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THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
A wrinkle in time: A response to Larry walker
By Sally Harrell
Guest columnist
A Response to Larry
Walker’s Oct. 3 column,
“Witnessing the End of an
Era ”
We got off the train in
Plains, Georgia, a quiet old
railroad town in southwest
Georgia. Looking straight
ahead was a quaint, white
railroad depot proudly dis
playing a sign that read,
“Jimmy Carter Presidential
Campaign Headquarters.”
As a member of the
Georgia legislature, I had
received an invitation to join
an inaugural train ride on
the recently rebuilt SAM
Shortline Railway, a historic
stretch of railroad running
from Cordele to Plains. No
doubt this was a well-funded
special project that guaran
teed a powerful South
Georgia legislator long
standing popularity back
home, if not future guaran
teed re-elections. The pur
pose of the trip, however,
was to raise money for
osteoporosis education. In
addition, my 2-year-old son
had already developed into
an avid train enthusiast and
I knew he would be
Brand should not be mayor
Editor:
I recently moved from
Centerville after owning a
home there. My association
with Centerville goes back
eight years. While living
there, I was a frequent
attendant at city council
meetings, where a very lack
luster group of people met
as a governing body. Now a
former member of this
group is running for mayor
on a platform of providing
sidewalks, playgrounds for
the children, growing this
tax base, and integrity. This
individual has not seen fit to
do anything about the above
items during his previous 14
years on the council. Can we
expect him to change now if
elected mayor? I doubt it.
A new city hall was built
on the only playground in
the older part of the city. But
where are the sidewalks to
meet the existing sidewalks
in front of the church or the
city library? And where is
the playground now under
the city hall? Maybe the for
mer city councilman will do
these projects in the next 14
years, but don’t hold your
breath.
Our 14-year councilman is
in real estate. He was a
strong supporter of the
annexation of a new subdivi
sion on North Houston Lake
Road. Perhaps his strong
support for this action was
because the realty firm he is
associated with has exclu
sive selling rights. His early
financial experience stems
from his uncle hiring him at
a credit union. Legal
redresses earlier and the
realty dealing mentioned
above should raise questions
on his integrity. He certainly
can’t be proud of the things
or he would be bragging
about them.
After attending a court
hearing where Mr. Brand
could not even remember
signing a letter until shown
his signature, his comment
was “Maybe I did sign it.” At
other forums he was rude to
the other participants, often
interrupting them during
their times to speak. His
election as mayor would be
like an anchor around the
progress of Centerville.
Gardiner W. Snyder
Byron
A giant among us walked
Editor:
I see where a former
mayor of Centerville and
one friend of Mr. Ronnie
Brand’s are writing the
paper claiming what great
things Mr. Brand has done.
In fact most of the credit
goes to one that walks
among us no more. A man
who cast a tall shadow sit
ting down. A man known for
his slow talk, quick wit and
great big feet. A person you
could deal with. He was a
man of vision. One who had
a great love of Centerville,
Houston County, actually
the whole world. This per
absolutely thrilled by the
adventure.
My husband and I had
really wanted to drive to the
Colorado Rockies, but with
the birth of our second child
nine months earlier, we low
ered our expectations con
siderably. Instead, we spent
the night listening to train
whistles at the Cordele
Hampton Inn and headed
out into the rain Saturday
morning pushing strollers
and carrying diaper bags.
The train ride took about
two hours and was mildly
pleasant as we enjoyed see
ing the lush greenery of
South Georgia’s agriculture.
But when we arrived in
Plains, this little run-of-the
mill weekend journey left
me with some haunting
images that have persisted
in my mind, as if they have
been trying to tell me some
thing.
Carrying a nine-month old
in a backpack, I entered a
cluttered junk store along
the main street, which ran
parallel to the railroad
tracks. The owners were
quite chatty, and told me
they were relative newcom
ers to Plains, having arrived
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
son was Mr. Sherrill
Stafford, one whose name
you see seldom mentioned
any more. Yet the effects of
his work are visible every
where. For many years he
was my neighbor in
Centerville. He was the
same person every time I
saw him. He conducted
every meeting as if it was
the most important thing in
the world. Regardless of
whether the topic was
Sunday school outings or a
county commissioners meet
ing. He always made every
one feel welcome and
respected what he or she
had to say. Mr. Stafford was
a true leader. He was sturdy
at the wheel. Mr. Stafford
was a giant among us.
Now the city of
Centerville is facing a very
important mayor election.
Should the status quo be
maintained by electing
Ronnie Brand? Or will the
people choose to elect Mr.
Troy Windham, a sincere
man of honesty and integri
ty. Experience is important
in government, but not nec
essary. That’s why the peo
ple have chosen for elected
officials to have term limits.
Also experience doesn’t
mean one will do the job any
better, instead it only means
they have been there longer.
On the other hand leader
ship is a rare quality found
only in few people.
Leadership is treating
everyone with a smile and
handshake, disagreeing
without being disagreeable,
maintaining ones cool under
fire, conducting meetings
with dignity and profession
alism, being sturdy at the
wheel. Mister Windham will
be a true leader and certain
ly has the character and
courage to be a giant among
us. Vote for Troy Windham
on Oct. 7.
Allen Cross
Centerville
Andrews endorses Brand
Editor:
Over the past several
weeks I have read and heard
much criticism directed
towards Centerville mayoral
candidate Ronnie Brand.
Some of these comments
have even come from people
that do not reside within the
city limits but still feel that
it is necessary to trash the
reputation and good charac
ter of one of our finest citi
zens. It is long past time
that someone from the city
addresses the truth.
As the Post 1 city council
man, I have been able to
personally see the work that
Ronnie Brand does and has
done for our great city.
Ronnie Brand is a hard
worker and a man that
thinks through decisions
before they are made. He is
dedicated, loyal and trust
worthy. During his time of
service to Centerville I have
seen him make countless
decision in the best interest
of the city and its residents.
Ronnie and I have not
about 15 years before. Most
of their junk had been pur
chased from store owners
who had long since closed up
shop, having lived through
the heyday of Plains during
the late 1970 s when their
own Jimmy Carter was
elected president of the
United States. I looked
down and saw thimbles,
fans, pens, plastic peanuts,
shot glasses, and there it
was- - the image that won’t
leave me.
It was a soft, green plastic
case containing a small mir
ror. In white, on the outside
of the case, it said simply,
“Plains, Georgia.” Suddenly
I was back in fifth grade in
Indianapolis, Ind. My class
mate friend had bought the
mirror for me when she was
on her vacation. Then I
heard the store owner say,
“back during the big days,
8,000 people a day came and
went from Plains.” I could
see Suzanne with her mom
and dad in that crowd. But
Plains, Georgia, to me in
fifth grade was nothing
more than that green mirror
and maybe an un-thought
out image of a dirt field, no
grass, a peanut plant here
always agreed on the issues
but there is NO doubt in my
mind that he has acted and
will act in the best interest
of the city when he is elected
again.
Ronnie has a proven track
record of service and sacri
fice to the City of
Centerville. The direction
that the City of Centerville
takes for the rest of this
mayoral term is at stake in
this election. Centerville is a
progressive and vibrant city
and needs positive and pro
fessional leadership. That
leadership is embodied in
Ronnie Brand. I encourage
the voters to make the right
choice for the future of
Centerville by voting for
Ronnie Brand on Tuesday,
Oct. 7.
Cameron W. Andrews
Centerville
HHJ reporter
worthy of praise
Editor:
Our car club hosted the
2003 Southeast Regional
Convention for Vintage
Thunderbird Club
International. Your reporter
Heather Fasciocco covered
our events for The Houston
Home Journal.
We were impressed with
her ability the capture the
enthusiasm our group
brought to Warner Robins.
Heather quickly' showed an
interest in our cars and this
event. This was evident in
her writing and photogra
phy.
Heather’s contribution to
this event was very well
received by the attendees,
our sponsors, and those in
the communities. Heather’s
writing displays an ability
well beyond her years of
experience. We found
Heather’s ability to gener
ate community interest of
.immense contribution.
Your newspaper should be
commended for having a
staff member such as
Heather Fasciocco. We look
forward to having Heather
cover other events for our
club.
Thank you for your cover
age and support for this
event. Your paper’s contri
bution helped us raise
money for Shriner’s
Hospital for Children.
Rick Powell
President, Vintage
Thunderbird Club
Way to go, Mr. President
Editor:
I’m delighted that Curtis
Brinkley recognizes and
acknowledges George
Bush’s leadership abilities.
So far, Mr. Bush has led us
into an unnecessary and
wasteful war based on ques
tionable intelligence data,
caused unemployment
unmatched since Herbert
Hoover was president, creat
ed record deficits with his
irresponsible tax cuts,
presided over an economy
that has seen 10 percentg
drop in the stock market,
OP-ED
and there and of course,
Billy’s beer.
Then suddenly in a flash
I’m sitting the House cham
bers of the Georgia State
Capitol and I realize I’m
smack dab in the middle of a
damn history book. I look
around me and I’m sur
rounded by gray-haired
South Georgia men, some of
whom have been working
the chambers for 30 to 40
years. Then it dawns on me
that Jimmy Carter was their
governor, and because I’m a
legislator and have person
ally felt the intimacy of the
relationship between the
legislative body and the gov
ernor’s office, I realize,
“they lived it . . . they knew
him . . . they worked on his
campaign . . . wow.” Then,
after the world stopped for a
moment I thought, “ . . . and
I know them.” The baby on
my back pulled my hair and
brought me back to my cur
rent state of motherhood.
I have loved serving in the
Georgia legislature, and I
have loved those South
Georgia boys. Many people
have commented to me,
“how can you stand to work
created an economic situa
tion where record numbers
of Americans lack health
insurance and, alienated
most of our allies and
friends world-wide with his
arrogance.
Way to go, George. The
marks of true leadership!
Jim Pearsall
Centerville
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with those good old boys?”
Or, “isn’t it hard being a
woman down there?” But to
them I now say, “those
Georgia boys welcomed this
little Indianapolis fifth
grader with open arms.”
They invited me to fishing
trips, they gave me tours of
their hometown offices, and
the speaker of the House
even showed me the antique
automobile collection that
he keeps in the basement of
his Bremen, Georgia, law
office. They intervened
when I found myself beat-up
by politics, they invited me
to private briefings with top
advisors, they considered
my opinions and even let me
change their minds a time or
two. And, it wasn’t easy for
them, but they even let me
show up for work one ses
sion with my 3-week-old
nursing baby in my arms.
One of my greatest regrets
is that I never got up early
enough to stop by Marcus
Collins’ hotel room to have
some of his famous cheese
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*With purchase of 4 Or More Boxes. Good Thru Nov. 30, 2003
toast at his “292 Club”
(room 292 of the Atlanta
Sheraton) alongside all
those boys, but the impor
tant point is that I always
knew I was invited.
Things have changed now.
The speaker of the House of
40 years lost his re-election.
The ensuing battle for his
position pitted two of our
most talented leaders in a
ferocious fight. Marcus
Collins had a stroke and has
found it necessary to close
down his “292 Club” perma
nently. The governor’s office
is being run by a Republican
the first since
Reconstruction. The fresh
men members of the legisla
ture won’t ever know what I
have known, and I am left
thanking God that this little
fifth-grader from
Indianapolis got to touch
this piece of never forgotten
history.
Rep. Sally Harrell, D-
Atlanta, represents the 54th
District of Georgia.
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