Newspaper Page Text
f ■ "" " \
The Houston Home Journal
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL. THURS., JUNE 7, 1973,
Hunt Speaks Out
Public Defender
Advocated Here
Persons charged with
crimes in Houston County
who cannot afford a lawyer
may soon be getting aid from
a “public defender” as a
result of County Commission
action Tuesday morning in
Perry. The Commission
heard Superior Court Judge
Willis Hunt say that a public
defender is definitely needed
for the county, and then
voted to make application
for federal funding that
would carry the burden of
the cost.
David Irvine, I-aw En
forcement planner for the
Middle Georgia Area
Planning Commission,
outlined a plan for a public
defender system for Houston
County. He stated “The cost
to Houston County, on a local
level, will be $7,350. This
does not include a 6.25
percent part that the state
will assume. This covers
everything needed for a
year’s operation."
Irvine went on to explain
that his budget, as worked
out, calls for the attorney to
be paid a salary of $20,000
yearly. A secretary will be
paid $5,200. Other parts of
the budget call for a dic
taphone and typewriter.
1-avine pointed out that the
total cost for one year's
operation will be $28,300, but
said that federal funding
would pay seventy five
percent of that figure, thus
leaving the county obligated
to pay $7,350.
Judge Hunt had earlier
explained the way in which
the county presently
operates. He mentioned that
a court usually appoints a
lawyer when the defendant is
WSm JBSVb* m
Lewis Lights Up
Warner Robins recreation director Claude Lewis prepares to light his pipe
as County Commission Chairman Alton Tucker (L) and Commissioner Frank
Rozar asks questions about proposed county recreation budget. Tommy
Stalnaker is the county recreation director, but Lewis' department aides the
county in the programs. Commissioners finally gave Stalnaker $84,000 for this
year’s programs.
indigent. Hunt further
stated that in the calendar
year 1972, just in his court
alone, $5,281.86 was paid by
the county in legal fees to
such lawyers. He added that
through the first five months
of 1973, court appointed fees
totaled $3,479.
Hunt later stressed that
since Houston already would
pay at least $7,350 this year
under their present system,
there would be no additional
cost if the public defender
system was adopted. The
judge also remarked that
other courts in the county
were under the same
arrangement that he was
now using, and said that they
probably charged to the
county at least another $2,000
in attorney’s fees.
“1 believe that a public
defender system would
relieve the burden on the
county commission and on
the county’s bar
association,’’ Hunt men
tioned, He added that the
Houston bar association
approved of the system, and
said that he knew of two or
three lawyers that were
interested in serving as
public defender.
N
Recreation Budget Approved
Houston County Com
missioners finally approved
the budget for the County
Recreation Dept., even
though it was considerably
PAGE 2-A
The commissioners then
asked Hunt and Lavine
several questions about the
public defender and his
work. To one, Hunt
responded, “I’ll estimate
he’ll handle at least a 100
cases a year in Superior
Court, and no telling how
many in other courts.”
County attorney Walker
Burke also brought up a
point that swung the com
missioners more in favor of
the system. He said that one
of the defender’s jobs would
be to determine how many
people could bear at least a
burden of their defense cost.
He said he expected that a
higher percentage would be
found with money sufficient
to stand court costs.
How the defender will be
appointed is not clear. Judge
Hunt said that the com
missioners could appoint the
attorney, or said that “if you
want me to do it, I will.” ’The
manner of appointment must
be spelled out in the federal
grant application.
Commissioner Charles
Carter moved that the
county make application
through MGAPC for the
grant. His motion was
seconded and passed.
less than the original
request. The Commissioners
granted $84,738 for County
recreation use. The original
request was around $168,000.
Swank Shop
Burglary Is
Still Mystery
I>ast weekend’s burglary
of The Swank Shop in
downtown Perry is still
under investigation by the
Ferry Police Dept, and the
State Dept, of Investigation.
However, officers have not
yet turned up any leads in
the case, said to be the
biggest burglary of its kind
in Perry history.
Burglars entered the front
door of the downtown men’s
and boy’s store sometime
Saturday night or Sunday
morning on May 26 or 27.
They loaded a truck with
about $50,000 worth of suits,
pants, sportcoats and other
items The burglary was
discovered about 4 o’clock
Sunday afternoon.
Swank Shop owner Billy
Bledsoe said the store is still
open for business and that he
has a large selection of
shorts, shoes and other
items. He said he is still
taking inventory and no
definite plans for the future
of the store have yet been
made by him and his part
ner, Julian Cawthon.
Bledsoe said an an
nouncement will be made
next week concerning the
future plans for the store.
HHJ Form
Edition
This Week
The annual Houston Home
Journal Farm Edition ap
pears in this week’s paper,
and the HHJ recommends it
to your reading. The HHJ
would like to thank a host of
people who helped make it
possible again this year.
Thanks to Virgil Adams at
the University of Georgia
Extension Center (Virgil
wrote the Watson Fisher and
Stewart Bloodworth
features), and to the entire
Extension staff. Thanks to
Emmet Whelchel and Drew
Bynum for spending so much
of their time helping develop
the other features.
Tommy Stalnaker, County
recreation director, ap
peared before Com
missioners with Warner
Kobins recreation director
Claude Lewis with the
trimmed down budget that
was adopted by Com
missioners Charles Carter,
Frank Rozar and Alton
Tucker.
Stalnaker pointed out that
with the new budget the
County will not be able to go
into any new programs this
summer and will have to run
about the same type
program that was held last
summer and fall.
Commissioner Charles
Carter said, “We aren’t
really cutting out any
recreation funds, but we are
just leaving it about the
same as it was the previous
year.”
Claude Lewis then pointed
out that Moody Park was not
open last year and that a full
scale program is planned
there for this summer.
Commissioner Rozar
asked Lewis about the work
between his department in
Warner Robins and the
County dept, and Lewis
assured him they work
together to help each other
as much as possible. He said
he has done all he can to
assist Stalnaker with his
programs during the year
and would always be
available to help.
Commissioner Chairman
Alton Tucker said there has
been talk among the Com
missioners to change the
procedure next year so that
recreation money from the
County would be given out
directly to the cities of
Perry, Warner Robins and
Centerville for recreation on
a population basis.
'■■•■l v r A, /
Public Defender Needed
HUNT ASKES FOR PUBLIC DEFENDER-
Superior Court Judge Willis Hunt (on right at
table) Tuesday morning asked for installation by
Houston County of a public defender system. The
defender would represent indigent defendants in
County May Acquire New
Sewage Disposal System
Containerized sewage
treatment in Houston County
could possibly be on the
horizon as a result of a
proposal made to the county
commission Tuesday
morning. General En
vironmental Equipment
Company, Inc., an Atlanta
sewage treatment firm,
made a strong presentation
to the county solons for in
stallation of large sewage
tanks to take care of county
wastes.
Fred Young and I.arry
Sears made the presen
tation. Young, regional
manager for the company
stated, “You have several
alternatives to consider in
waste treatment. I’m here to
Thief Takes $1,284
Cifgo Robbed Saturday
A knife-wielding robber is
alleged to have walked into
the Citgo Service Center at
the intersection of Houston
Lake Drive and Main Street
at 10:30 Saturday morning
and robbed the owner of
$1,284 in cash.
Gerald Jones, owner of the
station, said the black man
about 30 years old drove to
the rear of his station and
walked in on him while he
was preparing a bank
deposit. Jones said the
robber pulled a “big knife
with a black handle” and
told hum to give him the
money. After that, Jones
said the man grabbed him on
the arm, breaking his watch
band and “nicking” his wrist
with the knife. He forced
Jones into a beer cooler
which opens on the outside of
the station and locked him
in. After a few minutes,
however, Jones was able to
move beer from the display
area of the cooler and crawl
through into the station. He
then summoned police
Perry Police Chief B.E.
Dennard said an all points
bulletin for the man and car
described by Jones was put
out right after the robbery
but that there are no leads at
this time. He said the rob
bery is still under in
vestigation.
Jones told The Home
Journal, “I was scared to
death. When that guy pulled
that knife, I have never been
so scared in my life. This is
the first time I have ever
been robbed.”
The alleged robber was
described as being about 6
feet tall, weighing 195 pounds
and had a light, scattered
beard.
This marks the first armed
offer you a proposal.” Young
continued by explaining how
the tank system works.
“You can give the entire
county sewage at no cost to
the county,” Young said. He
outlined a plan whereby the
county would purchase the
treatment tanks, and charge
corporations or homes “Tap-
On” fees, between $250 and
$575 per tap. He summarized
that use of the fee would be
accepted by developers, and
said that the county could
require payment of the fees
ahead of time, thus insuring
funds enough for the county
to purchase the tanks.
A real estate developer
present at the meeting,
Terry Horton of Creative
robbery in Perry in recent
months. It follows just less
iSSsj.
Jones Points Out Cooler
court cases. Others at the table are: David
Lavine. from the Middle Georgia Area Planning
Commission; and Commission Clerk Sonny
Watson. The commission agreed to file an ap
plication through the MGAPC for federal funds.
Builders, said that he knew
of two or three developers
that would be interested in
such a sewage treatment
plan. He mentioned two
names, Charles McGlamry
and Bill Schwaneback, both
prominent Houston real
estate managers. Horton
stated that all together they
had about 800 acres to
develop that would need
sewage facilities.
One unit of the treatment
plant, in a 100,000 gallon size
costs $60,000. It will serve
about 250 homes. The tank
resembles a propane gas
tank in appearance, being
constructed of quarter inch
boilerplate steel. The tanks
than a week the big $50,000
burglary in downtown Perry
are available in sizes from
2500 gallons to 1,000,000
gallons per clay.
Commission chairman
Alton tucker expressed in
terest in the idea, and said
that the commissioners
would “probably want to
look at one in operation.”
In other commission ac
tion, the solons denied a
rezoning request by Frank
Hill, who wanted a .95 acre
tract rezoned from
residential to commercial.
The area is east of Moody
Road and was considered to
be “spot zoning” by the
Zoning and Planning
Commission.
at The Swank Shop last
weekend.