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Opinions Matter
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The Monroe County Reporter • May 23, 2018
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ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN by Don Daniel
Trashy signs live on
T here is an oft told story about late County Com
missioner Jim Ham that he would not come
up to the courthouse on election night for the
vote counting because he was out picking up his
campaign signs. You can be assured, beyond a doubt, that
the vote-for-me campaign signs you have seen all over
our county will still be still be in unauthorized places long
after this past Tuesday
Many vote-for-me candidates, if not all those who
planted elect-me signs, have ignored the law which simply
states no campaign signs can be on the public right-of-
way Simple law but ignored not only by those whose signs
are promoting, but our public officials who also ignore the
law by not enforcing the law As one office seeker ex
plained about his signs being on the public right-of-ways,
“I didn’t put them there. I cant be responsible for where
my campaign workers put the signs”. Duh!
There is a state statute that prohibits putting any type
signs within the right-of-way of public roads and streets.
Up in Butts County, the Sheriff is cracking down on signs
illegally placed along the roadways all over the county,
campaign signs included. The Sheriff has assigned his
code enforcement officer the duty to remove any—in
cluding campaign—signs on the public right-of-way. The
Sheriff explained the code enforcement officers will store
the signs and if not picked up after three days, the signs
will be destroyed.
Wonder why our sheriff and county manager have not
instructed our code enforcement officer to enforce the
law? Obviously their answer is “Ho-hum, we have better
things to enforce other than a political candidates’ stupid-
ity.
RECENTLY, members of Forsyth-Monroe County
Chamber of Commerce ranked three top issues fac
ing their membership and the county. Number one was
internet service with affordable
house number two. Number
three was a surprise, local gas
prices. My comment to the
chamber membership, of which
I am one, and the chamber
leadership, you have defined
the issues so now what are your
solutions?
HALLELUJAH and as the
headline blasted “FINALLY” it
looks as if we are going to get an
industry that possibly could hire
250 and maybe more. Those
powers that think they are the
powers that be, are closed mouth about the specifics other
than, grading has begun on the Rumble Road site, 250
hires and a building with 715,000 square feet.
WHEN I went to the voting place up here in Blount, I
carried with me a list of who I was not going to vote, all
those that robo-called I consider an insult. If the candidate
cannot personally talk with me, they do not deserve my
vote.
TOMORROW is Red Nose Day. Haven’t figured what
Red Nose is all about other than raising money to end
child poverty. So, if you see someone with a red nose they
have contributed to the purpose.
SURPRISED no one picked out two of the proposed
projects for Monroe County under the one-percent sales
tax we voted on yesterday. So, here’s The Question for this
week: The second annual Forsyth-Monroe County Sports
Hall of Fame gala will be held when and where? First cor
rect answer after 12 noon Thursday will receive a certifi
cate for a dozen Dunkin Donuts, Dairy Queen Blizzard,
Whistle Stop fried green tomato appetizer, Jonah’s cookie,
slice of Shoney’s strawberry pie, The Pickled Okra drink,
sandwich and chips, and a Forsyth Main Street t-shirt.
FOUND this amongst the taxpayer checks doled out:
$400 to Satellite Tracking of People, one blue tag for sex
offender.
Don Daniel founded the Reporter in 1972. Email him at
mediadr@bellsouth. net.
Austin (not long in) City Limits
Monroe Countys congressman Austin Scott (R-Ashburn)
held his last Town Hall with his constituents in Forsyth
(at right) on Aug. 20, 2014. Scott defeated incumbent
Congressman Jim Marshall in 2010 after Marshall went
several years without hosting a Town Hall meeting with
his constituents in Forsyth. Scott did attend a chamber of
commerce event on May 1 but did not take questions from
constituents and therefore cannot be considered a town
hall meeting. If you want an opportunity to let Scott know
what you want him to do in Congress, call his Washington
office at (202) 225-6531 and let him know.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Winner gets $50
To the Editor:
an you name the four Forsyth businesses that
view this messy backyard scene each day?
First caller to 478-994-5622 with the answer
receives the $50 prize.
Hint: It is in the city limits, and the City of Forsyth
has been notified of the area’s condition. There seems
to have been some progress, and we are hopeful there
will be more soon.
Dr. Tom Perry
Forsyth
Dr. Tom Perry is the chairman of Beautify Forsyth.
TAKING A LIKENS TO YOU by Dale Likens
The needs, wants of the human brain
R ecently I was rummaging
through some of my wife’s
and my papers from a few
years of teaching when I
came upon one of her papers about
our brains. No, not hers and mine,
but all human brains.
The title of this paper
was “Information on
‘The Brain for you
to think about.” The
following are a few
excerpts from this
paper and occasion
ally I added a few of
my own thoughts.
Please remember
this paper was writ
ten a few years ago.
New ideas and new
thoughts may appear
in today’s study of the
brain. However, I did
choose those facts that seem most
probable today. Perhaps it will give
you something to think about.
1. New theories say the make
up of our brain is due to only 20
percent “gene pool” and 80 percent
environment.
2. The brain was not created for
“formal” learning; so formal school
ing is not natural. H’m not sure how
they know what our brains were
created for, but it sounds good.
Whatever!
3. Room temperature of 68-72 is
best for a good learning environ
ment. ^That’s also a good tem
perature for sleeping. That’s just my
experiment.
4. Colors that are calming create a
sense of well-being and are best for
learning: light blues, light yellows,
light greens (not orange, goldenrod
yellow—like you might find in our
fast-food restaurants).
* Maybe that’s why kids
seem so wound-up in
fast-food restaurants!
You know! All those
bright colors on their
ceilings and walls. Just a
thought.
5. Working in small
groups releases serotonin
in the brain. (Serotonin is
a hormone found in the
human body that trans
mits signals between
nerve cells and causes
blood vessels to narrow.)
Don’t worry. They say it’s
good for you.
6. Here’s a good one! Children lose
two-thirds of their ability to learn
when you tell them to “shut-up” or
“sit-down.” Oh, well! Too late for my
kids and students!
7. 90 percent of all learning is sub
conscious/unconscious—We aren’t
aware of what is happening. *Huh?
8. The brain thrives on water, glu
cose, exercise and proper nutrition.
^Exercise? Proper nutrition? Do
they mean no sitting around playing
games on my phone? And no more
chips and candy bars for lunch? And
less soda drinks? Give me a break!
9. Your body needs water before
you know it—when you finally feel
thirsty, your body is telling you it
really, really needs water!
10. The (rain)—sorry! I mean the
(brain) shuts down under extreme
stress. Sorry again! Stressful day
today!
11. If you play classical music 10
minutes prior to math (especially)
and reading, children show an in
crease in overall intelligence and in
performance on achievement tests.
*Now they tell me! I wonder if play
ing country music instead decreases
one’s intelligence? I’m only thinking
because I love country music!
12 Children learning instruments
(especially piano and violin) early
and throughout their high school
years score much higher on SAT,
etc.
13. The state of Georgia was 8th
in the nation in dispensing Ritalin!
*Tliis article was written a few years
ago. I don’t have any idea where
Georgia stands today.
14. And finally! Eat lots of avoca
dos. Avocados contain both vitamin
K and folate, which help prevent
blood clots in the brain (protecting
against stroke) as well as help im
prove cognitive function, especially
both memory and concentration.
I hope you learned something
about the brain today. If not, check
the temperature in your room. God
bless.
Dale Likens is an author who lives
in Monroe County.
CITY HALL
Continued from Front
Tapley proposed that the city and
county join to build one building
and save taxpayers money. The
proposed building could be city hall
on one wing and the justice complex
on the other wing, sharing an atrium
in the center and possibly meeting
rooms and some utilities.
Tapley said that his object in
speaking to council was to take back
to SPLOST discussion on May 23
that the city is interested in talking
about a joint building, if that is the
case. He explained that Monroe
County Sheriff’s Office needs more
room and could take over the exist
ing courtroom to add space when a
new justice center is built.
“Y’all are light years ahead on
the project, but we want to open
dialogue about bringing the two
projects together, take what you have
and bring what we need to the table,”
said Tapley.
“I’m very interested in what you’re
saying,” said council member Julius
Stroud. “I’m not for consolidation,
but I’m for working together.”
Mayor Eric Wilson asked Tapley
for 30 days for the city to investigate
whether the site the county has in
mind, which is the site of the old jail,
would be big enough to accommo
date the almost 10,000 sq. ft., two-
story building that Clark Nexsen has
designed for the city and the space
for a justice complex as well. Robert
Carlton of Clark Nexsen asked if
the firm could see the county’s site
plan so that it can contribute specific
information for the decision. Wilson
said they would ask the county
manager for the square footage of
the present judicial courtrooms and
offices that would be moving to the
new complex.
Tapley mentioned that whereas the
city wants a drive-through to make
it easier for customers to pay utility
bills, the county has a drive-through
at its annex that is used only infre
quently.
In a called meeting immediately
before the council meeting at which
Tapley spoke, Carlton, Wade Wil
liams and Anthony Garcia of Clark
Nexsen presented plans to council to
review, but the plans were not avail
able to the public. The plans were for
a city hall to be built next to the city’s
public safety complex on Kimball
Street. The city had approved setback
variances in anticipation of the con
struction. This was the first meeting
between the architects and council
since November, when council
decided not to buy a building from
Forsyth-Monroe County Chamber
of Commerce and re-model it for
city hall.
Clark Nexsen estimated the cost
for the building they designed to
be just over $3 million but to total
closer to $4.2 million after their fees
and all surveys, inspections and
required testing (such as on the heat
ing and air conditioning systems for
the building) were added. They said
the actual cost will hinge on bids re
ceived and that letting them provide
all the specs and manage the bidding
will save the city money if schedul
ing is not an issue.
Clark Nexsen representatives said
that there should be at least three
or four bids. They recommended
a pre-bid conference to give the
contractors information and recom
mended a 30-day bidding process.
They said the ground floor is almost
7,800 sq. ft., with the second floor
adding almost another 2,200 sq. ft.
The building was designed so that it
can be expanded later on that site if
needed.
“I like the size,” said council mem
ber Chris Hewett. “I think we need
this building.”
Wilson said that the city needs to
explore the possibility of building a
joint building with the county that
would give people a chance to go to
one place for service, but the city has
to make sure it preserves its identity
in the city hall.
Kemp dawdles on county line
When Brian Kemp became secretary of state on Jan. 8, 2010, Terry Scarbor
ough’s survey of the Monroe-Bibb county line was on his desk. The law says it’s
his job to do something with it. But Kemp, an ambitious politician who announced
on March 13, 2017 his intention to run for governor, punted. He announced on
Aug. 23, 2011 that he was rejecting the Scarborough survey because he can t be
sure its the original line. Unfortunately, the law gives him no such option. So on
March 10, 2014, the Supreme Court ordered him to set the line and resolve the
dispute. That was four years ago. The Reporter is devoting this space each week
to counting the number of days Kemp has been on the job, and yet not done his
job. If you want Kemp to do the job which hes sought three times before he gets
a promotion to governor, call his office at (404) 656-2817 and let them know.