Court rules that sheriff candidate does reside in county

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Staff Writer
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Tuesday, June 12. 2012
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A Banks County couple questioned whether sheriff candidate Carlton Speed resides in the county and a court official ruled Tuesday that he is a county resident.

At a hearing on Tuesday afternoon, Banks County Clerk of Courts Tim Harper ruled that based on the evidence presented that Mr. Speed is a resident of Banks County.

Betty Archer Ayers and Robert Ayers, who represented themselves at the hearing, filed a letter on June 5 contesting Speed’s residency in the county.
Speed lives on the Banks/Franklin county line.

Banks County Probate Judge Betty Thomas recused herself from hearing the case due to a possible conflict of interest.

Thomas said, “Since I was the one that qualified him and I am a candidate also, I felt it would be best if I didn’t hear the case.”

Thomas said Mrs. Ayers stated that Speed’s house is not situated in Banks County, so therefore he is not a resident of Banks County.

Thomas said Speed pays property tax in Banks County and he is a registered voter in Banks County.
Banks County Attorney Randall Frost was also present to hear the evidence.
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#1 concerned citizen on 06/12/12 at 04:09 PM [Reply]
I hope this ruling will put this issue to rest so Mr. Speed can continue as a candidate for sheriff. I also wish those two other people would learn that they cannot control the county, state or world because there are laws to do that.
#2 shakingmyhead on 06/12/12 at 04:13 PM [Reply]
Guess we can tell where Ms. Ayers's vote is NOT going!
#3 Another concerned citizen on 06/12/12 at 05:54 PM [Reply]
This "COUPLE" causes all the trouble they can !!! Maybe they will move on to something else now. I do not understand such bitterness, or the need to control Banks County. I would not want them to support me, if I were a candidate. One of them should have qualified for county Surveyor. They seem to worry a lot about land lines. This is not the first time they have accused a person of being in Franklin Co. I wish they were in Franklin Co. (GERMANY)
#4 Concerned BC Resident on 06/12/12 at 07:58 PM [Reply]
I find this article very troubling. If there is indeed a question of Mr. Speed's residency, is the Clerk of Court the proper authority to render a judgement on the issue? I to pay property taxes in Banks County but also in two other surrounding counties. Until recently, I was registered to vote in my parents district where I previously lived. I am certainly not proposing that Mr. Speed does not live in the county, I have no clue. It seems to me if citizens are concerned with Mr. Speed's residency a more formal investigation should be conducted to erase all doubt. I certainly do not want to elect a Banks County Sheriff who resides in another county.
#4.1 really?? on 06/13/12 at 08:42 AM [Reply]
I find your post troubling!! What would you suggest?? Perhaps SUPREME COURT RULING on this ?? This is a waste of taxpayers money to investigate such a stupid claim. Sounds like dirty politics. Maybe you can figure out where YOU reside. I too live near a county land line, BUT I pay lots of $$$$ to call Banks COunty my county of residence. Maybe the "COUPLE" should GET A LIFE!!!!!
#4.2 concerned citizen on 06/13/12 at 08:42 AM [Reply]
If you read the Georgia law for handling the protest of a county candidate, this is the law for which it is to be to carried out. This was a a formal legal hearing. Mr Speed presented all certified records from Banks County as to his being a resident as well as a letter from Franklin County stating he was not a resident of their county. The Ayers' information only consisted of copies of Google maps printed from a home computer showing a purposed county line. We all know the Google maps are not certified maps. Hope this puts your doubts to rest and you will vote for a very good and honest person thats wants to be your next sheriff.
#4.2.1 concerned citizen 10 on 06/18/12 at 11:44 PM [Reply]
I would not consider even voting for this big fat cat.
#4.2.1.1 OH MY!!!! on 06/20/12 at 09:29 AM [Reply]
Well then vote for GUMMY the DUMMY.
#4.3 Ron Hooper on 06/17/12 at 10:14 AM [Reply]
I do not know any of the folks here but have noticed in the past that some candidates relocate there residents to allow themselves to run for office in a different county. That makes me wonder about the job they were doing in the county they lived in before the election and why they had to relocate to get elected. I am sure this is not the case in this situation but it is good to keep it in mind when you vote for a candidate.
#5 On the Line too on 06/12/12 at 10:16 PM [Reply]
hmmmm strange that someone actually thought he wouldn't be a resident just because he lives on the line. I live on the line too kids across the street go to Franklin mine Banks.. I pay Banks County Taxes this was a waste of our Banks County Tax dollars really not very smart...
#6 Really...Nothing better to do on 06/12/12 at 11:12 PM [Reply]
Do the Ayers have nothing better to do? They are the same group of people associated with the tea party, and other firefighters who think they control the county and elected officials.

Here's an idea, why don't the Ayers move somewhere else. We just don't need someone like this constantly causing taxpayers money. I'll bet they have all their property in conservation use so they don't pay much in taxes but use the system more than any.

Who else have you ratted on Mrs. Ayers?
#7 Anonymous on 06/13/12 at 12:13 AM [Reply]
You think they are worried that Mr. Speed will beat who they want for Sheriff. Looks to me they want a School Resource Officer who has 10 years under his belt and has managed a few folks and a million $ budget. I live on the line as well and have a Commerce address, but live in Banks Co. Some folks are always wanting to start something.
#8 Anonymous on 06/13/12 at 01:16 AM [Reply]
i think that there is no question that carltion lives in banks county his routeing adress is why waste money and time on such stupied stuff.
#9 Irritated in BC on 06/13/12 at 10:27 AM [Reply]
The timing of this very public questioning is important to look at here. Seems that if this were indeed a legitimate question to have been raised that it would have been brought up much earlier, like following the announcement of the list qualified candidates. More likely, another candidate is concerned that Mr. Speed is either closing in on the vote gap between them or they are simply trying to discredit the competition by raising doubt. This "couple" will most probably be determined to be "shills" for the candidate they support.
#10 anonymous on 06/13/12 at 10:33 AM [Reply]
So does this mean that this couple will be made to reimburse the county for this witch-hunt for this waste of the taxpayer's money and the involvement of the county's legal system? Also thought that the burden of proof was on the accuser, not the accused. This whole thing is just wrong.
#11 bcmaps on 06/13/12 at 11:19 AM [Reply]
Dear Mr. Robert and Mrs. Betty Ayers,

Please visit bankscountymaps.com, click Search Records, click the 'Yes, I accept the above statement' link, click the 'Search by Owner Name' link, enter 'Speed' in the 'Owner Name' box and press the button located below the box. You'll see 2 addresses adjacent to each other on Wells Road. One is for poultry houses and the other is for the Speed family residence. You can then click on the corresponding 'Map It' button for each address. By doing that you can see for yourselves that both addresses are located in Banks County.


Since you were obviously too ignorant to find this information yourselves, this is how you could have seen that Carlton Speed does indeed live in Banks County. Please make note that this could have been done at no charge to anyone. You could have saved Banks County taxpayers the expense of involving it's legal system by using this free service that taxpayer money has already reserarched.

It is disturbing that you chose instead to "stir the pot" with clearly with such an unfounded and unresearched accusation. Especially so as your supposed evidence presented was provided by Internet sources.
#12 concerned citizen 10 on 06/14/12 at 05:25 AM [Reply]
Seems to me that this needs further investigating because his dwelling is a lot further than just on the line. Seems like it was not researched enough by the property owner,
#13 Anonymous on 06/18/12 at 01:06 PM [Reply]
No Ron, this is not the case here. The Speeds have lived in Banks County for over 15 years. The Ayers just was trying to say their house was over the line in Franklin County which it was declared to be in Banks County.
#14 blcrmbh on 06/28/12 at 05:56 PM [Reply]
Bozo's before you make any allegations again do your research first!! That way your ignorance's doesn't show and tax payers money is not wasted.......
#15 Bewildered! on 07/10/12 at 05:39 PM [Reply]
Ladies and Gentlemen:

I have no clue who Carlton Speed is or where he lives. I don't know if he lives in Banks County or not but I do know that the Buffoons in the 911 center named a major state highway 51N and 51S when the State of Georgia and the laws of nature dectate it East and West thus causing massive confusion to outside entities. If Banks County has so little sense as to declare Nature wrong, they can easily declare a citizen incorrectly as well. And I know for a fact at the point where 51NORTH (for the buffoons) enters Franklin County, the signs were moved a few hundred feed back toward Homer several years ago. Thus, the understood county line was not actually the county line. Mistakes happen and can be fixed. You can't fix stupid (Banks County???)
#15.1 Anonymous on 07/26/12 at 11:39 AM [Reply]
You ARE Bewildered, clearly. The national system states that interstates and roads are classified by the last digit of the number unless it is a loop or bypass. Hence all the interstates running east-west are even numbers and north-south are odd numbered. The beginning to end of the road is classified based on the primary direction it moves regardless of which way you are facing while driving on any section. If the road name changed for each curve it went around we would all be as confused as you are.
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