TODAY'S ISSUE
Change necessary for successful effort in any organization
By Sharon Rigsby, president, Gwinnett Technical College
and Bill McCargo, vice president of community relations, Scientific Atlanta
Special to GwinnettForum.com

AUG. 11, 2006 -- In Rosabeth Moss Kanter's book, World Class, the world-renown expert on strategy, innovation and leadership said, "Change is debilitating when done to us, but exhilarating when done by us."

This is true of the times we are living today. If there's one lesson we've learned over the years at both Scientific Atlanta and Gwinnett Technical College, it's that the most successful organizations change or re-invent themselves on a consistent basis. The world is not static. It's dynamic and perplexing. That can also be said of communities.

That is why the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and Scientific Atlanta are partnering with county and municipal governments, the education, business and healthcare communities to create a long-term visioning strategy for positive change. The initiative is called "Partnership Gwinnett: A Shared Vision for the Future."

Rigsby

Today, Gwinnett leads the state of Georgia in job creation, enjoys one of the best and most diverse school systems in the Southeast, benefits from great leadership at the municipal and county government levels, and will soon become the largest county in Georgia. While there is much to be proud of, Partnership Gwinnett will ensure this success continues and that our stature as one of the nation's premier communities to live, work, and play continues.

We know that the key to long-term prosperity is staying focused on clear attainable goals that are developed by a wide range of stakeholders. They must also be periodically updated to reflect important changes in the community and the world beyond.

In embarking on this process, our partners are demonstrating a commitment to long-term prosperity and a willingness to ask tough questions.

McCargo

Partnership Gwinnett's strategic planning process will help Gwinnett answer some of these critical questions:

• How can a clear consensus be created on "what kind of place" Gwinnett County wants to be?
  
  
• How can community leaders continue to achieve economic growth while also sustaining the high quality of life in Gwinnett County?
  
  
• Are there plans and strategies that need updating to reflect the changes that have occurred in Gwinnett County in recent years?
  
  
• How can Gwinnett County maximize its resources - including land, infrastructure, intellectual capital, and natural resources - to ensure quality growth in the decades to come?
  
  
• Can Gwinnett County offer destinations for visitors and residents without losing sight of the economic needs of its citizens, particularly those requiring training and workforce assistance?

These questions represent the beginning of an engaging dialogue that will capture both Gwinnett and metro Atlanta residents' attention during the strategic planning process. The resulting shared vision will help us identify the means by which regional communities like ours can achieve long-term economic success and community well being.

At the end of the process, we will have a long-term, comprehensive community and economic development strategy with a variety of issues and strategy options designed to build a stronger and more diverse economic and community structure.

Change is exhilarating when done by us - and necessary to compete in a global environment if we want to continue to provide the economic prosperity and high quality of life we've come to expect in Gwinnett.

Partnership Gwinnett marks a historic opportunity for Gwinnett and gives everyone the chance to address issues openly and play an active role in shaping the future of our county and our region. Through surveys, Web sites, and community leadership meetings, everyone is invited to participate and share their thoughts on what Gwinnett's future holds.

This is your county and your future. For more information on Partnership Gwinnett and to learn how you can get involved and take our online survey, visit www.partnershipgwinnett.com.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Eliminating auto tag tax is nothing but hollow proposal
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

AUG. 11, 2006 -- For years Republicans have touted themselves as the conservative guys, wanting to get elected so as to cut into the taxing Democrats. But the way Republicans are acting these days, indeed, you will need a score card to make sure which team they are playing on.

Brack

The latest venture is the absurd idea of eliminating property tax on automobiles. Don't get us wrong: if not needed, eliminate the tax. But the way some Republicans are going about it, seeking to eliminate it will cause many problems, the most obvious being stepping all over local government's rights.

Rep. Mark Burkhalter of Alpharetta, no less than speaker pro-tem of the House, suggests the idea. Understand that the ad valorem tax on automobiles is levied primarily by the counties, to help fund local government. Only 0.25 of a mill on the car tax goes to the State of Georgia. These taxes bring in to local government more than $500 million annually. That's no small amount for counties.

Here's the crazy idea: Rep. Burkhalter wants to eliminate the local auto property tax, and have the State of Georgia reimburse the local governments out of the current state surplus.

What? Yes, reimburse from the state surplus.

We see two major problems with this move.

First, it's good to have a surplus. But the state should either tax us less on other collections (like sales tax), or put that surplus into its Rainy Day Fund for the days when times are not as good as they are now.

Secondly, is Rep. Burkhalter a true Republican? What happened to the concept of the simplest tax is the best tax? What happened about the idea that the government closest to home is better than one a distance away? Why should one government (the county) stop collecting a tax so that another government (the state) can reimburse them from what it collected? Who's to say how long the reimbursement would last?

What it amounts to is a "hollow issue" by Rep. Burkhalter and his Republican cohorts to make it appear that they are eliminating a tax on automobiles. But in effect, the state is collecting from us too much tax for other purposes, and then taking that amount of tax and returning it to local government.

Where's the savings?

Is this smoke-and-mirror season?

Last year the Republicans touted a plan to eliminate local school taxes, and let the State of Georgia send back tax money for local schools. That got shot down quickly by educators. That would have eliminated the chance that local School Boards could decide how much tax was needed for local instruction.

A county needs local funds to run its government. The best way to get those dollars is for the county commission, not state government, to judge what should be in the local budget, and set the local ad valorem property tax rate, to get that amount of monies.

A 2000 study by the University of Central Oklahoma said auto tax relief was unlikely to promote economic growth. Virginia, where the governor was elected on the hollow issue of auto tax relief, is having trouble reimbursing the local counties to the extent thought possible.

Mess with any tax law, and somebody's ox is getting gored. We all want low taxes and efficient government. Sending money to the state to be returned is not the route. This proposal ought to die as fast the proposal eliminating local school taxes died.

Saying it's "tax relief" is nothing less than Populist and hollow. Our legislators can spend their time better than trying to fool us with such tactics.

* * * * *

The House Committee considering the legislation includes Chairman Mark Burkhalter (R-Alpharetta), and members Melvin Everson (R-Snellville), Mike Coan (R-Lawrenceville), Jeff May (R-Monroe) and Martin Scott (R-Rossville).

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McLEMORE'S WORLD
8/11: The thing about Joe ...

The latest from cartoonist Bill McLemore:

FEEDBACK
8/11: Remembers fondly her brother in a seersucker suit

Editor, the Forum:

My brother has sported a seersucker suit for more years than I can remember, beginning when he was in his late 20's. Although he sometimes gets strange looks, he always looks cool and crisp. He completes his ensemble with a straw hat - really!

Recently, due to a little weight gain, he needed to replace his old suit with a new one. Much to his delight, he found one at the Brooks Brothers outlet in Dawsonville. In fact, they offer the suit in several colors - but he opted for his usual light blue stripe. (Personally, I liked the gray stripe, and neither of us liked the pink stripe.)

I hope I can find similarly-minded folks in the Seersucker Suit Society and can put my brother in touch with them. Meanwhile, I'll continue to celebrate his uniqueness.

-- Bunny Drueke, Snellville

8/11: Asks for widespread public discussion on school calendar

Editor, the Forum:

I would hope that the recent columns on the school calendar would promote a more widespread discussion among school board members, administrators, teachers, parents and other concerned Gwinnett citizens on the significant challenges facing our educational system.

While the safety of our children should be paramount, I think the discussion of education should not be driven by extra-curricular activities (football, band, drill teams, etc), although they play a significant role in providing balance in a child's development.

Costs, such as energy usage in the month of August versus June, should always play a role in educational decisions but that line item probably pales when compared to the lost opportunity costs associated with capital expenditures that yield less than 70 percent utilization rates. Perhaps a broader discussion of school financial issues would focus on the return on our educational investment.

Certainly "semantics" and "resistance to change" are problems facing society as a whole and therefore permeate the educational discussion as well, but should not be the drivers in a broader discussion.

Concerned parents, complaining about the start of a school year, the weight of a backpack or any other issue affecting their child, have every right to be heard but those discussions are too parochial.

For a number of years now the Gwinnett County School System has been consistently high in any statewide excellence of public education measurement. This is certainly commendable, but fraught with the danger of complacency. So maybe it's time for us to accept the responsibility of a leader and begin a widespread discussion on the value of year round schools.

Never happen? Perhaps. But without a measured intelligent discussion on this and other broader education initiatives, we will never achieve the future that we desire for our children and grandchildren. What better forum to host that discussion than the Gwinnett Forum?

-- Patrick Malone, Snellville

8/11: Hard work rewarded as group finds children wield power

Editor, the Forum:

On a recent Saturday, Terry Jones, Mamatha Gavini, Nancy Brideau and Frank and I, of the Greater Gwinnett Group, plus neighborhood children Chrissy, Vicky and D.J. Ennest and Samina Uddin, came together for a stream cleanup.

Working hard, despite heat, humidity, abundant overgrowth, mosquitoes and poison ivy, by 10:30am, we had collected seven trash bags, in addition to two tires, rusted barbells, an old kiddie wading pool, and rusted lawn chair frames.

While we were working, State Senator Curt Thompson stopped by to thank us and encourage us to keep up the good work in his district.

Later, after the cleanup, we had a picnic lunch for the neighborhood children volunteers, including a few more, too, so that they could be part of such an important event. The neighborhood children promised not to litter and to help keep the neighborhood clean.

Hearty thanks also go to assistance from Gwinnett County and Robertson Sanitation. Michael O'Shield of Gwinnett County's Adopt-a-Stream program provided organizational support and information, including safety considerations, what participants should wear and expect, etc. He also gave us a list of contacts to pick up the collected trash. Brooke Mears of Robertson Sanitation made the arrangements to pick up the collected trash, including the two tires.

Never underestimate children and their influence! Within a few days, the neighborhood children had made good on their promise. What a pleasant surprise when I found that someone had cleaned off the dirt and grass from along the side of the street and had cut down some of the overgrowth (including some privet). Then I found out that the "someone" was the father of one of the neighborhood children picnickers.

It's refreshing to know that neighborhood pride and caring for the environment still exist and are not lost on our younger generation. As an old song goes, "It only takes a spark …"

-- Annette Gelbrich, Norcross

8/11: Says ergonomists also find interest in school back packs

Editor, the Forum:

It's interesting that you mention back packs and injuries to the back by students carrying an overload of stuff. We see them every school day, bent at a 40 percent angle carrying what looks like their worldly possessions like some refugee from another country.

The Applied Ergonomics community, largely made up of certified ergonomists, consider this a major national issue and will address it at the upcoming Applied Ergonomics conference in Dallas in March of 2007. For people interested in more on the subject, they can go the the Applied Ergonomics community web site, www.appliedergo.org as well as to www.ergoweb.com for related articles and products that can save young backs.

I can also put you in touch with some expert ergonomists if you want to interview them for any other follow up to the story. I think parents should know the choices they have.

-- Elaine Fuerst, Norcross, Marketing Director, Institute of Industrial Engineers

UPCOMING
Gwinnett Chamber launches strategic visioning partnership

Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce is launching a long-term strategic community and economic development plan. Entitled "Partnership Gwinnett: A Shared Vision for the Future," it seeks to develop a consensus vision for Gwinnett's future growth and an action plan to achieve it.

The initiative will kick off at a Community Leadership Meeting at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, August 22 at the Scientific Atlanta Auditorium in the Busbee Center at Gwinnett Technical College. At that time, a detailed economic and demographic profile will be presented, benchmarking Gwinnett with the region, state and nation.

Businesses and residents are also encouraged to take an online survey that can be found at the project's web site at www.partnershipgwinnett.com prior to August 18.

At the end of the six month process, Gwinnett will receive the foundation of a long-term strategic community and economic development plan from Market Street Services, a economic development consultant.

The project deliverables will include an Economic and Demographic Profile, Competitive Assessment, Target Business Analysis, Community and Economic Development Strategy, and Implementation Plan.

Title Sponsor of Partnership Gwinnett is Scientific Atlanta. Other organizations helping make Partnership Gwinnett possible include BellSouth, Brand Banking, City of Berkeley Lake, the cities of Dacula, Duluth, Snellville, Sugar Hill and Suwanee, Georgia Power, Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful, Gwinnett Community Bank , Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau, Gwinnett County, Gwinnett County Schools, Gwinnett Medical Center, Gwinnett Place CID, Gwinnett Technical College , Gwinnett Village CID , Highway 78 CID, Jackson EMC, and Merial.

NOTABLE
Regents approve Georgia Gwinnett getting $28 million library

Georgia Gwinnett College will be getting a $28 million library to open in the spring of 2009.

The Board of Regents recently voted to approve funds for the library. The technology, media and library facility, or Learning Resources Center, as it will be called, will be strategically designed to meet the needs of 21st century students by providing innovative resources and integrating state-of-the-art technology. The facility will include computer and distance learning labs, and a faculty teaching and learning center, plus services traditionally provided by a university library.

Georgia Gwinnett President Dan Kaufman says: "It is a part of Georgia Gwinnett's charter to approach education in the 21st century with innovation. We will be looking for distinctive ways to design this facility." The library is critical for Georgia's newest four-year college to acquire SACS accreditation status and as such, was designated by the Regents as a priority project to meet the strategic needs identified by the University System of Georgia.

Linda Daniels, the university system's vice chancellor for facilities, says that "Projects on the construction funds priority list represent the most pressing needs that will have the biggest impact in the System." Approval of this new facility is a part of the chancellor's plan to align the System's resources with the board's identified strategic priorities.

If approved by the general assembly, the 124,000 square-foot facility is slated to break ground spring 2008 at a cost of $28.3 million.

Kaufman added, "We appreciate the support of the Board of Regents in recognizing this critical priority with Georgia's newest institution. Earning accreditation status is vital to Georgia Gwinnett's students qualifying for financial aid."

RECOMMENDED
Park Café, on the Square, Duluth

"If you get a chance to dine in Duluth, try the Park Cafe on the square, just across from the City Hall. My friend and I had dinner there Tuesday night, both of us hungry but not interested in a heavy meal. We each ordered the crab cake appetizer -- a generous, lump crab cake topped with layers of sweet potato crisps and house-made slaw, enhanced by a roasted red pepper remoulade sauce. Very tasty.

"I added a second appetizer, the applewood bacon-wrapped black tiger shrimp, dipped in barbecue sauce, and artfully displayed using a trio of panko-crusted onion rings -- the best I've ever eaten -- six of the large shrimp make a satisfying appetizer or entrée. My friend had the she-crab soup -- redolent with lumps of crab meat and declared to be 'bowl-scraping worthy'....we're interested in returning to the Park Cafe to try their Fisherman's Wharf, a sourdough bread bowl with a crab cake on the bottom, then layers of shrimp, scallops, and fish on top with a white wine sauce -- sounds interesting!"

-- Sharon Dawson, Dahlonega

• An invitation: What Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus what book you plan to read next. --eeb
  
  

GEORGIA TIDBIT
Carter Center focus to advance peace and health worldwide

The Carter Center is a nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization established in Atlanta in 1982 by Jimmy Carter, former president of the United States, and his wife, Rosalynn, to advance peace and health worldwide. The center has helped to improve life for people in more than 65 countries.

In partnership with Emory University, the center applies academic research to action-oriented projects aimed at advancing a broad-based concept of human rights and alleviating human suffering.

In its first two decades of operation, the center gradually expanded its programming from an initial focus on conflict resolution and the promotion of peace to an array of activities defined by the center's motto: "Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope." Focusing on two main action areas-peace and health-the center's programs aim to give the world's poorest people access to skills and knowledge that can improve their own lives and to help countries permanently sustain these solutions. Although the center has hosted many high-level conferences on important global issues, a requirement is that all such meetings result in action plans leading to results.

In this way the center achieved a track record of achievement during its first 20 years, citing among its milestones: the observation of 45 elections in 23 countries; helping farmers double or triple grain production in 15 African countries; creating avenues to peace in Bosnia, Ethiopia, Haiti, Liberia, North Korea, Sudan, and Uganda; preventing unnecessary diseases in Latin America and Africa, including reducing cases of Guinea worm disease from 3.5 million to fewer than 50,000 worldwide; and making significant headway in the effort to diminish the stigma against people with mental illness by raising public awareness.

Citing the center's achievements in conflict resolution, human rights, election observation, and disease control, as well as President Carter's negotiation of the Camp David accords between Egypt and Israel during his presidency, the Nobel Peace Prize Committee named him the 2002 Nobel Peace Laureate.

• To access the Georgia Encyclopedia, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
  
  

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Considering just what is important that is broadcast

"All of the books in the world contain no more information than is broadcast as video in a single large American city in a single year. Not all bits have equal value.

-- Carl Sagan (1934 - 1996), US astronomer & popularizer of astronomy.

• Another invitation: What's your favorite saying? Share with others through GwinnettForum. Send to elliott@gwinnettforum.com.
  

MORE: Contact Gwinnett Forum at: elliott@gwinnettforum.com

© 2006, Gwinnett Forum.com. Gwinnett Forum is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA.

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GwinnettForum.com
Number 6.36, Aug. 11, 2006

TODAY'S ISSUE: Chamber's Visioning Effort Seeks To Keep County Up to Date
ELLIOTT BRACK: It's Smoke and Mirror Tactics Legislator Is Proposing
McLEMORE'S WORLD: Elephant and Donkey Talk About Lieberman
FEEDBACK: Four Letters on Four Different Subjects, All Interesting
UPCOMING: Gwinnett Chamber Launches Strategic "Visioning" Plan
NOTABLE: Regents Approve Georgia Gwinnett Getting $28 Million Library
RECOMMENDED: Park Café, on the Square, Duluth
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Carter Center Focuses on Health and World Peace
TODAY'S QUOTE: One Way To Look At What Is Being Broadcast


TRASH COMPACTORS: Children chipped in to help clean up a recent stream in Gwinnett. In front is D. J. Ernest, while others helping included Nancy Brideau, Senator Curt Thompson, Terry Jones and Mamatha Gavini. All this led to a surprising turn of events. See Feedback for more detail. (Photo from Annette Gelbrich).

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