Newspaper Page Text
THE
SLANDER
500
Published by
Permar Publications
www.theislanderonline.com
ssislander@bellsouth.net
May 31, 2010
Established 1972
Vol 38 Issue 22
City economic
woes affecting
personnel
• Positions to be cut
By Matthew J. Permar
With a nearly depleted fund
balance in their General Fund
and facing the same economic
hard times as everyone else,
the City of Brunswick is hav
ing to take drastic measures to
balance their budget this year
- measures that will impact
personnel with layoffs and pay
reductions.
According to the city’s 2009
audit, the city started the
2008-2009 fiscal year with a
General Fund fund balance
of $1,264,855. After spending
$1,189,082 of it, the year end
fund balance, as of June 30,
2009, was $75,773.
Reporter’s Note: Due to an
early Memorial Day weekend
deadline on Thursday instead
of Friday last week, we were
unable to contact the city
finance director or city manag
er to find out the current fund
balance in the city’s General
Fund. While it may be holding
at the $75,000 amount, it is not
likely to have increased.
According to city Human
Resources Director Bonnie
Roberts, the city will be elimi
nating a total of 13 positions
in the 2010-2011 fiscal year
budget through a combination
of layoffs, attrition and reduc
tions in pay grade.
Almost all city departments
will be affected except the fire
department.
"The fire department is
already at their minimum
standard staffing," said Rob
erts, "so it would not be safe for
the public for us to cut them
anymore."
The police department per
sonnel is taking a number of
hits.
Originally authorized at
73 sworn officer positions, the
department has been reduced
through attrition to its current
staffing of 67 officers. This will
Turn to Page 6
City personnel
United Way Days of Caring
United Way volunteers spread mulch under the newly installed playground equipment
on Friday, May 21. The McIntyre Court Boys and Girls Club playground was selected
as the 2010 Days of Caring project by the United Way of Coastal Georgia. Over 300
volunteers assisted in completely the playground during the two day event.
Islander Staff Photo - Long
Frederica Park
gets additions
Amenities have been added
to Frederica Park located on
the north end of St. Simons
Island. The St. Simons Land
Trust and several private
donors are responsible for the
changes.
Native long leaf pines, a
labyrinth, fairy house village,
and a gazebo have been added
to the mile-long Alice Richards
Botanical Trail which is still
under development.
The labyrinth and
fairy house village were
funded by the Sea Island
Gardening Group and the
Brumley Family.
The gazebo, designed by
Wirerass Studios, was donated
by the Cassina Garden Club
with wood provided by the
Southern Pine Awareness Net
work.
A dog park has been funded
by the John N. Goddard foun
dation in honor of its chair
man, Elkin G. Alston who is
a dog lover and long time resi
dent of Sea Island.
Turn to Page 9
Frederica Park
Over 300 volunteers turn out for Days of Caring
By Sarah Banks Long
in Brunswick in conjunction
with and for the benefit of the
McIntyre Boys & Girls Club.
Although the park is owned
by the Brunswick Housing
Authority, The Boys and Girls
Club will oversee the finished
public play areas. A fund of
$20,000 has been set aside to
assist the Boys and Girls Clubs
with the maintenance costs.
The project included the
installation of new playground
equipment for 2 - 5 year olds
and for 6 - 12 year olds, the
installation of two new half
basketball courts, resurfacing
the existing court, as well as
the installation of six new bas
ketball goals and two soccer/
football goals. The project will
also include a general clean
up, installation of mulch and
Turn to Page 9
Days of Caring
Glynn b-ballers named to
state all star team
Glynn Academy basketball players Marquis Cuyler and
Dominique Holton (center, left to right) were honored
at a recent School Board meeting by Superintendent
Howard Mann, right and Coach Dan Moore, left. See
story on Page 5, Photo by Jim Wiedhaas, APR,
Public Relations Director, Glynn County School System
During United Way of
Coastal Georgia's 2010 Days
of Caring, local residents and
volunteers participated in the
construction of a playground
near the McIntyre Boys &
Girls Club that will provide
over 100 children a safe place
to play.
The McIntyre Court Boys &
Girls Club playground, which
spans a large section of land
in Brunswick, has several bas
ketball courts, two children’s
playground areas and a refur
bished soccer field. The play
ground will officially open on
Tuesday, June 1.
The 2010 Days of Caring
project, Children at Play, was
a community built playground
in the park between Little
Brooklyn Homes and McIntyre
Court Apartments at the cor
ner of Albany & K Streets
Surfin’
fhe
News
Candidate
announcements
Community News
Pg 2
County-Wide News - Read County-Wide
First Friday
Feature Section
-Pg 10
Alice in
Wonderland
Movie Review
-Pg 13
Back Talk
Editorial Column
-Pg 16