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Over The Coffeecups
Warren Mitchell - Editor
TODAY'S PROGRAM
Vince Cox
will introduce Lt. General Charles Cleveland, USAF
Ret., who will address Amendment 1. Gen. Cleveland was born
in Honolulu, Hawaii on November 13, 1927. He graduated from
Albany Academy, Albany, NY in 1944 and went in the United
States Military Academy in 1949. In 1965 he received a MA
degree in History/Political Science from Xavier University,
Cincinnati Ohio. Hs professional military education includes
the Royal Air Force War College, England, and the Advanced
Management Program at Harvard University in 1969. He has been
married to the former Frances Riedel of East Orange, New
Jersey for 52 years. They have four children and twelve
grandchildren.
He served in the USAF for 35 years, holding
commands from Squadron Commander to Commander of the Air
University; responsible for all USAF professional education.
During the Korean War, he shot down 5 MIG-15's and in Vietnam
he was the Executive Assistant to General Westmoreland.
He's been a community volunteer from 1993 to
the present. He has been involved in community activities and
the state government since his retirement.
LAST
WEEKS
PROGRAM
Member James Dill
introduced Rev. James Knuckles, who has been his pastor
for 33 years. Rev. Knuckles graduated from Alabama State
University and has a doctorate. He was a teacher for 5 years,
Assistant Principal for 2 years and Principal for 7 years in
Montgomery Public Schools. He is an Education Administrator
for the State of Alabama, holding that position for 11 years.
He also serves as City Councilman for District 4.
Rev.
Knuckles began by saying; we live in an exciting time in a
city of great change. In 14 months he will retire and
discover what it feels like to be busy, because retired people
are busy people. People who retire and do nothing disappear.
People say they don't want to participate in politics, but we
are involved whether we want to be or not. Politics dictates
how we pay for bread, taxes, etc.
When we look
at Montgomery we can see we are on the move. People complain
about traffic, but just fast forward about 4 years and we will
really have traffic. We can't have progress without traffic;
it is an indicator that the economy is picking up.
He talked
about the Hyundai plant, because we don't have a handle on the
impact of that billion dollar plant. The domino effect that
plant will have on the surrounding counties, as well as
Montgomery is beyond our imagination today. When we
look at such
a company locating here, yes it is about incentives, but other
places offered incentives. There are selling points we had
and should be proud of them. One of the biggest is our
Shakespeare Theatre, which is a big drawing card for the
city. It brings dividends to the city.
The
whole quarter from the Montgomery Mall to the Lowndes County
line is a hot bed for companies coming to town. More
businesses have come to town because of Hyundai; some $30
million dollars, hiring 430 people. Michigan Rd. will have to
handle 325 trucks on that road in 24 hours. The Lear Corp. is
going to build a $10 million dollar plant hiring 300 persons.
Not all those hired will be Montgomrians. TWA is going to
build an $11 million dollar plant starting with 34 people.
The council is excited about the tax structure coming to the
city.
Dr. Bronner has been a blessing and because
of him, the airport is undergoing major changes. There will
be a 3 phase program; including boarding jets without going
out into the weather.
As you
approach the city on I-65 a regional park with a club house,
baseball fields, and a stocked lake will be built, spending
5.5 million dollars. It will include a 9 hole golf course.
(The money has already been set aside)
Downtown is one of the city's pride and joy.
Water tends to attract people. A baseball stadium, seating
6,500 people will cost $26 million to build. The Riverfront
needs a hotel and expansion to the Convention Center. The
stadium will not cost Montgomrians a single cent. The lodging
tax of the 225 room hotel and concessions will pay for the
loan. The city of Montgomery has invested on the river; every
dollar has returned $9.00. We are capable of serving per
capita, per income, because we are very low in taxes.
Requirements for housing, apartments have recently been
changed. People will want to move downtown.
He studied transportation in cities all over
the U.S. and only 2 operated out of debt, making money. It is
a service for people, not a money maker.
Today they have put on line 14 fixed routes
system, adding 6 new air conditioned buses, with 8 more being
ordered. It will not cost anything; maintenance, mileage and
gasoline. Enough money will be recouped to pay the debt
service of the old buses. The company is doing a good job.
The projection for the next 3 years; the bus system will go
from 100,000 to 1/2 million riders this year. He predicts an
increase that will be greater than it has ever been. A
shuttle service will run from East Montgomery to downtown;
Express Service.
If you want a sleepy town you will have to
move either east or west. If you're concerned that new people
coming to the city may not be progressive enough, the pace has
greatly increased since he joined the Council. His granddaddy
always
said, "Always watch
where the noise is coming from before you make a decision".
He answered questions from the floor.
EDUCATION
SPOT
Kiwanis International Continuing
Service focus is called "Young
Children: Priority One". The program seeks to serve the
special needs of young children from prenatal development to
age 5 in four areas: material and child health, child care and
development, parent education and support, and safety programs
and pediatric trauma care.
LAST
WEEK'S GUESTS
There was an Interclub
with the Capitol City Club. The following members were
present; Bill Marks, Tom Peacock, Benj Trolinger, Karl
Swartz, Al Wyckoff and Steve Nelson. The announced their
golf tournament will be October 21st.
Winnie Middleton
accompanied Hoyt to breakfast.
ENTERTAINMENT
Al
McLellan said he wrote the
song seven years ago that he and John Burch sang;
"Peace In The Valley".
THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY
Mike
Winstead thought Karl Swartz
was a member of our Club. The thought came from Waylon
Jennings, "Honesty is something you just can't wear out".
SCHEDULE
FOR DALRAIDA
SCHOOL
Volunteers are needed to read to the
pupils on the following dates: September 11th, October 9th,
November 6th, December 11th and January 15, 2004
RSVP LUNCHEON
September 10th
Ken
Carrick
asked for volunteers to help the people off the
buses from 9:00-10:00 a.m. They will be needed from 9:30-1:30
to assist the volunteers. Club members will have lunch
PROGRAM
FOR
SEPTEMBER
11th
Bill
Scarbrough
will present Henry A. Frazer, Pharm. D. with the Drug Research
and Analysis Corp. His topic will be "Care of the Uninsured,
Underinsured and Underserved".
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