Monday, July 10, 2006

Wiles Moves up Ladder in Senate

Positions solidify reputation as a leader in Cobb, Senate

MARIETTA - Today capped a flurry of activity as it relates to Senator John Wiles in the State Senate. Wiles, a Republican Senator from Cobb County, has been chosen to work on a wide array of study committees and has received new committee assignments.

Senator Wiles was given more responsibility with his appointment to the appropriations committee which deals with the state budget, and then made the chairman of the subcommittee on higher education which deals with the allocation of over $4.5 billion annually that is spent by the University system of Georgia.

Senator Wiles will now serve on some of the most important study committees. A passion for Senator Wiles is education and he is honored to serve on the on the Georgia High School Association oversight committee that will help protect our students and athletes. This committee will over see the actions taken by high schools and their associations and recommend legislative solutions for any issues.

Automated Teller Machine security study committee is another assignment Senator Wiles received this summer. Wiles requested this appointment specifically after the tragedy of Kimberly Boyd last year in Acworth. This committee will study the options for making ATM use safer for all Georgians.

Another committee Wiles will participate in is the Committee on Fees for the Judicial system. This committee will ensure that the appropriate fees are collected and submitted by each jurisdiction. The committee also will focus on the fees themselves and make recommendations on the status of each fee.

Thursday, June 8, 2006

A sign to courage

By Katie Fallon
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer

ACWORTH - Kimberly Boyd's young children now will have a permanent reminder of the bravery and tenacity their mother displayed on the day she died.

Mrs. Boyd, mother to now 2-year-old Chloe and 6-year-old Connor, was killed by convicted child molester and rapist Brian O'Neill Clark early Sept. 12.

She was carjacked near the family's moving truck rental business, driven to a bank where she was forced to make an ATM withdrawal, and later shot after Clark crashed her SUV. Clark continued to drive the car before crashing it into a cement truck. He tried to flee the scene on foot but was fatally shot by a bystander.

To honor Mrs. Boyd's memory, family, friends and lawmakers gathered at the Northwest Bank and Trust on Cobb Parkway to celebrate the renaming of a bridge in Mrs. Boyd's memory. The bridge is located where Cobb Parkway crosses Lake Allatoona and not far from where Mrs. Boyd died.

As husband Mike Boyd addressed the crowd at the Acworth bank, his hands shook while he held a sheet of paper with some prepared words. He choked back emotion and was brought to tears several times while he addressed attendees of the dedication.

"What (Kimberly) didn't know was by just being the loving and compassionate person she was, by being a loyal and loving wife, mother, sister and daughter, that she would inspire three separate pieces of legislation and procedural changes within the Department of Corrections to ensure that such a horrible tragedy could never again be allowed to happen to other wives, mothers, daughters and sisters," Boyd said.

The most notable legislative Boyd lobbied for in Kimberly Boyd's memory was the creation of Kimberly's Call, an alert similar to Levi's Call for Children. Kimberly's Call alerts the public when an adult has been raped, kidnapped or murdered and a suspect is on the run. In addition, the Legislature passed House Bill 1059 that requires minimum, mandatory sentencing for sex offenders as well as a more structured pre- and post-release process.

Now a single father, Boyd praised his late wife's ability to not become a passive victim. He also lauded good Samaritan Shawn Roberts' initiative in not being a passive bystander. Witnesses who saw Mrs. Boyd's attack said she continued to try and fight her way out of her car even after she was shot.

District 37 state Sen. John Wiles (R-Kennesaw) sponsored House Resolution 849, which authorized the bridge to be renamed. For a road or bridge to be renamed in Georgia, a resolution is required in either the state Senate or House. The process normally takes about a year, but Wiles and state Sens. Judson Hill (R-Marietta), Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) and state Rep. Ed Setzler (R-Acworth) were able to cut that waiting period.

Wiles said the Lake Allatoona bridge would stand as a reminder to all who cross it.

"This bridge will now serve to all who cross it as a memorial to the courageous woman who was taken from us at such a young age," Wiles said. "Hopefully, it will inspire others to hear her story and encourage citizens to protect themselves and their fellow citizens."

Wiles further commended Mrs. Boyd for her bravery in fighting for her life until she took her last breath.

"She showed courage and determination in making sure that everyone on the road that morning knew there was a rapist, child molester and murderer in her car trying to attack her," Wiles said.

Boyd said that even with the legislative action he helped initiate over the past nine months, there is one thing that has helped him maintain strength through the loss of his wife.

"When all is done and gone and all material possessions are removed, the only thing that counts in the end is the love of your family and the relationships we have cultivated and nurtured in this life," Boyd said with a quickly faltering voice. "This love is what is most important to Kimberly and should be what is most important to all of us."

kfallon@mdjonline.com