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To Actively Seek More Physicians
Hospital Authority Forms
Doctor Search Task Force
The Houston County
Hospital Authority last
week decided to set up task
forces to help secure more
doctors for both Perry and
Warner Robins Hospitals.
At their regular monthly
meeting last Wednesday
night in Warner Robins,
the Authority subdivided
themselves Into two
groups, one for each
hospital, but will coor
dinate efforts to attract
more doctors to both
hospitals.
For Construction
County Seeks Grant
Ralph Johnson,
executive director of the
Warner Robins Chamber
of Commerce, Tuesday
night told the Houston
County Commission the
Robins Chamber will help
in "every way" to secure a
federal public works grant
for the county. The com
missioners are applying
for a grant to build Phase
II of the county office
complex at the south
western tip of Warner
Robins.
Last week Congress
over rode a recent Gerald
Ford veto of the 3.95 billion
dollar bill, thus freeing the
funds, once guidelines
are drawn. About
$40,000,000 of the grant is
earmarked for Georgia.
Local governments are
expected to push for their
share of the funds.
The county com
missioners talked with
architect Henry Corsini,
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Walls are beginning to take shape at Westfield Schools, as a 2,000 square foot
business education annex is constructed adjacent to the Hornets Nest gym
nasium. The business education department is moving from the grammar
school building, and the former B.E. quarters will be occupied this fall by
Westfield’s kindergarten.
Westfield Kindergarten
To Begin August 30
Westfield Schools' first
kindergarten will open this
fall, with 38 students
already signed up. Con
struction is well underway
on new facilities tor the
business education
department, adjacent to
the Hornets Nest gym. The
kindergarten will occupy
space formerly used by the
business department in the
grammar school.
The morning session of
the kindergarten Is
already full, but a few
vacancies still exist for the
afternoon session. Anyone
interested in the program
Authority Chairman
Billy Beckham ignited
discussion of the idea by
proposing forming nuclei
of two groups from the
Authority members. He
suggested putting the three
Perryans (himself, Jim
Dooley, and Don
Parkinson) on one group,
and the remaining six,
from Centerville (Terry
Horton) and Warner
Robins (Eleanor Granum,
John Lovejoy, Glynn
and told him to finish
preliminary drawings of
the 38,000 square foot office
building they want to build
next to the State Court
Building, which is already
under construction. Rigid
time deadlines will be a
part of the funding, and the
commissioners feel sure
they can meet those
deadlines, since they have
already begun planning.
Last week County Clerk
Lamar Brown talked with
Richard Ray, U S. Senator
Sam Nunn's ad
ministrative assistant.
Nunn and Sen. Herman
Talmadge are being kept
abreast of the county's
desire to be included in the
funding.
The board Tuesday night
also decided to try for part
of the funds to build a
small recreation park in
Elberta community in
northern Houston County.
They are optimistic it too
will be funded, since
should call Westfield.
The first day of school
this fall will be Monday
August 30 for both
elementary and high
school students. Teacher
orientation begins August
24. Grades 8-12 will have a
pre-registration August 26
at 10:00 a.m. to verify class
assignments.
The school will be closed
on Labor Day. Over 460
students are already
enrolled at Westfield.
Special events during the
first few months of school
this fall will include: the
National Educational
Greenway, Barry Jones,
and Grover Hicks, Jr) on a
second subcommittee.
Hospital Complex
executive director Charles
Hall would work more
closely with the Warner
Robins group, with
associate administrator
Max Poole working with
the Perry group. Beckham
proposed letting each
group pick additional
committee members from
its community, including
Elberta is mostly black in
racial make up and is an
economically depressed
area.
Recreation director
Tommy Stalnaker
suggested purchase of the
15 acre former Elberta
landfill area, at SI,OOO an
acre, to be developed as
the park site. The com
missioners agreed.
For Rural Areas
Water Lines
Available?
County residents in the
Lake Joy and Houston
Lake areas have an op
portunity to save SIOO,
Development Test
(NEDT) for seventh
graders on October 13, and
for 10th graders on October
14; the Preliminary
Scholastic Aptitude Test-
National Merit Scholarship
Qualifying Test (PSAT
NMSQT) for juniors on
October 19, and SEAIS
holiday on November 8
Thanksgiving will he
observed November 25-26,
and the Christmas
holidays will begin Friday
at noon on December 17,
with classes resuming on
January 3
medical staff, civic and
social organizations.
"I think we need to do
something. The two
hospitals need different
kinds of doctors. Different
situations exist in the two
areas," Beckham added.
Barry Jones of Warner
Robins agreed, "We have
different needs. The
doctors need to be sold on a
local basis. I'd like us to
get on with it. Call on
people as we need them to
help us."
Beckham chipped in,
"The hospital is the hub of
activity for doctors. It
naturally revolves around
health-care oriented
people. And the social side
is just as important
because a doctor chooses a
location for all facets."
Jones suggested the
committees take "an
active role” in securing
doctors, and not be "pas
sive", simply waiting for
doctors. He proposed Auth
ority trips to colleges. He
stressed need for adequate
planning and coordinated
efforts.
Beckham responded,
"We don't want this to be
just a "crash program”,
but to be a continuing
thing."
according to County Water
System director Lamar
Brown. He said Tuesday
night that the county is
seeking an SBIO,OOO loan
and $776,000 grant to put
water lines into those
areas.
Brown said that
residents tor a limited time
can sign up for the water
lines at a cost of $50.00 plus
SIO.OO. After the first 175
customers sign up, the
cost will jump to $150.00
plus SIO.OO. He added,
"Anyone wanting more
information should contact
the commissioners' office
in Warner Robins."
In other activity at
Tuesday night's County
Commission meeting in
Perry, the board decided
to accept a group life in
surance program for
county employees. At a
cost of $542.40 per month, it
will provide at least $5,000
life insurance coverage on
county employees.
Employees with less
than ten years on the job
would get $5,000 protec
Hon. Those employed
between ten and fifteen
years would get SIO,OOO
coverage. And, those
employees with over 15
years on the job would
receive $15,000 coverage.
The board also heard an
update on the history of the
county currently being
written. Present were
county library director
Warren Phillips, historian
Bobbe Hickson, and
research assistant Sara
Hunter to give details of
the 304 page book.
The title of the book was
told to the board, but the
writers prefer to let the
public know later The
book will have eight pages
of color, and will trace
county history from the
Indians of the dim past,
through 1976.
The first third of the
book has already been
completed. The writers
hope to finish it by the first
of next year. Cost of the
history will be SIO.OO each.
Anyone wanting to reserve
a copy should bring SIO.OO
to any of the three county
libraries, along with name
and address. A total of
2,000 copies thus far are
projected on the first
printing.
In other activity, finance
committee chairman Jim
Dooley reported that the
hospital complex's audit of
the year ending February
28, 1976 has finally been
completed by auditors
Ernst and Ernst. He said a
copy is on file at the Clerk
of Superior Court's office
in Perry, or is available for
review at Charles Hall's
office at the Warner
Robins Hospital.
Dooley said the auditors
recommended a more
comprehensive budget be
adopted, with better
allocation of costs between
hospitals, and between
departments. He added
that the recommendations
will be implemented.
Sunday Night Action
Police Raid Results
In Marijuana Charges
Perry police officers
raided a room at a local
motel Sunday night that
netted them a "large"
amount of marijuana,
marijuana seeds and
several plants police
suspect may be
marijuana, and the arrest
of one Perry man for
possession of the illegal
drug.
Arrested and charged
with violation of the
Georgia Substance Control
Act was Melvin Brent
Lemley, 22, of Perry.
Perry Police Dept, officers
Cpl. Jim West and Ptl.
Rudolph Adams conducted
the surveillance and arrest
of the suspect. Also
assisting in the raid was
Justice of the Peace Judge
Alton Rainey of Perry.
Legal Suit
On The Way?
Will there be a legal suit
by property owners
located just south of
Robins West development?
That possibility definitely
exists. Tuesday night the
Houston County Com
mission received a letter
from Perry attorney David
Hulbert, representing
Security Services, that
disclaimed any liability on
the corporation's part for
drainage problems on
North Amanda Place.
Security Services is a
subsidiary of Security
Federal Savings and Loan,
and two years ago took
first steps in developing
Robins West into a
"planned unit" city. The
area was- annexed into
Warner Robins via a
pipeline, and almost im
mediately residents living
south of the development
began complaining of
drainage problems.
Warner Robins, the
county, and Security
Services all say they each
have no lability for the
drainage woes. County
Commissioner Charles
Carter lives on North
Amanda Place, and a huge
pipe empties from under
Robins West near his
backyard. He refused to
speculate whether or not a
suit will be filed, but ad
ded, "There will be
something done by
somebody to correct if."
The county com
missioners had engineers
Tribble and Richardson
prepare a plan for solving
the problem, and a $46,000
cost was estimated. The
board, although it says it
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Perry Police Chief B.E. Dennard (L) and Radio Operator Hubert Evans sift
through some alleged marijuana and numerous other vials, reportedly ap
prehended over the weekend. A Houston County resident was charged in the
case.
Ptl. Adams said he and
Cpl. West acted on a tip
from a "very prominent
and concerned citizen of
Perry" that resulted in the
arrest. Adams set up an all
day surveillance of the
motel room Sunday that
resulted in probable cause
for a search warrant being
taken.
Perry Police Chief B E.
Dennard said of the raid
and arrest, "Our depart
ment will continue to crack
down on illegal drug traffic
in Perry. We fully suspect
more arrests in the future
and we will continue our
long-standing policy of
being hard on those in
Perry who are dealing in
drugs."
Ptl. Adams stated to The
Home Journal, "We ap
has no liability, agreed to
pay fifty percent of the
cost, if Security Services
will do likewise.
But a letter dated July 27
from David Hulbert in
dicates Security Services
sees itself with no liability
either. Two months ago
they tentatively agreed to
provide drainage pipe and
other materials already
present at the Robins West
site, in lieu of any
monetary commitment.
Tuesday night county
attorney Walker Burke
advised the commissioners
to accept the offer of the
pipe if it approximates
fifty percent of the $46,000
cost. He said he saw "a
picture developing" that
could lead to a lawsuit by
some of the residents south
of the development if
nothing is done.
But County Com
missioner Alton Tucker
was adamant. He said that
if the pipe does not equal
$23,000, or one half the
project cost, he will not
agree to spend taxpayers
funds for the difference.
"The county is willing to
provide 50 percent.
Otherwise let the property
owners sue who they want
to sue."
A little later Warden
Allen Stone came in, with
an estimate of the amount
of metal pipe available at
Robins West three months
ago. It totaled about
SIO,OOO. Tucker suggested
that the total amount of
pipe will not reach the
$23,000 amount wanted by
the commissioners.
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL THURS., JULY 29, 1 9H,
predate the cooperation
and interest that parents
are taking in the drug
problem and with their
help, and others like them,
the law enforcement of
f icers can do a much better
job in controlling the drug
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Cpl. Jim West of the Perry Police Dept, and
Houston Justice of the Peace Judge Alton Rainey
look over a “large” amount of marijuana taken in
a raid on a local motel here Sunday night. In the
background, is Perry Police Dept. Ptl. Rudolph
Adams, who requested his photo be blocked out of
the picture in order to conceal his identity.
Font. From Front —■
Outlook Good
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people we can get to shop
in Perry, the better it is for
all our merchants."
Long time Perry mer
chant and business and
civic leader, Louis
(Smokey) Harper, owner
of Edwards-Harper Co.,
said, "Yes, we expect a
good Fall and Christmas
season even better than
last year. We further
expect that with all the
downtown renovation
going on our business will
be improved. I feel that
shoppers now can find the
largest selection at the
most competitive prices
than at anytime in Perry's
history."
Lewis Meeks, president
of The Bank of Perry, said,
"I certainly feel very
positive about the
economic outlook for the
Fall especially in the retail
sales area. From all in
dications, things will be up
greatly over the same
period last year and that is
a very sound im
PAGE 2-A
traffic. My biggest interest
is the suppliers and not so
much the users. You
cannot solve the drug
problem by throwing all
the users in jail you have
to get to the source of
problem."
provement."
James Stubbs, president
of The First National Bank
of Houston County, stated,
"We feel good about the
months ahead and look for
an increase in retail sales
and a general trend toward
economic improvement in
Perry and Houston
County."
Malcolm Reese,
president of Security
Federal Savings, stated,
"Newhome construction is#
beginning to pick up again*
and I believe the signs in
the months ahead point
toward an increase in
building and new older
home buying. Things do
look better than they did,
for the same period last
year." *
Perry has been pulling
out of the economic slumff
all year long and the
forecast and outlook for
the remainder of the
Bicentennial year looks
good for Perry and
Houston County.