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Mclntyre plans 50 new houses for Laney-Walker Page 1 Sfetus-ffieuteiu Volume 12 Number 40 School board president Hasan tells what his victory will mean for black community Aqeel Khatib Hasan did the im possible Saturday. He got elected president of the Richmond County Board of Education, the first black ever to hold that position. But what makes his election so unlikely is that he has been on the board for only one year, and at 27, he is the youngest person ever elec ted president of the Richmond County Board of Education. He is a Muslim, and was elected by a coalition of blacks and mainly conservative, white Republicans. There are only four blacks on the 16-member board, and one of them, Dr. Justine Washington, ran against Hasan for the board presidency. How did Hasan pull it off? He said the board was split among those who wanted to fire school Superintendent William G. Oellerich and those who wanted to keep Oellerich. The three blacks held the balance of power, and bargained for the presidency of the board in exchange for their votes. “It’s no secret,” Hasan told The News-Review, “that it was a highly Mclntyre plans homes in Laney- Mayor Edward M. Mclntyre said this week he feels that City Council will vote in favor of con structing 50 houses in the Laney- Walker community. “I see it as an excellent opportunity for better housing that is affordable for a person of average income,” he said. The proposal is to build 50 houses bound on the west by Ninth Street, on the southeast by Twiggs Street and on the north by the M.M. Scott Complex. The cost for each two to three-bedroom home with central heat and air conditioning ’ will be approximately $33,000. However, the city will be the developer and the city would con tract realtors to sell the houses by using a competitive bidding process. But the mayor also poin ted out “this could change.” When this project is completed, the property owners will be responsible for the upkeep of the houses in the subdivision. “We are also making plans for a kiddie park and possible tennis courts,” Mclntyre added. During the Newman Ad ministration, former Mayor Lewis A. Newman allocated $500,000 for Community Development Block Grant funds, and the money was lever used to support minorities, Mclntyre said. During his first year in office, Mclntyre has taken $160,000 of he allocated grant funds and used t to support the economic Woman is shot about a quarter An Augusta woman was eriously wounded Monday when he was shot during an argument nth a man over a quarter. Johnny Mae Lyons, 1439 12th it., said she was shooting pool nth Edward Dyers, 21,1408 Holly Woman shot during argument over a quarter Page 1 political situation. We (Kingsley Riley, Thales Elliott and himself) felt that it was best to find which group we could vote with while still safeguarding the interest of the children and minorities. “My commitment is to quality education and the best way to achieve that is to be in a position to implement it.” Asked how it was that the only two candidates for the presidency were black, Hasan said that it was known that he had the votes to win, and the only hope for splitting the black vote was to put up two black candidates. Board member Jesse Carroll criticized Hasan for approaching both sides for their votes and said Hasan was looking out “for num ber one.” Carroll was also quoted as saying he did not feel that it was in the best interest of the students of Richmond County to have a black Muslim as president of the board. Responding, Hasan said, “There is no doubt that I have personal development of downtown Augusta. But now he says he feels strongly that the $360,000 (left from the $500,000) will be used to support the construction of new single-family dwellings within the Laney-Walker community. Mclntyre feels this project will work because the land will be gran ted to the property owners. “I will also propose to have a community association to set guidelines for property owners. These rules should deal with the upkeep and appreciation for the property in this area.” A marketing survey was taken by Plantec, Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla. The survey indicates that this is a viable project and Augusta is a good market to build such a project. Locally, a city consultant has met with ministers and leaders of the Laney-Walker community. Mclntyre said they endorsed the project. Some interested members of the community have suggested that apartments be developed in this area. “But I feel single-family dwellings are much more needed in the inner city,” Mclntyre said. The plan also calls for a special counseling program for first-time home buyers. Mclntyre recalled the federal government project, FHA 235-Federal Home Pro gram, wherein the government payed money to build special housing areas for single-family living. But many times the areas St., at Anderson’s Bar and Grill when they began arguing over a quarter. She said Dyers pulled a pistol and shot her in the left side of the according to police reports. The bullet exited on the right Aqeel Khatib Hasan aspirations, and my prdfession is politics. But the record will in dicate that I have always acted for what was best, not just for blacks, but for the Richmond County school system. There is no reason to believe that I would not have the same interest at heart as 50 new Walker were not well taken care of. Mcln tyre said he feels the project failed, because proper counseling was not made available to these new home owners. “No one was there to tell them how to meet their financial obligations and how to keep up their homes.” A model home will be built first with the hope of getting advanced commitments from prospective buyers. This will also be a key in getting local lenders to participate in this project. “The City of Augusta still has a depressed housing market, and we need to improve the quality of life for old and new residents of our city,” Mclntyre said. The Housing and Urban Development Department in Washington indicated that this project does qualify for the $360,000 of community block grants which Mclntyre has recommended to be provided for this project. His hope is to start within 90 days after the project is approved. As long as there are no problems “We should have one house under construction soon,” Mclntyre said. An announcement will be made soon as to when and how prospec tive home buyers can apply for a newly built house in the new Lanev-Walker subdivision. Mcln tyre said, “the streets are paved and the water and sewer system is developed. We just need the people to apply.” side of her stomach. Ms. Lyons was admitted and treated at University Hospital. Witnesses said Dyers fled the scene. However, he was arrested about a half hour later at the cor- See Woman shot, page 7 Marvin C of losses ’ IRS, bankruptcy I Page 3 I January 15,1983 president.” Hasan said that Elliott and Mrs. Riley were “courageous” in their stand because they received a lot of pressure to “vote the other way.” But, he continued, “we all feel to this day that we made the right decision. And it’s only because of their suDDort that we were suc cessful, especially after a lot of people had said it was not possible for a black to become president at this time.” Hasan said he is not a black Muslim, but a member of the “American Muslim Mission.” The Muslim Mission, he explained, believes in America and in the American Constitution. “Muslim is an arabic word that means: one who submits to the will of God. ‘ “I’m a inember of a race they categorize as black and I’m also a Muslim. It’s unfortunate that a person looks at my race and my religion and combine the two. He would not say that I was a black Christian.” Asked if his presidency will mean anything qualitatively for black people, Hasan said he believes it will. He noted that he will have a close relationship with the superintendent, and by the president having the power to ap point committees, “I’ll be able to select people who are more qualified to deal with problems of blacks.” He said that blacks will probably feel more at ease in expressing their needs, and that his presidency may bring to the board a “more equitable practice in hiring.” He said that the Richmond County schools are now about 53 percent black and he feels that at least 50 percent of those employed should be black. Finally, he said he hopes that his presidency will give “blacks in leadership positions and those who aspire” a chance to see that there is a chance for victory in an almost impossible situation. “I hope that I’ll be able to bring leadership that minorities can iden tify with and appreciate,” he said. Some blacks believe that Oellerich was responsible for the appointment of a large number of blacks to influential positions in the school system and that blacks will suffer from his ouster. Hasan does not share that view. “I live with a community of people who say, ‘I don’t care what Ronald Reagan does, I’m going to survive. I don’t care what Congress does, I’m going to sur vive.’ “But I perceive a great sense of dependency where the superinten dent is concerned, as if they would not survive. They are dependent upon him. “That’s why I describe him as a walking welfare department. He couldn’t possibly give everybody all the things he’s been promising.” He said he believes that when a new superintendent is chosen, he will be as good or better for blacks. “I’ve heard that Oellerich has done more for blacks than any other superintendent. But he was at a different time and the times could have dictated his actions, rather, than his personal desires.” V 4 ACP signs nillion I . n Bi-Lo I Page 7 Less than 75 percent Advertising EBONY FASHION FAIR—Don Kline’s sensational goat skin coat modeled by Pamela Brame of Ebony Fashion Fair is worn with wool and leather skirt, leather wrap top and leather hat. Ebony Fashion Fair here The 25th annual Ebony Fashion Fair will appear in Augusta at the Hilton Convention Center Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. The show is sponsored by the Concerned Mothers Club for the benefit of the breakfast program which feeds underpriviledged children. Tickets may be purchased at the following locations: Well done! Irrespective of one’s views on the firing of school superintendent William G. Oellerich, one has to applaud A.K. Hasan, Thales Elliott and Kingsley Riley for their unity and foresight in parlaying their small num bers into the power to choose a black president of the Richmond County Board of Education. It was a classic example of what the black awareness efforts of the 60s tried to teach. It should be noted, however, this was not just a case of going with the highest bidder. Mrs. Riley, for instance, said publicly in a talk at Paine College months ago that she op posed rehiring Oellerich. It is very inspiring that in Augusta, Georgia we now have a black mayor and a black school board president. The progress has not been just in politics. We all Pyramid Records, 826 Broad St., Barton’s Music Emporium, 1553 Laney-Walker Blvd., Supreme Fashions, 960 Broad St., and Mama Rosa’s Diner, 1136 Ninth St. Tickets are sl3 and include a one year subscription to Ebony or six months to Jet. Editorial felt a sense of pride last week in learning that for mer Lucy Laney High School football star Chip Banks was named defen sive rookie of the year in the National Football League, and that Leroy Ir vin, former standout at Glenn Hills High School and now with the Los Angeles Rams, was named to the All-Pro team in his second season. And it was equally thrilling to see Ed die Lee Ivery of Thomson running over defenders again as the Green Bay Packers march toward the Super Bowl, especially sin ce his career was nearly ended by knee surgery each of his two years in the NFL. Martin Luther King Jr. said in his last speech that in spite of the difficult days ahead, we would get to the Promise Land. We sometimes question that, but we have seen enough to keep the faith. 25C