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I u GA MAIN LIBRARY I ATHENS, GA 30602 I I avw«VS I I Page 3A I Houston Times-Journal Volume 124 Mo. 93 1 Sections,B Pages Inside Today Calendar 3A Classifieds 7A Death Notices 2A Editorials 4A Sports 7A Rack Rates Will Be $52/yr Buy a Subscription For $25 + tax & Save $25.75 July Fourth closings announced So that employees of the Hous ton-Times Journal may enjoy the July 4 holiday with family and friends, the newspaper office will be closed on Monday. The paper schedule will not be disrupted, however, and all of next week’s editions should be printed and delivered as usual. Other area offices closing for the Monday holiday are: •The Perry Post Office-regular delivery and hours will be resumed on Tuesday; •All City of Perry offices in cluding the landfill and utility de partment; •All Houston County offices including the Houston County l Perry Public Library and the Hous ton County landfill; •All Perry banks including the Bank of Perry, Bank South of Houston County, CB & T Bank of Middle Georgia, Crossroads Bank of Georgia and Trust Company Bank of Middle Georgia; •All State of Georgia offices in cluding the Georgia State Labor Department; and •All federal government offices, including Robins Air Force Base. Various other businesses-partic ularly service type establishments in the Perry area will likely be tak ing the day off, also. It’s best to call ahead before attempting to con duct any business this Monday. Republican Jack Wylam is a candidate for county Post 2 Editor’s note: The following article on Republican Jack Wylam Is the final of a six part series Intended to Introduce Houston County voters to the like number of candidates running for Houston County Commission Post Two. Four candldates-Demo crat Ronald Wayne Ragln of Perry, Republican Nora Reese- Laughlln of Warner Robins, Republican J.B. ‘Jim’ Carter of Kathleen, Democrat Billy Hunter of Bonaire and Democrat Randy Wynn of Warner Robins were featured In our May 4, May 14, May 18, June 4 and June 11 editions, respectively. Houston County’s General Primary Elections are scheduled for July 18. BY BRENDA THOMPSON Staff Writer When asked why he wants to sit on Houston County’s board of commissioners, commission candi date John F. “Jack” Wylam doesn’t hesitate at all. His answer comes through loud and clear. He’s tired of wasting time and waiting for someone else to get in volved; to step up to the plate and begin doing something about his and the area’s many concerns. “I’ve spent way too much time waiting for others to take the initia tive and have instead decided it’s time to do it myself,” Wylam, a Republican and 22-year Warner Robins resident said this week. “I’ve got a lot of ideas that could go a long way in improving quality of life for us all. I want to spread those ideas and am confident this county commission seat is a good forum from which to do that” Among his many ideas that have drawn attention in recent months, particularly since the start of his first county commission campaign, is the possibility of a “Farmers’ Market” at the Georgia National • ./a# T; W aßw’ j *- ■ ■’ .|r " 'S jL ™ H 1.7 W . Ejij '%§r * -j:, hg| Hb jslvjf; v. ■ *•>- r' 1 >/ ~a^. thekbP gsfia, ■l^aw Bt‘J• •.>";X^;% : :•./-Kb.; ~. • ••.• .£,*£- JB"- :lv/ s „MF H J - . ~. - || ■- ■TUfi'fliTi |-)TbitiT?w ; tjM :% • i?MPP Hv f \ 9 «■ r"* A treat from the heat! What better way to beat the heat than to enjoy some tasty Ice cream. Here, Rachel Pop, the four-year-old daughter of Sharon and Ron Pop of Perry, tops off her lunch with a cool treat from the local Dairy Queen. Fairgrounds and Agricenter. As Wylam has told a number of local and state dignitaries in his ef forts, this type of facility would go hand in hand with the Agricenter’s purpose and theme and the location right along Interstate 75 would practically guarantee a constant market. Other ideas he has included on his campaign platform include: im proving the quality of life by im proving education and jobs, the road and utility system, the environment and security; reducing the size of government by reducing expenses and not jobs, maintaining services and ensuring disciplined spending on prioritized projects; and finally offering support and cooperation with all Houston County residents and employees, with Robins Air Force Base and the 21st Century Partnership as well as the people' and officials of other counties, ci ties and the state. Wylam further promises to do whatever he can to ensure the less populated areas of the cpunty are weighted so that they get an equal voice in county services and gov ernment. Sports I Page 6A Official Organ For Houston County, City of Perry & State of Georgia A native of Ohio, Wylam first came to Houston County in 1972 as a member of the 19th Bomb Wing at Robins Air Force Base. He retired at the rank of colonel four years later, decided to make his home in Warner Robins and lauds the area as “the best kept secret around”. After retiring from the Air Force, Wylam, who holds a Bache lor of Science Degree in mechanical engineering from Ohio University and has also done some post-gradu ate work in business at Western New England College in Spring field, Massachusetts, went to work as an engineer for Brown and Williamson, Inc. He remained with Brown and Williamson for nine years and while employed there also started his own building and general con tracting company. Wylam Enter prises, Inc. in Warner Robins was incorporated in 1977 and in a 10 year period was responsible for the construction of more than 100 homes in the mid-state area. , Although he has taken a break from this business for the past four or so years, Wylam adds that he is now in the midst of getting the business cranked back up. His new slogan his “The House That Jack Built”. Additionally, for the past two years, Wylam has served as a build ing inspector for Peach County. He and his wife, Ann, have been married for 42 years and have two children and three grandchildren. For News And Subscriptions Call 912-987-1823 Saturday, July 2, 1994 "I've got a lot of ideas that could go a long way in improving quality of life for us all.. . and am confident this seat is a good forum from which to do that." —Jack Wylam Their son, John, is an Air Force major stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia and his daughter Beth McCrary resides in Macon. Their grandchildren are Emily Wylam, 8, Andrew Wylam, 5, and Katie McCrary, 5. He his an elder at First Presbyte rian Church in Warner Robins, where he has been a member since moving here in the 19705, and is also a member of the Air Force As sociation, the American Legion, the American Association of Retired Persons, the Retired Officers Asso ciation, the Shrine and the Masonic Order. } Wylam joins five others in the race for the Houston County Commission Post Two race— Democrats Billy Hunter of Bonaire, Ronald Wayne Ragin of Percy and Randy Wynn of Warner Robins and fellow Republicans James Carter of Kathleen and Nora Reese-Laughlin of Warner Robins. The first round of the elections comes on July 19 with the General I Classified L Page 7A Abolishing Freeport will cost taxpayers By VETOF. ROLEY Staff Writer While eliminating freeport taxes may bring in new jobs, a report given to Houston County Com mission Chairman Sherrill Stafford indicates that the move would cost the county over SI million in the next four years. And, because of the tax cap, the lost revenues could not be made up in new taxes. "We would have lost that $1 million forever," said Stafford. "It would never be recov ered." Stafford said the county did not know how it was going to make up the lost revenues if it decided to raise the freeport exemption to 100 percent. "That is the $63,000 ques tion," he said. Freeport taxes are taxes collected on a business' inventory. Currently, the county has a 40 percent freeport exemption, which means that 60 percent of a company's inventory is taxed. The chamber has told the com mission that Houston County was the only county south of Atlanta on Interstate 75 that collected freeport taxes, costing the county jobs since inventory intensive businesses, such as distributors, would not lo cate in the county. The amount of freeport taxes the county would lose in the next four years is determined by a formula under the tax cap. According to the report given to Stafford, if the commission raised the exemption to 100 percent, the county would lose $2,400 in fiscal year 1996, $51,000 in fiscal year 1997, $910,000 in 1998 and $156,000 in 1999. And, new growth because of new jobs brought into the county by the elimination of freeport taxes might not make up the loss in revenue, said Stafford. Under the tax cap ( a§ BmhKS Primary Elections during which voters will elect one candidate from each of the Republican and Democratic parties. Perry, Georgia >SO Cents formula, the county receives less money if it grows by seven percent than if it grows by three percent. Stafford said that in order to make up the lost revenue, the county would have to cut the bud get, meaning a cut in services, or raise fees for county services such as building permits, licenses, etc. and fines. "The way we would like to do it is through a sales tax,” said Stafford. However, the tax cap pro hibits the county from raising money through a sales tax, with revenue from a sales tax being used to roll back property taxes. Stafford said that county had to make a decision on freeport by De cember. He also said the report was preliminary, adding that before the county made a final decision, the freeport exemption would be looked at closely. "We won't wait until the end of December (to start looking at freeport)," he said. Stafford said the county had re ceived one comment from the pub lic on the matter, and that comment was negative. Big*Bang*Boom comes to Perry Agricenter today Enjoy a fun-filled day with the family today at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter as Big*Bang*Boom comes to town. The fireworks extravaganza kicks off at 9:30 p.m. and will be preceded by boat rides, arts and crafts, bake-offs, hot dog eating contests and more. Admission is $5 per carload, with a $1 discount with a bag of Lay's K.C. Masterpiece potato chips or an empty 12-oz. can of any Coca- Cola product. Jack Wylam If necessary, a run-off will fol low in August with the final Gen eral Election scheduled for Novem ber 8.