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TUESDAY,
JANUARY 18, 2005
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Chris Kinnas
Investment Advice
Use tax refund
to help meet
financial goals
If you haven’t yet filed
your taxes, you may think
it’s too early to ponder your
refund. After all, you don’t
even know if you’ll get one.
But the odds are in your
favor; historically, about
three-fourths of all taxpay
ers receive refund checks.
So, you may want to start
planning for this “bonus”
today. In fact, if you get a
refund, and you haven’t
thought about what to do
with it, you may be more
likely to spend it - and then
it’s gone. As an alternative,
why not use your refund to
help yourself make progress
toward your key financial
goals?
You might think that your
refund wouldn’t really be
big enough to make much of
a difference in your life. But
that’s not necessarily true.
In 2004, the average tax
refund was about $2,300.
What could you do with this
amount? Let’s take a look:
• Contribute to your IRA -
In 2005, you can put up to
$4,000 (or $4,500 if you’re
50 or older) into a tradition
al or Roth IRA, depending
on your income, so your
$2,300 would put you more
than halfway to the limit.
It’s almost always a good
idea to fully fund your IRA,
which offers substantial tax
advantages. Specifically, a
traditional IRA’s earnings
grow tax-deferred, while a
Roth IRA’s earnings grow
completely tax-free, provid
ed you meet certain condi
tions.
• Pay down your debts -
Over the past few years,
we’ve seen low interest
rates in a number of areas -
mortgages, certificates of
deposit, short-term bonds,
etc. But there’s at least one
conspicuous exception to
the low-rate trend: credit
cards. You could easily have
one or more credit cards
that charge 11% interest -
or more. If you could get rid
of that debt, you would, in
effect, be earning an 11%
(or greater) return.
Consequently, you’d likely
be making a pretty good
“investment” by applying
your $2,300 toward your
credit card debt.
• Save for college -
College costs have risen
sharply over the past sever
al years. To send your chil
dren to college, you’ll want
to save early and save often.
Fortunately, you can find
several attractive college
savings vehicles, including
the Coverdell Education
Savings Account and the
Section 529 savings plan.
You can put up to $2,000 per
year to a Coverdell account -
so your $2,300 is enough to
completely fund your plan
for 2005. Or you might want
to consider putting your tax
refund into a Section 529
savings plan. (Section 529
plan contribution limits are
quite high.)
• Build an “emergency
fund” - If you don’t already
have an emergency fund
containing three to six
months’ worth of living
expenses, you should con
sider creating one - and
your $2,300 will make a nice
start. Once you’ye set up an
emergency fund, you may
be able to avoid dipping into
See KINNAS, page 8A
SFS director attends training
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submitted
Jeannine Hill, director of the School Nutrition Program for Houston County Schools,
attended a weeklong training at the Culinary Institute held at Georgia Southern
University’s Hotel and Hospitality education center in Statesboro. She is pictured with
Stephan Minton, the Institute’s instructor.
Jenkins honored by NRCC
WASHINGTON, D.C. -
Warner Robins Realtor Inez
Jenkins has been chosen as
a 2004 Ronald Reagan
Republican Gold Medal
Award Winner by the
National Republican
Congressional Committee
(NRCC).
Jenkins was selected
based on unyielding support
of the Republican Party, out
standing leadership in busi
ness and for displaying a
commitment to President
Reagan’s vision for an
entrepreneurial America.
“Ms. Jenkins has served
as an Honorary Chairman of
the Business Advisory
Council and has provided
much needed support,” said
U.S. Rep. Tom Reynolds,
chairman of the NRCC.
“This award could not have
gone to a more deserving
candidate.”
Jenkins has been in the
real estate business 35
years. She has been with
(To send in your event for
the Business Calendar, fax
the details to 988-1181, e
mail to hhj@evansnewspa
pers.com or mail to Houston
Home Journal, P.O. Box 1910,
Perry, GA 31069. The dead
line for inclusion is 5 p.m.
Fridays.)
Jan. 18: Macon - Middle
Georgia Economic
Outlook 2005
MACON - The 14th annu
al Macon - Middle Georgia
Economic Outlook 2005 will
be from noon until 2 p.m. at
the Macon Centreplex
Convention Center. Speakers
will include Lee B. Murphey,
chairman of the board of the
Greater Macon Chamber of
Commerce; Macon Mayor C.
Jack Ellis; Dr. P George
Benson, dean of the Terry
College of Business of The
University of Georgia; and
Dr. Larry Wolfenbarger, chair
of the Division of Business
and Economics at Macon
State College. Registration
begins at 11:30 a.m.; cost is
$65 per person, and $520 for
a table of eight. Fee includes
refreshments, lunch and pub
lications; all attendees will
receive the book “Georgia
Economic Outlook 2005.”
(706) 425-3051.
Jan. 20: Starting your
Own Business
WARNER ROBINS - This
seminar, sponsored by the
University of Georgia Small
Business Development
People Pleasing!
(We will delight you!)
1-75 CkH 1M ' M7-MT7
Business
BUSINESS PEOPLE
Coldwell Banker SSK,
Realtors in Warner Robins
for three years. Jenkins has
her Graduate Real Estate
Institute and Accredited
Buyer Representative desig
nations.
“It is very satisfying to
receive national recognition
for striving to protect the
home owners and private
property rights as a high
level of Government,” she
said. “Home ownership is
the great investment and I
have always worked to help
people achieve that. As a
real estate professional for
35 years I know how impor
tant that investment is.”
Elam joins Lifetree
PERRY - Dr. Mary Elam,
a naturopathic doctor, has
relocated her practices from
Ashville, N.C., and
Columbia, S.C., and joined
Lifetree Natural Foods in
Perry.
Elam provides total evalu
ations, lab workup, allergy
BUSINESS CALENDAR
Center, will teach the
requirements for starting
your own business. Topics
include financing, business
plan formation, legal issues,
and more. The class will be
from 6 untO 8 p.m. at the
ATDC Budding, 151 Osigian
Blvd. Prepaid registration is
required; cost is S4O. (478)
751-6592.
Jan. 27: Selling
Through Customer
Service
WARNER ROBINS - This
seminar, sponsored by the
University of Georgia Small
Business Development
Center, will show how a busi
ness can compete with any
one. The class will be from 6
untO 8 p.m. at the ATDC
Budding, 151 Osigian Blvd.
Prepaid registration is
required; cost is S4O. (478)
751-6592.
Jan. 29: Grant Writing
C/lflss
WARNER ROBINS -
Family First of Central
Georgia will sponsor a grant
writing class beginning Jan.
29 from 10-11 a.m. at 1239 C
Russell Parkway.
Nonrefundable registration
fee is $lO, plus $25 per class.
Registration deadline is Jan.
28. (478) 922-3993.
Assessing Your
Leadership Skills
-SBS/person
elimination,
emotional
reprogram
ming, and
other serv
ices.
She also
produces
her own line
of health
products,
including
the Smart Move Colon
Cleanse Program, a way to
cleanse your body of the
accumulated waste and par
asites in your colon.
Elam is board certified by
the American Naturopathic
Medical Association
(ANMA). She holds a doctor
ate in religion (nondenomi
national) as well as in natur
opathy. Elam is also a certi
fied natural health profes
sional.
She is currently focused
on her new diet clinic (which
begins today), and plans a
seminar on “Dried Blood
Cell Analysis” featuring Dr.
Marcus Shumway.
- From staff reports
Feb. 8: Writing a
Successful Business Plan
WARNER ROBINS - This
seminar, sponsored by the
University of Georgia Small
Business Development
Center, will show how a busi
ness plan helps you start,
build and manage your busi
ness. Participants will receive
a detailed planning outline
and other information to help
develop a plan immediately.
The class will be from 6 until
8 p.m. at the Advanced
Technology Development
Center, 151 Osigian Blvd.
Prepaid registration is
required; cost is S4O. (478)
751-6592.
Feb. 9: Starting your
Own Business
(Open to Robins Air Force
Base personnel only)
WARNER ROBINS - This
seminar, sponsored by the
University of Georgia Small
Business. Development
Center, will teach the
requirements for starting
your own business. Topics
include financing, business
plan formation, legal issues,
and more. The class will be
from 9 a.m. until noon.
Prepaid registration is
required; cost is S4O. (478)
926-1256.
F. Dennis Hooper
Certified
Leadership Development Coach
Building leaders and
organizations of excellence
(478) 988-0237
i
ELAM
13742
dhooper2@juno.com
Relationships in
the workplace
Sometimes workplace
relationships are healthy.
Sometimes not.
I love working with
organizations where
morale is high and rela
tionships are robust.
Establishments like that
are rare, unfortunately.
When relationships are
not healthy, I look for
underlying causes. I am
sensitive to three differ
ent aspects of workplace
relationships: authority,
collaboration and friend
ship.
Each of these inter
twined relationships may
be too strong or not
strong enough. Problems
occur when there is imbal
ance - if any of the three
dominate or are signifi
cantly deficient.
Authority. This is the
traditional distribution of
power associated with the
“chain of command.”
Each person knows the
hierarchical relationship
to each other person in
the organization. He or
she is either one-up (has
direct or indirect authori
ty over the other person),
one-down (is directly or
indirectly under the
authority of the other per
son), or is at the same
level (hierarchical peers).
Most people understand
this power distribution
intrinsically. “The boss”
provides direction, deter
mines priorities, and
authorizes resources. The
leader ‘ determines the
unwritten rules that gov
ern interpersonal behav
iors and influence the pol
itics of the organization.
Problems arise if the
leader underplays this
role. Directions and plans
are poorly coordinated,
inadequate performers
are not addressed, needed
resources are not avail
able, the organization’s
future vision is not cham
pioned, and future leaders
are not developed and
encouraged.
Problems also arise if
the person in authority
overplays this role.
Individuals with good
ideas are silenced (and
learn to withhold future
thoughts), problems are
not brought to the atten
tion of the appropriate
people, individuals refuse
to assume responsibility,
and morale suffers.
Collaboration. This is
the spirit of teamwork
that solves and prevents
problems, using cause
and-effect logic.
Hierarchical roles are
minimized as each indi
vidual brings his or her
knowledge and skills to
address the situation.
Education and experience
are the power criteria
here.
Some specific objective,
not protecting one’s turf
or hierarchical position, is
usually the focus of ener-
PUBLIC NOTICE
City of Perry
Qualifying Fees for Municipal Offices
Per Official Code of Georgia Annotated § 21-2-131, as
amended, the qualifying fees for the City of Perry municipal
election(s) in 2005 are provided below:
Mayor
Council Member
Qualifying Fee set as per City of Perry Resolution No. 2001-50
6A
Dennis Hooper
. . . even greater things . . .
dhooper2@juno.com
gy. Desired outcomes are
usually associated with
seeking improvement
through more effective
operations, better plan
ning, greater reliability,
reduced waste, etc.
Serving the customer and
enhancing the long-term
health of the organization
are the primary motivat
ing factors.
Friendship. People who
work together for hours a
day over a long time peri
od are likely to generate
some degree of friendship.
Camaraderie is all about
shared values and inter
ests, and close alliances
often develop in the work
place.
So when there is a social
gathering of people who
work together, the spous
es groan and beg, “Hey,
let’s not talk shop tonight,
OK?” “Talking shop”
occurs because doing good
work together isnne pf
the common interests co
workers share. -mf’
However, sometimes the
chemistry isn’t right. Cor
workers don’t have to be
friends, but there does
have to be mutual respect
and cooperation. If down
right hostility exists
between co-workers, the
workplace won’t function
in a healthy manner.
Problems also arise if
friendships are too
intense. For example,
many organizations have
struggled with how to deal
with colleagues dating or
with the politics of an
overly friendly boss-sub
ordinate relationship.
As a leader, one of your
major responsibilities is to
create a healthy work
place. When these three
interdependent relation
ships are robust and in
harmonious balance, the
collective ability of an
organization is awesome.
When one or more of
these dimensions are out
of balance, relationships
in the workplace suffer,
and the organization’s
performance deteriorates!
Ecclesiastes 4:12
declares, “A cord of three
strands is not easily bro
ken.” How healthy and
balanced are the three
component relationships
(authority, collaboration,
and friendship) in your
workplace?
$288.00
$126.00
13844