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Commissioners Ponder Proposal Perry May Get State Prison Work Center By Bobby Branch Houston County and City officials met Tuesday with Georgia director of offender rehabilitation, Ellis Mac- Dougall, at the Houston County prison camp to discuss the possibility of the location of a state work release center here. County Commission chairman Robert Byrd told the gathering that the meeting was called to listen with “open minds" to Mac Dougall's proposal. Byrd pointed out that the county owns 147 acres at the site of the Houston prison camp in Perry, on Kings Chapel Road and that it is a possibility the state work release institution could be set up and established on the county property, Mac Dougall said the first consideration for putting the work-release institution at the Ferry site would be a willingness by local industry and business to hire prisoners. He explained that the work release program places prisoners with a maximum of 2 years prior to their parole in jobs during the day and they spend the nights in the minimum security institution. He said the state has about 8,000 prisoners and that many of them are skilled in all phases ; J I i I 11 I' IP *» Ss3».-s£M li |l IBk. uhk _ \ B Ik wl PP ; E 1 Bfc|SA mH State corrections head Ellis MacDougall makes a point as he explained to local officials at a meeting here Monday the operation of a state work release center for prisoners. Looking on from left is Commissioner Frank Rozar and Senator Stanley Smith. | , . -.HOLI i I^im. \\*i ~a:J y ftßfl^H IQL mmKBBSI ft JK^^H B I ■ ’"’" '"'" County and City officials met with state correctional chief Ellis MacDougall at the prison camp in Perry Monday afternoon to discuss the possibility of locating a work-release center for prisoners. Talking in front of the prison prior to of work and that others are not skilled in any type work. MacDougall said the purpose of the program is to get men established in a job so they can build up con fidence and a bank account before they are released back into society. He noted that the program is working well in other areas of Georgia where it is being tested, Mac Dougall told the Commissioners that financing is available for a building and that eating and laundry operations for the work release center could be combined with the prison camp in Perry. He said if the County operates the center, the inmates will pay $4 a day from the paychecks to the county for room and board. He said with 50 men the program will pay for itself. He pointed out that the state will allow a maximum of 300 men in one location for the program. MacDougall said his department is very in terested in establishing a work release center in middle Georgia. He said meetings with the Bibb County Commissioners have not proven “fruitful” to the location of a center there. Perry City Councilman Dan Britton asked Mac- Dougall about the possibility of municipalities employing the prisoners for sanitation dept, and other City jobs. He indicated the program could mean a great deal to Cities with the limited labor forces in the area The Home Journal checked with some industry in the area and they in dicated it would be difficult to place men in jobs because of the vast amounts of shift work and restrictions and qualification placed on employees. Also the matter of unions was brought out by one local industry official. However, none of the in County Tax Rate Is Cut tty Maxine Thompson County operating millage and hospital bond in debtedness was set at 12 mills by Houston County Commissioners Tuesday, a reduction of three-fourths of a mill. On this basis, the 12 mills would produce revenue of $1,563,356. Revenue from the meeting are, from left, Commissioner Cullen Talton, Commissioner Frank Rozar, Commission Chairman Robert Byrd, Senator Stanley Smith Perry Mayor John Barton, Commissioner Alton Tucker and State Rep. Vince Moyer. dustries indicated they had a policy against hiring such people if they could meet the requirements. Chairman Byrd said a survey of local industry will be conducted right away with the aid of the Warner Robins and Perry chambers of Commerce. He said the county is “very interested” in pursuing the idea of the work release center and that the matter will be taken under study. MacDougall said his staff will be back in touch with County officials soon to discuss more in detail the location of the center in Perry. other sources including beer and wine taxes and some fees is expected to be $721,500, making a total anticipated revenue of $2,284,856. The commissioners have already approved budgets totaling $1,908,983, leaving about $1(75,873. From this amount $100,635 must go for hospital bond indebtedness. This leaves about $275,238 to provide for ambulance services, resurfacing streets and roads in the county, and possibly give the five per cent increase to some 200 county employees. A retirement program for eligible county employees under study by the com mission would cost about $20,000 in county funds. Chairman Robert Byrd said that he “understands” the city of Warner Robins is agreeable to the operation of an emergency ambulance service, and that while Perry was undecided at one time about providing this service his informal contacts with councilmen here indicate they may be interested. He said the hospital authority is trying to work out details for getting am bulance service operable by December 1, when the county's funeral directors will cut off ambulance service. Retiring WRAMA Commander, General A. J. Beck, was honored with a going away breakfast Wednesday morning by the Perry Chamber of Commerce at the New Perry Hotel. They presented Gen. Beck with a desk set and Mayor John Barton gave him a key to the City. From left, / /^NABONAL^\ The Houston Home Journal V NEWSPAPER^/ PAGE 2-A City Council Discusses Mosquitoes, Gas Rates By Bobby Branch Councilman James McKinley "bowed out’’ at Council meeting Tuesday night as the leader in Ferry's fight to wipe out the mosquito population He pointed out that the Mayor had assigned him the job but that he now wanted to turn it back to the street depart ment and Councilmen Dot Houghton and Henry Casey. McKinley turned over a long and detailed report by the Environmental Protection Agency that conducted a study on Perry’s mosquito problems. Among other things, the report recommends the City pur chase a fogging machine and drain certain areas in town that are breeding mosquitoes. McKinley said he has arranged for a demonstration of the type fogging machine the report recommends the City buy and it will be held in the next few days. In the meantime, the City will continue to spray for the insects by airplace at a cost of $305 per spraying. Although no action was taken against the mosquitoes, the City is moving forward in the battle against the pesky bugs. City Changes From Calendar To Fiscal Year On a motion by Coun cilman H. H. Hackworth at Council meeting Tuesday night, the Council voted to change the City's accounting system to a fiscal year (July 1,1972 to June 30, '973) from the present calendar year. Hackworth said the state and federal governments use this system and that it would work out better for the City from the standpoint of grants and the collection of taxes. City- attorney Larry Walker said he checked the state law and found no restriction why the City could not change to a fiscal year. Council PERRY, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1972 unanimously voted to change it. Councilman Hackworth then said that he felt as though the Council should prepare a new budget for the second half of the year to coincide with the new fiscal year. Council agreed they would begin working on a new half year budget right away. Councilman James McKinley said he thought the revision of a 6 months budget would be a good idea. He said he could think of several things in the present budget that needed revision. Hack worth then said he noticed that a sinking fund was not included in the ad ministrative department’s budget, to point out one factor that needed clarification. From all indications, the City will now go back into “pow wows” over a new 6 months budget to coincide with the new fiscal year. Houghton Wants Park Ordinance Councilman Dot Houghton reported that someone broke into the Houston Recreation Park Monday night and destroyed one of the steel doors. He asked the city attorney to draft an or dinance that would set a fine for anyone caught on the premises of the park after closing hours. A young black drowned in the pool at the park recently after the park was closed. Houghton Says Paving Figure Wrong In Budget Councilman Houghton said Tuesday night his street dept, is charged with spending $56,000 for paving in the City. He said that is not true and that the figures are misleading. He gave a run down of the paving and showed that most of the money was spent last year and not in the present year. He also attacked, again, the Chamber president Joe Poole, Mayor John Barton, Gen. Beck, military affairs chairman of the Chamber Tom Daniel. Gen Beck has been one of the most popular WRAMA Commanders in recent years. paving of Woodlawn Drive adjacent to the drive-in, or as he calls it Cadillac Drive. Council agreed to adjust the figures. City Needs Flag Poles I>arry Clark, an advisor for the Perry DeMolay chapter, appeared before Council with several DeMolay boys Tuesday night and asked that the City study the possibility of installing some flag poles around town so that the DeMolay could display American Flags on special days. He pointed out that they had been using the old parking meter poles but that many of them were bent and in need of repairs. Clark also noted that there is no place in front of City Hall to display the flag. Councilman Dot Houghton said he would look into the situation and promised to get two flag poles installed along the sidewalks of the City Hall for special flag display. Industry’s Gas Rates Going Up Councilman James McKinley read a letter from Perry’s gas engineer, Robert Gray, that recommended an increase of 2.84 cents per 1,000 cubic feet of gas for interruptible gas customers. He explained that in terruptible customers were big business and industry that use a lot of gas get a lower rate by agreeing to cut down on their gas consumption when the supply to the City runs low. McKinley made a motion to accept Grey’s recom mendation and the rates will go up this month. READ THE HOME JOURNAL WANT ADS Perryan Gets Special Award At WRAMA Frank Cason of 1218 Crescent Drive in Perry has been given a Special Achievement Award for Sustained Superior Per formance at Robins Air Force Base. The award includes S2OO cash. Cason works as an Inertial Platform Repairer. Com ments on his work and his attitude show the basis on which the award was made. “Mr. Cason’s work is consistently performed with less than one percent rejects and a direct effectiveness of 95 to 100 percent,” is one comment made with his award presentation. Other remarks are, “He is well adjusted to shop en vironment and gets along well with superior and fellow employees. He observes safety, security, fire prevention and good housekeeping practices and regulations. “Mr. Cason’s direct labor effectiveness is always better than 100 percent with less than 1 percent rejects. He has better than average knowledge of electronics and always takes advantage of additional training that is available. He organizes work before beginning, checking to make certain that all necessary parts, tools and technical orders are available and test equipment is in good working order.” FIRE REPORT Perry Fire Dept. Grass and trash fire at home of Mrs. Hazel Hay, Hay Road, July 11. Brush and woods fire on Northside Road July 12, no damage. Car fire on U.S. 41 south, owned by Mrs. Joe Borders, July 13. Slight damage. Stove fire at home of Louise Jones, Wolcott Street July 16. Slight damage. Considerable damage to auto by fire on July 16, car owned by Shorty Pen nington. Standby due to gas leak at home of Bill Richardson, U.S. 341 south. Centerville July 12, Heritage Avenue, bulldozer caught fire. No estimate on damages. July 13. Heritage Avenue, minor fire damage to residence of W. K. Farris. Bonalre-Kathleen No activity. Hayneville-Grovania No activity.