Newspaper Page Text
July 2, 2008
Reporter
PAGE 3A
Local News
Have local news to report? Call 994-2358 or email news@mymcr.net.
County plans for SPLOST
BY KATIE DANIEL
Monroe County commis
sioners took another step
Monday toward spending
$28 million in sales tax
revenues that started com
ing in in January.
Commissioners on June
17 appointed a few of their
own to the newly-created
Monroe County Public
Facilities Authority and
then signed papers author
izing them to begin issuing
bonds. Commissioners said
they want to get things
moving quickly so they
could get money to buy
more water pipes before
the price goes up July 1.
The state legislature cre
ated the authority this
past year to give the coun
ty a way to issue bonds
and borrow money in order
to begin projects before all
the sales tax money comes
in. The bonds would be
paid off with the sales tax
revenues as they're collect
ed over the next six years.
Commissioners appointed
Jim Ham as chairman of
the authority, Jim Peters
as vice-chairman and Mike
Bilderback as secretary/
treasurer.
The county plans to use
the money as follows:
• $8 million — roads and
bridges
• $4.8 million — water
projects
• $4.3 million — hospital
renovation
• $3.5 million — adminis
trative building
• $700,000 - patrol cars
• $700,000 - recreation
• $554,639 - special
water projects
• $500,000 - state patrol
post
• $450,000 - EMS
In other news: Monroe
County is seeking a grant
that would let it hire more
emergency responders.
On Tuesday, June 17
commissioners agreed to
apply for a Staffing for
Adequate Fire and
Emergency Response
(SAFER) grant. This would
allow the county to receive
money that would provide
a portion of salaries and
benefits to newly hired
emergency response per
sonnel for five years. There
is no limit to the number of
personnel that can be
hired, and they can be
either experienced or inex
perienced applicants.
Over a five year period,
the county will slowly take
over the cost of salaries
and benefits. For instance,
the first year 90 percent of
the cost is taken care of by
the grant. Then 80 percent
the next year with the last
two years at 50 and 30 per
cent, respectively. The pur
pose is to increase the
number of emergency per
sonnel. The Middle
Georgia Regional
Development Center will
help the county apply for
the grant.
City makes moves to work with county
City council members Mike Dodd and
Rosemary Walker both volunteered to be
the city's liaisons with the county commis
sioners to discuss ways both bodies could
work together. City and county officials
held an informal meeting last month to
discuss working together on the adminis
trative building and have talked about
meeting more regularly. Calloway said he
has no problem with that, but jokingly
said they may regret it.
Questions needed for
Candidates forum
Monroe County
Opinion Poll
What do you think of
Eva Bilderback’s tirade
at the county commis
sion meeting?
1. Quite unprofessional.
(120 Votes, 60%)
2. Right on, Carlisle de
served it.
(24 Votes, 8%)
3. And she got elected
to the school board?
(65 Votes, 21%)
4. She needs to move
on and get over it.
(38 Votes, 12%)
This week’s poll
question: What is
the most impor
tant issue facing
Monroe County
voters right now?
Cast your vote at
www.mymcr.net.
The Monroe County
Reporter wants your ques
tions.
The Reporter and
Forsyth-Monroe County
Chamber of Commerce will
host a candidates forum at
6:30 p.m. on Thursday,
July 10. In preparation for
the forum, the newspaper
is asking readers to submit
questions for candidates.
The forum is designed to
give Monroe County voters
a chance to hear the candi
dates speak and answer
questions before casting
ballots in the party pri
maries on Tuesday, July
15. The debate will be held
in the auditorium of the
Monroe County Board of
Education on Brooklyn
Avenue.
Only candidates in races
that are contested within a
particular party are invit
ed. Those include:
TAX COMMISSIONER:
• Lori Andrews (D)
• Joy Phillips (D)
COMMISSION CHAIR
MAN:
• Harold Carlisle (R) inc.
• James Green (R)
SHERIFF:
• John Cary Bittick (D)
• John Waldrop (D)
DISTRICT ATTORNEY:
• George Hartwig (R)
• Richard Milam (R) inc.
U.S. CONGRESS:
• Jim Marshall (D) inc.
• Robert Nowack (D)
Questions for the candi
dates may be emailed to
publisher@mymcr.net,
mailed to P.O. Box 795,
Forsyth, GA 31029,
dropped by our office at 50
N. Jackson Street or faxed
to 994-2359. The name of
the person submitting the
question is not required.
Editor Will Davis said
during the political forum
for city council candidates
last year they used most
every question submitted
because they were good
queries, and said they plan
to do the same this time.
Gas and cable have something in common.
They both cost too much. We can’t help
with gas, but call Go Communications today
and switch to Dish Network to start saving!
COMMUHtLATlONS
SaWrtOhS
478-994-1288
25 N. Lee St. • Forsyth, GA. 31029
CABLE PRICES
OBSCENE?
Expect More. DISH Network,
AlIpJlrfiLiramfldrt.irt
pmfln)mn*ntf-.|i|i|cnl In
COMMUNICATIONS
m&QMMUNLATtOHS
SOLUTIONS
AimtOfllZa REHIItt
25 N. Lee St.
Forsyth, GA. 31029
478-994-128B
Care Beyond
Your Hospital Stay
Monroe County Hospital Swing Bed Program
Focusing On Recovery.
Many times a long hospital stay, surgery or
illness will leave you weak and unsteady,
needing extended physical therapy
before going home. Sometimes, you
need additional IV antibiotics or
wound care each day. Monroe County
Hospital has a swing bed program that
allows you to be close to home in your local
hospital, receiving the special care you need from professional nurses,
therapists, and doctors. Come to where the people who care for you
also care about you.
’They took care of all the details, so I did
not have to worry about anything except
her getting well'
My mother recently had total knee replacement surgery and came to the
Monroe County Hospital through the Swing Bed Program. I was very
pleased with the services offered and the care my mother received. They
took care of all the details, so I did not have to worry about anything except
her getting well. Weekly meetings with patient, staff and family were helpful
in determining her progress and treatment plans. A big “thank you” to the
professional staff for their compassion and support of her recovery.
Connie Copelan
6/24/08 J
Cari/lg is otit way mlik;
For More Information Call Pam Stornelli at
994-2521 Ext. 242
Hometown Values.
Fiscally Conservative
Leadership.
34 Years Experience.
Cast Your Vote For Home Town Values
"Having been a citizen of this area for 34 years, I know the values of our
community. The community should only give the job of District Attorney to
someone they know and trust." - Richard Milam, District Attorney
0 A District Attorney who will continue to place special
emphasis on the protection of our citizens and the safety
of crime victims
|^[ A staff of seven attorneys with a total of 67 years dedicated
to the prosecution of criminals
A District Attorney’s staff that is already an active, vital part
of the community, having served you for nine years in the
District Attorney’s office
for
District Attorney
Early Voting Begins July 7
Vote Republican
Paid for by the Committee to Re-elect Richard Milam, D.A.