Under "New Business," there is a request from the Board of Education that the Board of Commissioners adopt a resolution levying an annual tax to pay the debt service for the 2009 bonds to be issued following refunding of the bonds issued in 1994 and 1999.

The citizens of Fayette County took quick action last week to help change the language in HB 458 (though we need to keep watching this week to ensure it doesn't pass at all). I would like to urge those who love Jekyll Island to likewise take quick action to help keep alive amended Senate Bill SB 367, which has passed the Senate and is now in danger of NOT being placed on the House Rules Committee calendar, which means the amended bill will be neither heard nor voted upon. The amendment would prevent development on the large public beach north of the convention center. That beach would remain open and unobstructed rather than become covered with condos. Jekyll Island is a state park owned by the citizens of the State of Georgia. It IS going to be revitalized and developed, but this bill (WITH the amendment) would protect the large public beach as a public amenity. For more information on this, please go to www.savejekyllisland.org. The position of the group trying to protect Jekyll has been mischaracterized by developers and lobbyists, who stand to make enormous profits by building high-rise condos on public-owned land. At this point, phone calls should be made to Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-Perry) 404-656-0081, author of the original bill. Ask him to allow SB 367 to be heard in the House Rules Committee. He no longer wants the bill to be placed on the Rules Committee calendar because he believes the amendment will "jeopardize Jekyll's revitalization." It would also be helpful to call to Rep. Jerry Keen (R-St. Simons Island) 404-656-5052, member of the House Rules Committee, and urge him to help get SB 367 on the Rules Committee calendar. Time is running out, as the legislative session is almost over.

I attended the FCHS Select Chorus's variety show last night. What a fabulous show…creative, funny, and entertaining! FCHS has got some extremely talented students, as evidenced by this production.

This year, the item at the top of my fifth-grader's wish list is the dreaded (for parents) "drum set." I have been putting off making a decision on this.

Okay, the candidates I've long been sure of, but I'm still struggling with a couple of these referenda and amendments. Seems like so often they're written as to get an automatic "yes" vote.

The Fayette County BOE is holding a public hearing on the new proposed school district lines tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 24, at the Duke Auditorium adjacent to Rising Starr Middle School and Starr's Mill High School.