Some naysayers believe that having the support and camaraderie of other elected officials and governmental entities is a bad sign. They are suspicious of any and all connections. But I have some news for them. The new train of thought is towards the shared governance model.
What! You mean there are others who are saying what I’ve been saying all along? Well you shouldn’t be surprised. Great minds think alike.
Just what is shared governance? It is a way of working through the decision-making process by involving all of the entities affected by an event or a policy or a procedure, bringing them all to the table to share ideas and making an informed decision for the betterment of the community, without the waste of double work or the inconvenience of ill conceived implementations. For instance, Milford Elementary. If the county and the school board had a better relationship and had been working together and communicating, we would not have ended up with a county dump, a gun range and a major arterial feeder road all being built too close to a school, too close to make parents feel that their children were being taken care of and were going to be safe coming to and going from that location.
Another example that comes to mind is the recent teacher layoffs, or RIFs. If the school board had been working well with state authorities, policies and laws could’ve already been on the books to protect our teachers form this type of shock and emotional rollercoaster of being laid off only to be rehired weeks later. For instance, Allatoona High School. All of the coaches were “let go” because all were less than two years in tenure……but the school was only two years old!! If the communication channels had been open between administration, state level officials and the school board, that snafu could’ve been avoided.
Recently, I was the only Cobb County candidate in attendance at the June 17, 2010 Education Policy Forum put on by the Georgia School Boards Association and the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. Here are just a few quotes from the GPEE:
*Within communities, individuals and organizations should create community partnerships to focus on education…..
*Through the strategic allocation of state and local resources, schools should serve as the center of communities....
*State leaders must launch a public outreach campaign to encourage collective responsibility for education in the state and begin the difficult work of changing a culture of low educational expectations.
*Local community leaders should host forums to discuss the status of …education…….Students, parents, educators, business representatives, elected officials, faith-based leaders and others should be invited to join in the discussion.
*Parents, community members and local business owners should be actively engaged in the work of improving … education by attending public meetings that address education, becoming familiar with locally-elected officials and actively participating in the election process.
So, as you can see, prominent organizations and other entities that truly understand what is required to bring our schools and students into the 21st century, agree that shared governance is the key to surviving this current economy and seeing our children excel and seeing our communities come together for the betterment of the whole. This isn't "good ole boy" politics, it is simply what we all learned in kindergarten...."play pretty together." We will all benefit!!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Letter of Support from Community leaders for Bill Borden
We have been following with interest ......editorial election coverage about our friend School Board Candidate Bill Borden. So … we thought we’d share with Cobb County the Bill Borden that we know and that we believe has the experience to serve on the Cobb County School Board.
Since completing the Alaskan Iditarod in 2002 Bill has volunteered hundreds of hours of his time to transform his Iditarod journey to a story of character education for the school children in Cobb County. Bill’s Iditarod story makes him a 1200 mile “Iditarod Finisher” and this same tenacious spirit has made him successful in his business and community leadership.
Our friend Bill is …
Citizen of the Year for Kennesaw
Citizen Oversight Committee for Cobb School Board
Cool Dreams Program for Cobb County School Children
Graduate of Leadership Cobb
Sponsor for Shop with Hero, Big Shanty, Love the Lake
Citizen Oversight Committee Cobb Board of Commissioners
Chattahoochee Technical College Foundation
Board of The Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History
Long time member of Acworth Business Association
Long time member of Kennesaw Business Association
Past president of West Cobb Business Association
Rotarian and NW Cobb Chamber Council Chairman
Cub Scout and Boy Scout Leader
When you look at Bill’s community service record you realize that our community trusts Bill!
Those of us who have known and worked with Bill for many years are keenly aware of his leadership skills and personal character contributions that have helped create quality of life in our schools and throughout our community.
We ask Cobb County Voters to focus Bill’s trusted experience and respected community leadership when choosing School Board leadership that will be best for our community and our children.Respectfully, Friends of Bill … Former State Representative Roger Hines, Mayor Tommy Allegood, Mayor Mark Mathews, Community Pastor North Star Church Marlon Longacre, Kennesaw’s Civil War Museum Director and Citizen of the Year Jeff Drobney, Former Cobb Chamber Chairman Fred Bentley, KBA President Elect John Loud, North Cobb Baseball’s Kevin Marcy, Chattahoochee Tech Foundation Dana Herron, President of Marietta Business Association Sigurd Hoyer, Cobb Chamber Bonnie Hall, Kennesaw City Attorney Randall Bentley, Allstate Dana Dorris, City Councilman Bruce Jenkins,
Since completing the Alaskan Iditarod in 2002 Bill has volunteered hundreds of hours of his time to transform his Iditarod journey to a story of character education for the school children in Cobb County. Bill’s Iditarod story makes him a 1200 mile “Iditarod Finisher” and this same tenacious spirit has made him successful in his business and community leadership.
Our friend Bill is …
Citizen of the Year for Kennesaw
Citizen Oversight Committee for Cobb School Board
Cool Dreams Program for Cobb County School Children
Graduate of Leadership Cobb
Sponsor for Shop with Hero, Big Shanty, Love the Lake
Citizen Oversight Committee Cobb Board of Commissioners
Chattahoochee Technical College Foundation
Board of The Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History
Long time member of Acworth Business Association
Long time member of Kennesaw Business Association
Past president of West Cobb Business Association
Rotarian and NW Cobb Chamber Council Chairman
Cub Scout and Boy Scout Leader
When you look at Bill’s community service record you realize that our community trusts Bill!
Those of us who have known and worked with Bill for many years are keenly aware of his leadership skills and personal character contributions that have helped create quality of life in our schools and throughout our community.
We ask Cobb County Voters to focus Bill’s trusted experience and respected community leadership when choosing School Board leadership that will be best for our community and our children.Respectfully, Friends of Bill … Former State Representative Roger Hines, Mayor Tommy Allegood, Mayor Mark Mathews, Community Pastor North Star Church Marlon Longacre, Kennesaw’s Civil War Museum Director and Citizen of the Year Jeff Drobney, Former Cobb Chamber Chairman Fred Bentley, KBA President Elect John Loud, North Cobb Baseball’s Kevin Marcy, Chattahoochee Tech Foundation Dana Herron, President of Marietta Business Association Sigurd Hoyer, Cobb Chamber Bonnie Hall, Kennesaw City Attorney Randall Bentley, Allstate Dana Dorris, City Councilman Bruce Jenkins,
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Giving Back
Giving back to the community is something Brenda and I love to do. We've been long time members of Kennesaw and Acworth Business Associations. We belong to several other local associations, including Marietta's MBA, and I am working hard to build up the Vinings Business Association as the current president of that group.
Rotary is another organization we believe in and we both have been on the board at various times during our membership. We have both been named Rotarian of the Year. Yesterday we were surprised with an award, the Rotary Ambassadors Award! We were the host parents for our international GRSP student from Sri Lanka this year. We were also instrumental in two big projects for children of other countries. We helped establish a computer lab for the kids of Ibarra Ecuador, a very poor area. Also, we headed up the project to purchase some much needed diagnostic equipment for the Childrens Hospital of Costa Rica. We personally visited both of these Rotary clubs and met the children we helped, an amazing experience!
Helping children, locally and globally, is one of our passions. Thank you for believing in my efforts and supporting me for a seat on our Cobb County school board. If the voters see fit, I believe I can make a big difference to bring a new level of respect to the board and help keep our schools great.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Note of Support from Wildwood Preschool
To Whom It May Concern:
Bill Borden has spoken to our preschool children numerous times over the last several years always at no charge. Since our school is completely non-profit, we operate on an extremely tight budget and we try to offer experiences to our children that will be of benefit to them and that they will enjoy in the process. Bill has never hesitated to come to our school without payment. In fact, he accepts our invitation with enthusiasm each time and we have never been disappointed.
Bill has always presented an excellent program incorporating character education into each presentation. Bill’s emphasis for our four and five year old children has been on teamwork and perseverance, using practical demonstrations to help them get the point. In these demonstrations Bill is able to reach the children on their level so that they understand what he is teaching them, allowing the children to participate in the demonstrations themselves. We have thoroughly enjoyed having Bill bring his dogs, his sled, and his gear to let the children experience first hand how important it is to work together and to keep on until the job is done.
I have experienced Bill presenting to Boy Scout troops over the years, as well, and I have always been amazed at how well the Scouts listen and pay attention throughout the entire presentation. Bill relates well to children and is able to gear his presentation to fit the audience extremely well. I have experienced him in many settings giving of his time and talents to numerous Boy Scout events and have always come away with new information and a sense of Bill’s caring for the community’s children.
Thanks, Bill, for all you do for our community and for our children!
Diane Snyder,
Director of Preschool Ministries/Weekday Preschool Director
Wildwood Baptist Church
4801 Wade Green Road
Acworth, GA 30102
Bill Borden has spoken to our preschool children numerous times over the last several years always at no charge. Since our school is completely non-profit, we operate on an extremely tight budget and we try to offer experiences to our children that will be of benefit to them and that they will enjoy in the process. Bill has never hesitated to come to our school without payment. In fact, he accepts our invitation with enthusiasm each time and we have never been disappointed.
Bill has always presented an excellent program incorporating character education into each presentation. Bill’s emphasis for our four and five year old children has been on teamwork and perseverance, using practical demonstrations to help them get the point. In these demonstrations Bill is able to reach the children on their level so that they understand what he is teaching them, allowing the children to participate in the demonstrations themselves. We have thoroughly enjoyed having Bill bring his dogs, his sled, and his gear to let the children experience first hand how important it is to work together and to keep on until the job is done.
I have experienced Bill presenting to Boy Scout troops over the years, as well, and I have always been amazed at how well the Scouts listen and pay attention throughout the entire presentation. Bill relates well to children and is able to gear his presentation to fit the audience extremely well. I have experienced him in many settings giving of his time and talents to numerous Boy Scout events and have always come away with new information and a sense of Bill’s caring for the community’s children.
Thanks, Bill, for all you do for our community and for our children!
Diane Snyder,
Director of Preschool Ministries/Weekday Preschool Director
Wildwood Baptist Church
4801 Wade Green Road
Acworth, GA 30102
Sunday, July 4, 2010
My school tax made me take notice
As I look at the make up of today’s School Board and those running for the different posts in this election season, I realize that we need a business person on the Board. The School System is the largest employer in Cobb County and it had to cut over a tenth of its budget last year. The very fact that Brenda and I paid over $6,000 in school taxes alone last year makes me take notice and realize that something has to be done to correct this situation and keep teachers teaching.
Friday, July 2, 2010
More questions from the MDJ - read the truth here first
Following is a list of questions received today from the MDJ as they continue their balanced reporting and search for “dirt” on one candidate for the Post 4 School Board seat. I am giving you my answers prior to their printing them in their paper. The answers and the meanings they print will likely be distortions of my actual words. Here are my direct answers.
1. Please send me copies of Cool Dreams’ IRS tax returns for 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Quote from my CPA – “You are not required to file Form 990 or Form 990-EZ if your annual receipts are less than $5,000; however, you are required to file Form 990-N (e-Postcard). These have all been filed for 2007-2008-2009.”
2. As for the Cool Dreams Foundation speaking engagements – You spoke to schoolchildren in Georgia before the foundation was registered here, right?
Yes, Bill Borden spoke to schools, business groups, scout troops, etc.
Were you paid for those engagements? If so, who were the checks made out to? Cool Dreams Foundation in Alaska?
If there were donations, checks were made to Cool Dreams Inc, an Alaska corporation but if I was paid to speak, a rare occasion, checks were made to me personally.
(I’m not following as to why you just registered the foundation in Ga. at the end of March to do business here, if you were already doing business here.)
Cool Dreams Foundation was registered in March of 2010 because that was when Cool Dreams first had a physical presence in the state of Georgia and donations were being sought for the signs to be installed in Swift Cantrell Park for the Fisher King Iditarod Lead Dog Memorial Trail. This was a public-private partnership and the first time any “significant” monies would come through Cool Dreams so the Cool Dreams Foundation was registered.
3. How much do you charge for speaking engagements?
I don’t charge for speaking engagements however I do accept donations. When asked, I do request donations be made to Cool Dreams. If funds are not available for a donation, I still gladly take my message into the schools and business community. I have spoken for free way more times than I have had donations made. And I do not take a salary for speaking. Monies taken from the account go to care for and feed the retired sled dogs, for web site maintenance, for hand outs for the kids and for audiovisual equipment used in the presentations.
4. In an effort to verify the note on your website that you have presented your message to more than 300,000 school children -- For the last 6 months, can you list the names of schools and their cities where you have spoken? You can go back further, if you’d like.
The number 300,000 is an estimate and I’ve probably spoken to more. I’ve stopped trying to count. Some group presentations are in classrooms for individual classes while some are entire auditoriums for the entire student body.
Here is a partial list of schools and other organizations I have spoken to over the past several years:
Kennesaw Charter School
Dawson County Middle School
Barber Middle School
Due West Elementary
Drakes Creek Middle School
Crabapple Middle School
Georgia 9th District PTA Assembly
Hayesville Middle School
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
KSU Fighting Owls basketball team
Lewis Elementary
Five Forks Middle School
Alvaton Elementary School
Free Home Elementary School
JJ Daniel Middle School
Powder Springs Business Association
Woodstock Rotary Club
Marietta Rotary Club
Paulding Business Association
Acworth Business Association
Cub Scout Pack 702
Boy Scout Troop 422
Cub Scout Pack 412
Marietta Metro Rotary Club
Cobb Youth Leadership
Cobb County Juvenile Court Staff
Marietta Kiwanis Club
East Cobb Kiwanis Club
Vinings Rotary
North Cobb Rotary
Note: You are welcome to visit any time there is a Cool Dreams presentation and report some good news for a change.
5. What happened with Real Estate Counselors Inc.? The SoS website says it was closed in November 2002. Do you know why? I’m hearing that two men involved with the business went to federal prison, so I’m trying to track it down. Please tell me everything you know about the company.
Real Estate Counselors Inc was a title agency in a closing firm where I was employed as a law clerk. I left there in the mid 1990’s. I am not sure why it closed in 2002 but I think the attorney(s) moved and/or went on to other firms. One of the clients of the firm was investigated for federal loan fraud and two men went to prison for this. Their crime had absolutely nothing to do with me personally or with Real Estate Counselors or, as far as I know, any of the other law firms that they used. I willingly participated in this investigation and this is not nearly the same as being “investigated” so I hope you can make that clear in your story.
1. Please send me copies of Cool Dreams’ IRS tax returns for 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Quote from my CPA – “You are not required to file Form 990 or Form 990-EZ if your annual receipts are less than $5,000; however, you are required to file Form 990-N (e-Postcard). These have all been filed for 2007-2008-2009.”
2. As for the Cool Dreams Foundation speaking engagements – You spoke to schoolchildren in Georgia before the foundation was registered here, right?
Yes, Bill Borden spoke to schools, business groups, scout troops, etc.
Were you paid for those engagements? If so, who were the checks made out to? Cool Dreams Foundation in Alaska?
If there were donations, checks were made to Cool Dreams Inc, an Alaska corporation but if I was paid to speak, a rare occasion, checks were made to me personally.
(I’m not following as to why you just registered the foundation in Ga. at the end of March to do business here, if you were already doing business here.)
Cool Dreams Foundation was registered in March of 2010 because that was when Cool Dreams first had a physical presence in the state of Georgia and donations were being sought for the signs to be installed in Swift Cantrell Park for the Fisher King Iditarod Lead Dog Memorial Trail. This was a public-private partnership and the first time any “significant” monies would come through Cool Dreams so the Cool Dreams Foundation was registered.
3. How much do you charge for speaking engagements?
I don’t charge for speaking engagements however I do accept donations. When asked, I do request donations be made to Cool Dreams. If funds are not available for a donation, I still gladly take my message into the schools and business community. I have spoken for free way more times than I have had donations made. And I do not take a salary for speaking. Monies taken from the account go to care for and feed the retired sled dogs, for web site maintenance, for hand outs for the kids and for audiovisual equipment used in the presentations.
4. In an effort to verify the note on your website that you have presented your message to more than 300,000 school children -- For the last 6 months, can you list the names of schools and their cities where you have spoken? You can go back further, if you’d like.
The number 300,000 is an estimate and I’ve probably spoken to more. I’ve stopped trying to count. Some group presentations are in classrooms for individual classes while some are entire auditoriums for the entire student body.
Here is a partial list of schools and other organizations I have spoken to over the past several years:
Kennesaw Charter School
Dawson County Middle School
Barber Middle School
Due West Elementary
Drakes Creek Middle School
Crabapple Middle School
Georgia 9th District PTA Assembly
Hayesville Middle School
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
KSU Fighting Owls basketball team
Lewis Elementary
Five Forks Middle School
Alvaton Elementary School
Free Home Elementary School
JJ Daniel Middle School
Powder Springs Business Association
Woodstock Rotary Club
Marietta Rotary Club
Paulding Business Association
Acworth Business Association
Cub Scout Pack 702
Boy Scout Troop 422
Cub Scout Pack 412
Marietta Metro Rotary Club
Cobb Youth Leadership
Cobb County Juvenile Court Staff
Marietta Kiwanis Club
East Cobb Kiwanis Club
Vinings Rotary
North Cobb Rotary
Note: You are welcome to visit any time there is a Cool Dreams presentation and report some good news for a change.
5. What happened with Real Estate Counselors Inc.? The SoS website says it was closed in November 2002. Do you know why? I’m hearing that two men involved with the business went to federal prison, so I’m trying to track it down. Please tell me everything you know about the company.
Real Estate Counselors Inc was a title agency in a closing firm where I was employed as a law clerk. I left there in the mid 1990’s. I am not sure why it closed in 2002 but I think the attorney(s) moved and/or went on to other firms. One of the clients of the firm was investigated for federal loan fraud and two men went to prison for this. Their crime had absolutely nothing to do with me personally or with Real Estate Counselors or, as far as I know, any of the other law firms that they used. I willingly participated in this investigation and this is not nearly the same as being “investigated” so I hope you can make that clear in your story.
NOTE: MDJ appears to be implying that I was investigated by the FBI. I was not.
6. Campaign contributions are due next week. Can you give me a preview of how much you’ve taken in?
About $3,000 but will give you an exact number when we complete the forms.
Thank you. Happy Fourth of July.
KIM
Thursday, July 1, 2010
MDJ interview 6.30.10 transcribed by Kim Isaza
I met with Bill Borden, school board candidate, about 4 p.m. on Wednesday June 30, 2010. Mr. Borden; his wife, Brenda; and Mark Mathews were in attendance. Mathews is co-chair of Borden’s campaign, and he is the mayor of Kennesaw. Based on what he told me on Wednesday, Mr. Borden believes the Journal twists his comments and is on a witch hunt to dig up dirt on him. I’d like to hear your thoughts.
A transcript I typed, based on my audio recording of the interview, follows. Mr. Borden also used his recorder.
KIM: Are you a resident of Georgia?
BILL: I am.
KIM: Do you have a Ga. driver’s license?
BILL: I do. (He showed it to me later)
KIM: You are registered to vote here?
BILL: I am.
KIM: Now your business license. Can we see that?
BILL: It’s on the wall downstairs.
KIM: This is the business license we got from the city (showed copy). Is that the same?
BILL: That’s it. Real Estate Custom Finance (RECF) has a registered d/b/a called Checkpoint Mortgage.
KIM: When I asked for the city for the copy of the Checkpoint Mortgage business license, the person in the office searched Checkpoint; d/b/a; the address and he found nothing with Checkpoint Mortgage on it.
BILL: RECF Inc. is the company that Brenda owns that has a registered d/b/a with Cobb County, recorded in the courthouse, that says it operates as Checkpoint Mortgage.
KIM: In the courthouse.
BILL: Mmm-hmmm. Just like you’re supposed to file a d/b/a.
MARK: Superior Courthouse of Cobb County. You have to pay that $20 or whatever it is to register a d/b/a.
KIM: But the city says they have nothing, no record...
BILL: They have RECF Inc. is the name of the company.
KIM: What was the fee paid?
BRENDA: Well why do you need to know that?
BILL: That doesn’t need to be in the paper. It’s not relevant.
KIM: It’s a tax, isn’t it?
BRENDA: Well what did you pay for your taxes?
KIM: I’m not talking about my personal taxes, and I’m not asking you about your personal taxes. That is something we’re usually interested in, of any business, not just yours. When we ask for business licenses -- honestly, this is the first time a city has ever whited it out. I’m curious.
BILL: I am running for office. My wife is not. I am her employee. I work for her. She’s not a public official, she’s not running for office, and it’s her company. If you’re asking my employer to divulge personal informa-tion and she doesn’t want to... She’s not running for office. I am. I work for Checkpoint Mortgage.
KIM: You are an employee, not an owner.
BILL: That’s correct.
KIM: How often are you in Alaska?
BILL: Depends on the year. Several times a year.
KIM: For how long at a time?
BILL: Can be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks or a couple of months.
BRENDA: That’s not so. We’re usually there twice a year, for maybe two weeks.
BILL: Maybe three.
BRENDA: No. We haven’t been there for three weeks in years.
BILL: I guess we were there in March for what -- two weeks? Yeah, last time was March, two weeks. Be-fore that was sometime in October.
BRENDA: About twice a year is about all we can afford to go over there.
KIM: Do you drive up there?
BILL: Yeah. Sometimes we drive, sometimes we fly.
KIM: Do you own property in Alaska?
BILL: Yeah.
KIM: That’s where Cool Dreams is registered.
BILL: Cool Dreams Foundation is an Alaska corporation registered to do business in the state of Georgia.
KIM: When you registered it with the Secretary of State on March 30, you told them your address was Alaska.
BILL: That’s right. Cool Dreams started doing work in Georgia officially, having a physical presence here, around March or April. That’s when we registered as a foundation here. That’s when we started working and actually having a physical presence here.
KIM: Is there an office for Cool Dreams?
BILL: We just work it out of here. It’s a nonprofit, so we get the (mail?) here.
KIM: Do you draw a salary from Cool Dreams?
BILL: No.
KIM: Does anyone draw a salary from Cool Dreams?
BILL: No.
KIM: It has no employees.
BILL: No.
KIM: Tell me about your Doctor of Jurisprudence. Is that the same as a Juris Doctor?
BILL: Mmm-hm. (yes)
KIM: Are you also a lawyer?
BILL: No. I passed the fitness boards for the state bar, but I did not pass the bar, I’m not a bar member. I do not practice law. I have the legal knowledge, but I do not choose to apply it to the practice of law.
KIM: Does it benefit you in real estate dealings?
BILL: Any knowledge benefits you in many dealings. People should thirst for knowledge.
KIM: When did you graduate from John Marshall?
BILL: 93.
KIM: But you said you are not a member of the bar. Did you take the bar?
BILL: I did. But I am not a member of the bar, do not practice law. Passed the fitness boards, do not want to practice law, do not have any desire to practice law. There are attorneys out there that enjoy practicing law.
KIM: Did you take the bar just once?
BILL: I took it twice.
KIM: Shortly after your graduation?
BILL: Yes.
KIM: Tell me about the car tags. Are they your primary vehicles here?
BILL: One of them is. That would be the Sequoia. We do drive it back and forth. It’s actually only been in the state this time less than a week, but it is in this state quite a bit. Brenda was just up in Kentucky with it for a week. We have quite a few miles that we put on that vehicle.
KIM: When you say you drive it back and forth, do you drive it to Alaska and back?
BILL: Not usually. It gets as far as Kentucky, or South Carolina. It is a gas vehicle, and it requires an emis-sion. When it is out of this state, Georgia has no provision for getting an emissions sticker. And I have talked to a couple of representatives, hoping that they will get that law changed.
KIM: I’m confused. What do you mean, it’s a gas vehicle?
BILL: It runs on gasoline.
MARK: As opposed to diesel.
KIM: So they don’t have an emissions?
BILL: If you own your car, and you go out of state during the month of your birth, and you try to license the vehicle in Georgia, you cannot. Which means you are then driving illegally back to Georgia.
KIM: Can you get it done before you leave?
BILL: Not if it’s not within 30 days.
KIM: So it can’t be done more than 30 days in advance.
BILL: Mmm-hmm.
KIM: What is your birth month?
BILL: My birth month is December. Middle of winter.
KIM: So is this something that happens every year, you’re always out of town every December?
BILL: We travel a lot, and it can happen, yes. I have asked to get that law changed, but I haven’t seen it changed yet. But that’s really irrelevant. If it’s determined that a legally licensed vehicle with valid registra-tions and valid insurance, if it’s determined that I need to have it registered here, then I’ll be happy to register it here. I think one of the questions that your counterpart has been asking is...I think he’s implying that I am avoiding paying taxes. I would happily see a comparison between the amount of school taxes my opponent pays versus what I pay. If you look at my disclosures, you will see that I own multiple properties inside the post that I am running for, all of which I pay school taxes on.
KIM: Are they rental houses?
BILL: Yes.
KIM: All of them?
BILL: Mm-hmm. Except the one we live in.
KIM: Right. But they aren’t commercial properties [such as a strip mall].
BILL: Your paper seeks to paint me in the picture that I am not paying school taxes. I am paying way more school taxes than my opponent is, and I will look forward to that comparison in the paper as you look it up at the county tax office.
KIM: That’s an excellent point. Your opponent did not bring this to our attention, I will just point out. Are you going to change the tags?
BRENDA: I’m going to change mine.
BILL: She has one.
KIM: Of the three -- there are three vehicles here?
BILL: No.
BRENDA: There’s a picture in the paper of a red car, but I don’t know whose car that is. It’s not ours, and that’s false reporting. You need to point out that whoever made those pictures that doesn’t belong to us, and somebody is probably going to be really upset when they see their license plate in the paper.
KIM: I will make that note. So the Sequoia...
BRENDA: Is my car. I’m changing it. I’ve already started doing it today. I don’t need this hassle.
KIM: And then the truck that says Checkpoint Mortgage -- is yours (to Bill)?
BILL: Yes.
KIM: You own it?
BILL: I own it.
KIM: Will you be changing that?
BILL: Haven’t decided yet.
KIM: OK, but the law does say...
BILL: I’m not a lawyer, and I don’t think you are, either.
KIM: I’m not, but I can read OCGA.
BILL: So can I. It says ‘new resident.’ We’ll see. I haven’t decided yet.
KIM: How long have you owned the truck?
BILL: Since 2002.
KIM: Besides the motorcycle that is registered in Ga., do you have any other vehicles?
BILL: Not right now. I have access to other vehicles. I have other vehicles that are not registered right now. I have farm trucks, I have trailers.
KIM: In Georgia?
BILL: Not in Georgia.
KIM: But the truck, you own. It’s in your name.
BILL: Mmm-hmm.
KIM: Have you ever been subject to an FBI investigation?
BILL: Through the state bar, I’m sure. I think that’s who investigates when you do your bar fitness. Or the GBI. One of the two.
KIM: For any criminal matter?
BILL: No. No. Why? Who’s posting that?
BRENDA: I bet it’s [that] Faircloth [guy].
**THE LINE ABOVE EDITED FROM ORIGINAL TRANSCRIPT sic 7/8/2010**
BILL: Kim, the paper posting...come on, having an article on an anonymous blog? That’s not right either. You know that. You know this is becoming a witch hunt. When you have anonymous tips like that, that is just not right. That is just, absolutely, not right. I cannot believe that you would even ask such a question. What else are they going to make up?
KIM: But when we call you to ask you about these, you don’t pick up the phone.
BILL: It’s just me and Brenda running this. I’m trying to do business. I’m trying to put out signs. I get calls from you, I get calls from Katie, I get e-mails from Gillooly. I mean, I got how many yesterday? You guys get together.
KIM: I believe I only sent you one yesterday, with all the questions combined.
BILL: And I have to tell you...and I told you down at the school board that day. I went and talked to your publisher. I said I would do it fairly. I would be open book for him. And the very first, very first article pub-lished about my school board run paraphrased, inserted fact. You said you were going to check it.
KIM: I did go back and look at it. And I found that we used a portion of your comments verbatim. We didn’t use everything you said, but we don’t use everything anybody says because people ramble. But we took the meat of what you said.
BILL: I choose not to play that game -- you deciding what’s meat and what’s not. I will answer your ques-tions. When I’m out in the field... I got to your questions just as quick as I could. And I was tired, too. But I got to them just as quick as I could. And I’ve got to tell you, MDJ is down low on my totem pole because of the way they’re acting. I would love to have a good, wholesome, local hometown paper that reported things accu-rately and fairly, but I know that’s not going to happen because I’m running against one of your contributing writers. And yes, it’s on the web. She’s one of your contributing writers.
KIM: She’s on the editorial page. ... OK. Do you have an office in Vinings?
BILL: No.
KIM: Have you ever had an office in Vinings?
BILL: No.
KIM: Were you involved in any way in the purchase of the Lacy Hotel?
BILL: The Lacy Hotel burned down in the 1800s, I believe.
KIM: Any other hotel purchases in the city of Kennesaw?
BILL: A purchase of a hotel in the city of Kennesaw? No.
KIM: You were on the Kennesaw Business Authority.
BILL: For less than a month, yes.
BRENDA: Less than a week.
KIM: How do you get on that? Are you appointed?
BILL: Mmm-hmm.
KIM: Who appointed you?
BILL: Tim Killingsworth.
KIM: Why were you only on for a week?
BILL: I didn’t feel like I could devote the time necessary to do it. I went to one meeting, and there was just way too much energy that needed to be brought into that.
KIM: So you quickly resigned, is that what happened?
BILL: Mmm-hmm.
KIM: And then Killingsworth appointed someone else?
BILL: I suppose.
KIM: How do you get on that Authority if you’re not a resident?
MARK: There are different requirements for development authority members. ... I believe he was put on as a business owner within the city limits.
KIM: What was the hotel on the PILOT site?
MARK: A hotel on the PILOT site? Ah... Smith Hotel.
KIM: (To Bill) Were you involved in that?
BILL: Nope.
BRENDA: (Inaudible... I thought she said to Bill, why don’t you just tell her)
KIM: OK, was there something you were involved in?
BILL: I sold a piece of property to the city.
KIM: What property was that?
BILL: Corner of Watts and Main Street.
BRENDA: And the corporation’s name was ... (deliberate pause)
BILL: Lacy Hotel. But it wasn’t a hotel.
BRENDA: There was no hotel there.
MARK: All this, gossip, let’s go off the record a minute, you and me.
----
KIM: Can we get in touch with you? If I call you and leave you a message, will you call me back?
BILL: Kim, can I trust you?
KIM: I’d like to think that you can, yes.
BILL: Mark says that he trusts you. If Mark trusts you, I’ll believe you. But Otis said he’d quote me right, too. I will answer your questions, and I will answer your questions honestly. But I’m telling you, there are people down there -- and I know about it. I’m hearing it from the other sides as Jon is rummaging through all the things. I hear what he’s doing. OK? I’m not blind. I’ve got to trust you to make sure that it gets published accurately. When it’s constantly downing Bill Borden, I just don’t feel like communicating with the MDJ. It’s like I want to turn that switch off. I am trying to run this race to help. To help my community. To help the kids. To help property owners. To help property values. I’ve got some talents that I can take to that board, and I can make things happen. I can make things better. The voters believe that. If you’re gonna write what you want to anyway, why do you even need to talk to me? But if you tell me you’re going to write the facts, we’ll talk all day long.
KIM: I sent you those questions late yesterday, and then I get -- you did respond, at 10:45 last night, which is too late for today, but you didn’t answer the questions.
BILL: Some of the questions -- I read those comments as coming from Jon Gillooly because I knew Gil-looly was running the story. I know Gillooly is trying to do a pie chart right now to show how much taxes I’m not paying because of those car tags. I know Gillooly is trying to do comparisons on why I’m not giving back to the school children. I give to the schools day in and day out. We give time, we give energy. We pay. We sponsor.
I don’t mind answering your questions, but when I answer a question -- if it is factually reported instead of twisted, that’s fine. I’ll give you (answers) right to ‘em. But I’ve got to know those stories are not going to be twisted around. That’s why I’m giving you canned, less than 100-word statements, in quotes. That’s the only way I can get my message across. Even the last one I sent -- not yesterday, but the one before, when we were talking about the debates. I had a debate. If you read my answer, it says: We were at Park Forum, my opponent didn’t show up, and that I was looking forward to the TV23 July 6th. It was all in there, and where I was going to be on July 8th. Yet, all before and all after, the “staff writer” which we both know is Gillooly, took liberties. He takes what I send you and then he goes to my opponent and says, How am I going to twist this?
That’s what I’m reading. So I don’t mind talking to you, but I’ve got to tell you, I am really worried about the ethics of the journalism of the MDJ at this point in time. Not yours, the paper as a whole. When I look at what this county can be, if we had some help from our press. But yes, I will answer your questions.
KIM: Before a deadline?
BILL: If I am not out putting up signs or out showing a house or...
KIM: But if you’re elected to the school board, this is how it goes.
BILL: If I am elected to the school board, I’m going to have more time to devote to the school board. Right now, I’m not elected. I have to keep a business running. If I’m elected to the school board, then I’m going to hire somebody to take care of those appointments for me. Nobody’s paying me to do anything right now. I will devote all the time I need to, to make sure, because it will increase the property values in this county. It will increase the people wanting to move to this county. People will want their kids educated in Cobb County Schools. It will be the premiere system that it once was. Or still is, for that matter. It will continue to get bet-ter.
KIM: If you are elected.
BILL: Yes. I’m going to do everything in my power. I’m going to take my education, my background, all of the information I have available to me, my negotiating skills, and I am going to try to build a consensus on the board and once we get that consensus built on the board, then we are going to move forward into bringing in county government, city governments, and this county is going to hopefully function as a whole for the better-ment of our students and student achievement.
I don’t need to be in the paper. I don’t need to make a name for myself. I can quietly sit with my wife at home in front of the fireplace at night and relax. But God gave me talents that I can make a difference with. And I’m going to try that. And come July 20th, we will know if that’s what God has in store for me. We will know if the voters of Cobb County want me and my background and my abilities helping run their school board, or whether they want my opponent. We will know July 20th.
KIM: Tell me why you are better prepared than your opponent.
BILL: Why don’t I tell you why I am prepared so I don’t talk bad about my opponent. We’ll start with the sled dog race. Everybody keys in on that. It takes a tremendous amount of planning, preparation, tenacity to complete something that you start when you are faced with the obstacles that are put in before you in that respect.
You can take those same characters and apply them to everyday life, simply doing one job at a time for the eventual goal of trying... Student achievement, for instance.
The actual character that I have proven, day in and day out, because of that. Having been in businesses in Cobb County all these years. Working with business leaders, working with businessmen and women. Graduate of Leadership Cobb. Knowing everything there is to know about the county. Knowing the people that run the county. Knowing the people that run the cities. Having the educational background. There are my degrees (points to wall). Please observe them and look at them and compare them to anybody else.
A transcript I typed, based on my audio recording of the interview, follows. Mr. Borden also used his recorder.
KIM: Are you a resident of Georgia?
BILL: I am.
KIM: Do you have a Ga. driver’s license?
BILL: I do. (He showed it to me later)
KIM: You are registered to vote here?
BILL: I am.
KIM: Now your business license. Can we see that?
BILL: It’s on the wall downstairs.
KIM: This is the business license we got from the city (showed copy). Is that the same?
BILL: That’s it. Real Estate Custom Finance (RECF) has a registered d/b/a called Checkpoint Mortgage.
KIM: When I asked for the city for the copy of the Checkpoint Mortgage business license, the person in the office searched Checkpoint; d/b/a; the address and he found nothing with Checkpoint Mortgage on it.
BILL: RECF Inc. is the company that Brenda owns that has a registered d/b/a with Cobb County, recorded in the courthouse, that says it operates as Checkpoint Mortgage.
KIM: In the courthouse.
BILL: Mmm-hmmm. Just like you’re supposed to file a d/b/a.
MARK: Superior Courthouse of Cobb County. You have to pay that $20 or whatever it is to register a d/b/a.
KIM: But the city says they have nothing, no record...
BILL: They have RECF Inc. is the name of the company.
KIM: What was the fee paid?
BRENDA: Well why do you need to know that?
BILL: That doesn’t need to be in the paper. It’s not relevant.
KIM: It’s a tax, isn’t it?
BRENDA: Well what did you pay for your taxes?
KIM: I’m not talking about my personal taxes, and I’m not asking you about your personal taxes. That is something we’re usually interested in, of any business, not just yours. When we ask for business licenses -- honestly, this is the first time a city has ever whited it out. I’m curious.
BILL: I am running for office. My wife is not. I am her employee. I work for her. She’s not a public official, she’s not running for office, and it’s her company. If you’re asking my employer to divulge personal informa-tion and she doesn’t want to... She’s not running for office. I am. I work for Checkpoint Mortgage.
KIM: You are an employee, not an owner.
BILL: That’s correct.
KIM: How often are you in Alaska?
BILL: Depends on the year. Several times a year.
KIM: For how long at a time?
BILL: Can be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks or a couple of months.
BRENDA: That’s not so. We’re usually there twice a year, for maybe two weeks.
BILL: Maybe three.
BRENDA: No. We haven’t been there for three weeks in years.
BILL: I guess we were there in March for what -- two weeks? Yeah, last time was March, two weeks. Be-fore that was sometime in October.
BRENDA: About twice a year is about all we can afford to go over there.
KIM: Do you drive up there?
BILL: Yeah. Sometimes we drive, sometimes we fly.
KIM: Do you own property in Alaska?
BILL: Yeah.
KIM: That’s where Cool Dreams is registered.
BILL: Cool Dreams Foundation is an Alaska corporation registered to do business in the state of Georgia.
KIM: When you registered it with the Secretary of State on March 30, you told them your address was Alaska.
BILL: That’s right. Cool Dreams started doing work in Georgia officially, having a physical presence here, around March or April. That’s when we registered as a foundation here. That’s when we started working and actually having a physical presence here.
KIM: Is there an office for Cool Dreams?
BILL: We just work it out of here. It’s a nonprofit, so we get the (mail?) here.
KIM: Do you draw a salary from Cool Dreams?
BILL: No.
KIM: Does anyone draw a salary from Cool Dreams?
BILL: No.
KIM: It has no employees.
BILL: No.
KIM: Tell me about your Doctor of Jurisprudence. Is that the same as a Juris Doctor?
BILL: Mmm-hm. (yes)
KIM: Are you also a lawyer?
BILL: No. I passed the fitness boards for the state bar, but I did not pass the bar, I’m not a bar member. I do not practice law. I have the legal knowledge, but I do not choose to apply it to the practice of law.
KIM: Does it benefit you in real estate dealings?
BILL: Any knowledge benefits you in many dealings. People should thirst for knowledge.
KIM: When did you graduate from John Marshall?
BILL: 93.
KIM: But you said you are not a member of the bar. Did you take the bar?
BILL: I did. But I am not a member of the bar, do not practice law. Passed the fitness boards, do not want to practice law, do not have any desire to practice law. There are attorneys out there that enjoy practicing law.
KIM: Did you take the bar just once?
BILL: I took it twice.
KIM: Shortly after your graduation?
BILL: Yes.
KIM: Tell me about the car tags. Are they your primary vehicles here?
BILL: One of them is. That would be the Sequoia. We do drive it back and forth. It’s actually only been in the state this time less than a week, but it is in this state quite a bit. Brenda was just up in Kentucky with it for a week. We have quite a few miles that we put on that vehicle.
KIM: When you say you drive it back and forth, do you drive it to Alaska and back?
BILL: Not usually. It gets as far as Kentucky, or South Carolina. It is a gas vehicle, and it requires an emis-sion. When it is out of this state, Georgia has no provision for getting an emissions sticker. And I have talked to a couple of representatives, hoping that they will get that law changed.
KIM: I’m confused. What do you mean, it’s a gas vehicle?
BILL: It runs on gasoline.
MARK: As opposed to diesel.
KIM: So they don’t have an emissions?
BILL: If you own your car, and you go out of state during the month of your birth, and you try to license the vehicle in Georgia, you cannot. Which means you are then driving illegally back to Georgia.
KIM: Can you get it done before you leave?
BILL: Not if it’s not within 30 days.
KIM: So it can’t be done more than 30 days in advance.
BILL: Mmm-hmm.
KIM: What is your birth month?
BILL: My birth month is December. Middle of winter.
KIM: So is this something that happens every year, you’re always out of town every December?
BILL: We travel a lot, and it can happen, yes. I have asked to get that law changed, but I haven’t seen it changed yet. But that’s really irrelevant. If it’s determined that a legally licensed vehicle with valid registra-tions and valid insurance, if it’s determined that I need to have it registered here, then I’ll be happy to register it here. I think one of the questions that your counterpart has been asking is...I think he’s implying that I am avoiding paying taxes. I would happily see a comparison between the amount of school taxes my opponent pays versus what I pay. If you look at my disclosures, you will see that I own multiple properties inside the post that I am running for, all of which I pay school taxes on.
KIM: Are they rental houses?
BILL: Yes.
KIM: All of them?
BILL: Mm-hmm. Except the one we live in.
KIM: Right. But they aren’t commercial properties [such as a strip mall].
BILL: Your paper seeks to paint me in the picture that I am not paying school taxes. I am paying way more school taxes than my opponent is, and I will look forward to that comparison in the paper as you look it up at the county tax office.
KIM: That’s an excellent point. Your opponent did not bring this to our attention, I will just point out. Are you going to change the tags?
BRENDA: I’m going to change mine.
BILL: She has one.
KIM: Of the three -- there are three vehicles here?
BILL: No.
BRENDA: There’s a picture in the paper of a red car, but I don’t know whose car that is. It’s not ours, and that’s false reporting. You need to point out that whoever made those pictures that doesn’t belong to us, and somebody is probably going to be really upset when they see their license plate in the paper.
KIM: I will make that note. So the Sequoia...
BRENDA: Is my car. I’m changing it. I’ve already started doing it today. I don’t need this hassle.
KIM: And then the truck that says Checkpoint Mortgage -- is yours (to Bill)?
BILL: Yes.
KIM: You own it?
BILL: I own it.
KIM: Will you be changing that?
BILL: Haven’t decided yet.
KIM: OK, but the law does say...
BILL: I’m not a lawyer, and I don’t think you are, either.
KIM: I’m not, but I can read OCGA.
BILL: So can I. It says ‘new resident.’ We’ll see. I haven’t decided yet.
KIM: How long have you owned the truck?
BILL: Since 2002.
KIM: Besides the motorcycle that is registered in Ga., do you have any other vehicles?
BILL: Not right now. I have access to other vehicles. I have other vehicles that are not registered right now. I have farm trucks, I have trailers.
KIM: In Georgia?
BILL: Not in Georgia.
KIM: But the truck, you own. It’s in your name.
BILL: Mmm-hmm.
KIM: Have you ever been subject to an FBI investigation?
BILL: Through the state bar, I’m sure. I think that’s who investigates when you do your bar fitness. Or the GBI. One of the two.
KIM: For any criminal matter?
BILL: No. No. Why? Who’s posting that?
BRENDA: I bet it’s [that] Faircloth [guy].
**THE LINE ABOVE EDITED FROM ORIGINAL TRANSCRIPT sic 7/8/2010**
BILL: Kim, the paper posting...come on, having an article on an anonymous blog? That’s not right either. You know that. You know this is becoming a witch hunt. When you have anonymous tips like that, that is just not right. That is just, absolutely, not right. I cannot believe that you would even ask such a question. What else are they going to make up?
KIM: But when we call you to ask you about these, you don’t pick up the phone.
BILL: It’s just me and Brenda running this. I’m trying to do business. I’m trying to put out signs. I get calls from you, I get calls from Katie, I get e-mails from Gillooly. I mean, I got how many yesterday? You guys get together.
KIM: I believe I only sent you one yesterday, with all the questions combined.
BILL: And I have to tell you...and I told you down at the school board that day. I went and talked to your publisher. I said I would do it fairly. I would be open book for him. And the very first, very first article pub-lished about my school board run paraphrased, inserted fact. You said you were going to check it.
KIM: I did go back and look at it. And I found that we used a portion of your comments verbatim. We didn’t use everything you said, but we don’t use everything anybody says because people ramble. But we took the meat of what you said.
BILL: I choose not to play that game -- you deciding what’s meat and what’s not. I will answer your ques-tions. When I’m out in the field... I got to your questions just as quick as I could. And I was tired, too. But I got to them just as quick as I could. And I’ve got to tell you, MDJ is down low on my totem pole because of the way they’re acting. I would love to have a good, wholesome, local hometown paper that reported things accu-rately and fairly, but I know that’s not going to happen because I’m running against one of your contributing writers. And yes, it’s on the web. She’s one of your contributing writers.
KIM: She’s on the editorial page. ... OK. Do you have an office in Vinings?
BILL: No.
KIM: Have you ever had an office in Vinings?
BILL: No.
KIM: Were you involved in any way in the purchase of the Lacy Hotel?
BILL: The Lacy Hotel burned down in the 1800s, I believe.
KIM: Any other hotel purchases in the city of Kennesaw?
BILL: A purchase of a hotel in the city of Kennesaw? No.
KIM: You were on the Kennesaw Business Authority.
BILL: For less than a month, yes.
BRENDA: Less than a week.
KIM: How do you get on that? Are you appointed?
BILL: Mmm-hmm.
KIM: Who appointed you?
BILL: Tim Killingsworth.
KIM: Why were you only on for a week?
BILL: I didn’t feel like I could devote the time necessary to do it. I went to one meeting, and there was just way too much energy that needed to be brought into that.
KIM: So you quickly resigned, is that what happened?
BILL: Mmm-hmm.
KIM: And then Killingsworth appointed someone else?
BILL: I suppose.
KIM: How do you get on that Authority if you’re not a resident?
MARK: There are different requirements for development authority members. ... I believe he was put on as a business owner within the city limits.
KIM: What was the hotel on the PILOT site?
MARK: A hotel on the PILOT site? Ah... Smith Hotel.
KIM: (To Bill) Were you involved in that?
BILL: Nope.
BRENDA: (Inaudible... I thought she said to Bill, why don’t you just tell her)
KIM: OK, was there something you were involved in?
BILL: I sold a piece of property to the city.
KIM: What property was that?
BILL: Corner of Watts and Main Street.
BRENDA: And the corporation’s name was ... (deliberate pause)
BILL: Lacy Hotel. But it wasn’t a hotel.
BRENDA: There was no hotel there.
MARK: All this, gossip, let’s go off the record a minute, you and me.
----
KIM: Can we get in touch with you? If I call you and leave you a message, will you call me back?
BILL: Kim, can I trust you?
KIM: I’d like to think that you can, yes.
BILL: Mark says that he trusts you. If Mark trusts you, I’ll believe you. But Otis said he’d quote me right, too. I will answer your questions, and I will answer your questions honestly. But I’m telling you, there are people down there -- and I know about it. I’m hearing it from the other sides as Jon is rummaging through all the things. I hear what he’s doing. OK? I’m not blind. I’ve got to trust you to make sure that it gets published accurately. When it’s constantly downing Bill Borden, I just don’t feel like communicating with the MDJ. It’s like I want to turn that switch off. I am trying to run this race to help. To help my community. To help the kids. To help property owners. To help property values. I’ve got some talents that I can take to that board, and I can make things happen. I can make things better. The voters believe that. If you’re gonna write what you want to anyway, why do you even need to talk to me? But if you tell me you’re going to write the facts, we’ll talk all day long.
KIM: I sent you those questions late yesterday, and then I get -- you did respond, at 10:45 last night, which is too late for today, but you didn’t answer the questions.
BILL: Some of the questions -- I read those comments as coming from Jon Gillooly because I knew Gil-looly was running the story. I know Gillooly is trying to do a pie chart right now to show how much taxes I’m not paying because of those car tags. I know Gillooly is trying to do comparisons on why I’m not giving back to the school children. I give to the schools day in and day out. We give time, we give energy. We pay. We sponsor.
I don’t mind answering your questions, but when I answer a question -- if it is factually reported instead of twisted, that’s fine. I’ll give you (answers) right to ‘em. But I’ve got to know those stories are not going to be twisted around. That’s why I’m giving you canned, less than 100-word statements, in quotes. That’s the only way I can get my message across. Even the last one I sent -- not yesterday, but the one before, when we were talking about the debates. I had a debate. If you read my answer, it says: We were at Park Forum, my opponent didn’t show up, and that I was looking forward to the TV23 July 6th. It was all in there, and where I was going to be on July 8th. Yet, all before and all after, the “staff writer” which we both know is Gillooly, took liberties. He takes what I send you and then he goes to my opponent and says, How am I going to twist this?
That’s what I’m reading. So I don’t mind talking to you, but I’ve got to tell you, I am really worried about the ethics of the journalism of the MDJ at this point in time. Not yours, the paper as a whole. When I look at what this county can be, if we had some help from our press. But yes, I will answer your questions.
KIM: Before a deadline?
BILL: If I am not out putting up signs or out showing a house or...
KIM: But if you’re elected to the school board, this is how it goes.
BILL: If I am elected to the school board, I’m going to have more time to devote to the school board. Right now, I’m not elected. I have to keep a business running. If I’m elected to the school board, then I’m going to hire somebody to take care of those appointments for me. Nobody’s paying me to do anything right now. I will devote all the time I need to, to make sure, because it will increase the property values in this county. It will increase the people wanting to move to this county. People will want their kids educated in Cobb County Schools. It will be the premiere system that it once was. Or still is, for that matter. It will continue to get bet-ter.
KIM: If you are elected.
BILL: Yes. I’m going to do everything in my power. I’m going to take my education, my background, all of the information I have available to me, my negotiating skills, and I am going to try to build a consensus on the board and once we get that consensus built on the board, then we are going to move forward into bringing in county government, city governments, and this county is going to hopefully function as a whole for the better-ment of our students and student achievement.
I don’t need to be in the paper. I don’t need to make a name for myself. I can quietly sit with my wife at home in front of the fireplace at night and relax. But God gave me talents that I can make a difference with. And I’m going to try that. And come July 20th, we will know if that’s what God has in store for me. We will know if the voters of Cobb County want me and my background and my abilities helping run their school board, or whether they want my opponent. We will know July 20th.
KIM: Tell me why you are better prepared than your opponent.
BILL: Why don’t I tell you why I am prepared so I don’t talk bad about my opponent. We’ll start with the sled dog race. Everybody keys in on that. It takes a tremendous amount of planning, preparation, tenacity to complete something that you start when you are faced with the obstacles that are put in before you in that respect.
You can take those same characters and apply them to everyday life, simply doing one job at a time for the eventual goal of trying... Student achievement, for instance.
The actual character that I have proven, day in and day out, because of that. Having been in businesses in Cobb County all these years. Working with business leaders, working with businessmen and women. Graduate of Leadership Cobb. Knowing everything there is to know about the county. Knowing the people that run the county. Knowing the people that run the cities. Having the educational background. There are my degrees (points to wall). Please observe them and look at them and compare them to anybody else.
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