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Saturday, Mar. 20, 2010

Political Notebook: Case of mistaken identity

The U.S. census is a chance to look into the future and also remember the past.

The census forms now in mailboxes can tell the government how to spend $400 billion a year, such as where to build roads and hospitals, County Commission Chairman Sam Hart said.

But County Commissioner Lonzy Edwards said he has had a much more personal experience with the census. In 1970, he was running around with a red-white-and-blue satchel as a census taker. One man refused to work with him, declaring, “I’m not going to cooperate with you.”

Turns out the man thought Edwards — now a minister and a lawyer — was with the Internal Revenue Service.

Shaheen talks at Robins prayer luncheon

Warner Robins Mayor Chuck Shaheen spoke at a Robins Air Force Base prayer luncheon this week in a show of cooperation between Shaheen’s municipality and its largest employer.

Shaheen spoke for about 20 minutes, describing in personal terms his own abiding Christian faith.

“I’m going to be a Christian long after I’m a mayor,” he said.

He also reiterated that Robins is the “heartbeat of our city.”

“Every decision I make needs to revolve around Robins Air Force Base,” Shaheen said.

Y’all be good

During the pre-council meeting before the Macon City Council voted on the property tax increase Tuesday, Council President Miriam Paris took a moment to remind the council of the importance of the night’s agenda and to encourage members’ best behavior.

After all, the eyes of the city would be upon them.

“If you all behave, I promise to buy you all,” Paris said, pausing, “ice cream.”

It must have worked because all was well around the horseshoe that night.

Postscript to the council’s property tax vote night

After the Macon City Council’s Tuesday meeting, Councilman Erick Erickson addressed his peers — and the largely empty room — to say he’d originally planned to resign because of his new gig on CNN but that he’d be staying.

Councilman Mike Cranford jokingly jeered. Oh, and you know what else? Erickson has a book deal, too. It’ll be titled “Red State Rising,” and is not about communist zombies, he said, but rather an economic study about decreasing the size of government.

And after Erickson shared his news, Councilman Charles Jones took a moment to wish a happy birthday to Councilman Alveno Ross.

Unfortunately, Ross had already left the building.

Bibb embracing the Internet

Bibb County’s IT staff revamped the county’s Web site at www.co.bibb.ga.us to make the pages easier to navigate, said Grant Faulkner, the department’s leader.

Though the new site went up on March 8, the staff is still incorporating suggestions from site visitors.

Next up: Community movies highlighting area attractions, economic development opportunities and quality of life.

Faulkner said he also wants to post more information about government activities.

Area residents get state appointments

Gov. Sonny Perdue appointed a number of Middle Georgians to state posts this week.

Among them: Bonita “Bonnie” Parker, 63, of Forsyth, was named to the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists. She is a licensed professional counselor in private practice.

Elizabeth W. Hardin, 49, of Macon, was appointed to the State Board of Accountancy. She is a CPA and an administrative partner at McNair, McLemore, Middlebrooks & Co.

Richard K. Mullis Sr., 58, of Payne City, was named to the State Board of Barbers. A former mayor of Payne City and founder of the Small Town Mayors Association of Georgia, he owns and runs The Barber Shop in Macon.

Edsel D. Davis, 66, of Macon, was named to the State Board of Veterinary Medicine. He is the owner and president of Northside-Wesleyan Animal Hospital.

Gene Dunwody Jr., 46, of Macon, was named to the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors as the architect representative. He is a partner at Dunwody/Beeland Architects.

Dr. Lee T. Woodall, 55, of Barnesville, was named to the State Medical Education Board. He practices family medicine and is chairman of the Lamar County Board of Health.

Staff writers Chris Horne, Mike Stucka and Thomas L. Day contributed to this report.