Fresh Loaf

State Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, along with Democratic state Reps. Debbie Buckner of Junction City and Stephanie Stuckey-Benfield of Decatur, was one of the few voices during last year’s legislative session to criticize the Linger Longer project on Jekyll Island, a historic state park.

The op-ed below by Chapman is the first in three that the senator says will lay out the case for increased examination of the Jekyll Island Authority, the Governor-appointed state agency that oversees the park, and the idea of “selling off” state land to the private sector. In closing, he says he’s requested the state conduct an audit of the authority’s activities during the last three years.

Chapman admits it may seem strange for a senator to write a series of articles about the topic, but:

in the case of Jekyll Island State Park, there are issues involved which demand the attention of elected officials who have been given the honor to serve the public good. Transparency and accountability in government, responsible management of publicly-owned assets, and respect for the public trust are all wrapped within the Jekyll issue, as is the principle of eminent domain, not in the traditional form but in an upside down way with the taking of publicly-owned land and using it for private profit—a kind of eminent domain in reverse.

Senator, the Internetz are yours. Below and after the jump is Chapman’s full editorial:

Last year, when the Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) granted a rent reduction of some $10 million to hotel developer Trammell Crow (TC) to replace the Buccaneer Resort, there were many who saw it as a sweetheart deal. Now the authority is spreading the love.

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In an op-ed distributed today, Republican State Sen. Jeff Chapman of Brunswick — an ardent supporter of Jekyll Island under the Gold Dome — says even though Linger Longer has drastically scaled back its redevelopment plan for the state park, the matter is far from settled.

On October 6th, Linger Longer Communities revealed its revised plan for a Jekyll Island town center. The new plan, at first glance, suggests a town center much different than the over-sized and condo-dense beach village in Linger Longer’s original proposal, and closer to what many Georgians have been calling for over the past year. While the town center question may be decided in the public’s favor, the long-term future of Georgia’s only coastal state park, unfortunately, is far from secure.

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SARAH PALIN: The NY Times examines her governing style, which includes hiring several high school friends to high-paying state jobs for which they had no relevant experience.

BEAR MARKET TO FLEA MARKET: The Lehman Brothers investment bank announces it will file for bankruptcy, and despite the possibly market-soothing buyout of Merrill Lynch by Bank of America, the Dow drops 300 points.

FALCONS: Can’t overcome early deficit to the Bucs despite a near-comeback in the fourth quarter.

LAWYER MILLOY: The Falcons’ star safety was arrested on charges of DUI and speeding early this morning. No word yet on whether he will represent himself.

GALVESTON: Rendered a wasteland by Ike, with packs of stray dogs and loose steer wandering the sewage-strewn streets. Hurricane hold-outs now want off the island after lack of power and water has made it almost uninhabitable.

CUTBACKS: State lawmakers, judiciary and the governor’s office say they’ll cut back on their budgets in addition to upcoming state budget cuts made necessary by the colossal statewide shortfall.

QUORUM: The revamped Clayton school board can now move forward with official business after reaching a quorum by recruiting two former candidates for board seats.

DOG CALLS 911: To report owner’s seizure.

LANIER: Not filling back up anytime soon.

LINGERING: Linger Longer Communities says it’s making progress on plans for its Jekyll Island redevelopment, but navigating the environmental laws and public input may be bogging down the process.

UGA: Drops to No. 3 despite staying undefeated, but still has four top-10 teams on its schedule, all SEC foes.

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— Georgia has its own Montauk Monster, and it’s called, simply, Bigfoot. Details will be unveiled Friday, so says Peach Pundit.

— Despite evidence to the contrary, Georgia Politics Unfiltered claims, “There is no sex in the courtrooms of Cobb County Superior Court (or the judge’s chambers for that matter).” Does lesbian sex count?

— Georgia Politics Unfiltered also updates a post from yesterday that hyped today’s political forecast from CQ Politics. CQ’s shocking revelation: In the presidential election, Georgia is “Republican Favored”!

— According to Lucid Idiocy, the food crisis is over. Gov. Sonny Perdue supports biofuels. And the Montauk Monster was spotted drinking margaritas at the Jekyll Island Club. (OK, I made that last one up.)

— Georgia On My Mind has posted photos of the ancient Etowah Indian Mounds. No apparent news there, seeing as how they were built nearly 1,100 years ago. They’re real purty, though.

— Media Matters‘ SpaceyG says she isn’t all that bummed about waking up with John McCain. Political Insider’s Jim Galloway says McCain isn’t all all thrilled about waking up with Ralph Reed. No word on who John Edwards is waking up with.

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Ben Porter, the Macon-area developer who’s weathered a fair share of controversy as chairman of the Jekyll Island Authority, has been replaced by Bob Krueger, a telecommunications executive and current board member. (His bio follows after the jump.) According the the authority’s website, Porter’s term would’ve expired in September 2010.

Porter’s term as chairman has been stormy, to say the least. Linger Longer LLC, the development company behind Reynolds Plantation, envisioned a “town center” project replete with hotels, condos and streetscape designs intended to revamp the state park. Residents throughout the state loudly voiced their disapproval of the proposal, saying it would block public access to one of the park’s most popular beaches and make a visit to the island getaway too expensive for the average Georgian. What resulted was a statewide grassroots movement to fight the plan that ultimately sent the developer back to the drawing board.

I’ve got calls in with the governor’s office to find out more details. More to come.

CLARIFICATION: Perdue’s in China, so we must likely won’t hear from his office. Some folks at the authority did offer some clarification, however. Porter’s term as chairman has ended, but he remains on the authority’s board. The chairman serves for one year; Porter’s stepping down is part of a routine transition, the authority says.

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State Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, fought hard and fast against members of his own party during the most recent legislative session to protect Jekyll Island, the state park and getaway.

The senator earned an Arnie award because he stood up to the powers that be during the legislative session and voiced the wishes of not only his constituents, but those around the state who protested the proposed Linger Longer development that critics said would’ve blocked public access to the beach and made the longtime vacation spot too expensive for the average Georgian.

Chapman released an editorial through the Senate Press Office that, because of space constraints, we may not be able to publish in next week’s print edition of CL. I’m posting the entire letter after the jump.

It’s a good read from a lawmaker, who along with several other legislators such as state Reps. Debbie Buckner, D-Junction City, and Stephanie Stuckey-Benfield, D-Decatur, pushed to preserve the state park.

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“BOOMLET”: Demographers say the high number of U.S. births in 2007, the highest in 50 years, could signal a mini baby boom.

LONG TIME NO SEA: Dylan the sea turtle is finally in the open ocean.

RAIN CHECK: July downpours have barely made a dent in the drought after a hot, dry June. Lake Lanier levels have dropped so much that nighttime tournament fishing is no longer allowed.

A SHOT AT THE DARK: The Jekyll Island Authority is considering an ordinance to restrict outdoor lighting on the island.

HARTSFIELD-JACKSON: Named the most efficient U.S. airport for the third straight year.

DON’T BUILD IT; THEY WON’T COME: Home construction is the slowest it’s been in 17 years.

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JEKYLL: The first new development in three decades on the island, a Hampton Inn, breaks ground Monday.

AERO HEADS: Jacoby Development’s large-scale “aerotropolis” redevelopment of the Hapeville Ford plant could be the southside city’s big break, but commercial real-estate experts say it’s also a big risk.

REVIVAL: State gives $10,000 to proposed new Allman Brothers museum in Macon.

CEASAR MITCHELL: Running for mayor.

TRIALS OF JOB: Mayor Franklin announces she’ll cut another 165 jobs to deal with the budget shortfall.

THE LONG RUN: USA Today profiles the Braves’ baffling inability to win one-run games.

CLASSICAL GAS: Norcross gas station took part in a $1.99/gallon marketing gimmick that had a line of cars waiting 30 minutes or more to fill up.

NICHOLS TRIAL: Judge says it needs to be moved.

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ELECTRIC BUGABOO: Fuel costs, new plant construction and repairing an aging power grid are driving electricity prices up as much as 29 percent in some parts of the country; Georgia Power’s rate hike takes place this month.

CLAYTON: Corrective superintendent John Thompson brings in a second member of his inner circle to help lead Clayton schools out of SACS ire.

BEACH EXCEEDING GRASP: Jekyll Island beach erosion is becoming a problem.

MEX APPEAL: Mexican musical acts are enjoying growing success in Atlanta, as are Clear Channel radio stations VIVA-FM (105.7) and El Patron WBZY-FM (105.3).

SMOLTZ: Despite having just undergone surgery that has ended many pitchers’ careers, and despite being 41, he says he’ll try to pitch again.

MASCOT CASE: Future Olympic cities such as London try to do as Atlanta didn’t when picking a mascot. Says the blue pariah’s creator, graphic designer John Ryan:

I hope that I can prove that I have something else that I will be known for before I die.

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Jim Galloway of That Other Paper’s Political Insider is reporting that the Jekyll Island Authority and Linger Linger Communities, partners in a controversial plan to revitalize the idyllic state park along the coast, have scaled back the design and will not build hotels and condominiums on a public parking lot. Island advocates opposed the concept because they said it would restrict public access to the beach.

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A state House committee narrowly approved a bill that has become an eleventh-hour attempt by concerned legislators and citizens from across Georgia to maintain Jekyll Island’s charm and avoid a controversial 63-acre development they say will both damage the state park and make it less affordable.

The amendment, introduced by state Rep. Debbie Buckner, D-Junction City, was tacked on to SB 367 — a bill sponsored by Sens. Ross Tolleson, R-Perry, and Eric Johnson, R-Savannah — which repeals the Georgia Coastal Management Act’s June 2009 expiration date. The amendment is geared toward keeping the southern end of the island’s beach accessible to visitors.

State Rep. John Heard, R-Lawrenceville, asked if the committee was micromanaging the redevelopment process and usurping power granted to the Jekyll Island Authority, the governor-appointed board that is responsible for the development of the protected island. Buckner said the committee was reacting to the wishes of Georgians concerned with the way that very entity has been operating. Allegations of fuzzy math to determine Jekyll Island’s visitor statistics have been lobbed by residents, islandgoers and politicians alike.

“There have been numerous problems with [the authority's] openness and amenability,” Buckner responded. “It is the public that asked us to come forward with this bill. It is their property.”

The bill now moves to the House Rules Committee, where it may face scrutiny and risk being stripped of Buckner’s amendment. House leaders have already voiced support for seeing Jekyll Island be redeveloped and are wary of disrupting the process.

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MCCAIN/ROMNEY: BFF now.

MALINGER LONGER: State auditor, legislator and citizens’ group disagree with developer’s and island officials’ grim diagnosis of Jekyll Island’s economic condition.

CHORUS OF BOOZE: House committee unanimously votes to attach Sunday alcohol-sales rider to Gwinnett Braves bill; Gov. Perdue has said he’d veto any bill that would endanger Georgia’s world-renowned time-management skills.

WATER WARS: Ga., Ala. and Fla. Dems seize on chance to deride GOP govs for breakdown of water talks.

THE LAKE IS HALF FULL: Allatoona officials optimistic about water level this year.

DELTA: Will start flying daily between Atlanta and Shanghai March 30.

STOMP THE YARD: Fourth annual 212-mile “Peaches to Beaches” yard sale is this weekend.

“INTER-SPECIES REFLOATING TECHNIQUE”: Dolphin saves stranded whales.

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Remember those Jekyll Island bills I wrote about just the other day? Well, they’re dead, killed in a committee yesterday afternoon. In a packed hearing held in the catacombs of the state Capitol — in a room that is literally no larger or accommodating than an airport chapel — members of the state Senate Economic Development Committee voted to scrap the bills of state Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, which would have limited development and ensured availability of affordable units to visitors. The legislators who voted against the committee’s chucking of the bills were Democrats.

The meeting started off awkwardly enough when Sen. Chip Pearson, R-Dawsonville, coldly asked several anti-Linger Longer ladies to move from the first two rows in the tiny committee room to allow members of the Jekyll Island Authority, the governor-appointed board that oversees the state-protected barrier island, to sit down. “Is this the only room?” asked one of the ladies wearing “Save Jekyll Island” buttons. “This is all we got,” Pearson replied. “If you want to wait until next week, we can do that.” Not the best way to get things rolling.

Rep. Debbie Buckner, D-Junction City, has several bills speeding their way through the state House that are related to Jekyll Island. We’ll be following those.