Property Tax Reduction?

By far the most passionate and interesting request made during this morning's Budget Committee Meeting was the one made by Commissioner Tommy Pollard. While Commissioner Pollard is not a member of the Budget Committee he is a regular attendee of the meetings and when given the opportunity to address the committee he asked that every consideration be given to a reduction of seven cents in the property tax rate.
I am in full agreement with Commissioner Pollard's proposal and while this may seem like a small amount it would certainly be a huge step in the right direction.
The proposal was met by the committee, for the most part, with silence, before deciding that it was a matter that could not be considered before work on the budget for next year is begun.
After the meeting several other Commissioners I spoke with were in firm agreement with the reduction, among them were Commissioners Adams, Risner, Beets, J. Harwell. Others I did not get a chance to speak with may also be supportive.
I urge everyone to contact your County Commissioner and ask them where they stand on this issue and why. Don't wait until it's time to decide, start calling them today and if they are not for the reduction nicely suggest they reconsider. The county and all of government must return to the ideology that it exist to serve the people and not to be a master over the people. Allen Barrett

Babe Ruth Baseball Tournament

It was announced today that the Babe Ruth Southeastern Regional Baseball Tournament will be held here in Pulaski this summer. $2500.00 was requested and approved for this event.The expectation in that in addition to the favorable publicity and good will this event will bring there will be at least nine teams with family members that will be in attendance during that week of games. This should prove to be a big boost to our local economy. Allen Barrett

Request From Register Of Deeds.

The Register of Deeds presented a request that the County Budget Office take over that office's payroll for the next three months. This request was made because of the decline in revenue through that office. The standard practice of the county has been that the "Fee Offices" pay salaries out of their revenues and the excess be turned over to the county's general funds. This has allowed the "Fee Offices" to set their own salaries. The problem now is that revenues have decreased so much in this office they are not able to garantee enough income to meet salaries totally from those fees.
By putting the office under the Financial Management Office the salaries are guaranteed from County funds. This request was unanimously accepted.

A motion was then made that the county investigate and pursue the possibility of placing all fee offices under the control of the Financial Management Office.
Allen Barrett

Budget Committe Refuses To Spend Money On Turkey!

In one of the few times the budget committee has been unanimous in a decision to NOT spend money, today they refused a request by the TWRA One Shot Turkey Hunt Committee to pay $2500.00 for the turkey hunt dinner.
It was mentioned by Mrs Vanzant that this request was made the day before the dinner was held. In the past the group has been supported by allowing them the free use of the Courthouse and/or Ag. Park. It was felt that, as with other groups, this group should pay for their own dinner.

Also turned down was the request by the Bi-Centennial committee for an additional $1100.00 to purchase more brackets to hang banners from light post. $25,000.00 has already been given by the county to this committee. Voting against this expenditure were commissioners Flacy, Beets, Jackson and J. Harwell. Voting for the expenditure were Commissioners Campbell, Reedy and Holt.
Is there hope that future spending will be better controlled, only time will tell but there seems to be a new wind blowing in Giles County. Allen Barrett

NEW PROGRAM/CHALLENGE PROPOSED FOR THE COUNTY

A the Budget Committee Meeting this morning a program/challenge for the county was presented by Mrs. Beverly Murrey. In conjunction with the county celebrating its 200 year anniversary the county will be challenged to collectively lose 73,000 pounds, one pound for each day of the past 200 years. This program will be officially launched in a newspaper article in the next issue and a ceremony at the Gazebo on the courthouse lawn 4 April. Allen Barrett

Pulaski Police Activity!

This subject was submitted by a reader, it has been posted without any changes.

Why is Pulaski police dept. ticketing everything that moves? Seems that it is becoming excessive and stopping people for no legit reasons. Again, another request for blog topic.

What's Happening To Giles County?

This subject was requested by one of the readers. I have posted it just as it was submitted.
Several of the few factories we have left in Giles Co are reducing staff by early retirement, closing some shifts, closing for a week at a time, etc. Why is this happening here when Lawrence Co is adding industries and has active stores, etc. Same thing goes with Fayetteville. Those squares and stores are buzzing with shoppers while downtown Pulaski, even on a Saturday is dead! Persons who asked me to pass this on are suspecting for some reason we are not hearing about it in paper so asked that it come up for discussion on blog.