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Viewpoints
I Our Views |
Who’s really in
charge at the
Hospital Authority?
Several months ago, when members of the
Houston County Hospital Authority decided to
employ Dr. Skip McDannald as the new chief
executive officer of the Houston Healthcare
Complex at a salary in excess of $200,000
annually, many taxpayers rose up in indigna
tion that the Hospital Authority was spending
so much tax money to hire a person to a new
super executive slot over the administrators of
both Perry Hospital and Houston Medical
Center.
The arguments were that a tax-supported
facility, county-owned, should not spend so
much money for a leader. Some persons even
questioned the County Commission for their
role in overseeing the Authority and their role
in controlling the Authority.
The bottom line is that the Hospital
Authority is a separate entity, created through
legislation as a government body with certain
powers and abilities. They are somewhat inde
pendent of control by the County Commission
except in the appointive powers the county
commission holds in naming members of the
board.
The hospital property is not held in the
name of Houston Count', but rather in the
name of the Hospital Authority. While the
Authority likely enjoys many tax breaks and
other benefits by being a government agency,
that body does not enjoy a substantial financial
contribution from the taxpayers of the county.
In the record Si 00-plus million budget
adopted by the Authority last week is one line
item of direct county taxpayer support
approximately SBO,OOO to be used to help sup
plement the cost of operating the emergency
ambulance service.
That’s all the county tax money which is
going directly to the Authority this year. That
seems like a rather small drop in the bucket
compared to the s7l million the agency
expects to receive from patient payments or
the $73 million in total income.
This week, members of the County
Commission are exercising their control of the
Hospital Authority by appointing two new
members. Their only hope of directing the
Authority is to appoint fiscally conservative
men and women who will carefully consider
the needs of the Healthcare Complex, and act
in a responsible manner.
The cost of health care is going up. Whether
the Hospital Authority was justified in spend
ing more than $200,000 for a new CEO will be
realized within a few months based on the
efforts of McDannald. He will either earn his
keep or not.
The salary of McDannald, however, is not
the issue here. The issue is that Houston
County taxpayers really contribute, in a direct
tax payment, relatively little to the Authority.
The two hospitals and two med-stops are much
more self-supporting than perhaps we realize.
We are relatively minor shareholders in the
complex budget.
At the same time, the Authority enjoys a sta
tus which makes it much easier for them to do
business as a government agency. As such,
they are accountable to the public for the way
they spend funds.
We think it would be in the best interests of
the Authority to provide the public with addi
tional information, and not hide behind vari
ous sunshine law loopholes in discussing and
preparing such a major expenditure. More than
SIOO million is a lot of money to most resi
dents of Houston County, and to, in any way,
give the impression that the residents of
Houston County do not have a stake in that
budget is a misunderstanding of the way things
should really work in this world.
While taxpayers do not provide much direct
support of the building, the Authority remains a
government agency, and as such, is responsible
to the people. They can and must listen to the
public if they are to continue to enjoy such status.
Houston Times-Journal
P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069
(912) 987-1823* (912) 988-1181 (fax)
Bob Tribble President
Jj Johnson Editor and General Manager
Sherri Wengler Advertising Manager
News: Larry Hitchcock, Pauline Lewis; Sports: Phil Clark;
Composition: Lynn Wright; Classified Advertising: Melanie
Author provides insight into rodeo life
Midstate residents will have an oppor
tunity to spend time at the rodeo this
weekend when the Georgia National Fair
grounds and Agricenter plays host to the
annual visit by professional rodeo stars.
One of the visitors will be David G.
Brown, author of a biography about one
of the top rodeo stars of the 19705, Chris
LeDoux, winner of the world champi
onship in bareback riding in 1976. v
Brown will be in town on a dual pur
pose mission. A member of the
Professional Rodeo Cowboys
Association, Brown will compete in the
bareback bronc riding event at the
Fairgrounds.
He will also pay a visit to the Perry
Bookstore in downtown Perry Friday
7W£ 7%/U>l/T~ O-ALLETL-'y
f YOUR HONOR, IT’S ONLY
fair, if i mv£ to &W£ l':
MY ANG£L PItJ,THf. t>Ef&/S£
Monsoon takes toll on major facilities
The Georgia National Fairgrounds and
the new Perry Community Center in
Rozar Park have one thing in common,
any unpaved ground becomes a sloppy
mess when it rams.
Of course, any plot of ground that w as
soaked as much as this area has been
recently would become a quagmire.
The Agricenter is a wonderful facility
for Perry most of the time, but these mid
to-late winter events which draw big
crowds often overrun the paved parking
areas onto the grassy areas.
Anyone who went to the Fisharama on
the Saturday it was in town knows what
I’m writing about. Day-long rains caused
problems as it didn’t take long for the
cars to fill the parking lot. Cars were soon
spilling out on both sides of the main
entrance road.
Council begins preparing for shopping center
5 Years Ago...(Feb. 17, 1990)
City Council re-zoned land, making
way for new shopping development
along Sam Nunn Boulevard.
Perry Players produced ‘6os musi
cal, “How to Succeed in Business
Without Really Trying:” the show was
presented March 1-3, 9-10, at the Perry
Annex.
Stephanie Leonard was named PHS
Queen, with Becky Cotten, first runner-up
and Suzanne Blythe, second runner-up.
General Daniel Stewart Chapter,
DAR, celebrated 75 years of service
with a special celebration at the home of
Mrs. Aurelia Evans and Miss Martha
Cooper. Mrs. Molly Ward,, State Vice-
Regent; Mrs. James Leitch, Historian;
and Mrs. Joseph Bahin, Past State
Regent, were present.
10 Years Ago...(Feb. 24,1985
General Assembly earmarked $65
million surprise construction money for
new schools in Georgia. Houston
County, due to the successful crafting of
Page 4A
- Wednesday, February 22,1995
Jj
Johnson
Times-Journal Editor
from 4-6 p.m. for an autographing party
and session with those who would like to
discuss “Gold Buckle Dreams The
Rodeo Life of Chris LeDoux”with him.
The book, published eight years ago,
highlights the life-long preparation of
LeDoux to win the world championship
and also gives readers an insight into the
personal struggle which these athletes
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Our Goal
The Houston Times-Journal is published proudly for the citizens of Houston
Larry
Hitchcock
News Editor
When they headed for the entrance,
many wished the had brought their
waders to get through the mud and stand
ing water. As cars left the grounds, the
asphalt turned the color of Georgia red
clay.
The vast expanse of open ground on
the east, west and south sides of the com
plex of bams and buildings is well-suited
for stock shows, horse shows and fairs.
Remember
When
Pauline Lewis
the bill by Larry Walker and “Sonny”
Watson, will receive $lO million.
New technology will save city
$9,800 in gas fees through a teleme
tering system monitoring gas entering
the city’s lines from the main source
line owned by Southern Natural Gas Co.
Kiwanians honored Milo Medlock
with Outstanding Kiwanis Leader
Award.
25 Years Ago...(Feb. 19,1970)
Former Houston Home Journal
Editor, John Hicks Hodges from April
1880 to May 1924, was selected by the
Georgia Press Association as one of the
Houston rimes-Journal
deal with in earning a living while riding
horses or roping steers.
The book, which I read in three sit
tings during the weekend, is a relatively
easy read. Brown spent enough time with
LeDoux to pick up on his early life and
begins with LeDoux’s first bareback ride
at age 12.
I don’t fancy myself as a rodeo expert.
I have attended a rodeo once and
have seen pictures and read a few stories
about this very difficult and demanding
sport. I do think I have a much better
working knowledge about rodeo, and
certainly about one of its former top stars
after having read this book.
LeDoux, who is a year younger than I
am, retired from the riding circuit a few
The open area on the north side, the
acreage between the Larry Waiker
Parkway and the north (main) entrance to
the Agricenter facilities seems to be the
designated public parking area.
It would help create a better lasting
image for visitors if there were more
paved parking, especially during the
monsoon season
After all, just because the Agricenter
is agriculture-oriented, it doesn't mean
everyone who visits there wants to go
home looking like a farmer who just
came out of the fields with his shoes or
boots covered with mud.
* * *
The new Community Center in Rozar
Park has the same problem, except
(See RAIN, page AS)
journalists of Georgia to have his picture
placed in the Hall of Fame at the
University of Georgia, during the cen
tennial year of Houston Home Journal.
He was one of the founders of the
Georgia Press Association. Two of
HHJ’s owners. Lewis Meeks and
Bobby Branch, editor, and descendants
of Hodges attended the program Feb.
20 at the Center for Continuing
Education in Athens.
50 Years Ago....(Feb. 22,1945)
Once again this year, in March, the
world-known scarlet symbol of mercy,
will appear in windows throughout the
nation, indicating that Mr. and Mrs.
America are solidly behind the 1945
American Red Cross War Fund
Campaign.
Six Perry school students were
injured Feb. 13, one mile south of
Perry on U.S. 41. They were: Misses
Dixie and Helen Cawthon and Chesley
Cawthon, Frances and J. L. Davis Jr.,
and Charlie Whitworth.
and adjoining counties by Houston Publications Inc., Perry, Ga. Our goal is to
produce quality, profitable, community-oriented newspapers that you, our
readers are proud of. We will reach this goal through hard work, teamwork,
loyalty and a strong dedication toward printing the truth.
Member of Georgia Press Association and National Newspaper
Association.
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prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of
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t
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address changes to the Houston Times-Journal, P.O. Drawer M, Perry,
Ga. 31069. ISSN: 1075-1874.
years after winning the world title, and is
now a cowboy musician. He has record
ed several albums, including two,
“Watcha Gonna Do with a Cowboy,” and
“Just Look at You, Girl,” which have
gone gold.
Brown, meanwhile, is, at age 37, one
of the oldest active competitors on the
circuit. A former air traffic controller, he
is a media specialist for the PRCA, and
has been responsible for some fiction
rodeo stories as well as numerous articles
in major publications.
This weekend offers an opportunity to
learn a great deal about a sport which
doesn’t have too many followers in
Georgia. Meeting David Brown would
seem to be a good beginning point.
Bob
Tribble
From Where I Sit
To control or
not to control
Should the Republican-controlled
Congress have its way, the first round of
federal funds just announced which will
eventually put 100,000 new police offi
cers on the streets may be the final round
of monies counties and cities will receive
in this exact manner
The House is expected to approve a
measure which would revamp the 1994
crime bill. That law provides these funds
to the counties and the cities.
Republicans want to replace the program
with one which gives local governments
more leeway over use of the dollars.
Despite a veto threat from President Bill
Clinton, the Republicans are confident
they have the votes to sustain the veto.
The federal government so far has
given $1.3 billion to governments to help
hire 17,000 new police officers. The
grants cover 75 percent of the officers’
salaries. The remaining $7.5 billion
would be spent over the next five years.
The GOP wants to use the remaining
$7.5 billion for block grants giving local
governments wider discretion over use of
the funds. The plan would also slash sll
billion from the S3O billion program,
rolling most of it into block grants and
providing more money for prison con
struction.
“The conflict highlights core philo
sophical differences between the two
parties. Basically, Republicans trust local
governments to do what’s best to fight
crime in their communities, while
Democrats believe the federal govern
ment should dictate all the details," said
House Judiciary Chairman Henry Hide,
R-111.
But Rep. Patricia Schroeder, D-Col.,
says that most police organizations sup
port the 1994 law and that local officials
were in support of it, although there are
some strings attached.
Democrats further pointed out the
failure of the late Law Enforcement
Assistance Administration when some
communities abused the revenue sharing
funds which had few strings attached.
But Republicans say their new block
approach is loaded with safeguards to
prevent a replay of the abuses under the
LEAA program.
It will be interesting to watch the
developments in this one should
President Clinton use his veto powers.
There is little doubt local governments
know best how to spend funds in an
effort to decrease crime, but they surely
have got to be made fully accountable for
the monies spent.
(Bob Tribble is president of Trib
Publications, and owner of the Houston
Times-Joumal.)
Coming soon
Various city department heads are
preparing a series of columns for the
Houston Times-Joumal. Persons with
questions for department heads can sub
mit them at city hall or to the Times-
Joumal at P.O. Drawer M, Perry, 31069.
The articles will begin next week.