1. Mr. Epps asked for a raise amid financial problems while on the board.

If you will reference the article Mr. Freeman so graciously provided to the media, Harris Floyd, shortly after taking office, asked then representative Birdsong for a raise for the commissioners. This was done by Mr. Floyd and not the board and it had not been discussed by the board. However, if will check the voting records, Mr. Freeman has voted to give himself a raise every year he has been in office and I don't think our state has ever been in a bigger financial crisis.

2. Mr. Freeman states that Mr. Epps gave contracts to his family business at the detriment of the county while in office. Spending SPLOST money marked for another purpose.

SPLOST money is tightly regulated by the state, the auditors, and the legal system. No contracts are awarded to anyone without proper bid process. When Mr. Epps took office he contacted the Attorney Generals office to get a clear interpretation of bidding because his family's company had always bid on work. Mr. Epps was told as long as the proper bid process was followed there was no problem whatsoever. His family's business had done work in the county since their beginning. However, anytime there was a bid involving paving for which his family submitted a bid, he recused himself from the vote. There were many other companies paving in the county at the same time and his family's company was not always the low bid. So contrary to Mr. Freeman's statement, Mr. Epps' company did not do all the work in the county. Ultimately, it is opinion as to the efficiency of SPLOST spending, but no illegal acts were performed by anyone. The board at that time wanted to build a new courthouse and so purchased land and broke ground because they felt the present courthouse was unsafe and was too costly to restore. Today, the courthouse has many structural problems and is constantly a financial burden because of its exorbitant repairs.

3. Another question presented by some of Mr. Freeman's supporters was the fact that Mr. Epps' wife was on the commission board and he served on the Development Board.

If you will check the records when Mrs. Epps took office as a commissioner, Mr. Epps resigned from the Development board because he did not want there to be a problem. The board tried to get him to stay because he was a vital member of the board, but he did not.

4. Mr. Freeman alledged that Mr. Epps did not seek re-election because he was faced with sure defeat.

The real reason Mr. Epps did not seek re-election was because of his Uncle Winfred Epps' death, a partner in the family business, who died of a heart attack shortly before Alton Epps, Bubber Epps' father, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Mr. Epps had to devote time to the family business in that period of time. The next year, Jae Epps graduated from the University of Georgia and came home to help out with the family business because of his grandfather's illness. In July of that year, Alton Epps died with cancer, and Jae and his father have continued to run the family business, providing jobs for Middle Georgians. Mr. Epps is presently retired and his son Jae runs the business.

So many people have called us to encourage us in this time and have said not to pay attention to any of this inaccurate publicity, calling it “just politics.” Politicking is acceptable, but attack of someone's family and character without accountability is outside integrity. We will not be derailed by these attacks.

Important Notes:

For the record, Mr. Epps and Mr. Freeman were in a forum on Monday night. The rules clearly stated no personal attacks but Mr. Freeman tried to bring the aforementioned issues up and attack Mr. Epps.

Bubber spells his name with an 'er' because his grandmother gave him the name and that's the way she chose to spell it.

For any other information pertaining to this matter please contact Mr. Epps @ 743-9901 or 214-1761. He would love to explain anything in his past and give answers to any questions you may have.