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Lets enforce county zoning laws
Limerick Plantation
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Tax appeal dates: You can still appeal your property taxes. Dates for March are 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31. Call the tax assessors office and set up an appointment.

Zoning regulation ludicrous:
Setback lines for homes in Liberty County are supposed to be 15 feet, yet there is a man here in Lake George asking for a two-foot setback to place a 20'x60' detached garage in his yard. Guess what folks? It'll get approved. Ask and you will receive. Some of the decisions made by that board are ridiculous. If we have zoning laws, why aren't they adhered to? This board approves trailers next door to houses. It approved two singlewide trailers to have this monstrosity built over it and now it is abandoned. It approves homes to be built way above the height limit. It approves people to build near the marsh and put septic tanks down way under the limit of footage that they are supposed to be. If the board thinks I'm talking out of my hat, then prove to me that none of the above has taken place.

Rumor or truth? Hey commissioners, is it true you're going to waste more of our tax monies to purchase a piece of property at Cattle Hammock to build another marina? Who's going to benefit from that? We don't need another marina. We have two on the island already. What we need are more public ramps like the ones at South Newport and Sunbury. The one at Jones Creek Park needs to be torn down and one built closer to water that is there at low and high tides. The only other public ramp that I'm aware of is located at Chemtall and I'm not sure if it's even open yet. Maybe there is even property in Isle of Wight where a ramp could be built. Choose wisely Commissioners. You're already wasting our tax monies on a new courthouse.

Law doing its job?
I read with interest, Roger Wells' letter of March 7, praising our law enforcers. There's the key word -- enforcers. I don't know Chief Stagmeier of Hinesville, but I do know that they do give their all to try and keep law and order. The paragraph that caught my eye in Mr. Wells' letter was "All too often we hear of the scandals/turmoil/dissension within various agencies. That does not seem to be the case here." How about 1993 when a former Liberty detective was dismissed because of "blockage of memory?" How about a former Liberty County deputy being arraigned in 1995 on charges he fondled a local woman against her will and falsified the woman's police reports? Then there was the deputy who was disciplined after a prison inmate escaped from a hospital room that he was supposed to be guarding. Where were the deputies or sheriff when the prison inmate escaped through a ceiling tile? It stated that the sheriff was unavailable for comment. Then in 2001, two more deputies were indicted on separate charges. Then in February 2004, a deputy turned in his badge after threatening his wife's ex-husband. In May 2004, a former corrections officer pled guilty to disorderly conduct and was charged with three counts of felony sexual assault against a person in custody. I don't have the article, but I remember there was also a female officer fired after it was discovered she was shoplifting clothes and selling them to her fellow employees. Then in August 2005, a sheriff's lieutenant was discovered to be the person who stole a Liberty County bulldozer. So there you have it Mr. Wells.

Lots of stuff happening
: The 200-mile long yard sale starting at Perry and running to Brunswick begins today and ends Sunday. All of this takes place on Highway 341. Today is also the St. Patrick's celebration in Savannah. The first day of spring is March 20. Friday the 21st is Good Friday. Saturday, March 22, is the big Spring Garden Festival at Bamboo Farms. Sunday, March 23, is Easter. Plenty to do in the month of March.

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Visit with children a real eye-opener
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One of my favorite activities as a state senator is when I get to speak to students at our local schools. This year, I spoke to third-grade students at May Howard Elementary and Marshpoint Elementary in Chatham County and Button Gwinnett Elementary in Liberty County.
The students from each of the schools had been studying civics and were familiar with the three branches of government — executive, judicial and legislative. I explained my role as a senator in the legislative process and told the children how the citizen legislature in the state of Georgia works.
Presenting each of the schools with a Georgia state flag, I explained the three principles for which the state flag stands — wisdom, justice and moderation — and had them recite the pledge to the flag with me. 
The students at all three schools were bright, respectful and well-disciplined — a tribute to their families and especially to their teachers, who had prepared the students for my visit with ideas for great questions.
The students in Ms. Hutchinson’s class at Marshpoint Elementary were impressive in singing the preamble to the Constitution during my visit. What a great way to learn such an important part of our nation’s history — another wonderful example of the great job our teachers are doing.
I was delighted last week to receive thank-you letters from some of the students. Here are excerpts from a few of their letters:
 
Dear Mr. Carter,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come speak to us. I learned so much! I learned that there are two kinds of Pledge of Allegiances. That is pretty cool.
Do you travel all over the world do you? I really like that you taught me more about the three branches of government.
— Megan
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
Thank you for telling us about your job and your favorite thing about your job. I liked the Georgia state flag. I still have more questions. Do you have to work on Saturday and Sunday? Are you the only one who makes the laws?
Yours truly,
Ryleigh 


Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and letting us have a little bit of your time. I want you to know that I learned something new. The Georgia pledge! Justice, wisdom and modesty! Thanks again!
— Liam
 
Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and helping us learn more about the government and some of your job. Thank you for giving us a Georgia flag. It was fun when you came. Thank you for giving us some questions so we could answer them.
P.S. Did you ride in a limousine? I was going to ask you a question but then I forgot. But now I remember. How many rooms are there where you work? You can send me a note if you can.
Your friend,
Erin
 
I’m uncertain whether the students learned as much from me during my visit as I learned from them. One thing that I was reminded of was the honesty that comes from the innocence of childhood. I wasn’t quite sure how to interpret some of the questions, such as the one asked in this letter:
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
I loved your speech. Thanks for coming to our school. I think my favorite part was when we held the flag. It was so fun! I have a question: How many people voted for you?
Sincerely,
Shelly
 
I also was more than a little concerned about a recurring question in the thank-you notes that was posed to me during one of my visits by a beautiful, brown-eyed girl who, with a very serious look on her face, asked “Did you ever get re-elected be-fore?”


What a great group of young people! My faith and hope in our future has been reassured. What an amazing job our families and teachers are doing on a daily basis to support and encourage our next generation. Thank you for your dedication to teaching our leaders of tomor-row.

Sen. Buddy Carter can be reached at Coverdell Legislative Office Building (C.L.O.B.) Room 301-A, Atlanta, GA, 30334. His Capitol office number is 404-656-5109

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