Brunswick News
Date August 17, 2007
Section(s) Letters
Walter Geiger, in his guest editorial column, writes about his memories of trips to Jekyll Island. Thousands of Georgians would love to add stories of their own to his. Most of these same visitors would agree with Geiger that Jekyll's aging hotels need to be updated or replaced.
What Geiger fails to consider is that the losers in the developer free-for-all he proposes for revitalizing the island would be the tens of thousands of Jekyll's long-time visitors who are drawn to Jekyll because of its unique character and affordability.
Mr. Geiger, get with the program!
The kind of development that is being courted by the Jekyll Island Authority's Board would be most unfriendly to the conventions you would like to see return to Jekyll. Can the folks attending the Georgia Rural Water Association's convention afford $250 a night hotel rooms?
Is this what you, Mr. Geiger, deem "affordable" for the average Georgian? If you answer yes to these questions you are out of touch with the Jekyll Island of your youth and the Jekyll Island that is cherished by tens of thousands of its visitors. Jekyll needs responsible stewardship from the JIA Board.
That stewardship includes the responsibility of upholding Jekyll's affordability mandate and embracing, not disenfranchising, the clientele that has sought out Jekyll as a vacation and convention site for decades and decades.
Margery Rubin
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Thursday, August 16, 2007
08/15 - Good people on Jekyll
Date August 15, 2007
Section(s) Letters
Which heyday are you speaking of reaching?
I have read with great interest the recent letters and editorials concerning the fate of Jekyll Island.
My family resides in Alabama and we have vacationed on Jekyll for a number of years.
We are an "average" family much like those that Jekyll is presently mandated to be affordable to.
Rep. Steven Davis' latest comments beg the question, which heyday would he like to return Jekyll to? Is it the one over 100 years ago when Jekyll was an exclusive club?
It would seem to be that when you look at the proposals for new developement.
Some of the comments made in support of expensive hotels and condos seem to insinuate that the state of Georgia is somehow discriminating against "above average families" by Jekyll not having more expensive lodging.
Replacing affordable lodging with more expensive rooms only serves to exclude, not include, families.
There are fancy hotels and condo developements all along the Georgia coast,
I would hope that the JIA and Georgia's governing officials realize that presently they have a resource that everyone can use and enjoy regardless of income and will work to keep it that way so that visitors to your fine state will always have a reason to return.
Paul Patterson
Gurley, Alabama
Section(s) Letters
Which heyday are you speaking of reaching?
I have read with great interest the recent letters and editorials concerning the fate of Jekyll Island.
My family resides in Alabama and we have vacationed on Jekyll for a number of years.
We are an "average" family much like those that Jekyll is presently mandated to be affordable to.
Rep. Steven Davis' latest comments beg the question, which heyday would he like to return Jekyll to? Is it the one over 100 years ago when Jekyll was an exclusive club?
It would seem to be that when you look at the proposals for new developement.
Some of the comments made in support of expensive hotels and condos seem to insinuate that the state of Georgia is somehow discriminating against "above average families" by Jekyll not having more expensive lodging.
Replacing affordable lodging with more expensive rooms only serves to exclude, not include, families.
There are fancy hotels and condo developements all along the Georgia coast,
I would hope that the JIA and Georgia's governing officials realize that presently they have a resource that everyone can use and enjoy regardless of income and will work to keep it that way so that visitors to your fine state will always have a reason to return.
Paul Patterson
Gurley, Alabama
08/15 - Senator expecting answers
Date August 15, 2007
Section(s) Local News
By HANK ROWLAND
The Brunswick News
State Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, says he's waiting for the Jekyll Island Authority to respond to questions he has about a past action it took and about the future of the state-owned island.
Chapman wants to know, among other things, what the authority hopes to gain by handing a developer $10 million in incentives to build and operate a new hotel complex on the island and how it plans to keep the island within the price range of Georgians.
Chapman is particularly interested in hearing what the authority has to say about the incentives it's giving Trammell Crow, developer of a proposed $90 million, 540-room hotel-condominium complex with meeting space, restaurants and spa. The development will replace the aging Buccaneer Hotel.
The authority approved a $10 million rent abatement package for Trammel Crow in July.
"I want to know how giving away $10 million helps them and helps Jekyll become what it needs to be," Chapman said.
Ben G. Porter, chair of the authority, defended the package earlier, noting that the new development will more than make up for the incentives because it will yield millions of dollars more in tax and lease revenue than the current facility.
Chapman also is concerned about any plans to replace existing hotels with high-end accommodations and the ability of state residents of average income to be able to enjoy one of Georgia's assets.
"I don't want the authority to lose sight of the original intent of this public asset," Chapman said. "It was bought for the average Georgian of average income. That includes an overnight stay.
"The board is obligated, empowered, to do everything necessary to make that happen."
Bill Donohue, executive director of the Jekyll Island Authority, said Chapman - who wrote the JIA a letter - will have his answer this week.
"I spoke with (Chapman) today and told him he would receive our response on Thursday," Donohue said Tuesday.
Chapman is not the only one concerned about affordability. Keep Jekyll Island Affordable, a campaign headed up by Jekyll resident David Egan, is collecting signatures everywhere it can to show Gov. Sonny Perdue and the authority that Georgians are watching what they do.
"In the brief span of time we've been conducting our campaign, we have secured over 2,000 petition signatures and survey responses on the affordability question, as well as over 100 pages of affordability-related commentary from Georgians across the state and from Jekyll's many advocates in other parts of America," said Egan, co-director of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island.
The goal of the organization is 100,000 signatures.
"Even if we fall short of that figure, I believe we will be able to establish our point," Egan said.
It has established a point with the Altamaha Riverkeeper, which is urging its members to sign the petition and to spread it around.
"Our organization is deeply concerned about the JIA's effort to promote high-end and highly consumptive uses of the island, in contrast to more recreational activities," said Deborah Sheppard, executive director of the Altamaha Riverkeeper.
"There is concern on the part of many residents that sweetheart deals by the JIA will run counter to any effort to make the island available to common people."
Section(s) Local News
By HANK ROWLAND
The Brunswick News
State Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, says he's waiting for the Jekyll Island Authority to respond to questions he has about a past action it took and about the future of the state-owned island.
Chapman wants to know, among other things, what the authority hopes to gain by handing a developer $10 million in incentives to build and operate a new hotel complex on the island and how it plans to keep the island within the price range of Georgians.
Chapman is particularly interested in hearing what the authority has to say about the incentives it's giving Trammell Crow, developer of a proposed $90 million, 540-room hotel-condominium complex with meeting space, restaurants and spa. The development will replace the aging Buccaneer Hotel.
The authority approved a $10 million rent abatement package for Trammel Crow in July.
"I want to know how giving away $10 million helps them and helps Jekyll become what it needs to be," Chapman said.
Ben G. Porter, chair of the authority, defended the package earlier, noting that the new development will more than make up for the incentives because it will yield millions of dollars more in tax and lease revenue than the current facility.
Chapman also is concerned about any plans to replace existing hotels with high-end accommodations and the ability of state residents of average income to be able to enjoy one of Georgia's assets.
"I don't want the authority to lose sight of the original intent of this public asset," Chapman said. "It was bought for the average Georgian of average income. That includes an overnight stay.
"The board is obligated, empowered, to do everything necessary to make that happen."
Bill Donohue, executive director of the Jekyll Island Authority, said Chapman - who wrote the JIA a letter - will have his answer this week.
"I spoke with (Chapman) today and told him he would receive our response on Thursday," Donohue said Tuesday.
Chapman is not the only one concerned about affordability. Keep Jekyll Island Affordable, a campaign headed up by Jekyll resident David Egan, is collecting signatures everywhere it can to show Gov. Sonny Perdue and the authority that Georgians are watching what they do.
"In the brief span of time we've been conducting our campaign, we have secured over 2,000 petition signatures and survey responses on the affordability question, as well as over 100 pages of affordability-related commentary from Georgians across the state and from Jekyll's many advocates in other parts of America," said Egan, co-director of the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island.
The goal of the organization is 100,000 signatures.
"Even if we fall short of that figure, I believe we will be able to establish our point," Egan said.
It has established a point with the Altamaha Riverkeeper, which is urging its members to sign the petition and to spread it around.
"Our organization is deeply concerned about the JIA's effort to promote high-end and highly consumptive uses of the island, in contrast to more recreational activities," said Deborah Sheppard, executive director of the Altamaha Riverkeeper.
"There is concern on the part of many residents that sweetheart deals by the JIA will run counter to any effort to make the island available to common people."
08/14 - A love-hate relationship
Date August 14, 2007
Section(s) Commentary
Walter Geiger
Guest Columnist
When I was a kid, my family took frequent trips to Jekyll Island.
Our destination was just an hour's drive south on Highway 17 from our Savannah home.
I can remember my excitement at seeing the signs for Jekyll just on the other side of the 'big bridge' in Brunswick.
I always tried to hold my breath going over the 'big bridge'. I was a teenager before I could make it across.
Of course, that bridge has now been replaced by an even bigger bridge that nearly requires supplemental oxygen to traverse.
Growing up, we went to Tybee Island all the time but Jekyll held a special appeal.
It had hotels named Wanderer and Buccaneer, conjuring up visions of Pirates, their ships and hidden booty in my fertile young mind.
Speaking of booty, I was traipsing through a wooded area just inland from the Jekyll dunes on one trip when I came across a couple on a beach towel in the throes of passion. I was too young to understand precisely what it was they were doing and they were too entranced with each other to notice my presence.
After a long moment, I left them to their embrace, wondering what it was I had just witnessed.
When I returned to school in the fall, a kid named Charles explained it all to me.
He was, after all, in the sixth grade and an expert on matters of the heart.
Jekyll also had the Aquarama with its huge indoor pool and a high dive to die for.
A belly flop off that baby would leave red whelps on your stomach for a week and a perfectly executed can opener would send a splash what seemed to be a mile in the air.
For whatever reason, my family quit going to Jekyll.
My trips there resumed when we began attending the annual Georgia Press Association convention.
We always looked forward to the GPA convention and still do.
GPA took thousands of journalists to Jekyll each year until someone down there botched our reservations for meeting facilities and we moved it to Hilton Head at the last minute.Suddenly, our horizons were expanded.
This triggered a fight within GPA that lingers to this day. Some publishers want resort standard accommodations which Jekyll, sadly, does not have.
Others insist we stay in Georgia or they won't participate.
I was vice-president of GPA during the convention when we used the Aquarama facility for meetings for the last time.
I had to preside over the evening's festivities and was nervously pacing outside the building while going over in my head what I was going to say.
We had checked into our room earlier in the day to find an elongated toilet with a normal toilet seat attached.
This enraged my bride and made toileting a tad difficult for me.
Others had endured similar experiences.
Sentiment to move the convention from Jekyll permanently was running red hot.
The Aquarama air conditioning was on the fritz and its huge windows were steamed over.
I watched as our colleagues arrived.
The men were in black tie. The women were dressed to the nines.
They gathered in groups of eight to 10 in the parking lot before entering the building.
Then, the automatic sprinkler system came on and drenched them all under its spray.
That pretty much knocked Jekyll off my list for good.
That was 15 years ago and Jekyll has deteriorated drastically since. Now its biggest annual convention is that of the Barnesville-based Georgia Rural Water Association. It's executive director, former Barnesville mayor Jimmy Matthews, says his convention takes in excess of 3000 people to the island."
There is only one decent hotel now.
All the rest don't have the cash flow to maintain their facilities," Matthews laments.
There is hope on the horizon, however.
The Jekyll Island Authority has finally seen the light and is partnering with private developers who want to tear down the old lodging and erect new, modern hotels with meeting facilities of their own.
The authority has drawn heavy fire from many quarters for an alleged 'sweetheart' deal cut with one development firm.
I say let the developers take their best shot at Jekyll.
The place is a dump!
Private developers can do it no more harm than Georgia's ongoing negligence has.
Section(s) Commentary
Walter Geiger
Guest Columnist
When I was a kid, my family took frequent trips to Jekyll Island.
Our destination was just an hour's drive south on Highway 17 from our Savannah home.
I can remember my excitement at seeing the signs for Jekyll just on the other side of the 'big bridge' in Brunswick.
I always tried to hold my breath going over the 'big bridge'. I was a teenager before I could make it across.
Of course, that bridge has now been replaced by an even bigger bridge that nearly requires supplemental oxygen to traverse.
Growing up, we went to Tybee Island all the time but Jekyll held a special appeal.
It had hotels named Wanderer and Buccaneer, conjuring up visions of Pirates, their ships and hidden booty in my fertile young mind.
Speaking of booty, I was traipsing through a wooded area just inland from the Jekyll dunes on one trip when I came across a couple on a beach towel in the throes of passion. I was too young to understand precisely what it was they were doing and they were too entranced with each other to notice my presence.
After a long moment, I left them to their embrace, wondering what it was I had just witnessed.
When I returned to school in the fall, a kid named Charles explained it all to me.
He was, after all, in the sixth grade and an expert on matters of the heart.
Jekyll also had the Aquarama with its huge indoor pool and a high dive to die for.
A belly flop off that baby would leave red whelps on your stomach for a week and a perfectly executed can opener would send a splash what seemed to be a mile in the air.
For whatever reason, my family quit going to Jekyll.
My trips there resumed when we began attending the annual Georgia Press Association convention.
We always looked forward to the GPA convention and still do.
GPA took thousands of journalists to Jekyll each year until someone down there botched our reservations for meeting facilities and we moved it to Hilton Head at the last minute.Suddenly, our horizons were expanded.
This triggered a fight within GPA that lingers to this day. Some publishers want resort standard accommodations which Jekyll, sadly, does not have.
Others insist we stay in Georgia or they won't participate.
I was vice-president of GPA during the convention when we used the Aquarama facility for meetings for the last time.
I had to preside over the evening's festivities and was nervously pacing outside the building while going over in my head what I was going to say.
We had checked into our room earlier in the day to find an elongated toilet with a normal toilet seat attached.
This enraged my bride and made toileting a tad difficult for me.
Others had endured similar experiences.
Sentiment to move the convention from Jekyll permanently was running red hot.
The Aquarama air conditioning was on the fritz and its huge windows were steamed over.
I watched as our colleagues arrived.
The men were in black tie. The women were dressed to the nines.
They gathered in groups of eight to 10 in the parking lot before entering the building.
Then, the automatic sprinkler system came on and drenched them all under its spray.
That pretty much knocked Jekyll off my list for good.
That was 15 years ago and Jekyll has deteriorated drastically since. Now its biggest annual convention is that of the Barnesville-based Georgia Rural Water Association. It's executive director, former Barnesville mayor Jimmy Matthews, says his convention takes in excess of 3000 people to the island."
There is only one decent hotel now.
All the rest don't have the cash flow to maintain their facilities," Matthews laments.
There is hope on the horizon, however.
The Jekyll Island Authority has finally seen the light and is partnering with private developers who want to tear down the old lodging and erect new, modern hotels with meeting facilities of their own.
The authority has drawn heavy fire from many quarters for an alleged 'sweetheart' deal cut with one development firm.
I say let the developers take their best shot at Jekyll.
The place is a dump!
Private developers can do it no more harm than Georgia's ongoing negligence has.
Friday, August 10, 2007
08/10 - No thanks, Rep. Davis
The Brunswick News
Date August 10, 2007
Section(s) Letters
Rep. Steve Davis' attempt to cloud the $10 million deal cut by the Jekyll Island Authority's board of directors with Trammell Crow by stating that it is Jekyll's residents who have the real sweetheart deal is a bit transparent.
The growth in property values along with the fixed rate of the current lot leases on the island to which Davis refers obviously have little to do with the main issue at hand here, and that is the attempt by the board to upscale Jekyll's oceanfront hotels to the disadvantage of mainstream Georgians.
Davis praises board chairman Ben Porter as a leader who will "return the island to its heyday." Would that be the era when Jekyll was a playground for the affluent?
With nightly room rates of $250, the Trammell Crow hotel complex, having been subsidized by the Porter board, will no doubt yield some fat profits, but is this the kind of redevelopment Jekyll needs?
Does Davis really believe this type of revitalization will benefit the Georgians of modest means, for whose benefit Jekyll Island State Park was set aside and whose interests he appears to champion?
The fact is there are thousands of off-island Georgians who have expressed their discontent with the direction in which the authority's board is steering Jekyll, quite a few of whom reside in Davis' own district.
Perhaps Davis might consider their wishes for Jekyll's future, as well as those of the Georgian public at large, before jumping on the Board's bandwagon.
Mindy Egan
Jekyll Island
Perhaps Davis should pay a visit to Jekyll
This is in response to the letter of Rep. Steven Davis who is either a prevaricator or totally ignorant regarding several areas of life on Jekyll, one of which is the taxing structure - especially when he says that residents "only pay the authority $300 per year for real estate."
Although the correct lease amount varies from approximately $215 to $700 , he neglects to acknowledge that all residents additionally pay real estate taxes to Glynn County based on the current market value of their residences as well as the value of the leasehold.
Of that amount, almost 80 percent goes to the general school fund or school bond.
Since the majority of the residents on Jekyll are retirees with no children in the county schools, Davis may want to initiate legislation allowing that payment to be directed to the Jekyll Island Authority instead of the county.
He may even want to visit Jekyll one day and speak to the Citizens Association.
I know he would be warmly welcomed.
Anthony Cerrato
Jekyll Island
We're already in the 'heydays', Mr. Davis
In response to the Aug. 1, 2007, letter from Rep. Steven Davis, R-McDonough, I would like to remind him that the heydays of Jekyll Island have been the past decades where Georgia families have enjoyed the pleasures of our state park and its natural beauty.
Would he see it returned to the days of the millionaires with the proposed upscale development?
Regarding the lease fees paid by Jekyll residents, that is an issue that could easily be addressed and changed to reflect increase in revenue to the Jekyll Island Authority.
Surely these residents would not oppose paying what other Georgia citizens pay for the privilege of having police and fire protection, and other services that come with home ownership.
An increase comparable to other island living should be considered before we try to fill the coffers from wealthy visitors to upscale development.
Let's build on what we have, not what we can eliminate.
That being we, the people of Georgia, who for decades have enjoyed our state park which we own by virtue of the taxes we pay to keep it going.
Carol Sue Ravenel
Roswell
We need a responsible representative
The outrageous letter from Rep. Steven Davis regarding sweetheart deals on Jekyll Island clearly demonstrates that the people of the state of Georgia must exercise the power of the ballot and oust him from office.
He needs to be replaced with someone who will be responsive to the needs and wants of the ordinary Georgia citizen and who recognizes that the unique treasure the state of Georgia has in Jekyll Island must be preserved.
Marilyn Fetzer
Burlington, Conn.
Needs for Jekyll can't be resolved overnight
As a former member of the Jekyll Island Authority, I'm concerned about how the current Jekyll Island board is recently being portrayed in the news.
It is no secret that the hotel and convention facilities are in great need of repair and replacement.
Having just completed my term on the authority board, this has been a great concern of mine and I continually encouraged addressing these issues at our monthly meetings.
This need did not develop overnight, and it cannot be resolved overnight.
I have personally served and worked with the majority of the current board, and I know for a fact that they have kept the best interests of Georgia and Jekyll Island in mind during their deliberations.
The board's agreement with Trammell Crow is a positive step and is one, that in due time, will benefit all of Georgia.
It is my hope that all concerned parties will allow this board of professional men and women the opportunity to take the necessary steps to address the needs of the island.
Tom Lewis
Atlanta
Jekyll residents pay taxes like everyone else
With due respect to Rep. Steve Davis, I attended every meeting of the House and Senate committees that reviewed House Bill 214, extending the lease to the Jekyll Island Authority.
I heard every word spoken by the residents of Jekyll Island, who traveled to Atlanta to attend those meetings at their own expense.
The residents were not there to ask for more money to be spent on improvements.
To a person, they supported the Jekyll Island Authority, fought to protect the south end, supported the revitalization of the island, and defended Jekyll as a state park for the average Georgian.
To set the record straight, Jekyll residents pay land leases, county taxes, school taxes, sewer and water, subsidize the fire department, and support the island's tourist and cultural attractions with countless thousands of hours of volunteer labor every year.
Shame on Davis.
Apparently he hasn't been paying attention.
Dory Ingram
Atlanta
Date August 10, 2007
Section(s) Letters
Rep. Steve Davis' attempt to cloud the $10 million deal cut by the Jekyll Island Authority's board of directors with Trammell Crow by stating that it is Jekyll's residents who have the real sweetheart deal is a bit transparent.
The growth in property values along with the fixed rate of the current lot leases on the island to which Davis refers obviously have little to do with the main issue at hand here, and that is the attempt by the board to upscale Jekyll's oceanfront hotels to the disadvantage of mainstream Georgians.
Davis praises board chairman Ben Porter as a leader who will "return the island to its heyday." Would that be the era when Jekyll was a playground for the affluent?
With nightly room rates of $250, the Trammell Crow hotel complex, having been subsidized by the Porter board, will no doubt yield some fat profits, but is this the kind of redevelopment Jekyll needs?
Does Davis really believe this type of revitalization will benefit the Georgians of modest means, for whose benefit Jekyll Island State Park was set aside and whose interests he appears to champion?
The fact is there are thousands of off-island Georgians who have expressed their discontent with the direction in which the authority's board is steering Jekyll, quite a few of whom reside in Davis' own district.
Perhaps Davis might consider their wishes for Jekyll's future, as well as those of the Georgian public at large, before jumping on the Board's bandwagon.
Mindy Egan
Jekyll Island
Perhaps Davis should pay a visit to Jekyll
This is in response to the letter of Rep. Steven Davis who is either a prevaricator or totally ignorant regarding several areas of life on Jekyll, one of which is the taxing structure - especially when he says that residents "only pay the authority $300 per year for real estate."
Although the correct lease amount varies from approximately $215 to $700 , he neglects to acknowledge that all residents additionally pay real estate taxes to Glynn County based on the current market value of their residences as well as the value of the leasehold.
Of that amount, almost 80 percent goes to the general school fund or school bond.
Since the majority of the residents on Jekyll are retirees with no children in the county schools, Davis may want to initiate legislation allowing that payment to be directed to the Jekyll Island Authority instead of the county.
He may even want to visit Jekyll one day and speak to the Citizens Association.
I know he would be warmly welcomed.
Anthony Cerrato
Jekyll Island
We're already in the 'heydays', Mr. Davis
In response to the Aug. 1, 2007, letter from Rep. Steven Davis, R-McDonough, I would like to remind him that the heydays of Jekyll Island have been the past decades where Georgia families have enjoyed the pleasures of our state park and its natural beauty.
Would he see it returned to the days of the millionaires with the proposed upscale development?
Regarding the lease fees paid by Jekyll residents, that is an issue that could easily be addressed and changed to reflect increase in revenue to the Jekyll Island Authority.
Surely these residents would not oppose paying what other Georgia citizens pay for the privilege of having police and fire protection, and other services that come with home ownership.
An increase comparable to other island living should be considered before we try to fill the coffers from wealthy visitors to upscale development.
Let's build on what we have, not what we can eliminate.
That being we, the people of Georgia, who for decades have enjoyed our state park which we own by virtue of the taxes we pay to keep it going.
Carol Sue Ravenel
Roswell
We need a responsible representative
The outrageous letter from Rep. Steven Davis regarding sweetheart deals on Jekyll Island clearly demonstrates that the people of the state of Georgia must exercise the power of the ballot and oust him from office.
He needs to be replaced with someone who will be responsive to the needs and wants of the ordinary Georgia citizen and who recognizes that the unique treasure the state of Georgia has in Jekyll Island must be preserved.
Marilyn Fetzer
Burlington, Conn.
Needs for Jekyll can't be resolved overnight
As a former member of the Jekyll Island Authority, I'm concerned about how the current Jekyll Island board is recently being portrayed in the news.
It is no secret that the hotel and convention facilities are in great need of repair and replacement.
Having just completed my term on the authority board, this has been a great concern of mine and I continually encouraged addressing these issues at our monthly meetings.
This need did not develop overnight, and it cannot be resolved overnight.
I have personally served and worked with the majority of the current board, and I know for a fact that they have kept the best interests of Georgia and Jekyll Island in mind during their deliberations.
The board's agreement with Trammell Crow is a positive step and is one, that in due time, will benefit all of Georgia.
It is my hope that all concerned parties will allow this board of professional men and women the opportunity to take the necessary steps to address the needs of the island.
Tom Lewis
Atlanta
Jekyll residents pay taxes like everyone else
With due respect to Rep. Steve Davis, I attended every meeting of the House and Senate committees that reviewed House Bill 214, extending the lease to the Jekyll Island Authority.
I heard every word spoken by the residents of Jekyll Island, who traveled to Atlanta to attend those meetings at their own expense.
The residents were not there to ask for more money to be spent on improvements.
To a person, they supported the Jekyll Island Authority, fought to protect the south end, supported the revitalization of the island, and defended Jekyll as a state park for the average Georgian.
To set the record straight, Jekyll residents pay land leases, county taxes, school taxes, sewer and water, subsidize the fire department, and support the island's tourist and cultural attractions with countless thousands of hours of volunteer labor every year.
Shame on Davis.
Apparently he hasn't been paying attention.
Dory Ingram
Atlanta
08/08 - The Island of the People?
The Brunswick News
Date August 08, 2007
Section(s) Letters
Rep. Steven Davis, R-McDonough, speaking as a member of the State Institutions and Properties Committee, has defended the actions of the now-controversial and divided Jekyll Island Authority.
Furthermore, he has proceeded to attack the residents of Jekyll Island who have the temerity to voice their opinions. What reason does he have at this time in the decision-making process to publicly voice support for a government agency which is responsible to all of the people of Georgia?
Policies are being formed and public input should be welcomed. Rather than attacking groups of citizens who might wish to speak their views, Davis and members of the Jekyll Island Authority should sincerely invite public comment from all of Georgia and make a reasonable attempt to reflect the views of a diverse citizenry in the final plans.
In 1947, Gov. Melvin Thompson designated Jekyll Island as an island for "...the plain people of Georgia."
Davis, in spite of the poor record of the 2007 legislative session, you may be a dedicated public servant. You have, however, failed to realize that a hard-working Georgia family of four will not be able to afford two rooms at $500 per night ($250 each) for a simple four-day, three-night vacation on "the island of the people."
Far from improving tourism on Jekyll Island, that apparently disdained class of Georgia citizens will spend their hard-earned dollars at Pigeon Forge, Tenn., or Branson, Mo.
Jekyll will not, on the other hand, replace the gilded islands of the coast for those of the upper class.
Please consider the historical role for which Jekyll Island was designated in the history of Georgia. Please listen to and hear the voices of "the plain people of Georgia."
Our voices may seem hushed and quiet to you, but I assure you that a tipping point is near.
And that those voices will be heard as a great and thunderous wave from the highlands of the north to the lush green of the piedmont and on to the mystic Golden Isles, where it will wash over Jekyll Island and take with it those bureaucrats and politicians who would subvert the will of "...the plain people of Georgia."
Hoyt LeCroy
Jasper
That's a job well-done on Jekyll, Ben Porter
My first glimpse of Jekyll Island was in 1948 from the deck of the ferry that made the run from the mainland to the island.
I have watched its transformation from an abandoned turn-of-the-century club for the very wealthy to a shiny new vacation spot and convention center. All Georgians took pride in their new acquisition.
My husband and I bought a home on Jekyll in 1983. We were there to watch the island's decline. We watched not only with the eyes of homeowners but also with the eyes of real estate brokers.
At my husband's death last fall, our combined real estate experience totaled 93 years.
We watched the island languish in shabby gentility for years. Now it has become merely shabby.
The new master plan is long overdue and should be greeted with shouts and hurrahs. It addresses both our environmental issues and the Jekyll Island Authority's pressing need for more revenue.
The state has mandated that Jekyll Island must be self-sustaining. The residential and commercial properties are taxed at the same rate used for the rest of Glynn County.
Ben Porter, present chair of the authority, has been a close friend of mine for 30 years. I have seen the competence he has brought to his varied ventures. He has given many years of volunteer service to our state. He has always brought an unimpeachable integrity to that service.
Ben and I have talked at length about his vision for Jekyll Island. He comes with no agenda except to make it truly Georgia's jewel.
Martha C. Thornton
Macon
Date August 08, 2007
Section(s) Letters
Rep. Steven Davis, R-McDonough, speaking as a member of the State Institutions and Properties Committee, has defended the actions of the now-controversial and divided Jekyll Island Authority.
Furthermore, he has proceeded to attack the residents of Jekyll Island who have the temerity to voice their opinions. What reason does he have at this time in the decision-making process to publicly voice support for a government agency which is responsible to all of the people of Georgia?
Policies are being formed and public input should be welcomed. Rather than attacking groups of citizens who might wish to speak their views, Davis and members of the Jekyll Island Authority should sincerely invite public comment from all of Georgia and make a reasonable attempt to reflect the views of a diverse citizenry in the final plans.
In 1947, Gov. Melvin Thompson designated Jekyll Island as an island for "...the plain people of Georgia."
Davis, in spite of the poor record of the 2007 legislative session, you may be a dedicated public servant. You have, however, failed to realize that a hard-working Georgia family of four will not be able to afford two rooms at $500 per night ($250 each) for a simple four-day, three-night vacation on "the island of the people."
Far from improving tourism on Jekyll Island, that apparently disdained class of Georgia citizens will spend their hard-earned dollars at Pigeon Forge, Tenn., or Branson, Mo.
Jekyll will not, on the other hand, replace the gilded islands of the coast for those of the upper class.
Please consider the historical role for which Jekyll Island was designated in the history of Georgia. Please listen to and hear the voices of "the plain people of Georgia."
Our voices may seem hushed and quiet to you, but I assure you that a tipping point is near.
And that those voices will be heard as a great and thunderous wave from the highlands of the north to the lush green of the piedmont and on to the mystic Golden Isles, where it will wash over Jekyll Island and take with it those bureaucrats and politicians who would subvert the will of "...the plain people of Georgia."
Hoyt LeCroy
Jasper
That's a job well-done on Jekyll, Ben Porter
My first glimpse of Jekyll Island was in 1948 from the deck of the ferry that made the run from the mainland to the island.
I have watched its transformation from an abandoned turn-of-the-century club for the very wealthy to a shiny new vacation spot and convention center. All Georgians took pride in their new acquisition.
My husband and I bought a home on Jekyll in 1983. We were there to watch the island's decline. We watched not only with the eyes of homeowners but also with the eyes of real estate brokers.
At my husband's death last fall, our combined real estate experience totaled 93 years.
We watched the island languish in shabby gentility for years. Now it has become merely shabby.
The new master plan is long overdue and should be greeted with shouts and hurrahs. It addresses both our environmental issues and the Jekyll Island Authority's pressing need for more revenue.
The state has mandated that Jekyll Island must be self-sustaining. The residential and commercial properties are taxed at the same rate used for the rest of Glynn County.
Ben Porter, present chair of the authority, has been a close friend of mine for 30 years. I have seen the competence he has brought to his varied ventures. He has given many years of volunteer service to our state. He has always brought an unimpeachable integrity to that service.
Ben and I have talked at length about his vision for Jekyll Island. He comes with no agenda except to make it truly Georgia's jewel.
Martha C. Thornton
Macon
Saturday, August 4, 2007
08/03 - ajc.com > Opinion
THINKING RIGHT: Hopelessly unscholarly standards
By Jim Wooten
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/03/07
Thinking Right's week-ending free-for-all. Pick a topic:
Georgians own a prized piece of coastal real estate that grows more valuable daily. Why, then, would the Jekyll Island Authority offer even a dime in incentives, much less a $10 million rent break, to one of the nation's largest developers? No public body should offer tax giveaways, in whatever form, to entice developers to build what the free market is on the edge of doing anyway.
Jim Wooten is associate editor of the editorial page. His column runs Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays.
jwooten@ajc.com
By Jim Wooten
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/03/07
Thinking Right's week-ending free-for-all. Pick a topic:
Georgians own a prized piece of coastal real estate that grows more valuable daily. Why, then, would the Jekyll Island Authority offer even a dime in incentives, much less a $10 million rent break, to one of the nation's largest developers? No public body should offer tax giveaways, in whatever form, to entice developers to build what the free market is on the edge of doing anyway.
Jim Wooten is associate editor of the editorial page. His column runs Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays.
jwooten@ajc.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)