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IF YOU BUILD IT....New homes are under construction in the Manor at Montpelier Station subdivision off Montpe
lier Road. Monroe was No. 22 in the U.S. in new housing units in 2006-07. (Photo/Will Davis)
Monroe is among
nation’s fastest-
growing counties
Top 25 Fastest-Growing Counties in U.S.
Units-2007 Units-2006 Increase Percent
1. St. Bernard Parish, LA
8,396
5,854
2,542
43.4
2. Orleans Parish, LA
111,75297,606
14,146
14.5
3. Geary Co., KS
13,759
12,147
1,612
13.3
4. Forsyth Co., GA
60,140
55,555
4,585
8.3
5. Pinal Co., AZ
137,410
126,977 10,433
8.2
6. Sumter Co., FL
43,992
40,669
3,323
8.2
7. Kendall Co., IL
33,404
30,883
2,521
8.2
8. Osceola County, FL
117,643
110,055
7,588
6.9
9. Paulding Co., GA
50,328
47,105
3,223
6.8
10. Wasatch Co., UT
9,258
8,670
588
6.8
11. Hancock Co., MS
21,182
19,881
1,301
6.5
12. Culpepper Co., VA
18,749
17,603
1,146
6.5
13. Fort Bend Co., TX
148,731
139,931
8,800
6.3
14. Horry Co., SC
168,135
158,441
9,694
6.1
15. Williamson Co., TX
131,143
123,721
7,422
6.0
16. Union Co., NC
67,420
63,678
3,742
5.9
17. Brunswick Co., NC
73,018
68,996
4,022
5.8
18. Montgomery Co., TX
156,049
147,537
8,512
5.8
19. Grand Co., CO
14,696
13,909
787
5.7
20. Taney Co., MO
24,694
23,382
5,389
5.6
21. Baldwin Co., AL
101,791
96,402
5,389
5.6
22. Monroe Co., GA
10,062
9,541
521
5.5
23. Comal Co., TX
44,589
42,285
2,304
5.4
24. Jackson Co., GA
5.4
25. Broomfield County, CO
23,572
22,363 1,209
20,152
BY WILL DAVIS
Monroe County is the
22nd fastest growing
county in the U.S.,
according to the census
bureau.
That after the county
saw a 5.5 percent
increase in the number
of housing units
between July 2006 and
July 2007, the govern
ment reported last
week. That earned it a
top ranking among the
fastest growing counties
in the country. In July
2006, the county had
9,541 housing units. By
July 2007, the county
had added 521 housing
units to stand at 10,062.
The housing growth
made Monroe one of
four Georgia counties to
be among the 25 fastest
growing counties in
America. The others
were Forsyth, Paulding
and Jackson counties,
all in North Georgia.
Monroe was the only
one in Middle Georgia in
the Top 25.
Anita Buice of the
Monroe County zoning office
said the county has added 21
subdivisions in the past three
years, developments which
have a total of 932 lots.
Commission chairman
19,124 1,028 5.48
Harold Carlisle said people
are finding out Monroe County
See GROWTH page 11A
Judge:
Jailed
doctor
crippled
patients
Monroe County Hospital has suspended
the hospital privileges of a Macon podia
trist after he was jailed last week,
accused of crippling patients and refus
ing to pay a $3.9 million civil judgment.
Dr. George Vito turned himself in to
U.S. Marshals on Aug. 8 after being held
in civil contempt. Vito has refused to pay
$3.9 million in damages for performing
See JAILED page 12A
More to
come?
Experts wonder if any
remaining courthouse
trees are worth saving
More trees on the courthouse square
may be cut down pending more study by
forestry experts.
Monroe County extension agent John
Pope and arborist Beryl Budd are exam
ining the remaining trees on the square
and will recommend a landscape plan to
the courthouse renovations committee.
The men met with the committee last
Wednesday to discuss the plans.
Budd said some of the dogwoods on the
square are suffering from drought and
decline, and said they’ll also have to look
See TREES page 7A
Hill: Big government ruining U.S.
God, we need a revolution. A peaceful
- Karl Hill, Monroe County Bank owner
BY WILL DAVIS
Too much govern
ment is ruining
America and the coun
try needs a revolution
at the ballot box.
That was the mes
sage from Karl Hill,
owner of Monroe
County Bank, in an
impassioned, hour-long
speech to the local
Rotary club on
Thursday.
Hill, whose grandfa
ther started Monroe
County Bank 100 years
ago, shared his liber
tarian views with
Rotarians at the
Holiday Inn.
Hill has run Monroe
County Bank since
returning to Forsyth in
1968. In his delivery
Thursday, he hit on
topics ranging from
foreign affairs to
domestic politics to the
virtues of small, local
ly-owned businesses.
But Hill’s main
thrust was that
American prosperity
and freedom are
threatened by a bloat
ed, overbearing federal
government.
“By God, we need a
revolution,” said Hill.
“Thomas Jefferson said
we need revolution
about once a genera-
See HILL page 7A
PEACEFUL REVOLUTION: Monroe County Bank owner Karl Hill tells Rotarians,
including Cheryl Treadwell, far left, and Rodney Christopher, blue shirt, that
the U.S. has lost its way.
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