To the Editor: I read the letter by Dick Morrow with semi great interest. He seems to not understand that when a business obtains their business license, then is the time to be told what the signage fees are and pay them there, not be interrupted during a business day by their version of the KGB, who are known as code enforcement who come out and tell you that you either take down items not approved and licensed or be fined for having them.

Handing you a warning ticket with the words five days to correct lined out in pen. The person from this department who came out has the tact of a German shepherd who has not had their rabies shot.

Why doesn’t the city handle all this at the time of licensing, thus saving the business owner much frustration? That was most of my frustration while I am trying to make an honest living have to spend considerable time dealing with this foolishness instead of doing what I do best.

Mr. Morrow wouldn’t even return my email when I wrote to him about this issue. How can an elected official expect to stay elected when they don’t respond to those who elect them to office? It would be much easier for those operating businesses within the city boundaries to be told all this up front when they obtain their business licenses and resolve these issues prior to code enforcement coming out and ruining what was otherwise a good day for us. The people issuing the license we are told were suppose to inform my wife of the sign licenses or permits, but that didn’t happen.

My other complaint was that having to pay per quarter for a banner instead of once a year. It shouldn’t matter if the banner changes from time to time, and a fee of $140 a year is outlandish. The city has a high unemployment rate, but with these fees who can afford to hire and train an employee? Yet the city doesn’t seem to get this or care as long as they keep getting money from businesses.

It is wrong to charge for about every little thing a person or business does in this town. It is as bad as trying to force people to pay a pet license fee, which was vetoed by the public outcry of objection. When the cost of business keeps getting higher and higher each year, how can the employment rate in this town improve?

This city needs a change in leadership in all levels and referring to the Citizens Academy Mr. Morrow proposes we attend, this is the city’s way to attempt to convince citizens that what they do is in the people’s best interest, but how can this be when we are asked to foot the bill for an airport most of us won’t be able to use, and a senior center we are also going to foot the bill for?

I have no objection to a senior center, but when will it end for those of us paying taxes to pay for all these things most of us won’t even be able to use. From what I can see the airport’s primary function is to house privately owned planes that otherwise would have to land at Hartsfield-Jackson. I have not seen a United Airlines or Delta plane nor do I think these airlines even operate from this airport. So who is the airport for? Again, most likely for city officials and their friends who own airplanes.

I looked at the Airport Authority page on the city website and the minutes and agenda posted are from 2011 and prior, nothing recent. I have to wonder who are the city officials truly looking out for. It doesn’t seem to be the citizens of Griffin who pay their salaries.

Again I say this city needs a change in leadership.

HARRY GREENE

Griffin resident