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Commissioner, public need to hear answers
2/9/2010
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Glynn County Commissioner Amy Callaway would like to know why the county is delaying the purchase of new equipment for the county fire department. So would the rest of the community.
It's not like the county doesn't have the money. There's $19 million in its Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax - that's $14 million in unspent 1 percent tax funds and $5 million in accrued interest. Just over $1 million has been budgeted for new fire equipment since before voters approved SPLOST 4 at the beginning of the previous decade.
There's no good explanation anyone can offer for the delay, other than elected officials forgot the funding was around, and that's certainly no excuse. The fact remains that a $300,000 pump engine, a $545,000 ladder truck and an $180,000 tactical support vehicle are still needed.
There are some in the fire department who claim it is a safety issue, to both firefighters and to citizens. That's disquieting.
Even more disquieting is the lack of response or concern shown by other commissioners, with the exception of Commissioner Callaway. She's been asking about funding for the fire department, but so far, her requests seem to have fallen on closed ears.
It's one thing to gamble that an old tractor used by public works to scrape roads or to do landscape work will not break down.
That would delay or lengthen a landscape project. It's a whole other matter when the equipment needed is for the fire department, which responds to life and death situations.
Glynn County commissioners must do their jobs, including making sure the fire department has everything it needs to save and protect the lives of firefighters and citizens. They have the money. Spend it.
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11 Comment
Where's the truth?? RE: FT Hood...
Place your commWhile I do agree that both political sides of the isle are guilty of finger pointing, you omit some crucial facts that would make the Big Bad Wolf seem tame. How about the fact that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan had "SOA" on his business cards (soldier of Allah)? How about the fact that Brian Ross reported that U.S. intelligence agencies knew months in advance that Hasan was attempting to contact associates of Al Qaeda? How about the fact that he chanted praises of Allah while shooting these 13 unarmed soldiers who were in a dental waiting room with one door and no windows? It is odd that you name the commentary "Truth Not Speculation..." when you omit all of them. Comparing Hasan to the Big Bad Wolf is idiotic at best. If you believe this wasn't an act of terror, then I'll sell you a goose that can lay golden eggs.
J Sungur
11/17/2009
RE: Truth, not Speculation...REALLY?!?!
While I do agree that both political sides of the isle are guilty of finger pointing, you omit some crucial facts that would make the Big Bad Wolf seem tame. How about the fact that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan had "SOA" on his business cards (soldier of Allah)? How about the fact that Brian Ross reported that U.S. intelligence agencies knew months in advance that Hasan was attempting to contact associates of Al Qaeda? How about the fact that he chanted praises of Allah while shooting these 13 unarmed soldiers who were in a dental waiting room with one door and no windows? It is odd that you name the commentary "Truth Not Speculation..." when you omit all of them. Comparing Hasan to the Big Bad Wolf is idiotic at best. If you believe this wasn't an act of terror, then I'll sell you a goose that can lay golden eggs.
J Sungur
11/17/2009
RE: Truth not Speculation...FT Hood
While I do agree that both political sides of the isle are guilty of finger pointing, you omit some crucial facts that would make the Big Bad Wolf seem tame. How about the fact that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan had "SOA" on his business cards (soldier of Allah)? How about the fact that Brian Ross reported that U.S. intelligence agencies knew months in advance that Hasan was attempting to contact associates of Al Qaeda? How about the fact that he chanted praises of Allah while shooting these 13 unarmed soldiers who were in a dental waiting room with one door and no windows? It is odd that you name the commentary "Truth Not Speculation..." when you omit all of them. Comparing Hasan to the Big Bad Wolf is idiotic at best. If you believe this wasn't an act of terror, then I'll sell you a goose that can lay golden eggs.
J Sungur
11/17/2009
Re: Adults can help.....
This letter is regard to the editorial printed on Feb 3. The students at Burroughs-Mollette Elementary School desperately need caring, committed, and responsible parents in the home not mentors or volunteers. A child's first teacher is his parent(s). The solution to the problem lies with the Glynn County Board of Education offering free and mandatory parenting classes. Let's place the responsiblity of remedial education on the parent. The parents of these failing students must show support and willingness for their child high academic success. It is the will of the parent for her child to be successful in the classroom. In any society, there will be haves and have nots. In some households, it is not celebrated for a child to be academically gifted because, mosttimes, the parent maybe a school dropout or an extremely slow learner. The Board of Education is putting the cart before the horse by investing in buildings and divesting in our children. This was the drive behind my voting NO on the ESPLOST issue at the polls on today. Burroughs-Mollette school continues to educate these children which are from predominately poverty-stricken backgrounds in Glynn County since led by Velma Crosby in the 1990's. This school suffered with severe behavioral problems coupled with low academic achievement. Is Burroughs-Mollette a dumping ground for low performing teachers and administrators? Recently, it has been reported that two educators from Burroughs-Mollette were implicated and wrist-tapped for cheating on the school's AYP test scores. This scandal has continued to be covered-up by the head honchos downtown at the Administration building. Why were the accused teachers not terminated? A human being should be personally responsible for his choices. I am deeply concerned about the child who goes to our public schools prepared to learn and achieve academically but must take a step back because the majority is not prepared academically. It is not fair.
Harry Hillery
11/3/2009
HEINZE INFORMATION
I think its a shame that I can read information about a local crime in the online jacksonville news but cant read it our local online news. Why is that??
Dawn B.
11/3/2009
911 is a Joke
I listened to the 911 recording and I was embarrassed and ashamed at the way the initial 911 operator handled the call. No sympathy or empathy was shown as the "facts" was all that mattered to this clueless and useless person. My brother was murdered in 2001 during a home invasion and I can recall that time in my life where I couldn't maintain at all. I can only pray for this young man and his family as he has lost so much too soon. I mean, for God's sake, this man's family just died and she's asking for a report??? Get real!
C. Thomas
9/1/2009
Jeffrey Pennington
I had the honor of working with Jeffrey Pennington while I was the manager of Rentway in Brunswick, GA several years ago. I live in Dothan, AL and was contacted today and told of Jeff's unfortunate death. I know that Jeff loved his family more than anything...and his family loved him back. This is a very sad day for me, and my heart, prayers, and concern go out to his wife and children. Jeff was a real man...and real men never hid like a gutless animal behind a weapon. I hope Jeff is at peace in heaven, and that justice finds those that did this to him real soon.
Scott Williams
8/25/2009
This is a racist program that should be stopped immediately. If it is determined that a program is needed for riding seventh graders it should be open to all with the college and all men and women sponsoring the program! This community and all the communities in the US has to stop thinking that this kind of raciest practice is OK. The name of the group helping is bad enough "The Fourteen Black Men" Yes, yes, I know, white men are members....So why call it 14 BLack. What would these same people and this community think if there was a 14 White Men in our community working with rising white 7th graders? They would be protesting at the college and the front page of this newspaper would have pictures of blacks and stories of how racist the program was...........
Debra Davis
7/14/2009
Facts Correct
When writing an editorial, if you want the public to have confidence in what you write you must get your facts straight first. Sen. Tommie Williams is NOT the Senate Transportation Chairman. That is Sen. Jeff Mullis from NW Georgia. Sen. Williams is the President Pro Tem of the Georgia State Senate. Now, to be fair, he was Chair of that committe but several years back.
Just the Facts
6/23/2009
Auto Bailout
Georgia's Senators and Representatives should be ashamed of themselves for voting against the automaker bailout! The misinformation and distortion of fact that these men spew is sickening! They had no qualms about approving the Wall Street Bailout because those are the guys that rub elbows with them. However, these guys must get their facts straight!!! Autoworkers DO NOT make the equivalent of $75 per hour!!! Their pay is far below that amount. It was recently shown that the "Big 3" pay their workers within just a few dollars of what Honda, Toyota, Hyundai & Nissan pay their US employees. Also, its not just the factory workers affected by this possible collapse. Have the Georgia Republicans forgotten the hundreds of GM, Ford and Chrysler dealers in this state?! The Bill Heard dealership headquartered in Georgia (one of the largest GM dealers in the USA) has gone under causing over 2000 job losses!!! I guarantee that there are more dealers to close all over this state causing even more job loss!!! Far more job losses in Georgia than the Wall Street could have even imagined! Think about how many people you or I know that either work for an auto dealer, service station, auto parts store, tire store, parts manufacturers, transportation and/or delivery of auto parts. ALL OF THOSE SECTORS ARE AFFECTED!!! Wake up Chambliss, Isakson and Kingston!! Start helping your middle-class costituents instead of your upper-class golfing buddies.
MAG
12/16/2008
Question!
Is there a question on the driver license test about moving to the highways edge and stopping when approached by an emergency vehicle. Are older drivers telling the younger passengers why they are stoppping for the emergency vehicles. I don't think so!
LG
11/11/2008