Live Oak — A letter to the  Charter Review Committee

City of Live Oak



Charter Review Committee Members: Jimmy McCullers, John Hale, Tom Daniels, Jeffry Boatright, Tommy Jefferson



In the performance of your duties as the Live Oak Charter Review Committee, your recommendations have effectively violated the three most basic and precious principles on which our American democratic system is based; (the three branches of government, division of powers and the system of checks and balances). In making your recommendations, you have effectively ignored and trashed these basic frameworks on which every level of government in our country is based. Your recommendations would, in all practical purposes, effectively abolish the executive (administrative) branch of government in our city. Our government would be reduced to a “one man show”. The division of power would no longer exist. The principle that I feel is very important is the system of checks and balances. Your recommendations would nullify any oversight of what is done by the legislative branch (Council). This is dangerous. Your actions would allow for a system where the legislative branch would have no oversight or accountability over them and would allow the Council to act without impunity, checks or oversight what so ever. Your actions would lead the Mayor’s office to slaughter.

This whole Charter review process was initiated to satisfy a personal vendetta against me and to promote the personal agenda of some. My review of the recommendations by the Committee shows that every recommendation made, targets the Mayor. It is clearly intended to be a “hatchet Job” on the Mayor’s office and is directed at me personally. There is no other way to explain your actions.  You can’t tell me that there was not one other thing in the Charter that needed addressing, not one. Should these recommendations be accepted by the Council, it would serve as an example as to exactly why the checks and balances and oversights are needed in our city government. You can’t have the fox guarding the chicken house.

Again, to “gut” the Mayor’s office of oversight is incomprehensible and certainly dangerous to the effective and transparent operation of city government. During my thirty-six years of service as an elected public official, I have never seen such a blatant and flagrant attack on a public official and the democratic process. James Madison, Ben Franklin as well as the other framers of our democratic process and government will roll over in their graves if these recommendations are enacted. You can stop this blood-letting.

In your zeal to strip me of any authority, you have destroyed the credibility of the Committee. Your actions have made a joke and farce of the review process. For this to continue, it will serve as an embarrassment to the committee and a travesty and insult to the residents of Live Oak. They are not stupid.



Sincerely yours,



Garth Nobles Jr.

Mayor and private citizen