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Joyce Matthews talks
about life In Peach County
See Page 6A
Pfedncsday, April 23 1997
Vol. No. 108, Issue 17,16 pages
More well worries
found near Housers Mill above limits set EPA
By Cindy Morley
The Leader-Tribune
Peach County officials have begun testing groundwater near
Housers Mill Road after several organize compounds were
detected in concentrations about the limits set by the Georgia
Environmental Protection Division.
The components were discovered during routine groundwa
ter checks at the Peach County landfill, according to a press
release issued by county officials last week.
The release states that “Peach County officials became con-
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Cancer survivors take the first steps in last Friday night’s Peach County Relay for Life held at Peach County High School. Over
$40,000 was raised to combat the deadly disease. Hundreds of community walkers took part in the 24-hour event, (start photo by ctndy
Mortay)
Council votes against hiring firm to manage utilities
Several weeks ago the city council voted in
favor of having an outside firm (PSG) take over
management of the Fort Valley Utilities Com¬
mission.
But that vote was voided because the city had
not advertised the meeting properly - informing
the media 24 hours before the meeting.
The vote was taken again last Thursday at its
regular meeting and Mayor John Ezell broke a 2-
2 deadlocked vote to not accept PSG’s contract.
“The city and the utilities commission should
sit down and began working some things out,"
said Councilman Jeff Holly. “There are some
things that can be improved upon without any
High schoolers saying no,
surprise drug raid reveals
By Cindy Morley
The Leader-Tribune
Apparently, Peach County High
School students are saying no to
drugs.
Or at least that’s what a surprise
drug raid last week at the school
revealed.
“We checked the buildings, all
facilities, lockers and cars in the
parking lot,” said Peach County
School Security Officer Jimmy
Yancey. “Everything came up
zero. ____ M
Three police agencies were
involved with the search, according
to Yancey - including the Fort Val¬
ley Police, Byrott Police and the
Crawford County Sheriff's Depart-
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* Tracksters win again
• Young Trojans htt held
• Neiters honored /a banquet
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Fort Valley, Byron and Peach County s source for news and sports for over 100 years
1 eab er -tribune
'What the people don't know will hurt them... '
cerned about the potential of the affected groundwater
migrating offsite, and took a proactive approach that included
sampling a nearby residential well.”
According to the report, the analysis of the water from one
residential well adjacent to the landfill showed that concen
(rations of three organic compounds were slightly above the
allowable limits in drinking water. The components included
methylene chloride at six parts per billion (ppb), tetra
chloroethene at seven ppb and vinyl chloride at 10 ppb.
Peach County officials are supplying bottled drinking water
for those residents near the landfill who are in the path of the
outside help.”
In other business:
• Fort Valley may be get a little help from
friends on what is in the plans for the Woolfork
Superfund site once things are cleaned up. Gilda
Stanberry-Cotney and RDC’s Ralph Nix
approach the council for matching funds for a
$50,000 economic development grant which
would give the city a master reuse plan for the
community effected. Los Alamos, N.Mex., and
Oak Ridge, Tenn., have offered to help Fort Val¬
ley in using the grant to develop a reuse plan,
according to Nix.
“Fort Valley would end up with a master reuse
ment. All three agencies brought in
drug dogs.
“We never found anything,” said
Yancey. “No one had any notifica¬
tion and we’re happy with the
results we found."
This was the first drug search of
“several to come,” according to
Peach County High School Princi¬
pal Frank Spearman.
“The good thing about this is that
we could have another one at any
time,” said Spearman.
“And we will do it again. We are
just extremely happy with the
results of the first one,” Spearman
added.
Yancey said school officials will
perform such a search at the county
middle schools if they are asked.
plan such as Los Alamos and Oak Ridge have in
place,” said Nix.
The council approved writing a commitment
letter to get the grant moving.
• The council adopted an amendment to the
MEAG contract, moving to get 3 percent added
to the current 5 percent going to the city from
gross profits the utilities gain.
MEAG has a contract with the utilities commis¬
sion to bring in fiber optics to Peach County,
which could give the city and county a broader
use of computer and communications technolo
gy
- Chuck Morley
Childers leaves local bank
Kim Childers, who has served
as Division Bank President for
First South Bank for 81/2 years,
is leaving Fort Valley Friday.
Beginning Monday, he will
serve as acting President as a
contract employee for Gwinnett
National Bank on an interim
basis.
Following a six-month period,
Childers will continue to be
employed with Bank Corpora¬
tion of Georgia, but will not be
returning to Fort Valley.
Barbara Poloncic, an 11-year
employee of First South Bank in
Macon, will be serving as an
interim Community Bank Presi¬
dent in Fort Valley.
“It took a lot of contemplation
for me to come to the decision to
leave Fort Valley and pursue
groundwater flow until a permanent solution can be found.
According to officials there are three methods of reducing
the concentrations of the compounds in well water and they
are presently being evaluated by the county’s engineers. They
include individual well water treatment, developing a new
well and water system and extending water service from an
existing system.
In the interim, Peach County officials will continue testing
more residential wells in the area. No other wells are consid¬
ered to be in imminent danger.
other opportunities," said
Childers. “I think the reality has
hit me that I’ll be leaving these
employees and customers.
That’s the regret I have about
leaving.”
Childers said the opportunity
came as a result of the merger
two holding companies - Bank
Corporation of Georgia (which
holds First South Bank’s char¬
ter) and Century South Banks.
“This is not a merger of banks,
but a merger of holding compa¬
nies,” said Childers. “This will
still be First South Bank.”
Childers is active in the com¬
munity, serving on the Hospital
Authority and Fort Valley State
Foundation Board of Director,
and is a member of the Chamber
of Commerce.
Editorials
Smoke Free Zones
Not a bad idea, but let
businesses make decisions
See Page 4A
School
boss
defends
board
action
Teacher jobs,
summer school
hit by budgeting
By Cindy Morley
The Leader-Tribune
Peach County School Superin¬
tendent Dr. Billy Pack said recent
teacher cuts and reduction in
summer school classes is a direct
result of budget trimmings.
“The Board has made it clear to,
me that they don’t want any
increase in taxes,” said Pack.
“With a decrease in revenues this
year because of new system of
tag sales and the six percent pay
increase approved by the state,
we would have to come up with
another $1 million dollars to fund
all the teachers and programs we
have now. That’s about three or
four mils and that would mean a
hefty tax increase.”
Pack said “less than 10 teachers
would not have their contract
renewed this year.”
He also said that some of the
teachers leaving the system this
year would probably not be
replaced.
^
Pack also stated that electronics
and drama - which would be
without a teacher next year - are
two areas which “would be con¬
sidered not to be filled.” The elec- 1
ironies teacher is retiring and the
contract was not renewed for the
drama teacher
“Right now we are exploring all
options not to increase taxes,"
said Pack. “Other parts of the
budget will be looked at in the
future.”
One area hit has been summer
school -- which Pack says cost
the county $10,000 last year.
Peach County School Board
members voted last week to allow
summer school only if preregis¬
tration covers the cost, to offer
only one unit and to increase in¬
county tuition from $170 to $300
and charge $400 for out-of-coun¬
ty students.
“This was done to make sure '
we don't have to use local dollars
to fund that program,” said Pack.
Pack said the summer school
program costs $17,000 “just to
open the doors.”
“I’m not sure what all is includ¬
ed in that, but it’s a fixed cost,”
said Pack.
The superintendent said this
fixed cost includes a librarian’s
salary and counselor's salary, but
does not include the salary for a
principal and secretary or utility
costs.
“I guess this is a result of budget
cutting,” $10,000 said Pack. “This is
that Peach County tax
won’t have to ppy.”
PEACH
Roast, Toast, Tribute
There will be a Toast, Roast and
Tribute for retiring Fort Valley
State University Coach Doug
Porter Saturday, April 26, in the
Woodward Gymnasium at the Fort
Valley State campus. The event
will begin
at 6 p.m.
with a
reception,
followed
by dinner
at 7 p.m.
Several of
Coach
Porter’s
friends,
col¬
and former players will present a
special tribute to him. Greg Lloyd,
former Fort Valley State Wildcat,
now a linebacker with the Pitts¬
burgh Steelers, will be the keynote Tyrone
speaker. Other speakers are
Poole of the Carolina Panthers,
Eddie Anderson of the Oakland
Raiders and Doug Williams, for¬
mer quarterback with the Washing¬
ton Redskins. Tickets for this
semi-formal affair are $30 per per¬
son and $20 for students with an
ID. For information call Dr. Cyn¬
thia Sellers at 825-6202.
PACT HOLDS AUDITIONS
The Peach Area Civic Theatre
will hold auditions for its produc¬
tion of the musical “The Fanta
sticks” Friday April 25 at 7 p.m.
and Saturday, April 26, at 2 p.m. at
the PACT Auditorium. Perfor¬
mance dates are June 13 and 14.
Needed are six men, ages 18-50,
and a woman age 18-25. For more
information, call Director Sue Jor¬
dan at 825-3450.
Grocery Store not sold
Managers of Food Depot in Fort
Valley want to put an end to
rumors that the grocery store has
not been sold and will be closing.
Revco, located next door to Food
Depot, has been bought out and
will probably be moving to the
Revco on Vineville Street.
Blood drive set
The American Red Cross desper¬
ately needs your donation of
blood. They will be in the lobby of
the Pettigrew Center at Fort Valley
State University Wednesday, April
30, to help replenish a critically
low blood supply. The blood drive
will be held in the lobby at the
Center from 10 a.m. until 3:30
p.m. The goal is 100 pints. For
more information contact Nick
Strickland at the Pettigrew Center
at 825-6594.
Fort Valley gets grant
Representative Saxby Chambliss
announced that the Fort Valley
State University Foundation has
received a $1 million loan through
the intermediate relending pro¬
gram, which aids community and
business development in the Fort
Valley area. According to Cham
liss, the loan comes from the
USDA’s Rural Development pro¬
gram and offers low interest loans
to the public and non-profit orga¬
nizations to relend funds to local
businesses for business and com¬
munity development
Special Olympics coming
The Area 8 Special Olympics will
\yt held Saturday, April 26, at Fort
Valley State University from 9 a.m.
to I p.m. Over 300 Special Olympic
athletes from six counties will be
vying for medals. Fort Valley’s Kay
Center is asking the community to
;et involved and help the event
tecome a success. Volunteers are
needed to help run the track and
ield events, soccer, volleyball and
unch. One of biggest challenges is
unch for athletes and coaches.
Anyone interested, please contact
Todd Youngblood at 825-3124.
50 cents
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