Newspaper Page Text
Water Panel
Okays County
Fire Hydrants
By GREG LITTLE
Staff Writer
Members of the Forsyth County Wa
ter and Sewerage Authority unani
mously approved a motion last week to
require fire hydrants to be placed on all
six-inch or larger main lines in the
county.
A second motion gave authority
chairman Horace Trammel permission
to go before the Forsyth County Com
missioners to request that a planning
and zoning ordinance be enacted to
require a fire hydrant on all such
county lines.
If the county commissioners agree to
the ordinance, no construction permits
requiring a tap into an existing line will
be approved unless a fire hydrant is
located within 1000 feet of the construc
tion.
Trammel was scheduled to appear
before the commissioners at their
meeting scheduled for Monday, Sept.
13.
In other business, it was suggested
that Trammel meet with the authority
attorney and the city attorney in an
attempt to to reach a mutual interpre
tation of an agreement signed by au
thority and city officials last year.
According to authority secretary
Lanier Bannister, the dispute arises
concerning the extension of water lines
into unincorporated areas of the
county.
Bannister said, authority officials
believe that the city should not be
allowed to extend any lines into unin
corporated areas of the county without
expressed permission from the author
ity. Under such an interpretation, the
city would maintain control of all lines
currently lying in unincorporated sec
tions of the county, but would not be
able to extend or branch out from those
lines.
Inside This Week
Forsyth County Hospital is offering a
community service program to this
area, but so far response has been
minimal. See story on Page 2-A.
+++
The Lanier Civic Ballet Company has
a new home and new plans for this year.
Story is on Page 10-A.
+++
The Forsyth County Bulldogs were
victorious against the North Hall Tro
jans Friday night. Story and pictures
are on Page 1-B.
Faith Helped Carry Brannons
To Birth Of 'Miracle Baby’
By Merri Brantley
News Staff Writer
Miracles are so rare in this day and
age, that when one finally does occur,
it’s hard to believe, it truly is a “mira
cle”.
Lisa and Leslie Brannon of Cum
ming, have been experiencing a mira
cle ever since late 1981. Their miracle
was very tiny, when measured by
weight, but very large, when measured
by love.
Jonathan Nathaniel, so named be
cause it means “given by God, a gift,”
was bom March 31, 1982, over three
months premature. He is Forsyth Coun
ty’s very own “Miracle Baby”.
Lisa Brannon was having all the signs
of being pregnant in late 1981. The tests
given to her came up negative, and her
doctor informed her that she was expe
riencing what is commonly known as
false pregnancy. A false pregnancy
usually occurs when a woman wants to
get pregnant, and therefore experi
ences most of the symptoms of being
pregnant.
After some tests and x-rays, Mrs.
Brannon was then diagnosed as having
gall stones. She was given large quali
ties of medicine, and more x-rays.
Three months later, Lisa found out
she was indeed pregnant, four months
pregnant.
At this time, a great wave of fear
swept over her, as she realized that
after all the medication and x-rays, she
may be carrying a severely-deformed
child.
An ultra-sound test was then given to
Lisa, in order to determine whether or
not her child was deformed. (The tests
cannot show the smaller things such as
fingers, nor can it determine brain
damage; but it can tell whether or not
the child has all of his limbs.
The tests showed to the best of it’s
ability, that the baby was normal for a
16-week-old fetus.
Mrs. Brannon was asked if she
wanted to abort.
“I went home and prayed and
prayed,” she said, but I really didn’t
know what to pray for.”
Lisa chose not to abort.
“Who was I to kill a life,” she said, “I
just couldn’t have an abortion.”
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A Special Hug To Someone Special
Grandparents are special and are often showered with love, even when there isn’t
a special day. But this past Sunday grandparents had a chance to get some extra
special attention and recognition during “Grandparent’s Day.” There’s little
doubt about how Cindy Cole feels about her grandmother, it shows on her face and
in her actions. And grandmother, Nettie Day, who resides at Lanier Nursing
Home, shows she enjoys the affection. (News staff photo by Merri Brantley.)
Bonds Okayed For Forsyth Industry
Revenue bonds were approved by the
Forsyth County Development Authority
last week, to fund an expansion of the
American Marketing and Sales Cor
poration.
The company manufactures electro
nically controlled lawnmowers, called
Mowtrons, and fabricated sheet metal
components, at a plant on Tidwell Cir
cle, in south Forsyth County.
Company representative Tyrus Ward
said the Mowtrons cut grass automat
ically, and; when finished, will return
to a storage area and shut off.
Sheet metal components manufac
tured by American Marketing and
The nightmare however didn’t end
there for Lisa and Leslie. Mrs. Brannon
started hemmorhaging one afternoon,
and there was no one at home to help
her. She called Northside Hospital and
they told her to get to the hospital
immediately. Lisa called her mother,
(who lived in another town), and her
mother went to pick up Leslie, who was
in school at the time. They took Lisa to
the hospitial. She-was admitted with a
fever and a white blood count way
above normal.
Several hours later, her temperature
was normal, and so was her white blood
count, so the doctors allowed Lisa to
return home.
Four more times Lisa was rushed to
the hospital because of bleeding. The
last time, when Lisa was at 25 weeks
gestation, ( the normal period for a
human pregnancy is 40 weeks), she
went into labor.
Her baby was coming, and nothing
could stop him.
Lisa was given celestone, a medica
tion to mature an infants lungs. Two
shots would need to be given within 24
hours. If they could only prolong the
delivery that long, the baby may have a
chance.
Lisa was now advised by a doctor to
abort. The odds were against the baby>
he was only given a five to ten percent
chance of survival.
Again, Lisa said no. She wanted this
baby.
Jonathan was deliverd by a cesarean
section, and was crying as he entered
his new world.
It (the crying) was the most beautiful
sound I had ever heard,” said Mrs.
Brannon.
Jonathan was 13% inches long, and
weighed 1 pound, 14% oz. He was small,
but he was alive.
Because of his lung immaturity, Jon
athan was placed on a venelator. A
machine he would have to stay on for
the next two months.
When he was six days old, and had
dropped three ounces in weight, a heart
valve, which is open in the womb, and
closes upon birth, re-opened.
Jonathan was taken to surgery, and
once again, survived another set back.
On July 13, about a week after his
Sales are used in production by Scien
tific Atlanta and Lockheed.
The authority approved a bond issue
of $600,000 for the company. Ward said
$300,000 of the money would be ’sed fc *
new equipment purchases, and that a
plant expansion and remodeling pro
gram is also planned. He said the
company now has 40 employees, only
two of which are from outside of For
syth County.
Development Authority Chairman
Wayne Maffett said many people see
the authority’s only goal as locating
new industries in Forsyth County. Maf
fett noted, however, that the approval
original due date, and $150,000 in medi
cal bills (not including any of Lisa’s
bills or the delivery bill), Lisa and
Leslie brought their new son home to
join them and their three-year-old
daughter Melissa.
Today, Jonathan weighs a little under
eight pounds, and except for the usual
amount of problems for any premature
baby, is doing well.
He presently suffers from a lung
problem which stems from the time he
spent on the venelator. The venelator
produced a side effect which caused the
lung tissue to stiffen, and give Jonathan
breathing difficulties. He is being
treated for this, and by the time he is
seven years of age, he will have devel
oped new lung tissue, and will be able to
breath normally.
Until the lung damage repairs itself,
Jonathan will have to be careful not to
come in contact with anyone who may
carry germs. A common cold can result
in pneumonia for baby Jonathan.
The faith of a mustard seed is all one
needs to move mountains, says an
insert in Jonathan’s scrap book.
The Brannon Family has the faith,
and it’s paying off.
Appeals Board Denies Request
For Sign On Bald Ridge Road
A request to place a concrete block
sign closer to Bald Ridge Marina Road
than permitted by county zoning laws,
was unanimously denied by the Forsyth
County Appeals Board, in its regular
monthly meeting Sept. 7.
Action on the request was delayed at
the board’s August meeting, until the
exact right-of-way of the road, at the
site of the proposed sign, could be
determined.
Planning Director Lanier Bannister
told the board that he had suspended all
building permits for John C. Moore,
who made the request. Bannister said
Moore had not taken the proper steps to
prevent the washing of dirt into the
County Ok’s Question
For Proposed Tax Levy
By CHUCK THOMPSON
News Editor
The wording of a question seeking
voter opinion of a tax levy for fire
protection in Forsyth County, was ap
proved by the board of commissioners,
in its regular meeting, on Monday,
Sept. 13.
The question will appear on the ballot
of the November 2 General Election. It
will read as follows: “Do you favor
designating one mill of ad-valorem tax
for fire protection in Forsyth County ?”
The question will only reflect public
opinion. The addition of one tax mill for
fire protection, must still be approved
by the commissioners.
County Administrator Donald Major
said the amendment would be adver
tised four times the last time, at least
15 days prior to the general election.
The Forsyth County Volunteer Fire
Department received a slight decrease
in its 1982 budget of 1.02 percent from
the previous year’s allotment. The
county commission appropriated
$94,593.84 for fire department opera
tions this year. The 1981 allotment for
fire protection in Forsyth County was
$95,574.64.
On Sept. 9 of last year, the volunteer
fire department threatened to disband,
unless it received a new fire truck. A
$55,000 fire truck had been cut out of the
department’s proposed 1982 budget by
the commissioners.
One week later, the commissioners
approved a SIO,OOO increase in the de
partment’s 1981 budget, for a downpay
ment on a new fire truck, which was to
of bonds for American Marketing and
Sales, stemmed from the authority’s
interest in existing industries as well.
The authority chairman announced
that Mac Berstorv, Executive Director
of the Cumming-Forsyth County Cham
ber of Commerce, met August 16 with
officials of Technology Park, which has
purchased 600 acres in south Forsyth
County.
Maffett said the purpose of the meet
ing was to discuss future plans for the
land, and what actions by Forsyth
County might be applied to its devel
opment.
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LISA BRANNON HOLDS MIRICLE BABY JONATHAN
...while 3-year-old Missy smiles lovingly at her brother
road from his development, for which
he also failed to obtain the proper
inspections.
Appeals Board Chairman Charles
Smith also reviewed a letter to Moore,
dated August 12, from the planning
director. In that letter, Bannister noti
fied Moore that he had used commer
cially zoned property for a junkyard,
and as a storage area for houses moved
from another location. Both uses are
prohibited under commercial zanings.
The letter also stated that Moore had
not obtained the proper inspections, or
followed soil erosion plans for his devel
opment. Moore was given 14 days to
correct the violations, but failed to do
be obtained through a lease-purchase
plan. No changes were made in the 1982
budget.
Volunteer firemen have argued that
their budget has been declining, while
the budgets of other departments have
increased, and they hope to see public
opinion on their side November 2.
Funding of a part-time employee for
the Forsyth County Senior Citizens Cen
ter was approved by the commissioners
on Monday.
Libby Jackson, director of the center,
said the employee was funded for three
months by the state’s Service Commu
nity Senior Project. She added, how
ever, that funding was cut, and may or
may not be restored. “It must go
through several committees,” she said.
Ms. Jackson said she needed some
one part-time, to help her with the
center’s home-delivered meals pro
gram. “We have 10-15 home-delivered
meals each day, which must be packed
before delivery,” she said. “We are
now handling 80-100 people each month,
and 25-30 people on a daily basis.”
Ms. Jackson said that she, and a van
driver, are the only two employees at
the center. She added that when the van
driver was not at the center, it was
impossible for her alone to prepare 10-
15 meals, or work with the senior citi
zens there. County Administrator Don
ald Major said the cost of a part-time
employee for the center would be about
$73 per week.
All five commissioners spoke in favor
of the center, and voted to fund the
Charles R. Brown, president of Tech
nology Park, has said that first-phase
development of the land probably will
come over the next three to five years.
The 600 acres is part of a 1,600-acre
tract, the rest of which is located in
Fulton County. The acreage begins at
Bell Road, and Georgia 120, and lies
north, along both sides of Georgia 141.
“We consider this one of the prime
development sites in the United
States,” Brown said, “because of its
size and its location in such a dynamic
area, and between major transporta
tion corridors such as Interstate 85 and
Peachtree Industrial Boulevard on the
so.
The board narrowly denied a request
from Gail Maxwell, that a storage
building on her property be allowed to
remain eight feet too close to the bound
ary line of an adjoining property' owner.
Ms. Maxwell said she had placed the
B’-by-12’ building in a heavily-wooded
area, where she felt it would show up
the least.
Ms. Maxwell’s request, however, was
opposed by a neighbor, Dick Lucy.
Lucy said the storage building is an
“eyesore,” and appears to be on his
property. “I would like to see the build
ing moved more than eight feet, but it’s
the best we can do,” he added.
employee’s position until the end of this
year.
An abandoned building ordinance
was also brought to the attention of the
commissioners by Planning Director
Lanier Bannister, who sought no action
on the measure. Bannister said the
ordinance was like that now in force in
Hall County.
The ordinance would declare illegal
those buildings which are unsafe, unsa
nitary, do not provide adequate exits,
constitute a fire hazard, are dangerous
to human lives, or constitute a hazard
to safety or health by reason of inade
quate maintenence, dilapidation, obso
lescence or abandonment. Such
buildings would either be repaired and
rehabilitated, or demolished.
A second section of the ordinance
provides that the building official would
determine any requirements necessary
for the strength or stability of an exist
ing or porposed building, or for the
safety or health of the building’s occu
pants.
In other business, the commissioners
appointed Julianne Boling to replace
Gladyse Barrett, whose term has ex
pired on the Civil Service Board. Mrs.
Barrett chose not to be reappointed to
the position.
A controversial rezoning request
which was recommended for denial by
the planning and zoning commission,
was also denied by the commissioners.
The request involved 1% acres near
Bald Ridge Marina, which was to be
rezoned for a dry dock.
east and Georgia Highway 400 on the
west.
Maffett told the authority that For
syth County’s Industrial Review Board
hopes to meet with Technology Park
officials in November.
In other business, the authority voted
to seek an update of a master plan for
the McFarland Road area, which is now
the location of many south Forsyth
County industries. The plan, designed
to serve as a guide for industrial devel
opment in the area, was prepared by
the Georgia Mountains Area Planning
and Development Commission.
SI,OOO Added
To Reward
On ‘Papers’
More than SI,OOO was added last week
to a reward for information leading to
the arrest of the person, or persons
responsible for distributing unsigned
political cartoons prior to the August 31
runoff.
The cartoons made derogative re
marks about several public officials
and candidates in the August 31 runoff,
and about individuals not holding public
office.
Cumming Police Chief Gabe Dukas
said last week that the distribution of
the cartoons was in violation of Section
34-1307 A of the Georgia Code. Accord
ing to the state code, materials such as
the cartoons must be signed by the
individual or candidate responsible for
them.
The Cumming Police Department
and the Georgia Bureau of Investiga
tion are now attempting to determine
from where the cartoons originated,
and how they were distributed.
“We have several leads that we’re
working on, and will continue to work
on,” Dukas said. “We appreciate the
effort and concern of the public. It’s an
example of how people feel about it.”
A motion to grant an eight-foot vari
ance to Ms. Maxwell was defeated 3-2
by the board.
Bannister said Ms. Maxwell had been
charged twice the usual amount for a
building permit, because no permit had
been acquired prior to construction of
the storage building.
Smith said that builders hired by Ms.
Maxwell should have been familiar
with the county’s permit requirements.
He added that the builders should be
responsible for moving the structure.
Letters of approval from the neigh
bors of two property owners, led to their
requests being approved by the board.
Continued on Page 54