The Rome and Floyd County, Georgia, Commissions are indeed a “House of Prayer”. I served 5 years in jail for objecting to their “House of Prayer”—not that Judge Larry Salmon is all that fanatical a Christian, but they were trying to silence me from also pointing out that their “House of Prayer” is merely a pretense and front for that “den of thieves”.

You did not vote for the Forum / New Courthouse.
Some of you may think you did --
And Al Leonard, Richard McCullough, and Kevin Poe spent a combined 7 ½ hours testifying that you knew what you voted for--
Ten years ago Roy Barnes, our present governor ,was attorney for the Floyd County Commission, of which the majority- Dickey, Doss, and Givens -- were in real estate. Attorney Barnes' focus then was WHERE to build a Forum/ New Courthouse, not whether the projects were illegal .

NOBODY
Voted for Forum / New Courthouse
They were
NOT on the Ballot:
There was a Forum element, Clearly labeled in The SPLOST Committee Report (as shown in the pie graph below, under “ALL ELEMENTS”, lower left) But we don't vote on reports, and it was not on the Ballot.
The “multi-purpose governmental facilities” shown on ballot of 8-9-88 did NOT include a Forum/New Courthouse but, as shown in 2 pie graphs on right: the Forum was a separate element from the “Facilities Element” which included: (1) Lock and dam (2) Animal shelter (3) Solid waste Facility (4) Historic (old) Courthouse repair, and (5) City Auditorium repair
(Those five items only in that pie graph on the right—any child could count them on their fingers.)

THE OLD “BAIT AND SWITCH”

Before the election of 8-9-88 we were shown the “Splost Committee Report” (Recommendations) showing specifically what was in the “Facilities Element” (and other elements) and showing a total “Facilities” budget of $2,600,000. as just shown in two pie graphs.
But after the election: and by June 24,1993 (as shown in reprint below from RNT) the $1,000,000. Lock and Dam has been switched from the “Facilities Element” to the “Recreation Element”, (and it still hasn't been repaired) and in its place they have switched a $12.5 Million, “amended” to $14.4 Million Forum (which was over $32,000,000. By the time they built the parking lot and a new courthouse for the judges) and who knows how much it has cost us now! It has run in the red this whole time.
April 14, 1997 the Rome News Tribune acted amazed that the: SPLOST budgets go splat They suggest “Let professionals handle the money”. The professional, Al Leonard, has handled the money most of this time. But a fifth grader would know you can't build an over $32 million Forum/courthouse on a $1,000,000 Lock and Dam repair budget. You go over.

$$$“SOPPING UP MONEY!”$$$

Within the last year Congressman Zell Miller said collecting campaign contributions had made him feel like an overworked member of the oldest profession on a Saturday night. The item below about his sopping up money (reprinted from one of those articles by that terrific Atlanta Journal Constitution writer Maria Saporta) could very well illustrate what he meant. Our present Governor Barnes (the county's attorney in the SPLOST cases of 1991) has also benefited from the same heavy contributors and I have heard they may put enough money on him to make him their candidate in a presidential campaign.
It was the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce who pushed the Forum, for a business convention center (at taxpayer expense) and the Holder Corp. of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce made all the money on the job (and on other jobs here too, like jail/law enforcement center and a few more.)That's right, local people didn't even get the jobs.
The Chamber of Commerce's accountant, Al Leonard, was (and is) handling the County's finances, aiding in political campaigns, has counted the votes, and falsely testified that voters approved Forum / New Courthouse, when it was not Even on the Ballot (as shown.)

Page 12 of the Record in SPLOST case 91CV-12447-1 in which case Judge Larry Salmon on June 24, 1991 ordered the clerk of the Floyd County Superior Court not to file anything in any case for Serpentfoot (in my former married name) pro se. Judge Salmon claimed my Motion to Intervene in that and related SPLOST case 91CV-12345-3 (The Forum/New Courthouse controversy) and my Motion to Consolidate the two cases, were frivolous and to prevent any more such abuses from me he would deny me the right of petition. It was a lie: As is obvious below, Roy Barnes also filed a Motion to Consolidate the two cases, and Judge Salmon did not call Mr. Barnes' motion frivolous. But, unlike me, Barnes was not trying to show the Forum/ courthouse was a fraud; he and his realtor clients were only arguing WHERE to build it.

Over 23 years ago the City of Rome and sheriff of Floyd County, along with almost the whole CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (which usurps and actually runs the governments of Rome and Floyd County—and state, nation, and world-- were publicly indorsing Christianity, in writing, as shown below in the reprinted photostatically reduced full page ad from the ROME NEWS TRIBUNE of Friday, June 9, 1978. Around that reprint I have superimposed some few masked bandits, as is appropriate for the marriage of that “house of prayer” and “den of thieves”
$$$“THE MONEY CHANGERS”$$$
Don't you just know these big corporations have Jesus in their soul ?
Yes indeed. They figure it's good business to “love Jesus”, especially when they are dealing with the gullible. That is the bottom line: It PAYS to “love Jesus”. The City of Rome's marriage to Christianity and Commerce is what inspired me to write the poem “Eternal City” about Rome's houses of love and commerce

$$$ WHO'S GOING TO STOP THEM? $$$

Even the worst criminals, the coldest blooded men of reason, will behave like good boys when there is a bright spotlight of honest and fair news coverage on them (provided they are allowed freedom of speech and are not forced to commit a horrible or odd act to be heard.) If God is the WORD, need and necessity must be heard; it must be word of law; and honest public opinion; not dictators whose words are law; not a press sold out to special interests; not money and violence only that talks.

 

References

Agenda of the Floyd County Commission of January 10, 1995, listing of speakers for “public participation” included Serpentfoot (under a prior married name of Otwell), in office of Clerk of the Floyd County Commission, 1st Floor, Floyd County Courthouse, Rome, Ga., 30161.

Al Leonard, Richard McCullough, and Kevin Poe testify a combined 7 and 1/2 hours about whether voters knew what they voted for in SPLOST election of 8-9-88. (Staff writer John M. Willis) (1991, December 11). The Rome News Tribune, p. 1,2.

Al Leonard, Richard McCullough, et al counting SPLOST votes of August 9, 1988, fixing “Glitches”, with staff photo by Chris Kirby. (1988, August 10). The Rome News Tribune, P. 1, 2.

Ballot for Special Election (SPLOST Ballot) of August 9, 1988 (That is the Ballot which Forum promoters lied about “including a Forum/ New Courthouse”; it does not.) Copies can be seen in the office of the Clerk of the Elections Division, 2nd Floor, Old (“Historic”) government Plaza, Rome, Ga., 30161.

Barnes, Roy (present Governor of Georgia), 1991 attorney for Floyd County Commissioners in the SPLOST controversy case 91CV-12447-1, in which Judge Larry Salmon refused to recuse himself for interest but ordered the clerk not to file anything in any case for Serpentfoot (then Otwell), who was trying to intervene in that and related case 91CV-12345-3 (tried by Marietta Judge George Kreeger) to show that the Forum and Courthouse were a fraud, not on the ballot. Both cases are in the records of the clerk of the Floyd County Superior Court, 3 Government Plaza, Rome, Ga. 30161.

City of Rome, sheriff of Floyd County, and most of the business members of the Chamber of Commerce in a full page of endorsements of Christianity, such as has continued to run every Friday for years in the RNT. ((1978, June 9). The Rome News Tribune, p. 3B.

Closet, “Hide in closet to pray.”, quote from Jesus in New Testament: Matthew 6: 5,6.

“Den of thieves” (and “House of prayer”), quote from Jesus in New Testament: Matthew 21:12, 13.

Report of SPLOST Committee of 1988, pie graphs of the elements in the projects recommended by the committee, including: ”All Elements”, the “Facilities Elements” et al, which showed the specific items voters were told were in each element, prior to the election of 8-9-88. The Report is in the Office of the Clerk of the Floyd County Commission, 1st Floor, Floyd County Courthouse, 3 Government Plaza, Rome, Georgia, 30161.

Salmon, Judge Larry, admitting that he and all other Floyd County judges were disqualified from ruling in the SPLOST cases because they would get a new courthouse and new offices as part of the deal if the Forum was built; but Judge Salmon refused to step aside and let an out of town (Marietta) Judge George Kreeger handle both cases consolidated. Instead Judge Salmon took that opportunity to order the clerk of court not to file anything in any case for Serpentfoot (then with a prior married name of Otwell) who was attempting to intervene to show the Forum/new Courthouse were not on the ballot. Appeal Record in case 91CV- 12447-1, p. 12. (In the office of the Clerk of the Floyd County Superior Court, 3 Government Plaza, Rome, Ga., 30161.

Salmon, Judge Larry, sentenced Serpentfoot (under her prior married name of Otwell) to 5 years in jail-- suspended if she would leave Floyd County—Count 1 of which (1 year) was for speaking, as scheduled, January 10, 1995, Case 95-M23798-1, in records of the Clerk of the Floyd County Superior Court, 3 Government Plaza, Rome, Ga., 30161.

Saporta, M. (1993, October 2). Zell Miller and other political candidates “Sopping up money” from Holder Construction and others in a “Who's who of Georgia”. The Atlanta Journal/Constitution (Financial page).

Saporta, M. (1994, April 16). Changing of the guard at the Holder Corporation. Father and sons big in the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. The Atlanta Journal/Constitution (Financial page.)

Saporta, M. (1994, November 19). Holder Corporation, builders big in the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. The Atlanta Journal /Constitution, (Financial page).

Sentence for remaining 25 months and 24 days of Serpentfoot's 5 year sentence for objecting to Christian prayers at government meetings in Rome and Floyd County, Georgia.(1998, August 12). The Rome News Tribune, p. 1

Serpentfoot's 1978 and 1979 picketing of Christian churches in protest of the City of Rome, Floyd County, and Chamber of Commerce endorsements of Christianity (her employer and others were guilty of false advertising in including their employees in the endorsement.) (1978, January—March). City of Rome, Ga. Police Docket, Individual Record: cases 247, 322, 385, and 655. Also Certiorari Docket No. 156 of the Floyd County Superior Court, 3 Government Plaza, Rome, Ga., 30161.

Speech prompts look at policy, Serpentfoot --Otwell at the time— arrested for speech of 1-10-95 (for which she was later sentenced to 1 year in jail). (1995, January 11). The Rome NewsTribune, p. 1, 2.

SPLOST budgets go splat. (1997, April 14). (Editorial page) The Rome News Tribune, p. 4.

SPLOST projects, budgets: Close inspection (by unguided reader) and comparison to previous records, reveal $14,000,000 –later $32,000,000-- Forum/new courthouse switched for $1,000,000 voter approved Lock and Dam repair. (1993, June 24). The Rome News Tribune, P. 3A.

The “WORD”, language or communication is God: New Testament, John 1:1.