Justin for Commissioner

[sometimeman]

Justin will be better for Union County.

[manape]

Justin's platform on....

Economic Growth

It’s a well known fact that the job market in Union County is not the best. It’s not so much a lack of jobs but rather a lack of meaningful work. The Development Authority should be empowered to seek out higher wage jobs not just low wage jobs as they currently do. The main thing that is keeping businesses and thus jobs out is the water and sewer system and the lack of availability of reliable DSL internet service. I would work with the city to substantially upgrade the city water and sewer system. And I would press our local internet providers to provide better service.

What makes you think you can press for better DSL? It is a question of the limists of engineering, not pressing anyone. BREMC is putting in fiber which is much faster and more reliable than DSL. Why are you proposing better DSL? DSL is merely POTs (Plane Old Telephone system) which was invernted for analog voice, not digital.

How do you propose paying for water and sewer systems?

What makes you think the Development Athority can be empowered to create better paying jobs? Internet WAN, water and sewer are only three factors. If you were to look at a map vs: distribution of major industries like automotive, you would see that transportation is a major factor. I guess we could consider 515 a major transportation system. To attract other industries, we also need better UPS and FedX delivery.

Part of the problem is greed of the local companies, as well as, potential move-in companies. For example, an IS student can go to NGTC, graduate, and work for the "Bank" in the call center for nine dollars an hour -- or they can go to Atlanta Metro area and make more money.

How are you going to make companies pay more for low skilled jobs like assembly and machining when a lot of the companies are taking manufacturing jobs to Mexico and China where they are paid $0.75 per hour and they get tax breaks. No matter how EMPOWERED the DA is, they can't stop the bleeding.

[Justin Melick]

I am very aware of the fiber optic cable that has been being installed for a long time. That is the way of the future, but we also need solutions now.
As for the Development Authority. You have a simple misunderstanding of the problem. The DA's bylaws keep them focused on low wage jobs and they refuse to even consider companies that offer higher wage jobs. There have been and currently are some very brilliant minds on our development authority. So why has our Industrial Park sat empty? Because the board members have been handicapped by a variety of factors.

[fullmoon]

Well Justin, so long as you have a clear understanding of what you're doing, all the best to you.

That's not to say I'm wishing you luck. I'm not. On account of I don't want the county to be put in financial ruin and what not.

But I do sincerely thank you in advance for providing us 9 months of campaigning that will be a very entertaining, albeit tragically unsuccessful waste of time for you.

[admin]

bluemoon said:

NEWSFLASH!

I just discovered that the phantom Q & A thread has been removed.

Now isn't that odd. To my knowledge a thread has never been deleted even the when the people who started the splost threads asked for them to be removed.

Something is fishy here.

I believe it was removed to keep people from comparing what the phantom said to what Justin said.

So, Justin, you can clear this up real quick by answering yes or no.

Were you the phantom? YES or NO

Bluemoon, have you joined the conspiracy theory club? The splost thread creator asked to have the thread removed in a private message, but we convinced them to let it stay as a matter of record.

The Phantom asked for his thread to be removed so as to not be a further distraction. We were unable to disuade him. The Phantom gives and the Phantom takes away.

[thesosbee]

bluemoon said:

Justin is a nice young man but I think that might be a problem for him. Young and inexperienced.

But if he thinks he would like to get into this, then go for it!
....

But let him find out for himself. That's the way it works in the political world. I wish him the best. I honestly, sincerely mean that.

It doesn't sound like you mean him the best now, moon. More like if he died you would beat a path to his grave to dance on it.

[Justin Melick]

fullmoon said:

Well Justin, so long as you have a clear understanding of what you're doing, all the best to you.

That's not to say I'm wishing you luck. I'm not. On account of I don't want the county to be put in financial ruin and what not.

But I do sincerely thank you in advance for providing us 9 months of campaigning that will be a very entertaining, albeit tragically unsuccessful waste of time for you.

Fullmoon, of all the people criticizing, me you are the only one who has any concern for my well being and I appreciate it. I would not put Union County in financial ruin, however!

If it comes down to Paris vs. Melick people will see a clear choice between a fiscal liberal and a fiscal conservative. And they will vote for whichever philosophy they prefer.

Fighting for the good of the people of Union County could never be a waste of time!

[Justin Melick]

thesosbee said:

bluemoon said:

Justin is a nice young man but I think that might be a problem for him. Young and inexperienced.

But if he thinks he would like to get into this, then go for it!
....

But let him find out for himself. That's the way it works in the political world. I wish him the best. I honestly, sincerely mean that.

It doesn't sound like you mean him the best now, moon. More like if he died you would beat a path to his grave to dance on it.

I reckon I wouldn't mind all that much as long as she weighs less than 200 lbs.

[queenbee]

Hang in there Justin, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[wranger]

justinmelick said:

thesosbee said:

It doesn't sound like you mean him the best now, moon. More like if he died you would beat a path to his grave to dance on it.

I reckon I wouldn't mind all that much as long as she weighs less than 200 lbs.

If Liemoon happened to be E.P. otherwise known as bubblebutt, then just her hindparts would weigh 200 lbs.

[queenbee]

Justin, I am not one of your "advisor's" but you are falling into a mobius conversation with moon and others.

"A surface with only one side and only one boundary component. It has the mathematical property of being non-orientable."

Just answer the questions you can and ignore the comments.
After all your actions can speak for you better than words.

If you spend all of your time "defending" yourself then your original purpose is being ignored. There are other UC citizens that you can be directing your efforts toward.

[queenbee]

What is your opinion on a Farmer's Market and your plans for it??

[Justin Melick]

Queenbee,
SPLOST passed, so hopefully the money will be there for the farmer's market. I would work to see that Union County gets the best Farmer's Market around on land the county already owns. I am currently talking to people who have participated in farmer's markets and seeing what their ideas are. It is not about what I think a farmer's market should be, but what the people who will use it and benefit from it, think it should be. Please give me your input on the subject!!!

[queenbee]

Let me first say this:

I appreciate ALL of the help from the CURRENT commissioners office and the extension office to get it off the ground last year. A lot of time, research and volunteer hours went into it. They did the very best they could to provide an accessible space for everyone. No complaints!

THANK YOU!!! I AM NOT THE ONLY VENDOR WHO APPRECIATED AND BENEFITED FROM IT.


Covered would be nice, last year we all got there a 6:30 a.m. to try and get the only shady spot available. Plus vendors wouldn't have to struggle setting up their tents and then taking them down. A little more space so vendors could spread out. Paved would be great if possible.

Good location for traffic, a lot of people would stop, just driving by. Although it was nice at the courthouse we witnessed several accidents because that hill was a blind spot. Plus more parking.

Keeping the vendor fees reasonable was great. We didn't mind paying $2.00 at all for each space. Shoot it was worth that just to go.

More advertising outside of the local paper. Maybe a small billboard, near the proposed area advising people the dates and times if would be available.

Keep it handmade/homemade items. Not yard sale. Crafts, edibles, anything homemade was acceptable. There were not any yard sale items there, but you never know.

There were a lot of folks that just came up on weekend that really enjoyed the market. And spread the word to their friends. They enjoyed buying fresh produce to take back to the "city" with them.

I think the most enjoyable part was the hometown feel. Folks looked forward to coming by and visiting, seeing friends they hadn't saw in a while, picking up fresh veggies and honey of course. Men folks and women in their little groups catching up on the news and each other.
I know everyone is all for advancement, but it felt like "old day's", when everyone went to town on Saturday's. I know several people who would come by just to visit.

That is what was the best thing about it. That is what needs to be "preserved"

[queenbee]

Lilred loved taking her chickens up there and "trading". Sometimes I wonder if we came out ahead or not. I know we took some to sell one time and came home with a Guinea, it's ok I like Guineas.

Those fellers would gather around young and old, and actually get into a bidding match with each other over her Banty's. She is getting geared up for this year. She fancies herself a trader.

She learned a lot from the experience, something her parents or even school couldn't teach her. Math, communication, interacting with people, planning ahead for the following weekend.
Life experiences. Good memories.