Holly Martin and Bob Baker, during council work sessions. He made promises in private that he did not keep, simply to get things to go his way. While much of this is the “politician” in him, being untruthful is simply not necessary to be a good leader. Furthermore, Mayor Mathews seems to have a need to want information constantly to hold over people. This probably explains Councilman Tim Killingsworth’s sudden abandonment of his friend, Leonard Church for the current Mayor. Surely Mr. Killingsworth would not just leave a very close friend of many, many years, having nothing more to do with him just to ride on the Mayor’s coat tails? After all, it’s a council’s job to support the city, not the Mayor, right?
It’s the city manag
er’s job to run the day to day operations for the city. It is not his job to set policy; it is his job to enforce what has been decided and “set” by the Mayor and Council. He serves at the pleasure of the Mayor and Council. A good city manager should have a working relationship with each of the council members and the Mayor but have no preference with one over the other. He (or she) should be open to discussions with all of the employees and welcome creativity and difference of opinions. A good leader and manager should be honest, forthright and truthful, standing up for what is just and right rather than constantly thinking of his own needs. According to input from citizens and employees, this is not Steve Kennedy.
Mr. Kennedy is often worried only about himself and aligns himself with whom he perceives to be the greater power in the city. It has been witnessed that he will throw anyone under the bus to save himself, in spite of the fact that he may have been the one responsible for the entire situation. He bends the policy to suit himself, yet he holds others stringently to those same policies. He has also been known to twist the policy to suit his own needs. He and the Mayor are both “do as I say, not as I do” type of leaders.
We recently received an email from a reader that asked, “why are there so many lawsuits and problems these last few years?” That’s an excellent question. Indeed, the Mayor’s entire term in office has been nothing but one controversy after another. We originally wrote an article asking whether our readers thought perhaps that the Mayor had a regime? However, some of our readers felt that the problem was more of a city manager issue and since he runs the daily operations, that we were laying blame on the wrong person.
In reality, the fault belongs to all of them. It belongs to the Mayor for pulling the intimidation tactics and overpowering others around him rather than working with them. There’s really no respect in that type of behavior. It belongs to the council for watching the city manager form such a steadfast alliance with the Mayor and doing nothing about it. An allegiance like that, where one is favored and trusted above all of the others, is an unbalanced thing and will do nothing but cause strife and issues. The EMS decision is a prime example of this. And finally, the fault belongs with the city manager, who, as the head of an organization as an non-elected leader, should be looking after the city and his staff rather than just protecting his own interests. He should not be trying to gather information to protect himself or to protect his friends. He should not be out golfing on the citizens’ dime; he should be attending to city business.
So, after witnessing one controversy after another, what can the citizens of Kennesaw do? Well, we can attend the meetings and continue to demand that things change.* We can call our elected officials and ask that our voices be heard. Here is the page on the Kennesaw web site for their information. The next time the Mayor has a town hall meeting, everyone needs to show up in force and talk about the issues we have on our minds; not just his agenda. To his credit, he has offered to listen and we need to speak up. Write, call and speak up. It all works!
Most of all, stay involved! We CAN make a difference!
*UPDATE: We originally created a petition at the request of a number of citizens, however the Watch does not take a side on this issue one way or another regarding the EMS provider – we only report what we have obtained in documentation. We have removed the petition. If the citizens would like to create the petition regarding either the EMS or removal of the city manager, they may do so can post here in a comment as others have done.
Tags: accountability, city manager, city of kennesaw, ethics violation, Mayor Mark Mathews
I will answer my own questions! I did see where Ms. Welsh answered someone that she would be glad to answer questions after the meeting on Wednesday on the 15th. She does not speak for me nor I for her. She is not an instigator as you state. She does not pay my bills nor do I pay hers. Point Blank! Get It? I have no idea who’s questions she will answer nor do I care. PS: I never said one negative thing about the mayor. Just that I was not comfortable with his presence.
Ms. Alberstadt,
Please for God’s sake do some volunteer work for a local charity and leave running the city of Kennesaw to those that are elected to do so. You are obviously not cut out for public service. The ethics council, to which you were a member, vetted the allegations and unanimously found each and every one to have absolutely no merit. AND please realize you did do something wrong. You had several weeks to prepare for your meeting which you said you were blindsided by. You showed up late to the meeting and were grossly unprepared showing your lack of responsibility in your role as a member of the Ethics Council. AND you raised your hand and voted to dismiss all allegations as having no merit then left the room running your mouth blaming everyone but yourself for your failure to stand up for what you believed as an appointed and trusted member the ethics committee.
You continue to blog on this site about the corruption in city hall and unethical conduct. Where is it? Have you any proof of corruption in the city of Kennesaw government or is that what your friends are telling you. Are you finding pleasure in casting stones at city officials with no proof or factual data to back your accusations? There are legal remedies for those found to be casting false allegations and slandering ones reputation by the way so be prepared to back up your actions. These officials have friends and spouses and kids that have to endure the public humiliation because of people like you that write false and untruthful allegations and print them as fact. I’d like you to meet face to face with these officials kids and tell them what an awful job their father or mother is doing. I am sure they’d rather have them at home and not at city hall in meetings.
Please do us all a favor and leave the matters of running the government to people that have the character and integrity to run for office, are vetted by the public through a grueling campaign and then get elected by a majority vote of the people. If you think there is corruption in the city then please find it by doing your homework and hiring a lawyer and go after those that are so corrupt. Until then please stop making accusations against these individuals who take time from their jobs, their family and friends to serve you. The city of Kennesaw under the Mayor and councils leadership has done more to stimulate growth and development, create jobs and keep our taxes low than any other city or county government in the greater Atlanta area. Since you are a Christian lady pray for our Mayor and Council and stop blogging and trying to create an environment of discontent when it doesn’t exist. A website blog is not the forum for positive change and you are part of the problem not the solution.
Please go to the Kennesaw Patch and read the comments that I made about you last evening and also the ones by Ms. Williams. You are nothing but an idiot. No accusations were made against anyone unless you never learned to read at Due West! You are nothing bu a phony with that phony name. Grow up and like I said before. If you have the guts to show up Wednesday night at the City Council Meeting @ 6 PM, I will be glad to tell your sorry self why I resigned and I believe Mrs. Welsh agreed to answer your questions also. I will address mine outside after the meeting when I know I have Kennesaw PD there for protection. Bring it on Big Guy who ever you may be. You see I was blindsighted but; not by the Mayor. What kind of an idiot are you???????????
Ms Alberstadt
This has gotten pathetic. It is sad that reading your post is like hearing a petulant child. You make no sense. If you haven’t accused anyone of anything then what’s this fuss all about. I dont’ understand how you can say you never accused anyone of anything. You have made it very clear you don’t feel the mayor has any ethics and so the rules need to be changed (updated).
If this website is going to be effective we don’t need to have this constant badgering from you (or anyone else). Now go ahead and say something back since you always have to have the last word.
Sam
Please come to the open meeting on Wednesday the 15th and talk with me outside. I will explain just what I am trying to say to everyone. I never accused the mayor of violating ethics rules. Things do need to change in the rules for this city. Maybe even on the Ethics Board it self. Please come. Cris would like to answer any questions also. This has gotten nasty and I did not want it to get that way. I am sorry if it did. I think when you meet me, you will see I am not that kind of a person. I am a doer and a helper. Hope to see you there on Wednesday. 6PM.
Holy Smokes, she is going to address things outside after the meeting under the protection of KPD. This reminds me of a high school brawl out behind the gym. Is this woman for real? What a flake!
No. Thats not the reason. Because I know I have no right to address any questions insided. That is not my area. Outside behind the police station and chambers, I guess anyone can speak to eachother. I have the respect of Mayor and Council to leave Chambers to them. So that is the reasoning. Just like a court room. Only the Judge, Defendant and Attorney can speak. So, I respect you and you respect me. I don’t brawl at my age. I talk with people. Please feel free to talke with me. I am really pretty level headed and educated in the legal field and with all do respect I will respect you on that same level. Thank you.
I am amazed at the turnaround that you can do in a matter of days on your opinion about our leadership. You wrote some very negative coments both here and on the patch against mayor mathews but then you turn around and say he’s not the one who intimidated you. Then you say you and Ms. Welsh will welcome any questions that we have after the council meeting? One thing has been confirmed for sure – Ms. Welsh is definately leading this charge against the mayor and now she has her own spokesperson! Times sure have changed in our little town.
What happened to the day when council members just had a backbone and stood for them selves and spoke for themslves without having someone like you write for them? Ms. Welsh seems to be a bit of an instigator, always stirring up trouble.
I don’t see anyone on here writing for the mayor. Am I missing something?
OMGoodness. It just hit me. I have been blind about this name Iswickasham. Is Wick (June) a sham? Wow, quite clever.
Thanks Sam,
It’s nice to know that someone else wants to know the facts. I have questioned the purpose of this website for months. It is refreshing to see someone else who feels the same way.
Mr. Bozeman,
As you will notice from our posts, we write when we have documentation, however, we cannot be responsible for what our readers post as comments. We remove vile and personal attacks and profanity. We do encourage people to provide facts. When they write us privately, we ask that they send documentation. There are many emails we receive that we do not write about because there is no proof to substantiate any of the accusations.
The purpose of this site is to promote accountability and transparency for our city government. We have asked that the government officials become more open with the taxpayers. It is that simple. We have made very specific requests.
Our mission has not changed at all. We do not make the events around Kennesaw. We only report them.
Thank you for your comments. We always appreciate your point of view.
Sorry, I originally posted this to the wrong stream…….
I agree with Joe on this one. All of you are making claims that you “know” things about the mayor or you “know” someone but where is your proof. It’s very unfair to make these claims and expect the rest of us to believe it just because you say so. Right now there is no reason to believe any of you complaining about all of this than we can believe the mayor. The only “proof” offered so far is what was included with the ethics complaint. The rest of you are a bunch of complainers. I am beginning to question the real motives behind this website.
To you who post your real name, I admire you. To the rest of you, you are cowards.
I disagree, Joe. Look what the Mayor is doing to a citizen who gave his name. Sending him challenging text, report false claims against his work for stealing. Mr. Ermutlu is doing everything by the book and the mayor is playing dirty. People today NEED their jobs. We will be at the hearing.
You have nothing to fear from his vendictive retaliation, Joe. We do.
Just for a followup on the resident who took a stand against the Mayor and called for an ethic investigation. I have also heard that the Mayor contacted his (Mr. Ermutlu) employement and accused the him of stealing and tried to get this brave resident fired from his job.
Is this the mayor we can trust to do the right thing….if you want the answer- go the ethics hearing and see for yourself
TAKE A STAND!! Petition the Kennesaw Council to remove Steve Kennedy as City Manager Now!! Click on the link below to read and sign the Petition!! Repost and Share with everyone!!
https://www.change.org/petitions/petition-the-kennesaw-council-to-remove-steve-kennedy-as-city-manager-now
Every City Resident needs to READ the comment from City Employees above!!!
Is this how you want the people to FEAR our government??!! Will we allow it to continue??? Come on people, GET INVOLVED!! Mr. Ermtlu has put his name out there and filed the ethics complaint. At every turn, there is more dirty politics. Employees afraid to speak out for fear of retaliation, Mayor intimidating Mr. Ermtlu AFTER he files the complaint, City manager firing a company after 14 years of service over the phone with 48 hours notice????!!
If we don’t stand united AND together fight for what is RIGHT, Moral and Ethical for our city……it WILL get worse….much worse.
You have a choice, Do you want to help take back our city and get on the right track? Or do you want to allow the unethical, intimidating, fear tactics to continue….and grow worse?
City Employee: I am so sorry for what you must be going through, I can not imagine working in such a hostile environment. I appreciate you telling me (and anyone else who reads this) what it is like. Please share as much as you can. I do understand why you don’t want to give your identity, but hope others will so we can stop this!
We live in a free country, but evidently not a free city.
I am with you on this one. This all makes me sick and I am ashamed of what is going on in this beautiful little city that I love. Steve Kennedy, 48 hr notice to the Georgia EMS? REALLY? How low do you get? People have families and mortgages. Do you care? Hell no! How do you sleep at night Steve? Oh yeah, there is now a contract with you for your job and God forbid if you did not have that contract and were booted out, what would you do? How would you handle things if the shoe were on the other foot? You and Mark are like Two peas in a Pod and I have seen the biggest changes in the both of you over the past few years. Its not for the better, its all going on that crazy spiral downhill and it will catchup with you. KARMA is a Bitch. And When it hits…………. Kennesaw is not the City to intimidate, why? I grew up in a city of corruption and dishonor and I am starting to see the same thing here. It all turns my guts. What ever happened to the Good Ole Southern Hospitality Town that sold me on Kennesaw. Oh yes! Its whats underlying…… I bet if I went around and talked to people who worked here in Kennesaw, that the moral level has dropped. Look in the mirror and say why? There is the answer. Mark Mathews and Steve Kennedy. You know, I was upset for a few days about resigning from the Ethics Board but; now I feel a little bit better and feel I can move on to do what I can to help who I can. Remember KARMA!
you are some kinda bitter..i bet you been hanging around the losers from ga ems. they have always been good at getting people to feel sorry for them. State law is state law…wish we could ignore the one’s we don’t like. Grow up Ms alberstat, there is a real world out there with real laws that must be followed. I’m pretty sure you are aware of it since i seen your mug shot on the internet from another time you tried to ignore the law right here in cobb county. is that the town you are talking about?.
Mr. Iswickasham:
I nevers stated that anyone broke any law or violated any ethics code. You might have come across something that was completely dropped. It was an unemployment case which they overpaid me and I never even cashed the check and the case was droppe by the solicitor. Check the records. I stated that things need revamping in this city. And they do. I thing it was unfair what was done to those people at the Georgia EMS but; it seems as though no one in this town seems to care about people. It seems as though it is all about greed. I think some soul searching needs to be done. Please back off me. The city needs healing and why start more chaos. You don’t know me. If you want to meet me face to face and discuss things, thats different. I do a lot for my city and people in general. Thank you.
Eileen
The state ruling that Kennesaw is supposed to be covered by Metro seems clear. Do you have a personnal connection to someone at Georgia EMS?
Sam, I have not one clue who any of these people nor do I care at this point anymore. I thought I cared when I heard what was going on, but; you know what, I guess it really does not matter anymore. One man accused me hanging with the losers of GA EMS. I have no clue about these people. I grew up a Dr.’s daughter and you did not hang with people who were not in your own calibre. We did not even have ambulances. We had rescue squads and my cousin was a paramedic, but my dad kept pushing him to be the Dr. So. the people in Kennesaw can hate me all they want but; they do not pay my bills nor do they have coffee with me in the morning. So I really do not care what people think about me. I do what I feel is the right thing everyday and thats treat people with respect. Have a beautiful day.
Mr. Iswickasham: First off, let me make something clear in a PS: I don’t want to sound like a snob or anything, but no, I have no clue who any ambulance people are. GA EMS OR METRO. When I grew up, we did not have ambulances. We had rescue squads. I did not hang with any of those people. Not that I did not respect what they did, but I was the daughter of the Chief of Staff of our hospital and you just did not hang as you say with those people. I was in the Legal Field, so I associated myself with Prosecutors, judges, defense lawyers etc. My circle of friends is really none of your business at this time, but I can guarantee you that our friends are retired and we do quite a bit of traveling. So if you must ask Mr. Iswickasham, I do know a few things about law considering I have been in the legal field over 30+ years. As far as you State Law of GA and your Ambulance Service here in Kennesaw, I have drawn the conclusion that I really do not give a Rats Ass about Metro or the Mayor or GA EMS as long as I do not have to wait 20 mins like I did on May 9th when I was bleeding out of control in my kitchen and also being a diabetic without one person at the other end of and ambulance getting me to ST Joseph’s until almost an hour later. What a joke! The call to the mayor that night really went far as it no where!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! . With a name like that, it sounds like New York or jersey, because it sure is not southern. I have met a lot of fine people in this community and thought I would like to fit in and help where I could, but; I guess its getting blasted from everyone since you make a comment that you think something was not right. I guess my years in the legal field taught me wrong. So; Mr. Iswickasham why don’t you take this tid bit of information and do what you want with it and please don’t ever tell me who I associate with again. Nex time, if you think you can build you standards up to mine and talk to me as a lady, I will talk to you as a man. Have a great evening.
What a snob!! She does not hang with the unwashed. Only the elite.
This lady is off the wall. She hung with doctors, lawyers, merchants, and thieves {politicians} too many years. She needs to hang with some common people and learn some common sense. Making sport of Kens name is crazy. Her name is rare for this neck of the woods.
Okay Coleman:
I can not help it if my dad was a Dr. and I grew up in a home where we did what we were told to do. I can not help it if my career started when I was 18 yrs old at the FBI in Washington, DC because I took an interest in the law and the legal field. I did not belittle people. People are people are people. I was just a little mor fortunate than others because my father busted his ass to put himself through medical school to be something and have a family and to be able to give us what he was able to give us. If I met you tomorrow and found out that you needed something, I would be the first to help or find someway to help you, so please don’t bash me for where I came from. Its what I do now and who I am now. Why is everyone so pissed at me because I left the Ethics Board? Is it such a big deal to everyone and their business? If it is, Mind it! Stay out of mine and I will stay out of yours. PS: Never really hung with Politicians until I moved to Kennesaw. Pretty hard not to be around lawyers when you work for the State Prosecutors for many years now isn’t it? Gee I even have a Death Penalty Prosecutor in my family, my brother is a lawyer and my one brother is a State Patrol, so! How about that. So I do think my family has some common sense including myself. No, my name is not from these parts of the woods in fact, I did not come from any woods. All City. I do not make sport of Kennesaw as you say, I love this city, so don’t ever and this is a promise, don’t ever make light of what I say.
Wow! Someone just HAS to have the last word! Ms Alberstadt, your years of incredibly hard work and dedication to the Ethics committee is truly greatly appreciated. Let’s just move on already. Enough is enough!
I am told there are many employees of the city who are currently being intimidated by the Mayor over this ethics complaint. IF that is true, ANY employee who is being bullied can speak out in public without fear of retaliation. They will be protected by the Whistleblower’s Act. They can contact the media or the ethics board to make their statement. I am saddened that the city has become a place of fear and dirty politics. WE must stop this and take our city back!
All the residents should attend the ethics hearing on Tuesday, July 24 at 6:00 pm at the Ben Robertson Community Center.
NOW is the time to let our elected officials know we do NOT like the bully tactics, intimidation, or flagrant disregard for ethics in our city and this is NOT a city run by a dictator.