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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
attempt to celebrate America's open, free society
Dear . Readers,
Imagine that you
are running a busi
ness and you have two dif
ferent groups claiming that
their rights are infringed.
Imagine further that one of
those groups bases its claim
on its religion and that
Federal regulation prohibits
nondiscriminatory policies.
This is exactly the prickly
position in which Harvard
University finds itself.
Educational institutions
receiving Federal funding
must follow special rules.
There are statutes and
regulations governing how
these schools treat different
groups. Most schools of high
er learning must follow these
rules because Federal dollars
are so übiquitous; think of all
Procrastination, languishing and rework
Leaders often ask for help
with time management.
Inevitably, my counsel leads
to First Things First by
Stephen Covey and Roger
and Rebecca Merrill. Though
the entire book is excellent,
pages 32-43 on “Urgency
Addiction” are where I fre
quently turn.
The distinction between
“importance” and “urgency”
is a critical awareness that
allows you to evaluate your
use of time. “Importance”
refers to things you value
and the outcomes vou desire
to accomplish. “Urgency” is
defined by others, based on
what they claim is impor
tant, especially in the short
term. “Now” and “as soon as
possible” are words typify
ing urgency.
Many in our culture
are driven by the urgent
demands from others. Being
aware of what you value and
the outcomes you desire to
generate allow you to make
better choices on how you
use your time.
WALKER
From page 4A
Let me tell you my choice
for “the best legislator in
Atlanta” - and, by “best,” I
OUR FORCE
Two complete basic military training
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SMITH
Special to the Journal
Air Force Airman Stephen
T. Smith has graduated from
basic military training at
Lackland Air Force Base,
San Antonio, Texas. During
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the student loan money used
to pay for tuition! Thus, it is
almost impossible to avoid
government prohibitions and
restrictions.
Harvard is in a pickle
because a small group of
Muslim women feel uncom
fortable exercising in a co
educational environment. As
you may be aware, certain
Muslim women feel that it is
Building Future Leaders
Important and urgent.
Sometimes an issue is so
critical, anyone would con
sider it an emergency. Many
organizations function based
on “crisis management.”
As soon as one disaster is
handled, attention moves
to address or minimize the
next crisis.
Important but not
urgent. Much of what
deserves your attention
doesn’t have a deadline. You
know you should do it, but
nothing is driving you to
address the situation. Such
activities include prepara
tion, planning, preventive
maintenance, and building
mean the most effective. My
answer: Senate President
Pro Tempore, Eric Johnson.
Eric voluntarily gave up
power when Casey Cagle
became Lt. Governor, and
he gained stature when he
the six weeks of training,
Smith studied the Air Force
mission, organization, and
military customs and courte
sies; performed drill and cer
emony marches, and received
physical training, rifle marks
manship, field training exer
cises, and special training in
human relations. Smith is
the son of Thomas M. Smith
of Culpepper Road, Perry.
He is a 2007 graduate of
Warner Robins High School.
■ Army Pfc. Cody J. Flood
has graduated from basic
infantry training at Fort
Benning, Columbus.
During the nine weeks of
training, the soldier received
training in drill and ceremo
nies, weapons, map reading,
tactics, military courtesy, mil
L Honor your Administrative Professional or
w Secretary by thanking them for all that
i- they do! Surprise them with an ad on our
special Secretary’s Day page.j^A
Runs in the fSK
$& ° /
pious ton iionu' .IJournal
3 on April 33, 3008
a violation of their religious
tenets to bare any of their
skin in public to men to whom
they are not married. Thus,
these women will wear a full
body “burqa,” with headgear
in public. In some extreme
ly strict cultures, even the
face is required to be fully
covered with a veil cover
ing. Obviously, some Muslim
women cannot comfortably
exercise around men.
If these women were
being actively discriminated
against, such as not being
permitted to wear religious
garb at the gym, the prob
lem would be simple. Such a
policy is discriminatory and
would have to be changed.
Fortunately, or unfortunate
ly, that is not the situation.
The problem is that poten
Jim
Rockefeller
Attorney,
Rockefeller
Law Center
relationships. Inattention
ultimately leads to urgency!
Not important but
urgent. This is where
much of the opportunity for
improving time management
is focused. The interruptions
and the pressing issues that
are right in front of you
dictate your attention. You
often feel that if you can just
wade through the shallow
sea of “stuff,” then you can
get on with what’s really
important. But when you
complete one item, the next
demand is waiting for you!
Not important and not
urgent. Typically, when I
describe this category, lead
ers say, “Oh, this is not a
problem for me. I don’t
watch television, and I don’t
waste my time with other
‘escape’ activities.”
Let me share a terrific
new insight I gained this
week. I felt some discomfort
with my own performance.
My analysis revealed that
this fourth category of usage
includes some deceiving time
Dennis
Hooper
Leadership
Development
Coach
did this. There must be a
lesson here.
Yes, I picked a Senator
and a Republican, too!
Funny how your perspec
tive sometimes changes
when you’ve been gone for
itary justice, physical fitness,
first aid, and Army history,
core values and traditions.
Additional training included
development of basic combat
skills and battlefield opera
tions and tactics, and experi
encing use of various weap
ons and weapons defenses
available to the infantry
crewman.
He is the son of Kimberly
Reeves of Pyles Road, Elko,
and a 2005 graduate of Perry
High School.
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tial solutions alienate differ
ent groups. If nothing is done
to accommodate the religious
practices of these women,
they can claim they are being
discriminated against. If the
women are permitted exclu
sive use of the gym, Harvard
men can claim they are dis
criminated against; men are
entitled to have access to the
gym, as well as these Muslim
women.
In theory, this situation is
not unique to a college. There
are certainly women who pre
fer to exercise in a women
only environment, although
not necessarily because of
religion. They pay to join a
private gym that caters just
to them. There is nothing
illegal about this. A “private”
entity (as opposed to a “pub
consumption.
When I’ve assessed use of
time in the past, I typically
evaluate explicit activities.
However, I’ve concluded that
the “not important and not
urgent” category is where
disguised time usage hides.
Opportunities for improve
ment exist here that I’ve not
considered before.
Suppose you spend time
thinking about a task you
should do, but you never
quite get around to it. Those
minutes spent procrastinat
ing fit into this “not impor
tant and not urgent” cat
egory.
Let’s say you complete a
ten minute task, but it takes
you twenty minutes. Into
what category would you put
the extra ten languishing
minutes? (I never intend to
be slothful, but I admit that
I don’t always work with
full vigor and vitality! Mom
called it “lollygagging.” You
might call it “taking your
time.”)
Imagine that you work on a
a while.
Ordinance No. 2008-
t
CITY OF CENTERVILLE
STATE OF GEORGIA, COUNTY OF HOUSTON
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF “CENTERVILLE” GEORGIA INCREAS
ING SALARIES PAID TO THE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY BY AMENDING CITY ORDI
NANCE SECTION 2-27 ’’Compensation”, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the City of Centerville, as provided for by the laws of the State of Georgia and
as authorized by City Charter, Section 9, constitute the legislative department of the City’s government; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the City of Centerville, in Section 2-27 of the Centerville Code of Ordinances,
had previously set compensation rates for the Mayor and Council as follows;
(1) Mayor. The mayor of the city shall be compensated for services to the city in the amount of $4,800.00, annually,
payable in monthly installments of $400.00.
(2) Councilmembers. Each city councilmember shall be compensated for services as a councilmember in the amount
of $2,400.00, annually, payable in monthly installments of $200.00; and
WHEREAS, the compensation of the Mayor and Council has. not changed since January 1, 1990; and
WHEREAS, the Official Code of Georgia, Annotated, §36-35-4(a)(l) provides that compensation of the Mayor and
Council shall not be effective until after the taking of office of those elected at the next regular municipal election which is
held immediately following the date on which the action to increase the compensation was taken; and
WHEREAS, the next regular municipal election will be held on November 3, 2009; and
WHEREAS, the Official Code of Georgia, Annotated, §36-35-4(a)(2) provides that no action to increase the compensa
tion of the Mayor and Council may be taken during the period of time beginning with the date that candidates for election to
membership on the municipal governing authority may first qualify as such candidates and ending with the date members of
the municipal governing authority take office following their election; and
WHEREAS, the date that candidates for election to membership on the municipal governing authority may first qualify
as candidates in the next regular municipal election, to be held on November 3,2009, will be set by the City s Election Super
intendant within the time prescribed by law; and the date that those elected to membership on the municipal governing
authority on November 3, 2009 shall take office is January 1, 2010; and
WHEREAS, no action to increase the compensation of the Mayor and Council was taken during the period of time
beginning on the first date set by the City’s Election Superintendant for qualifying as a candidate in the November 3, 2009
municipal election and ending on January 1, 2010; and
WHEREAS, the Official Code of Georgia, Annotated, §36-35-4(a)(3) provides that no action to increase the compen
sation of the Mayor and Council may be taken until notice of intent to take the action has been published in a newspaper of
general circulation designated as the legal organ in the county and in the municipal corporation at least once a week for three
consecutive weeks immediately preceding the week during which the action is taken; and
WHEREAS, notice of intent to increase the compensation of the Mayor and Council was published in the Houston
Home Journal during the weeks of March 10, 2008; March 17, 2008; and March 24, 2008; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance was first read in a regular, open meeting of the Governing Authority of the City of Center
ville on April 1, 2008 and was next read in a regular, open meeting of the Governing Authority of the City of Centerville on
April 15, 2008; then
THEREFORE, be it ordained that City Ordinance Section 2-27 is hereby amended as follows;
Effective January 1, 2010, the compensation for the mayor and council shall be as follows:
(1) Mayor. The mayor of the city shall be compensated for services to the city in the amount of $7,200.00. annually,
payable in monthly installments of $600.00.
(2) Councilmembers. Each city councilmember shall be compensated for services as a councilmember in the amount
of $3,600.00, annually, payable in monthly installments of $300.00.
THEREFORE, be it further ordained that City Ordinance Section 2-27 is hereby as stated above.
CONFLICTING ORDINANCES: In the event that any ordinance, or any part thereof, of the City of “Centerville”,
Georgia is in conflict herewith, this ordinance shall have preference.
SEVERABILITY: If any provisions of this ordinance be held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions
which can be given effect without the invalid provision, and to this end the provisions of this ordinance are declared to be
severable.
SO ORDAINED, this 15th day of April, 2008, by majority vote of the Governing Authority at a regular, open meeting
of the Mayor and Council of Centerville with a quorum being present at the meeting.
tom.
BY:
MAYOR HAROLD M. EDWARDS, JR.
CAMERON W. ANDREWS. COUNCILMAN
ROBERTA. SMITH, JR„ COUNCILMAN
606^2
he” one) can legally discrim
inate on gender, except in
employment decisions; this
is why Augusta National can
remain a male-only Club. A
private entity cannot, how
ever, discriminate based on
race, even at a golf course.
Again, Harvard accepts fed
eral monies, which makes the
school subject to federal law.
The solution that Harvard
came up with is to have cer
tain limited hours where the
gym is open only to women.
This compromise may pre
vent a legal fight, as it might
be considered reasonable and
non-discriminatory.
We live in a pluralistic soci
ety; we have laws and rules
to ensure that minorities can
live their lives without hav
ing the majority impose its
project. Later, you learn that
for quality reasons, you have
to do it again. The rework
might then be urgent, but
those hours spent the first
time are categorized some
where!
Procrastination, languish
ing, and rework are detri
ments to the effective use
of your time. I had applied
only blatantly low-produc
tivity behaviors into the
“not important and not
urgent” category. I am now
also aware of these three
hidden time consumers that
are neither important nor
urgent!
Examine yourself. Become
Assessing Your
Leadership Skills
-SBS/person
—35%n
! D
I
CITY OF “CENTERVILLE”, GEORGIA
SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2008 ♦
will on them. Sometimes we
have some interesting situa
tions - like the one Harvard
is facing. Harvard has chosen
a middle ground to resolve
its problem. Is this the
best decision? Will it work?
Maybe, maybe not. Either
way, it’s an attempt to cel
ebrate America’s open and
free society.
Local attorney Jim
Rockefeller owns the
Rockefeller Law Center and
is a former Houston County
Chief Assistant District
Attorney, and a former
Miami Prosecutor. E-mail
confidential legal questions
to ajr@rockefellerlawcenter.
com. Visit www.rockefeller
lawcenter.com for Frequently
Asked Questions and Jim’s
blog, The Rockefeller Report.
aware of the extent to which
your work is carelessly
deferred, done with little
intensity, or performed such
that additional time will be
required to improve its qual
ity.
Dennis Hooper welcomes
your thoughts on this per
spective! Call him at 478-
988-0237. Also, take a look at
his new website at building
futureleaders.com. Or e-mail
him at dhooper2@juno.com.
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Building leaders and
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i
(478) 988-0237 dhooper2jcDjuno.com'
EDWARD R. TUCKER, COUNCILMAN
RANDALL WRIGHT, COUNCILMAN
ATTEST:
KRISTA BEDINGFIELD, CITY CLERK
5A
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