Hufstetler

THOMASVILLE — In reference to a lawsuit filed by three Thomasville residents last week, Thomasville City Council member David Hufstetler said it is unfortunate that attorneys can file documents with few facts or little evidence.

The council member said all allegations in the lawsuit filed by Geoffrey Young, Howell Ferguson and Kevin Fuchs “are either completely irrelevant to any underlying concern they claim to have and/or patently false. Unfortunately, in our legal system, attorneys are free to file such actions as ante litem notices, lawsuits, etc., with little if any facts or evidence.

“Fortunately for me and the citizens of Thomasville, there comes a time when truth and actual evidence matters,” Hufstetler said, adding that he has painstakingly complied with every open record request filed by any of the plaintiffs individually and through their attorney.

Through the city attorney, Hufstetler said his personal attorney turned over hundreds of pages of requested documents obtained when the council member hired a private IT person to go through his personal computer and personal phone to obtain requested information.

“I also hired a personal attorney to review the documents in conjunction with the city attorney to ensure that any redactions were appropriate and legal,” Hufstetler said in an e-mailed response. “I agreed that if there was any question at all as to communications being public record and/or responsive, to lean heavily towards providing those communications. All these efforts to this point having incurred many thousands of dollars in legal and other fees to myself and the citizens of Thomasville, Georgia. Legal fees incurred by the council as a result of these open records requests are already north of $80,000. My personal expenditures are very near $10,000.”

Hufstetler said had openly predicted that what he turned over would not be enough for plaintiffs.

“As to the reference to the transfer of the Roses property to the PDA (Thomasville Payroll Development Authority), who knew what, when, how? Who cares!? The transfer was in no way illegal or improper. The plaintiffs know this and don’t give a d___mn!” the email states. “This council is simply cleaning up the debacle created by the last council in their ridiculously incompetent attempt to develop that property into a hotel!? Without PDA? The only thing I give this council credit for is knowing that the PDA, along with our city planning department working with Southern Lodging (the hotel developer) is more than capable of seeing this present hotel project to fruition. Make no mistake about it, this hotel project will be a home run, grand slam for all parties! The developers, downtown merchants, the city as a whole, the county, visitors to our fair city, etc., etc., etc.!!!!

The plain truth, Hufstetler said, is “there is a very small, but very vocal group including the named plaintiffs who are incredulous at the mere fact that a common man would have the audacity to run for city council against a member of the elitists who believe that they know better than the overwhelming majority of the voters of Thomasville. And they will stop at nothing to disrupt, obstruct, cause to fail, ANYTHING that could possibly construed as a success by this new council. Be damned whether it is good for the citizenry of Thomasville or not!”

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820