Technical differences delay settlement of procedure
By SPARKY NEWSOME editor

Just when all seemed agreed between the Wilkes County Board of Commissioners and the Wills Memorial Hospital Authority, technical differences in differing resolutions adopted by the two boards have further delayed final settlement of the appointment procedure.

That final settlement is dependent upon both bodies adopting a joint resolution outlining the desired procedure. However, following the June meeting of the Commissioners, a county resolution was adopted that did not state the same points as one prepared by the attorney for the two bodies. While the two resolutions were very similar, there was one "substantive difference" in the county's document that, according to Attorney Charles LeGette, "did not reflectthe original intent."

The county resolution was prepared by County Administrator David Tyler the same day as that meeting (June 14) and signed by himself and Commission Chairman Sam Moore. However, the resolution provided that the Hospital Authority "submit two (2) nominations for each member of the authority to the Board of Commissioners when an appointment is due." LeGette and Hospital Authority Chairman Lawrence Burton pointed out that the original letter to the commissioners had indicated a requirement of only one or more nominations per vacancy. It did not, however, specify the number.

The other version of the resolution, prepared by LeGette, specified only one nomination per vacancy.

LeGette took the blame for the disparity and assumed responsibility for taking too long to prepare the resolution for both bodies to adopt. He suggested that the Commissioners adopt his version of the resolution because it had already been proposed and discussed at the most recent meeting of the Hospital Authority. Further, it more accurately reflected the original intent of the letter and the agreement reached at the June 14 meeting.

Commissioner John Howard asked if the Authority has a problem with submitting more than one name in nomination for a vacancy.

"If I were a commissioner, I would want only one because you might make somebody mad unnecessarily," Burton replied. "But I still think the Commissioners ought to have the final say." Burton explained that if the Authority was required to invite two people to be nominated, they would have to qualify the nominations by explaining that one would not be selected by the county. Someone would be disappointed or offended in every instance whereas, in the case of single nominations, only a rejection by the county would run that risk.

"It's hard enough to get good people to serve anyway," Burton continued, "and it compounds the problem to have to get two or more. I just can't see anything to be gained by doing two."

Following some further discussion and a little confusion over just how to best accomplish the adoption of a truly joint resolution, the Commissioners approved the resolution as prepared by LeGette and discussed by the Hospital Authority. However, it was to be amended to provide for "one or more nominations per vacancy."

The resolution will now go back to the Hospital Authority for final adoption. Other parts of the resolution remain as reported earlier.

All of the commissioners were present for the regular August meeting at the Wilkes County Courthouse on Thursday, August 9, at 2 p.m. They are Divenski Lee, Donna Hardy, Moore, Howard, and Jerry Stover. Also present were LeGette, Tyler, Burton, Jenna Bunch, EMS Director Blake Thompson, Chief Deputy Mike Sisson, and a number of visitors.

Jay Guarino, representing the engineering firmof WKDickson, reported that bids had gone out and a contract had been awarded to Wiley Brothers Construction of Thomson to complete work on the east taxiway at the Washington-Wilkes Municipal Airport. While Wilkes County has no previous experience with Wiley Brothers, Guarino said the company was "highly recommended by people in Thomson," is fully bonded, and is currently working on a similar project at the airport in Thomson.

Final paperwork for the funding of the project by the FAA is expected soon and, on Guarino's recommendation, the commissioners gave Chairman Moore the authority to sign as soon as it arrives in order to expedite the project's completion.

Guarino also mentioned that there are already plans to build a similar parallel taxiway on the west side of the airport as soon as funding becomes available.

In making a number of appointments to various positions in the county, the commissioners approved the following:

l Barry Goolsby, Albert Rucker, and Sparky Newsome were reappointed to the Airport Commission.

l J.W. Boatwright was reappointed to the Georgia Forestry Board.

l Cathy Dinneweth was reappointed to the Mary Willis Library Board.

l Clay Walker, Kyle Brown, Cindy Bounds, and Roger Harper were reapppointed to their positions on the Planning Commission.

l An appointment to the Mental Health Board was postponed until some contact could be made.

Moore reported that the state's Local Assistance Road Program (LARP) is expected to provide funding for resurfacing on parts of Flat Rock Road and Scull Shoals Road. The chairman said that other parts of Scull Shoals Road will be done with Sales Tax money.

"We have 200 miles of roads that are in pretty bad shape," Moore commented, "and with rising costs we can't afford to do much in any one year."

He said that the Department of Transportation uses a system of "scoring" the condition of roads in order to determine which ones need repair most urgently. Currently on the list of roads to be scored are the Metasville Road (to Metasville but not all the way to the county line), Gold Mine Road, Floral Hill Road, Mallorysville Road, West Road, and Holliday Park Road.

Moore predicted that Metasville Road will be the next to benefit from LARP funding.

In other business, the commissioners:

l Adopted a Fire Service Cost Recovery Ordinance which, at no cost to the county, will help recover costs incurred when local firedepartments respond to fireemergencies.

l Heard Tyler's report that Local Option Sales Tax received for the month of May was $66,663.00 and Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for the same month was $103,585.46.

l Heard Thompson's report that EMTs responded to 222 calls during July and that the hospital had also kept them busy with a lot of transfers. Thompson also reported that he is working to teach CPR and First Aid to all coaches involved with the various sports programs at the Washington-Wilkes Parks and Recreation Department.

l Heard an expression of need for another full time tax assessor. "We just went through budgets and there is nothing budgeted for that at this time," Moore explained.

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