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VOLUME LXXVI—NUMBER 80
Future of day care center remains undecided
Commissioners criticized for failing to act
By Laura McCullough
Managing editor
A member of the board of directors of the Forsyth
County Day Care Center this week criticized the county
commission for refusing to assume responsibility for the
center and operating it as a county service.
The center whose future is in limbo pending dis
cussions with various agencies to see if a new operator cn
be found could close its doors if an agreement for
continued operation cannot be reached.
Officials of the day care center are talking with the
Ninth District Opportunity agency in Gainesville to see if
that agency will assume responsibility for operating the
child care facility.
No decisions have been made on the possibility of the
agency taking over the center.
Cullen Larson, executive director of the Ninth District
board, said a tentative meeting date has been set for Oct.
10 at which time more definite plans may be decided.
The six community members of the board of directors
for the federally-funded day care center have been
contemplating resigning from their positions because of
the possibility of liability and the rising cost of insurance
for the center. They have asked the Forsyth County
Commissioners to take over the contract but their
request was rejected.
Darrel Wilkins said the commissioners have been
“very disappointing” in the entire matter and have given
the board no feedback or support.
“It’s disappointing to me that the county isn’t willing to
take it (the day care center),” said Wilkins. “It seems to
me that this would be best for everyone involved and
would keep community interest in the center. I’ll bet
there’s very few people here who know what’s going on at
Federal grant approved for obstetrician to serve area
By Laura McCullough
Managing Editor
A major victory has been scored for
Forsyth County in the area of health
care. The Wilson Clinic has been
approved to receive a federal grant to
hire an obstetrician/gynecologist pri
marily to give pre-natal care and
deliver the babies of indigent patients
here and in Lumpkin and Dawson
counties.
Officials at the health clinic have
been working for years to obtain
government assistance for one of the
county’s major problems. Julia Mos-
Forsyth’s unemployment
is second lowest in Georgia
By Laura McCullough
Managing editor
The only barriers keeping Forsyth County from post
ing the state’s lowest unemployment rate for August was
neighboring Cherokee County and a fraction of a point.
Cherokee County had a jobless rate of 3.6, while
Forsyth’s figure was 3.7, the state’s second lowest.
In recent months, Forsyth has been consistantly
among the state’s lowest unemployment rates. The
county was fourth lowest in July with a 4.2.
Other surrounding counties also posted August rates
below the state average of 6.9. These include: Gwinnett,
4.2, the state’s fifth lowest rating; Fulton, 6.4; Dawson,
5.8, a large drop from its July rating of 13.6; and Hall, 6.7.
The unemployment rate for the 13-county Georgia
Mountains Area Planning and Development Commission
Lanier Village plans renovation
By Laura McCullough
Managing Editor
By the summer of 1986 Lanier Village Shopping Center
should have a totally new look, say developers of Oxford
Group Inc., who are prepared to spend $1.5 million for the
face-lift.
According to Tom Thompson of the Oxford Group,
which owns the shopping center. Treasury Drugs is
coming to Forsyth County along with a major hardware
store whose name he would not disclose.
Thompson said plans are being finalized to bring the
major pharmacy chain to Cumming and this had been
confirmed by a spokesperson for the drug store. Other
pharmacy chains already in the county include Revco
and Eckerds, which is soon to open at Merchant’s
Square.
Plans are also being finalized for the hardware store to
is planned
ommunity center
PACE 9A
ley, director of Wilson Clinic, said
between 75 and 100 women a year
visit the clinic for pre-natal care
because they have no other option.
Since the closing of the obstetrical
unit at Forsyth County Hospital in
1983 there has been no local facility
for indigent pre-natal care.
Funding for the physician will
come from the U.S. Public Health
Service, a federal government
agency. Officials at the clinic will
begin interviewing for a physician
immediately but the grant doesn’t
begin until July 1986.
Until then, other provisions will be
I \
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1985—CUMMING, GA. 30130—60 PAGES 3 SECTIONS
the day care center.” Commission chairman James
Harrington said there are too many legal questions
involved for the county to take on the responsibility of
overseeing operation of the center..
“The primary problem is one of insurance and not
having any control over what happens,” he said. “We
could be libel for anything.”
Wilkins argues that private citizens shouldn’t have to
shoulder the liability for the school, either.
Federally supplimented day care centers have been
taken over by local governments in other counties,
including Dawson and Hall counties.
Harrington said in Forsyth County (the old Sharon
School) the situation is different and cited the “hazard
ous” building of the center. He said that Joe Lane Cox,
the lone Dawson County Commissioner, has “stuck his
neck out” by taking charge of the center there.
However, Cox claims he has never had a problem with
the day care center in Dawsonville since the county took
the contract four years ago, and believes that it provides
a great service to the community.
“The majority of the people using the center are one
parent families who couldn’t work if the center wasn’t
available to take care of their kids,” he said. “The
workers do a fine job here.”
Federal day care centers are funded through a Social
Service Block Grant according to the number of children
enrolled, but directors must also secure a a percentage of
matching money through fund-aisers and donations.
There are 56 children enrolled in Forsyth County and 55
in Dawson County.
Cox said the only cost for the taxpayers of Dawson
County was unemployment it the centers workers get
layed off and gas for a van which is rarely used.
mad£ to handle the indigent patients,
shid Miss Mosley who would not com
mit on any further plans.
“This is a major victory for us,”
said Miss Mosely about the grant, “it
took a lot of work and the effort of a
lot of people here in the county. We
are very excited about it.”
Miss Mosley said that less than 100
obstetricians are assigned by the
government each year and the need
nationwide is overwhelming. Georgia
hasn’t been approved for this type
physician in two years.
“The competition for a ob/gyn is
fierce,” said Miss Mosley. “Espe
declined from a revised 8.3 percent in July to a 6.2 in
August.
In fact, both state and national ratings have dropped.
Georgia’s came down from a 7.3 to a 6.9 percent, a
decrease connected with the rebounding of manufactur
ing industries, says Joe D. Tanner, Georgia Commis
sioner of Labor,
The national rating also dropped from 7.3 to a 7.0.
According to labor reports, manufacturing jobs picked
up by 7,700 in August, with most of the gain in the
manufacture of men’s and boys’ clothing, and the carpet
industry.
Joblessness within the APDC decreased from the
July total of 10,785 to 7,957 and employment rose from
118,865 to 119,934. The total civilian labor force, com-
See LABOR, Page 3A
move into the 1,800-square-foot anchor building which
once housed Ben Franklin’s, said Thompson. The devel
oper also said Food Giant has plans to expand into the old
Revco building next door giving the grocery store 10,000
added square feet for a total of 30,000.
Renovation plans for the shopping center include
resurfacing the parking lot and reconstructing all of the
store fronts to make them more attractive.
“Nine months from now it should look like a different
shopping center,” said Thompson.
The shopping center, built in the early 19705, has had
its troubles of late. Despite a total of 100,000 square feet,
there are only eight tenants now operating businesses in
the center. Thompson said he hopes the renovation will
attract new tenants.
“It needs to be done now especially with this new
shopping center opening up, and of course Tri-County
Plaza is very successful,” he said.
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Staff Photo Dawn Holcomb
Children at the Forsyth County Day Care Center enjoy lunch
dally in the high need areas like
Mississippi and in Miami they
could use all 100 doctors easily.”
After being turned down four times,
Forsyth’s application was finally
pushed through because the need is a
multi-county one.
The physician will work in Forsyth
County at the Wilson Clinic, have a
satellite office in Dahlonega and will
deliver babies at Lumpkin County
Hospital. Residents from Dawson,
White and Fannin’ counties will also
be served by the doctor.
The physician will handle any type
of gynecology need and the fee will be
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Sun Photo Doom Holcomb
What a doll
Though there are three dolls pictured here, only one is real. She’s
Amy Burruss, four-year-old daughter of Harold and Phyllis Burruss
of Cumming. Amy was among the visitors at Parson’s last week
eyeing the many dolls on display in the store. Parson’s, which is
located at Tri-County Plaza, is getting ready for the holiday season
by displaying the many dolls that are available for Christmas
buyers as well as serious doll collectors. The dolls will be on
display throughout the week of Oct. 7.
based upon ability to pay. Medicaid
patients will be treated.
The physician hired will be one who
is required to work for the govern
ment a set number of years to pay off
a college scholarship. When that con
tract runs out so do the services of the
doctor.
Miss Mosley said at that time the
clinic could get another physician
with government aid but the chances
are slim that any will be available.
“The program has about phased
)ut,” she said. “We’ll probably just
try to hire privately or contract with
some hospital to deliver the babies.”
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The director said the best solution
would be to reopen the obstetrical
unit at Forsyth County Hospital. But
that is not likely to happen, says
Craig Hethcox, hospital administra
tor.
Hethcox said the hospital lost $257,-
000 in 1983 and in 1984 saw that deficit
drop to only SII,OOO a difference he
contributes largely to the shutting
down of the delivery room.
He said most of the patients utiliz
ing the delivery service were indi
gent. There were 84 babies delivered
at the hospital during 1983.
Incorrect
information
is on some
tax notices
By Chuck Thompson
News editor
Lack of information, or wrong in
formation on corrected tax notices
mailed in Forsyth County on Friday,
Sept. 27 has been linked to a computer
foul-up in Augusta.
The Forsyth County Tax Assessors
Office mailed about 6,500 of the no
tices to individuals who experienced
a change in the value of their prop
erty.
The notices are supposed to show
the 1985 property value and compare
it to the value for 1984.
However, a computer foul-up has
resulted in 1985 values being com
pared to 1983 values instead.
In some cases, only the 1985 value is
listed, with no comparison made at
all.
If a new parcel is involved, only the
1985 value should be listed, but in
other cases a comparison should be
made.
Chief Appraiser James Payne says
individuals with a question about
corrected tax notices should find
their 1984 assessment notice and
make sure the value used for compa
rison is the 1984 value, not the 1983
value.
Payne said Wednesday he had
talked to a number of individuals who
received a corrected notice, and that
in 100 percent of the cases the notice
contained an error.
35 CENTS