Newspaper Page Text
April 20, 2022
Page 5A
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
by Don Daniel
Deduct votes
from candidates
for sign violations
“Vote For Me” signs are popping up faster than cow
patties in pastures and June Bugs swarming. What
many campaigners/candidates seem to forget, there
are laws about where you can put a campaign sign.
Riding over the county it is obvious there are several
candidates running for office
ignoring the law that they are
to supposedly uphold by put
ting their campaign signs on
public right-of-ways.
With that said, I have come
up with an idea which I hope
could be feasible. Here it is:
each candidate running for
office is automatically deb
ited with, lets say, with 200
votes for every one of their
campaign signs on public
property. Wouldn’t that be
interesting?
I WAS not surprised that the Forsyth Police Depart
ment did “nothing wrong” in replying to receiving a
report that a person was missing. Those reporting were
told it would be 24 hours before a missing person could
be reported in a state-wide alert. Actually they would
have to wait 12-hours before being reported missing.
Instead of apologizing, Forsyths Police Chief “issued”
a press release admitting “his officers” were in error and
blaming the family for never filing a missing persons
report. So typical of many law enforcement depart
ments, blaming someone else instead of taking respon
sibility.
I AM sure Will will have coverage of Tuesdays county
commission meeting where the last item on the agenda
was this: Employee Disciplinary Action, which has
everyone guessing and assuming the action will be in
regards to the county managers role in selling county
property without following proper and legal procedure.
Public disciplinary action against the county manager
posted on Facebook and the topic of conversation at
“Koffee Klatches” at the Waffle House and other public
gathering places have included such action as firing,
salary suspension, unpaid time off, suspending county
paid auto privileges.
But, it will take three out of five commissioner votes
for any action which if passed would be in essence the
five county commissioners admitting they were also
complacent in property selling. No one ever wants to
admit they are guilty and especially any government
employee or elected official.
It has been suggested that our district attorney should
convene the grand jury or empanel a special grand
jury to investigate the land shenanigans. Whatever, the
integrity of our county commissioners, county manager
and even the county attorney has been impugned leav
ing a tremendous integrity gap that will take a long time
to overcome.
OUR CHAMBER of Commerce, Monroe County
Development Authority have always promoted Monroe
County as an ideal location for industry and particu
larly ware housing like Five Below.
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal was head
lined “Local Push Back on New Warehouses” further
stating “warehouse construction boom is hitting a
wall in some communities”. Hopefully not in Mon
roe County because we again have the ideal location
for warehouses with 1-75,1-16, two railroads coming
through the county, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson, and
on the way to and from the port in Savannah. Again,
according to the article, “there is an unrelenting drive
to get goods closer to customers” and we are in that
position.
THE ARTIST rendering for a sculpture in front of
Forsyth City Hall, is going to be impressive and even
the low cost, $23,770 is a great price with a grant cover
ing $5,000. Iron Eagle Design and Fabrication came
up with the design and is a local business. As a matter
of fact, Meagan Thomas came up with the design and
Michael Borders will construct the sculpture.
With this sculpture, just maybe minds and intent
will not arise to do away with the Confederate soldier
statute on the square.
And this quote from Councilman John Howard: “we
are notorious for pushing hard and then stopping”.
That comment brought up a memory when a can
didate for Forsyth City Council campaigned stating
“there was no need for all city council members, mayor
and city manager to attend all the government meet
ings on Jekyl and Amelia Islands, Atlanta, Savannah
and all places in between costing the city over $10,000
plus for everybody attending the soirees. He said only
one person should attend and then come back and re
port. Guess what? He now is one of the first to sign-up
for out-of-city taxpayer-funded junkets.
He was also the councilman in his election speaking
who was advocating for an arch on North Lee Street
welcoming visitors to downtown.
THE COUNTY sold the Juliette water plant for
$ 103,750 and Dena Wheeler was the first with the cor
rect answer. She receives a certificate for a Dairy Queen
Blizzard, slice of Shoney’s strawberry pie, Big Peach Car
Wash, dozen Dunkin Donuts, Whistle Stop fried green
tomato appetizer, slice of Jonahs Pizza, Scoops single
dip and a Forsyth Main Street and Reporter t-shirt.
Here’s The Question for this week from last week’s
Health Matters section: a Forsyth woman returned
home after receiving a what? First correct answer after
12 noon on Thursday gets the goodie certificate.
AND ON the lighter side: He who hesitates is not
only lost, but miles from the next exit. Unknown. And
this from another unknown: After all is said and done,
more is said than done.
Contact Don Daniel, the founder of this newspaper, at
tullaybear@bellsouth. net.
^Reporter
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Lets stop industrial project
To the Editor:
ndustrial Rezoning Application by
IDI Land Holdings Monroe at Hwy
41 North, Forsyth: The decision to
rezone 864-plus acres, including
lots interspersed with homes, on Zellner
Road to industrial, would have far-
reaching negative impact on the entire
county and therefore must be denied.
This decision will in large part determine
the future of the entire county. Will
Monroe County continue to be an excel
lent and sought-after place for families to
thrive, or will industrial encroachment
discourage families and the businesses
that support them from settling in our
county? Rezoning may lead to increased
taxes from these acres but will be offset
by increased infrastructure cost and
decreased revenues from other resi
dential and business sources. Unused
industrially zoned land is available in the
county and should be used to increase
tax revenues while lessening the negative
impact of more industrial complexes.
To oppose industrial encroachment
in Monroe County, please call and write
the zoning board members and com
missioners. Also post your concerns on
social media. Please attend and invite
your friends and neighbors to attend the
public hearings at the Monroe County
Administration Building on the 3rd
Floor. Planning and Zoning Public
Hearing is at 5:30 p.m. on Monday April
25. Then commissioners would have
the final say after a hearing at 6 p.m. on
Tuesday, May 3.
The task before the board members,
commissioners, and the people of our
county they represent is to determine
the vision for our future. Approving the
rezoning application will cause prop
erty values to plummet while increas
ing crime, infrastructure costs, traffic
congestion, noise pollution, and risk of
air/land/water contamination. Current
and perspective residents and business
owners across the entire coimty will take
note if the county moves toward indus
trialization. They will fear all homes,
businesses and properties are in danger.
They will flee the county to protect the
safety and serenity of families/employees
while securing the best sale price before
the value of their major financial assets
(their home and business) plunge and
their life’s savings disappear. Potential
new businesses will look elsewhere.
Monroe Coimty has been building a
reputation as a place to raise your family
and work. Our award-winning school
system, which is the best in the region,
attracts families to our area. This is espe
cially true since more and more families
are able to telework and leave more
congested and industrial locations like
Macon and McDonough. The Public
Safety Training Center and State Offices
South, along with our access to 1-75,
bring travelers to our hotels, restaurants,
and stores. Crime is low. New homes
are being built all over the coimty. New
restaurants and other businesses are
doing well. Our county hospital provides
peace of mind for residents and em
ployees knowing medical care is nearby.
Beautification around the Monroe
County Courthouse and the new inter
net, power, and water improvements are
serving residents and businesses well.
Monroe County leaders, we urge you
to seek the win-win for land use in our
county. We should use currently avail
able industrial land for the applicant’s
proposed “Potential Wholesale and
Storage Warehouses and Distribution
Centers,” rather than rezoning to create
new industrial land. Commissioners,
please don’t trade all of Monroe County’s
great attributes and the healthy growing
tax base for tax dollars generated by an
industrial complex. Please consider that
the applicant has not provided informa
tion or guarantees about the kinds of
materials and products which will be
transported through our county, past
our schools and homes, and then stored
and distributed by the current and future
owners. Are we willing to have toxic,
corrosive, flammable, waste, or explosive
materials moving through and stored
in our community? Even if the current
plan will not include anything harmful,
this owner could later sell to someone
who will bring those things here. We do
know that the increased trucking traffic
will significantly increase air and noise
pollution from diesel fumes from rolling
and idling trucks. Studies have shown
that the air quality around industrial
complexes may increase cancer rates for
surrounding residents.
We know the noise of the trucks on
our roadways and in the industrial com
plex will make outside dining, gather
ing and residential spaces less usable,
thus decreasing property values and tax
revenues. Traffic congestion will cause
customers for restaurants and businesses
to contend with a constant line of trucks
rumbling near pedestrian areas. The in
crease in trucks passing our high school
will decrease safety of our young and
inexperienced drivers. The increased
congestion will clog traffic exiting 1-75
and impede travelers from accessing ho
tels and purchasing food, gas, and other
items. Our roads into and through For
syth and surrounding counties, as well as
other infrastructure, will require costly
upgrades and more frequent repairs. All
of these facts will hurt the bottom line
for current businesses and discourage
new businesses from starting here, thus
decreasing tax revenues for the county.
Any financial gains from this rezon
ing application are far outweighed by
the losses in quality of life and rev
enues it will cause. My fellow home
and property owners urge all Planning
and Zoning Board Members and all
Monroe County Commissioners to
preserve the future of our county by
denying the application to rezone.
Gail Donnelly
Forsyth
CAROLYN S CORNER by Carolyn Martel
Meet inspiring founder of Bonita’s Restaurant
"W" '▼’isiting Bonita’s
% / Restaurant in Plains,
%/ Ga. is definitely on
T my bucket list. Why
you ask? It’s simple. I love great
food and Bonita’s Restaurant
is known for serving deli
cious down-home, southern
cooking where everything is
made from scratch. But, it’s
more than looking forward
to a mouthwatering meal. I
look forward to meeting in
person Bonita Hightower. Her
personal ministry journey and
service to others is inspiring!
I was introduced to Bo
nita through a mutual friend.
David Davis, Senior Assistant
Mgr. of 1st Franklin Financial
in McDonough, Ga., called
me and said, “Give Bonita
Hightower a call. You will find
her a very interesting person to
interview!’ Being a writer, and
loving human interest stories,
I called Bonita and found her
to be an absolutely delightful
person, whose philosophy of
serving others motivates and
influences her daily
thoughts and actions.
Bonita Hight
ower was bom in
Paterson, New Jersey
and raised in Utica,
New York, but she
and her family have
made Georgia their
home for the
past 32 years.
Bonita and her
husband, Willie,
have been mar
ried for 39 years. They are the
proud parents of five children
and the loving grandparents of
five grandchildrenThe values
of hard-work and striving to
be the best you can be has in
spired their five adult children
in obtaining successful careers.
It is also the cornerstone of
success for Bonita’s Restaurant.
Hightower says,“One of the
things I enjoy most about my
business is preparing my best
menu dishes and present
ing them to the public.” She
has many regular customers
who love her food, but some
famous people have graced
her table as well. For example,
President Jimmy Carter and
his family, who reside in Plains,
have enjoyed Bonitas scrump
tious menu on more than one
occasion. Hightower recounts
the day she prepared and de
livered two delicious rib plates
to former President Carter’s
Bonita Hightower.
private secretary, Mrs. Ruth.
Bonita’s Restaurant was not a
reality at that time. But shortly
thereafter, an opportunity
arose for the Hightowers to
purchase and open their own
restaurant in Plains! “I knew
in my heart that the day would
come, when I would have my
own business,” said the enthu
siastic restauranteur. She and
her husband, Willie,
opened Bonitas Res
taurant in 2015, and
the popularity of their
restaurant continues
to grow.
Hightower not
only takes pride in
serving up a delicious
cuisine, she
is also proud
to call herself
an Ameri
can. She
commented,“I am an Ameri
can citizen and I’m here to
make a difference.” Her testi
mony and mission in life re
mind me of a statement made
a few years ago by author, pas
tor and motivational speaker
John Maxwell. He said, “I
want to make a difference with
people who want to make a
difference, doing something
that makes a difference.” He
went on to say, “We have many
years to eat and sleep, but how
many years do we have to
make a difference in the lives of
others? The highest calling any
of us can have is living our life
so as to intentionally add value
to others.”
Adding value to others, is a
hallmark of Bonita Hightower’s
life. She says, “My passion has
been, and still is, to help others
do better for themselves.” Yet,
she knows that before any kind
of successful improvement can
take place, there needs to be
a positive change in the way
we think. One of her choice
Bible verses says, “As a man
thinks in his own heart, so is
he” Proverbs 23:7. It has been
said, “If we are what we eat,
then we are what we think.”
Hightower knows that if our
thoughts are filled with fear,
doubt, confusion, inferiority
etc., the positive changes we
desire to see in our lives will
be hindered. She desires to
help people break free from
negative, flawed thinking,
which she aptly describes as a
“mental prison.”
One of Hightower’s heroes
is Harriet Tubman. Bom into
slavery, Tubman escaped and
made 13 missions to rescue
approximately 70 enslaved
people, including family and
friends, using a network of safe
houses known as the Under
ground Railroad. Tubman
stands among diverse heroes
that have inspired Bonita
Hightower to reach out and
help others. Among Hightow
er’s admirable goals is the ever
present desire to encourage
and uplift others. Too often,
we settle for less in this life, and
untapped talents and abilities
lay dormant within us. Hight
ower says we were created for
more, not less! Her coaching
ability stirs you to take a sec
ond look at your life, and see
the God-given potential within
you. With God’s help, you can
achieve things never thought
possible! Your life can become
better-not bitter!
Hightower adds, “I’m not
following a dream, but a call
ing, an assignment; one chosen
to speak to others, to set their
minds free.” I would describe
Bonita Hightower as an Am
bassador for Christ, who has
been blessed with the gift of
encouragement. No doubt, her
ministry in sharing God’s love
and the liberating truth found
in God’s word will continue to
make a worthwhile difference
in the lives of others. One last
Bible verse that this devoted
woman of God shared with
me is the “Golden Rule.” “Do
unto others, as you would have
them do unto you,” Matthew
7:12. Clear, basic instruction
from our Creator, Life-giver
and Savior, but “power-filled”
words when we put them into
action!
Carolyn Martel is the retired
advertising manager of the
Reporter. Email her at car-
olynmartell @bellsouth. net.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Vote Melissa Mixon for
District 3 School Board
To the Editor:
I am writing to respond to a letter to the editor
asking about my intentions...There is no need
to wonder the “why?” behind my run for a
school board seat. I have been called to run,
and I am running to be a voice FOR the
children, the parents, and the teachers of
Monroe County, for the betterment of this
community. I have been committed to helping
within our school system, and this opportunity
would allow me to contribute even more. I
stand for freedom of choice for in-person
learning and mask wearing. I do not support
mask mandates. I believe each child is differ
ent and that our schools need to continue to
offer a multitude of options to help students
achieve the most from their educational
experience. Furthermore, I believe in provid
ing a safe place for learning, as well as
protecting the innocence of our children.
Melissa Mixon
Forsyth
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