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Change could be costly
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Editor:

I am writing concerning the conversion of the Southeast Probation Detention Center in Claxton into a Transitional Center for inmates transitioning out of the State Prison System. Bryan County presently contracts two crews from the Southeast Probation Detention Center saving Bryan County in excess of $400,000 per year in labor costs. I understand that crews are also located in Toombs County (2), Bulloch County (1), Tattnall County (2), Evans County (1) and with the DOT (1).

At a savings of $200,000 per crew another $1,400,000 is saved by the taxpayers of those counties per year as well. The Counties pay for the Detention Center personnel that work with the crews as well as providing transportation, gas and tools. If this transition takes place Bryan County stands to lose the two crews it contracts with at the present time. I have been told by the Department of Corrections that we will continue to get our crews, however, the closest Detention Center is in Twin City, making the trip 100 miles per day instead of 34 miles per day or almost four hours of driving time per day instead of one hour per day.

It has also been said that we might get our crews from the State Prison in Glennville. Presently our crews are considered probationers and working them at our parks has not posed a problem. Coming from the State Prison System we would be getting inmates who have been incarcerated for more violent crimes and who still have time remaining on their prison sentence. Personally, I don’t see why these transitional inmates can’t continue to be bused from Glennville to the Poultry Plant to work.

I understand that Claxton Poultry is presently transporting workers so why can’t they simply bus more if that is what they need and leave the Detention Center as it is and save the surrounding Counties over $1,800,000 per year in labor costs.

Pratt Lockwood, Director

Bryan County Recreation Department

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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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