Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2010
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 5A
Fantasy solution to political brawl
FANTASY: “The free
play of a creative imagi
nation.’’
If you begin reading
this, please continue to
the end. Only then will
you realize that the frus
trated preacher has not
gone completely nuts, is
not totally negative and
that he holds out some
hope for a dying nation
and world.
This, too - this sad
state of affairs - shall pass. So
hang in here with me.
❖❖❖
I’ve just made an amazing dis
covery. Before I tell you about
it, I want to thank our public
servants - especially those in the
Congress of the United States of
America - for helping me see
the light.
I used to think there were
shades of gray in every contro
versy or issue. I now know there
are no shades of gray in any
thing. Everything is either black
or white, and never the twain
shall meet.
Once upon a time, long ago,
there were three sides to every
argument: my side, your side and
the right side. We may as well
delete “right’’ from our dictionar
ies and vocabularies; it is long
gone from our thinking, reason
ing, believing, behaving and
character.
But that is not the amazing dis
covery I want to tell you about. I
am now prepared to tell you when
white is black and when black is
white. Are you ready for this?
White is black when a lib
eral Democrat says it is. Black
is white when a conservative
Republican says it is. And vice
versa. Amazing, isn’t it?
But you know what’s even
more amazing? It’s my fantasy
solution to this ancient, on-going
political brouhaha. (Brouhaha is
too weak; it’s a brawl.)
I admit that my solution is
beyond amazing. It is downright
drastic. But when all else fails,
you resort to drastic
measures. It’s a fight
to the finish.
But we aren’t about
to put our august, dig
nified civil servants
in the boxing ring.
That would not be a
proper venue. They
would wrinkle their
expensive shirts, ties
and suits, mess up
their perfect coiffeurs,
bloody their noses
and further damage their reputa
tions. That would never do.
Instead, we are going to let
them choose their representatives,
spokespersons, combatants and
fighters for the cause. Not the
cause for freedom, or indepen
dence, or America.
No! this fight is for liberal
ism or conservatism. There is no
room here for shades of gray.
There will be no moderation in
this fight.
But both sides - the liberal
Democrats and the conservative
Republicans - were having trou
ble choosing their teams. That
figures; they can’t even agree
among themselves.
Lo and behold, they asked a
moderate - me - to do it for
them. They had read enough of
my stuff to know that I am fair
and balanced, and that there is
not a prejudiced or biased bone
in my body.
I took this awesome duty
very seriously. I gave it a lot of
thought. It took a lot of time. In
less than seven minutes, I was
ready to announce the players.
Excuse me, fighters.
In the right comer: Rush
Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Sean
Hannity. The manager-coach:
Sarah Palin.
In the left comer: Michael
Moore, Keith Olbermann and
Rachel Maddow. The manager-
coach: Nancy Pelosi.
These folks have been battling
it out on radio and television for
ever. That long distance fight is
over. My fantasy plan will bring
them together - face to face and
fist to fist - in a reality show to
end all reality shows.
Can you imagine Rush, Glenn,
Sean, Michael, Keith and Rachel
in a no-rules, knock down, drag
out fight to the finish? Coaches
Palin and Pelosi are supposed to
inspire and motivate their teams,
not engage in combat. However,
knowing these ladies like I do, I
wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a
little hair pulling.
One week later:
I can’t believe the staying power
of these people. Without food and
water, bloodied and beat, unable
to stand up, they refuse to give
up.
It is time for the frustrated
preacher and moderate referee to
step in. he calls timeout and asks
the antagonists to crawl to their
comers. He sits down in a chair in
the middle of the ring and begins
to speak.
He talks about communica
tion, civility, compromise, con
cession, mutuality, understanding,
Christmas, peace on earth, good
will toward men, the New Year,
hope and opportunity.
“No one can go back and make
a brand new start,’’ he tells them,
“but anyone can start from here
and make a brand new end.’’
He leaves the chair in the mid
dle of the ring and walks away.
He hopes the eight intelligent but
angry Americans will take turns
sitting in the chair in the middle
of the ring.
Some of you have been on “the
hot seat.’’ Among friends who
agree and disagree with you, you
open up, get real, tell it like it is,
and begin to realize that you are
loved - anyhow.
Maybe the right and the left
will meet in the middle and,
despite their differences, begin
to work together for the America
they love - anyhow.
Fantasy: “the free play of a
creative imagination.’’
Virgil Adams is a former owner/
editor of The Jackson Herald.
virgil
adams
BOC makes board appointments
BY ANGELA GARY
THE JACKSON County
Board of Commissioners started
off the first meeting of the year
by making several appointments
to boards and commissions.
On the airport authority, the
BOC agreed to reappoint John
Buchanan, Shannon Sell, Don
Lohmeier and Ray Bauerband.
Ken Botts is also up for reap
pointment but the BOC post
poned action on this because
commissioner Chas Hardy was
not present for the meeting.
Botts represents District 2, which
Hardy serves.
On the board of assessors, Don
Kolb was named to fill the unex
pired term of Chuck Murphy.
On the planning commission,
Don Segraves and A1 Venable
were reappointed and Jimmy
Ford was named to replace John
Gaissert as the District 4 repre
sentative. The seats held by Jeff
Perry and Tim Comelision are
also up for reappointment, but
the BOC postponed action on
this.
On the board of health, Dr.
Milene Argo was named to
replace Dr. Keith Zimmerman.
On the Keep Jackson Beautiful
board, Dave Rosselle was reap
pointed.
On the Dangerous Dog
Committee, Jacque Wilkes and
Charles Harrington were reap
pointed.
On the parks and recreation
board, Roger Brock, Jimmy
Peck and Helen Gunnels were
reappointed and Jay Phillips was
appointed to replace Stan Perdue
in District 3.
On the Joint Development
Authority of Northeast Georgia,
chamber president Shane Short
was reappointed.
OTHER ACTION
The BOC also took several
other actions handled each year
in January, including naming a
vice chairman. District 4 rep
resentative Dwain Smith was
named vice chairman.
The BOC also set the meet
ing dates for the year. Meetings
will be held on the first and
third Monday of each month
at 6 p.m. at the county court
house. The only exceptions will
be in January, July, September
and October when the BOC has
conflicts or because of holidays.
During these months, the BOC
will meet on the first and second
Monday of the month.
WJPS honored by state for achievement
WEST JACKSON Primary School is one of 27
elementary schools in Georgia to receive an award
honoring its student achievement.
The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement
gave the school its 2009 Single Statewide
Accountability System (SSAS) award in December.
WJPS earned a platinum award for making great
gains in student achievement.
The SSAS competition for a platinum award in
the greatest gains category requires that schools
meet three criteria. They are:
•Make Adequate Yearly Progress ( AYP) for three
consecutive years.
•Demonstrate that at least 35 percent of students
exceed standards in all test areas as measured by
state assessments.
•Place in the 98th percentile or higher statewide in
greatest student achievement gains.
The state office said that WJPS is one of 27
elementary schools in Georgia to receive the honor.
WJPS will soon receive a banner to announce its
award to the community.
Kemp appointed secretary of state
GOV. SONNY Perdue has appointed former
State Senator Brian Kemp as secretary of state
to fill the unexpired term of Karen Handel,
who resigned from the position to run for
governor.
Kemp, who served in the state senate from
2002 to 2006, is a current candidate for secre
tary of state. He will serve out the remainder of
the current term through the end of 2010. He
will also continue his campaign this year and
run for the full four-year term, which begins
in 2011.
Kemp is a small business owner, special
izing in real estate investments and property
management, and serves on the board of St.
Mary’s Hospital in Athens. In the state senate,
Kemp served as chair of the public safety and
homeland security committee, vice-chair of
the higher education committee, secretary of
the agriculture and consumer affairs commit
tee and on the appropriations committee.
Kemp is married to the former Marty
Argo. They have three daughters and live in
Athens, where they are active members of the
Emmanuel Episcopal Church. He is a graduate
of the University of Georgia.
McNeely urged to resign in Maysville
NO COMMENT
Councilmember Rebecca McNeely had no response after
a Maysville resident urged her to resign. She offered no
comment on what her plans are with the city.
BY KATIE HUSTON
RECENT ACTIONS by coun
cilmember Rebecca McNeely
have citizens urging the Ward 3
representative to resign.
Discrepancies arose in October
when Mayor Jerry Baker con
fronted McNeely about an alleged
misuse of city funds totaling over
$1,000.
Recently, she was arrested on
drug-related charges after she
allegedly gave prescription pain
medication to a friend to sell.
McNeely was also confronted
about missing 16 of 43 council
meetings.
When it was time for pub
lic input at the Monday night
Maysville City Council meeting,
Jim Sheffield asked her to resign.
“I can’t put this any other plain
er than this, Ms. McNeely, but I
tbink you need to step aside from
the council,” he said. “I don’t
think we’re getting the proper
representation and I believe from
speaking to other people in Ward
3, that there are a lot of other peo
ple that have the same feeling.”
McNeely had no response and
offered no comment on whether
she would remain on the council
or resign.
MAYSVILLE FAMILY
PRACTICE LEASE
Unable to reach an understand
ing regarding a lease agreement
with Maysville Family Practice,
on Homer Street, the city is ready
to take further action.
The business owner. Dr. Gary
Kinsey, operates out of a city-
owned building on a year-to-year
lease, which he views as problem
atic from a business standpoint.
Originally, Kinsey did not want
to change the lease unless he
could purchase the building, but
the city is unwilling to sell.
City attorney Joseph Cooley
was told by the council submit a
final offer to Kinsey. It will state
that he may rent the building for
$850 a month and council will
agree to a five-year lease.
The lease will also state that the
city will maintain the walls, roof
and parking lot and Kinsey must
maintain the interior portions of
the building.
If the terms are not accepted
upon 10 days of receipt, the coun
cil authorized Cooley to take fur
ther petitioning action.
The decision came during a
30-minute closed session at
Monday night’s meeting.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the
Maysville City Council meeting:
•the property owner at 170
College Street, Maysville,
requested that the city inform him
of how it interprets the zoning of
his property. The property has
been used to store model airplane
parts since before the property
was rezoned Office Institutional
(OI). Since property was being
used for warehouse use prior to
the rezoning, the use of prop
erty as a warehouse for storage
is defined as a legal nonconform
ing use. This means the property
owner may continue with that
use without being in violation of
the zoning code. The code states
that if the use of the property
was changed from its current use,
then it would require rezoning
or whatever the council deemed
necessary. It was decided that
Cooley would send a letter to the
property owner informing him of
the regulations and how he should
proceed with his desire to rent
property for any other purpose.
•Baker was authorized to pro
ceed with the $600,000 streetscape
project being funded by feder
al money through the Georgia
Department of Transportation.
•the council approved going
with Engineering Management,
Inc., (EMI) as the engineering
service for the $11,000 sewer sys
tem rehabilitation project funded
by the GEFA loan.
• Cooley was instructed to draft
a binding ordinance to help put an
end to peddling in the city. One
option is that anyone selling any
thing in Maysville would need
to purchase a peddlers license.
Baker said that he’s received an
influx of complaints from citi
zens experiencing door-to-door
solicitations.
•a contract with Banks County
was approved for the sale and pur
chase of water. Councilmember
Stephen Lewis abstained from
voting because he is an employee
with the Banks County Water
Department.
•the council approved moving
ahead with a $4,900 contract to
have the elevated water storage
tank disinfected and inspected on
a routine basis.
•the council unanimously
approvedre-appointment of Judge
Hammond Law, City Attorney
Hulsey, Oliver, & Maher, LLP and
Police Chief Clarence Sullins.
•an ordinance to fix the annual
salaries of the mayor, mayor pro
tem and council members was
tabled.
CITIZENS ATTEND
In an almost filled meeting room, Maysville citizens
turned out Monday night for the city’s first meeting of
the new year. One citizen, Jim Sheffield (seated, center)
spoke out in favor of the resignation of councilmember
Rebecca McNeely due to recent discrepancies.
‘The Odd Couple’ production planned
Jefferson Community Theatre show set Jan. 21-24
JEFFERSON COMMUNITY Theatre will
present its second production, “The Odd Couple,”
Jan. 21-24.
The play will be presented at 7:30 p.m. on
Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 21-23, and at 2:30 p.m.
on Sunday, Jan. 24, at the William Duncan
Martin Performing Arts Center at Jefferson High
School.
Dinner packages are available for $35 each.
Dinner will be at Fusion on the Square in Jefferson,
the show will be at JHS and dessert will be at the
Midland Cafe on the square in Jefferson. Regular
adult tickets are $10 each and seniors are $7 each.
To get tickets in advance, call 706-367-5714.
The production will be directed by Keith
Johnson. The cast includes: Rodney Kesler as
Roy, Jay Holl as Oscar, Chuck Miller as Felix,
Jani Taylor as Murray, Lynn Mulvey as Speed.
Shawn Mulvey as Vinnie and Mary Jane Cagle
and Shawnmarie Budde as the Pigeon sisters.
Backlash confined from page 1A
of support from all fellow citizens in return.
Gina Mitsdarffer wrote: “ As a Jefferson down
town business owner and a resident of the City
of Jefferson, I am appalled that our Main Street
Manager, Beth Laughinghouse, would get two
“no” votes to be reappointed as a department head.
As most of you know by your own dedication
to Main Street Jefferson, Beth is to say the least
a very honest, dedicated employee to the City
of Jefferson. More marketing, events, and com
munity involvement have been created in the city
since Beth has taken on this role. Many of you do
more as a volunteer than I, but this infuriated me
when I read the article on Mainstreetnews.com
and did not understand the reasoning behind the
two “no” votes.
In response to the emails, Mayor Jim Joiner
wrote: “Since Beth was hired as Better Hometown
Manager and then Jefferson Main Street Manager,
our programs have flourished and we have seen
many events added to attract large crowds to our
downtown area. She has been a very effective
liaison between our downtown business owners
and the city of Jefferson. She works tirelessly in
promoting the city of Jefferson. She is very effec
tive in attracting volunteers who donate untold
hours to our city to promote the quality of life that
I think our citizens expect. Unfortunately, some of
our city council members have no idea how effec
tive she is in promoting the city of Jefferson. She
has my total support and respect because my wife
and I are there with her to help with any of these
programs that we can and we see how much she
does and how effective she is.”
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