Newspaper Page Text
The Houston Home Journal
I Published Every Thursday At Perry Georgia’s Real Welcome Center
I VOL. 105 NO. 14 PERRY, HOUSTON COUNTY, GEORGIA. THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 197 5 28 PAGES
I •
j|| Councilman Scarborough Reports
| City In Sound
I Financial Shape
5 City Council Finance
Committee Chairman Gordon
iVL Scarborough reported
Tuesday night that the City is
i in “good” financial shape, and
I Gordon Scarborough
If
By Almost 10 Percent
| Perry Gas Rates
|| Jump This Month
The Perry City Council
voted Tuesday night to in
crease natural gas rates “a
little less than ten (10) per
i , , cent” to City residents, with
H j the increase being effective
April 1. According to Coun
> oilman Alton Hardy, the in
crease was recommended by
city engineer Robert Grey.
| Hardy moved to hike the
ilfr rates and was seconded by
I H.H. Hackworth. The vote was
ft unanimous. Hardy said the
I ; increase was made in order to
make up for past rate in
creases to the City of Perry by
its supplier, the Southern
INatural Gas Company.
Southern Natural currently
has an application for a 38
million dollar systemwide
IT
i* I In Carroll Building
I I
; Hulberf Opens
t *
Low Practice
I
I DP. (Skeet) Hulbert opened
law offices in Perry this week
in the Carroll Building,
downtown. He has previously
practiced law in Warner
Robins.
Hulbert, a Perry native, is a
graduate of Perry High
Sdgaol, the University of
Georgia and the Walter F.
I George School of Law at
Mercer University in Macon.
He was admitted to the bar in
[Houston Superior Court in
December of 1973. He is a
member of the Houston
County and Georgia Bar
Associations.
Hulbert is married to the
former Linda Walker of
Perry, and they have three
Hll ji children, Jodi, Paul and John,
I The Hulberts are members of
Hf>|i the Perry United Methodist
I Church.
stated, “Expenditures seem to
be running in line with our
budget. We may have specific
line item over runs, but I
don’t expect any depart
mental overruns.”
For the first eight months of
the 1974-75 fiscal year the
county showed a surplus of
funds, but Scarborough
pointed out that the majority
of funds was already on hand.
The general fund had income
of $863,705 and expenditures of
$696,599; the Gas fund income
of $466,317 and expenses of
$337,217; and the Water fund
income of $234,110 and ex
penses of $11,494. For the first
eight months income totaled
$1,564,132 and the ex
penditures totaled $1,145,310.
Expenses does not include the
sinking fund payments.
In other action at Tuesday
night’s Council meeting, the
Perry Jaycees received
increase, in the hands of the
Federal Power Commission in
Washington, D.C. Hardy said
the increase approved
Tuesday night by City Council
did not take that Southern
Natural application into
consideration.
The increase by the City has
no affect on the base rate
which will remain two dollars
per month, but the rate for
14,000 cubic foot of gas will
increase from $1.60 up to $1.75
per month.
If Southern Natural’s rate
hike is approved by the
F.P.C., it will become ef
fective in October and will be
in addition to any rate now
being charged. Perry rates
were last hiked by the City on
He is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
David P. Hulbert of Perry.
0-' ;
D. P. (Skeet) Hulbert
permission to hold a carnival
from April 7 through April 14
after Jaycee Pat Mullen said
that at least 11 adult and three
kiddie rides would be
available. Two off-duty
policemen will patrol the area,
and the Jaycees are
responsible for area clean-up.
Proceeds from the carnival,
according to Mullen, will go to
the Easter Seal campaign and
to the Epilepsy Association of
Georgia.
The Council voted 5-1 to
have the Middle Georgia Area
Planning and Development
Commission (MGAPDC)
prepare a comprehensive
study for Perry on the subject
of bike trails. Councilwoman
Barbara Calhoun moved to
obtain the study, at SSOO cost.
She was seconded by H.H.
Hackworth.
Councilman Gordon
Scarborough inquired, “They
January 28, an increase of
about ten percent coming at
that time.
In other action the Council
heard Councilman Henry
Casey report that the Perry-
Fort Valley Airport Authority
had a proposed budget of
$10,400 for their upcoming
year. Casey said that this
meant a charge of $2,600 to
each of the four governments
that participate in the budget.
(The four governments are
the cities of Fort Valley and
Perry, and both Houston and
Peach County.)
Casey moved to grant the
$2,600 to the Authority,
Councilman H.H. Hackworth,
who noted. ‘‘We only have
$2,400 allocated in our
budget.” The measure passed
unanimously.
In other occurrences,
Supervisor Ed Warren asked
the Council to consider pur
chasing comprehensive in
surance on the City’s new
$38,000 front end loading
garbage truck. Warren noted
that two garbage trucks had in
the past burned, and said he
had a quote of $995 per year,
with a $550 deductible figure.
Warren admitted that the
amount was ‘‘high”, but
added that the truck would be
hard to replace. Councilman
Alton Hardy said the City
should place a fire ex
tinguisher in the truck, and
advise drivers to immediately
jeltison garbage ‘‘at any
location” in case of a fire in
the refuse Smoldering refuse
can burst into flames by being
dumped into a truck as air
suddenly fuels the flames. The
Council agreed to look into the
matter.
In another matter, Hardy
moved to authorize the
natural gas department to
purchase a new one-ton
pickup The one currently in
use is a 1962 model with 92,000
miles on the speedometer.
H.H. Hackworth seconded the
motion and it passed without
dissent
■
are going to tell us where we
need bike trails?”
Mrs. Calhoun explained that
before federal funds can be
applied for by Council, a
complete study must be made.
She said the MGAPDC would
file the grant application.
Upon voting, Scarborough
cast a negative ballot, with
Mrs. Calhoun, Gene Smith,
Hackworth, Henry Casey and
Alton Hardy all voting for the
motion.
In another matter, as
chairman of the Finance
Committee, Scarborough
moved to have this year’s tax
statements placed on a
computer at the Bibb County
Computer Center. The cost
will be SSOO annually. Barbara
Calhoun seconded Scar
borough’s motion. She said
that in 95 percent of the cases,
the statement printed by the
computer would be entirely
correct and could be mailed
out without any additions.
Council voted unanimously to
utilize the Bibb Computer.
In other Council hap
penings, Clark Carter, an
Engineer from Savannah with
the U.S. Corps of Engineers,
was present to formally
present the City with copies of
a recent flood plain study of
Big Indian Creek inside Perry
City limits. Carter said that a
study (by Murray-
McCormick) is currently
being made of Big Indian
Creek both above and below
Perry.
The study presented to the
City includes both a 100-year
flood profile, and a standard
project flood profile. The 1966
floods in Perry, according to
Carter, crested at a point just
below the 100-year mark. A
100-year flood is one that
normally occurs once every
one hundred years.
The study includes inun
dation maps, and profiles
along the streams. The
standard project flood profile
is one with a lower chance of
occurrence than the 100-year
plan, and represents very high
water rise. Carter mentioned
that he would meet with the
Perry City Council on April 17
to discuss a flood insurance
program.
He said, “Additional copies
of the study are available at
our office. They are made up
for use by developers, cities,
and others. The Middle
Georgia Area Planning and
Development Commission
(MGAPDC), the Council, and
the County Commission all
have copies.”
Mayor James McKinley
asked for additional copies of
the study, and Carter said he
would put them in the mail.
City Attorney-State
Representative Larry Walker
asked Carter if the City could
obtain assistance in clearing
underbrush along Big Indian
Creek. Carter replied that a
special request would have to
be made by the City for a
small project basis study
Walker then questioned, “Is
there any potential for
recreation along Big Indian?”
He indicated that he meant
canoeing and fishing. Carter
said that, “It would be all
right under normal con
ditions,” and added that an
alert system would need to be
set up for times of bad
weather, or perilous creek
conditions
Also present at the meeting
were MGAPDC represen
tatives
■ .
Learning To Shoot
Mrs. Bill Rentz is just one of many Perry
women who have recently purchased handguns
and have taken steps to learn how to handle and
shoot guns. Shown with Mrs. Rentz is Perry police
officer Hubert Evans who is giving her in
: ructions on how to shoot the 38 caliber police
J .
More Women Buying Guns
Perryons React
To Crime Rise
Houston Countians are
reacting to the increased
crime rates much the same as
the rest of the country. More
people here, especially
women, are arming them
selves with handguns and
learning how to use them.
Stores in Perry that sell
handguns report record sales
in the past few months in
handguns and most of the
sales have been to women.
Jim Hall, owner of Western
Auto in Perry, reports that he
has sold "a lot” of handguns to
Perry women in the past few
months. Hall said most of the
women who have purchased
guns from him are working
women. He reported that sales
in 22 and 38 caliber pistols of
high quality have been
"brisk”. Hall said that he does
not sell the so-called, cheap
“Saturday night specials” and
that most dealers in Perry do
not stock or will not order
these type weapons.
Houston County Ordinary
Clinton K, (Clint) Watson told
The Home Journal his office
issued 232 gun permits in 1974
and that so far this year the
figure will be much higher at
the present rate of those ap
plying for permits to carry
handguns. Watson said the
requirements to get a gun
permit are that a person must
be a resident of Houston
County; must have a Houston
County property owner and
resident sign a S3OO bond for
the person applying for the
permit; must not have
committed a felony; must not
have committed a forcible
misdemeanor The cost is $3
for the three years for a gun
permit in Houston County.
To purchase a handgun, the
buyer must fill out a form in
the store where it is pur
chased This form registers
the gun and is on file with state
and federal officials.
However, the form is really a
farce because the store owner
has no way of telling whether
or not the person filling out the
form puts down the facts.
The growing interest in
Perry and Houston County in
guns is directly attributed to
the violent crimes in this
section of the state in recent
months, including several
rapes and murders.
Private spending on self
protection is growing. People
are pouring millions of dollars
nationwide into weapons,
alarm systems and locks.
Business firms are hiring
more and more security
guards.
Suburbs and small towns
such as Perry are no longer
secure havens. Even rural
areas are unsafe. Crime is
growing faster outside the big
cities than in them. The recent
case of the pistol slaying of 78
year old Mrs. Zellie Hamsley
in rural Hayneville is an
example of the growing rural
crime rate here.
Perry Police Chief BE.
Dennard told The Home
Journal he would urge anyone
(men and women) who have
recently purchased a handgun
or plan to in the future to
contact his office. Chief
Dennard said several police
officers on his staff, including
himself, are available to in
struct persons in how to
handle and fire a handgun. He
said these instructions are
given on off duty hours at the
City’s police firing range near
the sanitary landfill on the
Elko Road.
According to U.S. News and
World Report, the number of
serious crimes reported to the
FBI from 1960-1973 increased
by 158 percent. Murder was up
special gun shown here. There are a number oj
gun instructors in Perry and anyone who wants to
set up instructions can do so by contacting Perry
police chief B.E. Dennard. A record number of
Perryans, especially women, have purchased
handguns here during the past few months.
11 percent; forcible rape was
up 199 percent; robbery more
than tripled - up 256 percent;
and crimes of violence leaped
204 percent.
Americans are concerned
with crime. A recent Gallup
Poll showed people rank
crime as their number three
concern - ahead of the energy
Use Proper Address
Many Perry merchants that offer credit ac
counts have been having difficulties mailing
monthly statements to their customers lately. The
statements are mailed, and due to incorrect ad
dresses are now being returned to the sender. The
Home Journal urges those Perryans who have
established credit with Perry merchants, even
those who have resided in Perry for many years,
to please give correct present addresses so that
time and expense can be saved to both the mer
chants and the U.S. Post Office.
Clean Up Day
Is Saturday
“Clean Up Perry Day” has been set for this
Saturday, April 5, by the Mayor and City Council.
It is a joint effort between the council and the
Perry Beautification Commission to “spruce” up
Perry as the beginning of Spring approaches.
Mayor James McKinley stated, “I want to urge
all citizens to make an extra effort this Saturday
to spruce up their property and join with their
neighbors to help make Perry a more attractive
community this Spring.”
Perryans are urged to pile junk and debris
beside the streets this Saturday as special
sanitation crews will be on duty for roadside
pickups all day. Persons with junked cars and
other heavy debris are asked to call city hall so
that arrangements can be made to pick up the
cars, discarded appliances and other junk.
crisis and unemployment,
topped only by the high cost of
living and government
dissatisfaction.
The U.S. News and World
Report figured that in 1974,
crime costs totaled close to 90
billion dollars, up significantly
from the cost in 1970 of 51
billion dollars.