The Albany Beat

Goddard Dispute Continuing
Albany taxpayers are ultimately going to pay a big price in the Matty Goddard case, which is still under deliberation; it’s just a matter of how much it’s going to cost us. It was nearly 2½ years ago that then-Civic Center director Goddard got the worst performance evaluation in world history from City Manager Alfred Lott – a score of 0 out of 100. With the next-worst score of all 900-plus city employees was about 45, Ms. Goddard, according to Lott -- who was new to town and barely had even introduced himself to Ms.Goddard -- was about as effective in her job as a corpse. Naturally, Ms. Goddard was soon fired without being given the standard performance improvement plan required in city of Albany human resources policy. Ms. Goddard sued, claiming she was treated unfairly because of her gender, age and her race. (She and Lott are both African-American.) Instead of taxpayers footing the bill for Lott’s policy-breaking City Commission-influenced ouster of Ms. Goddard, it only seems fair to that Mayor Willie Adams and Commissioners Bob Langstaff and Tommie Postell donate their recently enhanced salaries for the cause. It is those three who called for and have celebrated Ms. Goddard’s ouster, saying the end was justified by the means.

In Dougherty, it’s … Romney?
Maybe February will hold a different story, but as of a few weeks ago, the Barack Obama money train hadn’t hit Southwest Georgia – or any other area of the state outside of Atlanta , for that matter. Indeed, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney had raised more money ($5,600) than any of his foes from either party through Feb. 1. That compares to $818,793 that Obama had raised in Fulton County ; $36,450 Republican candidate Rudy Guliani had raised in Chatham County ; and $27,000 and $19,730 former Democratic candidate John Edwards had raised in Muscogee and Clarke counties, respectively. In the counties contiguous to Dougherty County , the leaders were: Republican John McCain, Mitchell ($5,100), Lee ($750) and Baker ($51); Terrell, Republican Ron Paul ($2,763); and Calhoun, former Republican candidate Fred Thompson ($300). Grady is among 26 Georgia counties in which no presidential candidates reported collecting any money.

New CEO at MagGregor
Albany ’s MacGregor Golf Co. has appointed Michael J. Setola as its new president and CEO. Setola, who replaces former company head Barry Schneider, most recently served as president of Oxford Industries, an apparel business whose brands include Tommy Bahama. “He is a proven leader with extensive industry experience and expertise, in addition to being a proficient strategic planner,” Greg Norman, the company’s chairman, said of Setola. MacGregor, which was founded 109 years ago, creates golf equipment including MACTEC drivers and Bobby Grace putters that are marketing under the MacGregor brand. The company says it generates about $150 million in annual revenues.

Morgan: Fast times ahead?
Veteran Albany-area race car driver Donnie Cheney is building a speedway on Georgia 45 three miles north of Morgan and 20 miles west of Albany . Cheney says that his Calhoun County Motor Speedway will be three-eighths of a mile, similar to the Talladega Short Track. A contractor, Cheney owns the land, which he says is too poor to grow pine trees. Cheney hopes to have the track open this summer.

Live marathon coverage
Cumulus Broadcasting’s Mix 107 WEGC-FM will have street correspondents reporting live during Saturday’s Snickers Marathon Energy Bar Marathon. How fun! The station will broadcast party and dance music – live from downtown with Bobby Powell, and live from the station’s studio with Jay Wachs and Jazzmine Phoenix. Downtown merchants will serve as street correspondents by calling the station throughout the marathon, which begins at 7 a.m. And until noon, the station will be heard at various points along the marathon route.

Albany Marine on the tube
U.S. Marine 1st Sgt. William E. Bodette Jr., who is stationed at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, is scheduled to appear and commentate on Battle 360, a 10-part series on the History Channel. The series airs begins Friday and ends May 2; it airs at 10 p.m. Filmed by Flight 33 Productions in Hollywood , Calif. , Battle 360 is a series of stories about the World War II aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. Bodette also was featured in a History Channel program, “Shootout: The Hunt for Bin Laden.”