Newspaper Page Text
THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2007 -- PAGE 11A
Library's 'Bluegrass Country
Christmas' Set For Tuesday
The Commerce Public Li
brary’s annual “Bluegrass Coun
try Christmas” program, featur
ing the Dyer-Franklin Family, will
take place next Tuesday evening
at 7 p.m. in the library’s meeting
room.
This yearly event has been
helping to launch the Christmas
season in Commerce for 13
years, summoning the sense of
the divine in the midst of every
day life with bluegrass Christmas
carols that are both reverent and
down-home. This year, as usual,
they will be performing with a
backdrop of colorful quilts by
the Cold Sassy Quilters that also
lend a homespun touch.
“Georgia is blessed with these
wonderful native arts,” says Li
brary Director Susan Harper,
“and they come together at
Christmas in a unique and mem
orable way.”
“Bluegrass Country Christmas”
is a warm family night of music
and fun for all ages. It includes
homemade refreshments, and
there is usually a jam session at
the end. And all who would like
to are welcome to bring a can
of food for the library’s canned-
food drive.
Canned Food Drive
Off Like A Rocket
Staff members were astonished
and grateful to see the library’s
canned-food drive take off like
a rocket, with a barrel of food
already delivered to the Banks-
Jackson Emergency Food Bank.
“We understand that the need
is especially great this year,” says
library staff member Carolyn
Cook, “so we’d like to see if we
can fill this barrel again.” The li
brary is forgiving overdue fines
at the rate of a dollar a can, but
donations are welcome from ev
eryone through Dec. 15.
Santa And Mrs.
Claus To Appear
The library’s Story Hour Christ
mas Party is scheduled for Tues
day, Dec. 11, at 4 p.m. and will
feature a puppet show, refresh
ments and a visit from Mr. and
Mrs. Claus.
All children and their parents,
friends and caregivers are invit
ed.
New Titles
On The Shelves
New Nonfiction takes the spot
light this week, beginning with
“Lion in the White House: A Life
of Theodore Roosevelt,” by Aida
Donald, a brief biography of a
large subject, which fellow biog
rapher Doris Kearns Goodwin
calls “vibrant, captivating, enter
taining and inspiring.” Also on
the subject of a former president
is Stephen Berry’s “House of
Abraham: Lincoln and the Todds
— A Family Divided by War.”
The spate of World War II
books continues with Rick Atkin
son’s “The Day of Battle: The War
in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944.” At
kinson was hailed by critics for
“An Army at Dawn,” which won
the Pulitzer Prize. “The Day of
Battle” is its sequel — the second
book of an intended “Liberation
Trilogy.”
Additional important nonfic
tion includes James Brady’s
“Why Marines Fight,” Sally Be
dell Smith’s “For Love of Politics:
Bill and Hillary Clinton — The
White House Years,” which fea
tures an old and strange photo
of the two on its cover, and “The
Terror Dream,” by Susan Faludi,
which explores Americans’ reac
tions to 9/11.
Coming Up
Tickets Are Available at the
library’s front desk for the “Holi
day Stars Quilt” on exhibit behind
the library’s front desk. Proceeds
will benefit the Building Fund.
Kidsercise: Wednesdays at
10:30 a.m. Children’s librarian
Catherine Harris leads a program
of activities for the 18-month to
4-year-old set (and for their par
ents).
Mommy and Me: Fridays at
10:30 a.m., a lap-sit story time for
infants 6 to 18 months old and a
parent, grandparent or caregiver.
Sign Up For Yoga: Yoga class
es will begin in January. Contact
the library for more information.
CONGRATULATIONS
You won the election. We accept the outcome and we congratulate you.
Having made that statement we feel compelled to respond to the vicious attacks made on Paul Vickery and
the questioning of our creditability as a group from Mark Beardsley. We make the following observations: The
Commerce/Jackson Concerned Citizens Inc. AKA C.A.V.E. People (citizens advocating value and ethical)
government, are alive and well. We will demonstrate the creditability issue in this article. After such a
negative and destructive campaign we take this opportunity to summarize the election issues and comment
on campaign ads for future reference and to demonstrate THE TRUTH in the hope future political campaigns
will focus on the real ISSUES NOT ON CHARACTER ASSASSINATION.
Our first observation is over 61 PERCENT of the register voters FAILED to vote. That could partly be due to
the negative destructive campaign that was waged. Low voter turnout was certainly to the incumbents
advantage. We accept the outcome but we don't believe a little over four hundred votes in the mayors race is a
landslide victory when 61 percent of the voters stayed home.
If you don't like the message being delivered you kill the messenger. The vicious swift boat attack ads in the
Commerce News were terribly disappointing. We will comment on the following item of an attack ad to
demonstrate the UNTRUTHFULNESS, UNFAIRNESS and MEANNESS of this swift boat attack. It is stated
that Paul Vickery purchased an 8 to 10 year supply of grader blades at one time. This is true.
They were USED grader blades that were purchased to be installed as buffers to protect natural gas pipes
above ground, not for grading streets. They served that purpose well and there was nothing sinister or wrong
by using them. The ad gives the illusion of misdoing.
Paul's position was basically liaison between department heads and the mayor and council. The mayor and
council form of government gave little authority to the position Paul Vickery held. If things went well, the
mayor and council received the credit, if they went badly Paul got the blame. HOWEVER ALL CHECKS that
were written were APPROVED by a FINANCIAL DIRECTOR who was a member of the city council and the
ENTIRE COUNCIL AND MAYOR received monthly list of checks written for their scrutiny.
Paul Vickery was interviewed by the GBI, as were other employees, and Paul took and passed a polygraph
test with flying colors and was found innocence of any wrongdoing.
There are other questions the attack ad raises. We can't address all of them here but we will if the attacks
persist. We would ask anyone who has questions concerning Paul's tenure with the City of Commerce to give
him the same opportunity anyone would want for themselves. ASK HIM in person about any question you
may have. Give him the opportunity to respond, instead of attacking him without hearing his position. The ad
was full of negative commentary from a hostile and biased editor, and full of incomplete, untruthful and
misleading information which was designed to impugn his character. Paul is a decent and honorable man
who has shown great courage in facing such unfair and cheap personal attacks. Even though he knew these
attacks would come, he refused to withdraw and refrained from using personal attacks himself against his
opponent and members of City Hall.
THE RECORD WILL SHOW THE HARDY ADMINISTRATION WAS IN OFFICE DURING THE
LARGEST THEFT OF CITY FUNDS IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COMMERCE.
You have won the election but you have lost the respect of many people. the biblical admonition, "He who has
no sin, let him cast the first stone," is still applicable. PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULD
NOT THROW STONES.
Now about creditability.
The definition of creditable from webster's new collegiate dictionary,
"WORTHY OF BELIEF".
Commerce Garden Club Sets Rules
For Christmas Decorating Contest
The Commerce Garden Club
Council is sponsoring the 2007
Christmas Door Decorating
Contest. The contest is open to
residences and business in the
Commerce area.
Contestants will be judged
Thursday, Dec. 6, between 6 and
9 p.m. To enter the contest, you
must contact Elizabeth Benton
Scalise at 706-335-7435 before
Monday, Dec. 3.
Categories and rules for the
contest for homes and business
es are as follows:
Door and Mailbox - fresh:
Decorations must be 100 percent
fresh materials such as vines,
fruit, berries, twigs, pods and
boughs. No artificial materials
should be used in this category.
Mailbox only - fresh: Same
rules as Door and Mailbox fresh.
Whole House - fresh and
permanent: In this category, 80
percent of the materials must be
fresh, but permanent materials
may be included. Dried materi
als may also be used.
Door and Mailbox - perma
nent: Artificial or permanent
materials may be used as well as
dried materials.
Mailbox only - permanent:
Same rules as Door and Mailbox
permanent.
Lights - traditional or novel
ty categories: Three awards will
be made in this category: “Most
Elegant,” “Most Unusual” and
“Best Traditional.”
All entries must be well lighted
for night judging. A panel of out-
of-town judges will view the en
tries.
For more information or to en
ter the contest, contact the coun
cil at 706-335-7435.
Children's Playhouse Give-Away
Is A Fund-Raiser For Habitat House
The Jackson County Habitat
for Humanity is selling tickets
on a one-of-kind children’s play
house to raise funds for the con
struction of the county’s eighth
Habitat house.
The 10 by 8 playhouse features
a front porch with carriage lights,
and dormer windows with win
dow boxes filled with pansies.
Construction of the house was su
pervised by Stan Beeco, owner of
Beeco Construction and a Jackson
County Habitat board member.
“Each house we build, even tak
ing into account donated materi
als and volunteer labor, requires
about $45,000. We felt that the
The date has been confirmed.
The Atlanta Opera will stage
a performance in at the Com
merce Cultural Center featuring
exerpts from an opera about —
Commerce.
The performance is set for 7
p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8.
Four vocalists and a pianist
will put on a 55-minute show of
excerpts and highlights from the
operatic version of Olive Ann
Burns’ novel, “Cold Sassy Tree,”
which is set in Commerce.
Representatives of the Atlanta
Opera visited the cultural center
last week and approved it for
the performance, according to
Hasco Craver, executive direc
tor of the Commerce Downtown
Development Authority.
playhouse would be a great way
for us to use our Habitat building
experience to make something
that children would enjoy and
their families would be proud of,
and in doing so help build a real
house that will provide a family
in need with a decent place to
live,” said Jackson County Habi
tat president Gordon Wilson.
The house is on display in front
of the Jefferson offices of Jack
son EMC on the Commerce-Jef-
ferson Road.
Tickets for the house are $10
and can be purchased at the fol
lowing locations: in Jefferson at
Jackson EMC, Mattox Feed and
“They received a grant (to per
form “Cold Sassy Tree”) and
one of the stipulations is that
they have to do arts outreach,”
Craver said. “How better to do
community outreach with “Cold
Sassy Tree” than to go to Cold
Sassy itself and perform in
Commerce?”
The Atlanta Opera is coming
free of charge, but there will be
an admission fee, says Craver,
The price will be set in the near
future.
“That’s a very small price to
pay to have something very neat
like that (the opera) here,” Crav
er said.
The Atlanta Opera’s full per
formance of “Cold Sassy Tree”
will take place in February.
Seed, Trinity Tire, Jefferson Tire,
Sugar & Spice, Bright Beginnings,
Verizon Wireless, Living Jackson
magazine and Doggie Style’n
Professional Pet Grooming; in
Commerce at Northeast Geor
gia Bank, Athens First Bank and
Trust and McDonald Ace Hard
ware; in Braselton at Hometown
Community Bank and Trust and
Northeast Georgia Bank; and in
Talmo at CAM Realty Group,
or by calling or emailing Bonnie
Jones at 706-367-6114, bjones@
jacksonemc.com.
The drawing will be held Dec.
15, in time for the playhouse to
be delivered for Christmas.
RECYCLE THIS
NEWSPAPER
Newspapers and magazines
can be recycled at Keep
Jackson County Beautiful's
recycling bins behind First
GA Banking Company — in
the Lanier Tech parking lot,
South Elm Street, Commerce.
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Opera Confirms Date, Site
Of Commerce Performance
Mark Beardsley accuses us of having lost creditability, but it is not our creditability that is in question. From a
campaign ad of mayor hardy we quote, "They say we have "massive debt' on the water plant, yet the income
from this department pays this debt on time, every time and because of our investment in the water plant, we
have water and are able to share our water with neighboring communities. Are we willing to sacrifice our
quality water to pinch pennies, is this what they want?" end quote. This statement is simply
incorrect and misleading
The Truth.
The massive debt ($14,000,000.00) is on the sewer plant. The Hardy administration had nothing to do with the
water supply. Bob Waters' administration is responsible for having the lake built which is the source of water.
$14,000,000.00 (fourteen million dollars) is a lot of pennies, plus the interest it incurs. The principle payment
will be due in the future which will increase the need for revenue. The reason the debt is paid on time every
time is because the water and sewer rates have risen along with the cost of sewer and water tap fees. We now
ONLY pay the interest. When principle payments are due the real impact of the situation WILL BE FELT.
In a political ad, Mayor Hardy asked if we (the citizens group) wanted to "give away our schools?". We
support the school system, children and teachers. We have never made any negative comment about the
school system. THIS WAS A SCARE TACTIC USED TO GAIN VOTES. We advocated the mayor and council
pay their own retirement and health insurance along with retreat and convention expenses instead of the city
and direct the money the city would have paid to the school system, which is an item that was never
acknowledged.
You said there was no platform offered.
IT IS RECORDED
IN THE PAGES OF THE COMMERCE NEWS
We advocated keeping the Commerce Police Dept. off of 1-85 not making them a revenue machine.
We advocated having side streets improved and directing government to improve the lives of the citizens
inside the city limits.
We advocated expansion of city limits be halted and competition with other jurisdictions, utility providers
and private investors to stop.
We advocated not placing the citizens of the City of Commerce at financial risk by providing infrastructure in
an aggressive growth policy. Minimize the use of outside contractors. Grant no building code variances to out
of town developers.
TO SUGGEST NO PLATFORM WAS OFFERED IS FALSE AND MISLEADING
Mark Beardsley has attacked Clifford Slater and Donald Wilson. This tactic of insult, belittlement and
intimidation has been used for years on anyone who expresses different opinions. This contributes to a
hesitancy of citizens to seek public office. Mark Beardsley suggests that the mayor and council act like a
kindergarten class. If you don't agree with me I won't play with you anymore. Donald Wilson was elected to
serve the citizens of ward 2. He was not elected to bow mindlessly to the whims of the mayor and other
council members. He has and should do what he believes best represents his constituents. He has represented
them well for years and he will do that for years to come. Mark Beardsley should strive to bring unity and not
strife. Donald Wilson is a faithful public servant. Mark Beardsley asked what Clifford Slater has done for the
community. He has been in no civic club. Civic clubs are wonderful organizations. They offer the opportunity
for public service and social and political advancement. They are not the only means available for public
service however.
Clifford Slater and the citizens group have donated blankets in the winter, electric fans in the summer, built
wheel chair ramps for the handicapped, replaced roofs for the elderly and all at no cost to the recipient.
Clifford Slater has donated time, money and material to these projects. Under any definition this is certainly
community service. Mr. Slater and the citizens group have provided these services out of love and concern for
our community. Clifford Slater and the citizens group replaced the roof on Rev. Harold Crawford's home.
Mark Beardsley took a picture and wrote an article in the Commerce News about this project and described
Rev. Crawford's home as dilapidated. Rev. Crawford's wife has recently died. Rev. Crawford and his family
cared for his wife during her long and expensive sickness. She was legally blind, lost a limb to diabetes and
required dialysis several times a week. Rev. Crawford maintained his radio ministry during her illness and
served his Lord and Savior as best he could while attending to his sick wife. You don't have to live in a certain
section of town or be in a particular social group to be classified as a citizen of Commerce. There are No
second class citizens in Commerce. This arrogant, demeaning, condescending, and hurtful comment made by
Mark Beardsley is uncalled for. We are all God's children. We call on the editor to stop being divisive and
use the power of his position to bring healing and unity to our community.
If democracy is to survive it is necessary for ideas to be debated and political policies questioned. It is not
demeaning personal attacks, it is not about political policies. Democracy is an expression of ideas and
thought and it is the foundation of our country. We are all citizens of Commerce. we breathe the same air,
drink the same water, pay taxes and utilities. There are no second rate citizens. We hope Mayor Hardy's
administration is successful and the citizens of Commerce have great benefit under his administration. He
is our mayor too. Because we have aired our concerns and disagreed with certain polices- makes us no less
of a citizen.
THE FUTURE WILL DETERMINE WHAT POLICIES WERE BENEFICIAL
FOR COMMERCE AND WHICH WERE NOT.
WE ARE THE COMMERCE/JACKSON CONCERNED CITIZENS INC.
AKA
C.A.V.E. PEOPLE
(CITIZENS ADVOCATING VALUE AND ETHICS ) IN GOVERNMENT.
We are advocates for the welfare of widows, the elderly, families on fixed incomes, business owners, city
employees, working people and the betterment of all the citizens of commerce.
Paid For By Jackson-Commerce Concerned Citizens