Representative Mike Jacobs

In light of the attention that health care town hall meetings have been receiving, Congressman Hank Johnson’s office has issued some ground rules for tonight’s meeting (click for more information) to be held on the Clarkston Campus of Georgia Perimeter College.

The rules are fair ones that I think will make this a better forum for both proponents and opponents of the proposals currently pending in Congress. They are as follows:

1. Each speaker gets two minutes.

2. Fourth District residents speak first.

3. No abusive, profane or derogatory language.

4. The room holds 500 people, but there is also a live feed to a gym that holds up to 1,000.

5. No signs inside the room. There will be a “protest area” outside.

6. About 15 campus police on site.

Congressman Hank Johnson, who represents most of Brookhaven, will be holding a town hall meeting on health care reform legislation on Monday, August 10, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Cole Auditorium on the Clarkston Campus of Georgia Perimeter College.

If you have the time, I hope you will make the short trip around I-285 to express your views on this important issue.

One of my constituents brought up a good point about why this meeting is important: “If you write Congressman Johnson a letter or an e-mail, it’s highly unlikely he’ll see it. This is an opportunity where you can be sure he will hear directly from you.”

There is at least an hour allocated for public comment. Invited speakers include the CEO of Grady Hospital, Michael Young, and the DeKalb County Health Director, Dr. Sandra Ford.

Here are directions:

Georgia Perimeter College’s Cole Auditorium and Fine Arts Center is at the corner of North Indian Creek Drive and Memorial College Avenue in Clarkston. Driving south on I-285, take the East Ponce de Leon exit toward Clarkston, exit 40 — turn left. At North Indian Creek, turn right and take it to Memorial College Ave; take a left. The Cole Fine Arts Center is on your right. Driving north on I-285, take a right at the Memorial Drive exit, exit 41. Turn left on Rockbridge Road, right on North Indian Creek Drive and a right on Memorial College Ave. The Cole Fine Arts Center is on your right.