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Residents criticize Blue Ridge council over free-speech handling, legal costs and spending
Summary
During public comment, residents accused the council of chilling free speech, questioned more than $70,000 in legal spending tied to lawsuits involving council members, noted a $25,000 van purchase they say sits unused, and asked for transparency about zoning decisions.
Public comment dominated the Blue Ridge City Council meeting as several residents accused council members of curtailing free speech, criticized legal spending and questioned recent decisions on spending and zoning.
An unnamed public commenter told the council that at a previous meeting her First Amendment rights were curtailed when she would not give her name and address. She said lawsuits involving council members have already cost taxpayers “over $70,000” for defense lawyers and suggested the public has a right to know how those funds are being used. She also said the mayor had purchased a van for $25,000 that “has gathered dust.” These figures and allegations were presented as claims by the speakers and were not verified during the session.
Russell, identifying himself as being with Georgia Transparency, urged the mayor and council to tolerate criticism and invoked the Constitution’s protections for free speech and redress. A different resident raised transparency concerns about a zoning change, saying recorded conversations on the city website suggested a shift from 45 to 35 and then to 30 feet for building heights and that those changes may have been driven by a major property owner; the resident asked for clarity on whether grievance or private interest had influenced the decision and said such changes can affect property values.
Donna Thompson, who identified herself during the public-comment period, reminded the council that its own meeting policy requires members to prepare and study agenda materials and urged the council to apply the same standards of judgment to itself that it expects of others.
A separate, earlier commenter, Mike P, asked the city to investigate several oversized vehicles parked near the depot that he said force drivers to cross a yellow line and present a safety liability; he asked the city chief to do a drive-by check.
After public comment, the mayor said the material had been covered and adjourned the meeting. The transcript does not record any council response that verified the claims about legal costs, the van purchase, or the zoning tapes, and it does not show votes or other formal actions taken in response to the remarks.
