Newspaper Page Text
— Griffin Daily News Friday, Novembers 1977
Page 6
Here are the candidates and what they think
Sid James Beeland
Below are the responses from those candidates who replied to a questionnaire by the League of Women Voters. The candidates and their replies are in alphabetical
order with city commissioner candidates’ responses first followed by the county commission candidates’ responses. Some candidates did not respond.
1. Discuss the joint city/county projects you would support, i.e., recreation, library, water, sewage,
industrial authority, planning and zoning, airport, law enforcement, other.
Beeland
I would continue the joint city
county support of the
recreation program and would
like to see more recreational
facilities provided in outlying
county areas. I would also
continue support of the library
program. I am in favor of
looking deeper into the
feasibility of a joint city-county
jail. Many of the city prisoners
usually are turned over to
county within a few days
anyway. Such a project could be
beneficial to both city and
county budgets. An effective and
meaningful industrial authority
can only exist as a joint city
county project, and an in-
2. What should the city’s role be in the revitalization of downtown Griffin?
Beeland
I firmly believe the city
government should be the
leader in the revitalization of
downtown. I plan to make this
one of my primary concerns. I
want to know the availability of
any federal funds for this en
deavor. I don’t think that the
3. Discuss strengths and/or weaknesses of the various boards to which the City Commissioners
make appointments.
»
Beeland
As this time, I have no
significant comments to make
concerning this topic. But I am
aware of some of the activity
concerning the various boards.
Cone
I would need to have a list of
r
1. Discuss the joint city/county projects you would support, i.e., recreation, library, water, sewage,
industrial authority, planning and zoning, airport, law enforcement, other.
Bearden
I support joint City-County
projects as it would give
equitable distribution of ser
vices and avoid duplication of
services.
(a) Fire Protection: We need
County-wide fire protection.
(b) Recreation Facilities: We
need a community facility in
each quadrant of the county.
(c) Library: I support on a
per capita basis of city-county
residents. Eliminate regional
status and service only in
Spalding County.
(d) Airport: Central airport to
accommodate small jets. There
should be multi-county
cooperation, Spalding, Henry,
Butts, Pike and Lamar.
(e) Law Enforcement: We
need county-wide police
protection.
(f) Water & sewerage: We
need county-wide water and
sewerage.
(g) Planning and Zoning
Industrial Authority: We need a
planning board and Industrial
Development combined. We
City candidates
FF;
Em mitt Cone
dustrial authority could
probably be more effective if
the city and county govern
ments adopted a “hands-off”
policy. Both governments
should be kept informed of
activity by such a body and
when called upon become
involved. I think there is some
merit in the study of a joint city
county water and sewage
authority as well as planning
and zoning.
Cone
I would support the recreation
department 100 percent but I
would also try, and would be in
favor of, reducing fees for
softball and little league ball. I
think with proper planning all
burden of this project should be
cast upon the shoulders of the
downtown merchants and
property owners. I want to see a
bustling downtown again and
will work everyway possible to
see downtown revitalized. And I
don’t wait until July to start to
work on this. The revitalization
of downtown Griffin will get my
all various boards and the
names of appointments before I
could and would comment on
this issue.
Dunn
Hospital Authority—Until
recently, I don’t feel that these
Board members knew what was
going on at the hospital at all
levels, but they have now
need to re-examine county
regulations and get a cross
section of voters represented.
Not just the big property
owners.
The best way to achieve the
above is through a combined
city-county government with
the number of commissioners
determined on the basis of
population in geographic
districts, perhaps one com
missioner for each 5,000 in
population. Commissioners
should be elected only by voters
of his district plus two or three
“at large” commissioners.
Elder
RECREATION:
The county and city now have
a very good recreation program
operated by a board with
members appointed by the City
and County Commissioners. As
the county grows and becomes
more urbanized expansion of
certain facilities might be
needed over a wider area of the
county and should continue as a
joint project.
Bobby Dunn
gi
Tiggy Jones
fees can and must be reduced.
I would also support the local
library in the amount that is
now in the city budget for the
library.
I know we have the best
water, sewage and electric
departments in the state and
would be behind them 100
percent.
I believe the industrial
planning and chamber of
commerce are doing a real good
job and I would support them all
the way.
I do not know enough about
the planning and zoning com
mittee and projects to comment
on them, so will withhold my
opinion until I am elected your
commissioner. I will issue a
statement on the planning and
immediate and full attention.
For too long, we have been
bogged down in meetings,
discussions, and it appears, a
certain amount of unconcern.
And all the time downtown is
decaying. The revitalization of
downtown deserves our im
mediate attention and support.
publicly announced changes. I
hope these changes will im
prove public image and make
the Authority member aware of
the situation that has been
existing at our hospital. I was
recently in the hospital and
couldn’t have asked for better
treatment than I received from
the personnel on the second
floor in the new section. I can
only hope that the Griffin-
Spalding Hospital picture as a
LIBRARY
In recent years a bond issue
was approved by voters to
provide for the very fine library
we now have. Recent
developments have raised the
questions regarding operating
costs of the library. The County
Commissioners and City
Commissioners together with
the Library Board should
cooperate to resolve any
financial problems of the
library.
WATER
Water is absolutely necessary
to achieve a well balanced
residential, business, and in
dustrial growth. I served on the
Board of County Com
missioners during all phases of
planning, financing, and in
stallation of the initial water
lines in the county. Overall I
think the agreement between
the city and county has worked
to the mutual benefit of both
governments. I would seek to
expand the water lines through
a joint effort.
SEWAGE:
Mrs. Perry Manolis
zoning committee at a later
date.
As I see the airport, we have a
good airport and a good tennant
running it. As for building a new
airport, I will have to wait and
see the need for a new airport.
Also, I will want to see where
the money will come from.
We have a real good police
department but as I see it we
need a police chief who has been
certified by the state to make
arrests. Also, one who has police
experience and who is a
policeman. I believe we have
someone in the present police
department who is well
qualified to be chief.
If fire chief Beeland retires, I
would be in favor of putting
Chief Pitts as chief of the fire
Cone
As your new city com
missioner from the First Ward I
would be in favor of taking the
parking meters down all
together.
I believe the present tennants
and property owners could do a
lot to make the store fronts look
whole can develop and change
because these wonderful folks
on staff here deserve to work in
a really first-class outfit, and
the people of this community
deserve the very best.
Hospital Board—l feel that a
general review of all phases of
library services needs to be
made so as to give us the most
for the great amount of money
evidently available for library
use. The Library Board cer-
The cost of a county sewage
system probably would be
prohibitive in the near future.
Federal grants could possibly
become available as a start in
developing a system. This is
something that should be
considered and evaluated as a
long range program. Even
tually joint participation with
the city could be explored.
INDUSTRIAL AUTHORITY:
Many of the new industries
came to Spalding County while I
was a member of the Board. I
am still interested in industrial
development.
I would like to see our present
Authority modified to give
equal representation to the City
and County governments with a
total of seven persons on the
Authority as follows: the City
and County having two ap
pointments each, the Chairman
of the County Commissioners,
the Mayor of the City by virtue
of their office, and the seventh
person to serve as secretary to
be Executive Vice President of
the Chamber of Commerce.
This Authority would be able
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Skeeter Norsworthy
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11W I
Tom Bearden
department and also fire
training officer. Leonard Pitts
is well qualified as fire chief.
Looking at all of the different
department heads, I think they
are doing a good job. I believe
we could by careful planning
and watching our overhead, cut
all of the department budgets
by a good 10 percent.
I do not know why, but if
elected your city commissioner,
I will find out and report back to
the voters why we have so
many Vega station wagons on
the streets.
Dunn
The Recreation Program,
Industrial Authority and Air
port are already joint programs
better. I am calling attention to
the two story building, the top
story is not looked after.
I would do all I could for at
least one set of public rest
rooms in town for the shopping
public.
I believe all of the off street
parking spaces should not have
a time limit.
tainly needs to be the governing
force in this area and should
exercise its powers to keep
service at a maximum and
operating costs as minimal as
possible.
Recreation Board—l think
this Board is very interested
and is doing a good job. Our fine
Recreation Program certainly
reflects excellence in every
area of responsibility.
The Zoning Board, The Board
to own the Industrial Park,
purchase land, build buildings
and finance through Industrial
Development Bonds.
The Georgia Department of
Industry and Trade recognizes
this type of Authority and this is
probably the best vehicle to use
if we wish to have contacts and
be able to locate new industry in
our community.
The present Griffin Industrial
Authority was brought into
being by a Constitutional
Amendment in 1961.1 foresee no
difficulty in amending the
present Authority to include
equal representation by the City
and County.
PLANNING AND ZONING:
This is a necessary function to
insure orderly growth, and
provide compatible develop
ment of housing, business, and
industry. To accomplish this the
County and City should
cooperate.
AIRPORT:
If and when the present
airport is no longer used I do not
now forsee any advantage of
County candidates
I
David Elder
with the county. I support all of
these with strong emphasis on
the Recreation Program. I
support the library also, but not
the number of personnel now
employed or some of the
salaries now being paid. I will
support extension of water and
sewage further into the county
but not at any cost to the tax
payers of the city. To assure the
orderly and sound expansion of
the city, I will cooperate on
city-county planning and
zoning. As for law enforcement,
we have a good Police
Department; and at this time, I
see no need for any type
merger.
Jones
Recreation—The Recreation
Dunn
To cooperate with the mer
chants and property owners and
to assist in providing
beautification and neatness, but
any expense of improving
private property is the
responsibility of the property
owners and the occupants.
•
of Adjustment, Vo-Tech Board,
The Housing Authority, the
Industrial Building Authority,
and the Board of Appeals of
Construction Standards appear
to be doing a good job.
Jones
The strength and weakness of
any board are the people who
make it up. The City has ap
pointed capable and qualified
joint participation in a new
airport. In all probability the
Federal Government will be
involved in any relocation of the
airport and should future cir
cumstances indicate the
desirability of joint par
ticipation I would be willing to
move in that direction.
LAW ENFORCEMENT:
County Commissioners by
law have the responsibility to
provide law enforcement within
the county outside the city. The
Sheriff’s Department is now
providing law enforcement
within the County jurisdiction.
A joint project of this nature is
not needed at this time.
OTHER:
There are other possibilities
that the City and County could
act jointly to avoid duplication
of cost for service. I would
always be willing to consider
any proposal if mutual benefit
could be achieved without
creating a disproportionate tax
burden on those receiving the
least of benefits.
fc. 4 I i
Bob Gilreath
■
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Jim Goolsby
Department is already under
Joint City-County direction
through an appointed Board and
works well and I feel this should
continue.
Airport—This is a joint City-
County Airport and I feel it
could be better managed by a
Board appointed jointly by the
City and County. By people that
know more about Aviation who
could devote the proper time to
promoting its growth.
Industrial Authority—A joint
industrial authority is a must.
One that will work with the
Chamber as well as existing
industry in order to provide
more jobs and expand our tax
base and insure orderly growth
that will not out-strip our ser
vices such as utilities, fire and
police protection.
Jones
The City has already repaired
sidewalks, put planters on side
walks, kept park clean and trim
and granted free parking. A
downtown Authority has been
suggested but whether or not
this is the answer, I don’t know.
However, I believe the City is
open to suggestions and will
people to these boards,
however, some do not serve well
after a time for varied reasons
and this will have to be looked at
closely at the time of ap
pointments.
Norsworthy
I really can’t say what their
weaknesses or strengths are.
I will say that every term we
appoint one person to each
Goolsby
If Spalding County is to grow
in an orderly way there must be
close communication and
cooperation between the city
and county. I will fully support
all of the joint projects the
majority of the people want,
however, I strongly feel that
regardless of the project we
must insure that we’re getting
our full money’s worth. In my
view the most important
problem ahead is water
sewage. To implement the
facilities plan or any portion of
it is going to require the best
communication that can be put
together between the city and
county governments. Many
other projects hinge on the
success or failure of this plan
for the future. I will support the
joint recreation department
while pushing for recreational
facilities in the county.
Industrial development can
provide us with the key to
holding taxes in check. I believe
that quality industrial
development can best be ob-
Vlh 1k r-
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Frank Gunnels
Norsworthy
We have a good joint City-
County Recreation Department
which I already support.
I already support the City-
County library.
I am opposed to the water
unless the County pays one half
of the present investment.
I feel the same about the
sewage as I do the water.
I would support an industrial
authority with the County.
I would support a planning
and zoning board if it is in the
best interest of all the people.
At this time I could not
support a new airport.
At this time I could not
support a joint law en
forcement.
fulfill their responsibility to the
people of Griffin.
Norsworthy
By the city code, there is only
so much the city can require.
I would suggest the mer
chants and property owners get
together and then if there’s
anything the city can do it will
cooperate.
board. We try to appoint
someone we feel is sincere and
dedicated to their particular
board. We also try to appoint
someone we feel would be heard
on the board. In most instances,
they have been an asset to their
board. If we feel at the end of
their term, they have not been
as effective as they could have
been, then we discuss this at
length and if we agree, we
appoint someone else.
tained by joint city-county and
Chamber of Commerce par
ticipation.
Gunnels
With a growing county we
must have more water. To have
a better city and county we need
a good airport. We need to have
new industries to move in. A
good, sound recreation and
library plays a very important
role in a growing city and
county.
Continued
on next
page
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yw.
Al Norris