City and County to try and work out their differences

Published 9:08 pm Friday, April 25, 2014

The Bainbridge City Council and the Decatur County Board of Commissioners are coming together at the invitation of Bainbridge mayor Edward Reynolds to discuss organizational topics between the two entities.
The meeting will be held at the Kirbo Women’s Center at Memorial Hospital in a reserved classroom next Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
“This meeting will be an opportunity for the elected representatives to come together and discuss items of mutual interest to our two governments,” Reynolds wrote in an email to the elected officials of Bainbridge and Decatur County dated April 22.
Reynolds suggested in the email no staff be in attendance and only elected officials were allowed to speak. He also said though the meeting is open to the public, there wouldn’t be an opportunity for public input or discussion.
“The main topic will be sort of how we would call these meetings in the future, who would be able to represent agenda items and what sort of things we would like to see accomplished,” Reynolds said.
Bainbridge State College President Richard Carvajal has been selected to mediate the meeting.
Decatur County Chairman Frank Loeffler said he hoped the time they will spend with City Council would focus on what’s ahead for Bainbridge and Decatur County.
“I’m hoping we talk about what do we do in the future and work together,” Loeffler said. “We’re not going to talk about the past.”
Loeffler also said all commissioners would be in attendance with the exception of Butch Mosely, who had committed to prior engagements.
“I envision a time of open, honest and mutually respectful dialogue,” Reynolds wrote in his email.

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