Newspaper Page Text
Page 4A
- Wednesday, June 7,1995, Houston Tlmes-Journal
Viewpoints
Our views
Build it and they will
come to play and enjoy
It seems almost impossible to believe 44
months have passed since that bright, warm
October afternoon when Perry Mayor Jim
Worrall and members of the Perry City
Council hosted a meeting on a field
overlooking two then recently-acquired city
lakes.
Worrail and the courageous members of
City Council were there to ask for help. They
were asking citizens and businesses to donate
thousands of dollars to make a new Perry
Community Center possible.
Their dream was to build a multi-purpose
building on that bluff overlooking the two city
fish ponds. The building would provide a
permanent home for the Perry Recreation
Department, then housed in an upstairs office
in the city hr 11 which was shared with the
council meeting room and the DARE program
officer.
The building would also provide a new,
expanded home for the Older Americans
Council, replacing the cramped house along
Bradley Street where the OAC then resided.
Now, 44 months later, and many thousands
of dollars later, the city stands ready to host
grand opening ceremonies for that building.
The OAC occupies space set aside for the
senior center and the Recreation Department
enjoys the remainder of the building.
For the first time, the city owns a
gymnasium and a meeting hall designed for
public use. The city has a facility which the
public can enjoy. They have a building which
the children (and those not so young) of our
community will find a desirable place to visit.
Several years ago, the hero of a movie
issued a statement to the effect, “build it and
they will come to play.” The city, with help
from many, many friends, has built the
community center this town so badly needed.
We know “they will come’" to enjoy this
wonderful facility.
Thanks, Mayor Worrall and Council
members, for a dream and the fortitude to ask
for help to complete such an important task.
We can't wait to see the facility this weekend
during the grand opening ceremonies.
Please drive safely
While we full realize writing such an
editorial as this is little more than an exercise
in preaching to the choir, we feel it necessary
to remind motorists that school is out and that
our precious youngsters are now free of the
restraints which keep them occupied during
much of the day each Monday through Friday.
This means they are free to go to a
neighbor’s home for swimming, to another
neighbor’s home for a spend-the-night party,
to a third neighbor’s home to play with a
Nintendo set.
All of these activities are wonderful,
important parts of childhood. So is forgetting
to look both ways when entering a road, not
walking on the correct side of the street, and
dashing between cars.
Actions which place a child in danger are
serious. They often lead to physical damage
and death. Innocent children die at the hands
of innocent drivers each happily pursuing
his or her intents for the day seconds earlier.
Children are children. They are going to
forget to look, they are going to simply take
action. Adult drivers (persons sitting behind
the steering wheel are, in this case, adult
drivers) must therefore take actions to avoid
accidents. They must drive carefully,
specially in areas which might produce a
child on roller skates or a bicycle, and watch
for any movement which could be a child
racing between two parked cars after a ball in
the street.
Accidents are accidents. They are going to
occur. But they will occur less frequently if
all adult drivers ' ike their responsibilities
seriously and attempt to avoid accidents
involving pedestrians, especially young ones.
We hope the summer is safe and happy for
our community. We can help ensure that
happiness by driving carefully.
Houston Times- Journal
P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll St. • 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; Advertising
sales: Rick Johnstone; Composition: Lynn Wright; Classified Advertising: Sue
Sapp; Circulation and Photography: Eric Zcllars; Bookkeeping: Judy Morrow.
Page 4A Wednesday, June 7,1995
Privatization deserves a good study
A few weeks ago. Gov. Zell Miller
created a panel headed by Joe Tanner to
study whether private companies can
provide government services more
efficiently than the state. What seems to
be a good idea by most folks’ standards
has not set well with the state employees
union.
A group of 50 or so state employees
have responded by picketing around the
state capital, carrying signs and even
going to the governor's office. Miller,
who was out of town the day of the
demonstration, said he would not meet
with the labor leaders and has referred
them to the .Tanner-headed panel, which
has yet to meet.
Union leaders say Miller has crawled
in bed with Republican-U.S. House
Leader Newt Gingrich by appointing the
privatization panel. Republicans for
‘TO STAY slim ,
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Let’s talk about trash for a week
Spring cleaning is in full swing throughout Perry. The
Public Works crews see the evidence at curbside every day.
Therefore, we will talk about trash separation this week.
As we have said before, there are many types of house and
household throw-outs, or throw-aways. Included are yard
trimmings, limbs, branches, pine straw, leaves and grass. A
concerted effort is being made to collect yard trimmings which
have been separated from other household and house waste items.
The reason we
do this is because
we use the Perry
Landfill located
along Toomer
Road for
collected yard
waste materials.
This landfill is
now classified as an “inert landfill” which can only take items
of this nature.
The landfill is six miles west of Perry while the Houston
County Landfill is 16 miles east of Perry. There is no tipping
fee for using our own landfill, while Houston County charges
$20.50 per ton.
Because we must have only yard trimmings in our loads to
the Toomer Road landfill, no other debris can be accepted
there. Resident separation is important to the success of this
operation. Keep yard trimmings separate from other items you
place by the curb.
All other items such as rugs, furniture, toys, plastic pools,
old clothing, boxes of junk, wood and roofing materials or
whatever can be lumped together in a separate pile is
acceptable. Please box or bag these items if they include
materials which will blow or float away with wind or rain.
We do not want to create litter, and collection will be
quicker and cleaner if things are in some type of container. All
of these materials must go to the Houston County Landfill.
At some point in the future, the city of Perry will have to
take a position that mixed material cannot be picked up because
of the expense involved. This will probably go into effect in
July, but residents will be given ample notice through a city of
Perry door hangar which explains reasons for items not being
picked up. A sample of that door hanger is to the right.
Please remember, your help in separating yard trimmings
from other waste placed at curbside is extremely important
considering the limited use of the Perry landfill.
The Public Works,Residential Trash Collection program is
dedicated to keeping Perry neighborhoods picked up. They
must operate two trucks over the same routes, and the loading
tongs on the knuckleboom cannot pick and sort at curbside. If
the pile is mixed, the truck will have to pass you by.
So one last hear ye yard trimmings in one pile and all
other trash in another.
Our Policies
Unsigned editorials appearing in larger type on this page under the label of
Our Views reflect the position of the Houston Times-Joumal. Signed columns
and letters on this page (and elsewhere in this newspaper) reflect the opinions of
the writers and not necessarily those of this newspaper.
Signed letters to the editor are welcomed Please limit letters to 300 words and
include addresses and a telephone number for verification purposes. No letters
will be published without verification. Letters should be sent to P.O. Drawer M,
Perry, Ga., 31069, or brought to the newspaper office at 807 Carroll St., Perry
Our liability for an error will not exceed the cost of space occupied by the
error.
We cannot be responsible for the return of pictures or materials unless a
stamped, return address envelope is included .
Our Goal
The Houston Times-Joumal is published proudly for the citizens of Houston
W. Hugh
Sharp
Public Works Supt,
City of Perry
From
where I sit
Bob Tribble
Trib Publications
years have urged the state's Democratic
leaders to explore the privatization
concept.
The union leaders made some
proposals at their recent gathering. They
suggested the state sell its five airplanes
and save $13.5 million; cut the salaries
of the three top managers in each
department by five percent to save
$278,412; eliminate the $93,000 salary
of Tanner; and eliminate the $40,000
allowance for the governor’s mansion.
The union leaders say Miller has
Address
Your Trash/Yard Waste was not collected for the
following reason(s):
Z Metals and Yard Waste MUST BE IN SEPARATE
PILES
Trees, and debris resulting from tree cutting, cut for
compensation whether the compensation be in cash or
in the wood from the trees trimmed or cut. are not
acceptable- for collection
t ’ Constructioa'Demolition/Remodeling materials must be
collected, removed and disposed of by the contractor
or builder, or by the owner of the property.
LI Limbs must be no longer than four feet (4'), not heavier
than 75 pounds.
□ Too far away from street - must be on street right-of
way.
□ Too Close to obstacle (mailbox, fence, hedge, tree,
etc.) must be 5 feet away from any obstacle.
Z Cardboard boxes must be collapsed bundled and
placed with mobile toter.
Z Tires not acceptable for roadside collection.
Z Other:
This debris, IF ACCEPTABLE, will be collected on the next
scheduled collection day FOLLOWING YOUR COMPLIANCE
WITH ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS. If debris is
unacceptable, you are responsible for removal within seven (7)
days of this notice. If you have any questions, please call 987-
1911. Thank you for your cooperation..
4
Date Driver
A/
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aHM,
# NOTICE
Houston rimes-Journal
broken a campaign promise made to
them not to pursue privatization. Miller
says no, that he only warned them that
Guy Milner, his Republican opponent in
the last election, would replace state
workers with temporary employees
Union leaders are concerned
privatization would impoverish state
workers and diminish the quality of
government services. They say private
companies typically cut wages and
eliminate benefits such as health
insurance when they take over
government services.
It is not hard to understand why union
leaders have hit the panic button since
Miller appointed the panel to study
whether private companies can provide
government services more efficiently
than the state. There is little doubt they
can in many areas, and if this happens
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,
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prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the ftcecrom of speech, or of the
press, or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances." Your right to read this newspaper is
protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
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$18.90 per year by Houston Publications Inc., 807 Carroll Street, Perry, Ga.,
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address changes to the Houston Times-Journal, P.O. Drawer M, Perry, Ga.
31069. ISSN: 1075-1874.
some government (union) jobs would be
lost or revamped.
As the operators of small newspapers
for more than 30 years, our companies
have been forced to make adjustments
time and time again in order to keep our
heads above the water. Most other
businesses have had to do the same.
It would be a safe projection to say if
government ran our newspaper they
would have at least a labor force of 30
percent more folks than we have to do
the same basic job. The larger the
government the more excessive payroll
you are likely to find.
There is absolutely nothing wrong
with a panel to investigate privatization
in government services. If the panel is
allowed to function without political
(See TRIBBLE, Page SA)
Larry
Hitchcock
News Editor
Wonderland
could lead to
new Perry
claim to fame
It’s not even the Fourth of July yet
and I’ve already made plans for at least
one of the nights between Thanksgiving
and Christmas.
You can count on seeing Juan and I
taking in the Georgia National
Wonderland in Lights at the Agricenter.
The sls it will cost us to gain
admission to the light show promises to
be money well spent.
For me, driving through residential
areas during the Christinas season to see
the lighting displays has always teen a
high point. To have hundreds of
thousands of light concentrated in one
area will be a bonus.
Businesses in Perry could capitalize
on the Agr if enter’s plans and turn Perry
into a “City of Lights.”
The annual “Christmas at the
Crossroads” promotion should be
enhanced by the Wonderland in Lights
and if the downtown businesses were to
decide to remain open, their sales should
increase with the additional traffic in
town.
Additional holiday light displays
throughout the downtown business
district, along both Nunn and Hodges
boulevards and other main thoroughfares
could be sponsored by city businesses
and coordinated to make sure there
weren’t any duplicated scenes.
While the Agricenter will be charging
admission, the drive through the city
would be free and meant to attract
customers to the many fine retail
establishments Perry has to offer.
This would be a good way for area
businesses to thank their customers and
attract even more during the busiest time
of the year.
Anyone who would be interested in
talking more about the idea should give
me a call and maybe we can get
something started.
Meanwhile, I’m anxiously awaiting
further information from Michael
Froehlich about the Georgia National
Wonderland in Lights.
It sounds spectacular and I don’t want
to miss it.
Thanks, teacher
(EDITOR’S NOTE: These letters
were mailed to teachers in the Houston
County School System and made
available to the newspaper by the
writers.)
Mrs. Joy Moneypenny
Mom'ingside School
Perry
Lee and I want to personally tell you
how much it meant for us that Evan had
such a wonderful teacher for his first
year. He has learned a great deal from
(See LETTERS, Page SA)
