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| Phil Moore finds number 13 is never less than special —IB VC 111 —NUMBER 96 . i There’s a whole lot of shaking going on And you thought some one climbed those pecan trees and picked the nuts. John Mashburn has an easier way. He uses a tractor to shake the trees in the Mashburn Orchard. W.B. Haney makes sure the blue cover collects all of the nuts. Fall’s drought withered much of the state’s pecan crop but it should still provide for all the cakes, breads and pies baked over the holidays. Staff Photo Kathryn L. Babb Costs surrounding Potts climb higher and higher By Lindsey Kelly Staff writer As the wheels of justice grind slowly, so does the meter keep on ticking. Providing for indigent defense, particularly in a death penalty case, is a big ticket item for county government. Take the Jack Potts resentencing trial, for instance. The jury selection process in that ’BB budget mirrors Cumming’s growth By Tom McLaughlin Staff writer Cumming will have more money in its budget this year, but not as much leeway in spending it. “The budget is tighter than it was last year because we didn’t raise the millage rates,” said City Manager Gerald Blackburn. The city’s millage rate remained at 6 mills for 1988, meaning property taxes did not go up. A 6 mill tax rate means that property owners will pay $6 for every SI,OOO of assessed value. But the city budget of $3,014,350 is higher than last year’s, a reflection of the city’s growth, according to Cumming Mayor Ford Gravitt. 1 “It’s in keeping with the growth that we are having,” Please see BUDGET, page 2A SForsvth Count vNeus Vi ______ __ \ s ' ;V ' fT xgr r ffl«i ?., ' v v A .jdfc vW* . V ; ißHL»rjr* /? V vfrQiMfcSJWr s fiTVI visk W%T« &£&Lx*ks -%ift / - * f m ii < \*ff\_ * '' oSlo-W* '■ wBeIsEC/ \l j • w >jyr^L^fty r f\J7HpJH-ir. ■: By ^ * i. X-j«c /W^Mrv!l/^|g^ Br iloTtißPSk? ' £\/: L^&^S^n ' I ? - - # a y-'jQS r# i «ftw|r*> 'WmjM -J^f ~ < 9(Hr >•* i'4Wr^Kr^Tli_^n I. /' - - ', ~>z~ vfs2T'P|c A \ A,\. BiMII» tvSBu ,> 4ii Jl ?if v »[«♦ ’fw/Cus f r.V,# ■ w»^<j i# 1 •*'“*' x . *V \ | —Jt £»tf*%W- S; ’r*K' Mgjßl *T Of m. ... > »-• Jl fc*- ■<? <^Kyct3 a^r t 7j>gK ** jg >aWßErl^WKt j j ~ pp»p« j *' < ■ ■“’•yfS’Vjlt* * fr BHk -‘ m ■ L imiJfit' Tr r , case which took place earlier this month, involving 101 potential jurors and roughly 60 hours of court time, carried a price tag of over SIO,OOO. A change of venue to Augusta will put the cost higher when the process is repeated in January. Potts is facing resentencing for his 1975 murder conviction for the shooting death of Michael Priest of Roswell. Scheduled to die SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1987-CUMMING, GA. 30130-88 PAGES 3 SECTIONS Mipsidhfai - I ~ -,o ’*e - O- iSgjpH wg ’ v Staff Photo Laura McCullough Lyn Barnhorst surveys toys to be given out at Christmas INDISTINCT print in 1980, Potts appealed his execution and eventually won an overturning of his death sentence. The murder conviction was allowed to stand, however, and the state has been giv en the opportunity to again seek the death penalty against him. But that opportunity is not without considerable cost. According to figures provided by the coun ty administrator’s office, jury fees alone, at a rate of S2O a day for each juror for the six day long selection process, came to $8,595. Food costs were $97. Other costs were $1,489.10 for the court reporter, $175 in medical expenses for Potts incurred during the proceedings, and $l5O for transporting the defendant back and forth from state prison in Jackson. Please see POTTS, page 2A Seniors’ call brings in toys by the truckload By Laura McCullough Managing Editor A 5-foot cardboard box at Midway Park is filled with stuffed animals and plastic dolls. Some are in need of a good bath, while others look brand new. But they are all in search of a home for Christmas. The community building has been turned into Santa’s workshop for the past two months, with senior citizen elves busily painting cradles, fixing broken toy trucks and sewing clothes for Barbie dolls. Toys have been donated by the thou sands and the seniors are now saying, Officials explain water vote Meeting ‘to put all the facts out’ By Kathey Pruitt Staff writer With three weeks remaining before the local option sales tax vote, Cumming and Forsyth County officials are turning to word-of-mouth to drum up support for a penny-per-dollar increase that would fund water sys tem expansions. Local officials met with a group of about 30 county residents Tuesday for a question and answer session about the proposed water system. Officials say they hope that those people will help disseminate informa tion about the project. “We’re trying to put all the facts out so the citizens of Forsyth County will know what the election is all about,” said County Administrator Ralph Roberts, who has taken a leave of absence from his county post to promote the sales tax vote. “Then, when they’re dis cussing it, they’ll know what we’re trying to do with the water system.” Saggese-Hicks, an Atlanta-based public relations firm, is using private funds to coordinate advertising and promotions for the sales tax referendum at a cost of $20,000, but government officials contend that directly contacting local residents and allaying local concerns about the sales tax and the water project is the best way to garner support. Residents were invited to Tuesday’s meeting at the courthouse without regard to their opinion on the water issue, according to Cumming City Manager Gerald Please see WATER, page 3A Alpharetta calls can be flat rate By Laura McCullough Managing Editor Cumming residents could save money on their long distance telephone - bills to Alpharetta, according to a new rate structure approved by the Public Service Commission. Southern Bell customers in Cumming will be offered an “optional extended area service” allowing them to call an Alpharetta exchange for a flat monthly fee. Businesses will be charged $6 a month for an hour, and residents will pay $3 for a half-hour. Customers are billed 60 cents for each additional six minutes. The service only applies when dialing from a Cum ming exchange to an Alpharetta exchange, not the en tire metro dialing area. Those on the Alpharetta ex change will not get the price break when dialing Cumming. “There hasn’t been an expressed interest in going from Alpharetta to Cumming,” said Bob Swett, staff manager with Southern Bell. “If there is a push for that then we would consider it.” Forsyth County residents have long wanted to be come a part of the metro dialing area, especially since those living in the Midway community are on the Al pharetta exchange. A petition for this request was turned down several years ago by the PSC. The metro dialing area is the largest toll-free area in the nation and has not been changed since the 19605. Instead, outlying communities are being offered this extended area service. Don Schublee, tariff analysis with the PSC, said 25 telephone exchanges in Georgia already have this service. Cumming residents already have a similar plan with price breaks when calling core exchanges of downtown Atlanta. The Alpharetta service was requested by several groups in Forsyth County, including The Polo Fields, a housing development on Post Road. “This would be helpful if you lived in Cumming but had business con nections in Alpharetta, or had the need to call Alphar etta a lot,” said Swett. Dave Williams, operations manager with Southern Bell, said the service is available at a customer’s re quest, but the utility company would not market the plan. STOP. They have cleaned and re paired almost 10 truckloads and have more work to finish in the next two weeks. “The response has been over whelming, but there’s no way they can take in any more toys,” said Lyn Barnhorst, coordinator from the parks and recreation department. A group of about 20 of the Senior Citizens Club meet on Mondays for a full day of cleaning and repairing, and also enjoy a covered dish luncheon. Women bring their sewing machines, and the men bring along toolboxes and paint. Many of the projects have Please see TOYS, page 3A 35 CENTS