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Former Mayor's predictions for 2008
Liberty lore
CarlDykes
Former mayor, the late Carl Dykes
Radio station WGML celebrated its 25th anniversary broadcast on Dec. 9, 1983. WGML, which stands for Give Me Liberty, was founded by former Liberty County Sheriff Paul Sikes and Roscoe Denmark. It first came on the air at 7:15 a.m. Dec. 9, 1958. Denmark was the station’s first president and Sikes was its first secretary-treasurer.  
The station, a part of Liberty Broadcasting Co., Inc., was acquired outright by Denmark early in 1959 and its next general manager was Jim Watson. Watson later purchased the station. It changed hands many times within the next years. Bryan Steele and Robert Groover may well be remembered as some of the last announcers on the radio shows.
On its 25th anniversary broadcast, several people were interviewed. One of them was Carl Dykes. Dykes served as mayor of Hinesville from Nov. 1, 1971 to Oct. 31, 1979 and was elected to serve four more years from Nov. 1, 1983 to Oct. 31, 1987. Dykes was asked to make a statement about the future of Hinesville in the next 25 years. Here is what he had to say during his announcement:
“In 25 years, it will be 2008. I cannot, of course, say for sure what Hinesville will be like 25 years from now. I know what it was like in 1975 when the buildup started at Fort Stewart because I was mayor then. And, I know how much the city has changed in the nearly 10 years since. I am confident that there will be even more changes in Hinesville by the year 2008.  
I am sure the mayor and council will still be having zoning problems. They’re part and parcel of change and progress. But, in 1983, we’re coping with the problems. And, we’ll continue to pave the way to make the task easier for the mayor and city council in the year 2008.
I don’t think Hinesville will have a municipal auditorium by the year 2008. But, I feel sure they’ll be planning one. As a matter of fact, before I leave office, we might even start making such plans.  
We’ll do everything we can to expand public utilities to match a growing population in Hinesville. We must do that. But, we’ll try to progress in an orderly way so the individual citizen isn’t burdened with any more taxes than are absolutely necessary.
I think Hinesville 25 years from now will have a population exceeding 50,000. It will have an expanded police and fire department. Its business district will grow, and replace, in some cases, residential areas.  
I don’t think Flemington, Allenhurst and Walthourville will be a part of the city of Hinesville by 2008. But, because of their need for city utilities, police and fire protection, and other reasons, I think the mayor and council of Hinesville will be discussing the annexation of those three communities. It’s happened in other cities near large posts, like Columbus, Ga. and Fayetteville, N.C. And, it’s most likely to happen in Hinesville, too. But, I of course, don’t know when nor do I have any such plans at this time.
I send by best wishes to the mayor and city council of Hinesville in the year 2008.”
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