Newspaper Page Text
©ifwo©«
DHR’s Budget Plan
May Be A Good Idea
* State department officials
•will find they’ll have to work
with a magic pencil to figure
l out how to curb expenditures in
r light of federal budget cuts this
; year.
* With less money coming in
:from Washington, less money
' going to various state depart
ments and less money to oper
ate with, it’s going to be a
challenge to some state offi
cials to hold the line on ex
penses.
And even after budget cuts,
the governor and state legis
lature may have a hand at
more belt tightening before all
is said and done.
But if the Department of Hu
man Resources is any example
of what to expect, it might not
be as difficult as it seems. The
DHR has presented it’s budget
plan to Gov. George Busbee,
and in it is a proposed budget
cut of $18,314,850. How can that
be?
DHR Commissioner Jim Led
better says, “A budget reduc
tion of the magnitude required
after a fiscal year has begun is
Charity Still Priority
Despite Economic Woes
It’s encouraging to note that
during tough economic times,
Forsyth Countians haven’t for
gotten about those less fortu
nate and in need.
Local residents proved that
recently when they made
pledges that totalled 14 percent
more than last year’s total to
the Muscular Dystrophy Asso
ciation.
With folks losing jobs, prices
on the increase, percentage
rates higher, and the overall
cost of living hitting the pocket
harder than in the past, giving
to charities becomes extremely
more difficult. That’s what’s
been happening statewide.
YOUR LETTERS ARE WELCOME
The Forsyth County News welcomes
letters to the editor concerning opinions
or columns on this page, or concerning
local, area, state, or national issues.
Letters that cannot be verified nor
carry a signature will not be used.
Writers should include their address
and telephone numbers must be added
Hewrewesat
V|l|||i FORSYTH lVflf|Ve
A nil COUNTY niITT 9
USPS 205-540
(Established 1908)
P.O. Box 210, Camming, Georgia 30130
Telephone - 887-3126
EDDIE STOWE PUBLISHER & EDITOR
HARRIET HOUSTON ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
CHUCK THOMPSON NEWS EDITOR
MERRI BRANTLEY STAFF WRITER
GREG LITTLE STAFF WRITER
CANDY ADAMS OFFICE
SANDRA INGRAM OFFICE
SHIRLEY PAGE OFFICE
Published every Wednesday by The Forsyth County News
Company. Second Class Postage paid at: Post Office in
Cumming, Georgia under act of March Bth in 1897.
Subscription rates in Forsyth and adjacent counties $10.40 per
year, including state sales tax. Other Georgia counties and
out-of-state $15.60 per year, includes sales tax.
v News and Ad Copy Deadline is 1 p.m. Mondays.
ADVERTISING RATES UPON REQUEST
awesome. Our approach has
struck a balance between the
need for realizing immediate
fiscal savings and the need for
maintaining a minimum level
of human services.”
DHR proposes salary cuts of
$15,544,176. This includes con
sideration of furloughing each
employee two days between
October 1 and June 30; or de
laying annual salary increases
for all employees four months
during the next year.
Additional reductions of $2,-
770,674 are proposed through
curtailment in miscellaneous
operating costs and in capital
outlay projects.
The basic idea behind the
cuts is ideal. Says Commis
sioner Ledbetter, “Our plan is
intended to avoid reducing di
rect client services, while at the
same time, avoiding a reduc
tion in force which would prove
catastrophic not only for our
employees, but for Georgia’s
economy as well.”
If the plan works, DHR may
have hit on something.
In North Georgia, there was a
5.7 percent decrease in MDA
contributions over last year.
Nationwide, contributions fell
10 percent.
But, in Forsyth County,
pledges rose 14 percent.
It seems like almost every
week, very worthwhile charita
ble organizations are seeking
some sort of fund drive. It’s
hard to turn these programs
away.
Hats off to Forsyth Coun
tians, who continue to give to
those in need, despite the econ
omy. You’re to be congratu
lated.
for verification.
All letters must bear the writer’s
signature.
Letters should be addressed to The
Editor and mailed to: The Forsyth
County News, Post Office Box 210,
Cumming, Ga., 30130.
*
Group Grades Congressmen
On How They Stand On Issues
Have you taken the time lately to find
out how Sam Nunn, Mack Mattingly
and Ed Jenkins are voting in Washing
ton? If not, read this report. Af
terwards, you may wish to write your
congressmen, and state your approval
or disapproval of thier actions.
The following information was de
rived from a report by Conservatives
Against Liberal Legislation (CALL).
CALL graded each of our three con
gressmen on their voting records. Sen
ator Mack Mattingly received an A-,
Representative Ed Jenkins received a
C and Senator Sam Nunn received a D.
Mattingly missed out an an A + be
cause of two votes, in which he sided
with Nunn, on the Legal Services Cor
poration. One of those votes came on a
bill, rejected by the Senate 24-72, which
would have cut $100,000,000 from the
LSC. Mattingly and Nunn also voted
against a bill to terminate the LSC, by
cutting its entire budget. That bill was
also rejected by the Senate, 21-61.
According to CALL, the LSC was
founded to provide legal services for
the poor, but has spent much of its time
illegally lobbying for liberal causes.
Nunn was on the losing side when he
voted against a bill to deny Medicaid
funding of abortion, except when
needed to save a mother’s life. In other
words, the Senator voted in favor of
Medicaid funding for abortions.
Nunn also voted against a bill to index
personal income tax rates, to offset the
Community Shouldn’t Be
Influenced By Select Few
“Everyone has a right to an opinion
provided it agrees with mine.” If this is
the way you think, wake up!
Very often our opinions get us into
“hot water.” How we feel about certain
issues, our beliefs on many subjects,
and our reactions to situations may
make life uncomfortable. However, be
ing afraid to speak up and stand up for
what is right and important is a very
sad way to live.
“If two people agree on everything,
one is unnecessary.” The right to dis
agree is a very important right. If we
allow an individual or a group of indi
viduals to control and manipulate our
thoughts and actions we become like
cattle going to the slaughter. We will
eventually become a nation similar to
the Germans during the leadership of
Hitler.
When we believe that what we say
and what we do is totally right for
everyone, we are sadly mistaken. We
are not the conscience of all people
around us. This type of attitude should
make us uncomfortable. Master manip-
Landfill Issue Coming Into Focus Here
The Forsyth County Commission is
faced with an unpopular, as well as an
unpleasant delimma, that could turn
into a stinky situation before it’s all
over with.
Like every county, Forsyth County
provides a landfill for its residents. But,
unlike some counties, Forsyth’s landfill
is quickly nearing its demise.
The problem is that a new landfill site
must be found. And, pretty soon, too.
The lease on the current landfill prop
erty expires in June, 1984. And it’s not
too early for work to begin on securing
a new site.
County commissioners have known
for some time that something must be
done. Now, they are coming face to face
with the problem.
“It’s probably a year’s process,” said
county administrator Donald Major.
“It’s not to early to get started.”
County officials already have the
wheels turning enroute to a solution.
Major said the county will interview
engineering firms “right away” to look
for a site that would be acceptable. The
I I^lh)@inn)pg@(n)
li=r- « 4V
effects of inflation. Again, he was on the
losing side, as the Senate adopted the
bill 57-40.
Two budget-cutting bills proposed by
Mattingly were defeated by Nunn, and
the Senate. Those two bills would have
cut Department of Interior appropria
tions by five percent, and discretionary
budget authority by 2.6 percent.
A bill against foreign aid for commu
nist countries was also defeated by
Nunn, and the Senate. The bill would
have prohibited aid to Zimbabwe (Rho
desia) as long as North Korean commu
nist advisors, or military personnel are
in the country.
Like Nunn and Mattingly, Represen
tative Ed Jenkins voted against a bill to
cut funding from the LSC. HR4169,
which was rejected 122-272, would have
cut $241,000,000 from the LSC.
Jenkins also voted against a bill (re
jected 184-255) which would have cut
allocations to house committees. Those
I JplfaMa® F
I Iksfaf K
•'"T
ulators of people are not only dangerous
but also destructive.
We should be against the intentional
destruction of reputations by so-called
“groups for better government,” espe
cially when they fail to list their names
on their opinions.
We should be against accusations by
association. We should not judge a man
strictly by the company he may keep,
at least until we know the facts behind
his association.
We should not advocate or become a
part of collective criticism. Lumping
people into a category for detrimental
I §ls©W<§>
firm would make recommendations to
the county and from those a site would
be picked.
However, there are a lot of consider
ations that must be reviewed. Engi
neers must make soil condition studies,
water studies, survey rock areas, and
most importantly, view density. Un
doubtedly this is where the headaches
start.
Density is probably the most impor
tant factor as far as the general public
is concerned. “If we wind up with 10
possible sites, then we would look to see
-THE FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS—WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1982
PAGE 4A
committees would have received 90
percent of what their allotment for the
previous year had been.
The House approved a bill to reduce
individual income tax rates by 25 per
cent across-the-board over three years,
to index tax rates beginning in 1985 and
to provide business and investment tax
incentives. Jenkins, and 195 other rep
resentatives, however, voted against
the bill.
Jenkins, and 251 house members
were successful in rejecting a bill to
require most food stamp recipients to
pay for a portion of their stamps.
A motion to allow a $75 tax deduction
for each Congressional day, to cover
living expenses, was approved by Jen
kins, and 363 other representatives.
Only 47 representatives voted against
the measure. The motion gives each
Congressman annual deductions of up
to $19,650.
The votes mentioned above, are
some, or all of those upon which each
Congressman’s grade was based.
What action you take is up to you.
Should you decide to write your rep
resentatives and senators, you may
reach them at the following addresses:
Senator Mack Mattingly, Senate
Office Building, Washington, D.C.,
20510.
Senator Sam Nunn, Senate Office
Building, Washington, D.C., 20510.
Congressman Ed Jenkins, 217 Can
non Building, Washington, D.C., 20515.
remarks is foolish. All doctors are not
quacks, all lawyers are not crooks, all
pilots are not flying “pot planes,” all
teachers are not incompetent.
We should be encouraged that some
individuals in this county are against
smear tactics in political campaigns.
We should be relieved that many small
donations have been made to the re
ward for information on the recent
cartoons and stories. It should say to us
that our county will not accept the
willful and deliberate attempt to de
stroy men and reputations. We should
all want justice and truth in Forsyth
County.
On Your Payroll
Senator Mack Mattingly, Senate Of
fice Building, Washington, D.C., 20510.
Senator Sam Nunn, Senate Office
Building, Washington, D.C., 20510.
Congressman Ed Jenkins, 217 Cannon
Building, Washington, D.C. 20515.
what the best site is,” said Major. Other
considerations include the access and
durability.
To ease the current situation, the
county recently acquired five acres of a
“borrow area” where dirt is pulled to
fill in at the landfill. The lease on this
propery also expires in June, 1984. All
total, the county has 18 acres leased at
the present site on Kelly Mill Road.
Trash is buried in deep pits and then
covered with a bulldozer.
Last year about this time, the county
received a $3,750 grant from the state
Department of Natural Resources to be
used for a landfill. Acceptance of that
grant was on the condition the county
matched the funds.
The money was used for the “borrow
area” as an extension to curb an imme
diate problem. The county used in-kind
funding, equipment and labor, to match
the grant.
Acquisition and extension of the land
fill was done this year and should ease
the problem until a solution to a new
landfill can be accomplished
(nfiKftfffli : zM
r ,■ * „
v / r
/ X i
Child Abuse
Cases Must
Be Reported
It happens in every state, every city,
to the rich and poor, black and white. It
even happens right here in Forsyth
County.
It’s called Child Abuse.
Child abuse does not only include
physical abuse, but mental and sexual
abuse as well as neglect, which is also a
form of abuse.
Child abuse has been happening for
years and years, but only recently has
the public received any information on
it, and now abusers can get help, as well
as the children.
During the last quarter in 1981, which
includes the October, November and
December months, the Department of
Family and Children Services received
31 referrals in child abuse cases. Four
teen of those cases were confirmed.
That may not seem like a large amount
to you, but to those children who had
been repeatedly abused, it was 14 too
many.
Neglect is the forerunner in Forsyth
County in child abuse cases. Sexual
incest though is running a close second.
Friends and neigbors are usually the
first to report a child abuse case, with
teachers and relatives following.
Adults who abuse children, are
usually people who have recently expe
rienced a crisis in their life, whether it
be a death, or the loss of a job, and they
take out their anger and frustration on
a child who cannot fight back. Abusers
were usually abused as children them
selves, and know of no other way to deal
with a problem, so they deal with it in
the same way their parents dealt with it
through abuse. Many times the parents
do not even know what they are doing at
the time, and hate themselves after the
fact, but then it’s too late, and the
emotional scars are left.
When the DFCS is notified of a possi
ble abuse problem, they usually try to
alleviate the problem. For instance, if a
child is neglected, the DFCS may try to
find a nursery or babysitter the parents
can afford if the parent or parents are
working.
Upon receiving a report of child
abuse, the DFCS usually pays a visit to
the family, if the child is in immediate
danger, he is taken from the home, and
usually stays in a foster home. Most
children are however left with the par
ents. Sometimes parents will volun
tarily remove the child from the home
if they feel there is a problem, but not
often enough.
Many times when a child is placed in
a foster home, DFCS tries to place the
child with a relative, but if this is not
possible, then they at least try to keep
the child within the county.
Anyone can be an abuser, and anyone
can be abused. Too many times we only
hear about the poor abusing their chil
dren, but it happens in the homes of the
more well-to-do also. One reason we
know about the poor abusing their
children is because they have social
agents within their home more than the
wealthier families do.
There are certian community mem
bers who by law must report child
abuse cases. These are teachers, doc
tors, nurses, counselors etc., who gen
erally have a great deal of contact with
children.
There is also a law that protects
people who report possible child abuse
cases from being found out by the
abuser. Usually the DFCS must receive
more than one phone call on an abused
child for them to investigate the case
further.
Remember, these abused children
are our leaders of tomorrow, and if we
let this kind of treatment continue, we
will just create a vicious cycle.
In addition to unpredictable local
problems, the county must abide by the
state’s Environmental Protection Divi
sion standards, which landfills must
meet in order to remain licensed.
The state will not allow the arbitrary
establishments of landfills, and the
county knows it.
Just the paperwork alone with the
application process could take from
three to four months. And once the
environmental, financial, bureaucratic
and legal hurdles and cleared, there are
the residents to consider.
Major said he hoped the county could
apply for funds to be used in land
acquisition for the landfill site. This
also takes a certain amount of proc
essing.
Acquiring a new landfill is obviously
not one of the most popular items a
county commission can take under con
sideration or act upon.
But, county residents must know that
it’s an item that lies dead ahead. Just
prepare to realize it.