Gwinnett Stuff

We Must Protect Ourselves

In 2005, it was determined that Celso Campo-Duartes was in the country illegally after he was arrested for running down Dacula resident Aubrey Sosebee as the 83-year-old man was taking the mail from his mailbox. Campo-Duartes also left the scene of the accident, a fairly common act by illegal aliens.  He had no insurance and a fraudulent tag on his truck.

Campo-Duartes, who was employed as a plumber, spent just over two years awaiting trial in jail, then was allowed to plead to lesser charges and was released immediately on “time served.” A condition of his release was that he “voluntarily” deport himself, but Campos-Duartes is back in jail today, having been arrested—for at least the third time since his incarceration—for driving without a license and disorderly conduct.

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Bannister Prepping to Sue Sheriff, County

Chairman Bannister’s response to Sheriff Butch Conway’s resolution of the “false DUI arrest” incident indicates that he plans to file suit against the Sheriff, probably the arresting officer and, to tie the “deep pockets” into the case, the county itself.

There is no love lost between Bannister and the Sheriff, who have had numerous public skirmishes, usually over funding for the S.O. But Bannister’s statement, released today, hints that Bannister isn’t ready to let the incident die.

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Gwinnett Commission Uses 2009 Tax Hike to Balance 2010 Budget

In December 2009, the GDP reported on the county’s plan to use the 2009 tax increase for unfunded liabilities rather than to pay for the fire stations, police officers and youth athletics as had been promised. Gwinnett Finance Director Aaron Bovos had told the Engage Gwinnett committee of the plan just days after the Commission voted to hike the tax rate.

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Gwinnett Leads Record Month for Metro Atlanta Foreclosures

Even as Washington politicians are proclaiming the end of the recession, record numbers of Gwinnett homeowners are still making the decision—or being forced—to walk away from their largest investment; an indication that we are still months, if not years, away from an actual recovery:

There were 13,130 foreclosure notices published [in August] — up from 8,264 in July. The 59 percent increase is the largest monthly increase on record…. The number of foreclosure notices is 4.5 percent above the previous record set in March.

New record set for metro Atlanta foreclosures | The Biz Beat

Beating the Dead Horse… With a 9-Iron

The County Commission’s announcement came as a surprise to no one… the Collins Hill Golf Club (formerly Springbrook Golf Club) is unable to pay its bills and, as the club’s guarantor, the county—meaning taxpayers—is in the process of repossessing the property. The county assumed responsibility for the $9,700 loan payment last month and will take full possession soon.

While I, personally, do not believe that government should be in the golf business, I recognize that Gwinnett residents have not only not complained about the county’s provision of recreation facilities and programs but have agreed to be taxed a little bit extra to pay for them.

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Gwinnett Trash Headaches

It is almost 2 pm on our usual trash day. But today is not a usual day. Today, the county’s new sanitation plan begins. My new hauler in the Loganville area should be BFI Waste Services; a shiny new BFI can should be sitting on my curb, but it isn’t. I have yet to receive a new can.

But wait! The county web site directed me to the Republic Services of Atlanta site. There, I learn that BFI is a subsidiary of Republic, but so is Robertson Sanitation, my hauler (and apparently the hauler of choice on my street). My guess is that nothing much will change for me and the neighbors; we will continue to use our Robertson cans.

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