The NAACP in Cobb County is not known for sponsoring debates but Thursday night in the Cobb Commission chambers they did just that. The two Republican candidates for District One Commissioner that survived the primary, former Cobb Commission Chairman Bill Byrne and Acworth City Councilman Bob Weatherford squared off in the Cobb Commission Chambers to answer questions ranging from the Future Land Use Plan to Public Safety.
Interestingly enough the crowd for a previous Superior Court Judge debate drew about fifty or so on-lookers but they almost cleared the chambers for the second debate of the night for the open District One seat being vacated by Helen Gorham. The only audience members left for the second debate was the NAACP leadership and the supporters of the two candidates. The room that can easily hold two hundred or so was basically empty.
As the moderator asked the questions it was clear that “the old Marine” Bill Byrne still has plenty of fight left in him. Right out of the gate Byrne launched into being “vehemently opposed to the Bus/Rapid Transit proposal” currently losing steam with the Cobb Commission having been reduced to “tier two” status in the transportation plan. Byrne asked the question “where will the millions of dollars for the operational shortfall come from” pointing out that roughly forty percent of the money needed to operate a transit system comes from the riders and the rest is taxpayer subsidy. Weatherford opened his side of the debate touting his years of service to the Acworth residents who have seen a population explosion of over 400% in the last twelve years. Weatherford was quick to point out that his experience on the Acworth council had given him an ability to help prepare a budget properly drawing partly on his 120 hours of study at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
The NAACP moderator then asked the question of how important diversity was in the upper management of Cobb County. Weatherford responded candidly that government as in business should hire and promote those with the proper qualifications and women and minorities should be equally represented in all facets of the work place. Byrne seemed to pounce on the question reminding the few in attendance and the Cobb TV23 audience that he had hired the county’s first ever black county manager David Hankerson who is still county manager. Byrne also hired women to head several different county agencies and had the best line of the night saying “If we’re all conservatives we’re going to make a lot of mistakes and if we’re all are liberals we’re going make a lot more mistakes!” The crowd tho sparse laughed loudly.
The final significant question dealt with the Braves stadium deal with Weatherford taking the approach that the deal is done and the job of the new board member is not to vet the deal but to see that going forward the impact is within the scope promised to voters. Weatherford fully supports the Braves deal. Byrne was not so kind. Giving a cold stare at the camera Byrne seemed to mean it when he said “I am passionately opposed to any deal done without the opposing side having a chance to voice their opinions.” The former chairman continued that the current board should have said “we’re going to give everyone a chance to be heard if we have to stay until 2:00 am to do it and bring on the coffee.”
It’s this “fire in the belly” that gives Byrne the upper hand in a debate but it can also drive off those not accustomed to his demeanor. Bill Byrne is not warm and fuzzy but he will fight for his principles and always defers to the rights of the people to be heard even when the decision is already not in question. He is independent minded and can seem to want to fight on every issue but with the rural feel of west Cobb county hanging on every zoning decision a fighter may be what the voters believe they need. Candidate Weatherford on the other hand does not seem to have the passion of an ex-Marine but the demeanor of a college professor, not an altogether bad thing but certainly one that the always combative Byrne will over- shadow with his “charge the hill” attitude. Either man would be a fine District One Commissioner but I’m betting the people of west Cobb want a fighter. Their quality of life as they know it may hang in the balance!
