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DNR board stripped of another voice
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Editor,

 

Sally Bethea, Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (www.chattahoochee.org), was kicked off the Department of Natural Resources Board by the Georgia Senate last week. The Department of Natural Resources Board makes critical decisions regarding the preservation and protection of our waterways and land.

Ms. Bethea is the third advocate for our natural resources to be removed from the Department of Natural Resources Board in the past five months. The two others, Sara Clark and Ralph Callaway, were removed after trying to help prevent rules that would weaken protections for the marsh.

Ms. Bethea’s dismissal, along with the others, sends a clear message: too many of our politicians are working with big business and developers to silence voices calling for cleaner air and water in Georgia.

Three Senators from southeast Georgia, Senator Tommie Williams (Lyons), Senator Eric Johnson (Savannah), and Senator Jack Hill (Reidsville) were on the Senate committee that completely ignored Governor Perdue’s recommendation and struck Sally Bethea’s name from his list of appointees.

It is absolutely critical that you let these senators and the Governor know that you want a DNR board that will protect and preserve clean air and water. Our state officials should be working to serve the interests of all Georgians -- not just a handful of powerful industries and fat cat developers.

Chandra Brown

Executive Director of Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper.

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Showing gratitude for service
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Dear editor: Another election cycle is finally over and the voters of Bryan County have spoken. We will have three new county commissioners in January 2011.
My congratulations go out to Jimmy Henderson of District 5, Carter Infinger of District 4 and Wade Price of District 2. I look forward to working with them as we continue to take care of the business of the county.
All three races were contested, which gave the voters a choice of who they wanted as their commissioner. Those who did not prevail in this election are to be applauded for offering themselves as candidates.
Our county owes a debt of gratitude to retiring commissioners Rick Gardner with eight years of service, Blondean Newman with eight years of service as a commissioner and 30 years as tax commissioner, and Toby Roberts with 18 years on the county commission.
These three spent many hours establishing policies and procedures for our county government and many meetings with state and local officials to achieve the best possible outcomes regarding our county on numerous issues. Their many years of experience will be sorely missed.
I well remember the first time I ran for public office and lost. Sometimes those who are not elected are the winners because they don’t have to go to all the meetings – that is said with tongue in cheek, of course.
After my loss, someone sent me the following quotation from President Theodore Roosevelt, which I keep on the wall in my office:
“It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, if he wins, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
And my wish for all the citizens of Bryan County is to have a truly blessed Christmas and a prosperous and happy New Year’s.

Jimmy Burnsed
Chairman
Board of commissioners

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