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Houston Tlmes-Journal
Volume 124 No. 59
1 Section, 8 Pages
Inside
Today
Church News 3A
Classifieds 7A
Death Notices 2A
Editorials 4A
Local Calendar 5A
Sports 6A
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Perry
Briefs
Blood drive Aug. 17
Members of the Perry commu
nity will have the chance to donate
blood at the following local blood
drive :
•Wednesday, August 17 at
Crossroads United Methodist
Church from 1:30-7 p.m.
Breakfast is July 27
A governmental update will be
given to chamber members at the
August Good Morning Perry
Breakfast. The event will be held
Wednesday, July 27 at 7:30 a.m. in
the Fairview Room at the
Agricenter. Coffee and donuts will
be provided.
Make reservations now by call
ing the local chamber at 987-1234
by July 26.
DOT accepts bids
The Georgia Department of
Transportation (DOT) has accepted
21 of the 31 apparent low bids
received in its June 24, 1994
contract letting. The total cost of
these statewide projects will be
$14,622.37.
A contract award was made
which calls for construction in
Houston County. A contract was
awarded to McAfee Design &
Distributing Co., Inc. of Atlanta
for installation of fence on a bridge
on County Road 622 (Gaines
Drive) over 1-75 in Perry.
The low bid amounted to
$23,180. The scheduled
completion date is September 30,
1994.
Roadway improvement projects
are an integral aspect of the DOT’S
commitment to providing the best
in transportation for the citizens of
Houston County and the entire
state.
Elections office puzzled over lack of ballots
By JIMMY SIMPSON
Staff Writer
Despite some confusion at one
polling site, election officials
reported no major problems in
Tuesday’s primary elections.
“We were very disappointed with
voter participation, though,” said Jo
Anne Shipes, elections supervisor
for Houston County.
That continent came after
officials calculated only 25 percent
of the county’s 40,397 registered
voters visited the polls.
“We weren’t expecting a real
high turnout to begin with,” said
Shipes, who earlier said officials
were hoping that at least 30 percent
of the voting crowd would show.
“But we were expecting more than
10,000 people to vote.”
Several factors could have played
a role in the low numbers,
according to the supervisor.
$5,400 price tag
City police to tighten hold on DUI offenders
By VETO F. ROLEY
Staff Writer
The Perry Police Department has
a good intoximeter in use. Yet, the
Perry City Council voted Tuesday,
July 19, to purchase a new in
toximeter for $5,400.
The culprit, however, is not the
city council; but, the Georgia Leg
islature, which passed legislation in
the last session making the current
intoximeter used by the city obso
lete.
"As the result of recent legisla
tion, the machine we use will no
longer be acceptable in court,"
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i This check will provide the county with much-needed
funds as work crews continue to make repairs to a
number of sites In the area caused from recent
floods.
GEMA comes to rescue
in aftermath of floods
By VETO F. ROLEY
Staff Writer
Sherrill Stafford received an
early Christmas present from
Georgia Emergency Management
Agency (GEMA) Director Gary
McConnell in the form of a
$511,000 check Wednesday, July
20, for the repair of local county
infrastructure destroyed or damaged
by floodwaters two weeks ago.
Stafford said the money would
give the county "cash flow" to
help pay for repairs that are
underway. Several bridges and
roads in the county were damaged
by the flood, including the
Highway 41 bridge over Mossy
Creek between Perry and Warner
Robins, Lake Joy Dam, which is
the road bed for Lake Joy Road
and a dam on Houston Lake Road.
Tommy Stalnaker, director of
“One of the problems I heard
was that the northern end of the
county had real bad weather,”
Shipes said.
Another problem, added Shipes,
was that others chose the customary
voting procedure-- let the field
narrow down to two candidates in
November’s General Election and
then vote.
“I guess the bottom line was,
the people who sincerely wanted to
vote, got 0ut...”
The only minor problem that
surfaced on the day, at least
according to some voters, was how
to get to Tucker Elementary
School’s voting booths.
Several voters questioned the
decision to set up the booths in the
gym, instead of the school’s
lunchroom.
Shipes said that decision was
based on a “long term” picture,
Official Organ For Houston County, City of Perry & State of Georgia
Perry Police Chief Frank Simons
told the council.
The intoximeters are used to test
a person's blood alcohol content in
DUI cases. In addition to the in
toximeter at the station, the Perry
Police Department also uses
portable alcohasensors. While the
results of the alcohasensors will not
stand up in court, Simons said that
it gave the officer on the scene
probable cause to bring a suspected
drunken driver to the station for
testing on the intoximeter.
While the state does not require
law enforcement agencies to have
public works for Houston
County, said that Lake Joy Road
should open sometime next week.
Also, the bridge on Highway 41
over Mossy Creek Road should
open in the next two-three weeks.
However, he said a lot of of repair
work depended on having good
weather.
Stalnaker said repairs to Lake
Joy alone cost the county
$140,000.
According to a news release, 75 <
percent ($383,250) of the funds
given to Houston County came
from federal sources, with the
other 25 percent ($127,750)
coming from the state.
Wednesday's check was part of
$1.77 miHion given away lo 13
city and county government by
GEMA for flood relief.
mainly the Nov. election and
specific plans to work around a
school schedule.
In November, the school will be
filled with students and faculty. If
booths were designated to the
lunchroom, Tucker principal Paul
Hartman said sack lunches would be
required for that day.
“We’d like to try and avoid that,”
said Hartman.
It was erroneously reported in
Wednesday’s edition of the Houston
Times-Journal that Hartman had
earlier opposed using Tucker, and
had expressed his opposition at a
public hearing. However, Hartman
actually never attended a public
meeting.
“The only concern I had was
with the potential traffic problem in
November,” Hartman said.
The sites were decided upon after
the Board of Elections requested in
For News And Subscriptions Call 912-987-1823
Sports
Page 6A
Saturday, July 23, 1994
intoximeters, it does specify which
models can be used, said Simons.
"Our machine is still an effective
machine," said Simons on Friday,
adding that the only reason the city
was replacing the intoximeter was
the new legislation. "We've got to
adopt the new machine by Jan. 1,"
he said, adding that by adopting the
machine now, the city would have
more time to train its people in the
use of the machine.
In other business before the city
council, the council approved a mu
tual aid agreement with Warner
Robins for a period of 10 years.
General Primary 6 94
Candidates return to ’camp’
for second campaign battle
By JIMMY SIMPSON
Staff Writer
The way one candidate described
it, turnout at Tuesday’s general
primary was more like “Mother
Nature vs. Voters.”
A torrential downpour by early
afternoon may have contributed to
one of the worst voting turnouts in
primary history.
“If I hadn’t been running, I
probably wouldn’t have gone out
myself,” sqid Billy Hunter, a
Democratic candidate for Post 2 on
the Houston County Commission.
As it was, the majority of voters
must have agreed.
But for most of the candidates,
the 25 percent who did make it to
the polls was more than welcomed.
Wayne Ragin garnered 3,032
votes (43.39 %) to Hunter’s 2,499
strikes (35.76) to set up a
Democratic showdown. Randy E.
Wynn finished third at the polls
with 1,456 tallies (20.8 %).
Jim Carter grabbed 1,139 votes
(48.83 %) to outdistance Jack
Wylam, the receipient of 730 votes
(31.29 %), on the Republican side.
Nora Reese-Laughlin earned 464
votes (19.9 %) to take the third
spot.
The top two vote-getters from
both the Republican and
Democratic sides, not having
received a majority vote (50
percent, plus one vote), will now
square off to decide one victor from
each party in an Aug. 9 runoff.
“I felt very satisfied with the
turnout, although I think all of us
would have liked to see more
participation,” said Ragin.
“I think this election has been
difficult to generate interest
primarily because of three things:
the mayoral special election in
Warner Robins, the recent flood,
and the downpour at rush hour
when you usually have the largest
voter turnout,” he continued.
mid-1993 that the previous
National Guard Armory precinct be
“downsized” in 1994, according to
Shipes, in hopes of avoiding long
lines.
Election officials then had the
task of finding locations within
voting boundries- not an easy task
with the lack of large buildings in
certain precincts.
“I didn’t have any problem with
(elections officials) using the
building,” said the principal. “I was
just concerned that we needed to try
to work out a parking
arrangement.”
It was for that reason that Shipes
said she wanted to get voters
accustomed to parking on the
Linder St. side of the school during
the recent election.
‘The Board of Education was a
lifesaver,” said Shipes.
The agreement provides for the
two cities giving aid to each other
in case of natural or man-made dis
asters.
"It is the express intent of the
parties in executing this agreement
that mutual assistance shall be pro
vided only in the event of a genuine
major natural disaster (such as tor
nado or earthquake), or in those
unusual circumstances where it is
determined that loss of life is im
minent," reads the agreement. "In
the case of fire, assistance will be
provided only when the loss of life
is imminent.
*
Jim Carter was the top
vote getter In the
Republican race, edging
out Jack Wylam, but didn't
get the required votes to
avoid a runoff In August.
“I’m going to continue full
speed ahead, and not make many
changes. We’ve had wonderful
volunteers and supporters, having
ran a very positive campaign, just
as the other candidates.”
Carter said that while he would
like to see 100 percent of the
voting public cast their ballots, he
was “real pleased” with the final
results.
“I certainly believe strongly in
the system, and for that, am
extremely thankful for the
confidence shown in me from those
who did turn out,” said Carter.
“I just hope that when Aug. 9
arrives, I’ll have let more people
know who I am and bring more
people to the polls,” he continued.
Hunter agreed with the
Republican candidate.
“I’m very pleased that the voters
came out and supported me in such
inclement weather,” Hunter said,
Shirley Collins, deputy registrar for the county
elections office, looks over one of a number of precinct
reports with Jo Anne Shipes, elections supervisor.
(Photo by Jimmy Simpson)
Classified
Page 7A
Perry, Georgia -50 Cents
"The parties agree that it is not
the intent of this agreement to pro
vide routine law enforcement, fire
fighting and emergency manage
ment support, nor is it the intent of
the parities to augment the level of
law enforcement, firefighting and
emergency management support
beyond the level currently provided
by the requesting political subdivi
sion."
The agreement also provides that
"neither party shall be reimbursed
by the other party for any costs in
curred" under the agreement.
■pprnnis
\ w '
Wayne Ragin fared well In
the Democratic campaign,
but was also forced Into a
runoff with opponent Billy
Hunter for the Houston
County Commission seat.
“but I still feel like I’m going to
have to go out and work a little bit
harder.”
“A lot of people worked hard to
support me. I ran against some
good leaders, all outstanding ladies
and gentleman, and I look forward
to a very positive race the rest of
the way...”
Wylam said despite the low
ballot count at the polls, he
remains encouraged that the public
will bounce back in August
“I was very disappointed in the
low turnout. So many people
appear to have apathy towards
government,” said Wylam. “I don’t
know how they can justify
themselves- I look at voting as not
only a priviledge, but a
responsibility.
“I’m equally disappointed that I
didn’t do better, but fortunate that
I’ve got a second chance.”