THE PHONE BOOK BEATS THIS CREW

President Obama’s administration reminds me of William F. Buckley’s comment that he’d rather be governed by the first 400 people in the Boston phone book than the faculty of Harvard University.  And with good reason, look at the lack of common sense coming from the Obama administration.  While almost 60% of Ronald Reagan’s advisor’s came from the business world, only 10% of President Obama’s have real world experience.   He has surrounded himself with “book smart” people, who, like himself, have barely run a lemonade stand.  

Look at the handiwork of these “elites.”  The American people have demonstrated they’re far smarter than Obama and his advisors, by opposing the administrations “half baked” ideas; to spend $1 billion and shut down Lower Manhattan to try Khalid Sheik Mohammed in a civilian court, to marandise the Christmas day bomber after questioning him for only 50 minutes while he was bragging he’s just one of many, to persecute CIA interrogators who helped keep us free from attack for 8 years, by bringing them to court, to impose a cap and trade tax, that would kill the economy and increase the price of electricity  and gasoline for all Americans, and to insist on  government health care that would turn the entire  system upside down when all that’s needed is a few simple adjustments,  like tort reform, tax breaks for individuals and purchasing insurance across state lines.

My concern is that we have an inexperienced book smart president surrounded by inexperienced book smart advisors.

Conrad Quagliaroli Woodstock, GA

COX: DON’T CUT SCHOOL YEAR

The Department of Education was recently asked to give the House and Senate thoughts about what should be done if the revenue continues to decline and we are faced with even more of a deficit. One possible consideration mentioned in a meeting was to shorten the school year. I believe there is a need for clarification about the Department of Education's position regarding the state budget. I maintain that drastic and severe cuts hurt teachers and students and negatively impact the progress we have made in recent years. If there are further cuts to QBE (school system funding) then we can't expect things to be business as usual. While we fully recognize the severity of our revenue shortfall, we are not in favor of additional cuts to public K-12 education.

It is unrealistic to think that you can truly retain 180 days of quality instruction for students if all ten days of pre- and post-planning for teachers are cut. Expecting teachers to begin and end a school year on the same day students do is like a restaurant manager asking staff members to show up at the same time the first customer is to be served. That manager knows that if dinner service starts at 5:00 you better be willing to pay your chef to come in for preparation a few hours earlier. And when have you ever seen the staff leave the restaurant at the same time as the last customer? That restaurant would not be successful. Similarly, teachers need preparation time to be successful.

I appreciate the diligence of the legislators and the seriousness of their exploration of all the issues and all the options. We will continue to work with them to find the best solution for our state.

Kathy Cox, Atlanta

MARCH IN MILTON

March is here, and it appears we've seen an end to the very cold winter the city has had this year. That's a good thing for a number of families, including my own, which have children at Milton's Bell Memorial Park and the City of Milton/Hopewell Youth Association spring baseball program.

Games start March 6, and if you've been to the fields you know how busy it can be there. But it sure is great to see the kids having fun and run into other friends and parents from across the city.

In many ways, the park is a reflection of Milton - a growing and diverse place. And so that we at City Hall know just how much we've grown, I'm asking you all to keep an eye out for the 2010 Census form. It should be arriving at the beginning of March in your mailbox.

This study is especially important for Milton, as it will be the first Census conducted since the city's incorporation. Getting an accurate population count is vital to planning for our city's future. And don't forget about the state and federal funds that flow into city coffers each year, totals which reflect population counts.

If you don't send in the form, Census workers will drop by your home and make the count themselves - and while they're certainly nice folks, that's a whole lot of work and expense that can be avoided. For a full rundown of what to expect from this year's Census, visit the city's Web site. We have a recently launched Census area that's full of useful information.

That's not all you'll find in your mailbox this month. The city will also send out its Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment survey, which should arrive within the first two weeks of March.

This too is a vital planning document, ensuring the city has a firm grasp on what citizens want when it comes to parks. I'm certainly not alone in wanting more for our citizens to address their recreational desires.

Well, that's about it for this month. Know that City Hall is always open to your concerns, questions and maybe even a little praise. Stop by and tell us what you think.

Milton Mayor Joe Lockwood

DERITO DID HIS JOB – DETRACTORS WAY OFF BASE

I am writing in response to some of the media coverage of the Alpharetta High School scoreboard and the involvement of Doug DeRito.

While I thought the Beacon article took a balanced and thoughtful approach, other coverage seemed to be crafted to create a controversy.  For example, the allusion was made that Mr. DeRito was pushing through the scoreboard agreement because his son plays for Alpharetta.  AHS is the high school for Alpharetta.  Mr. DeRito lives in and serves the city of Alpharetta.  He is an involved parent and citizen.  Where better to devote time and energy than our school?  It might be a story if he was doing a deal for Roswell or John\'s Creek high schools; not for Alpharetta. 

Also, being involved with both AHS and the city, I can attest that there are no programs or initiatives that are handled by one person. There are typically multiple layers of review and approval.  Those implying that Mr. DeRito snuck a deal through with his personal influence are, at best, mis-infomed. Thank you.

Jarrett Long, Alpharetta

DERITO WITCH HUNT?

I have been watching the apparent McCarthy like witch-hunt that is going on in our town and so I am writing this letter in support of Councilman Doug DeRito. I know DeRito and have personally witnessed his tireless dedication to our citizens and community. I have witnessed his character on many occasions and I assure you that his character is beyond reproach. 

I have also watched these recent events (like Richard Belcher’s WSBTV report) unfold and believe that there are unfounded, misrepresented and undermining accusations. But worse, they are not only unfounded, but also destructive and wasteful.  Not only are they frivolous but actually harmful and counter to the very objectives that we are trying to build in our community.  Therefore I can only conclude that those claims must be driven by some other motive than the benefit and well being of our community. To this end I am providing these points:

Alpharetta High School is the City’s only High School and vital component of our society – building and promoting our high school has a direct and specific benefit to our residents, communities, and businesses.

During the time period in question, DeRito's voting record clearly indicates he has always represented the best interests of our City and not that of any special interest group. Councilman DeRito's voting record actually shows he maintained a strong voting record to uphold our City's requirements and nowhere can one find his votes in conflict with any donations made to Alpharetta.

DeRito has an impeccable record and has served our community for over nine years, nine years in which we have grown and thrived. He has over 30 years of impeccable public service.

So, I have concluded, that DeRito helped our high school and therefore community, had no personal benefit, and acted including voted in the best interest of us, just like he has for the past decade. So it is time for malicious, politically motivated, and contrived accusations be put to rest so that we can move forward and focus on our real challenges at hand.

I applaud your paper for providing a balanced and objective view and I hope you will continue to fulfill your role in this specific incident so that our citizens are completely informed.

Lee Wagner, Alpharetta

WOOD: CENSUS MEANS MONEY

It is important that every Roswell resident be counted in the U.S. Census this year.

   
The federal government allocates more than $400 billion dollars to local governments each year, based upon the census.  The more Roswell residents that are counted, the more money Roswell receives to help pay for our schools, roads, parks, and programs for seniors, children, and the disabled. 

The census form will be mailed out in mid-March.  It is easy to fill out.  It only asks ten questions and takes less than 10 minutes to complete.  Your answers to these questions are strictly confidential as a matter of law.

Thank you for answering the census form and helping us keep Roswell the best place to live in Georgia.

Mayor Jere Wood

ROSWELL’S DORVEE HONORED

Steve Dorvee, an intellectual property litigation attorney with Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, was once again selected for the 2010 Super Lawyers list.  This is his seventh consecutive selection to the annual list.

Only a small percentage of lawyers in each state earn such recognition.

The Super Lawyers research process involves surveying lawyers, peer reviews, conducting independent evaluations of candidates and checking on good standing and disciplinary records. Evaluation is based on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement.

Dorvee leads the Intellectual Property & Technology Practice Team and formerly chaired AGG’s Litigation Group. He has litigated cases throughout the U.S., and  Dorvee and has extensive experience in information technology litigation, including many hardware and software defects cases. 

“It is a great honor to be recognized is this manner by my peers," Dorvee noted.