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See Section C
Barnes tour
promotes
hoost for
minority
husinesses
By Eileen Rivers
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
s AUGUSTA
-« With their tax dollars, small and
minority owned companies have
been supporting a system from
which they’ve received very little.
According to the latest statistics
from the Georgia Office of Small
and Minority Business these com
panies make up 33 percent of the
state’s tax revenue, yet they only
receive four percent of the state’s
money. Governor Roy Barnes has
declared this lack of funding unac
ceptable, and has embarked on a
plan to close the gap —thefirst top
executive to do so in almost 16
years.
“The governor has said this is
unacceptable and we have to do
better,” according to assistant di
rector to the Office of Small and
Minority Business, Calandria E.
Lee. Ms. Lee and others from her
agency met with small and minor
ity business owners this week.
According to Lee, there are ap
proximately 24,000 small and mi
norityowned businessesin the state
of Georgia. The minority busi
nesses alone make up about 33
percent of the state’s tax base, yet
during the 1998 fiscal year, these
businesses only received four per
cent of the $3 billion spent by state
government agencies.
If minority companies contrib
ute 33 percent to thetax base, they
should get atleast 33 percent back,
Ms. Lee said.
Many minority business owners
blame lack of information and a
previouslack of effort by state agen
cies for the current problem.
Here is how the system works:
minority business owners have to
meet certain state criteria in order
to call themselves either a minor
ity-owned business, a certified mi-
See BUSINESS, page 3A
Thomas buys CBA for $lO million
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Former Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas is buying a majority mk‘:
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‘and plans to reorganize the league. He originally wanted lo’
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xpanded to the point where his company, Isiah International, |
_.aquired the entire league. AP Photo/Duane Burleson . *
Biitorial Leave the rebel flag alone Pigeß\
Commentary A tribute to James Farmer Page §A
Serving Metm&!r: gl!gulgu%f;m&d the Centrupuvmg RyAreuS
New blood revives political club
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Marlon Mcintyre (L) and Charles Walker Jr. are the new leaders of The Augustans. Photoby C. Jones
Sons of two of the most successful local politicians
seek to.make a difference by involving more youth.
By Eileen Rivers
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Two political powers long thought to be rivals
within the city of Augusta have come together and
along with them, they are trying to bring the city’s
young people back to the importance of caring about
their community, and the knowledge that political
involvement can change their everyday lives. -
Marlow MclntyreJr.and Charles Walker Jr. have
revived the Augustans, an orgafiizafion that origi
nally started several years ago under former Au
gusta mayor Ed Mclntyre, Marlow’s father. It is
dedicated to improving the overall quality of life for
allcitizens, especially in the African-American com
munity, through political awareness. Mclntyreand
Walker are now president and vice-president of the
organization respectively and say the inclination to
focus on former political differences was overshad
owed by theimpact the lack of basic political involve
ment had throughout the community.
“This organization is for the betterment of the
community,” explained Walker. “There’s a much
bigger picture here, and we’re focusing on the big
picture.” T '
AUGUST 5 - 11, 1999
The idea started in November when Marlow
Meclntyre Jr. was helping his father with his unsuc
cessful campaign for mayor. During the campaign,
Marlow noticed the lack of interest in politics from
people ages 18 to 35. That’s when he realized
something needed to be done and decided to re
activate the organization.” He immediately called
Walker and they got the ball rolling.
“Ithoughtof asking Charles because I waslooking
for someone about my age, that is known through
out the neighborhood,” explained Marlow Mclntyre.
“Our relationship is not as bad' as people think. I
have known him for about 20 or 25 years and I know
he thinks along the same lines I do. He cares about
improving Augusta.”
Even though his father is taking a somewhat
hands-off approach to the organization now (he
simply oversees the meetings and advises them on
key issues), it is still being run based on five basic
principals: informing young people about local and
national political issues, voter registration, voter
education, candidate endorsements, and effective
fundraising.
“People lost theirlives for the right tovote,” stated
See THEAUGUSTANS
Dr. Shirley Lewis
Paine College’s resident visionary
By Jimmy Carter ’
Special to AUGUSTA FOCUS
AUGUSTA
Five years ago another chapter
was added to the rich history of
Paine College. It received it’s first
woman president, Dr. Shirley A.R.
Lewis. She, along with her hus
band of 36 years whom she always
affectionately refers toasthe “first
brother” of Paine College, Dr. Ron
Lewis, came into our lives. She
came from Nashville, Tenn. where
she served on the board of Higher
Education and Ministry of the
United Methodist Church before
being selected as president.
She had made several trips to
Paine and knew it’s background,
history, and excellent academic
reputation; she was sure what
Paine 'really needed was more
exposure on the national level.
Dr. Lewis believed that her vision
of excellence in education would
blend in with that of Paine Col
d have a positive impact
on the community, along with a
beliefin higher education, increas
ing /access to education to the
undegserved, and good location.
In my 10 years of prowling around
Augusta, I have never seen this:
community embrace anyone like
they have Dr. Lewis. Icall it the
Shirley Lewis magic. When she
walks into a room no matter the
event she always enters with a
smile on her face and makes it a
point to speak to and greet every
one. I asked her why, and with
that ever present smile she plainly
stated, “What else would a college
president be doing but greeting
people and spreading the good
news about Paine College and
educational access; plus, I like
people a lot.”
If you travel along Druid Park
Ave. between the chapel and the
campus you'll notice a new pleas
ing-to-the-eye fence. Paine being
anopen campus, Dr. Lewisis very
security minded about it but she
wanted a fence that would add
beauty. Closing off Paine campus
to the community with a wall was
not an option and she wanted to
channel how people move on and
offcampus. She likes torefer toall
Paine College students as her sons
and daughtz:, and Igetachuckle
every time she says that. There
Is the school hond
windfall bypassing
black contractors?
BRecords indicate
that minority vendors
and contractors are
receiving about 6
percent of the slls
school renovations
and building package.
Some say that’s not
nearly enough.
By Timothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Take alook around. What’sold is
looking good again. Some build
ings are newly built, while others
have been revamped to renewed
splendor. Specifically, we’re talk
ing Richmond County schools.
Buthasthebuilding processbheen
a fair one for all area construction
firms and workers; especially mi
nority firmsandits black workers?
. Wilbert “Butch” Gallop says no.
“Ithasnotbeen fair,and I'llgoon
record saying that,” said theowner
of Gallop & Associates Consulting
Group. “The market in Augusta-
Richmond County is not under
stood.” Gallop further stated that
his role as a mediator and liaison
would have been vital in assisting
Hanscomb/GMK with the selec
tion of minority companies.
The primary reason why
Hanscomb/GMKwaschosenbythe
Richmond County Board of Educa
tion, was due to their track record
of enstiring black or minority com
paniesréceived an equitable share
of work and earnings, primarily
duringthe constructionofthe BMW
auto plant near Spartanburg, S.C.
That fact was confirmed by Gallop
and Gene Sullivan, deputy super
intendent for Richmond County
schools. |
Jeff Baker is program manager
of Hanscomb/GMK, the Columbia,
S.C.-based company hired by the
board: of education to administer
the slls million project to reno-
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Dr. Shirley A.R. Lewis. Photo by Jimmy Carter e
are about 800 to 900 students
around. My heart goes out to the
first brother, Dr. Ron Lewis, who
is himself a learned scholar and
associate professor of sociology at
Paine College. The magic of their
36-year marriage (that smile
again), she says is, “We are an
awful lot alike although a lot of
peopledonot think so. Webelieve
50 CENTS
Cloudy, hot
‘showers, 90s
See Page 6B
U.B. POSTAGE PAID
vate and newly construct county
schools.
In reflecting on work that has
occurred since 1997, Baker said
he’s satisfied with minority partici:
pation and efforts to include black
companies in the work process. I
thewake of concerns whetherequat
opportunity exists for minority
businesses to partake in the schoot
construction project, Baker has no
reservations in relaying his posi
tion regarding fairness. -
“Six percent of ’
whatever the current
figure — it’s just
peanuts...”
— Wilbert Gallop
Gallop & Associates
“In the very beginning, we held
seminars for minority businesses
demonstrating how to bid for
projects, and sent updated sched
ules when contracts were up for
bid: To date, we're at around six
percent of centracts attributed to
minority businesses, excludinggen
eral labor.” Labor statistics, he
added, would make the percentage
even higher but would not serve as
a legitimate gauge of skilled work
which usually command higher
wages. ‘
In response to the six-percent
figure, Gallop retorted by explain
ing that even though the four-year
project has yet to reach its maxi
mum of slls million, “six percent
of whatever the current figure —
it’s just peanuts on a dollar,” he
said.
Thefirst oftwo phasesin upgrad
ing Richmond County schools was
initiated in Nov. 1996. Following a
referendum vote, county voters
passed the multi-million property
bond with school renovation in
mind. A number of old facilities
like Tubman Middle School and
Lucy C. Laney Comprehensive
High School, had not experienced
See SCHOOLS, page 7A
in the same thing like higher edu
cation being accessible. You have
to go the distance with students
and give them the opportunity
that they are taking advantage of,
you have to give ... them a couple
of chances, you have to try to
inspire them to aim high as well
See PAINE COLLEGE, page 4A