Newspaper Page Text
Page 4A - The Lee County Ledger, Thursday, November 29, 2001
Georgia Forestry Commission Report
Got Questions About Forestry?
The Weather? Fire Danger?
Visit a 'neatly designed' site at
www.gfc.state.ga.us
At the Georgia Forestry Com
mission (GFC) site you'll find
answers about leaf color this year
...who and how to contact the for
ester in your area ...the Informa
tion Coordinator setting up spe
cial programs... and about sched
uling a visit with Smokey Bear.
Information and availability of
seedlings grown at the Flint River
Nursery is on the site also.
What about the fire danger and
the weather? The web site home
page has FIRE DANGER RAT
ING and FIRE WEATHER near
the top of the side bar. There
you'll find a map of Georgia,
color-coded as to the danger of
wildfires.
The GFC meteorologist, utiliz
ing the National Fire Danger Rat
ing System output from weather
station locations across Georgia,
updates the map each day around
2:30 pm. Purple (5) is the 'ex
treme' level while green (1) is the
'low' level of fire danger.
At the present time, the 17
county areas between Columbus
and Albany are at the 'low' to
'moderate' level. However, unless
we continue to receive some rain,
conditions can change rapidly
causing the fire danger to rise to
'high' or 'extreme'.
'Fire Weather' is another feature
of the GFC web site. Tempera
tures, wind speed and direction,
humidity and plume trajectory are
just a couple of the areas covered.
Facts About Masonry
By J.M. Rhodes
Member of Chehaw Lodge 701
Leesburg, Georgia
WHAT IS FREEMASONRY
Freemasonry is a Fraternity. It is
a voluntary organization of men
bonded together by ties of mu
tual interest, for the mutual ben
efit of each other and humanity
in general. From the earliest
times men have sought fraternal
relationship. The strongest tie
that binds human hearts is mu
tual interest in high ideals. The
higher the ideals of a fraternity,
the stronger it is. The real pur
pose of Freemasonry is to teach
the science of morality. Let us
not be misled by the idea that it
is another "reform movement"
which desires to impose dog
matic and conventional interpre
tation of morality . The science
of morality taught in freema
sonry consists of basic prin
ciples, self-evident to those only
as an instrument in a great plan.
One must be prepared by a sin
cere desire for knowledge of the
higher purpose of life, and be ea
ger to be serviceable to his fel
low creatures if he is to enjoy
Brad Lofton Director of Economic Development 759-2422
Both the Lee County and the
Albany Area Chambers of Com
merce are partnering together to
promote regionalism in South
west Georgia.
Brad Lofton, Executive Direc
tor of the Lee County Chamber
and Jana Wadkins, Membership
Director, presented the Albany
Chamber's Board of Directors a
membership check during their
September Board meeting.
The Albany Chamber staff re
turned the gesture at the Lee
County Chamber meeting on
November 8, 2001.
Brad Lofton stated, “Not only
are we sharing ideas, but we are
also beginning discussions about
economic development and retail
marketing. It is time to put the
past behind us and work towards
promoting our common interests.
We cannot afford an isolationist
The Le6 County Ledger
‘EstabCisfecC August 24,1978
P.O. Box 715 (124 4th Street) Leesburg, Georgia 31763
(229) 759-2413 USPS 470-310
Official Organ of Lee County
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Lee and surrounding counties $14. 95 year
Elsewhere $19. 95 year
Publisher Derryl Quinn
Editor Jim Quinn
Layout and Design Tricia Quinn
(USPS 470-310), is published weekly for $14. 95 per year in
Lee and surrounding counties, and $19. 95 per year else
where by at its offices at the May Office Building, 126 - 4th
Street, Leesburg, Georgia 31763. Periodicals postage paid
at Leesburg, GA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
on Form 3579 to, RO. 715, Leesburg, GA31763.
O
Printed On
Recycled Paper
MEMBER OF GEORGIA
PRESS ASSOCIATION
Tom Lambert
Tonight and tomorrow's weather
are also covered.
Remember - Fire Weather fore
casts and Fire Danger Ratings are
available 24 hours, 7 days a week
at: www.gfc.state.ga.us
“It's a shame today's candidates have to pass the hat
before they throw it in the ring!"
that satisfactory philosophy
given to those who apply them
selves to the practice of Masonic
tenets. Freemasonry does not
teach a peculiar kind of morality
. It teaches the basic truths on
which all religions are founded.
Freemasonry is a Craft. Freema
sons are builders. They are us
ing the tools and implements of
an operative art symbolically to
build a Temple of Character .
This is the real labor of Freema
sonry. Freemasonry is an orga
nization, and the organization
must conform to the ultimate
purpose and never lose sight of
the fact it is that a student of mo
rality. The sole purpose of Free
masonry is to teach morality .
The Lodge is a school in which
we learn its basic principles. Just
what constitutes the Landmarks
has been a debated question, and
there is no list of them which is
universally accepted. There are,
however, certain bases which are
accepted. The belief in God, the
brotherhood of man, and the im
mortality of the soul are the foun
dation on which rest this whole
system of morality.
The University of Georgia • Cooperative Extension Service
Christmas Tree
Selection and Care
Doug Collins, Acting Lee CEC
Putting TCnowledge toWork^j ^
• V- 'S'
Most trees on the Christmas tree seller's lot have
traveled far. They are thirsty and in need of a little
care if they are to remain attractive throughout the
Christmas season.
Christmas Tree
Selection and
Care
‘Albany/Lee
(Partnering T’ogetfier
approach to job creation and re
tail development. I've mentioned
this before, but we live in one of
the poorest congressional districts
in the entire country. It will take
a collaborative effort which
reaches beyond county lines in
order to combat the problems of
illiteracy, unemployment, etc.”
Both Chambers are planning to
form a committee to aggressively
find ways to work together. The
Committee will look at ways to
capitalize on state funds ear
marked for regional projects.
Other issues that affect the region
are workforce training, transpor
tation, health care, Marine Base
solvency, and eco-tourism. The
first joint Lee County/Dougherty
County ribbon cutting will be
held on December 7 at 12:00 RM.
at Outdoor Adventures on U.S.
82.
Your Christmas tree was
probably cut in a forest far
away, crammed into a net bag,
and put on a truck for a long
haul.
Now you want to make it look
alive, keep the needles on the
tree. and. of course, have a safe
Christmas. What should you
do? Proper care of your
Christmas tree begins before
you put the tree up.
Having a safe and attractive
tree begins with the selection
process. Dr. Dave Moorhead,
Extension Service Forester,
recommends selecting a tree at
least one foot shorter than the
ceiling of the room in which it
will be displayed. Select a tree
that has a remaining trunk at
least six to eight inches long.
This length of remaining trunk,
also called the handle, is needed
to keep the trunk properly
secured in the stand. The handle
should also be straight.
Don't purchase a tree that
looks wilted. Dr. Moorhead
recommends gently pulling
along the needles for the length
of a branch. The needles should
bend, but not break. To be sure
the needles are firmly attached,
shake or bounce the tree. Only a
few needles should fall of if the
tree is fresh.
Before bringing the tree
inside, check the tree for insects
or dead needles inside the top of
the tree. Blow or shake out dead
needles. You may want to ask
the tree seller to do this for you
when you buy the tree. An
appropriately labeled aerosol
spray containing pyrethoids or
pyrethrins can be used to get rid
of the insects.
Sticky drops on the floor and
presents around the tree are an
indicator that insects are present
in the tree. Use an indoor-
approved aerosol insecticide
after the tree is in the house.
Immediately before setting the
tree up, cut one inch off of the
base of the tree. Check the
water level frequently to make
sure the tree has plenty of water,
especially during the twenty-
four hours after the tree is set
up. If the water level falls below
the base of the tree, the cut end
will seal over, preventing the
tree from taking up water, even
when more is added. If this
occurs, cut a half inch off of the
base of the trunk to allow the
tree to resume taking up water.
Commercial treatments are
available which can retard
transpiration, and thus the
drying to the tree. Ask your tree
seller if his trees are treated.
If you've ever burned an old
Christmas tree, you know that
they are flammable. Keep open
flames away from your tree.
Make sure all lights and other
electrical equipment used on or
near the tree are in proper
working order. Remember that
very bright lights generate
enough heat to ignite a Christ
mas tree, paper, or other
flammable material.
Make sure that ornaments that
could harm small children are
out of their reach. Children are
attracted to Christmas trees.
Make sure they don't pull the
tree onto themselves. Secure the
tree properly and restrict small
children's unsupervised access
to the tree area.
The warmer the temperature
in the house, the faster the tree
will dry . A very warm house is
no good for plants and flowers
such as poinsettias.
When needles fall from your
tree when it is shaken, it's a sign
that the tree is dry and it's time
to discard it. When possible,
have your tree recycled into
mulch chips.
For more information, call the
Lee County Extension Office at
759-6025. Have a safe and
merry Christmas.
ilistorp of && Valorem
taxation in (Georgia
bp Jin g>tanlep
Ad Valorem is Latin meaning
“according to value”. The first
property tax in Georgia was au
thorized by the General Assem
bly in 1852. With a lack of com
munication systems and the limi
tation in travel, it was almost im
possible for the State to accu
rately assess property in every
county. So, in 1909, the local tax
assessor was created and the duty
of property assessment was
placed on a local level. The tax
burden on property owners in
creased over time and in 1929,
in an effort to shift some of that
burden away from ad valorem
taxes, the state income tax was
instituted.
In the beginning. Homestead
Exemption was a way to relieve
home owners of paying any prop
erty tax. In 1937, the average
value of a home in Georgia was
estimated to be less than $2000.
Again, in an effort to reduce the
tax burden on homeowners, the
General Assembly authorized a
homestead exemption of $2000.
The effect of this new law, for all
practical purposes, removed most
homeowners from the tax rolls in
each county. In 1998, for the first
time since 1937, Governor Bar
nes had the homestead exemption
increased. Today, the exemption
is $8,000 and is planned to be in
creased to $20,000 over the next
few years.
As you can see from the follow
ing summary, a lot of changes in
Georgia's Ad Valorem tax system
have taken place over the past
150 years.
1852 - Property tax is first au
thorized by the General Assem
bly. The Georgia Constitution
(Article VII, Section I, Paragraph
III) requires that all property
taxation shall be uniform upon
the same class of subjects within
the territorial limits of the author
ity levying the tax. All property
is to be assessed at 100% of its
fair market value.
1909 - Counties are required by
the General Assembly to do ap
praisals of property, except for
railroads and utilities which the
state shall appraise.
1929 - Income tax instituted by
the General Assembly.
1937 - General Assembly au
thorizes a $2000 homestead ex
emption. The average value of a
home in Georgia in 1937 was
$1950.
1952 State Constitution is
amended to levy a 1/4 mill to re
tain the state oversight function
and insure uniform administra
tion of the ad valorem tax sys
tem.
1964 - The General Assembly
passes the Minimum Foundation
Program of Education (MFPE).
This program shares the cost of
education between the state and
local governments. The State
Department of Audits begins
checking county tax digests for
proper level of assessments.
1965 - The State Auditor's first
study determines the state wide
average of assessed value to be
40%. The law requires the as
sessed values to be 100%.
1968 - The General Assembly
passes a law requiring all prop
erty to be assessed at 40% of fair
market value. (This is the law that
requires your property to be val
ued at 100% of fair market value
and then assessed at 40% for tax
purposes).
1991 - "Truth in taxation" en
acted by the General Assembly.
This law requires all counties to
have property assessed at 40% of
fair market value or substantial
fines and penalties would be im
posed. (This particular law re
sulted in 114 counties conduct
ing revaluations. The total cost to
these counties was in excess of
$35 million. In 1997, Lee County
spent two years and $150,000 to
complete a revaluation in com
pliance with the 1991 law).
1999 - H.B. 553 is passed by
the General Assembly, increasing
the homestead exemption each
year until the total reaches
$20,000. This bill, as in 1937, is
an attempt to reduce the local tax
burden on homeowners.