NEWS

Feb 20 - COLUMNIST Buddy Carter: 40 Days at the Capitol - Installment 5

Last Updated on Monday, 20 February 2012 07:40 Written by By BUddy Carter Monday, 20 February 2012 07:14

To our readers: State Senator Buddy Carter (R- Pooler) will be reporting each week during the Legislative Session. The session began January 9, 2012 and is expected to last until the latter days of March.

Day 19 (Wednesday, February 15, 2012): Without question, in my eight years that I have served in the legislature, this has been the busiest that I have ever experienced. While I am happy that leadership is trying to get us out by the end of March, the pace by which we have been operating has been very trying and exhausting. Having last Friday through Monday off was a welcome relief so that we could get back home to our families and businesses. Although we were not in session yesterday, as a member of the Appropriations Committee, I was at the Capitol as we are currently reviewing the FY12 amended budget. Being the Chairman of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee, it is my responsibility to oversee the budget for the Department of Corrections as well as the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. We start our day off today with an early morning meeting of the 1st Congressional District Coastal Delegation, chaired by Rep. Ron Stephens. The two hour meeting includes presentations by Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens regarding the difficulty coastal property owners east of I-95 are having obtaining homeowner’s insurance. We also hear from Todd Long, Director of Planning for Transportation in our state regarding the upcoming TSPLOST referendum as well as presentations from the Board of Regents, DNR and Georgia Ports Authority. As we go into session today, we have three bills on the calendar including SB 246 which increases the employee contribution for new members (as of July 1, 2012) of the Employees Retirement System from $4 per month to $10 per month. We also pass SB 286 which prohibits future tax commissioners and their employees from becoming members of the Employees Retirement System if they become a tax commissioner on or after July 1, 2012. SB 269, dealing with voluntary corrective actions for water violations, turns out to be somewhat controversial and is pulled off of the calendar by the author. Among the many committee meetings that I have this afternoon is a Health and Human Services Committee meeting where I pass out SB 378, a bill I am sponsoring that updates the Controlled Substances Act. Also this afternoon, I meet with Liberty County Officials, including County Commission Chairman John McIver, Hinesville Mayor James Thomas and Governor Nathan Deal regarding education issues.

Day 20 (Thursday, February 16, 2012): I drop (submit) two more bills today as we go into session bringing my total number of bills that I am sponsoring at this point to 14 for the year. Counting the bills left from last year, I have a total of 25 bills that I am working on. SB 331, a bill that defines which tasks and duties title insurers are authorized to execute, is one of three bills to pass today. We also pass SB 358 which requires local governments in Georgia to reciprocate the preferences granted by out of state local governments for vendors in their own states to Georgia’s vendors. The final bill to pass is SB 366 which prohibits certain acts in regards to Juvenile Detention Centers and Youth Development Centers, specifically persons would not be authorized to bring drugs or weapons across the guard line and the sale and trade of contraband is banned. During our daily time of “personal privilege” today, a number of Senators from the minority party speak out critically of the HOPE scholarship, prompting me and other members of the majority party to go to the well to speak in support of this great scholarship program. I am honored this afternoon to meet with representatives from North Georgia College as they are here visiting the Capitol.

Day 21 (Friday, February 17, 2012): We start out early today with a caucus meeting at 8AM and session at 9AM. I present and pass my first bill of the session today as SB 369, extending the repeal date of the Georgia Geospastial Advisory Council (GGAC) from June 30, 2012 to June 30, 2015. The GGAC was created by a bill I passed in 2010 (HB 169) while I was still in the House for the purpose of auditing Georgia’s geospatial capabilities at the county, regional and state levels. GGAC is charged with making recommendations for utilizing those capabilities to meet FEMA floodplain notification requirements. We also pass SB 107, increasing the maximum fine for contempt of court in Superior Court from $500 to $1000, and SB 395 which authorizes the collection of SPLOST revenues to be fractionally collected up to a full one percent. SB 362, the Deadhead Logging bill, also passes today. This bill has been around for many years but has never finished the complete process and is therefore being brought up again. I am joined at the Capitol today by Matt Cadella, a good friend and community activist from Hinesville. After enjoying a visit with Matt and catching up on paper work, I head to God’s country- beautiful southeast Georgia- for the weekend.

Senator Buddy Carter can be reached at Coverdell Legislative Office Building (C.L.O.B.) Room 301-A, Atlanta, GA, 30334. His Capitol office number is 404-656-5109.

Feb 20 – SEDA’s Savannah Foreign Trade Zone, BRAT and Chamber Announce Manufacturing Breakfast

Manufacturing

Written by Lou Phelps Monday, 20 February 2012 01:48

SBJ Staff Report

Feb 20, 2012 - The Savannah Foreign Trade Zone, SEDA, BRAT, and the Savannah Chamber of Commerce has announced that Tommy Berry of PointTrade Services of Panama City, FL. will speak at the next Manufacturing Interactive Breakfast on March 7.

Berry will be showing how foreign trade zones can profit companies, will answer questions and will be available to make appointments to visit local manufacturing facilities in the afternoon for one-on-one consultations, according to Lee Grimes of SEDA and BRAT.

Berry will discuss how Foreign Trade Zones can affect a company’s bottom line through a number of means including:

- Eliminate Duty Drawbacks

- Avoid Ad inventory taxes

- Reduce Merchandise Processing Fees by hundreds of thousands of dollars

- Quota Avoidance

Berry is a recognized industry leader, with extensive experience in a wide variety of international trade, foreign-trade zone, and customs issues, including customs compliance and risk management, foreign-trade zones, duty savings opportunities, industrial park master planning, global supply chain management and solutions, and inventory control systems integration.

He is the President, CEO, and Founder of PointTrade Services, Inc. PointTrade Services, Inc. is an international trade consulting firm consisting of two divisions - PointTrade Services Consulting and PTSI Managed Services. The majority of PTSI's client base includes top 50 importers into the US.

Through PTSI Managed Services, one of the largest practices of its kind in the industry, Mr. Berry oversees provision of FTZ operator and administrator managed services for the day-to-day operations of FTZ projects with over 20 million square feet of activated manufacturing and distribution space in eight states handling merchandise with over an estimated $15.6 billion in total FTZ transactions.

Berry's industrial park master planning experience includes preparation and analysis of future planned expansion of industrial activities, with direct involvement in the management of two industrial parks in addition to a foreign-trade zone. He was involved in the greenfield selection for the largest industrial park in Bay County, Florida, and has also worked on industrial parks in numerous successful FTZ projects in various locations around the country. Mr. Berry's economic development efforts helped attract more than $110 million in capital investment.

The buffet breakfast will begin at 7:15 a.m. in the auditorium at the Savannah Morning News building, 1375 Chatham Parkway. Reservations are required by Friday March 2.

Feb 20 – Spire & Sport Expands to Richmond Hill; Ribbon Cutting Feb. 27 Open to the Public

Health & Hospitals

Written by Lou Phelps Monday, 20 February 2012 01:26

SBJ Staff Report

Feb 20, 2012 - Spine & Sport will celebrate the grand opening of their new Richmond Hill location next Monday, Feb. 27 with Congressman Jack Kingston in attendance to deliver opening remarks at the official ribbon cutting at 12 p.m.

Now in their 8^th year, the medical practice has invited the public to the open house from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., along with a tour the new facility. And, guests can consult with physical therapists or personal trainers about pain or weight loss goals. The company’s new 3,500 sq. ft. modern clinic is located at 2451 Hwy. 17, Suite B, in Richmond Hill.

Spine & Sport’s Dr. Mark Powers is one of five physical therapists in Georgia currently studying the advanced, rapid treatment of headache, neck, and back pain. Dr. Rachel Spivey provides patients with the peace of mind that they are receiving top of the line hands-on treatment, as she holds an elite Manual Therapy Certification. The facility also features a MedX Machine, the most highly-researched piece of medical equipment available to help reduce and prevent back pain.

The celebration will also mark Spine & Sport’s 8th anniversary. Dr. Jacques Beauchamp started his first clinic in 2004 in Effingham County and soon after invited his college friend Dr. Eric Bull to join him. Within 5 years they were named on the INC. 500/5,000 list of fastest growing companies and still remain on the list today. Of the company’s growth, CEO Dr. Eric Bull says that, “it is a validation of all the hard work that our staff does every day. It makes me happy that we have been continuing to provide such a quality service that people want to buy.” Spine & Sport now employs over 100 people.

A local leader in physical therapy and personal training, Spine & Sport is proud to be a part of the Richmond Hill community and grateful for the immense support they have received from Bryan County, the physicians state. Spine & Sport now has five facilities in the area including Richmond Hill, Hinesville, Effingham, on Whitemarsh Island and in Savannah’s Historic District.

All clinics are open until 8pm for patients’ convenience. For more information about Spine & Sport, go to www.spinesport.org.

NEWS

Feb 20 - COLUMNIST Buddy Carter: 40 Days at the Capitol - Installment 5

Feb 20 – SEDA’s Savannah Foreign Trade Zone, BRAT and Chamber Announce Manufacturing Breakfast

Feb 20 – Spire & Sport Expands to Richmond Hill; Ribbon Cutting Feb. 27 Open to the Public

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