Funding for 411 connector clears another hurdle

07/29/05
Staff Report

Some $21.8 million has been secured for the U.S. 411 connector to I-75 in the Transportation Equity Act, Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., announced today. Upon Senate approval, the legislation will go to President Bush for signature into law. "I am overjoyed the House and Senate conferees have approved this much-needed funding," said Gingrey. "For almost 30 years, people in northwest Georgia have waited for easier access to I-75. With the $21.8 million we passed today, I'm proud to say we won't have to wait much longer."

Post office work may start in fall

The new 34,000-square-foot structure will cost an estimated $4,165,000 to $5,145,000.


07/29/05
By Chris Marr, Rome News-Tribune Business Editor


Construction of the new Rome post office looks like it could begin as early as this fall on Martha Berry Boulevard near John Davenport Drive.

The U.S. Postal Service received proposals this month from construction companies interested in working on the project — a 34,000-square-foot structure that is estimated to cost between $4,165,000 and $5,145,000.

The Postal Service’s proposal request says the construction time should be 395 calendar days and that the notice to proceed with construction will be issued no later than Sept. 1.

Contracts for the construction should be awarded within four to six weeks, said Leslie Martin, the Postal Service’s contract specialist on the project.

Once complete, the new post office will reunite the customer service portion and the distribution center, which have been separated since spring 2004, when distribution moved out of the Rome Federal Building on East First Street to the former Battey Machinery building on Ga. 53.

Post office operations have been ordered to move out of the federal building to make room for a long-planned expansion of the federal court, including additional space for bankruptcy and magistrate courts.



For more than a year and a half, the Postal Service has been in the process of buying land on Martha Berry Boulevard from Martin Real Estate and Development Co.

Owner Larry Martin said Thursday that the sale is not complete and he can’t discuss any details yet. John Ivester, the company’s vice president and broker, has said previously that the Postal Service was conducting architectural, engineering and environmental analysis of the site.

The Postal Service’s records also include a list of people and organizations that requested copies of the construction plan.

Among them were more than a dozen companies from around the Southeast, including Rome companies Baker Mechanical Contractors and Pinson’s General Contractors.

Frist to back funding of increased stem cell research

07/29/05
Associated Press



Senate Majority Leader Sen. Bill First, R-Tenn. (AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Breaking with President Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Friday he will support legislation to remove some of the administration's limitations on embryonic stem cell research.

Frist, who last month said he did not support expanded federal financing of such research, said his decision was consistent with both his experience as a physician and his opposition to abortion.

``Now is the time to expand the president's policy because it's promising research, but it must be done in a way that is ethically considerate, that respects the dignity of human life,'' said Frist, who also is a heart and lung transplant surgeon.

The Tennessee Republican, who has been said to be eyeing a run for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008, said only stem cells from embryos that ``would otherwise be discarded,'' not implanted in a woman or frozen indefinitely, should be considered for research. Interviewed on ABC's ``Good Morning America,'' Frist said his decision was based on policy, not politics.

Almost two-thirds of Americans say they support embryonic stem cell research and a majority of people say they would like to see fewer restrictions on taxpayer funding for those studies, according to recent polls.

``From those cells we have the potential for looking at those diseases that everybody knows about, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and others,'' Frist said.

The senator planned to further outline his policy in a speech on the Senate floor later Friday.

Frist credited Bush with opening the doors for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, and said when this policy was announced in 2001, policy-makers thought 78 stem cell lines would be available. Since then, the number has dropped to 22.

``Those 22 cell lines are not of the quality for human application or human therapy, and that's why today I believe we need to modify that policy,'' Frist said.

When Bush announced his position on stem cell research, he said the government should pay only for research of stem cell colonies, or lines, that had already been created at that time, so that the ``life or death'' decision had already been made.

House passes big energy bill with billions of dollars in tax breaks for oil companies

07/28/05
Associated Press


WASHINGTON (AP) — The House by a wide margin approved a mammoth energy plan for the nation Thursday that sends billions of dollars in tax breaks and subsidies to energy companies, but is expected to do little to reduce U.S. oil consumption or dampen high energy prices.

``This is a good bill for America,'' declared Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, a key author of the legislation. ``It is for America's future.''

The bill was approved 275-156. Congress now awaits action by the Senate, probably on Friday.

President Bush, facing public pressure to outline a direction for the nation's energy strategy amid soaring oil prices and high gasoline costs at the pump, had called on Congress to give him an energy bill before departing for lawmakers' five-week summer recess.

The 1,725-page bill, the product of weeks of compromise between widely different versions approved by the two chambers earlier this year, would provide $14.5 billion in energy tax breaks, much of it to traditional energy companies. It also provides money for promoting renewable energy sources and new energy technologies and measures to revitalize the nuclear power industry.

``It is not a perfect bill,'' said Sen. John Dingell, D-Mich. But he called it ``a solid beginning'' to diversifying future energy sources, improving the nation's aging electricity grid and fostering more energy conservation.

Rome police being judged

Citizens will have the chance to air any concerns about the city police to an accreditation agency.

07/27/05
By Matt Tuck, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


Whether you love or hate the Rome Police Department, you’ll have a chance to speak your mind in August.

From Aug. 6-10, the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. will send a team of assessors for Rome police’s three-year reaccreditation.

On Aug. 8 at 7 p.m., the doors of the Sam King Room at the City Auditorium will be open for a public hearing where people can discuss the department, said Rome police Pfc. Greg Nichols. “They’ll be able to discuss their issues with the assessors personally, and it’s all recorded,” he said. “They’ll be looking into the citizens’ concerns.”

Nichols said department members will be present but won’t interact with the citizens unless assessors ask police a direct question.

Also, a dedicated phone line will accept comments, he said. From 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 8, people can call 238-5107.

Also, letters can be mailed to Christie Goddard, 1032 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, VA 22030-2215. Envelopes should be postmarked by Aug. 15, Nichols said.

CALEA is a voluntary national accreditation commission that reviews law enforcement and public safety departments’ professional standards. Those standards range from use of force to dealings with the public, said Janice Dixon, CALEA program specialist.

“It lets the department and citizens know their department is in a group of nationally accepted and recognized standards of operation,” she said.

The Rome department received its initial accreditation in 1986, the 40th police department in the country and second in Georgia to do so, Dixon said. To date, there are 745 law enforcement agencies participating, she added. It is the only police agency in the county participating in CALEA accreditation.

During reaccreditation, CALEA-trained assessors talk to the public, interview staff members and ride with officers, Dixon said. “They’re from all over the country — and sometimes parts of Canada — who review the departments,” she said. “They’re not your buddies from down the street that will give you a break.”

Maj. Elaine Snow said the accreditation makes Rome one of the more-informed departments. “The state has 116 standards, 115 of which are the same as CALEA’s standards,” she said. “CALEA’s is much broader — there are 436 standards — and I think it’s a plus for any agency.”

Visit www.calea.org for more information on CALEA.

Air-quality experts discuss pollution

07/29/05
By Diane Wagner, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


Jane Wentworth had an important question for state air quality experts who were in Rome on Thursday to talk about local pollution.

“What can we, the public, do to help?” she asked. “How much effect do lawn mowers and other yard machines have?”

The answer may come in the fall after federal officials establish rules for cutting the amount of tiny soot and dust particles in the air, said Jim Kelly, planning and development manager for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s air protection branch. Kelly said it is unlikely that restrictions will be placed on small engines, although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has that option.

“It’s difficult to tell for Floyd County right now,” Kelly said. “We’re trying to keep people informed along the way so, if they get a notice saying they can’t do something, they will know why.”

A score of residents and industry representatives attended the EPD’s open house to learn about the county’s designation as a nonattainment area due to high levels of PM2.5 — microscopic particulate matter that creates haze and health problems.

Al Hodge, president and CEO of the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce, noted that large manufacturers are being required to spend millions of dollars on equipment to purify their factory emissions.

“Will that solve the problem?” he asked.

Plant scrubbers, such as those being installed at Georgia Power plants and other industrial controls, “will have a huge impact” on helping regions meet Clean Air Act standards, Kelly said, but other measures also may be needed.

Once the EPA issues its rules, state experts will start running different scenarios through a computer model. A plan of action must be prepared by April 2008, along with data showing the actions will cut PM2.5 to healthy levels by April 2010.

Arguments that local air is polluted from upwind areas will not affect the final scenario, Kelly said, since areas downwind from Floyd County could make the same claim.

“It’s a regional issue,” he said. “Everywhere upstream is another nonattainment area, and they’re all cleaning up on the same schedule.”

The major changes in store are almost certain to include:

More stringent emissions limits on new or expanding large industrial operations and power plants.

Retrofitting of air pollution controls on existing large industries and power plants.

Required coordination between transportation planners and environmental experts to ensure road projects don’t hinder the push to reduce pollution.

A computer-modeled maintenance plan showing the area will continue meeting clean air standards for the following 20 years. Failure to meet air quality standards by the 2010 deadline could lead to even tougher restrictions.

What is fine particle pollution?

Microscopic soot is a byproduct of combustion such as the operation of fossil fuel-burning plants and motor vehicles. The solid or liquid particles are so tiny that breathing can draw them deep into the lungs. Potential health effects include heart attacks and respiratory illnesses.

Source: Georgia Environmental Protection Division

---

Floyd County is listed as an air-quality nonattainment area.

07/27/05
By Diane Wagner, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


Floyd County residents will have a chance Thursday to see how air pollution is changing their lives.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division will host an open house at the Rome Civic Center to discuss the county’s listing as an air-quality nonattainment area because of the pervading presence of microscopic soot. A plan to lower the amount of fine particle pollution is due to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by April 2006.

“We’ve been working on the transportation angle, but it’s going to affect a lot more than that,” said Joey Davidson of the Rome-Floyd County Planning Department. “This (meeting) is to give people a heads-up.”

When doors open at 6:30 p.m., attendees will be able to spend a half-hour looking at displays and chatting with experts, EPD spokeswoman Vicky Giles said. A formal presentation starts at 7 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer period.

Giles said a major focus is on the State Implementation Plan, which will include specific actions designed to cut emissions that create the soot. Industrial controls are a certainty, transportation changes are pending, and limits on trash-burning and barbecues are possibilities.

“This is about what will happen as the SIP is being developed,” Giles said. “They don’t have a list of rules right now, but we want to involve the public from the beginning.”

Bartow, Walker and Catoosa counties also are among the 27 Georgia counties placed on the federal nonattainment list this year. Similar open houses are scheduled for Aug. 11 at the Cartersville Civic Center and Aug. 25 at the Walker County Civic Center in Rock Spring.

Davidson said an interagency committee is meeting monthly to deal with air quality issues as they affect local transportation projects.

Once the EPD sets an “emissions budget” for the area, each pending project will be run through a computer model to determine how the traffic changes will affect pollution in the future. Metro Atlanta areas exceeding ozone caps were slapped with a freeze on all projects that would add capacity to roads, but Davidson said he does not think that is part of the anti-soot plan.

“The EPD is currently proposing rule changes that would let them have a say on projects deemed regionally significant,” Davidson said. “That’s all the control they’re looking for right now.”

In addition to the planning department, committee members come from the EPA, the EPD, the Georgia Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration.

What is fine particle pollution?

Microscopic soot is a byproduct of combustion such as the operation of fossil fuel-burning plants and motor vehicles. The solid or liquid particles are so tiny that breathing can draw them deep into the lungs. Potential health effects include heart attacks and respiratory illnesses. Source: Georgia Environmental Protection Division

End-of-course tests show improvements, need for more

07/26/05
Associated Press




ATLANTA (AP) — Results of Georgia students' end-of-course tests show progress, but exhibit a need for improvements in high school math and science, state school Superintendent Kathy Cox said Tuesday.

Scores on tests given this spring were up slightly from last spring's in all eight subject areas that were tested, according to figures released Tuesday. But math and science scores still languished, with 37 percent of students failing Algebra tests and 35 percent failing geometry.

Cox called the results ``a mixed bag.''

``We made some progress on the exams and we should celebrate that,'' Cox said. ``But the scores show there is plenty of work left to be done in our high schools.''

The tests, mandated by Georgia's 2000 A+ Education Reform Act, are administered several times a year to high school students in core subjects ranging from U.S. history to physical science.

The tests act as a course's final exam and count for roughly 15 percent of a student's grade. The vast majority of those tests are taken in the spring.

This spring, 59 percent of students passed the state's economics test — up from just 44 percent last year — marking the biggest score increase but still the highest failure rate.

Cox said last year she thought the elective course was being taught unevenly throughout the state and that more work would be done to standardize its teaching.

In U.S. history, 75 percent of students passed, up from 63 percent last spring. The pass rate for physical science was up 8 percent, from 60 to 68, and American literature saw a 5-percent improvement — from 89 to 94.

Other math and science tests, however, were lower.

Only 63 percent of students passed the Algebra I test, up three percent from last spring. And 65 percent passed in geometry, a two percent gain.

``This is a call to action for anyone who cares about the future of Georgia and the education of its young people,'' Cox said.

About 59 percent of Georgia high schools met the standards of the federal No Child Left Behind Law this year, a two-percent decrease from last year.

Cox has said performance gains in the state have been more noticeable in elementary school, perhaps because the bulk of state and federal reforms have been focused there.

She said she believes a state curriculum revamped over the past year will benefit middle and high schoolers and that a task force has been set up by the Department of Education to improve performance in high schools.

Canadian Senate approves bill to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide

07/20/05
Associated Press


TORONTO (AP) — Canada's Senate late Tuesday voted to adopt landmark legislation to legalize gay marriage nationwide despite fierce opposition from Conservatives and religious leaders. The bill could be signed into law as early as Wednesday.

The bill grants same-sex couples legal rights equal to those in traditional unions between a man and a woman, something already legal in a majority of Canadian provinces.

The legislation drafted by Prime Minister Paul Martin's minority Liberal Party government easily passed the Senate, which essentially rubber stamps any bill already passed by the House of Commons, which passed it late last month.

The bill becomes law when it is signed by Canada's Governor-General. Once that happens, Canada will become only the fourth country in the world to legalize gay marriage nationwide, after the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.

The 47-21 Senate vote came after years of court battles and debate that divided families, religious groups and even political allies.

Martin, a Roman Catholic, has said that despite anyone's personal beliefs, all Canadians should be granted the same rights to marriage.

Churches have expressed concern that their clergy would be compelled to perform same sex ceremonies. The legislation, however, states that the bill only covers civil unions, not religious ones, and no clergy would be forced to perform same-sex ceremonies unless they choose to do so.

The Roman Catholic Church, the predominant Christian denomination in Canada, has vigorously opposed the legislation, saying that it would harm children in particular.

In the United States, Massachusetts is the only state that allows gay marriages; Vermont and Connecticut have approved same-sex civil unions.

Though hundreds of foreigners have come to Canada to seek civil ceremonies since gay marriages were first allowed in Ontario and British Columbia in 2003, not all countries or states recognize the unions.

The U.S. government does not recognize same-sex marriage, and most states refuse to acknowledge marriage certificates from gay and lesbian couples, regardless of where they wed.

On the Net:

Canadians for Equal marriage: http://www.equal-marriage.ca

Defend Marriage Canada: http://www.defendmarriagecanada.org

Too few veterans for Rome clinic, Gingrey told

07/18/05
Staff Report

Congressman Phil Gingrey announced Monday that a recalculation by the Department of Veterans Affairs still did not show enough Northwest Georgia clients to justify a clinic in Rome.

Gingrey said there is some good news: The Smyrna facility was expanded in May and, along with the Chattanooga clinic, is now accepting new patients. He will continue working with the local American Legion post to improve access to health care for veterans, he said.

Teacher charged with sex with student wants a trial

07/18/05
Associated Press



TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A middle-school reading teacher whose sexual liaisons with a 14-year-old student made tabloid headlines broke off plea negotiations with prosecutors and will claim insanity at a December trial, her attorney said Monday.

Debra Lafave, 24, was under such emotional stress that she didn't know right from wrong when she had sex with a 14-year-old student numerous times in June 2004, attorney John Fitzgibbons said after a brief court hearing. A Dec. 5 trial date was set.

Fitzgibbons said plea bargaining broke down because prosecutors wanted too much prison time for Lafave, who appeared in court Monday but did not speak.

``To place an attractive young woman in that kind of hell hole is like putting a piece of raw meat in with the lions,'' said Fitzgibbons, who wouldn't talk about details of the negotiations. ``I'm not sure she would survive.''

He said he had hoped to settle the case with a plea agreement, ``not only for Debbie's sake but for the young man's sake.''

A state attorney's office spokeswoman didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.

Judge Wayne Timmerman agreed to appoint two mental health professionals to evaluate Lafave, who Fitzgibbons said would claim she is not guilty by reason of insanity.

``What teacher in her right mind would do something like this?'' Fitzgibbons said.

She is charged with four felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery and one count of lewd and lascivious exhibition. Each carries a maximum 15-year prison term.

Prosecutors have said that a state psychologist already determined Lafave was not insane at the time, while one hired by the defense concluded that she was mentally ill.

The teen told investigators that he and Lafave, a newlywed at the time, got to know each other on their way back from a class trip to SeaWorld Orlando in May 2004.

He said she invited him to her class during detention and ended up taking him to his basketball practices at a recreation center, to get his hair cut and to his house, court records said. The sexual relationship allegedly began on June 3, 2004.

The boy told investigators the two had sex in a classroom at Greco Middle School in Temple Terrace near Tampa, her Riverview town house and once in a vehicle while his 15-year-old cousin drove them around Marion County. He said Lafave told him that her marriage was in trouble and that she was aroused by the fact that having sex with him was not allowed.

Jones attorneys question grand jury selection

07/18/05
By John M. Willis


Attorneys for Jerry William Jones presented more than three hours of testimony Monday about how the grand jury that indicted Jones was chosen.

Just before Judge Carey Nelson recessed for lunch, he appear to grow exasperated with the questioning of members of the Gordon County Jury Commission, three members of which presented similar accounts of how the jury pool in Gordon County is selected.

“This count wants to hear a valid argument that would challenge the grand jury array,” Nelson said just before the noon recess. “Do you have any members of the commission who will testify differently than these three have?”

Michelle Drake, one of two attorneys from the Georgia Capital Defenders Office representing Jones, said there were no inconsistencies in the process used.

Three grand jury commissioners — Janene Grogan, Jim Johnson and Terry Bowen — each testified that commission members chose the pool for both the grand jury and traverse jury by matching required age, race and gender criteria in each of the county’s 14 precincts based on demographic information provided by the state.

“Our contention is that this method of grand jury selection — just filling out the box to meet criteria — is unconstitutional,” Drake said.

Jones faces the death penalty in the January 2004 slayings of Tom and Nola Blaylock, their daughter, Georgia Mae Bradley, and his own 10-month-old daughter, Jerri Georgia Jones.

Jones also faces charges of kidnapping in the abduction of the three surviving daughters of his former girlfriend Melissa Peeler — Brittany Phelps, Brandy Jones and Tami Hope Peeler.

2005 Tour de Georgia generated $2.86 million in Rome

07/18/05
Staff report


The 2005 Tour de Georgia generated a $36.2 million impact on the state’s economy, $2.86 million of that in Rome, according to an analysis released Monday.

The local impact represented more than three times the $906,753 generated by 2004’s Tour in Rome, said Lisa Smith, executive director of the Greater Rome Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The impact represents dollars spent by the race’s spectators, including their meals, hotel rooms, shopping and local transportation.

The increase came thanks to a larger number of out-of-town visitors and the race staying in Rome for two days this year, as opposed to a single day in 2004, Smith said.

“Tour de Georgia continues to surpass many expectations. Our attendance has increased 225 percent since 2003 and our preliminary public relations analysis shows the race generated over $4 million in exposure for the state,” said Chris Aronhalt, managing partner of Medalist Sports, which helped manage the race for the past three years.

Weapons rule up for vote today

The City Commission is expected to decide whether guns and knives should be banned from courtroom.

07/18/05
By Alan Riquelmy, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


As far as city attorneys can tell, there’s nothing restricting people from taking weapons into a city courtroom. That’s expected to change today.

The Rome City Commission is scheduled to vote on an ordinance at its 6:30 p.m. meeting that would prohibit most people from having a firearm, knife and other weapons in a municipal courtroom.

“I don’t know that there’s a direct prohibition against bringing weapons into a municipal courtroom,” said Assistant City Attorney David Smith. “This is a local attempt to make people comply.”

Assistant City Attorney Andy Davis agreed. “For the safety of our citizens is why the ordinance was being requested,” he said.

Several people are excluded from the ordinance, including state and local law enforcement officers, district attorneys and bailiffs.

The ordinance also reaffirms the municipal court judge’s power to keep order in the court, Davis said.

One way a judge could use that power would be to install metal detectors, Smith said, even though the ordinance doesn’t require them.

The ordinance would become effective upon its adoption.

In other matters, the commission is slated to examine properties in the College Heights Historic District, though a vote isn’t expected until August.

Harold Storey, a College Heights resident, told the City Commission in February that he and others never wanted to be in the district.

Some nine properties on the edge of the neighborhood as well as 102 Westmore Road seek removal from the historic district.

Rome’s Historic Preservation Commission originally recommended College Heights remain as is, though the full commission returned the issue to it in February after hearing from Storey.

At the HPC’s June meeting, it once again recommended the district remain unchanged.

“If they want to do something with their property,” said City Manager John Bennett of Storey and others, “they don’t want to have to ask somebody to do it.”

Merger request hits snag

Senator cites concerns on keeping 2 school systems

07/18/05
By Diane Wagner, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


Trying to change state law to allow city-county consolidation without merging the school systems could create a new set of problems for Rome and Floyd County, several officials said.

Citing public sentiment against combining the schools, the Floyd County Commission decided Tuesday to seek a legislative change before scheduling a vote on government unification.

State Sen. Preston Smith, R-Rome, said Friday any proposals would have to address a number of questions — including the legality of having two racially imbalanced school systems within a single governmental jurisdiction. Blacks and other minorities make up 12.8 percent of the students in the Floyd County system compared to 65.8 percent in the Rome City system, according to a Georgia Department of Education enrollment report.

“The Supreme Court has ruled against what are, in essence, separate but equal school systems,” Smith said.

County Attorney Tommy Manning raised much the same issue Tuesday when he warned commissioners that a change to state law would not guarantee U.S. Justice Department approval.

Smith also questioned how the Rome City schools would be funded if the city tax district is dissolved, and also what mechanism would keep the school system in existence if the city gives up its charter. One solution would be to redistrict all the schools, he said, but that move seems to be an unpopular option.

“Before I worked on any legislation, I would want a pretty clear signal from the governing authorities on their position and a better feel for how the citizens in the district feel,” Smith said.

Rome Mayor Ronnie Wallace said Friday it is unclear if the City Commission would support the county’s proposal.

The city agreed to revisit government consolidation in exchange for a greater share of sales-tax revenue, he said, but there are limits to its commitment.

“For over two years we’ve looked at (consolidation), and it appears it is not the will of the people,” Wallace said. “Trying to create statewide legislation now, ... we’re going beyond the Floyd County line.”

Separate city school districts operate within 19 other counties, including Bartow, Gordon, Chattooga, Walker and Cobb. Any proposed statewide legislation would likely draw close scrutiny from legislators representing those areas.

A bill tailored to Rome and Floyd County alone would spark little debate but needs the support of Smith, who is the county’s sole state senator. Members of Floyd County’s legislative delegation have agreed not to submit local legislation without the backing of at least two representatives and one senator.

State Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville, said Adairsville cut costs when it consolidated its fire department with Bartow County, and he would be open to a proposal from Floyd County commissioners.

“I’ll look at anything we can do to help the taxpayers save money, if it’s in an area that makes sense,” he said.

State Rep. Paul Smith, D-Rome, said he would not oppose legislation suggested by the county if it would require a vote before any changes were adopted locally.

“Let the people decide,” he said.

The issue is likely to draw discussion at Tuesday’s meeting of the Rome-Floyd County Consolidation Task Force, set for 4 p.m. at The Forum.

Parties to celebrate ‘Potter’ release

07/15/05
By Bucky Chapman/Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


For those planning to get their hands on No. 6 in the Harry Potter series, you’re welcome to party while you wait.

Fans waiting for “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” at Barnes and Noble or Waldenbooks in Rome will have the option to celebrate the book’s release at both venues tonight a stroke after midnight.

Kristina Wilder, community relations manager for Barnes and Noble at Riverbend Center off Turner McCall Boulevard, said she expects a huge crowd to fill the store.

“We’re going to make it as fun as possible,” Wilder said.

Staff members will start the celebration at 6 p.m. dressed as characters from the book and will give out numbered tickets to let people know in what order they will receive their books.

The tickets will also serve as a discount coupon on other books similar to the Harry Potter series.

“We also want to make available other books we think Harry Potter fans would like,” Wilder said.

Face painting, wand making and a magician will also be a part of the festivities. A free copy of the book and a poster signed by the book’s illustrator,

Mary GrandPré, will be raffled off as well.

Waldenbooks at Mount Berry Square mall will kick off its party at 9 p.m. in front of the store with balloons and streamers. Books will be handed out just after midnight, and the celebration will run until the last book is gone.

Both stores are offering discounts.

There will be other places to pick up the new release as well.

The Super Kmart Center and East and West Rome Wal-Marts will also carry the book. John Shirley, store manager of the East Rome Wal-Mart on U.S. 411, expects his store to get about 600 to 800 copies.

Grocery stores will also be in on the action. The East and West Rome Krogers will have copies for sale.

Those who plan to get the book from the Rome-Floyd County Library, 205 Riverside Parkway, will have to wait.

More than 20 people have been signed up since last year to check out J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” Susan Carlson, the library’s collection development coordinator, was one of the first to reserve a copy.

“Usually I let the patrons go ahead and read them before I do, but with this particular book, I don’t think I’m going to do that,” said Carlson, who is excited about the addition to the series.

The library will have one copy for the adult department and two for the children’s department.

Mother is charged with cruelty

Tamara Lynn Cope’s boyfriend was charged with teen’s murder

07/15/05
By Matt Tuck/Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


The mother of a 13-year-old boy who died in December was charged Thursday with felony cruelty to children in the second degree in connection with the death, police said.

Tamara Lynn Cope, 37, of 948 Haywood Valley Road, was released from the Floyd County Jail on Thursday after posting $1,250 bail, jail officials said.

Cope’s boyfriend, Bryan Edward Heath, 38, of 8 Ridgewood Drive, was charged with murder last week.

On Dec. 15, Cope left her autistic son, Andrew Charlton Hutton, at an Old Dalton Road residence with Heath, police reported.

In an interview with police, Heath told them the boy drowned after Heath left him unattended briefly in the bathtub, police said.

Cope, meanwhile, had left the home to buy marijuana, said Floyd County police investigator Mark Corbin. “She and Heath both admitted that was why she left,” he said. “Her charges are more neglect than

anything else. She put the child in a position of danger by leaving him with the guy.”

Andrew was pronounced dead at Floyd Medical Center on Dec. 15, said Coroner Barry Henderson. The GBI crime lab later called it a death by asphyxiation and declared it a homicide, Henderson added.

On July 7, Heath was arrested on warrants charging him with murder, malice murder and cruelty to children in the first degree, according to jail records.

He remained in jail Thursday with no bail set.

Corbin said Heath and Cope maintain the death was accidental.

During the autopsy, officials found numerous internal and external injuries — at various stages of healing — which Corbin said couldn’t be explained by Andrew drowning in a bathtub.

“He had a lot of injuries that ain’t been explained,” he said.

The case against Cope and Heath is related just as much to those injuries as the death itself, Corbin said.

“This was not based on just one day, but over a period of time,” he explained. “This was a fragile child, and anybody could see he needed a lot of attention and care. Right now, there are a lot of neglect issues, but some of the injuries could be intentional.”

Floyd asks state help for merger

County: Government merger shouldn’t depend upon schools


07/13/05
By Diane Wagner, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


The Floyd County Commission will seek a change to the state law that apparently bars a city-county merger unless the two school systems are combined.

“Consolidation is not going to happen in Floyd County unless you get the schools separated from the government,” Commissioner Tom Bennett said.

The board decided Tuesday to ask local legislators to explore options during the 2006 Georgia General Assembly session.

Legislative action has been considered before in trying to remove the schools from the consolidation mix, but it involved working within existing state law. Bennett said a change to the law could be welcomed by other governments, such as Valdosta-Lowndes County, where consolidation referendums have failed.

Commissioners stopped short of seeking additional legislation setting a consolidation vote for November 2006, agreeing it may be premature.

“We wouldn’t close any schools because they’re all full, but people opposed to consolidation have painted it like that,” Commission Chairman Chuck Hufstetler said. “Until we get the schools separated out, I think the referendum would fail.”

Instead, board members plan to draft a resolution supporting a future vote and to ask Rome and Cave Spring officials to do the same. The issue will likely be on the agenda for the next City-County Joint Services Committee meeting, which has not yet been scheduled.

Meanwhile, the county will continue funding a $168,200 feasibility study on the consolidation of Rome and Floyd County schools. The next phases will focus on how merging school administrations, instruction and operations could affect costs and the quality of education.

“I think there will be something in there that provides a payback; eliminating duplication of services even if consolidation doesn’t happen,” Hufstetler said.

Commissioner Garry Fricks voiced concerns about the lukewarm backing from the Rome and Floyd County school boards, but he joined Hufstetler and Commissioner Jerry Jennings in the 3-to-1 vote. A deciding factor was that the study was requested by the Rome-Floyd County Consolidation Task Force.

Commissioner John Mayes was out of town Tuesday. Bennett opposed paying for the study, saying it is an education issue and not a proper expenditure of county government funds.

“We have about as much business funding a study for the Polk County water system,” Bennett said.

Permanent SPLOST committee

Also on Tuesday, commissioners agreed to set up a permanent committee of citizens to make recommendations on special purpose, local option sales tax projects.

Voters rejected a $36.5 million SPLOST package last month, but officials blamed the controversial package, not the tax. Another proposal can be put on a ballot as early as June 2006.

“Forget about why the vote failed,” Jennings said in proposing the committee. “Most people believe a 1-cent SPLOST is good for the community — if the community supports the projects.”

Commissioners plan to ask Cave Spring and Rome officials to help establish the group as a joint committee with appointees from all areas of the county.

County to discuss study, OK cable deal

07/11/05
By Diane Wagner, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


Commissioner Jerry Jennings has requested time to discuss a new sales-tax package.
A new cable television contract and the continuation of a school system consolidation study are up for discussion at Tuesday’s Floyd County Commission meeting.

The commissioners hold their caucus at noon, with the regular session following at 2 p.m. in the Historic Floyd County Courthouse downtown.

Commissioner Jerry Jennings also asked for time to talk about a new special purpose, local option sales-tax package. Voters rejected a $36.5 million proposal in June, but a new offering could be presented as early as June 2006.

“We might want to do it in November (2006) instead, when we’ll have a higher turnout, but I think the time is right to start looking at projects,” Jennings said.

Meetings of the Rome-Floyd County Consolidation Task Force have been on hold until commissioners decide if they will fund the second phase of a $186,200 feasibility study on merging the two school systems. The first-phase survey indicated little support for the merger among local leaders.

The study was launched following a task force finding that consolidating the Rome and Floyd County governments would require consolidating the two school systems.

County commissioners have tried to find a way around the state law, saying their only interest is in a more efficient and frugal government.

“As a consolidated government, we would get an estimated $4 million more a year in utility taxes,” Commission Chairman Chuck Hufstetler said. “That could mean either more services or less taxes.”

Under state law, cities can collect fees from electric companies and other utility providers, but counties can charge only cable franchise fees.

Commissioners are expected to approve a new 10-year franchise agreement with Comcast of the South that will net an estimated $470,000 a year, following a public hearing at the meeting.

Perdue, challengers face first financial show-and-tell

July 8, 2005
Associated Press


ATLANTA (AP) — Gov. Sonny Perdue reported more than $6.5 million in the bank for his re-election campaign on Friday in the first big financial show-and-tell for an election still 16 months away.

Perdue, the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction, has raised $7.6 million so far, including about $4 million during the latest disclosure period, an aide said.

He is not expected to face serious opposition in the July 18 primary but two top state Democrats — Secretary of State Cathy Cox and Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor — are seeking the right to challenge him in the Nov. 7 general election.

Cox reported Friday she had raised $2.1 million during the period, with a balance in the campaign fund of $1.9 million.

``The support from across party lines and around Georgia is overwhelming,'' she said in a statement. ``It's a sign that Georgia wants new leadership and is ready for a governor who will focus on the issues that really matter in our state.''

Taylor announced that he has raised $3.3 million, including nearly $1.5 million during the latest reporting period, and has almost $3 million in the bank.

``I am honored by the widespread support the people have given me,'' he said in a statement.

But Perdue, too, laid claim to bipartisan support.

``We are humbled that so many Republicans, Democrats and independents from all parts of the state have joined Sonny and Mary's campaign at such an early stage,'' said Nick Ayers, executive director of Perdue's campaign. ``Mary'' is Mary Perdue, the governor's wife.

Schrader keeping up with Shorter

The college’s former president said the school shouldn’t make “assumptions.”


07/07/05
By Marc Dadigan/Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


Former Shorter College president Ed Schrader, who guided the school through most of its legal conflict with the Georgia Baptist Convention, said not all the latest news from the case is negative.

More than six months into his tenure at Brenau University, Schrader says he’s been keeping up with the case.

“I am somewhat encouraged by the comments I’ve heard

from the GBC’s attorney (Walter Bush),” Schrader said Wednesday while on a business trip to New York City.

“They seem to be saying they were going to let the board of trustees deal with the accreditation issue, which would be the best way to do it.”

Last Friday, the Georgia Supreme Court rejected Shorter’s request that the court reconsider its decision that restored the GBC’s power to select the school’s trustees. In November 2002, the college dissolved into a new organization to break its ties with the GBC, saying the Baptist association’s influence was threatening its accreditation.

GBC officials have said Schrader has exaggerated the severity of the accreditation issue to justify breaking the school’s ties with the Baptist organization.

Schrader said the staff and students should be patient with the transition process Shorter now faces.

He warned against anyone prematurely leaving the school before the situation is settled.

“I would hope that people would give things time to settle and evaluate where things are going,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any reason to make assumptions about the future.”

Schrader was a key player in the school’s struggle with the GBC. He left to become the president at Brenau Jan.1, in part because he said another administrator would be more likely to resuscitate the school’s relationship with the GBC after the Supreme Court decision.

Shorter and the GBC will eventually meet before a DeKalb County Superior Court judge to negotiate how to reorganize with a GBC-selected board. Schrader said Bush’s comments that the GBC intends to elect its trustees and then stay out of the college’s business is a good sign.

He also offered his best wishes to the new board and advised that they pay careful attention to the report from SACS and mitigate any of its concerns.

“I can’t predict how SACS will react to them,” he said. “They have to be careful how they approach this problem.”

During Schrader’s tenure, the college grew tremendously, nearly doubling its student body, starting a football team and expanding its academic and international programs.

Even with the prospect of a GBC-controlled board of trustees, Schrader said he felt comfortable about the future of his legacy at the school.

Floyd readies cable TV deal

A public hearing on the Comcast provisions is set for Tuesday.

07/07/05
By Diane Wagner, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


The Floyd County Commission is poised to sign a new contract with Comcast of the South that calls for more responsive customer service and the extension of cable service to some of the more rural areas of the county.

A public hearing on the provisions is set for the panel’s meeting Tuesday.

County Manager Kevin Poe said the 10-year agreement will net the county at least $4.7 million in franchise fees for use of its right of way. “That’s not adjusted for inflation and customer growth,” he said.

New in the agreement is a provision requiring Comcast to extend service to less populous areas, if there is a density of at least 28 homes per mile. Poe said the decision rests solely with the company under the current agreement.

“They’re not going to run a line a mile just to serve a few customers,” Poe said. “But we felt we needed to include some reasonable requirements related to the future expansion of their service.”

Customer service also is addressed with a set of standards covering property disruption, service appointments, outages, complaints and customer credits. The agreement provides for damages if Comcast fails to meet the standards, and the company must post a $10,000 performance bond.

Rates and programming are essentially left up to the company. “Those are the biggest complaints we get, but the county doesn’t have the right to regulate them,” Poe said.

The local franchising authority may regulate the basic tier of services, Poe said, but the company sets the rates on the other tiers.

A check of Comcast’s offerings on its Web site shows its rates for Floyd, Gordon and other counties in the Rome service area compare favorably with what the company charges others nearby.

The basic cable rate for Comcast of Rome customers is $9.71 a month, while Bartow County residents pay $14.90 a month to Comcast of Cobb.

Customers in Walker and Dade counties fall under the Comcast of Chattanooga service area and are not offered a basic rate. Their “preferred basic” package is $46.50 a month, compared with $44.99 from Comcast of Cobb and $43.99 from Comcast of Rome.

Floyd County’s new franchise agreement adds a second public access channel for local government or education programming. It also requires Comcast to provide free service to any county building, including the schools, if within 150 feet of cable lines.

Boards: Study not our issue

School boards respond to consolidation study queries

07/07/05
By Marc Dadigan, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


Both local school boards believe the fate of a $168,200 school consolidation feasibility study isn’t any of their business.

That was the sentiment expressed in a pair of concise and nearly identical responses the Rome and Floyd County school boards sent to the Floyd County Commission last week.

Thinking the schools might benefit from the data of a finished study, commissioners asked the school boards to weigh in on the issue. The commissioners started to doubt the need for the study after the $25,000 first phase concluded there was little community support for a school consolidation referendum.

“Our feeling was that it’s not our place to advise whether or not they should fund the study,” said Floyd County Board Chairman George Bevels. “I do think that the feelings of the two boards are pretty much the same on this.”

The commission’s original letter to the school boards asked three questions:

1. Would the boards use the study as a merging blueprint if consolidation was approved by voters?

2. Would the boards use the study in any future talks related to merging the two systems?

3. Would the boards use the study to determine ways the systems could merge certain common functions?

In their response to the first question, the school boards said a consolidated board would have to be formed after a successful referendum. Only that newly formed board could decide how to use the study.

For the second question, the school boards answered no, saying future consolidation talks should be handled by the Consolidation Task Force.

“It’s a matter of responsibility,” said Judy Sims, chairman of the Rome school board. “We have tried to be receptive to the process, but we’re not charged with doing many of the duties that the letter mentioned.”

Both boards also said they would be open to new ways of merging some services, but Rome board member Jim Greer said combining educational services isn’t analogous to merging sewer systems.

“I think that both superintendents are very open to working together, but we have different philosophies, different clientele,” he said. “We have different calendars, different class schedules, different approaches.”

Chuck Hufstetler, County Commission chairman, said he would have liked more depth to the school boards’ replies but added they are being understandably cautious.

“It sounded like if a study showed areas of duplicate services, they would be open to that,” he said. “I think it was needed for all five commissioners before they vote.”

The commission will vote whether to continue the study at its meeting next Tuesday.

A decision to abandon the study could damage the future of government consolidation as well, as state law would require a school merger to coincide with a merger of county and city governments.

COUNTY COMMISSION QUESTIONS AND SCHOOL BOARD ANSWERS

1. Would Rome City Schools/Floyd County Board of Education use the study as a blueprint for merging the two systems if the consolidation issue is passed by voters?

Rome BOE: The decision to use the study as a blueprint would be decided by a newly consolidated Board of Education.

Floyd BOE: A consolidated Board of Education would have a large number of factors to consider and items to review relative to the consolidation of the two school systems. The consideration of this study would be decided pursuant to the wishes of a consolidated Board of Education.

2. Would Rome City Schools/Floyd County Board of Education use the study information in any future talks related to merging the two school systems?

Rome BOE: Discussions regarding the consolidation of the two systems would most likely be conducted by a Consolidation Task Force. The Task Force would be responsible for the collection and analysis of information regarding consolidation.

Floyd BOE: It is likely that future consolidation discussions would be guided by a Citizen’s Committee/Task Force, just as is the case with the current discussions. The Task Force would make all determinations regarding future consolidations discussions.

3. Would Rome City Schools/Floyd County Board of Educations use the study to determine ways in which the two systems could possibly merge certain common functions such as food services, transportation, and facilities management in an effort to be more cost efficient and effective in providing these services?

Rome BOE: Rome City Schools and Floyd County Schools currently share some services. Rome City Schools provides summer school opportunities for Floyd County high school students that need to make up course work. Floyd County Schools offers a driver education program to Rome High School students each summer.

The Rome Board of Education is committed to offering the best educational opportunities for our students. If there is a way to reduce operational costs for food service, transportation, or facilities management without losing the responsiveness and/or the quality of services, we would certainly entertain that discussion.

Floyd BOE: As you probably are aware, the Floyd County Board of Education and Rome City Board of Education already “merge” some services. For example, this summer the Floyd County Board of Education is providing Drivers Education to students in both systems and the Rome City Board of Education is providing High School Summer School to students in both systems. The Floyd County Board of Education is consistently looking for ways to improve services and reduce costs. The Floyd County Board of Education would be interested in and open to considering suggestions or proposals from any creditable source.

City to vote on wrecker fee increases

Towing companies have requested changes in towing and storage prices.


07/05/05
By Alan Riquelmy, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


The price of an automobile accident is about to go up.

The Rome City Commission is poised to adopt a resolution at its 6:30 meeting tonight that will raise towing costs. The change, requested by local wrecker companies, will increase the price of services ranging from towing vehicles to daily storage.

“We didn’t do everything the wrecker companies wanted, but we did most of it,” City Manager John Bennett said. “This only affects those wrecker calls that go through 911.”

Pickup of a normal-sized vehicle will rise to $75 from $60 during the day and $65 at night. Daily storage fees are slated to rise to $14 a day from $12 a day.

“The cost of doing business for them has gone up significantly over the past few years,” Bennett said.

The last time a rate increase occurred was about five years ago. The ordinance has been in effect for decades.

Before the ordinance’s creation, wreckers reportedly would listen to the police scanner, racing off to be the first on the scene at a wreck.

The city’s towing-service ordinance changed that, putting wrecker companies on a rotation.

“The main thing this does, it’s a fair way to distribute the business,” Bennett said. “There’s a system, and everyone lives with it.”

The time limit wreckers have to get to an accident is also up for change, though the commission isn’t expected to vote on it until its July 18 meeting.

The ordinance currently requires wreckers to reach a wreck in 20 minutes. The proposed change will increase it to 30 minutes.

Bennett said a wrecker company would have to consistently miss the 30-minute deadline before being taken off the rotation list.

In other matters, the commission is expected to hear about the city’s 2004 comprehensive annual financial report tonight.

“(The auditor) had no real problems,” Bennett said. “The only real issue to deal with, and we’ve dealt with it, is Community Development fixed assets.”

Examples of fixed assets are property or equipment.

When fixed assets are bought with federal grant money, they must be accounted for in a special manner. The assets hadn’t been placed on the proper list quickly enough, Bennett said.

Judges consider drug court

Hope Ministry asks for help from $245,000 frozen for possible court

07/05/05
By Diane Wagner, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer


During the past 16 months, judges of the Floyd County Superior Court have earmarked more than $245,000 in fines to start a new drug treatment court.

Chief Judge Walter J. Matthews said they are still gathering data on similar courts in other jurisdictions but could be ready next year with a proposal for the Floyd County Commission.

“We’re still trying to decide if we want to establish one, but we don’t want to spend all that money and then ask the county for everything,” Matthews said.

The money comes from add-on fines paid into a County Drug Abuse Treatment and Education fund authorized by state law. County commissioners can tap a DATE fund to pay for any drug treatment or education program, but Matthews signed a court order freezing the Floyd County fund in February 2004.

Last week the County Commission suggested Hope Ministry ask Matthews to release some of the money for its parolee and probationer community re-entry program. Officials with the volunteer ministry sought $10,000 from the commission to help fund its rehabilitative services.

Commissioners also said some of Sheriff Tim Burkhalter’s plans to upgrade security in the courthouse might be funded with DATE money. Burkhalter said he wants to buy a new X-ray machine, estimated at $30,000, and staff the entrance with armed guards.

Matthews said Friday that security improvements are not eligible for DATE funding under state law. The Hope Ministry program is, and he said he would consider it, but the judges are leery of opening the floodgates.

“I’m not saying we wouldn’t help, but we don’t want to let that money dribble away,” Matthews said. “Funds are hard to come by (for a drug court), and we want to be fiscally responsible.”

Drug treatment courts are operating in several circuits, including Cobb County, Brunswick, Macon, Gainesville and Dalton. They typically are reserved for first-time drug offenders not charged with other serious crimes.

Instead of prison, offenders are sentenced to treatment, group programs, work or job training, drug testing several times a week and a weekly appearance before the drug court judge.

“They’re intended to catch people who might benefit from rehabilitation and divert them from the system, as long as they comply with pretty strict requirements,” Matthews said.

The testing, intensive attention and additional judge would cost more than the $245,436.53 in the fund as of June 28, but Matthews said a drug court could benefit the county in the long run. There are several ways the program could be tailored to local needs, he said, and the judges are monitoring the effectiveness of existing courts before they decide whether to seek the support of the County Commission.

Shorter out of legal options

07/01/05
By Marc Dadigan, Rome News-Tribune


Shorter College’s final legal attempt to free itself from the control of the Georgia Baptist Convention has failed.

The Georgia Supreme Court rejected today an motion from the college to change justices' ruling that restored the GBC’s power to choose the college’s board of trustees.

Shorter attorneys had filed a motion for reconsideration with the court June 7 in hopes of reversing the 4-3 decision that the college broke corporate dissolution law when it reorganized in an attempt to severe its ties with the GBC . “We knew that for t court to change its mind, that was going to be a big hurdle,” said Shorter President Harold Newman. With the court’s decision final, Shorter and the GBC will eventually meet before a DeKalb Superior Court judge to discuss the terms of returning to the old model of GBC selecting trustees.

The following is the official response from Shorter College

STATEMENT OF OUTGOING SHORTER TRUSTEE CHAIRMAN Shorter College has come a long way from its modest beginnings 132 years ago. It has been fortunate to have trustees, faculty, staff, alumni and friends who have been dedicated stewards of the College’s educational and financial well-being.

Today, Shorter College is at a crossroads. And, its faculty, staff and students are in the intersection. If there has ever been a time when the Shorter family needs to keep its perspective, it is now.

Briefly, the Georgia Supreme Court by a 4 to 3 vote has ruled improper the Shorter College dissolution which was central to its trustees’ effort to bring the college outside of the control of the Georgia Baptist Convention (GBC). This ruling became final today. The Shorter dissolution was in response to the position of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). SACS, as part of an accreditation review, questioned whether under the fifty year old version of the Shorter College charter the Shorter trustees met the independence requirements of SACS accreditation standards.

Ours has been a long fought battle in the courts. We have been aided by some of the best legal minds available. I single out for special thanks former Shorter President Ed Schraeder for his devotion to this cause and former Governor Roy Barnes for his uncompensated vital assistance in the later stages of the case.

We must now face the fact that we have lost the court struggle. Complete, absolute control of Shorter College will shortly be in the hands of new trustees selected by the GBC. The leadership of the GBC has on numerous occasions in the courts taken the position that Shorter really did not really have an accreditation problem with SACS. We will soon see whose position is valid.

To the Shorter faculty and staff, I do not need to remind you that you need to brace yourselves for the likelihood of difficult days ahead. I thank you for your steadfast devotion to Shorter despite considerable personal sacrifice. Be open minded in dealing with the new management. Your support system of Shorter Alumni and former trustees will not cease because of the change in control.

To the new trustees elected by the Georgia Baptist Convention and Shorter’s likely new President, Rev. Nelson Price, I say that you have my good wishes as you undertake to run a wonderful private, Christian college during a difficult time. You are being given control of a Shorter that shows more promise than at any time in her long history. I will remind you, however, that with your new power comes both responsibility and liability. Be prudent.

I must also be candid with present and past Shorter trustees. After the change in control, there will not be opportunities of effective service for many who have dedicated much of their lives to this small college. Though less significant, my family’s involvement with Shorter would also appear to be at an end. I am sure I await new challenges elsewhere in my Christian pilgrimage.

Gary F. Eubanks July 1, 2005

McChord forced to resign

07/01/05
By Marc Dadigan, Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer

CAVE SPRING — When Winfield McChord came out of retirement and first arrived at the Georgia School for the Deaf, he had no shortage of plans for the boarding school nestled on the edge of Cave Spring.

Among his many ideas were goals to expand the after-school activities, to boost enrollment and to create a program for students with behavioral disorders.

But after 19 months as GSD’s superintendent, McChord’s vision has been derailed.

He and six other educators at the state-run school were forced to resign earlier this month by the Georgia Department of Education, motivated by what McChord would only describe as “a conflict in philosophy.”

During a Wednesday interview, McChord spoke softly but still managed to smile even though he is leaving GSD with much left on the table.

“It’s a significant change, all the shakers and movers are in this group,” he said. “This is a new experience for me. I’m trying to learn and benefit from it.”

On June 13, three days after the school’s graduation, state officials arrived on campus to speak to a teacher about a disciplinary matter, McChord said. After finishing with the teacher, they brought in McChord and the six other GSD employees, asking for their resignations one by one.

Resigning with McChord were Paulette Bragg, director of instruction; Linda Godsey, director of student services; and four teachers: John Groth, Mabel Reid, Louise Osborne and Annie Shields. Those educators represent a large chunk of the staff for a school of about 100 students.

Cave Spring Mayor Rob Ware said Thursday he didn’t know much about the resignations but is saddened to see McChord leave.

“His understanding of deaf people is without question,” said Ware. “The school was affected in a positive way in the short time that he was there.”

GDOE Public Information Officer Dana Tofig said the state Board of Education had accepted the resignations but added he couldn’t comment further on personnel matters. The state will set up an as of yet undetermined interim leadership before finding a full-time replacement for McChord, he said.

The resignations were effective immediately, but McChord, who lives on campus, said he has until July 15 to clear out his office and move on.

“It’s only natural to have regret when you have dreams for something but you have to leave before you even get to take the first or second step,” he said.

Even though McChord had a truncated tenure he has left his imprint on GSD. He started the practice of bussing out-of-town students home every weekend, and last month the resurrected drama club staged its first public performance in decades, a sign language version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Rome resident Diane Rose has sent her daughter Kim to GSD for several years, and though she doesn’t know McChord personally, she lauded the school for its efforts.

“It’s the best thing in this area for deaf kids,” she said. “It just doesn’t work as well in the public schools when you have an interpreter following them around everywhere. They still have a lot of fine teachers.”

At a time when the trend is to integrate special education students into regular classrooms as much as possible, GSD remains an exception. Whereas deaf students might find it difficult to follow along in class or participate in sports at regular schools, deaf schools are one of the few places where they can communicate with every teacher and classmate.

GSD was founded in 1846, but its role in deaf education in the state declined significantly in 1971 with the opening of the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf in Clarkston. Up until that point, GSD had enrolled as many as 700 children from around the state.

Because the Atlanta school isn’t a boarding school, McChord said it’s important for GSD to provide the dormitory option, which offers more chances for socialization and activities.

Despite the state’s reservations about his work, McChord said he is optimistic the new administration will maintain what he started at GSD.

“I think regardless of philosophy, a new superintendent with the endorsement of the state will do well,” he said. “At least that’s my fervent hope.”

Though he can hear, McChord, 64, was born to deaf parents and was raised in Kentucky. He has presided over several renowned schools for the deaf around the world, including 20 years at the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Conn.

He came to GSD after a five-year period in which he suffered the deaths of his wife and parents.

“Even though it’s only been 19 months, you do lay down roots,” he said. “It’s going to be difficult to leave.”