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Column
By
Mark Beardsley
The Commerce News
December 13, 2000
It's Here: Your
Long-Awaited Gift-Buying Guide
In the continuation of a long-standing tradition at The Commerce
News, as a public service, to help you shower your public servants
with the affection they deserve and, most importantly, to fill
this space, I offer the 2000 version of Mark's Gift-Buying Guide
For Public Officials and other people of notoriety.
Tops on the list is Harold Fletcher, soon to be the commander
in chief of Jackson County. Fletcher will have the authority
to order the Jackson County Militia into service and to demand
the records of the probate judge, but he has other needs.
If you want to make his Christmas a happy one, get him four "yea"
votes to use at the time of his choosing during the upcoming
year. Representing a vote from each of his fellow commissioners,
the gift could be used on four separate votes or all at once.
He'd also like the continued support of The Commerce News Editorial
Board of Review.
Other folks and gift ideas to make their Christmases better:
·The four other county commissioners would like a public
uprising in demand of higher taxes.
·Current county commission chairman Jerry Waddell would
like a job. Oh, never mind. The Jackson County Water and Sewerage
Authority already got that gift.
·Rep. Scott Tolbert would like a vote recount done
in Florida.
·For state senator-to-be-Mike Beatty, give him a favorable
reapportionment that puts Jackson County in a new congressional
district so Mike can relocate to Capitol Hill.
·Tax commissioner Don Elrod and the governments of the
county would like a tax digest that is completed on time
for a change and accurate.
·Mayor Charles L. Hardy Jr. and the Commerce City Council
would like some angry citizens to liven up monthly council meetings
with complaints about utility bills or taxes.
·Pepe Cummings, president of the Jackson County Area Chamber
of Commerce, would like a big, capitalintensive, non-polluting,
good-paying industry that makes no extraordinary demands on the
county's infrastructure and donates money, time and personnel
to the chamber. But the chamber's getting new digs for Christmas,
so you don't have to buy anything.
·A crown, throne, scepter and coronation ceremony would
delight King Roy Barnes.
·The Commerce Board of Education would appreciate a handful
of high SAT scores from this year's seniors or a certificate
of completion for the CHS renovation.
·If there's a Georgia Tech fan on your list, give him
Jim Donnan.
·For the UGA fans, the only coach that would make them
happy is Moses, providing he's got a plague left to bring to
Steve Spurrier.
·CHS football coach Steve Savage would love to have Monté
Williams and Michael Collins back next year.
·Is Al Gore on your Christmas list? A recount of Georgia's
vote is a great gag gift.
·For Dubya, give him lots of luck and a copy of Gore's
upcoming book, Presidential Leadership For Dummies.
·And finally, for your favorite editor. Don't go to a
lot of trouble. Cash, or even a check would be just fine.
Editorial
The Jackson Herald
December 13, 2000
Nicholson
mayor acts cowardly
Go figure: While Al Gore and "Dubya" are fighting to
become president, the newly elected mayor of Nicholson runs away
from his job.
Two times now, newly elected Nicholson Mayor Ronnie Maxwell has
refused to attend a Nicholson City Council meeting in an obvious
effort to thwart a quorum. In doing so, Mr. Maxwell hopes to
stall an effort to have zoning codes established in the town.
The new mayor hopes a March election will bring two new anti-zoning
council members to the table.
The first time Mr. Maxwell ignored a city council meeting was
last week when shortly after being sworn in, he left the room
and never returned. This week, he refused to attend a called
meeting, saying he wasn't notified in time and that the agenda
wasn't specific. Then he had the audacity to say, "I don't
feel like they (the other council members) should treat my office
like that."
But it is Mr. Maxwell who has mistreated the responsibility to
his office. By not attending the city council meetings, he has,
in effect, abandoned his office.
Some might just call that politics.
We call it cowardly. If Mr. Maxwell didn't want to fulfill the
duties of mayor, he shouldn't have put his name on the ballot.
If he doesn't have the courage to argue his position, win or
lose, he shouldn't be a public official.
Nicholson hasn't been able to conduct business since September
and Mr. Maxwell obviously doesn't intend to do business until
after the March elections.
If Nicholson can go six months without a functioning city government,
then perhaps the citizens of the town don't need an incorporated
government.
We've seen a lot of public officials come and go over the years,
but we've never seen one who dashed for the door as soon as he
was sworn in.
Mr. Maxwell should do his job, or step aside and let some more
qualified person fill his seat.
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Jackson County Opinion Index |
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Column
By
Mike Buffington
The Jackson Herald
December 13, 2000
Landfill solution:
Go to Nicholson
OK, I've got the solution to the North Jackson landfill issue:
Put it in Nicholson. It's the perfect answer to two controversial
issues. The residents of North Jackson don't want a landfill.
They've made that clear.
But Nicholson residents say they do want a landfill. By electing
a mayor who opposes zoning and who avoids council meetings to
make sure there isn't a vote on zoning, the citizens of Nicholson
have, in effect, endorsed hosting a landfill.
As the only place left in Jackson County without zoning, Nicholson
is ripe for all kinds of dumps. The town's slogan may soon be,
"Dumps-R-Us."
Landfills are a big issue in Jackson County. The proposed Arcade
landfill was a never-ending controversy that makes the presidential
election debate look tame. Then came the Hwy. 53 effort in West
Jackson. That, too, was eventually stopped by county efforts.
Now the focus is in North Jackson where an old industrial zoning
tract is apparently open for landfill development. But that effort
won't happen without a fight. North Jackson residents are well
organized and plan to throw roadblocks in the way of the developers.
Smart developers know that mad neighbors can cause a boatload
of trouble and cost them thousands, if not millions, of dollars.
All of that could be averted, however, if area landfill folks
would just focus their efforts in Nicholson. Here's a town that
has no controls over property. It is a town where proponents
of zoning codes get labeled as "communists." A town
where the new mayor welcomes unfettered and unregulated growth
projects by abandoning his position. A town where city leaders
can't even meet to oppose a landfill because the mayor fears
a zoning vote.
So here's the tip, landfill developers: go to Nicholson. They'll
not fuss about your projects like all those other picky people
in Jackson County.
***
It came as no surprise last week when the Jackson County Water
and Sewerage Authority hired outgoing county commission chairman
Jerry Waddell as its water superintendent. It is a controversial
move, given that Waddell himself has been controversial during
his tenure as the county's top elected official.
The issue over Waddell's hiring wasn't his technical abilities.
Having dealt with water and sewer issues for seven years as county
commission chairman, he knows what has to be done. No one quibbled
over that.
What was of concern, however, was the question over his ability
to put county politics in the past and focus only on his water/sewer
duties. Waddell does, after all, bring some baggage to the position.
Moreover, there were concerns over whether other political leaders
in the county could put aside past differences with Waddell and
work with him in his new role.
Although it sometimes gets beaten up by thirsty citizens, the
county's water authority has a pretty good track record. It is
led by those committed to seeing the county's water and sewer
infrastructure grow. They are honest people, community leaders
who spend a lot of time and effort for all our benefit.
If that group believes Waddell is the best person for the job,
then the rest of us shouldn't be too quick to criticize. Just
as the new board of commissioners deserves a fair chance to show
us what they're capable of doing, so too does Waddell deserve
a chance to prove himself in this new post.
If his hiring proves to be a mistake, that will be apparent soon
enough and the authority can move to find someone else. (One
supposes that the authority had a heart-to-heart conversation
with Waddell on that point before he was hired.)
The development of the county's water and sewer resources is
too vital to be sidetracked by focusing on one individual. The
system is much bigger than that.
If Jerry Waddell makes himself an issue and commits employment
hari-kari, that's one thing.
But the rest of Jackson County shouldn't rush to be his lynch
mob just because of past political battles.
***
Everyone in Jackson County will be a Commerce Tiger Friday night.
For the first time in 19 years, the Tigers are vying for the
state football championship and the game will pull thousands
from all across the county.
How special is this? Consider that today's high school students
weren't even born when Commerce won its only state title in 1981.
All today's team has are stories and legends.
This team's parents were teenagers themselves during two earlier
efforts by the Tigers at a state crown in 1973 and 1976. Commerce
lost those games, to Mt. de Sales in 1973 and Turner County in
1976.
And this year's team's grandparents were in their youth when
the Tigers went to state in 1965.
What a year the Tigers have had! All of Jackson County is pulling
for you this week.
Mike Buffington is editor of The Jackson Herald.
Editorial
The Commerce News
December 13, 2000
They're Champions,
Regardless Of Score
Win or lose Friday night, our Commerce Tigers are champions.
A last-quarter come-from-behind victory over a previous nemesis
was the crowing achievement (so far) in a great high school grid
season.
The Tigers are champions not so much because they beat Lincoln
County, Johnson County, etc., but because of the way they play
and the spirit they carry onto the field. Win or lose this Friday
against Buford, they are champions.
It is part of the Commerce High School football tradition that
the Tigers never give up. Down by a touchdown or down by two,
the players continue to give the maximum effort, believing something
good will happen. If ever a game seemed hopeless going into the
fourth quarter, it was Saturday's state semifinal match against
the Red Devils. The Tigers were trailing 14-3 and had not earned
a single first down.
But Commerce teams don't give up. The Tigers quickly got that
first first down and followed it with a touchdown, then another
and suddenly they were seemingly-improbable victors.
Saturday's victory was a result of character and athletic ability.
The Tigers overcame a huge miscue early in the second quarter.
They prevailed even after two Red Devil turnovers were negated
by the officials. They persevered against a defense that had
been unyielding.
It was only a football game, but the Tigers' example applies
elsewhere. In the face of adversity, hard work, team work and
faith paid off with a victory. There will be other uphill struggles
for these young men to face, other times when continuing seems
pointless, but perseverance, faith and diligence will see them
through.
This Friday night, the Tigers play Buford for the state Class
A football championship. We know they'll play hard, perform well
and never give up. That's what makes them champions. Good luck
to the Tigers.
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