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FYOU REPORT MY
SPEEDIN&YOUKNOW,
ALL MY FRIENDS VU.
1HIMC I'M COOL.
it’s time for dogs and their families to celebrate Grace'! Birthday at Ashford Manor from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. June S.
'Just think of this as a standard kid's birthday
party, except that it's for the dogs," he says.
Besides having fun, dogs benefit from the
event in different ways. Local rescue agencies and
animal shelters bring puppies and adult dogs
available for adoption. "You don't have to have a
dog to come to this party," Shearon says, "You
may fall in love with one of the dogs here."
Another benefit of this party is that the pro
ceeds are sent to the UGA—G.R.A.C.E. Fund. This
is a canine emergency fund for low-income dog
owners whose pets require medical care at the
College of Veterinary Medicine at UGA. Shearon
explains that this fund was started because it's
more flexible than the more specific funds; it
allows for a wide variety of procedures to any dog
and owner in need.
Shearon remembers the first big birthday party
for his beloved dog Grace when she was 12 years
old. He called a group of friends to come over to
celebrate, and everyone had a great time. Grace
then developed cancer, and in spite of the best
efforts of the College of Veterinary Medicine, she
died just before her next birthday. Shearon cele-
tftbted Grace's 13th birthday as a way to work
through his grief. The celebration has grown ever
since and has benefited numerous local dogs and
owners.
Shearon says the celebration, now in its sev
enth year, requires a tremendous amount of work,
and all the volunteers and the many sponsors of
this event have been remarkable.
Tickets for Grace's Birthday Party are $15 for
adults and $5 for children and will be sold at the
gate at Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast at 5
Harden Hill Road, Watkinsville on Sunday, June 5.
The event is rain or shine, but Shearon recalls that
it has never been rained out "Its like Grace
watches over it" he says. See more information at
www.gracesbirthday.com.
Liz Conroy
Liz Conroy writes about environmental matters
and dogs for Flagpole.
Cheapest Gas
How To find It
Not long ago, few drivers were noticeably con
cerned about the price of gas. However, exceeding
the two-dollar gallon has sobered many gas guz
zlers, perhaps forever. Gas prices now decide
which vehicles buyers select and where families
vacation. Prices have even devalued automotive
giant GM, sending some of its suppliers scurrying
into bankruptcy.
Many of us constantly survey gas prices as we
drive, memorizing stations that save us a nickel or
dime per gallon. Noting the trend, some retailers
• are experimenting with selling gas below their
usually write ordinances on their own,
Commissioner Tom Chasteen objected, asking,
"Why were we not working with the Planning
Commission?"
"I don't see anything improper with a commis
sioner generating an ordinance. It's not the first
time I've done it" .Iordan replied. But he
acknowledged that it is 'difficult to present some
thing that's 180-degrees opposite' from the ordi
nance produced by the planning staff (and by the
mayor and commission's own Legislative Review
Committee, chaired when the ordinance was
developed by Commissioner Chasteen).
That ordinance would provide some limits on
how newty-installed lights (on buildings or in
parking lots) can be mounted—and in some cases
how bright they can be. The proposal would also
limit the amount of light that can spill onto adja
cent properties, as measured at the property line.
Less light spillage would be allowed in residential
areas than in commercial areas. Commissioner
Jordan's proposal wouldn't require light measure
ments at property lines, but would require the use
of 'full cutoff" light fixtures and would be easier
to enforce, according to Jordan.
John Hule
Because his web server was down, John Huie
bicycled this report in from the country.
Celebrate Dogs!
In Memory Of Grace
"Too many dogs don't have decent homes. It's
not like they can go out and get a job and take
care of themselves. We need to take care of
them," says Jim Shearon, one of the Ashford
Manor proprietors in Watkinsville, about his
interest in holding 'Grace's Birthday Party" each
year.
This celebration and benefit for dogs spreads
across three-and-a-half acres of beautifully.ter
raced grounds. This year from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on
Sunday, June 5, families of all ages can enjoy a
different activity on each terrace. The activities
include a terrace for games and contests, a terrace
for ball and Frisbee fetching and one with a stage
for a fashion and talent show for dogs.
In order for everyone to have fun throughout
the day, Shearon advises, "Dogs have to keep
their humans on leashes. We don't want a lot of
crazy people ruining loose around here."
Other attractions indude a silent auction, dog
massages, a portrait studio, a picnic for humans^
and cake and ice cream. The cake is a doggy
delight Made by Christine Clancy, a local baker,
this huge cake contains ingredients that dogs
enjoy. Shearon describes it as a whole-wheat flour
confection with dog-food filling and a mashed
potato idng.
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Our Government
An Eyewitness Report
At last week's budget work session, the ACC
Mayor and Commission seemed more interested in
cutting taxes than in funding expanded bus ser
vice. Despite persistent requests by bus riders for
longer hours of operation—the system shuts down
at 7 p.m. and doesn't operate at all on week
ends—commissioners hesitated to fund longer
weekday hours on four routes. Such a change
would cost county taxpayers $c75,000, because
passenger fares cover only about 35 percent of
bus costs.
A final vote on the proposed budget will come
June 7, at the commission's 'first Tuesday" voting
n eeting. Commissioners are planning to offset the
county's new stormwater fees with an equal reduc
tion in property taxes. But despite the small tax
decrease, 'we're flushed with money this year
folks," Commissioner Tom Chasteen said. 'Let me
tell you, there's going to be years when it is not
going to be so rich... it is not easy going the
other way."
Hiring new people means they must be paid
year in and year out Chasteen said. When the
county's tax revenues go up, lie wants the money
to go toward decreasing property taxes. But com
missioners balked at only two of the 54 new posi
tions in the mayor's proposed budget and are
proposing to give county employees raises and
incentives that will cost $3.2 million.
An 'e-govemment coordinator" (website
designer) was cut as was one of three planning
positions. A neighborhood planner position,
designed to keep neighborhood groups posted on
development proposals and encourage new neigh
borhood groups to form, stayed in the budget
But commissioners wanted to look more closely at
how they might stretch money for buses.
"We've got over a million and a half dollars in
transit right now," Chasteen said. Tm not pre
pared to put an additional 20 percent into transit
right now." Commissioner Alice Kinman suggested
adding mote routes instead of longer hours and
waiting on the results of a "transit development"
study that is now underway.
Georgia's new photo ID taw "is going to be an
issue in our upcoming elections," ACC Elections
Supervisor Gail Schrader told flagpole. Where once
a voter could merely sign an oath saying who he
claims to be, a government-issued ID must now be
shown. That can be a Georgia drivers license,
state university ID, passport or military ID,
Schrader said. 'Even if we know the person, the
law requires them to produce a photo identifica
tion," she said.
A voter can fill out a provisional ballot without
identification and will have two days to come to
the elections office and show an ID, Schrader said.
Otherwise, that vote won't be counted. Also,
because mayor and commission races will now be
non-partisan, all candidates will appear on the
general election ballot in November. That will
probably m£an a runoff, Schrader said, and
Georgia's new law requires every winning candi
date to get a full majority of the vote—at least
50 percent not 45 percent as was previously
allowed in some multi-candidate contests.
But Georgia still does not allow for "instant
runoff" voting—in which a voter can vote for
both first and second choices in a multi-candidate
race. The system is used in San Francisco and
some smaller U.S. cities.
"I think it's a great idea," Schrader said,
pointing out that it would eliminate separate
runoff elections. 'Elections are expensive," she
said.
Schrader isn't fazed by the touch-screen voting
machines. "T trust the machines totally. I've seen
them work. I've seen all the checks and balances
to know that your vote's secure," she said. But
some voters do ask about paper receipts—a .
'paper trail' of votes cast
"These machines can be fitted with a receipt-
producing unit, but it would take a lot of money,"
Schrader said, adding that the whole elections
process is open to inspection by interested mem
bers of the public
Commissioners Carl Jordan, Alice Kinman and
Elton Dodson have been hashing out provisions
for a new outdoor lighting ordinance that is dif
ferent from the one the Planning Commission has
recommended. "There was a lot of interest in our
pursuing the glare issue more comprehensively,"
Kinman told follow commissioners at the recent
agenda-setting meeting. But commissioners don't
6 FLAGPOLE.COM • JUNE 1, 2005
l-IFOl-A
CORRECTION: LAST WEEK'S PHOTO IN THIS SPACE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CREWTED TO BUO FREEMAN