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The Summerville News, Thursday, March 23, 1989
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ROTARY EXCHANGE STUDENT YAN RAPIN (C) WELCOMED
By Ed Surles (L). Summerville; Mark Burns, Rome
Exchange Student Visits
His home village in France
is 95 percent Communist but
“fortunately, it's very small
and it has no impact national
lv,” a Rotary excfiange student
said in Trion Monday.
Yan Rapin, who is atten
ding Shorter College at Rome,
addressed the Summerville-
Trion Rotary Club and showed
a slide program on the area in
which he was reared. The
Summerville-Trion and Rome
Rotary Clubs jointly cosponsor
Rapin.
Utilizing a dry sense of
humor and matter-of-fact tone,
Rapin said his hometown is
known as ‘‘Little Russia"
because 95 percent of its 250
inhabitants are Communist.
The name of his village,
Taillecavat, means **get out of
here,” he grinned.
ONE CHURCH
Displaying a slide of the on
ly church in the village, Rapin
said it had been closed for
years, was not served by a
priest and was used only once
or twice a year for weddings.
He had never been inside 5\9
building, he said quietly.
Recreation Hot Item At Meeting
from front page
recreation program within a
week.
Stanley broke in to stay
that he had been talking with
both Cash and Parker about
the problem since Jan. 1 “‘and
yvou get a pretty straight
answer right there,”” nodding
toward Cash, but Parker *“‘is
always checking™ or "‘is going
to check on it,” or “*forgot to
check on it...lt could be
answered now. Quit beating
around the bush and say
something.”
Non-city resident Marty
Brown, who described himself
as a supporter of both Cash
and Parker, said if what
Stanley said was true, “‘'l'd
urge him (Parker) not to do
that.”” Brown said Parker was
a man of his word and he realiz
ed that the commissioner was
new on the job.
“PO 1T
“Whatever you're going to
do fellows, do it,”” Brown told
Cash and Parker.
Cash, after one of Stanley's
comments, apparently attemp
ted to smooth the meeting's
troubled waters by saying
Parker ‘*has got some very
serious problems that he in
herited.” But he added that a
government sometimes has to
go outside its budget.
Brown asked Parker later if
the county could exceed its
budget.
“It's obvious we're going to
have to,"”" Parker replied.
BORROW?
Another resident said
former Commissioner Harry
Powell went into office in the
red with a sl-million debt but
borrowed money and paid it off
in less than four years. He ask
ed why the county couldn't
borrow money to help finance
the city's recreation program.
Mrs. Jesse Mann, another
recreation board member, said
she thought the county should
borrow money to help finance
the city's recreation needs.
“We need to look at our
children,”” she continued.
“What we're talking about now
is splitting our county,
separating our children.”
Earlier in the session, Cash
warned that the odds were
good that the council would ap
grove a 1989-90 recreation
udget that excludes participa
tion by non-city residents if no
assistance was forthcoming
from the county before June
30, the end of the current fiscal
year. However, after today’s
meeting was set up with
Parker, Cash backed off that
assertion. The mayor and com
missioner both seemed to agree
that such steps by the council
wouldn’t be necessary because
Most of the people in his
home community are older and
“very poor,” he said, and
France has "alot of problems."
Although he doesn't drink
alcohol himself, Rapin said his
village is the famous wine
making region of Bordeaux.
There is no age restriction on
purchasing wine, he said, and
most children begin drinking
wine at afie 25 or 3. There isn't
too much of a problem with
alcoholism but there is a high
toll due to traffic accidents, the
speaker added.
The school he attended now
has 13 students and one
teacher. Such a school may be
fine for brilliant students, he
said, but isn't helpful for
students ‘"who aren't so
bright."”
COMPUTER
The government gave all
the schools in the country a
computer, he said, but the one
in his village sits unused in a
room because no one knows
how to operate it.
His mother was a mis
sionary in Chad, where she met
his father and thev married in
an agreement would be work
ed out between the city and
county prior to that time.
FINANCING
Campbell asked whether
Parker could place in the coun
ty's 1990 calendar year budget
funds for the city recreation
program. That way, the city
could appropriate money for
the final six months of this
calendar year (the first six
months of the city's fiscal year)
and the county could finance
the remaining six months bet
ween Jan. 1 and June 30, 1990.
Parker asked that he and
Cash have an opportunity to
sit down and discuss the issue.
Apparently somewhat unhap
py about what he called some
of the “"negative” comments at
the meeting, Parker said he
and Cash wouldn't let the pro
blem get to the point of having
non-city residents barred from
city programs. ‘lt will just
take a little bit of time to work
it out,” he said.
Several times during the
meeting, Parker pointed out
that he had been in office less
than three months, adding
almost every time, *‘l'm not a
miracle worker."
He was presented with
some proposals by the city
Tuesday morning and asked to
have answers by that night,
the commissioner said, ‘‘but I
couldn't do it."” He is having
county attorney Bill Hyden
research the legality of some of
the city proposals, he said.
CURRENT BUDGET
Commissioner Parker noted
that the current 1989 budget
was adopted by the former
commissioner, Powell,
although he never called his
name, and that it didn't include
funds for the new county land
fill and courthouse renova
tions. Those costs, according to
his ‘*ballpark’ estimate, could
be around $300,000, Parker
said. At another point, he said
that tax revenue for this year
has already been established
and he couldn't change the
figure.
*One thing I'd like to say is
that I'm not a miracle worker.
In two and one-half months, I
can't manufacture dollars,” he
said. ** . . . The general bud%et
is pretty much installed this
particular year.”
NOT 70 PERCENT
In 1990, he said, he plans to
set a budget for recreation for
all departments in the county,
incluging Summerville’s. It
won't be for 70 percent of the
city's recreation budget, he
said. ‘At the point we are now,
almost any figure will be an im
provement.”’ Cash had said
earlier in the meeting that
1967, Rapin said. She was born
in France and his father was
born in Switzerland, he con
tinued, later showing slides of
his parents, sister, brother and
grandfather.
His grandfather bought the
home in which they live and
gave it to his family after they
left Chad virtually penniless,
he added. It was built original
ly in 1898 by two architects
whom he suspected wanted to
impress women of the region.
VEGETABLES
His family grows its own
vegetables and raises sheep for
all its food, Rapin noted. His
mother now teaches in
southwestern France near their
home while his father is *“‘a
househusband.”
He praised the United
States for ‘‘the great at
mosphere you live in.”
He went to Canada for one
vear, where he attended high
school, he said.
Rapin speaks five
languages fluently, said
Summerville-Trion Rotarian
Ed Surles, who introduced
Mark Burns, a Rome Rotarian,
who then introduced Rapin.
some 70 percent of the city
recreation program's par-
Licigants are non-city
residents.
Elsberry asked Parker if
the county would finance 50
percent of the city’'s recreation
budget.
“I don’t know that we can
go that high,” Parker replied.
Fifty percent “‘wouldn’t be
asking too much,” said Camp
bell, board chairman, since 72
percent of the program's par
ticipants are non-city county
residents.
**At this point I don't think
I can commit to that amount
but it is certainly a starting
point,” Parker replied.
PAVING?
Cash said Parker had been
asked to pave the city's walk
ing track and a recreation park
ing lot, as well as some city
streets. Summerville has yet to
receive ‘‘one penny of the
$4-million it (local option sales
tax for roads and bridges) has
brought in,” Cash said. It may
also Ee possible that the coun
ty won't charge the city for us
ing the new county landfill for
the rest of this year and help it
financially in that manner, the
mayor continued. Those are
some of the things that Parker
is considering, he told the
recreation board.
When he became a city of
ficial 18 years ago, Cash said
the city recreation budget was
SBO,OOO to SIOO,OOO annually
and it had two ball fields. It
now has a budget of $353,000
annually and five ball fields, he
added. Eighteen years ago, the
county was putting SI,OOO a
month into the program, a pro
cess that continued through
the I:years.
ormer Commissioner
Powell put some $25,000 into
the city program during his
first year in office but stopped
when the federal Revenue
Sharing program ended, Cash
said.
DECISION DUE
Before he and Parker
agreed to meet today, Cash
said the council would possibly
decide in April or May whether
to reduce the recreation budget
and allow participation by city
residents only.
Commissioner Parker said
he intended to work with the ci
ty ““to the extent possible’ on
recreation. He said he intend
ed to fulfill his campaign
pledges to support recreation.
‘The kids are our future,” he
added. ** . . . I just want you to
be assured that I am concern
ed as the mayor and council are
concerned,” Parker said later
in the meetin;;.
Although funds in his 1990
budget would go to recreation
Walkout By CHS Students
from front page
said he had asked the students
not to walk out and he hoped
that they wouldn't.
NO RECOURSE
He also said that he had no
legal recourse if Hayes never
publicly said whfy he was not
recommended for contract
renewal. Hayes later said that
Catrett knows why he was not
recommended. ‘‘That's his
business to tell. It was a pro
fessional matter and if he
wants the public to know, it's
up to him to tell.”
When asked about Hayes'
comment, Catrett said he
didn't know the reason, but
added, ‘I just wouldn't roll
over for him."
Even though Catrett had
asked the students to cancel
their plans to walkout, between
100 and 150 left school around
10:30 a.m. Some were seen
crossing Lyerly Highway,
disappearing into the
neighborhood across the street
from the school, but the majori
ty of the students went
through the Summerville
Recreation area, over to Boll
ing Road, and headed to the
superintendent’s office.
NOT THERE
“Unfortunately — and
that's not the right word — I
was gone to a RESA meetin
and 51(% minute I was aware o%
it (the walkout), I turned
around and came back but
they'd all gone when I came
back,” Hayes said.
Students at the protest
comlplained that Hayes
wouldn't give a reason for not
renewing Catrett's contract,
and said tha Catrett ‘“‘hasn’t
done anything wrong.” One
student said ‘‘there are things
in my past that shouldn’t hurt
me either.”
One student, Natasha Cox,
said that she thought Catrett
was doing a great job. ‘‘Hayes
better watch out for us at
reelection time. We'll be able to
vote by then,” she said.
Gary McConnell, Chat
tooga gheriff, arrived at the
height of the protest and tried
to talk with three of the
students who appeared to be
leaders of the group. McCon
nell set up a meeting between
the three students and Hayes,
but only one, Richie Lamb, was
able to return to the Central
Office to talk to Hayes that
afternoon.
“I let him tell me what he
departments throughout the
county, the ‘lion's share”
would go to Summerville, the
commissioner pledged. ““We're
going to work together and do
eve(r:ything possible.”
ash said “‘time is short”
on working out an agreement
before the council decides on
whether to reduce the city
recreation budget and limit
programs to city residents.
“CONFUSION"
Brown said the county has
been plagued by “‘confusion” in
county government during the
past few years and now in the
schools. Now youngsters are
being confused over whether
they will be allowed to par
ticipate in the city recreation
program. ‘‘Let’s don’t hold this
over our kids,”" he asked.
“If everybody in here is in
terested in the same thing —
the kids — then we can speed
it up,”" Brown asserted.
Specific deadlines or time
frames need to be set for
resolving the issue instead of
letting it drag on, he indicated.
UTILITY REVENUE
One resident asked how
much of the city's revenue
comes from its utility services.
Cash estimated about 60 per
cent. The resident then wanted
to know how many of the city’s
utility customers are non-city
residents. Cash estimated 50
percent. ‘I see what you're get
ting at,” the mayor said. But
both Cash and Guinn Hankins,
a councilman and member of
the recreation board, said the
utility fees go for direct ser
vices provided by the city.
I think something will be
worked out Thursday morn
ing,” Stanley said after both
Cash and Parker had left the
meeting, ‘‘but this had to take
place before it did.” Elsberry
and Campbell agreed.
“I believe Mr. Parker will
help,” said Terry Money, a
recreation board member.
Campbell, at the beginning
of the meeting, read a letter of
commendation about Stanley.
It was from Bill Gilbert, an of
ficial with Farmers and Mer
chants Bank in Summerville.
Campbell praised Stanley for
doing “‘an excellent job.”
NEXT MEET
The board then called
another meeting for 6 p.m. next
Tuesday to work on a propos
ed 1989-90 recreation gudget,
after today's session between
Cash and Parker.
—— -
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VOCATIONAL DIRECTOR WILL HAIR LOOKS DESPAIRINGLY DURING WALKOUT
Approximately 117 Students Protested At Superintendent’s Office
wanted to tell me, and I thank
ed him and he went back to his
school,” Hayes said. *‘lt was
not necessary for them to do
what they did."" He said he
would have met with the
students individually, but ‘‘un
fortunately that situation
didn’t happen.”
Lamb was picked up at
CHS by Ron Turner, chief in
vestigator for the Sheriff's
department, and driven to
Hayes' office. Hayes and
Mc(‘sonnell were waiting for
him.
Hayes said Lamb did not
ask why Catrett was not
recommended for another con
tract, and he did not ask Hayes
to reconsider his recommenda
tion. Lamb read a list of con
cerns by students and praised
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SHERIFF McCONNELL SPEAKS TO STUDENTS
Richie Lamb (C), Rich Becker Listen
SMS Hosts Drug Program
Three Parents Attend, Says Administrator
Only three parents attended a drug
awareness program held at the Summer
ville Middle School on Monday and Tues
day, according to a school administrator.
“It had fafien off some since last week,
but it was still better than when the pro
gram was first offered,” said Harry
Harvey, SMS assistant principal. *“We feel
better about it, but we still want to increase
the attendance.”
The program, *‘Parent to Parent,” is a
video-bases workshop sponsored by the
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B YD) e SN
These are counselors who attended last Friday night’s
volunteer appreciation banquet sponsored by the North
Georgia Crisis Pregnancy Center at the Trion First Bap
tist (fi:urch. Shown from left in front are Barbara Snow,
Catrett for being friendly to
students, and talking with
them, the superintendent said.
Hayes would not say what
discussions he may have had
with members of the county
school board before the last
board meeting. ‘1 indicated
that I had some problems with
him (Catrett),” but *'it was not
a closed or secret meeting or an
open meeting,” he said.
“CONCERNS"”
For example, Hayes said if
the school board was visiting a
school, he might have mention
ed his “*concerns’ to one or two
members during part of the
tour and to another one or two
during the rest of the tour.
Members of the board toured
the county schools in
Northwest Georgia Regional Education
Service Agency (RESA). It generated lit
tle interest when first offered in January,
with only one parent attending. However,
eight parents attended the program last
week, Harvey said.
““We hope that those who did attend
will spread the word and that others will
become interested in it,”” Harvey added.
The program will be offered again later in
the school year, although no date has cur
rently been scheduled, he said.
Counselors At Banquet
Opposing Walkout
Jack Catrett, principal at Chattooga High School, sent
a note to teachers last Friday and asked them to read it
to their students.
It was not clear whether the note was read to most of
the students.
The note follows:
TEACHERS: PLEASE READ TO YOUR STUDENTS!!!
Dear Students: I have heard about the proposed walk
out you have scheduled on Monday. I really appreciate your
support and I thank all of you for the good year we've had.
You can show your support for me by%]aving a good finish
to the school year. Notfii)ng would make me happier than
for you to have the best quarter of your high school career
at CHS the Spring quarter. Since I've been at Chattooga
the decisions I've made have been made for one purpose
— for the students to have the opportunity to have the best
education possible. If you walk out of class then you have
not afforded me the opportunity to teach you things you
need to know as you travel through life. It is very impor
tant to me to have a good closing of the school year. I know
you support me and I really appreciate this. It would make
me extremely happy to see the smiles back on your faces,
to see you excited about learning and excited about
finishing the school year and starting your summer. We've
had a very good two quarters at Chattooga High this year.
I count this as my favorite and most productive school year
of my career. Please let's have a very good end to the year.
{{eltl's stay in class, do work and smile and be happy in the
alls.
Your principal — James F. Catrett 111
February.
Asked repeatedly if he had
told the board that he would
not recommend Catrett for a
contract renewal, ‘I can't
answer that for you . . . That's
a question that has no answer
to it
Hayes said he planned to
recommend another principal
as soon as possible, gut that
such a recommendation was
not likely before the board's
regular April 10 meeting.
DISCIPLINED
On Tuesday, Catrett said
that the students who walked
out were being disciplined or
were going to be disciplined.
Jean Coley, Maureen Wallin, Alieen Spain, Marion Isbel,
Judy Fisher, Ann Johnson and Laura Contrino; in back,
Mildred Blalock, Donna Tanner, Susan McConnell, Bet
ty Cook, Nell Stevens and Jean Grose.
They will receive two days in
school suspension but because
there are so many students in
volved, they will be suspended
15-20 at a time, he said.
He said it has been difficult
to identify all of them because
some students were sick, and
others had been picked up at
school by their parents. Some
who were picke(g) up were then
driven by their parents to the
Central Office. It may not be
possible to punish those who
were picked up by parents, he
said.
Eighty-nine students have
been identified so far for
discipline, he said. Suspended
students can make up unexcus
ed absences only a(}Zer a con
ference with the teacher and
the principal. Some students
“Loofi the opportunity to take
off the rest of the day,” while
others only missed a period or
two, he said.
MEETING
Catrett said he decided to
send a note to teachers last Fri
day to read to the students,
and ask them not to protest
that way, because he felt that
keeping a ‘‘fairly low profile’”
would discourage a walkout.
He said he also met with the
suspected leaders of the march
Friday, hoping to stop the
march before it happened.
Catrett drove to Lyerly
Highway to try and bring the
students back to school Mon
day, but to no avail.
It was quiet at CHS on
Tuesday. “T?xings have calmed
down now," Catrett said. *‘l
hope it's over.”