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Tko Hmtm Home Journal ( \ m.wspkp*ny Qmiffiwtit PAGE 2-A By Highway Dept. Mayor Says Traffic Study Underway Here By Maxine Thompson Mayor John Barton told Perry counoilmen Tuesday night that the State Highway Department had been asked some weeks ago to look into the traffic problem here on U.S. 341 north at the Grant Plaza shopping center. Recommendations he had received in the mail were not clear, Mayor Barton said, and he planned to go to Thomaston to discuss the problem with state officials on Friday morning. The Mayor said that the library board had requested a change in their contract for the mechanical system at the new library under construction from electrical controls as called for on the original contract to a pneumatic control system. Gene Smith, member of the library board who was present, confirmed the fact that this would not involve any change in cost. Any change in contract, however, must be approved by council. The change was unanimously approved. A letter from the Perry Housing Authority by Lewis Meeks stated that there were currently two vacancies on the Authority and gave recommendations for filling them which were also unanimously approved by the council. W. E. Beckham, Jr., who was originally appointed to a two-year term which expired Perry Hospital May Furnish Meals To W.R. By Joe Hlett The Perry Hospital may be furnishing meals for both itself and its larger brother in Warner Robins in the very near future, at least it may be doing so if ARA has its way. This unusual un dertaking was proposed last Monday night at the Houston County Hospital Authority meeting in Warner Robins. Since the Warner Robins Hospital is undergoing ex pansion, in the next few months the present kitchen facilities will be unavailable. So a search is presently underway by the Hospital Authority to determine the best means of supplying the Warner Robins Hospital with meals. This is where ARA comes in. ARA represen tative Terry Crump made a strong proposal that the meals be prepared at the Perry Hospital and then ARA be allowed to transport the hot meals to Warner Robins using trucks. The meals would be kept warm in microwave ovens. Crump was unable to give a concrete cost proposal for his plan but indicated that the cost would be calculated on a per meal basis. Asked by Authority members of ARA facilities near Houston County, Crump said that Wesleyan College in Macon was served by his company. Crump also remarked that many hospitals throughout the nation use his company’s services the nearest being the University of South Carolina Hospital in Charleston. Other colleges mentioned as being serviced by ARA restaurant facilities PERRY, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, AUG. 3, 1972 July 17,1971 was reappointed to a five-year term to end in 1976. Meeks pointed out that Gene Trotter was originally appointed to a three-year term in October 1970, and then I.eon McWhite was appointed to fill his unex pired term. McWhite resigned when his business transferred him to St. Missouri. W. A. “Pete” Whitehurst was appointed to fill this unexpired term. Mayor Barton announced that the city received a gas refund in the amount of $4,039.21 this week. He also explained that a previous gas refund has been credited to gas customers in the bills they received on August 1 and is represented by the credit shown in red print on the bills. The amount received this week is not returnable to customers because the city paid it but did not charge customers for it. Councilman H. H. Hack worth told council, “I think it would be well to exercise extreme judgement in ex pending large amounts of money and holding the line, and we should stick with an austerity program as I think we’re getting a little short on cash - things look like we are. Maybe it would be better for the city in general if we kind of tighten up the purse strings.” He said that the included UCLA, Florida State and North Carolina State. Crump also noted in his presentation that many people have the idea that ARA retails only packaged sandwiches and drinks. However, he added, the packaged food division is only one division of ARA. Crump said that ARA also has over 400 restaurants throughout the nation. Acting Hospital Authority Chairman Louis “Smokey” Harper of Perry appointed the Hospital Authority Finance Committee headed by fellow Perryan Billy Beckham to investigate the situation and make a report. A total of $5712.65 was written off as uncollected during the month of June 1972 by the Perry-Houston County Hospital. Hospital Authority Finance Com mittee Chairman Billy Backhsm of Perry also in dicated that the Warner Robins-Houston County Hospital had to write off $12,528.04 during June. The figures were released at the Houston County Hospital Authority meeting in Warner Robins last Monday night Os the approximately $5700 written off at the Perry hospital, $4733.90 was listed under the profit and loss columns. Other figures were: Indigent- $384.25; Medicare (Indigent)- $65.00 and Medicaid (Indigent)- $10.25. All of these figures were for patients admitted to the hospital. Out patient write-offs were: P & L - $431.10; and Medicare (Indigent) - $88.15. auditor’s report on the city should be ready soon. A spectator asked the Mayor when the city is going to start repairing roads now that the city water departs ment has done something about its pipes. Mayor Barton said the matter had been discussed in pre council meeting and all of the councilmen had received complaints. “I’m going to meet with the contractors tomorrow,” Mayor Barton said, “in regards to this situation. 1 agree with you it’s getting lousy. Some of the streets are full of dirt and in almost intolerable conditions. I’ll assure you we’ll move to get these things repaired before the length of time that it has been on it.” Ambulance Service??? By Joe Hiett As December Ist ap proaches, Houston County is still without concrete plans for ambulance service. The county’s funeral homes recently advised Houston County Commissioners that on December Ist all am bulance service provided by the funeral homes would cease. The funeral homes said that due to excessive costs and stringent federal guidelines, they could no longer provide the service. Two months ago the County Commissioners dumped the ambulance service problem into the hands of the Houston County Hospital Authority. Hospital Administrator Myron Mc- Donald has been researching the complex problem and last Monday night at the Authority meeting gave an update on his research. McDonald asserted "Within two weeks I will have formulated answers to present for consideration. This is going to be an ex pensive proposition, but we have the cost specifications pretty well set. The Middle Georgia Planning Com mission is assisting us and several other counties are trying to solve this problem.” At this point Paul Stalnaker referred to a March 1971 issue of Parade magazine that gave a description of ambulance service. Several Georgia hospitals were noted to be in the same stage of planning as Houston County. Valdosta Hospital, it was maintained, was already in the ambulance service business. Several questions remainded unanswered after the meeting. As acting chairman Louis “Smokey” Harper said, "We only have four months left before the operation has to be un derway.” No one on the Authority is quite sure who is to be in charge of the service. The question of personnel training was discussed, as was the question of whether to use 1971 or 1972 model ambulances. Paul Stalmaker summed up the feelings of several of the members when he said, "Someone needs to know what is going on.” ' i mmm W &&■ jP R1 ■■ ii rf5T 1 ' R jHrjK ./* -|||^|i 0 Supporters of Perry U.S. Senatorial candidate Sam Nunn gave a barbecue in Columbus last Thursday night in honor of the local front runner. A number of Perryans attended the barbecue including Mayor John Barton (right). Also talking to the candidate is former Governor Marvin Griffin (left) Directors Nix Work Release Center -f P erry Chamber Wants Prison Camp Moved By Bobby Branch The Board of directors of the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce voted last Thursday to go on record as being opposed to the location of a state prison work release center in Perry. Two weeks ago, state prisons director Ellis McDougall appeared before a joint meeting of county and city officials at the prison camp here and outlined the possibility of the county County Buys Equipment By Maxine Thompson Houston County Com missioners accepted low bids on several purchases Tuesday morning at their regular meeting in Perry. Young Ford Tractor of Perry’s low bid of $3,774 for a new Model 2000 new all purpose tractor and several accessories was accepted. Hutchings Ford Tractor of Macon submitted a bid of $4,175 for the items. A bid of $485 by Shaheen Office Supply Company of Warner Robins was accepted for one special purpose fire safe tabulating card file with eight drawers with a total capacity of 62,000 cards to hold voter registration cards. Whiting’s of Warner Robins submitted a bid of SSBO and American Office Equipment Company’s bid was for S6OO. Lewis Truck and Tractor Company of Perry submitted the low bid of $2,290.05 for a getting a work-release center on the site of the present prison camp on Kings Chapel Road in Perry. The Perry chamber directors took matters a step further when they voted to also adopt a resolution asking the County Com missioners to halt any ex pansion of the present prison camp and move the facilities to some other location other than in the City limits of Perry. 1972 half-ton pickup truck and was present to hear his bid accepted. Lewis said the vehicle was in Atlanta and Extension District Set Gene Grimes, District Agent Chairman of the Georgia State Extension Service told Houston County Commissioners Tuesday that the state extension service is being re-districted from six to four districts. Grimes, who moved to Athens from Tifton, will move back to Tifton in the change. Dr. Larry Torrance will be over this district, which will consist of 43 counties. Grimes will not oversee Houston County after September 1. He praised the com missioners of this county so r their cooperation. The directors pointed out that the 147 acre site of the prison camp here on Kings Chapel Road has blocked all growth and development of the City of Perry in that direction. Board member and former chamber president Wendell Whipple said, “There are hundreds of acres of land out that way and that is about the only direction Perry has to grow, but with the prison camp sitting in the middle of would be available here Wednesday. Other bids submitted were McLendon Auto Company, Perry, $2,435.42; Moody Ford Co. of Warner Robins, $2,422.39; Moody Motor Co., Perry, $2,451.50. A letter from Judge Paul Armitage of the Houston County Juvenile Court and the State Court in Warner Robins reminded com missioners that he had been given approval for the amount of $250 he requested in his budget for a new IMB electric typewriter to replace the worn-out machine in his office. Judge Armitage said he had no idea how much such typewriters cost at that time, and now that he found the actual cost to be $486 he requested an increase in his budget to cover its purchase. Commissioners approved the request. who was honored at the barbecue. Griffin has endorsed Nunn’s candidacy and has been making speeches in his favor. A large crowd of enthusiastic Columbus supporters attended the affair for Nunn. The Perry candidate was en dorsed this week by the Columbus newspapers, “The Ledger- Enquirer.” the area no one is anxious to develop the property.” The County Com missioners have expanded the prison camp in recent months. A chapel was added and other improvements have been made. McDougall pointed out on his visit recently that Houston had an outstanding prison work camp. There is no way of telling just what affect the Perry chamber’s proposal will have on plans the Com missioners are now studying to construct a new prison camp and build a new building and move the present outdated Houston County jail from downtown Perry to the prison camp site. Plans for the new prison complex have now almost been completed and the Commissioners are expected to decide on the future of the prison camp here soon. In other action, chamber t Vote Twice In U. S. Senate Race Voters will have to vote twice for their choice for U.S. Senator next Tuesday. There is a place on the ballot to cast a vote for the Senatorial candidate of your choice to fill the unexpired term of the late Richard Russell. That term in office will run from Nov. 7, 1972 and expire Jan. 3, 1973. Voters will then have to cast their vote for a full six president Joe Poole said the chamber’s housing com mittee is looking into the possibility of constructing housing in Perry in the $12,000 to SIB,OOO price range. Poole pointed out that there is a housing shortage in Perry and that much of the labor force working here lives in neighboring com munities. Lewis Meeks reported that he and several other members of the chamber went to Washington D.C. recently to find out what steps would have to be taken to make Houston County soybean and peanut farmers eligible for Federal crop insurance. The chamber agricultural committee now has the crop insurance program under study. The directors voted to go along with the City of Perry in a joint effort to get Perry designated in the “certified cities program.” i...-H year term for the Senatorial candidate of their choice. If voters fail to vote twice in the Senate race, a number of complications could develop. A candidate could win to fill the unexpired term and not win in the other race. But poll managers feel voters will generally take the time to pull two levers in that race instead of one.