Newspaper Page Text
Page 10
Flagpole Magazine
March 18, 1992
Should we talk about the government?
Big News — Super Tuesday. Actually, no real news. I
miss being a part of Super Tuesday, it made voting so much
more fun. Alas, Georgia got to vote early, and boy did it not
really make any difference. Super Tuesday was no different
— Bush and Clinton, Bush and Clinton... I’m getting tired of
hearing those two words. Leave it to the least qualified
Democrat to wind up in the lead.
Locally.:..hell, who knows? I’ve been cooped up in an
office all week long. Nice of several commissioners to
suggest schooling street vendors in the niceties of social
etiquette. Nice of Cardee Kilpatrick to suggest some sort of
governmental recognition for R.E.M. (Hell, it’s the first time
she's smiled in months). And thanks to the Commissioner
(who shall remain nameless) who bought me all those beers
at the Globe the other night. Now if I could only find my notes...
Athens/Clarke Commission
The Athens/Clarke Commission consists of 10 district
Commissioners and the Chief Executive Officer. The com
mission votes on the first Tuesday of each month, and holds
work sessions on the other three Tuesdays. These meet
ings are held in the Commission chamber, located on the
main floor of City Hall. The meetings begin at 7 p. m.
March 24 - Work Session. Will be hearing recommenda
tions from the Planning Commission.
March 31 - We don’t know if there will be a meeting or not.
April 7 - Voting meeting.
Classic Center Authority
The Classic Center Authority is a government appointed
body whose responsibilities include the building and even
tual maintenance of the proposed Athens/Clarke civic cen
ter (Yes, that Polshek thing). The Authority is made up of
Chairman L.E. Blount and members E.H. Culpepper, Leroy
Dukes, T.F. Hollingsworth and RE. Verrastro. The Authority
usually meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 4:30
p.m at the Ramada Inn.
Don't you just get really tired of this subject? We assume
that the Authority will meet on March 7. Presently, they are
supposed to be handlinq the qo-betweens on this eco
nomic feasibility study being done.
Athens/Clarke Planning commission
The Athens/Clarke Planning commission meets on the
second Thursday of each month. These meetings are gener
ally held in the City Hall commission chamber at 7:00 p.m.
The Next meeting of the Planning Commission will be
held on April 9. That Doctor’s office project we kept telling
you was coming up soon has been put on indefinite hold. It
seems that the drainage on the site is just too screwed up.
Sounds like the whole project is on pretty soggy ground.
N.E. GA Regional Development Center
The Athens/Clarke Commission voted to give the
N.E.R.D.C. $25,000 to do further research into the possibility
of locating a North Georgia regional airport in Athens. Oppo
nents of this idea are worried that this would simply become
a second Atlanta airport, continuing the sprawl-like growth of
that city. As of yet these opponents have not unified into any
organized group, but rumor has it that it won’t be long until that
happens. The Northeast Georgia RDC has a meeting on
Thursday, March 19 at 10 am. at 305 Research Drive.
School Board
Wouldn’t you know it. We were just about to give new
C.C.S.D. Superintendent, Dr. John BaJentine, an official Rag-
pole vote of high confidence, when, lo and behold, he goes
and endorses a plan calling for mandatory random drug
testing of student athletes. Won’t this put the school’s civics
teachers in a fun position? Gee kids, let’s talk about due
process today. Or what about that lesson on that great
enlightened principle: Innocent until proven guilty... But hey,
this is school. And the function of a school is to prepare
students for life in the outside world, right? May as well teach
them that all-important and complex skill cf peeing in a cup as
early as possible! They’ll need it in the job place of the future.
Maybe these lucky kids can even include this experience in
their resumes’. While we're at it, let’s make sure that it s the kids
who seem to be accomplishing so much (those sneaky
athletes) who have to prove themselves innocent. I don t know
about what it was like when you went to school, but hell, I
wouldn’t be going after those athletes (delinquents that they
are), I’d be focusing on those band members.
Issues off the day
There are a lot of issues that continue from month to
month in Athens/Clarke County. Maybe you've heard the
names whispered among the social circles of the elite and
haven't really know v/hat's going on with them. Now, for you,
the bourgeoisie, here's a basic rundown on some things
we've been following for the past few weeks/months.
The
Morton
hosted
almost
every
legend of
Black
music
in its
heyday,
but it
fell into
disrepair...
Well, the Morton Theater renovation has begun, just a
little behind schedule, but better late than never. The
Morton hosted almost every legend of Black music in its
heyday, but fell into disrepair (though it was still usable).
The plan is to bring it back to its former glory and provide the
community with (yet another) performance facility. It’s
going to get to the point were there are more theaters in
Athens than private homes.
Civic Center Referendum
The Coalition for a New Civic Center Referendum is a
combination of several groups of Athens/Clarke County
residents. At the March voting meeting of the A/C Commis
sion, they presented more names on petitions calling for a
referendum. Bringing to grand total to well over 2,000.
Good thing “...we all want a civic center,’ asTal DuVal tells
us. The Coalition was met with the usual indifference by the
commissioners, and no discussion was entertained on the
subject of a referendum yet again. The Coalition has sent
their request to state representatives continuing the grand
American tradition of going over peoDle’s heads to get the
iob done. Whether the State can legally do anything about
this local issue is still in question, but since the funding for
the project is all local, we doubt if the state representatives’
are anything but tied (and some of them like it that way).
Vendors
The Commission met last week and held a work session on
the Street vendors ordinance for the downtown area. The
ordinance sets aside ten spaces downtown for vendors —
some on College Square and others near the Georgia The
ater. These spaces would be available for $200 a year plus
$50 for a business liscence. The ordinance calls for
specifacations for vendor stands, and prohibits vendors
without stands of some kind (no blankets on the ground).
Discussion of the ordinance centered mainly on the amount
of the fee (DuVall felt it is too low) and on the possibility of
behavoir classes for vendors—so they will be nice members
of society, we imagine. In theory, not a bad idea. Some of the
vendors in town last fall were pretty rude, and we guess
classes might curb that. Now if we could only find a way to get
all the other assholes around Athens into the same class...
Re-districting
By the time we get back from our little vacation, we
should finally know something about the re-districting of
Clarke County. The Justice department should have an
answer for us by that time. If they hold our plan any longer
or refuse it, things could get real messy.
National Scene
Up in the mid-west, the surviving Democratic candi
dates have all traded in their BBQ splattered shirts from
away down yonder here in the south for their spiffy new UAW
jackets (hint: Clinton’s and Tsongas’s don't fit them very well
...). Gosh, don’t you just love to see grown men beg?
All right, enough of the damn election stuff. There’s a lot of
stupid shit going on lately in the world of foreign affairs (what
else is new, I know...). Where to start? How ’bout the biggest
arms dealer in the world (guess who?) even considering the
option of boarding, inspecting, and possibly ordering back
two Korean ships carrying a perfectly legal arms shipment to
Syria and Iran? Good thing our Navy “lost" ’em so we didn't
have to have one of tftose nasty little international incidents.
What else? Well, the Pentagon will be releasing its official
“plan" for the post cold war era, and, (in a surprise move
guaranteed to confirm every “New World Order’ conspiracy
theorist’s worst nightmare), guess who wants to be the
"benign" leaderof the world?lfyou guessed Rwanda-Burundi,
you are incorrect. I’m not sure if the Pentagon has bothered
checking with the rest of the world to see if our "plan" is
okey-dokey with them, but, hey. who’s asking? What else
could possibly be going on you ask? How about another foray
into Iraq! Maybe just a “demonstration strike", or, even better,
a "precision surgical" strike on a specific target. You see, we
are telling the world that Iraq is just not complying with UN
guidelines of the cease-fire, like a good little conquered
country should, by refusing to eliminate their “weapons of
mass destruction". And who’s gonna’ argue with us? Iraq?!
Ha! If Bush is smart, of course, he’ll wait ’til* right around the
end of October or so (What? George use war for political
expediency??!!?? ... Naaah.) Talk about an "October Sur
prise"! Stay tuned.
All right, enough of this foreign policy crud. We have to
comment on rubber-check-gate, don’t we? Who ordered the
audit on the House "bank"? Congress. How many tax dollars
were lost in the "scandal"? $0.00. Do congressmen really owe
any money to the "bank"? Nope. Do congressmen earn
interest on their accounts? Nope. Do they have overdraft
protection like most banks? Nope. Will any of us ever look at
a congressperson’s voting record instead of their personal
record? Nope. Will we ever deal with the real issues ... 7
Well, that’s it for this week. We ’ll be back soon with new
and improved coverage (Bill hopes). So be good, do your
taxes early and take cold showers, Todd's grandmother
always told him it will make you live longer.
Bill. Lisa and Todd
Oh, P.S. We're looking for writers. If you find politics
interesting then call Bill at 549 - 9523
Let your opinion be heard!
i #
Call Your Commissioners and let them know how you feel!
THE GOVERNMENT IS YOURS
Tal DuVall • 549-1349 Charles Carter • 543-9755
Miriam Moore *548-0329 Linny Bailey *546-9013
John Barrow • 353-6584 Hugh Logan • 543-4873
Marilyn Farmer • 548-2385 Cardee Kilpatrick • 548-2023
Ken Jordan • 549-5435 Tom Chasteen • 549-2655
Register To VOTES
Just Qo To Any Of The
Clarke Countv Court House
Washngion Street *8-5 M-F
Athens Regional Uxary
Dougherty St. • 9-9 M-f • 9-6 Sal. • 2-6 Sun
Communiy Center
McKinley Drve -10 9 M-F • 10-2 Sal.
Central Athens Communiy Center
Hoyt Street *10-9 M-F • 1&2 Sat.
Following:
Clarke County Tag Office
Lamgton Rd. (Hwy 78) • 8-5 M-F
Athens Area Vo-Tech School
dS. 29 North • 64 M-F
Wintervite Ciy Hal
Wnterviie, Ga. • 9-3 M-F
Umversiyai Georgia
Tate Center • 2430 M-F
YOU'LL NEED:
• t.D.
• Proof Mxj Live
in Clarke County
Use Yocir
• Oo not surrender to apet^-
• Kbv hatv* tie riflh to
•Ifouf vote counts more
ttirn ewrw the toed »w*
• Act Ftoginer. It * Easy-