Georgia County Government - February 2008 - (Page 7)

President’sMessage ACCG Supports ACCESS Healthcare Coalition h is t i me of yea r, wh i le t he Georgia General Assembly is in full swing, most county commissioners are “caught up” with persistent policy concerns related to local transportation needs, and also with critical policy questions related to the future of water supply in local communities and throughout the state. The many tax reform questions we have in this session are also on the “front burner,” as readers have been reminded since summer. While all these policy concerns remain “hot button” issues, the need for health care access for all Georgians may be getting somewhat less focus, but also presents equally dire challenges to us all – challenges with which no commissioner is unfamiliar. The cost of disparities in the level of vital health care services available to Georgians who live in rural areas has been very high indeed. In this issue, a Focus on Progress story on Rabun, Habersham and Stephens counties outlines the critical factors jurisdictions within the Northeast Georgia RDC have identified as important to economic growth. Interestingly, in this story, the quality of health care in this region is highlighted as one of the primary keys to economic viability, right up there with adequate roads and bridges, a plentiful supply of water and attractive recreation opportunities. County officials within the Northeast Georgia mountains region are unanimous that major improvements to health care access have been instrumental to the region’s success, and will remain vital to its future. There is no region now in which leaders do not recognize the critical role of health care access. Right now, access to vital health care services is declining PRESIDENT continued on page 8 Association County Commissioners of Georgia President TOM McMICHAEL Houston County First Vice President VIRGINIA GRAY Clayton County Second Vice President JAN TANKERSLEY Bulloch County T Third Vice President LAMAR PARIS Union County Executive Director JERRY R. GRIFFIN Board of Managers 1st District JERRY SHEARIN, Paulding County 2nd District STEPHEN W. GOOCH, Lumpkin County 3rd District BURRELL ELLIS, DeKalb County 4th District GENE HARDWICK, Lamar County 5th District G. MELVIN DAVIS, Oconee County 6th District WILLIAM R. BLIZZARD, Baldwin County 7th District JOHN R. GRAHAM, Warren County 8th District CLINTON PERRY, Taylor County 9th District D. M. MULLIS, Laurens County 10th District CHARLES LINGLE, Dougherty County 11th District EUGENE DYAL, Bacon County 12th District JOHN McIVER, Liberty County Consolidated Government Representative HEIDI DAVISON, Athens-Clarke County At-Large MIKE BERG, Dawson County JAMES KHOURY, Peach County SAM OLENS, Cobb County HELEN STONE, Chatham County AARON VARNER, Newton County Active Past Presidents GLENDA BATTLE, Decatur County CLARENCE BROWN, Bartow County BILLY CROKER, Polk County JAMES V. HAM, Monroe County BENJAMIN HAYWARD, Mitchell County O. D. NETTER, Ben Hill County Ex-Officio NACo Board Members/Officers: JIMMY DIXON, Burke County RICHARD ENGLISH, Troup County Section Presidents Attorneys’ Section: WALTER ELLIOTT, Lowndes County Managers’/Administrators’ Section: PAUL BRYAN, Jefferson County Clerks’ Section: PAM GIBSON, Ware County Service Program Chairs ACCG Insurance Program Representatives (IRMA) JOHN STRICKLAND, Clinch County Group Self Insurance Workers’ Compensation Fund (GSIWCF) WALTER L. SANDERS, Greene County Pension Representative H. JAY WALKER, Houston County By Tom McMichael President ACCG is proud to be a member of the ACCESS Healthcare Coalition, which asks for adequate compensation for all providers in the health care industry and aims to insure access to health care for all Georgians. FEBRUARY 2008 www.accg.org 7 http://www.accg.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Georgia County Government - February 2008

Georgia County Government - February 2008 Contents President's Message County Matters Regional Focus on the Georgia Mountains: Rabun, Habersham and Stephens Counties DNR Commissioner Noel Holcomb Solid Waste Management in Georgia: New Challenges Ahead Essential Elements of Negotiating Professional Service Firm Contracts The Walker County Courthouse at LaFayette Extension News: Partnerships are Key to Conservation Education Research Corner: Interns: An Asset to Every County NACo News: Counties and Climate Change FAQs Georgia Flag to Travel to All 159 Georgia Counties State Announces Regional Recycling Hub Grant Awards Abraham Joins ACCG Support Staff County Parade ACCG Launches e-Magazine Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - February 2008

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