Newspaper Page Text
VOLUME CIII - NUMBER XLII
Local Races Draw Interest
Moderately Heavy Turnout Expected Next Tuesday
A moderately heavy tur
nout is expected for next Tues
day’s general election in Chat
tooga County because of in
terest in several local races as
well as in the campaign for
president.
Almost 63 percent of the
county's voters turned out to
cast {;allots in the Aug. 9
general primary, mainly
because of fascination with the
hotly contested race for coun
ty commissioner.
But 278 more people are
registered to vote next week
than was the case for the sum
mer primary. A total of 9,864
is registered for the general
election, compared to 9,586
15 Amendments On Election Ballot
Chattooga County and
Georgia voters will cast ballots
on 15 proposed constitutional
amendments in next Tuesday's
general election.
A summary of the amend
ments has been published by
the state as ads in The Sum
merville News during the past
three weeks. However, because
it is sometimes unclear what
the amendments actually
mean, The News this week is
publishing a more detailed
summary of the proposals, in
cluding what sugporters and
opponents say about them.
Reasons For Hospital Losses
Medicare, Medicaid Reimbursement Not Sufficient
By TOMMY TOLES
Editor
Although Chattooga County
Hos%iltal receives funds from Medicare
and Medicaid for many of its patients,
it still loses money on both programs
because of its low patient census, ac
cording to a Summerville physician
and a top hospital official.
The subject is complex, but a basic
understanding of its nature is
necessary if Chattooga residents are to
fully comprehend the hospital’s cur
rent financial woes, said Dr. Hugh
Goodwin and Dan Sweitzer, executive
director of the facility.
REIMBURSED
Some residents find it difficult to
Georgia Senate Candidates Studies In Contrast
Huggins Says Experience And Seniority Matter
Waymond ‘‘Sonny” Hug
gins, Georgia state senator
representing the 53rd district,
is this year facing opposition
for the first time since he won
the Democratic runoff for the
seat in 1983.
Huggins‘ record has been
repeatedly attacked and ques
tioned by Republican
challenger Martha Hulgan, but
Huggins says he will not res
ond to those charges the way
gis opponent would like him to.
GUTTER POLITICS
“I'm not getting into gutter
politics,”” he said in a recent in
terview with The Summerville
News. ' You've never seen me
slam her.”
Huggins did however ex
plain some of his gositions and
votes that have been berated
by his opponent during the
Sample ZSEM :
§;E§‘3Poge 1-C
C.. 2 Summeruille News
who had signed up to vote in
August.
A turnout of around 60 Eer
cent is expected by most Chat
tooga election officials
although estimates have rang
ed from 35 to 70 percent.
Polls will again be open
from 7 am. to 7 p.m. and
results from the county’s com
puterized voting machines are
expected to be available in
some local races by 7:30 p.m. or
before. .
Polling places will remain
the same as in the August
primary (see related story).
The race for county com
missioner has continued to
create interest for voters.
The information is sum
marized from a special booklet
published by the Carl Institute
of Government, University of
Georgia. The summaries
follow:
AMENDMENT 1
The elected post of state
superintendent of education
would be abolished and replac
ed by a commissioner of e(ruca
tion appointed by the State
Board of Education, itself an
appointed body.
Opponents: The governor
woulg exert too much influence
understand how the hospital can lose
money when it receives reimbursement
from fioth Medicare and Medicaid for
many of its patients, they said.
Sweitzer also said some people a}[lo-
Earentg think mistakenly that the
ospital can refuse a patient admitted
by a physician or assume that the
hosgital can send a patient home
without the doctor’s consent.
Other local citizens evidently don’t
understand that the 31-bed facility
must have a minimum of equipment
and maintain a certain staef?ing level
whether the patient load is one person
or 31, said %r. Goodwin, a veteran
Summerville practitioner and new
member of the Hospital Authority.
They displayed actual examgles of
patient cases — with the patients’
names omitted — to support their case
that Medicare and Megi(::aid usually
fail to meet the hospital’s costs for pro
viding care. About 55 percent of the
campaign. Huggins said he
supports an increase in the
gasoline tax to complete the
state's develogmental highway
3ystem. an idea, that, accor
ing to him, could release as
much as SIOO-million from the
general fund that could be
given to the State Department
of Education.
Huggins said that property
tax ‘‘simply cannot be increas
ed,” thaF a gasoline tax that
would be paid for in part by
tourists, and is a better choice
for taxation.
GAS TAX
The tax he favors is a six
cent a gallon increase in the
current gasoline tax, Huggins
said. Of the total amount rais
ed bf' the tax, 30 percent of it
would be paid by ‘‘vehicles
passing through the state,” he
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA — THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1988
Democratic nominee Jim
Parker and Republican
nominee Fondren Wright are
seeking the post.
Parier won the nomination
without a runoff in August,
defeating incumbent Commis
sioner Harry Powell and se
cond challenger David Tid
more. The Democratic nominee
received more than 57 percent
of the vote, .
Wright didn’t have any op
position in the Repubfican
primary.
“Cooperation and com
munication” have been stress
ed throughout Parker’'s cam
paign while Wright has
generally been more specific in
and either the state board or
the top state school ad
ministrator should be elected
rather than both being
appointed.
Sugporters: It isn't unusual
for a board appointed by the
governor to appoint that agen
cy's chief a(Pministrator in
Georgia. Making the post ap
pointive would take pOEtiCS out
of education and help ensure
professionalism.
AMENDMENT 2
The terms of Georgia state
House and Senate members
Huggins also said the
charge Mrs. Hulgan makes
that he voted for spending
$64-million for golf courses in
Georgia is fa%se. He did,
however, vote for a
$23.5-million conference center
and hotel to be constructed at
Stone Mountain, as Mrs.
Hulgan says in her
advertisements.
PROBLEM
According to Huggins,
Mrs. Hulgan's representation
of his votes is 't,%e problem.
Under a policy aimed at
building recreation and
tourism projects that promote
Georgia’s image as a “'vacation
destination state,” several pro
jects across the state were ap
proved, and they will be paid
see HUGGINS, page 15-A
Bush, Darden Win
| --See Page 1-B
© Copyright 1988 By Espy Publishing Co., Inc. — All Rights Reserved
listing his stands on various
issues. Parker has said he
would cooperate with other
county and city officials in
recreation and fire protection
and other matters and continue
to provide a %ualitg ambulance
service. The emocratic
nominee said he would work to
keep all voters informed about
the issues, eliminate wasteful
spending, seek more industry
and maintain county roads.
Wright has been more ag
gressive in the last few weeks,
saying flatly that he wouldn't
locate a new county landfill in
the Perennial Springs area. He
has also implie(? that Parker is
part of a county “‘clique.” How
would be increased from two to
four years -effective for those
elected next Tuesday if this
measure passes. .
Supporters: Two-year
terms keep qualified con
tenders from running because
of the time and cost involved in
campaigning. ;
; (?bb%xx‘\efngf,s: Longer L}‘.Omai
would result in "prb%eSSioflél"
legislators. Two-year terms
keep senators and represen:
tatives closer to the voters and
their wishes. At a minimum, it
should go in effect in 1990 and
not this year.
hosgiial’s g)atients are covered by
Medicare, Sweitzer said, and another
10 percent are covered by Medicaid.
$724 FLAT
For example, Medicaid will reim
burse the hospital only $724 for a pa
tient with any disease, no matter how
long the patient stays in the hospital,
how many tests must be conducted
and regardless of the level of medical
treatment needed, Sweitzer pointed
out on a chart. ;
In the case of one pneumonia pa
tient who stayed in tfie hospital 15
days and whose care cost $5,850, the
hospital would receive only $724, he
noted. Under federal regulations, the
hospital can't bill the patient for the
additional amount. On the other hand,
if the patient was covered by
Medicare, the hospital would receive
$1,874. Medicare patients admitted to
see REASONS, page 16-A
i L R
B R s
SN
L
g&* .
s d
: ; A
o Sl s wm‘,
R ‘\g 3
IR N
xbp
\ ; {
) w‘@ Y 4
& ‘
SEN. HUGGINS
beer was approved for the
county and how the new state
grison at Pennville was
rought to the county are
issues, Wright has said.
Both candidates said they
plan to campaign down to the
wire next Tuesday in search of
votes.
The race between
Democratic incumbent State
Sen. Waymond ‘‘Sonny’’ Hug
fi'ns and Republican Martha
ulgan has developed into a
somewhat heated campaign.
Huggins resides at LaFayette
and Mrs. Hulgan resides in the
Chattanooga Valley area of
northwest Walker County.
Both have campaigned exten
AMENDMENT 3
The Georgia Crime Victims
Emergency fund would be
established to pay innocent
crime victims up to SI,OOO for
such things as medical ser
vices, lost wages and funeral
fees. It would allow legislators
to earmark funds, such as to
‘wssinids in the form of fees
and fines.
Supgorters: In certain
cases, the state has a duty to
help crime victims.
Opponents: It would be
Eotentially costly, would
ypass the constitutional ban
on gratuities and not be under
the oversight of the legislature.
AMENDMENT 4
A self-perpetuating trust
fund woulg be established to
help finance housing loans for
the homeless and to assist
private or religious charitable
groups in that effort.
ngonents: The monies
would exist outside the normal
state appropriation process
and constant pressure would
be placed on the legislature to
fund the program from scarce
state resources.
Supporters: It is a first step
to a long-range solution to the
problem of homelessness. The
problem is too great for local
governments, churches or
charities to handle.
AMENDMENT 5
The attorney general would
be removed from the Georgia
State Financing and Invest
ment Commission and from the
committee that prepares the of
ficial summaries o? all propos
ed constitutional amen(rments.
Supporters: The action
would%e consistent with when
the legislature removed the at
tom?' general from other state
boards. It would also eliminate
possible conflicts of interest.
Improving education and
making sure that Northwest
Georgia has adequate, clean
water are two of her top
priorities, according to Martha
Hulgan, a Walker County
Republican who is seeking the
53rd Senate District seat.
The district encomdpasses
Chattooga, Walker and Dade
Counties. Mrs. Hulgan is run
ning against Democratic in
cumbent Sen. Waymond *‘Son
ny’’ Huggins.
‘‘Education is m%' primary
thrust, she said. “That’s my
priority. Georgia is 46th in the
nation accorc;iin§l to the latest
studies. It is 49th in the nation
in spending for education.
We've got to do whatever is
necessary to fund QBE (Quali
ty Basic Education Act).”
The Georfia Senate voted
against full funding for QBE
siv%l{v in Chattooga County.
uggins has cited his ex
perience and ability to obtain
state funds for his 53rd Senate
Distict, which includes Chat
tooga, Walker and Dade Coun
ties as well as the Fort
Oglethorpe part of Catoosa
County.
Mrs. Hulgan has charged
Huggins with voting for
waterslides and motels instead
of funding education. Huggins
has denied the charges, saying
that Mrs. Hulgan is wrong or
has distorted Eis record.
Another race of interest to
Chattooga Countians is the
campaign for district attorney
see LOCAL RACES, page 10-A
Opponents: The attorney
general's legal knowledge
would be helpful to both con
stitutional panels.
AMENDMENT 6
Sovereign and official im
munit{ would be clarified and
provide for the circumstances
under which it shall be raised.
w"—Svli.lppv(v)iriters: It will benefit
all taxpayers by avoiding fre
quent litigation, settlements
and rising liability insurance
see AMENDMENTS, page 12-A
Landfill Site Approved
In EPD Letter To Powell
The state has sent a letter
to Chattooga County Commis
sioner Harry Powell formally
accepting a 50-acre tract near
Perennial Springs as the site
for a new county landfill.
The letter was mailed to the
commissioner late last week
from the office of Harold F.
Reheis, assistant director of
the Georgia Department of
Natural Resources, En
vironmental Protection Divi
sion (EPD), said EPD engineer
Harold Gillespie.
The Summerville News
reported on Oct. 20 that the
state would approve the tract.
LIMITATIONS
In addition to the one-page
letter from Reheis, the EPD
also sent Powell two pages of
Mrs. Hulgan Criticizes Incumbent
but authorized the expenditure
of $64-million on gol? courses,
Mrs. Hulgan asserted. The
Senate also approved
$24-million for a mot,elp at Stone
Mountain, pledged SSO-million
for a domeg stadium in Atlan
ta and built a water slide in
South Georgia, the Republican
candidate continued.
“We must make education
a top priority,” she said. *“We
must make a commitment to
education by funding it."”
There hasn’t been enough
input from educators
themselves, she said. “‘lt's
desperately needed and the
staé)ee school board needs to
listen to them.”
SEX EDUCATION
She would also work to
have the mandated sex educa
tion bill amended. Noting that
Factor 11 Percent
.-See Page 11-A
4 ’E;‘l (..k . T
| Lavaa m
"&'f "": ‘:; f’
Lojede i R - . W
" “\,‘{ 3 B 7 2
= P ; > g
- o : 3
L. £ ;‘&% e v !
. A
\ s o
'»‘ 3 - ” f ¢
2. E o w . ¢ ks
Y v o St
LR ‘_'%.( . ey
o 8 L~y s
“' % "‘,’\," £
‘ g WY = . 3 f
SN e T
7 o RN Fael ' ]S
et L T 1 SRR
/ R 5 o S
A\ TRTo, ST '
i % e .‘.:' . o;,ot o %
o) N Yo% 5y2" b 554 ."'g".“' ;fi- 3%, . :
S 3,’;3,..;6&2 f{"{’ o ~
B Gwid, Vg 3 o 32888, i3]
BRSNS Re A i
oB{‘ o AT T NTkn T O “080880°
NN\ 1 G
e A el ‘o Aat
S ‘!‘ 'a' »",4 oy R
“"“ ’ Pt g 1
‘\s,‘k \ G/ A wr
’Q\ \t’, o - »,:‘.“"'{#’l’:&; §ot
2% g S
‘ e = & S 4
A / 3 9 & P att Fadi :
LR e ot i
e . -{"fi o, 0 . ‘x::. *“’ P
Y/ N L
¢ v 5 B 30X | R
o * wNE e
¥ * P h ; ¥ \ "
48. ) e
, vals i2B .'.-,‘\-mx*w
e ,iTF?vflu{.!#‘% ; SO e N
Be Higher Than Anticipated
Cost May
site limitations on the propos
ed landfill project.
As reported on Oct. 20 by
The News, the limitations
would require the county to in
stall a heavy-duty plastic liner
and a leachate collection
system in the landfill at a cost
of between SIO,OOO and
$50,000 per acre, or $500,000
to $2.5-million for the entire
site.
In what ma¥ cause the site
to cost significantly more,
Gillespie said, the tract con
tains a lot of chert which would
either have to be removed to a
non-chert base or a soil liner
added over the chert before the
plastic liner is installed. Chert
contains numerous sharp
Huggins voted for the bill,
Mrs. Hulan said she would
have opposed the measure
because it savs nothing about
special training for sex educa
tion teachers and doesn't pro
vide any criteria for teacher
selection. “You could end up
with a homosexual or a very
promiscuous person teaching
sex education.” The bill says
morals will be taught as part of
the course, Mrs. Hulgan said,
“but whose morals? ’lghe bill is
too vague.
She said water will be a
“critical concern” for North
Georgia during the next two
years, according to a study
conducted by the Georgia
Department of Natural
Resources. By the year 2000,
most of North Georgia will
have inadequate water sup
see HULC AN, page 15-A
Trion Homecoming Queen
Michelle Sinith, a senior at Trion Hjfih School, was nam
ed 1989 homecoming queen during halftime ceremonies
last Friday night during the Lookout Valley football
game. She was escnrt,ef by her father, Ralph Smith,
Dalton. Miss Smith plans to attend college and become
a child psychologist. (Staff Photo By Earl McConnell).
MORE COSTS?
PRICE 25°¢
stones and pebbles which could
puncture the liner and render it
useless, he said.
Gillespie said Tuesday that
additional state limitations
would require the county to
strictly control surface water
flow at the site, as well as
sedimentation and erosion.
The entire 50-acre tract was
approved for a sanitary land
fill, except for a 100-foot buffer
zone around the facility,
Gillespie said.
The letter of acceptability
from the state gives the go
ahead to the county’s engineer
ing firm to develop a desi
and operations plan for ti-g
tract.
It may be “hard” for the
county to submit the plan to
see LANDFILL, page 14-A
= ; (
< ?M ‘:fv b
f) |
A
! ¢
MRS. HULGAN