Letter submitted by Mrs. Edith Portillo:

Dear Editor,

On April 7, 2014 Brandy Edwards, City Manager of Nelson Georgia stood up and resigned her positions as City Manager and City Clerk. I was at that meeting. The sentiment of the public was one of amazement and concern. The amazement came in the fact that the person that single-handedly ran the City for the past 11 years would suddenly leave without any notice. The concern came from the fact that the majority of the public present at the meeting could not imagine the City of Nelson being ran by the remaining Council Members and Mayor.

A Citizen who has lived in Nelson for most of her life questioned “how many signatures do we need to recall the Council and Mayor?” I say we call the election office in Jasper and find out.

These people should be removed immediately. From January, two council members have conspired to harass Mrs. Edwards creating a hostile working environment. I question their motives. I believe this was done on purpose to force Mrs. Edwards to quit.

I would call into question the Council Members and Mayor’s competency to effectively govern the day operations of the City.

They shut the public down at this meeting. Citizens were not allowed to voice concerns. The same officials that wanted public comment at the beginning of each meeting suddenly refused comments Monday night. Elected officials continuously told citizens they could not speak on certain subjects. Elected officials suddenly treated citizens as if they were our “masters”, only because the officials did not want to hear a voice of dissention.

Anyone that believes the rhetoric “Mrs. Edwards was a valued employee” is simply drinking the cool-aid. Mrs. Edwards was run out of town over the past few months solely by our current elected officials.

I will be going door-to-door over the next few months with a petition drive to recall ALL four elected officials from Nelson. I would ask the citizens of Nelson to join me in the effort, because it effects all of us.

Who is running the city? Are they competent? Do you trust your tax dollars in their hands? I certainly do not! It is not too late, join with me and lets replace all four members with competent citizens that will put the best interest of the entire City ahead of their own political agenda. RECALL THE NELSON MAYOR AND COUNCIL NOW!!!

Edith Portillo