Newspaper Page Text
f —The Houston Home Journal
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL THURS.. MAY 22. 1975^
Forty Four To Get Diplomas
Westfield Graduation
Set For Friday Night
Westfield High School will
hold its 1975 graduation ser
vices this Friday night at 8:00
P M on the Hornets Nest
football field Forty four
seniors will receive their
diptotnas at the graduation.
4k
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Phillips Sees Pluses
If Libraries Merge
At Tuesday night’s Perry
City Council meeting, Houston
County Library System
executive director Warren
Phillips said that he had “had
discussions with Jimmy Smith
of Fort Valley” about possible
consolidation of the Houston
and Peach library systems
into a “regional” system But
Phillips added that the
systems’ boards of directors,
"as far as I know’’ have not
discussed it.
Phillips’ statement came in
response to a question by
Perry Mayor Pro Tern Gene
Smith Phillips had earlier
told the City Council the
library system would not
request “any increase in
funding for this coming fiscal
year We can make it on last
year’s funds." He addl'd that
an increase would probably be
necessary during (he 1976-77
year.
fn regard to the con
solidation question, Phillips
said that according to his
information, "there seems to
be some hesitancy in joining a
Middle Georgia library
HHJ Columnist
Jackie Cooper
Goes On TV
Home Journal en
tertainment columnist Jackie
K Cooper will appear on
channel 41 television this
Friday at 1:05 P M on the
"Noon Over Middle Georgia"
show with hostess Anne
Johnson.
He will review the plays
around Middle Georgia he has
seen this season This will be
the first of a series of ap
pearances by Cooper He will
be on the show each fourth
Friday throughout the sum
mer months
Street Resurfacing To
Begin; Contracts Let
About seven miles of Perry
city streets will soon be
resurfaced, as a result of City
Council action Tuesday night
The council accepted
quotations from Allied
Asphalt of Macon totaling
$74,217 for the paving work A
slate contract of $67,628 will
leave the council to sup
plement with $6,589 in local
funds
Two firms supplied
quotations- Allied and
Claussen Paving of Macon.
Allied was low quoter and
Mayor Pro Tern Gene Smith
moved to accept their
quotations. He was seconded
by H.H. Hack worth and the
motion passed without
dissent.
The Council also heard
Councilman Henry Casey
propose that the city offer $125
per month for a location in the
Perry Plaza Shopping Center,
for 12 months, for a location
Valedictorian of the 1975
class is William Burton
Rigdon Salutatorian is Lane
Chapman. Rigdon, Miss
Chapman, Grier Gail Hicks,
Audrey Ruth Loggins, and
Jody Lou Watts will all
graduate Summa Cum Laude.
_ m
system.” He said, “I’d be very
interested to know the
council’s consensus on joining
with Peach County.”
MGAPDC Files For
Two Fire Trucks
A grant application for two
fire trucks from the Georgia
Forestry Commission has
been filed by the Middle
Georgia Area Planning and
Development Commission on
behalf of the Houston County
Commissioners.
Pay Increases Voted
Perry's Hospital
Black'' Lost Month
The Perry Hospital
operated "in the black" in
April, according to financial
reports issued at Tuesday
night’s Hospital Authority
meeting in Warner Robins.
Perry Hospital Administrator
Max Poole confirmed the
profitability of the hospital’s
operation last month, and said
the staff would continue to
operate the facility as
economically as possible
Also at Tuesday night's
meeting the Authority granted
5.5 percent pay increases
across the board to hospital
employees both in Perry and
in Warner Robins. About
$130,000 will be needed to fund
the increases, but Authority
Chairman Sherrill Stafford
said that the money would
come from a program of at
for the Community Crisis
Center The second part of
Casey's proposal called for an
offer of $l5O per month for four
months, if the first part was
rejected
Casey said that at the
Council meeting two weeks
ago the city had agreed to pay
G D. Whiddon $125 per month
for a year for the Perry Plaza
site But he added that
Whiddon obviously had not
agreed So he proposed the
addition to the offer, which
would leave Council free to
find a new located at the end of
the four months
Casey rfloved his proposal
be adopted by Council. He was
seconded by Alton Hardy and
the motion passed without
dissent
A second reading was held
on mixed beverage, wine, beer
and entertainment licenses
sought by the Mt. Chalet
restaurant. But investigation
PAGE 2-A
Graduating Magna Cum
Laude will be David Bairdy
Hurley and Deborah Frances
Woodruff Graduating Cum
Laude will be Donald Wayne
Fountain and Melanie Rogers.
The other 1975 seniors to
Smith replied, “I personally
think it is a very good idea and
one that should be looked at in
the future.”
The funds, if awarded, are
to be used toward purchasing
two surplus trucks from the
Forestry Commission. The
commission has reconditioned
60 of the 950 gallon tankers
which are available through
the Rural Community Fire
Protection Program.
trition that has already
eliminated about 25 em
ployees from the staffs of the
two hospitals
Stafford said that cir
culating rumors of massive
employee layoffs, in excess of
fifty persons, were ‘‘un
founded’’ and added that
attrition, such as retirement
and resignation, seems to be
taking care of the hospital
complex’s need to reduce its
staff He added further that
economy measures would
continue in the two in
stitutions.
A preliminary audit by the
new hospital auditing firm of
Ernst and Ernst revealed that
the complex did operate in the
black as a whole the first five
months of this year, but that
determined that manager Ed
Cook had not been a resident
of Houston County for one
year So the Council agreed to
meet Wednesday night
(yesterday) at 6:00 P.M in a
special meeting to vote on a
request expected to be made
in the name of Joan Mc-
Connell, operator of the
proposed lounge.
City Attorney Larry Walker
suggested that the city draw
up forms that would provide
information of the applicant's
residency, personal record,
and other "vital'' information.
The Council agreed that use of
such forms would prevent
future occurrences of mixups
about length of stay in the
county.
In other developments the
Council entered into a new
contract with the Perry
Chamber of Commerce “at
the same percentage rate on
the same terms" as last year’s
graduate will include: Vonnie
Kay Bacon, Judith Katrina
Barthlett, Mary June Beasley,
Samuel Alexander Bell,
James Larry Bonner, Leslie
James Cox, Julia Elizabeth
Davis, Martha Carol Dupree,
Michael Hurley Grantham,
and Robin Gray.
Others include: Wayne
Allen Griffis, Susan Virginia
Lane, Jeptha Barbour Liip
fert, Thomas Frederick
Malone, Frank Matthew
Mellette, Jr., Benjamin
Howell Newberry, Jr.,
Kimberly Mae Patterson,
Tony Elizabeth Pierce,
Brenda Doreen Poole, and
Sharon Dee Posey.
Other seniors to graduate
include: Teresa Dianna
Ransom, Charles Richard
Ray, Robert Anthony
Richardson, Cynthia Diane
Roberts, William Keith
Roughton, Kimberly Ann
Sanders, Mayo Dockery
Sexton, Cathy Ann Simons,
Perry Thomas Streetman, 111,
Thorbon Ross Tolleson, Jr.,
John Thomas Turner, Jr.,
Nena Gay Turner, Charles
Ernest Wantland, Sharon Ann
Whitworth, and George
Stanley Wills.
The Valedictorian and
Salutatorian will speak at the
services, as will Senior Class
President Johnny Turner.
revenue produced still fell far
short of meeting bond
payment obligations. The
audit showed that Warner
Robins hospital “made" about
$76,000 from September
through February, and Perry
hospital “lost” about $38,000
during the same period.
Authority Chairman Staf
ford and Finance committee
chairman Jim Dooley
cautioned news media that
separate income and expenses
figures for the two hospitals
did not show a true operating
picture, adding that the
hospitals operate as a com
plex The audit further pointed
out that the complex had
suffered a $32,700 decline in
working capital during the
five month period.
contract. Henry Casey moved
to enter into the new contract,
was seconded by Smith and
the motion passed
unanimously. Each year the
Council has agreed to fund the
Chamber with a portion of
utility taxes paid to the city. In
return the Chamber furnishes
several services.
The city’s governing body
agreed to send a check of
$2,400 to the Houston County
Commission as Perry’s share
of 1974-75 Houston-Peach
County Narcotics Squad
funding The decision was in
response to a letter from the
Commission asking for
payment of the funds.
Approved was a license for
coin-operated pool tables at
1436 Houston Lake Drive.
Cost of such licenses is SIOO
for the building and $15.00 per
table. Holley Music had
requested the license be
issued.
Swimming
Anyone?
“Come on in, the
water’s fine,” say Clare
Smyth (reclining) and
Barbara Dick (on pool
steps) at the
Ochlahatchee Park
swimming pool. Clare
and Barbara said the
pool will open this
Saturday and Sunday,
May 24 and 25, and then
re-open for the summer
the following Saturday,
on May 31.
Barbara reminds
everyone to get their
membership cards in
time for the pool
opening. Membership
cards are available
through Ray Hooten at
987-3261 or from Perry
Club Council member
club presidents. Hooten
says the pool will be
open from 11:00 A.M. to
7:00 P.M. on Saturdays
and from 1:00 P.M. to
6 00 P.M. other days.
Swimming lessons will
also be available.
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V ■ ■ ■ ■
Meeting Next Week Here
*
Ambulance " Problems"
Puzzle Commissioners
Apparently disturbed over
items in a bill summary sent
them by the Houston County
Hospital Complex, the County
Commission Tuesday morning
instructed clerk Lamar Brown
to invite Hospital Complex
Executive Director James
Wagner to next week’s board
of commissioners meeting in
Perry.
The Complex sent the
Commission a bill totaling
$10,653.34 (No. 3649) for ex
penses in the month of April.
While discussing payment of
bills in general, the Com
mission took special notice of
the Hospital’s request.
One item that puzzled the
board was a charge by the
Ambulance Service’s director
(Jessie Scott) of mileage
expenses, at twelve cents per
mile, of over 200 miles to
motor to Marietta (north of
Atlanta) to pick up an alter
nator for an ambulance. The
question of ambulance wrecks
was also brought up, one
commissioner observing that
a Florida traveler had been
injured in one accident,
necessitating hospital care.
Commission Chairman
Charles Carter reminded the
other board members of a
policy adopted several months
ago to have a hearing by the
Commission in regards to any
ambulance accidents. “We
Tennis Courts To
Be Completed Soon
Preliminary construction
work is underway for four
public tennis courts to be built
in Perry this summer. At
Tuesday night’s City Council
meeting, Mayor Pro Tern
Gene Smith said that work had
been done at Creekwood Park
and was currently underway
at the Tucker Road water
tower.
Smith said that Houston
County Warden Allen Stone’s
work crews had been at both
sites doing grading and basing
work. Two courts are
scheduled to be constructed at
each site.
In other Council oc
currences. Water Superin
tendent M.M. Cloud reported
that a heavy thunderstorm
last Friday afternoon had
caused problems at the water
plant. He said the torrential
\
_ . j
ought to follow this up, several
have occurred since this was
put in the books.”
Commissioner V.W.
McEver, who is a surgeon at
the Houston County Hospital
in Warner Robins, stated,
“There has been a tremen
dous misuse of the am
bulances. The number of
emergencies is a very small
percentage to calls made. The
public needs to know these
things.”
Commissioner Frank Rozar
agreed, adding, “In my
opinion the department seems
to be running itself. The
people running it appear not to
be qualified.”
Commissioner Steve Byrd
moved to exclude payment of
the bill, number 3649, from
payment. He suggested in
viting Hospital Complex
Executive Director James
Wagner to “the next regular
meeting”, scheduled for next
Tuesday night. He added, "for
a talk about the total operation
of the ambulance service.”
County Clerk Lamar Brown
and Purchasing Agent Miller
Heath subsequently explained
that normal procedure calls
for the Ambulance Service to
make its own purchases, and
the County, through Heath,
later makes payment along
with other bills owed by the
County. Heath said most of his
downpour had been ac
companied by lightning which
had “knocked out” controls on
the water tank on Tucker
Road.
Cloud added, ‘‘At about 2:57
P M last Friday the controls
quit working. About one and
three quarter inches of rain
fell in the ninety minute
period. Lightning came in
through the telephone lines
that connect the Tucker tank
with our plant.”
Cloud said that the controls
on the tank normally show
amount of water in the tank,
allowing operators to stop
pumping of water through the
lines into it. He said that the
“knocking out” of the controls
later, on Saturday, caused the
tank to overflow, thus bursting
a water pipe in the area. Goud
said the situation had been
corrected
information concerning the
Ambulance bills is “after the
fact”, or after the purchase is
made.
Almost two years ago the
County Commission had to
begin operation of a Coun
tywide Ambulance Service
when county funeral home
directors notified the board
they were giving up making
the ambulance calls. The
Commission subsequently
decided to turn operation of
the service over to the
Hospital Authority, but agreed
to pay all bills in excess of
revenue. Last year the
operation operated in the red
almost SIOO,OOO.
In connection with the
ambulance service, the board
was overheard discussing a
possible plan to return
responsibility of calls to the
funeral homes. One of the
Commissioners said that
Ogletree To Speak
Perry UMC Sets *
Special Services
Rev. David Ogletree,
Associate Minister and Youth
Director of Atlanta’s First
Methodist Church, will this
Sunday, May 25, be the
preacher for both morning
services at Perry United
Methodist Church. Rev.
Ogletree is a native of Perry.
High school graduates of
both high schools will be
honored at the eleven o’clock
service. Also a part of “Senior
Sunday” plans are a luncheon
for the graduates, the eleventh
graders, and adult leaders in
the church’s Fellowship Hall
following the service. Mrs.
Elick Bullington, eleventh
grade teacher, as well as a
committee of eleventh grade
mothers, will be in charge of
the luncheon.
Rev. Ogletree is the son of
Perryans Mr. and Mrs. Earl
Ogletree. He has been
associated with Rev. Bob
Ozment at Atlanta’s First
Methodist for four years.
Ogletree attended college at
Emory-at-Oxford and
graduated from LaGrange
College with a B.A. degree in
History.
Rev. Ogletree attended
Columbia Seminary in
Decatur, Georgia, and Can
dler School of Theology at
payment of SIOO per call in the
Perry area would be cheaper
than the present operation
The Commissioner, Dr.
McEver, said that the thirty
calls in April cost the county
about $l3O apiece to make. By
relation, he said that 167 calls
at the hospital in Warner
Robins cost about $43
(Normal charge for a call is
$25.00.)
Reportedly under con
sideration by the board of
commissioners is allowing the
Civil Defense to assume
supervisory responsibilities
for the ambulance service’s
operation. Also persisting is a
rumor that the two operations,
in Perry and in Warner
Robins, may combine into a
single operation, set at Moody
Road Park. According to an
informed source, this plan
calls for all ambulances to be
dispatched from the Park.
Emory University. He is a
member of the North Georgia
Conference of the United
Methodists and has served on
the staffs of Trinity and Kirk
wood Methodists in Atlanta,
Sam Jones Memorial
Methodist in Cartersville, and
Georgia and First United
Methodist in Gainesville,
Georgia.
In 1964, while in Car
tersville, Ogletree was named
"Young Man of the Year” by
the Cartersville Jaycees. He is
author of the recently
published book, “Steeples, A
Volume of Verse”.
.... H
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agrn/
Rev. Ogletree