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Issue
9.71 | Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009 |
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TODAY'S FOCUS :: Be safe and alert during holidays ELLIOTT BRACK'S PERSPECTIVE :: Three instances of county's arrogance FEEDBACK UPCOMING NOTABLE ALSO INSIDE _::
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Meet a sponsor
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ABOUT US GwinnettForum.com is a twice-weekly online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA. Contact us today. SEARCH GWINNETT FORUM |
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TODAY'S
FOCUS SNELLVILLE, Ga., Dec. 8, 2009 -- Ahhh - the holidays. Time for gathering with family and friends. Time for feasting on homemade goodies. Time for winter to make its arrival. Yet also time to be conscious of potential holiday health hazards.
Toys: Be careful with those toys. Last year, an estimated 152,400 children under age 15 were treated for toy-related injuries in emergency rooms, reports the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. But, while children may want the latest and greatest toys without a second thought to safety, smart shopping will keep them happy and out of harm's way. Candace Greene, M.D., pediatrician at Emory Eastside Medical Center, says: "The smaller the child, the more oral he or she is. A lot of toys have moveable and detachable parts, and kids are drawn to them like a magnet. Some children may be allergic to the stuffing found in teddy bears and other stuffed animals, and there can be toxic reactions to some toys, too." For children under three, Dr. Greene emphasizes avoiding toys with small parts that can cause choking. Children under eight should not have toys with sharp edges or electric toys with heating parts. Look for labels with age and safety advice. And, immediately discard plastic packaging wrap, which can suffocate a child. Dr. Greene says: "Young children need an engaging toy, even if it does not have a lot of parts. It might not aesthetically appeal to an adult, but the right toy will entertain a child for hours on end. Adult supervision also is important, so limit the number of toys out at any one time and make sure toys appropriate for older siblings but not young children are kept out of reach." Decorating: Play it safe when getting all decked out. Holiday decorations add a happy, festive mood to the season. But, when used improperly, they can cause fire, injuries and even fatalities.
In this country, hospital emergency rooms treat about 12,500 people each year for falls, cuts, shocks and burns caused by faulty holiday lights, dried-out Christmas trees and other decorations. Christmas trees are involved in about 300 fires annually, leading to 10 deaths. There are more than 13,000 candle-related fires each year, resulting in 140 deaths. Dr. Matt Goldstein, medical director of Eastside's Emergency Department, says: "Decorating for the holidays is part of the culture we live in today, but some people get a little carried away and create potential hazards in the process. And kids are great imitators, so if they see mom or dad crawling on the roof or doing something else potentially dangerous, they will be inclined to do so as well." Consider:
EEB
PERSPECTIVE DEC. 8, 2009 -- We've heard several people talk about one unpleasant element of Gwinnett government -- the "arrogance" that the county shows in dealing with various problems that have come up lately.
We can illustrate this in three different instances. We've said it before, but the first indication that something was amiss at the county commission level came with the incident involving Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful. You may remember that the county asked GC&B to study and make recommendations on a better way for the county to handle its solid waste, that is, garbage. After studying the question for three years, and going through all sorts of scenarios, GC&B made solid recommendations to the county government……at generally lower costs to residents than had been charged in the past….only to have the county reject this well-thought-out plan. It also led to a deep schism between 30-year-old GC&B and the county government, a breech that has not healed today. What the county showed in this was nothing short of high-handedness in not trying very hard, so it seemed, to work with the GC&B plan which the county had first asked GC&B to do.. The second instance involves the city-county negotiations over delivery of essential services. These negotiations stalled and went to the courts since the county seemed to want to not cooperate, and even delay, and generally was not willing to compromise with representatives from Gwinnett cities. We all know government is the art of compromise, yet here the county seemed to want it "our way or the highway," refusing to come to any agreement with the 15 Gwinnett cities in this issue.
The upshot is still no required agreement, which creates complications for collecting taxes, and breeds ill-will between the county government and cities. And of course, the only people that "win" in such a refusal to compromise are….did you even wonder…the lawyers representing both sides. We hear that the cost to the cities alone is over $280,000 now….and still counting. The county must have incurred similar charges, since it hired outside counsel. Who is the eventual person paying these costs? You guessed it: the taxpayer, with city taxpayers being hit twice! The third came out of condemnation dealings between one family and the county, where the county seemed intent on being stubborn when taking a family through condemnation for property needed for expanding a highway out of Lawrenceville (toward Winder). The road widening project has cost the county dearly. The family felt its land, which the county wanted, was worth $586,000, and declined the county's first offer of $164,000, and later rejected a second offer of $240,000, so the county took them to court. A 12-person jury on Oct. 8, 2009, awarded the family $550,118, plus $73,844.53 in pre-judgment interest on the two cases. (Gwinnett County v. Quality Mechanical, and Gwinnett County v. Davis.) Again, it was the arrogant and uncompromising positioning of the county that came into play. All of
this, of course, and we haven't even mentioned the problems, the shenanigans
and round-about complications that the county commission brought on when
seeking to pass the 2009 budget. It doesn't make our long-time-smooth-running
government look steady and reasonable. And two members of this commission
have another year to serve, with three having three more years. We wish
for better news, but with the difficult economy, that may not be the case. ABOUT
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FEEDBACK My mother was the first wife of a serviceman in Pomona, Calif., to join her husband overseas (Puerto Rico) following the end of World War II. In order to get there, she had to take a train to Miami, then a plane to Borinquen Field in Aguadilla. Her train trip involved an overnight stop in Atlanta. She had great stories to tell about Terminal Station and the old Rich's Magnolia Room (tea and cinnamon toast). The less said about her hotel room the better -- suffice to say she slept on her coat on top of the bed. I was amazed to find out that both Union Station and Terminal Station had fallen. Thank heavens for the Reynoldstown and Inman Yards. Atlanta should be grateful for them and do everything to be sure they continue.
UPCOMING On the
heels of a recent 2009 re-budgeting approval, Gwinnett County Commissioners
will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2010 budget on Thursday, Dec.
10, at 7 p.m. in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center auditorium,
75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville. The public is invited to make either
oral or written comments on the budget at the hearing. The Board of Commissioners
is expected to make its final determination on the fiscal year 2010 budget
during its regularly scheduled meeting on Jan. 5, 2010. Mike Levengood to address "Success" breakfast Dec. 11 December's
"Success Lives Here" speaker, Mike Levengood, is someone who
has worked behind the scenes and in the public arena to improve Gwinnett
County. Because of his efforts, Gwinnett now has new and improved parks,
schools and roads, more high-wage jobs and some of the best future leaders
in Georgia.
The next "Success" breakfast will be Friday, December 11, 2009 at 7:30 a.m. at Sugarloaf Country Club in Duluth. For those who think there's not enough time to give back to the community, consider that in the past few years, Mike Levengood has been involved in the following:
When Levengood is not busy working to improve the county, his "real job" is at McKenna Long and Aldridge LLP. He joined one of their predecessor law firms in 1980, and has for 29 years focused on commercial and estate litigation, workouts and corporate reorganizations. Two groups present Suwanee Christmas Concert on weekend A Christmas performance with two combined musical groups will be held December 12-13 at 7 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' at 4833 Suwanee Dam Road, near North Gwinnett High School.
The 68-voice Sugar Hill Choir of The Latter-day Saints Church will be joined by the Gainesville First United Methodist Church Adult Ringers in a program entitled "Come to the Manger." This will be the fifth annual program by the Sugar Hill group. Pamela Gates is director of the choir, while Keith Jefcoat has directed the Adult Ringers for 10 years. This year's performance will feature a variety of music including traditional Christmas songs such as "Silent Night," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," and "Oh, Come all Ye Faithful." The Gainesville group of 13 experienced ringers is celebrating its 25th anniversary and last year released its professionally produced CD "Reflections" which is available for purchase. NOTABLE Two local educational institutions have announced a joint master's degree in business administration (MBA) with a health care emphasis. It will be offered by Brenau University at the Suwanee campus of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine beginning in March.
The new program allows anyone, including the college's first year medical students, interested in obtaining the advanced degree to apply to Brenau for admission to the graduate degree program. Medical students who enroll in the program will take a decelerated medical course sequence during the day and attend MBA courses in the evening. The classes begin in the coming spring term in 2010. The program is in response to the increasing need for business acumen in medical practice and to prepare physicians for a wide range of emerging careers in medical administration. The MBA portion of the program will be completed in two academic years. The PCOM curriculum will extend the sophomore year of medical study over two summer sessions and four semesters in a decelerated medical course sequence. Required health care management courses will be scheduled in the evening, weekend, summer session or on-line, to accommodate the half-time day medical curriculum. GA-PCOM students will begin the didactic phase of the MBA program in the Spring of their first year of medical study and will then combine daytime medical study with evening health care management study for the duration of the extended program. First year medical students at GA-PCOM will make application for acceptance into the MBA program near the mid-point of their first year of study. Brenau will accept GA-PCOM students' MCAT scores in lieu of GMAT scores and will also consider first year osteopathic medical course performance. Applicants to the program must have the approval of the Dean of the GA-PCOM osteopathic medical program. Final acceptance in the joint DO/MBA program rests with the Brenau director of the MBA program and/or Brenau administration. North Georgia nonprofit provides 80 small business loans The non-profit business lender, Appalachian Community Enterprises (ACE) of Cleveland, Ga., is on track to loan $1.5 million to 80 businesses this year. All were seeking funds to expand and will create or retain over 450 jobs. These customers include a sound and lighting company, an analytical lab, restaurants, a paving company and a staffing service. Green loan customers included an architect, solar installers and an organic farm.
Founder Grace Fricks says: "We decided we are here to help stimulate the economy, and while we can only make small loans, we can still do our part." The average loan is about $18,000; they range from $500 to $35,000. Applications can be completed online at www.aceloans.org or www.georgiagreenloans.org. Visit the sites also for more information. The non-profit, a U.S. Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), is an approved micro lender in 34 North Georgia counties. ACE also provides "Georgia Green Loans" in 51 counties, including metro-Atlanta. Georgia Green Loans are for small businesses that start or expand an eco-friendly product or service, "green" an existing business, or practice environmental sustainability.
GEORGIA
ENCYCLOPEDIA (Here is what the Georgia Encyclopedia says of Gwinnett's namesake, Button Gwinnett.) Button Gwinnett was one of three Georgia signers of the Declaration of Independence. He served in Georgia's colonial legislature, in the Second Continental Congress, and as president of Georgia's Revolutionary Council of Safety.
Gwinnett was born in April 1735 in Gloucestershire, England. He married Ann Bourne in 1757, and they had three children-Amelia, Ann, and Elizabeth Ann. Gwinnett arrived in Savannah in 1765 and became a merchant. After this venture failed, he purchased St. Catherine's Island and set himself up as a planter. He became active in local politics, winning election to the Commons House of Assembly in 1769. By 1773 Gwinnett was again in financial straits; he sold most of his personal property and possessions and withdrew from the political scene. The Revolutionary
crisis brought him back into politics. Gwinnett rallied the opponents
of the Christ Church Parish-led Whig Party, which until that time had
dominated the leadership in the emerging dispute with the British crown. In Philadelphia, Gwinnett supported separation from England. He voted for independence in July, signed the Declaration of Independence in August (along with other Georgians George Walton and Lyman Hall), and soon afterward returned to Georgia, where he became embroiled in political controversy. Disappointed in his military ambitions, Gwinnett continued to lead the opposition to the Christ Church Parish coalition, and when his followers gained control of Georgia's Provincial Congress, they succeeded in electing him Speaker. He played a key role in the passage of the Constitution of 1777 and began to purge the military of officers whom he and his followers deemed less than zealous in their enthusiasm for the Whig cause. This brought him into conflict with Lachlan McIntosh. After the death of Georgia's president and commander-in-chief, Archibald Bulloch, in February 1777, the Council of Safety appointed Gwinnett to succeed him. Gwinnett proposed a military foray into British East Florida, a defensive measure that he argued would secure Georgia's southern border. McIntosh and his brother George (who had opposed Gwinnett's election as president and subsequently had been arrested for treason) condemned the scheme as politically motivated. The expedition failed, and though he was not elected governor when the new legislature met in the spring of 1777, Gwinnett was exonerated of any misconduct in carrying out the campaign. McIntosh was furious. He publicly denounced Gwinnett in the harshest terms, and Gwinnett challenged him to a duel. Though each man shot the other, only Gwinnett's wound proved fatal. He died on May 19, 1777, and was buried in Savannah's Colonial Park Cemetery, though the exact location of his grave is unknown. Gwinnett County was named for him when it was established in 1818. Gwinnett's signature is one of the rarest and most valuable of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. (Georgia historian Charles C. Jones Jr. collected an entire set of autographs by the signers of the Declaration, including Gwinnett's holograph will.) In 1979 a letter signed by Gwinnett brought $100,000 at a New York auction; its value was estimated in 1983 to be up to $250,000. CREDITS GwinnettForum is provided to you at no charge every Tuesday and Friday. If you would like to serve as an underwriter, click here to learn more. Send
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TODAY'S
QUOTE "However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results."
Those interested in the history of Gwinnett need to know that the recently published book: Gwinnett: A Little Above Atlanta, has sold fast, with the first editions about sold out. Get yours before they're gone. Go to www.elliottbrack.com to order, or buy the book at a local bookstore shown on the site. The books are available at:
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