Time capsule

As reported 28 years ago in the pages of The Columbia News and The Martinez-Evans Times on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 1977.

Consolidation idea

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners took no action on a bill proposed by a local citizens group that would merge the Board of Registrars and Board of Elections.

Thomas M. Blalock, chairman of the Martinez-Evans Citizens League, presented a proposed bill which the league intends to forward to state Rep. Ray Owens for introduction ... in the General Assembly.

The bill would merge the existing Board of Registrars and Board of Elections into a single five-member board. Also, it would establish the position of a full-time director; provide for staggered terms for the board members with a maximum of eight years; require voter registration drives and additional voter registration offices in the county; and provide that the County Commission approved the appointment and hiring of the board members and director.

Development hearings

The first public hearings on the Community Development program were conducted in Grovetown on Jan. 17 and in Martinez on Jan. 18. The meetings were held to obtain citizen input on an application for Community Development Block Grant funds provided by the 1974 Housing and Community Development Act.

Grovetown and Columbia County ... are eligible to apply for up to $400,000 to be used "to provide for viable urban communities," according to Peter Raskin of the CSRA Planning and Development Commission.