NAHUNTA — Members of the Brantley County community gathered Saturday at Honey Buns Café for the regular monthly meeting of Citizens United for Brantley County’s Future.
While the main topic of discussion was ostensibly the contested data center, a decent portion of the meeting became an advocacy session for a group known as Tactical Civics.
Organizer Tonya Tomanek briefly spoke prior to Tactical Civics about ongoing efforts to provide aid to victims of the Hwy 82 fire. She also addressed providing campers and temporary housing for those in need.
Tomanek briefly acknowledged the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) as well, which was present at the meeting, and has been involved for weeks.
“The PSL has been coming up religiously, for like two weeks now at least, from Gainesville (Fla.),” Tomanek said. “I don’t agree with their politics, but that’s besides the point. They’re amazing people, and that’s one thing I really see throughout all this. I don’t know where the hell the government’s at, personally don’t care. We will take care of our own people.”
T.J. King spoke to attendees about the group Tactical Civics, relating to the increased citizen interest in local politics.
“What they are all about,” King said, “is teaching people in the county. All you need is half of one percent of the population to get involved and you can control your government, take your power back.”
According to Tactical Civics website, the organization’s national spokesman, Jeff Calhoun, states it has over 5,000 members in 1,300 counties across the country. The organization presents itself as “We the People” enforcing the original vision of the Founding Fathers.
King echoed the organization’s government-critical message, not just at national, but at the local level.
“The Constitution is the supreme law of the land,” he said. “Every government official, police officer, deputy, chiefs, if you work for the city, any department, you’ve signed the Article 6 oath, guaranteeing you’re going to hold the Constitution above all else.”
King also asserted the average police stop could even be considered a violation of the Constitution.
Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution establishes the supreme authority of the federal government, ensures that the new nation honors its prior financial debts, requires all government officials to take an oath to support the Constitution, and strictly prohibits any religious test for holding public office The conversation quickly moved to the subject of the proposed Brantley data center and landfill.
“I have believed wholeheartedly since day one we were not getting either one of them,” Tomanek said. “However, I have heard from county commissioners who say otherwise, say we’re getting both.
“This is all on us. We’re the only ones to blame. We are the ones that hired and elected these jokers.”
Kat Montgomery from One Hundred Miles addressed the group.
Montgomery spoke about 100 Miles’ efforts to get county moratoriums on data centers passed. She said Glynn County passed a weak ordinance, while Camden County and the City of Kingsland passed moratoriums.
“We have been working with the county to help them draft an ordinance that will protect their community,” Montgomery said. “It’s 100 Miles’ position that an ordinance is supposed to protect you ... it’s the rule that everyone’s supposed to follow.”
Montgomery also told attendees not to expect state-level relief anytime soon. She also stated the county was “not interested” in a moratorium.
Montgomery said she was informed by County Manager Joey Cason that, “If the board decides to move forward, and if they decide to adopt this ordinance, it wil be in the best interest of Brantley County.”
