Editor, The Long County Press recently published an article about Nancy McKnew attending the Long County Commission meeting to address the issues concerning Long County Board of Elections Chairwoman Vanessa Cunningham. Commission Chairman Bobby Walker said the matter is under investigation. That was at least the third time this same issue has been brought up at a commission meeting and there definitely is a problem.
In my opinion, from the time the council signed an ethics resolution in October that allowed Ms. Cunningham to bring them up to speed with state law, it has been questioning city clerk Tara Manning’s role in Ms. Cunningham’s pay distribution. The council conveniently doesn’t mention the fact that Mayor Myrtice Warren also went ahead with this contract. Below is a list of things Ms. Cunningham was hired to do:
• Oversee the election
• Create a personnel policy and procedure manual that aligns with all state and federal laws. The rules would be used for creating, amending, revising and adopting policies and procedures relative to personnel operations for the city of Ludowici, with the governing authority’s approval.
• Redistrict the city of Ludowici. This city has not been in compliance since at least the 1970s, so redistricting was no easy task.
 The Oct. 13 Ludowici City Council minutes show where the council hired Ms. Cunningham for redistricting and updating the personnel manual. The October called meeting minutes show the code of ethics resolution adopted. After the election, the Nov. 15 meeting minutes show that there was a demand for the return of the money Cunningham was paid for her services.   
 Once more, it is my opinion that these officials don’t want the changes that Ms. Cunningham would bring about if everything is updated in compliance with the state resolutions and laws. This would all be for the betterment of our city. She also stated that she would be willing to help prepare a city ordinance book at no charge. Before this, the subject of the ordinances was brought up in three different meetings and nothing was done.       

— Janis M. Goode
Ludowici