For all of the good things Mayor Mathews has done for our city, this sure seems like vengeance. Maybe Mr. Ermutlu needs to find better things to do with his time.

Mayor Matthews is a snake in the grass and this will come to light if he is doing something unethical. I can tell you I'm not happy with him as a mayor. I have been a resident of Kennesaw since 2000 and the Mayor and others let a full size basketball court be built in a small townhome right next to mine. The noise level alone is like living next to a play ground and I was told this did not violate any codes well I can tell you I had to move out due to the noise and I can't sell the townhouse. It is also very hard to rent the house when prospect tenants see this huge basketball goal and court in such close proximity. So I hope they nail him and the rest of the so called city officials who are suppose to care and property owners and be public servants.

Ummmmm, Dori Kelley, if there are no laws, codes or ordinances preventing a basketball court from being placed in your neighborhood, exactly what did you expect the Mayor or any other City Official to do? Should Mr Matthews stand out there and personally prevent the kids from playing? I'm sure a lot of youth and their parents in your neighborhood are happy to have a safe place to get to some exercise. Mot of us long term residents are quite happy here in Kennesaw and with the current leadership we have elected.

Both of these comments sound like "sour grapes" complaints. So Dori, you want the Mayor to make an exception for you when there are no covenants regarding Basketball Courts? Instead of complaining why didn't you volunteer to be an active member if your HOA and change the covenants? What makes you so special over your neighbors, or anyone else in the neighborhood? That is the problem with people,they want to play the blame game instead of getting involved and working to make positive changes! This is all so petty!

As for Jenny B and The view from Here I will respond to your emails that there are codes for decibel level noise and every time I called the police like I was told to they would not come out with the device to check the noise level. Also we do not have an HOA for this community it was dissolved many years ago. I have since moved to Marietta where I am a Board member for my HOA and I will make sure that a basketball court does not get built in such close proximity. We are talking about a townhouse people not a house with land. If this had happened to one of you I'm sure your emails would be singing a different tune. I reached the codes and there is a grey area that the city of Kennesaw did not want to validate. I can tell you this if I hired an attorney I could have fought it and I can still fight it but I don't have the money, or the time so I moved out of the house. I welcome both you to come by one day to hear the noise and see the basketball court. Also, there is in the codes which they did not want to recognize "set back " rules and water run off. I now have serious erosion under my fence from these neighbors because there whole yard is concrete with no where for the water to go. This is not petty when I had to move out of my home of 12 years.

Integrity:The quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or professional standard. Mayor Matthews lack all of these qualities. I'm a former employee of the City, who chose to leave to work in the private sector. There are several lawsuits and personal gain going around the City. If nothing is done, the City will fall. Bad decisions are being made and I feel sorry for the employees. Yes, Mark has done some exceptional things but it's time for him to step down. The employees see more than the public eye and it's time.

Integrity - thank you for your post. It just confirms what I already know about the City officials. I was not treated fairly when I had a meeting with them about the codes on decibel levels and a full size basketball court in a town home community. They wanted to brush the subject under the rug because they were afraid that my neighbors would raise a stink. They didn't care about my issue with it, There are codes on the books but there are grey areas and I guess they like the path of least resistance. I disliked the politics of Kennesaw so much that I moved to Marietta and I have many friends that feel the same way and would love to move but can't because of the housing market.

July 7, 7:50 PM

I thought it must be a mistake to read that Metro was taking over the Kennesaw ambulance dispatches starting Sunday at midnight so I phoned the KPD 770 429-4535 and asked if it were true.

It is.

With at least one and perhaps more ethics complaints filed against the Mayor on this topic it seems amazingly foolish to go ahead with the change now.

There was not much to the accidental use of a City email account, there was 'some' substance to perhaps wanting to change to Metro (where he is a senior employee) but by now making the change to Metro, well that seems to confirm that there is an ethics lapse that needs to be looked at ASAP.

I assume that the City Council and in particular Chris Eton, will be having things to say about the matter. I understand that CBS TV is running the story this weekend.

I expect that the Ethics folks will be looking at the Mathews issue with the below in mind:

MALFEASANCE - wrongdoing or improper or dishonest conduct, especially by a person who holds public office or a position of trust.
and
MISFEASANCE - Improper and unlawful execution of an act that in itself is lawful and proper.

We know that the 5 person Ethics Board meets the 3rd Tuesday of October and is appointed by the Mayor and Council, but it is an 'advisory board'.

Who is it that they advise?

Will they 'advise' the Mayor to quit, not do it again or go sit in the corner for ten minutes? Who are these 5 people?

What happens next?

Some reporter will hopefully find out the answers to these questions and put them in print.

John Himot - Thank you for standing up for what you believe in and for what is right ! I have a town home on Sand Wedge Circle off Wade Green/McCollum Rd. I would love for you to come over and see what I have to deal with. I am currently trying to rent out the town home but as soon as someone sees the full size basketball court and they hear all the noise they are quick to say never mind its not for me. Now those same neighbors who couldn't afford a new fence when the old one fell in my yard went and got a dog that barks all the time. I had to pay my handyman to put up a new fence because these low life's didn't want to pay for a fence or split the cost. They also constantly walk through my driveway to get to a neighbors house. I don't know about you but I was taught not to walk on someone's property. Just common sense but what am I saying these people don't have any. Kennesaw used to be since back in 2000 when I purchased my home now I can't stand it. Again, thanks John Himot !

I will ride by soon as I normaly go out that direction a few times a month. What can be done is to support those who think the same as we do when it comes to these types issues. Support who ever is running against Mark and for who ever supports him on the city council.