Bill Text: GA HR336 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: CPL Jonathan Ryan Ayers Memorial Interchange; dedicate

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 4-2)

Status: (Passed) 2009-05-05 - Effective Date [HR336 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2009-HR336-Comm_Sub.html

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09 LC 34 2278S

The Senate Transportation Committee offered the following substitute to HR 336:

A RESOLUTION

Dedicating certain portions of the state highway system; and for other purposes.

PART I

WHEREAS, Corporal Jonathan Ryan Ayers of Snellville, Georgia, died serving his country on Sunday, July 13, 2008; and

WHEREAS, he was a graduate of Shiloh High School where he served with distinction in the ROTC program and won the award for "most impressive commander" in 2002; and

WHEREAS, he joined the Army in April 2006 and went straight from basic and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Georgia, to the 2nd Battalion, 503d Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, based in Vicenza, Italy; and

WHEREAS, Jonathan served in the Army for two years, during which time he deployed to Afghanistan, where he earned the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and a Good Conduct Medal for his bravery in combat; and

WHEREAS, he died of wounds sustained when his outpost was attacked by small-arms fire and rocket propelled grenades from enemy forces in Wanat, Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, CPL Ayers and his fellow soldiers were completing work on a new base in a remote, mountainous region bordering Pakistan; and

WHEREAS, he is survived by his loving parents, Bill and Suzanne Ayers, his brother, Joshua, and his grandmother, Pattie Weatherly; and

WHEREAS, it is only proper and fitting to honor this fallen hero who now stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live and grow and increase in its blessings.

PART II

WHEREAS, Dave S. Miller was born in the Whitehouse community in 1874 and spent his entire life there; and

WHEREAS, he first worked as a blacksmith, and his shop still stands on the east side of Highway 155 just north of Miller's store; and

WHEREAS, in 1830 Silas Moseley, the ancestor of the Moseley clan in Henry County, built the first bridge and corn mill on Big Cotton Indian Creek, and after the Civil War the Hinton family bought the mill property from the Moseleys; and

WHEREAS, in 1925, Dave S. Miller bought the mill property and from that time until his death in 1966 he ran a very prosperous business which included the corn mill, a cotton gin, a saw mill, and a planing mill; and

WHEREAS, Dave S. Miller's son, Carlton Miller, ran the mill from 1925 until 1947, and his son, David Miller, ran the gin and country store; and

WHEREAS, the mill complex was the center of activity for the community and the operation was active until 1960 when Dave S. Miller was too old to work any more; and

WHEREAS, it is only fitting and proper to honor Dave S. Miller for the tremendous impact he and his sons had on their community and Henry County.

PART III

WHEREAS, William Raleigh Cook was born in Henry County, Georgia, on July 4, 1888, and passed away on August 30, 1957; and

WHEREAS, Mamie Leona Steele was born in Henry County, Georgia, on October 5, 1893, and passed away on July 19, 1971; and

WHEREAS, they were married in Henry County on December 18, 1912, and set up a homestead at Little Cotton Indian Creek and Decatur Road (now Ga. Hwy 155); and

WHEREAS, they farmed the local area and lived on Little Cotton Indian Creek throughout their lives, and they served as managers of the historic Shingleroof Campground Hotel in the 1920's and 1930's; and
WHEREAS, they were lifelong members at nearby Salem Baptist Church and greeted and met travelers along Decatur Road for nearly a century; and

WHEREAS, the ancestors of both William and Mamie Cook were among the earliest white settlers of Henry County, Georgia, including John Cook who settled in Henry County after serving in the War of 1812 and also including veterans of the Civil War and the Spanish American War. These ancestors lived in the area around Little Cotton Indian Creek along Decatur Road; and

WHEREAS, the descendants of William and Mamie Cook include four generations of Henry County residents, many of whom still reside on and near the original homestead. Their number includes decorated veterans of the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam Conflict. Additionally, many of these descendants have served Henry County as successful businesspersons, academics, horse and cattle ranchers, real estate developers, and professionals in banking, technology, healthcare, and engineering; and

WHEREAS, it is only proper and fitting that a lasting memorial be dedicated to the memory of William and Mamie Cook.

PART IV

WHEREAS, Bobby Walden, the "Big Toe from Cairo" was born in Boston, Georgia, on March 9, 1938; and

WHEREAS, he was an all-state halfback at Cairo and also lettered in basketball and track; and

WHEREAS, he went to the University of Georgia in 1957 and was part of a Bulldog football team that included teammates Fran Tarkenton, Fred Brown, Bill Godfrey, Pat Dye, and Charlie Britt; and

WHEREAS, at the conclusion of his college career, Bobby joined the Edmonton Eskimos, and he led the team in punting, rushing, and receiving in 1961 and 1962; and

WHEREAS, he then joined the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League and led the NFL in punting in 1965 with an average of 46.4 yards per kick; and

WHEREAS, Bobby was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1967 and continued as one of the premier punters in the league for the next decade; and

WHEREAS, he was an All-Pro selection in 1974, and he punted for Pittsburgh's Super Bowl championship teams in 1974 and 1975; and

WHEREAS, Bobby has returned to his roots to live in Cairo and Bainbridge since his retirement from professional football in 1977; and

WHEREAS, Bobby has been married for 44 years to the former Scarlett Bates of Bainbridge, and they have one son, Bobby Walden, Jr.; and

WHEREAS, it is only fitting and proper that Bobby Walden be recognized for his outstanding accomplishments on and off the football field.

PART V

WHEREAS, the State of Georgia lost one of her great trailblazers and a mighty advocate in George W. Ford, Jr.; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ford was a native son of Columbus, Georgia, who was among the first 200 African American men to serve in the Marine Corps and who, after his service in World War II, became a highly respected member of the Civil Rights movement; and

WHEREAS, he inspired fellow African Americans by lighting a torch to follow his example in such leadership roles as cofounding the Urban League of Greater Columbus, serving as president of the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People branch, and acting as a voice of reason and builder of bridges in his community; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ford was the founder and president emeritus of Progressive Funeral Home and served with distinction as a member of the board of directors for both Aflac and the Columbus Bank and Trust Company; and

WHEREAS, the work of this mentor, friend, and teacher was honored with the Jim Woodruff, Jr., Memorial Award in 2003; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ford's actions have paved the way for so many others, and his legacy will live on in future generations of Georgians; and
WHEREAS, it is only proper that George W. Ford, Jr., be honored for his life well lived and that a permanent monument in his memory be established.

PART VI

WHEREAS, Edward A. Logan was born in Benton, Louisiana in 1898; and

WHEREAS, he served in the United States Army at the end of World War I and studied engineering by a correspondence course before moving to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to take a job with the Mississippi Highway Department; and

WHEREAS, several years later he moved to Atlanta and studied until he received his degree in civil engineering and he was then employed by the Georgia Highway Department as a surveyor; and

WHEREAS, in 1924, Mr. Logan was sent to the Florida line to begin surveying and building US 17 and during this time he lived in Woodbine, Brunswick, and Riceboro; and

WHEREAS, he later lived in Savannah, Waycross, and Fitzgerald and then back to Savannah where he worked as the district engineer for all three towns; and

WHEREAS, in 1940, he took leave from the Georgia Highway Department to do defense work with private contractors; and

WHEREAS, in 1951, he moved to St. Simons Island and went back to work for the Georgia Highway Department in 1958 where he was the district engineer for the Jesup division until he retired in 1968 at age 70; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Logan was a lifelong Presbyterian and served as an elder in the St. Simons Presbyterian Church, and he was also a Rotarian, a 33rd Degree Mason, a Shriner, and a member of the American Legion and loved to hunt deer and turkey; and

WHEREAS, he was married to Eula Mae Best from Hazlehurst, Georgia, and they had two children, Edward and Jean; and

WHEREAS, it is only proper that Edward A. Logan be honored for his life well lived and that a permanent monument in his memory be established.

PART VII

WHEREAS, the Honorable Richard S. Gault was a distinguished Georgian and highly respected jurist who will long be remembered as the patriarch of the courts of Forsyth County, as well as a trusted advisor, confidant, and friend to the legal community; and

WHEREAS, Judge Gault died suddenly on July 23, 2003; and

WHEREAS, he graduated from Marietta High School, was a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy, served four years in the Air Force, was honorably discharged with the rank of captain in 1971, and he earned his Juris Doctorate from the Emory University School of Law; and

WHEREAS, he served six years as an Assistant and Special Assistant Attorney General of Georgia, six years as solicitor and four years as judge of the State Court of Cherokee and Forsyth Counties, and 14 years as judge of the Superior Court of the Blue Ridge Circuit; and

WHEREAS, Judge Gault worked tirelessly to ensure that the judicial needs of the citizens of Georgia and fast-growing Forsyth County were met, and his work was vital to the formation of the Bell-Forsyth Judicial Circuit in 1998; and

WHEREAS, his keen intellect, integrity, and skill in communicating the needs of the judicial branch earned him the esteem of his colleagues on the bench and the respect and admiration of members of the executive and legislative branches of state government, as exemplified by his membership on the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism from 1997-2002 and on the Supreme Court Blue Ribbon Commission on the Judiciary; and

WHEREAS, Judge Gault was a dedicated leader in his community as a member of First Baptist Church of Cumming and president of his Unity Sunday School Class, and he was a charter member of the Forsyth County Rotary Club, an organizer in the Charter Class of Leadership Forsyth, and served as director of the Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce; and

WHEREAS, it is only proper and fitting that the memory of Judge Gault be honored by dedicating a lasting memorial to his life of service to his community and to the State of Georgia.

PART VIII

WHEREAS, Doug Ferguson was born on December 28, 1946, to John Lewis Ferguson and Jessie Lorene Ferguson of Emerson, Georgia, and he lived his entire life in Emerson; and

WHEREAS, Doug married Melissa Stokes on March 19, 1969, and they had two sons, Aaron and Alexander, who also reside in Emerson; and

WHEREAS, in 1994, he opened Doug's Place Restaurant in the former Moms Groceries store building, a landmark in Emerson that is over 100 years old; and

WHEREAS, Doug was instrumental in establishing an annual "Emerson Reunion" bringing together former and current Emerson residents for a great time of fellowship and strengthening of the Emerson identity; and

WHEREAS, Doug's Place was recognized by the Georgia House of Representatives in 2001 by means of House Resolution 575 commending Doug's Place Restaurant for being "a fine eating establishment known far and wide as a place for good food, fast service, and ample servings; and the success of this venture no doubt is due to the strong work ethic, fairness, honesty, and talent of the very dedicated Ferguson family"; and

WHEREAS, Doug Ferguson passed away on January 14, 2007, but he shall never be forgotten by the citizens of Emerson; and

WHEREAS, it is only proper that Doug Ferguson be honored for his life well lived and that a permanent monument in his memory be established.

PART IX

WHEREAS, David Paul (Bubba) Land was born on February 11, 1971, the fine son of Paul and Linda Land, brother to Shelly, and proud father of Taylor; and

WHEREAS, David realized his dream of being a police officer when, in March of 1990, he became an Atlanta police officer; and

WHEREAS, in 1992, he went to work for the Stone Mountain Police Department where he worked as an officer until being hired by the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office in December of 1997; and

WHEREAS, while working with the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, David met Paula Shapiro, who was also working as a deputy with the Sheriff's Office, and in July of 2002, David and Paula were married in a storybook wedding at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida; and

WHEREAS, on March 24, 2003, David was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and returned to the uniform patrol; and

WHEREAS, on March 26, 2003, at approximately 1600 hours, Sgt. Land responded to a call for service regarding a fight in progress and as he was traveling west on Highway 20 (Buford Highway) on his motorcycle with lights and siren activated, a motorist turned left into his path and he was thrown from the motorcycle and received fatal injuries; and

WHEREAS, in May of 2004, Sgt. Land was placed on the Police Officer's Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., by his family, friends, and brothers and sisters of the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office; and

WHEREAS, in December of 2007, David's brothers and sisters of the Fraternal Order of Police Lanier Lodge #82 voted and changed the lodge name to the Sgt. D. P. Land Memorial Lodge #82 in memory of David who served his community and was a friend to all; and

WHEREAS, Sgt. Land paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving his life in the performance of his duties in the career that he loved, and it is only fitting that a lasting memorial to honor his memory be established.

PART IX-A

WHEREAS, Tom Buck was born on March 2, 1938, and was educated in the public schools of Columbus, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, his distinguished career included serving 19 consecutive terms of office in the Georgia House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, he provided stellar leadership as Chairman of the House Committee on Retirement, the House Committee on the University System, the House Committee on Ways and Means, and the House Committee on Appropriations; and

WHEREAS, his expertise on the state budget, developed over years of tireless service as a House budget conferee, and his prodigious knowledge of tax law and policy were invaluable in developing responsible fiscal policies in times of prosperity and times of hard choices; and

WHEREAS, as Chairman of the Muscogee House Delegation, he was always attentive to the needs of his community; and

WHEREAS, he has been generous with his time and energy for community endeavors, serving on the board of trustees for the Columbus State University Foundation, St. Francis Hospital, and the Columbus River Center for the Performing Arts; and

WHEREAS, his dedication, insight, and tenacity are attributes that have made him an exemplary public servant.

PART IX-B

WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens with the untimely passing of Honorable Jack Hays Morgan, Sr., on March 3, 2009; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Morgan was born in 1919 in Newton County, Georgia, and was known as an intelligent, fair minded, and dedicated community leader and entrepreneur; and

WHEREAS, as a young man, Mr. Morgan worked several odd jobs including picking peaches, working at a bus station snack bar, and delivering bread for a bakery, before he entered the Navy to serve as a guardian of this nation's freedom and liberty; and

WHEREAS, upon his return home from the service, Mr. Morgan entered the agricultural field as a pulpwood cutter and was instrumental in the post-War World II development of Newton County, opening the county's first pulpwood yard, Morgan Timber Company, and later founding the area's first grading and paving services with Morgan Concrete Company; and

WHEREAS, over the years, Mr. Morgan expanded his business and agricultural ventures to include cotton and dairy farming, raising cattle, harvesting peaches and soybeans, and many real estate and development projects; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Morgan's interest in politics and public service began in 1961 when he was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives, and he continued to serve as a state and community leader as Newton County Commission Chairman; and

WHEREAS, during his eight-year tenure as chairman, Mr. Morgan oversaw the paving of 142 miles of county roads and the start of the county's first ambulance service, garbage collections, and landfill; and

WHEREAS, he was a devoted man of faith and civic leader as an active member of Covington's First United Methodist Church and the Georgia Rural Development Authority; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Morgan was united in love and marriage to Barbara Davis and was blessed with eight remarkable children; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Morgan will long be remembered for his love of family and friendship, and this loyal husband, father, neighbor, and friend will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing him.

PART IX-C

WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens with the passing of Mr. Lamar B. Hays on March 4, 2009; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hays was born in 1936, in Newton County, Georgia, a beloved son of the late Lee and Sarah Byrd Hays; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hays served as a guardian of the nation's freedom and liberty with the Air National Guard and was a member of the Woodmen of the World; and

WHEREAS, dedicated to improving his community and the lives of his neighbors, Mr. Hays served as chief of the Mansfield Volunteer Fire Department and served on the City Council of Mansfield for many years; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hays was the owner of Hays Tractor of Mansfield and enjoyed spending his free time in nature, fishing and gardening; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hays was united in love and marriage for 47 years to his adoring wife Carrie Henderson Hays, and he was surrounded by loving families of his daughters Susan, Sandra, and Sheila, which included his six grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, this distinguished Georgian gave inspiration to many through his high ideals, morals, and deep concern for his fellow citizens and he possessed the vast wisdom which only comes through experience and the strength of character which is achieved through overcoming the many challenges of life; and

WHEREAS, he was a person of magnanimous strengths with an unimpeachable reputation for integrity, intelligence, fairness, and kindness and, by the example he made of his life, he made this world a better place in which to live; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hays will long be remembered for his love of family and friendship, and this loyal father, grandfather, husband, and friend will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing him.

PART IX-D

WHEREAS, Jeffrey Steven Blanton was born on November 4, 1981, at Cobb County Hospital in Marietta, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, in 1992, when Jeffrey was 11, he moved with his family to Senoia, Georgia, in Coweta County; and

WHEREAS, from the ages of 11 through 16, Jeffrey played baseball in the Senoia Recreation Department league; and

WHEREAS, in his seventh and eighth grade years he played football for East Coweta Middle School; and

WHEREAS, at the age of 15 he gave his life to God, was baptized, and became a member of Starr's Mill Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, Jeffrey's love of baseball continued from the ages of 16 through 19 as an umpire for the Senoia Recreation Department league; and

WHEREAS, during his junior year in high school he joined the Vocational Opportunities Club of America, and in 1999 he won first place for the East Coweta High School math team at a competition at St. Simons Island; and

WHEREAS, at an early age of 16 he showed a real interest in joining the military and joined the R.O.T.C. in his junior year and stayed until his senior year; and

WHEREAS, Jeffrey's hobbies included hunting and fishing and he loved to fish for trout and hunt for deer; and

WHEREAS, he graduated from Marietta High School in June, 2001, and after the disasters on September 11, 2001, he made the decision to enlist in the Marines so he could fight the war on terrorism for his country; and

WHEREAS, he enlisted in November, 2001, and in March, 2002, he left for Parris Island for 13 weeks of boot camp, and afterwards he was sent to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for infantry training; and

WHEREAS, when he completed his training he was stationed in Hawaii where he received more extensive training and was able to travel to places like Japan and Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, while in Hawaii, Jeffrey met and married an Army paralegal on February 29, 2004; and

WHEREAS, in June, 2004, he was deployed to Iraq where he served until he was shot in the foot and lost three of his toes, for which he received a Purple Heart and was offered an honorable discharge; but he decided he would stay in the Marines and that his place was with his men. He went back on duty on December 11 and was killed during sweep missions on December 12, 2004; and

WHEREAS, on December 20, 2004, Jeffrey was laid to rest at Marietta National Cemetery; and

WHEREAS, LCPL Jeffrey Blanton loved and served his country with great pride, and his loyalty and service should always be remembered for generations to come.

PART X

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that the interchange at US 78 and Killian Hill Road, in Gwinnett County, be dedicated as the CPL Jonathan Ryan Ayers Memorial Interchange.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the new bridge in Henry County over Big Cotton Creek be dedicated as the Dave S. Miller Memorial Bridge.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the bridge on SR 155 at Little Cotton Indian Creek be dedicated as the William R. and Mamie Steele Cook Memorial Bridge.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the portion of U.S. Highway 84, in Decatur County, Georgia, from the Grady County line west to the traffic light at Whigham Dairy Road, within the limits of the Wiregrass Georgia Parkway, be dedicated as the Bobby Walden Highway.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the interchange at Interstate Highway 85 and St. Mary's Road in Muscogee County be dedicated as the George W. Ford, Jr. Interchange.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the bridge in Glynn County over Fancy Bluff Creek on SR 520/SR 25 at milepost 14.75 be dedicated as the Edward A. Logan Memorial Bridge.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the interchange at GA 400 and SR 20 in Forsyth County be dedicated as the Judge Richard S. (Stan) Gault Memorial Interchange.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the bridge being erected over Hwy 41, in Emerson, Georgia, be dedicated as the Doug Ferguson Memorial Bridge.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the bridge on SR 20 over Haw Creek in Forsyth County, Georgia, be dedicated as the Sgt. D. P. Land Memorial Bridge.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the portion of SR 22 Spur from US 27 (Veterans Parkway) to Brown Avenue in Muscogee County, Georgia, be dedicated as the Tom Buck Parkway.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the portion of US 278 in Newton County from its intersection with Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive to its intersection with GA 142 be dedicated as the Jack and Davis Morgan Memorial Highway.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the portion of GA Hwy 11 inside the city limits of Mansfield, Georgia, be dedicated as the Lamar B. Hays Memorial Parkway.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the portion of SR 85 from the Fayette/Coweta County line to the Meriwether County line be dedicated as the Jeffrey Steven Blanton Memorial Highway.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is authorized and directed to erect and maintain appropriate signs dedicating the road facilities named in this resolution.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit appropriate copies of this resolution to the Department of Transportation, to the family of Corporal Jonathan Ryan Ayers, to the family of Dave S. Miller, to the family of William R. and Mamie Steele Cook, to Robert Earl (Bobby) Walden, to the family of George W. Ford, Jr., to the family of Edward A. Logan, to the family of Richard S. (Stan) Gault, to the family of Doug Ferguson, to the family of Sgt. D. P. Land, to Tom Buck, to the family of Jack Hays Morgan, Sr., to the family of Davis Morgan, to the family of Lamar B. Hays, and to the family of Jeffrey Steven Blanton.