City declares Sept. 16 American Legion Day

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September 11, 2012

City declares Sept. 16 American Legion Day

By Latasha Everson/The Tifton Gazette CNHI The Tifton Gazette Tue Sep 11, 2012, 10:32 PM EDT

TIFTON — Mayor Jamie Cater, along with the Tifton City Council, has declared Sept. 16 as “American Legion Day.” At Monday evening’s regular council meeting, Cater presented the proclamation with members of the American Legion Post 21 in attendance.

American Legion Post 21 Commander Paul Moyer, Senior Vice Commander Tyrone Taylor and Adjutant Wayne Duffell expressed their gratitude for the proclamation.

During the citizen input, Moyer thanked the mayor and council for recognizing the organization. He told the council that the American Legion tries to help the community as much as possible, according to what their funds will allow them to do.

Cater thanked the group for what they do and praised the 93-year-old veterans’ service organization (the largest in the nation) for its continuing work to aid wounded warriors and military families, for Legionnaires’ legacy of community volunteerism and for the organization’s significant role in establishing important national legislation.

According to Taylor, “The American Legion remains today an active and vigorous advocate for service members, veterans and their families not only on Capitol Hill, but right here in Tifton.

“Under the pillar of veterans affairs, the American Legion conducted a six-month report on rural health care for veterans. As a result of the information in that survey, Tifton will now have a VA outpatient clinic, which will open sometime next year. This is a big deal and means our veterans will not have to travel as far to receive care through the VA health care system.”

He thanked City Clerk Rona Martin for her help and also informed the council during the citizen input that Sept. 21 is POW/MIA Day.

“The U.S. has one confirmed POW in Iraq, Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl assigned to the Idaho National Guard. Please keep Sgt. Bergdahl and his family in your prayers and pray for his safe return to U.S. authorities,” he said.

According to the proclamation read by Cater, the American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 on Sept. 16 as a wartime veterans organization based on the four pillars of Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism and Children & Youth.

Over the years, the American Legion has become a preeminent community-service organization which now numbers more than 2.5 million members — men and women — in over 14,000 American Legion posts worldwide working a variety of programs that support the four pillars and benefit the nation’s veterans, its service members, their families, the youth of America and its citizens.

The members of the American Legion are dedicated to upholding the ideals of freedom and democracy, while working to make a difference in the lives of fellow Americans.

Taylor advises that if any veteran would like to learn more about joining the American Legion, he can be contacted at 339-0828.

Also, before the meeting started, Cater made a comment about 9/11, stating that he couldn’t believe that it’s been 11 years since that tragic day in 2001. He said the tragedy of that day was horrible but “this country can take a licking and keep on ticking.” He added that prayer is needed for the troops.

During the meeting, the council approved the following:

• Resolution providing for new alcoholic beverage licenses for Giggles Cafe on Main Street and for Le Food Mart, LLC on West Seventh Street.

• Resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into contract with ESG Operations, Inc. for the operation, maintenance and management of the Water and Wastewater Treatment Facilities. Councilwoman Marianna Keesee thanked an employee with the local wastewater treatment plant for being at the council meetings. The employee thanked the council and informed them that as an active employee, he thinks that entering into contract with ESG Operations is a good thing.

• Resolution authorizing the city manager to renegotiate any and/or all loans to provide for lower interest rates (money owed after CityNet was sold). Cater told The Gazette that he had an idea to try to lower the interest rates to save money and to allow more cash flow. As Councilwoman Julie Smith made a motion to approve the resolution, she advised City Manager Larry Riner to get the interest rates as low as he could possibly get them.

To contact reporter Latasha Everson, call 382-4321.

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