Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2A
Voters to decide on
special tax in Sept.
Peach County, Fort Valley,
and the Fort Valley Utilities
Commission recently signed an
intergovernmental agreement,
paving the way for a special
election on September 21,
1999
The issue in the election will
he whether a special tax
-ihould be adopted in Peach
County. The tax would raise
up to twelve million dollars
toward the first phase of a
county-wide water and
wastewaster system.
The total cost of the first
phase is estimated at thirty
million dollars. Melvin Walk¬
er, chairman of the Peach
County Water and Sewer
Authority (PCWSA) explained
last week that the twelve mil¬
lion dollars would provide
leverage for obtaining grants
and other forms of assistance
to complete phase one of the
project.
The City of Byron did not
sign the intergovernmental
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agreement. In recent council
sessions, Byron officials have
made it clear that the wastew¬
ater treatment system in
Byron is at full capacity, and
that they need an immediate
resolution to their problem.
County attorney Jeff Liipfert
explained that under Georgia
law the intergovernmental
agreement for the sales tax
referendum only requires the
signature of the county and
any municipality having at
least one-half of the county
population. The signature of
Fort Valley suffices to meet
this requirement.
Liipfert added that Byron
could become a party to the
agreement at a later date.
Walker emphasized in his
comments last week that if the
sales tax referendum is
passed, it should be possible to
begin phase one of the project
and have a considerable por¬
tion of the work completed
within eighteen months.
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Y2K Bug
Sheriff’s office offers
safety tips for Y2K
The close of 1999 has many
people concerned about possi¬
ble problems that will arise
due to Y2K. One concern that
many people have is the affect
of Y2K on the banking indus¬
try. The Peach County Sheriff’s
Office is confident that your
local bank is prepared for the
millennium. However, we are
aware that many individuals
feel the need to withdraw large
sums of money from their
account as the year comes to a
close. The Peach County Sher¬
iff’s Office wants you and your
family to be safe every time
you visit your local bank.
Try to make all transactions
during daylight hours.
When using an automated
teller machine, select one that
is indoors.
If possible, take someone with
you to the bank. Crimes are
Ga. Bapt. conducts tr
‘due diligence’ here
Representatives of Georgia
Baptist spent about a week in
Fort Valley gathering informa
tion as part of their ongoing
negotiation with Peach Regional
Medical Center.
Hospital Administrator Nancy
Peed said that Georgia Baptist
was conducting due diligence as
part of the overall negotiations
with PRMC.
Due diligence involves review
of records, documents and other
information pertinent to negotia
tions or contractual obligations.
Peed said that in addition to
conducting a survey of local citi
zenry concerning their attitudes
toward PRMC and Georgia Bap
tist, the due diligence involved
review of all aspects of the hospi¬
tal's operations.
Mayor John Stumbo noted that
he spent four hours with the
attorney from Georgia Baptist
discussing arrangements about
accounts payable and accounts
receivable, the recent loan taken
out by the hospital authority,
much less likely to occur if
there is a visible witness.
Do not display large amounts
of cash in public.
Large amounts of cash kept
in the home should be secured
in a locked box.
Do not tell acquaintances
that you intend on withdraw¬
ing money from the bank prior
to Y2K- Advertising the fact
that you will have large
amounts of cash in your home
is not wise.
Remember, the safest location
for your money is in the bank.
Banking professionals and gov¬
ernment employees have spent
numerous hours ensuring
operation systems are Y2K
compliant. Whether or not it is
the turn of the century, Sheriff
Becham offered these precau¬
tions so that you and your fam¬
ily will remain safe and secure.
and hospital renovation.
Stumbo said that Georgia Bap
tist will take the results of their
due diligence and make a pro¬
posal to the hospital authority at
a later date.
Mayor Stumbo emphasized
that the hospital authority
would remain in place and
would be responsible to the citi¬
zenry of Peach County.
Original plans called for Geor
gia Baptist and PRMC to review
their progress on the 20th of
August but Peed said that
scheduling problems necessitat
ed moving that date forward. No
specific date has been set at this
time,
Byron CVB sponsors
peach-making class
*
Macon artist, Mark Allan Ballard will offer a two-part
class on how to create lifelike peaches using styro¬
foam, papier-mache and paint
Classes will be held Thursday, August 19 and Mon¬
day, August 23 at 6:30 p.m. In the Byron Depot. Cost for
tide class if $40 payable to Byron CVB and includes ail
supplies.
To register, mail checks to P. O. Box 129, Byron, GA
31008 or come by Byron City Hall. This event is spon¬
sored by the Byron Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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•SPLOTS nod gets
from city of Fort Valley
(Continued from Front Page)
The total cost of the plan,
Walker said, would be $80 mil¬
lion.
“We decided there was no
way we could raise $80 million
pronto...
We also found out there was
no way we could build a sewer
system and pay for it with a
service fee...we’d be hitting
some people on fixed income
and low income areas, you’re
going to be hitting too hard.
They can’t pay $50 a month for
sewer.”
Walker noted that the
PCWSA then investigated oth¬
er counties that had worked
with the same problem.
The only way we could fund
it, Walker said, was to pay for
a large portion of the plan with
money that wouldn’t need to
be paid back.
“That’s when we came up
with the idea of using the 1%
optional sales tax that we esti¬
mate would give us $12 mil¬
lion...the first big chunk. Once
we get the $12 million we
believe that our federal and
state representatives will help
us to get money to match that
and we’ll only have to raise
one or two million for phase I.”
Since that point, Walker
added, the PCWSA with a
$50,000 state grant, retained
Tribble and Richardson to
compare costs of point-dis¬
charge and land application.
“We’re talking about either
going to the Flint River with
point discharge or land appli¬
cation.
I know there are a lot of peo¬
ple against land application
but that may be the wave of
the future.
In the long run, I don’t
believe we’re going to be able
to keep dumping into the riv
er.”
Walker added that at this
point the PCWSA realized the
importance of having the
1st
The first meeting of the Advi
sory Group for the Brownsfield
Grant is Monday, August 23,
1999, at 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. The
meeting will be held at the
City Hall, 204 Church Street,
Fort Valley, U.S.A. This meet¬
ing will be for organizational
purposes and to acquaint the
members with the process.
The city of Fort Valley was
awarded the Brownfields grant
from the United States Envi¬
ronmental Protection Agency.
It is to be used for the ultimate
purpose of assisting with eco¬
nomic development in our city.
One of the uses for the grant
will be to provide opportunities
endorsement of all elected offi¬
cials to provide leverage for
credit and raising money.
“We also needed to have the
elected officials say that they
would commit the receipts of
the 1% sales tax so we can
take that and say here’s the
money we’re going to have.
If we can get this passed on
September 21st, then we don’t
have to wait to start...we can
start laying things in place
now and within a year and a
half we could have lots of
this...in place.
I believe that EPD will coop¬
erate with Byron and the City
of Fort Valley if they realize
we’re working on this”
Finally, Walker said, we
developed an agreement say¬
ing that Fort Valley and Byron
would commit to using the
facility.
“The only charges that would
be imposed would be just what
it takes to run the facility.”
In other business, council
voted unanimously to:
• Permit a transfer of
$22,000 in the budget of the
department of public works to
replace a trailer; (See article
on demolition)
• Authorize transfer of
$8,500 in the police depart¬
ment budget for the purchase
of surveillance cameras, hand
held radios and bullet proof
vests;
• Authorize a transfer of
$19,621 from contingency
funds to acquire a van to be
used by the city marshal for
the transfer of community
workers and to be used bv the
police department for the
transport of prisoners.
With no other business, coun¬
cil voted to go into executive
session for personnel matters.
After executive session, coun¬
cil voted unanimously to
appoint Charles Bailey as elec¬
tion superintendent.
conduct forums to receive
input from the citizens. Any
questions about the grant
be directed to Mr. Paul
Powell, at 825-5986 or at
ppowell428@aol.com.
1
AC
Inside ut
Hospice Training
Volunteer Training fdr
becoming a Hospice Volun¬
teer, Sat. Sept. 25. 9 a.m. -
12 noon., Peach Regional
Medical Center Conference
Room. Call 477-0335.
Veterans Service
The Georgia Department of
Veterans Service will now be in
Peach County the First and
third Wednesday of each month
from 1-4 p.m. at new annex of
the courthouse.
Hospital committees
The August meeting of the
Peach Regional Medical Center
Hospital’s Executive Commit¬
tee is scheduled for Thurs.,
Aug. 19,12 noon, conference
room. The monthly and quar¬
terly meetings of the Total
Quality Coordianting Council
is set for Tues., Aug. 24, 12
noon, conference room.
Advisory group
The Advisory Group for the
Brownsfield Grant will meet
Mon., Aug. 23, 7-8:30 p.m., Fort
Valley City Hail.
Y2K FORUM
A Y2K forum sponsored by Cit¬
izens Bank, Tues., Aug. 24,
Peach County Courthouse, 6:30
p.m. in courtroom. Entities will
discuss preparations for Y2K