Newspaper Page Text
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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS—SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1914
BARNETT From Page 1A
tiie Genera] Assembly, what would
you change?
Barnett l’m not for extending
Genera! Assembly sessions, but I’d
like to see more time set aside for
committee meetings. The Alabama
legislature has two days per week set
aside for committee meetings. This
would allow more time to debate and
investigate bills, especially during
the last days of the session, when
there’s so much going on you don’t
have time to know as much about a
bill as you want to.
Jennings l’m not against Tom
Murphy, but I think we should limit
House speakers to two consecutive
terms, regardless of who it is. Serv
ing beyond two terms creates too
much power and fear, and too many
favors are owed here and there. Be
cause the speaker appoints legis
lators to committees, there is the fear
of losing committee seats. In addi
tion, I'd like to see more honest,
conservative senators and represen
tatives.
What is your opinion of the sales tax
as a means of relieving the burden
placed on property taxpayers in
Georgia?
Barnett I would support such a
tax if there were guarantees it would
result in a dollar-for-dollar rollback
cm property taxes. This would not be a
AMBULANCE From Page 1A
month, because any fees collected by
the service are deducted from the
county’s share.
Craig Hethcox, adminstrator of
Forsyth Hospital since Omni took
over, said the hospital has achieved a
60 percent collection rate on ambu
lance fees, a rate he said is about as
good as can be expected.. “Even the
best ambulance services with aggres
sive collection policies can expect to
collect only about 70 percent of user
fees. The remainder has to be written
off as bad debt,” Hethcox said.
"We have run the ambulance serv
ice as cheaply as we can and have cut
some expenses,” Hethcox said. “A
for-profit company will do everything
it can to cut expenses and they will
have to have a tougher collections
policy than we've had,” he added.
Ms. Wiggins, who has been with
Forsyth Ambulance Service for 10
years, first with Ingram’s Ambu
lance Service and then with another
private firm, said the tough stand on
collections characteristic of private
firms has her concerned about the
availability and quality of service to
the county’s poor population should
the county go with a private service.
“Although the county is becoming
more affluent, there are still a lot of
elderly and indigent people who can
not afford to pay, especially at the
time of service,” she said.
"The Forsyth County Ambulance
Service has never refused to trans
port anyone. I don’t want to see
anyone hurt because they can’t pay
for the ride, especially the elderly,”
she said.
HOSPITAL From Page 1A
tide, Page 1A), however, no decision
has been reached.
Although Hethcox has not been
approached by any county official to
discuss the matter, the hospital ad
ministrator asked for the authority's
directions should he be consulted.
Authority member Frank Small
wood said it would “absolutely not"
hurt his feelings if the county wanted
-Your Right To Vote-
Register to vote by Oct. 9, 1984
at Courthouse on ground floor in
Registrar's Office
8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Monday-Friday
or
Forsyth County Bank
and Bank South
9 a.m.-12 p.m. Sat.
Paid for by Forsyth County
Republican Women
tax increase, but shifting part of the
tax burden from property to sales.
It’s unfair for property taxpayers to
pay so much of the local share for
education, and I see this as the num
ber one problem in Forsyth County. I
would not support a sales tax just for
the sake of having additional reve
nue.
Jennings l’m not sure this is the
answer. I would like to pursue some
different avenues. It appears that in
the past, when sales taxes were
added on, property taxes continued to
go up regardless. One thing we need
to do is streamline the state budget
and stop giving little groups money at
taxpayers’ expense.
What will you do to stay in touch
with your constituents while the Gen
eral Assembly is in session?
Barnett l’ll continue with my
weekly radio program and newspa
per reports, and my home phone
number is listed in the Gumming
phone book. I’m always ready for
interviews, and speaking at group
meetings. I’ve also made efforts to
communicate with civic groups in the
last two years.
Jennings I will have a special
line installed at my home and will
need to hear from constituents, to
help keep me informed on their
needs.
The current contract between the
county and hospital on the ambulance
service expires Dec. 31, but, following
Thursday’s meeting of the Forsyth
Hospital Authority, the county can
break the contract anytime it finds
another wants to.
In making his presentation to the
Board Sept. 10, Oglesby and his attor
ney stressed that the county would
have the service of four ambulances,
compared to the three it currently
has, would have advanced emer
gency medical technicians on duty at
all times, and that the county would
be paying a fixed amount, less than it
is paying now, for service.
Hethcox said Oglesby’s proposal,
featuring a fixed amount for service,
is exactly what the commissioners
are looking for. "They want to give
the ambulance service to someone
who will operate it for ‘X’ amount of
dollars.”
“It would be great if Oglesby could
do it for that, but I honestly don’t
think he can,” said Wiggins, adding
that, “If the county commission feels
Oglesby can provide the service, they
will go with it “
Finley, who has been working be
hind the scenes trying to get support
for the concept of a county depart
ment to provide emergency medical
service, said he feels the commission
ers are about to make a very impor
tant decision regarding service to the
county.
"We are at a crossroads. An ambu
lance service is right up there with
fire protection and law enforcement
in terms of services the county can
offer,” Finley said.
to contract with someone else for the
ambulance service. “That’s (the am
bulance service) been the biggest
headache we’ve had since I’ve been
on the authority," Smallwood said.
Chairman Johnny Stone said he felt
Smallwood had “summed up the feel
ings of the authority" with his
statement. “I would not have any
hesitation to give it up," Stone said.
(Both candidates plan to make use
of a special answering service for
legislators at the State Capitol.)
What do yon feel are the major
issues facing the 1985 General Assem
bly?
Barnett lmprovements to and
problems with education. I think this
will dominate next year’s session, as
it did in 1984. There always will be
issues like monetary improvements
and raising teachers’ salaries, but
this year the General Assembly will
deal with recommendations of the
Governor’s Education Review Com
mission. Some of those recommenda
tions will include vocational
education. It has been said that
Georgia students are being trained in
vocational schools for jobs which
don’t offer that many opportunities.
Other recommendations will include
a full-day kindergarten program and
how to attract more people into the
teaching field. Pari-mutuel betting, a
state lottery and the budget also
should be major issues.
Jennings Crime, including pris
ons and paroles. According to a study
done by some private citizens, the
crime rate in Georgia is higher than
that of Illinois. We need to work on
the housing of criminals and be more
in control of those who are paroled.
Education should be another major
issue.
“We have some problems with our
current ambulance service, but we
have a very good foundation, espe
cially with the recent SIO,OOO grant for
heart monitor defribulators,” he
added.
Wiggins agrees, saying that emer
gency medical services, along with
the sheriff’s and fire departments,
should be coordinated under an um
brella department of public services
or public safety.
Finley, pushing the idea of a county
department to handle ambulance
services and presenting himself as a
possible director of the newly formed
department, feels a little change can
go a long way in making the county’s
ambulance service more effective.
“EMS is not a cheap thing, no
matter who operates it. The main
thing is that the people get the kind of
service they pay for and deserve,” he
added.
"The Board of Commissioners' bot
tom line is financial and legal respon
sibility, both of which they would
gladly turn over to someone else,”
said Wiggins.
"Our bottom line is the patients. I
think we need from the commission
ers a good balance between the two
considerations," she added.
“If Oglesby can do what he says he
can do for the price he has quoted, it
will only benefit the county,” Wiggins
said.
Wiggins voiced a view that is com
mon to all involved in e decision, "I
just want what is best for this county
and the people who are here the
best service at the best cost that is
agreeable to everyone.”
In other business, the authority
approved the sale of several items of
surplus equipment, approved several
medical staff appointments and ac
cepted the 1983 audit for the hospital.
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Tri-County Plaza
Cumming, Georgia
deaths
Collett
Funeral services were held Friday,
Sept. 28, 1964, at 2 p.m. at Ingram
Funeral Home Chapel for C.L. “Bud”
Collett, 62, of Mount Pisgah Road,
Cumming.
Rev. Bob Wallen officiated the
service for Mr. Collett, who died
Tuesday, Sept. 25, 1984. Interment
was at Mount Pisgah Baptist Church.
Surviving Mr. Collett are his wife,
Mrs. Frances Akins Colktt of Cum
ming; daughters, Vivian Collett and
Georgia Collett, both of Cumming;
brothers, P.W. and Frankie Collett
and Mac and Janie Collett, both of
Jasper; sisters, Ekiie and Fred Law
son, Elouise and Hershel Major, and
Nell and Vern Farmer, all of Cum
ming; brother-in-law, Sammy and
Faye Akins of Lawreneeville; sister
in-law, Babe Akins; Willene and Tom
Lindsey, and a number of nieces,
nephews, and other relatives.
Chastain
Services were held Wednesday,
Sept. 26, 1984, at 4 p.m. at Ingram
Funeral Home Chapel for Lottie Met
calf Chastain, 81, of 1770 Burgess
Road, Suwanee.
Revs. Glen Phillips and Tyrone
Hutchinson officiated the ceremony
for Mrs. Chastain, who died Monday,
Tax bills
6 weeks
late now
Delays at the county’s data proc
essing firm have already pushed the
date for mailing tax (tills back at least
six weeks and with each day the
billing date is getting later.
Compudat, the Augusta-based data
processing company that handles
Forsyth County’s tax records, has
been putting other county tax digests
ahead of Forsyth’s, according to tax
assessor James Payne.
Payne said his office has met its
deadlines to get the digest out on
time, "but they have not been punch
ing ours in. It is just sitting on the
floor down there,” he said.
Mike Hodges, systems analyst with
Compudat handling Forsyth’s ac
count, said, “It is our policy to not
comment mi our clients or our deal
ings with them.”
Lloyd Wagnon, county administra
tor, said the delay points out the
problems of dealing long distance
with the county's data processing
needs.
“I’m not out to fuss at Compudat or
to hold James Payne responsible for
their inability to get our digest out on
time,” Wagnon said. “It’s just that it
is costing us so much more to deal
long distance than it would if we had
our own data processing capabili
ties,” he added.
Wagnon said he estimated the in
terest lost on a six-week delay in
getting the digest out would be more
than enough to pay for a computer
system for the county’s tax offices.
Until the tax digest is back in
Forsyth, the county commissioners
cannot set the mill rate for the com
ing year.
“They will probably go ahead and
approve a budget and then figure the
millage based on the budget,” Wag
non said.
Sept. 23, 1964. Interment was at Saw
nee View Memorial Gardens.
Surviving Mrs. Chastain are her
husband, Robert Chastain of Suwa
nee; daughters, Ann Price of Tucker,
Vemie Mae Long of Cumming, Ge
neva Leach of Lawreneeville, and
Thelma Garmon of Cumming; sons,
Ralph Chastain of Lawreneeville,
Hoyt Chastain of Jefferson, Robot
Chastain of Commerce and James
Chastain of Decatur; sister, Gertie
Chastain of Cumming; brothers, Mil
lard Metcalf of Duluth and Roy Met
calf of Athens; 32 grandchildren and
38 great-grandchildren.
Fagan
Services were held Wednesday,
Sept. 26, 1984, at 11 a.m. at Victory
Baptist Church for Jeff Fagan, 22, of
107 10th Street, Cumming.
Rev. J.B. Jordan officiated the
ceremony for Mr. Fagan, who died
Monday, Sept. 24, 1984, from injuries
sustained in an auto accident. Inter
ment was at Sawnee View Memorial
Gardens.
Surviving Mr. Fagan are his par
ents, Ronald and JoAnn Fagan of
Cumming; sister, Mrs. Lisa Grogan
of Dawsonville; grandparents, Mr.
and Mrs. E.E. Fagan of Cumming
and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wilbanks of
Cartersville; and a number of other
relatives.
by Judi Sheppard Missett
jsuaemstM
New class
starting
October 2 Ba
Tues. & Thurs.
7:00 p.m. 1 «
South Forsyth Jr. 1 H
High Cafeteria ll /
Rjto
VFW
Ham Shoot
Starts
Sat. September 29
at 1 p.m.
at Post Home
on
Dawsonville Hwy.
THANK YOU
Forsyth Countians
For your continued support
through your words, prayers,
actions and votes in the
August Primary.
November 6th will soon be
here. Everyone! Democrats,
Republicans and In
dependents, I NEED YOU.
Please vote to return Wesley
Walraven as your Sheriff.
LET'S KEEP WALRAVEN
SHERIFF
VOTE FOR AND RE-ELECT
WESLEY WALRAVEN
SHERIFF
PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT
Two Arrested
on drug charges
Forsyth County Sheriff’s investiga
tors Thursday arrested two local resi
dents on drug charges after executing
a search warrant at their Buford
Dam Road home.
Jimmy Allen Clark, 37, and Stack
Ann Carlson, 25, both of Buford Dam
Road, were charged with possession
of suspected illegal drugs, according
to Sheriff Wesley Walraven.
ATTENTION
Graduated Madrigals
From 1958-1984
We want to hear from you!
This year's Madrigal Dinner
will be a reunion of all past
Madrigal Singers and their
directors. The date is Sat.,
Dec. 1, 1984 at Cherokee
High School. Mail your
name and address to us so
we can send a question
naire to you to fill out for a
booklet we are composing
for you.
By Oct. 10
Mail Tq;
Cherokee High School
Choral Department
Cherokee High
651 Marietta Hwy.
Canton, GA 30114