Gwinnett Forum.com -- Gwinnett County's community forum and idea exchange

TODAY'S ISSUE
Blackout emphasizes U.S. needs reliable electricity
By Paul Wood
President and CEO
Georgia Electric Membership Corporation
Special to GwinnettForum.com

OCT. 14, 2003 -- For a couple of days in August, it seemed the whole world wanted to learn all it could about "the grid" - how it works, what happens when it doesn't, how to keep it from failing.

All of that "education" will serve a useful purpose if it succeeds in helping Americans understand they should never take for granted the reliability of electricity delivered to them, 24/7.

October is National Co-op Month and a good time to remember that reliable service is the foundation of the co-op's business.

Thirty-nine of Georgia's 42 electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) get their power over transmission lines provided by Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC), the not-for-profit cooperative that transports electricity from generation source to the EMCs. The EMCs then distribute electricity to customers.

The remaining three EMCS in Northwest Georgia get their power from the Tennessee Valley Authority. All 42 electric co-ops play a major role in assuring high standards of reliability for all customers.

Those transmission lines that criss-cross Georgia are owned and operated by the Georgia Integrated Transmission System (ITS), a unique business arrangement, unmatched in any state. Participating with GTC in the operation of the ITS are Georgia Power, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and the City of Dalton. Although the lines and substations are owned and maintained by the separate ITS owners, they are operated as one system. This efficient arrangement assures that no lines are built unless they serve the current and projected needs of Georgians.

If our state keeps growing at its current rate, we'll have 10 million residents by 2010 and perhaps as many as 12 million by 2020. We do not have the option of withdrawing within our borders and saying, "no more growth." All Georgia utilities have an obligation to plan ahead to meet the new demand, and to build the infrastructure needed to continue the highest standards of electric reliability.

An irrefutable lesson from the recent blackout is simply this: the nation must have an adequate transmission infrastructure. Georgia Transmission Corporation invests an average of $100 million annually in new and upgraded infrastructure. Such investments include new transmission lines, substations, and other state-of-the-art equipment.

The image of millions of people across eight states and Canada, stranded without power and in some cases, simply walking home in August heat, left a lasting impression on all of us. Your local EMCs are committed to working to make sure that unfortunate experience is not repeated here.

Electricity cannot be stored on a shelf like most consumer products. We have to be ready to meet demand - on demand. That means, if co-ops are to be responsible and meet the expectations of their customers, they must plan ahead and build the infrastructure necessary to maintain high standards of reliability.

Frankly, your local cooperative renews its commitment to reliable service - not just once a year in October - but every day of every year.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Cities of county developing more parks, green space
By Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com

OCT. 14, 2003 -- Open and recreational space is becoming more important in the life of Gwinnettians, more and more people are now realizing.

Most of the focus for this type of "undevelopment" is county government itself. Currently, Gwinnett has some 2,280 acres of active parkland, with 5,320 acres of passive land, or green space.

Yet the cities are coming on strong with a new realization of the need for this type of public lands. A quick survey of several (not all) Gwinnett cities found this information about such land.

Buford: Buford in the last year has purchased some 22 acres of green space, and plans more. It bought the property from the Allen Estate with SPLOST funds. The city owns little recreational land, though it leases a 30 acre site from the American Legion as park and recreational land. It also maintains about a two mile area along the Southern Railway as green space, an estimated 50 acres.

Dacula: Maple Creek Park consists of 17 acres under development on McMillan Road. In addition, the city has 10 acres of open space on Old Auburn Avenue (a closed landfill site); and 18 acres of open space and wetlands near Highway 316.

Duluth: There are seven park areas in the city, as well as open space. The city is requiring every parcel being developed to have a 20 per cent set-aside of undisturbed green space. An option is for the developer is to pay the value into a green space fund of the city, which last year generated $300,000.

Altogether, Duluth has 176 acres of parks; 230 acres of green space mostly along the Chattahoochee River; and about 300 acres of privately-owned open/green space within the city.

Lawrenceville: The city has two public parks, plus several tracts of green space. Rhodes Jordan Park has 110 acres, while Park West on Stone Mountain Street is 11.9 acres.

Lilburn: The focus of last weekend's Lilburn Daze, Lilburn has a 10 acre City Park, adjacent to City Hall, plus a 15 acre Lions' Club park off Rockbridge Road. In addition, the City designated 15.71 acres of Poplar Street on Killian Hill Road as permanent green space when given the property by John F. McNally.

Norcross: Ball fields, plus Thrasher Park and Rossie Brundage Park, give the city about 30 acres of recreational. There are another 11 acres within the city considered green space. The city recently purchased 7.5 acres of green space centrally located off Holcomb Bridge Road/Barton Street, to be left natural except for walking trail.

Snellville: The centerpiece here is Briscoe Park, some 80 acres devoted to active interests. In addition, Baker's Rock has 30 acres of green space; while North Park green space is five acres. The South Gwinnett Athletic Association field consists of 23 acres, but is not owned by the city.

The City Center project includes 2.3 acres of Town Green to be permanent greens pace and a gathering area. Another 100+ acres come from conservation subdivision ordinances

Sugar Hill: Over the last year, the City of Sugar Hill has spent approximately $450,000 upgrading 30-acre E.E. Robinson Park, with amphitheatre, upgraded sports lighting for three ball fields; new fencing; and lighting of tennis and volleyball facilities. Planned next year includes additional fencing, grading and improvements for the same park. The Town Green, completed in 2002, was a $400,000 project, topped with a four-sided elevated Berdin clock with carillon chimes. In addition a 25 acre green space on Appling Road, which City Manager Bob Hail considers "pretty vertical," is being left in a natural state.

Suwanee: Some 28 acres of Suwanee is dedicated to parks and recreation. Since Suwanee voters approved a bond for open spaces in 2001, the City has acquired about 200 additional acres of open space.

Key element in Suwanee is Town Center Park, a downtown-style park at Buford Highway and Lawrenceville-Suwanee road, to serve as Suwanee's primary gathering space. It is expected to be completed in December.

The city has purchased a 24 acre tract, the largest single owned undeveloped property, in Historic Old Town; and purchased a seven acre parcel along Buford Highway featuring multiple natural springs and streams for "open land." It is also starting work on a parking area, meadow and unpaved trails at Suwanee Creek Park, where much of these 85 acres will remain in a natural state. A two mile extension of the Suwanee Creek Greenway is also underway.

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FEEDBACK
10/14: Says some groups have larger axes to grind

Editor, the Forum:

Your recent article about eminent domain from Cleveland, Ga, and the HOPE group: I don't know if there is any thing to what this guy is talking about or not.

I do know we in Georgia have a great power system that is the least costly in the country. If Georgia Power and the others are required to make the changes this group wants, our power costs will skyrocket. I am not in any way connected to the utility industry, but I have found most of these type organizations have a larger ax to grind than the one they talk about. You need a comment from Georgia Power or the Public Service Commission from someone that knows more than most of us average people.

-- Chuck Brack, Sugar Hill

10/14: Ramifications of report on searching in Iraq

Editor, the Forum:

After months of searching and the expenditure of millions of dollars, David Kay, the head of the Iraq Survey Group, has just presented his report on his search for Iraqi weapons. He found what was essentially a vial of Botox which had been in a scientist's refrigerator for ten years. Until last year, Kay was vice-president of Science Applications Corporation, a major recipient of taxpayer largesse in the form of huge contracts in Iraq, including a $650 million contract to supply services for the US army and run a US propaganda radio station in Iraq.

In the meantime, BBC News, on October 9, 2003, reports that Condy Rice is saying that new evidence uncovered by weapons inspectors proves Iraq had posed a serious threat and that the invasion was justified. She stated that the
report that was presented to US lawmakers last week provided "hard evidence of facts that no one should ever have doubted." And Bush gave a speech in New Hampshire saying Iraq "will no longer be a breeding ground for terror, tyranny and aggression."

Perhaps Bush and Condy are just visiting from another galaxy - or did they not read the report?

-- Charles Prendergast, Los Angeles, Calif.

CALENDAR
Congressman Scott plans town meetings here Saturday

Congressman David Scott will convene two Town Hall Meetings on Saturday, October 18, 2003 to hear directly from constituents of both the Norcross and Lawrenceville areas.

During the Town Hall Meetings, Congressman Scott will discuss with residents their concerns regarding such issues as the economy, national security, education, health care, transportation, immigration and jobs. He will also share how he has been working in Congress on these and other important issues.

The Norcross meeting will be at the City Hall at 10 am, while the Lawrenceville meeting is set for 2 p.m. at the Gwinnett Justice and Administrative Center auditorium.