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SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 1994
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(HHJ photo by BRENDA THOMPSON)
Perry Mayor Jim Worrall and Houston County School Superintendent Tony Hinnant visited the Perry Annex this
week to review the work In progress that will lead to a renovation of the building.
Working together!
Due to efforts of city, BOE annex renovations under way
BY BRENDA THOMRjBON
SUN Writer
The Perry Annex started anew
lease on life this week as workmen
from the Houston County Board of
Education and the Georgia Depart
ment of Corrections braved icy cold
temperatures to kick off what is
expected to be a very intensive 11-
month renovation effort.
Located at 1100 Main Street and
a historic landmark known to most
citizens as the old Perry High
School Building, the Annex is
scheduled to become the new home
of the Houston County Board of
Education offices this November.
When vacated, the board’s
present facility located on
Washington Street will become the
site of anew city hall. The city
purchased the building at a cost of
$900,000 late last year.
“We’re really excited about this
move and the fact that our relation
ship with the City of Perry was
strong enough that this could come
about,” Houston School Superin
tendent Tony Hinnant said,
expressing great relief that the fate
"|F Good
morning, Perry
The community's sympathy is ex
tended to the families of those who
recently died. They include: Valerie
Rose Parker, Macon; Algerine
Lawton, Psrry. For more informa
tion please see Page 2A.
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BILL OVERTON 5A
CLASSIFIED 8A
PEAIHS 2A
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PERRY SCRAPBOOK M
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BRENDA THOMPSON __3A
CHURCH NEWS _2A
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f The Houston Homef
Journal
of the Annex has finally been
settled. “I appreciate the historical
significance of this building and am
thrilled that we are able to save it I
just can’t wait to move in and start
calling it home.”
From next door at Perry City
Hall, Mayor Jim Worrall, who has
vowed to find a way to save the
Annex since his first mayoral cam
paign in 1989, echoed Hinnant’s
sentiments.
“I have had my fingers crossed
for a long time and am so relieved
to finally see the restoration of this
historical landmark becoming a re
ality,” Mayor Worrall said, his
voice filled with excitement. “Ever
since I was elected the first time in
1989, the Annex has been one of
my top priorities. This old high
school building houses unlimited
memories for many of Perry’s older
citizens and I just couldn’t bear the
thought of seeing it demolished.
We Americans have simply de
stroyed too much of our history al
ready.”
In getting the restoration project
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To perform in Perry
The 82nd Airborne Chorus will present two performances In Perry Tuesday, Jan. 25.
Before entertaining at the Chamber Annual Meeting at the Agricenter Tuesday
evening, the chorus will present a free performance In the Perry High School
auditorium at 2 p.m.
1 SECTION—B PAGES, PLUS SALES CIRCULAR
started this week with the help of
free labor provided by the local
correctional facility, Hinnant said
that the first phase will include
gutting of the interior and replacing
the facility’s roof.
The remainder of the work will
be done by a yet-to-be-chosen
commercial contractor. Hinnant
added that architectural drawings
went out Tuesday and that the
deadline for bids is the first week of
February. Once the contract is
awarded, crews will be charged with
completely reworking the 28,000-
plus square foot building inside and
•out.
Total cost for the project is
estimated at over $1 million with
an estimated savings of between
SBO,OOO-$ 100,000 by using free
labor for the roofing and prep work.
“Except for studs holding up the
roof, the building will basically be
a shell when the contractor comes
in,” Hinnant said. “Crews will then
put in new everything-wiring,
plumbing, heating, air conditioning
and flooring. The interior will be a
brand new building.”
Hinnant added that when they do
move in, they will not only be
moving all the offices of their pre
sent facility in Perry, but also those
of their satellite office in Warner
Robins. All total, there will be
approximately 60 people working
in the new offices.
As for the city’s plans, Mayor
Worrall says that the current city
hall will become a public safety
building housing the police and fire
departments while all other offices--
the mayor, the city manager, public
works, planning and zoning, utili
ties, purchasing and tax
administration-will move into the
vacated board facility.
Mayor Worrall added that he ex
pects only minor renovations to
both buildings, the largest possible
undertakings being to add an eleva
tor and ramps to make the new city
hall handicap accessible. A drive
through window for the utilities de
partment will also be needed.
“All in all, the necessary
Please see ANNEX, page 8A
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Hospital admissions
increase during 1993
By VETO ROLEY
Staff Writer
Perry Hospital Administrator
Jim Peak reported recently that
Perry Hospital admissions im
proved 14 percent in 1993 over
1992. In fiscal year 1993, Perry
Hospital admitted 2,195 patients,
up from 1,925 admissions in fiscal
year 1992.
During a presentation to the
Houston County Hospital
Authority Wednesday, Jan. 19,
Peak said another category of
admissions, 23-hour admissions
which are considered outpatient
treatments, also showed an increase
in 1993. Perry Hospital recorded
291 in 1993, a 37 percent increase
from 1992.
According to Peak, some of the
increase is from the hospital's
recruitment of more physicians into
the area, giving the community
access to more medical care. In
addition to the increase in doctors in
the community, Peak said the
hospital has been adding more
equipment suchs a CAT scan.
"We've done more advertising,
more public relations and have been
more involved in the community,"
said Peak, adding that the hospital's
visibility has attracted patients. He
said the hospital s facilities have
been "fixed up."
Even though admissions are sig
nificantly up this year, Peak would
not say one of the reasons is patient
satisfaction.
"Patient satisfaction surveys
have come back very good,” he
Taltons survive recent fire
with help from their friends
By VETO F. ROLEY
Staff Writer
When Wayne Talton's house
went up in flames Monday, Jan.
10, he lost everything but a few
clothes and his family and friends.
"Thank God nobody was there
when it happened," said Talton,
adding that his wife, Kathy, was
taking one of his children to the
dentist and he was on his way home
from work. "If it had to happen, I'm
glad it happened like it did.
"Nobody was home. I'm glad it
didn't happen at midnight (when ev
erybody was sleeping). It could
have been much worse."
Since the fire, Talton's friends
have responded, providing his im
mediate family with the clothes
they needed and his extended family
has responded with shelter. Mem
bers of his church, St. Andrews
United Methodist Church, have set
up a fund for him.
"There was nothing left except
Chamber to seek renewal
of contract with the city
By BRIGETTE LOUDERMILK
Managing Editor
Members of the Perry chamber
board voted during a regular
meeting Thursday, Jan. 20 to seek a
three-year extension of a contract
between the city and chamber by
which the city provides the chamber
up to $27,000 a year for services
relating to economic development
and tourism.
Drafted in 1991, the contract be
tween the City of Perry and the
Perry Area Chamber of Commerce
ends June, 1994. If anew contract
is not signed, the chamber could
face financial difficulties according
to chamber director John SundquisL
In exchange for promoting the
City of Perry through public rela
tions, economic development,
sponsorship of the Christmas and
Dogwood festivals and working
closely with the Convention and
Visitors Bureau to promote
tourism, the city has given the
chamber $15,000 each year since
1991. In the contract the city also
agreed to match the chamber up to
$12,000 in funds if the chamber
124TH YEAR—VOLUME 7 I
said. "But, it would be
presumptuous on my part to make
that comment (that the increase in
admissions reflected better patient
satisfaction)."
Perry students to
benefit from new
apprenticeship
By VETO F. ROLEY
Staff Writer
Perry High School students will
have anew opportunity for appren
ticeship in the 1994-95 school year,
the Houston County Hospital Au
thority decided during its regular
meeting Wednesday, Jan. 19.
The Houston County Board of
Education and the Houston County
Hospital Authority have decided to
set up an apprenticeship program in
the medical field for 1994-95 school
year.
The program will be modeled on
the aerospace program the school
board has with Middle Georgia
Technical Institute in connection to
MGT's nursing program.
School Superintendent Tony
Hinnant said the program will draw
students who are interested in going
into a medical field as a career, such
as nursing. The program will give
them a first hand look at the field.
"It would afford them the
opportunity to decide if they really
want to be a nurse (for instance),"
he said.
Please see BENEFIT, page 8A
walls around a bedroom," said Tal
ton of the fire that destroyed his
home. He said he was able to sal
vage clothes like underwear and
socks, but nothing else. "We are
fortunate that we got out what we
did get out," he said.
"As for clothes, we are in pretty
good shape," said Talton, explain
ing that church members came to
his aid with clothes. "Numerous
folks have bought us all kinds of
clothes. The kids are in pretty good
shape."
Talton added that he was not in a
position to receive furniture at this
time. "We don't have a place to
keep anything," he said, adding that
he was living with his parents.
Gerald Martin, treasurer for St
Andrews, said people wanting to
make a donation to the Talton fund
should make checks payable to the
church, noting on the memo line
that the money is for the Talton
Please see FIRE, page 8A
raises that much in a year, which
they have done each year the con
tract has been in effect
Sundquist also received approval
from the board to propose allowing
Warner Robins to head the Military
Affairs Committee this year so that
work in progress by the 21st
Century Partnership to keep Robins
Air Force Base off the BRAC
closure list can continue without
interruption.
According to Sundquist, the
chairmanship of this committee
rotates annually between Perry and
Warner Robins, with 1994 being
Perry's turn to head the committee.
"My view...is a change right
now may not be a good thing to
do," Sundquist said, adding,
"Nothing is wrong, I just think it’s
in the best interest of the county"
to pass it back to Warner Robins
for one more year since the com
mittee is in the middle of its plan
ning to ensure the local base stays
open.
Sundquist added that Perry will
head the committee in 1995 and "by
Please see CONTRACT, page 3A