Dear Commissioner Wooten – 4th District,
In the August 15 BOC meeting, Commissioner, you shared your personal version of Putnam County. You describe a growing county and a place to call home for its citizens. You shared a hope that your children would soon return to the county and make Eatonton their home. Your hopes and dreams are like many other Putnam County citizens who live here.
The problem is that many are not living your version of Putnam County anymore, and their dreams are fading. When you live in the proximity of an STR, you no longer live in the Putnam County you describe. You listen to loud and sometimes vulgar music until all hours of the night. You are always on heightened alert, worried about who has invaded the home around you.
They fight, cuss, drink, smoke all types of things, and have no concern for the people in your neighborhood. They park in your grass; they walk in your yard believing they have some right to no boundaries. If you dare question their behavior, you quickly become aware that retaliation is a real possibility.
Commissioner Wooten, do you really think your children want to live as many residents do? Do you understand what it’s like to apologize to guests about the behavior going on at a STR? Where do mothers bring their children indoors because of the behavior they witness? No, not every renter is bad, but there are enough bad experiences to deny your version of Putnam County!
I find it offensive and disrespectful that you agreed to increase the number of STRs and then brag about how great a place Putnam County is for your family. In multiple open public meetings, you were in support of restricting the number of STRs and the number of their occupants. Why did you change your mind behind closed doors and double the number of licenses? Why did you agree to grandfather the number of occupants? The high number of occupants is the main problem of STRs.
Commissioner Wooten, your version of Putnam County is a failing dream if you do not commit to restricting these unmanaged and unregulated hotels.
And one more thing, you and the other commissioners, RESPOND TO YOUR EMAILS!
Erin Olson, Putnam County