"I've never seen such arrogance," says Cordie Hudkins, Jr.

The former Parks and                                  Recreation Director is                                 referring to the moving                                   of commemorative                                    bricks to the outside                                    of the Valley Park                                  Community Center.

Earlier this year the bricks were removed from an interior wall after alleged and undocumented complaints that they were unsightly and made for an ugly background for wedding pictures.

The bricks were placed in 1989 to honor dozens of financial contributors who helped construct the building with private funds. Suddenly, new Parks and Recreation Director Scott Williamson and new Parks and Recreation Commissioner William A. Byus, III, reported complaints from brides to be that wanted to rent the building for receptions.

PutnamLIVE.com asked Byus and Williamson for copies of the complaints and names of complainants. Both have refused to provide any letters or names.

The removal of the bricks, without a plan for their relocation, spawned heated complaints from contributers at the early June Parks and Recreation Commission meeting.

During that meeting Byus lamely tried to defend their removal as speaker after speaker criticized Byus' board for insensitivity, disrespect, and trying to remove history from the building.

According to Williamson, this wasn't a political issue, however, former Parks and Recreation Commissioners that were removed from the board in a power play by Putnam County Commissioners Steve Andes, Jim Caruthers, and Raymond "Joe" Haynes (who appointed himself as Parks and Recreation Commissioner) aren't buying it. They see it as a "slap in the face" by the new board who are trying to erase their contributions to Putnam County Parks.

"It was unnecessary, it was unwise, and it was arbitrary action by the president of the park board without the knowledge of the board," says former member Frank Nowviskie. "I think the board should have deliberated on the subject and reversed the position. From what I understand by public expression by the board members, they were not aware of the decision. It was done by by the board president without their knowledge."

Knowviskie says his name doesn't appear on the plaques, so he doesn't have a personal tie-in to the issue.

"The board needs to keep faith with those that Not to keep faith with that commitment is a slap in their face," Nowviskie adds. "I respect those members of the current parks commission that is serving. They just need to step up and exercise their rights as a commission and reverse that decision."

"I'm disappointed," says former Parks and Recreation Commissioner Sally Holliday. "We had Gene Fuller's brick there surrounded by greenery, and all. I am disappointed that the frames are gone and that the bricks aren't back on the wall. I am also disappointed that the plaques that honored the major donors are gone. We've lost a sense of dignity and respect that we had when the bricks were mounted on the wall."

Holliday says that the bricks were not made for outside use and may not last because of rain, snow, and heat. "These were meant to be placed indoors, not in the weather," she adds.

"It's a travesty," says former Parks and Recreation Commisioner Jerry Lilly. "It's very disrespectful of the memories of the people represented there."

Nowviskie says the movement of the bricks is about dirty politics and not about the complaints of brides.

"That "Joe" Haynes sits as a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission is a violation of the Park Board's bylaws, is a conflict of interest, and Mr. Haynes should resign from the Park Board to remove any suspicion of undue political influence being exerted on an independent board or commission.

PutnamLIVE.com attempted to reach Haynes for comment on the issue. Haynes rudely hung up the telephone.

Williamson says moving the bricks cost "About $3,000, less than what I thought it would." PutnamLIVE.com asked Williamson for copies of invoices, receipts, and labor records for the project. So far, he has not fulfilled his promise to have an assistant email them to us.

While Byus and Williamson say photography issues were behind the decision to move the bricks, weeks ago, both told PutnamLIVE.com that they never consulted any photographers about options to deal with the situation.

Byus did not return a call seeking comment for this story.

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