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VOLUME 88 — NUMBER 48
Iff
County Employees
® S;
Slated to Pteceive
Salary Increases
Non-elected employees in
Chattooga County are sched
uled for a substantial salary
increase this year, according to
Rep. James (Sloppy) Floyd.
The veteran Chattooga
County legislator told The
Summerville News shortly
before leaving to attend the
1973 session of the Georgia
General Assembly that he in
tends to introduce local legisla
tion that would result in
County Gets
GPC Check
For Taxes
Georgia Power Co. this
week presented to Chattooga
County a check for
$52,060.27, representing the
utility’s local property tax for
1972.
In presenting the tax pay
ment, Evan D. Bowman, dis
trict accounting supervisor,
said this was part of approxi
mately $20.5 million in prop
erty taxes that will be paid by
the company for the year 1972
to state, municipal, and county
governments throughout Geor
gia.
Earlier in the year, munici
pal partnership tax payments
totaling more than $7,672,006
were made by the company to
the 408 cities, towns and com
munities which its partnership
franchise agreement was in
effect.
Under this agreement, the
company pays each munici
pality in which it operates a
percentage of its gross revenue
derived from the sale of elec
tricity for residential and com
mercial uses. These Municipal
partnership tax payments are
in addition to property taxes.
The company’s total tax bill
for 1972, including federal,
state, county, and municipal
payments, will exceed S6B
million.
Meeting Postponed
The Summerville City Coun
cil did not meet Monday night
for its regular January session.
No reason was given for the
postponement.
Board in Routine Session;
Meeting Time Unchanged
The Chattooga County
Board of Education handled
mostly routine matters
Monday night at its January
meeting.
The conference table was
brightened by the presence of
its new distaff member-Sue
Spivey-the first woman ever
elected to serve on the board
of education.
Joel Cook was reelected
board chairman for a two-year
term and A. D. Pledger was re
elected vice chairman.
When Mrs. Spivey asked
why the nomination was for
two years, she was told that it
was agreed several years ago to
elect a chairman at two-year
intervals.
The salary of the county
school superintendent—that is,
the local supplement was set
at the same figure as last year:
Work Scheduled
For Riegel Plant
Riegel Textile Corp.’s Trion
division will perform finishing
work under a subcontract from
the Defense Supply Agency for
two million yards of cotton
sateen cloth, according to in
formation received this week.
The total contract cost is
$1,785,676.
Under a separate sub
contract from the Defense
Supply Agency, the Trion
plant will perform finishing
work on 1.5 million yards of
cotton sateen cloth. Total cost
of this contract is $1,338,750.
She Sumtnerutlle News
SSOO-a-year increases for all
clerical employees of the coun
ty. This would also include
deputies in the Chattooga
County Sheriff’s Department
and the warden at the Chat
tooga County Correctional In
stitution.
Floyd also disclosed that he
will introduce legislation to
raise the county commis
sioner’s salary from SIO,BOO to
$1 1,500 annually.
“Since the county commis
sioner is the number one offi
cial of the county,” Floyd said,
“1 think he should make more
than other officials.”
This action would place the
commissioner’s salary higher
than any other county official
except the county school
superintendent, the bulk of
whose salary is paid by the
state according to education
level.
Rep. Floyd also indicated
that “since the ordinary and
his clerk have always been
underpaid,” he will introduce
legislation to raise the ordi
nary’s salary from SB,OOO
annually to SIO,BOO.
In another move involving
the ordinary’s office, Floyd
said an SI,BOO allowance for a
part-time employee in the
court clerk’s office would be
transferred to the ordinary’s
office for a part-time employee
in that office.
“Since the local voters have
Local Residence
Hit By Burglars
The burglary of a residence
on Lee Street was reported at
8:50 p.m. Saturday to the
Summerville Police Depart
ment.
Articles reported stolen
were a 12-gauge Remington
shotgun, a Marlin rifle, a
.22-caliber Magnum pistol, a
movie camera and projector,
and a tape player.
Entry was made through a
window in the basement,
police reported.
No arrests have been made,
but police said a “lead” is
being investigated.
Investigating officers were
Thomas Scott, A. D. McDaniel,
and Clarence Starkey.
$3,900, plus a $1,200 expense
account. The remainder of the
superintendent’s salary is set
according to a state scale and
was not disclosed at the meet
ing
The time and date of board
meetings will remain the same
es last year: at 7:30 p.m. on
the second Monday of each
month.
Joseph E. (Bo) Loggins was
Schools Accredited
The Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools
(SACS) renewed the accredita
tion of Summerville, North
Summerville, Pennville, Menlo,
and Lyerly Elementary schools
for 1972-73 during the 77th
annual meeting of the 11 -state
organization in New Orleans.
The announcement was
made by Mrs. Gertrude
Embree, chairman of the Geor
gia Elementary Committee.
Mrs. Embree is also director of
instructional services, Walker
County Schools, LaFayette.
Re-accreditation is recog
nition by the Southern Asso
ciation of a quality program of
education being maintained by
its 9,000 member and affiliated
institutions.
The annual meeting of the
organization is the largest
single education meeting in the
South held on a yearly basis,
and it attracts an average at
tendance of 4,500.
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 1973
abolished the State Court ot
Chattooga County, this de
creases the work load in the
clerk’s office and increases the
clerical duties in the ordinary’s
office,” Floyd said, “and that
is why the change is being
made.”
He pointed out that this in
volves no additional cost to the
county. “It is merely a transfer
of funds from one office to
another,” he added.
Under the proposed
changes, raises for all personnel
would total $9,900 a year.
Floyd said the sheriff’s
salary will also be raised to
SII,OOO this year, but this is
now determined at the state
level. Sheriffs’ salaries in
Georgia are no longer con
trolled at the local level, he
said.
Another bill on the local
level Floyd said he intends to
introduce is one to grant the
City of Menlo the authority to
appoint a city judge.
The veteran Chattooga legis
lator is beginning his 21st year
in the House of Representa
tives. As chairman of the
House Appropriations Com
mittee, Floyd is one of the
most politically powerful men
in state government. Adding to
his prestigious position is the
fact that he now ranks fourth
in the House on the basis of
seniority.
After a two-week session,
the General Assembly will re
cess for three weeks, during
which time Floyd’s appropria
tions committee will take up
the proposed $1,662 billion
state budget.
“I see no reason for a tax
increase this year,” Floyd said
optimistically, “except for one
possibility. If the Supreme
Court rules that Georgia
counties may not use property
taxes to finance school opera
tions, and the state has to
assume the entire tab for edu
cation, then the only answer
will be a tax increase.”
On the state level, Floyd
said he intends to introduce
separate bills that would re
quire a minimum 50-year
sentence for persons convicted
of rape, murder, armed
robbery, treason, or kid
napping.
Another bill Floyd plans, to
introduce is one to require that
all criminal cases must be
brought to trial within six
months.
retained as school board at
torney for another year. The
vote on this motion was 3-0,
with Mrs. Spivey abstaining.
A group of parents appeared
before the board to request a
change in the bus route in the
Bolling-Lyerly roads area.
After some discussion of this
matter, the boardwith
Jackson opposing-agreed to
the change.
she SACS is a voluntary,
nonprofit, nongovernmental
regional accrediting organiza
tion, one of six in the United
States. It is composed of public
and private universities, col
leges, occupational institutions,
and secondary and elementary
schools. It also accredits
schools in Latin America.
The actual process of ac
creditation at the elementary
school level is done by state
elementary committees consist
ing of volunteer educators
representing elementary
schools, higher education, and
state departments of education
whose main interest is school
improvement.
Their findings are reported
to the Commission on Ele
mentary Schools’ Delegate As
sembly. It is this group which
accredits institutions during
the Southern Association’s
annual meeting.
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TIMBER DAMAGE HERE HEAVY FROM WEEKEND ICE STORM
Commissioner Powell Says Loss May Run Into Millions
Ice Storm Batters County;
Timber Damage Is Heavy
Old Man Winter took over
the news spotlight during the
past several days, sending his
icy blast over most of north
Georgia and leaving misery and
extensive damage in his wake.
Although most sections of
Chattooga County escaped the
brunt of the ice storm, some
higher elevations suffered con
siderable damage.
The worst-hit area was on
Lookout Mountain, where the
mountain communities were
completely encased in a layer
of ice.
To those who could forget
the hardship and damage, the
area around Cloudland pre-
In other action, the board:
—Appointed Gerald Brite as
a trustee at Pennville
Elementary School, replacing
H. K. Tucker.
—Approved the hiring of
Brenda Adams and Diane Led
better as teachers in the county
school system.
-Agreed to look into the
possibility of securing a speech
therapist.
- Heard a report from Supt.
Bill King on the new garbage
disposal procedure required by
state regulations.
Monday night’s agenda con
tained 14 items.
Board members present lor
the meeting were Joel Cook,
Sue Spivey, Ray Hall, A D.
Pledger, and W. M. Jackson.
Supt. Bill King and J. D.
Weesner, transportation super
visor, were also present.
Revenue-Sharing
Money Received
Chattooga County Com
missioner Hany Powell said he
had received the county’s
second revenue-sharing check
for $72,202.
“This was not as much as
we expected,” the com
missioner said, “but I under
stand the amount is now based
on the latest census figures.”
This money, along with a
check received several weeks
ago, has been placed in a
special fund.
sented a fairyland of beauty. It
was like being transported into
some unreal world where one
had never been—or imagined—
before.
The weather-reporting
station at Russell Field in
Rome said Wednesday that the
area may be in for more of the
wintry weather which hit last
weekend.
Sleet or snow was predicted
for the higher elevations
Wednesday night and Thurs
day. In the lower elevations,
however, the snow could
change to rain today as the
temperature warms slightly.
Today’s high is expected to
be in the low 30’s.
Commissioner Harry Powell,
who made an extensive cover
age of the affected areas this
week, said, “There’s really no
way to estimate the damage
caused by the ice storm, but I
would roughly guess that it will
run into the millions.”
The commissioner reported
that near the old Gilreath Mill,
north of Cloudland, off High
way 239, there is a 20-acre
growth of six-year-old pines
that is completely destroyed.
“I don’t believe one pine is
standing in that big area,” he
said.
Commissioner Powell said
he didn’t yet know the extent
of the damage to roads and
bridges in the county. “We’ve
Teachers May Get
‘Delayed’ Increase
A policy reversal by the
Federal Pay Board may pave
the way for Chattooga County
teachers as well as those
throughout the state to re
ceive a 12.5-percent salary in
crease a raise granted by the
1972 Georgia General Assem
bly.
State School Supt. Jack Nix
reported that an attorney for
the Pay Board contacted the
attorney for the Georgia Asso
ciation of Educators and noti
fied him of a change in policy
by the board which is expected
to permit the increase to go
into effect.
Nix said his understanding
of the new ruling is that it
allows the state-approved pay
hike, even though it goes some
what beyond the federal
board’s ceiling on pay raises.
The salary increase was ap-
had 30 men working, clearing
the roads,” he added.
A Georgia Power Co.
spokesman said at one time
some 500 to 600 customers
were without electric service.
Most of the interruption of
service in Chattooga County
was in the Cloudland area. The
GPC spokesman said Wednes
day service had been restored
to all but about 200 customers,
and that by Wednesday night,
service was expected to be
almost back to normal.
Some 15 crews-75 to 80
men-have been working
throughout the locai district to
restore electric service. Help
came from as far away as Ala
bama and Florida, Georgia
Power reported.
Richard Martin, district
manager for General Telephone
Co., said about the only area
affected by an interruption in
telephone service was in the
Cloudland area. He said service
to some 20-25 customers of
General Telephone was inter
rupted by the ice and falling
trees. Full service was expected
$2,971 for Trion
The Town of Trion this
week received its second rev
enue-sharing check, according
to Mayor J. C. Woods.
This check-for $2,971
represents the second install
ment of 1972. Previously,
Trion had received $3,096.00
as payment for the first half of
1972.
proved last year by the legisla
ture but was blocked by the
Pay Board because it exceeded
the percentage allowed during
that phase of price and wage
control. Instead, the board
granted a 7.5-percent increase.
Nix said he believes the
ruling will allow for a 7- to
' 7.5-percent increase for the
pay period from Sept. 1
through Nov. 14, and would
allow another 5.5-percent for
the remainder of the teachers’
pay year - Nov. 15 to Aug. 31.
In a suit brought against the
Pay Board by GAE, it charged
that the provisions for wage
; control discriminated against
' teachers in Georgia.
Nix indicated he would look
into the possibility of making
some of the pay increase retro
active.
to be restored by Wednesday,
he said.
“We were very fortunate,”
he added. “When many of the
larger trees fell, it was away
from our telephone lines.”
He reported that two line
crews from Moultrie were sent
Rep. Davis Starts
On Seventh Term
Summerville’s Congressman
John Davis last week began his
13th year as representative of
the Seventh Congressional Dis
trict with a show of concern
for the nation’s law enforce
ment officers.
Only moments after the
93rd Congress officially con
vened Jan. 3, Davis signalled
his concern for public safety
officers by re-introducing his
Law Officers’ Bill of Rights.
The seventh-term congress
man said this bill and com
panion legislation would “pro
vide reforms and extended
benefits” for policemen,
firemen, correctional officers,
and their families.
“At present, except for
limited Workman’s Compensa
tion laws,” Davis said, “15
states provide no specific
benefits to the families of
public safety officers who are
killed in the line of duty, or to
disabled officers.”
The Davis legislation would
place public safety officers
under the Federal Employees
Compensation Act for the
purposes of hardship benefits.
The veteran legislator said
his legislation has been en
dorsed by the Fraternal Order
of Police, the International
Firefighters Association, and
the American Trial Lawyers
Association.
During his tenure in the
House of Representatives,
Davis has been a leader in a
number of areas-most par
ticularly in science and
technology application and
science education. He is third
ranking Democrat on the
House Science and Astro
nautics Committee and is chair
man of that committee’s sub
committee on Science, Re
search, and Development. As
such, he has been directly re
sponsible for the National
Science Foundation and
National Bureau of Standards
authorizations.
The seventh district legis
lator also introduced other
measures in the first session of
the new Congress. Among
PRICE 15c
in to help restore telephone
service to the affected areas.
Martin asked that customers
whose telephone service has
been interrupted and who
haven’t reported it-to do so,
so that complete service may
be restored as soon as possible.
them are his bills to remove the
remaining restrictions on the
sale of ,22-caliber ammunition,
to require repayment of de
linquent debts owed to the
United States, and to reform
small business tax laws.
Rep. Davis was cited last
year by the National Small
Business Association for his
strong support of the nation’s
business community.
Davis is a former solicitor of
the Rome Judicial Circuit and
a judge of the Lookout
Mountain Judicial Circuit.
During this period on the
bench, he was also the sole
judge of juvenile courts in
Chattooga, Catoosa, Dade, and
Walker counties.
Davis is also a member of
the House Foreign Affairs
Committee and the Official
Committee of Objectors.
Dr. Payne Will
Attend Meeting
Dr. W. Marlin Payne is
among those registered for the
50th annual Southern (former
ly Southeastern) Congress of
Optometry on February 2-6, at
the Mariott Motor Hotel in
Atlanta.
He will have the oppor
tunity of selecting from a total
of 106 lecture hours to be
presented on the program, in
cluding such topics as contact
lenses, practice management,
visual training, and care of chil
dren’s vision.
Special occasions and gala
festivities are being arranged
for the Congress’ Golden
Jubilee anniversary~~Mor»4han
2,500 registrants from 40"
states are expected to attend.
The congress is sponsored
by the Southern Council of
Optometrists, which consists of
members in 12 states, two
thirds of which require educa
tional courses for annual
license renewal by
optometrists.