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0he Sutler Herald
> “Your Newspaper Since 1876”
(Publication Number USPS 534*720)
144th YEAR, NO. 10 THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 1 SECTION, 8 PAGES 50 CENTS PER COPY
Rex Robinson Honored
For 36 Years Of Service With
The Taylor County Fire Department
At last week’s meeting of the Taylor County Board of Commissioners, Rex Robinson was
presented a plague for his 36 years of dedicated service to the Taylor County Fire Depart
ment, The award was presented by Taylor County Fire Coordinator Jeremy Williams.
Robinson became a volunteer firefighter with the Panhandle Fire Station in 1984. He is
pictured with Taylor County Assistant Fire Coordinator Shelby Cloniger (left) and Fire
Coordinator Williams (right).
Vikings And Lady Vikings Named
To All Region 5-A Basketball Teams
—Nick Woodard Is Region Player Of The Year
The Ail Region 5-A Basketball
Teams have been announced,
and several Lady Vikings and
Vikings from Taylor County
High School have been named
to the teams.
Viking Nick Woodard was
named the Region 5-A Player
of the Year.
Vikings Jabin Ford and
Jahnquavious Mallory were
named to the All Region 5-A
First Team.
Viking Braylan Jowers was
named to the All Region 5-A
Second Team, and Vikings
Jikevion Towns and Delon-
tavious Davis received Honor
able Mention.
Lady Vikings Jada Miller and
Jaliyah Zackery were named to
the All Region First Team.
Lady Viking Marlgndra
Holder received Honorable
Mention.
Congratulations, Vikings and
Lady Vikings!
Eligibility For COVID-19 Vaccine Expanded
—State Representative Patty Bentley Urges Eligible
Taylor Countians To Register For The Vaccine
On Feb. 25, 2021, Governor Brian Kemp held a press conference at the State Capitol to
announce that more vaccines will be available in the state. Preschool and K-12 school
employees, adults with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers, and parents of chil
dren with complex medical conditions became eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Geor
gia, starting March 8th, Until then, Georgia restricted vaccinations to people 65 and
older, as well as emergency workers, health care workers, and employees and staff of long
term care facilities, such as nursing homes. They are still eligible. Rep. Patty Bentley
encourages all residents of Taylor County to get the vaccine to better protect themselves
from this horrible virus, Could-19. Please Contact the local health department at (478)
862-5628, Smith ’s Pharmacy at (478) 862-5655, or Knight 7 s Pharmacy at (478) 847-3666
for information regarding the vaccines. Rep. Bentley supports Governor Kemps recom
mendation to provide all employees of Taylor County School System and State Employees
a $1,000 bonus from the State CARES ACT Funding, Pictured are Governor Brian Kemp
and Rep. Patty Bentley.
Fines For Littering May
Increase In Taylor County
By VALOR I MOORE
Editor
Last Tuesday night, March
2nd. the Taylor County Board
of Commissi oners held its regu
lar monthly meeting. The
meeting was opened with the
Invocation by Rev. Tommy
Beeland, pastor of The Church.
Last month, the Board ap
proved trash pickup on 100
miles of county roads for $130
per mile, by Lovin Disposal
Company. The work has been
completed, and 4 1/2 tons of
trash were removed from
county roads.
The roads look much better,
but trash is already beginning
to gather on sides of the county
roads. Commission Chairman
Randy Nelson said the Board
should think about changing
the resolution on fines for lit
tering in the county. It is hope
ful that increasing fines, add
ing additional “littering” signs,
and increasing enforcement by
the sheriff’s office Will help cur
tail the problem.
Also, the Taylor County Devel
opment Authority has applied
for a grant for landscaping at
the courthouse. The grant in
cludes a 20% match by the
county and will include the
memorial bricks discussed last
year. The bricks will be pur
chased by those wishing to
honor or remember loved ones.
In the 1990s, the county was
interested in having a lire de
partment in Howard. The
Brown Family offered to give
the property for the fire station
to the County, and the Howard
Fire Station was opened. How
ever, the property deed w as not
prepared and given to the
County, Recently, Greg Brown
asked the County for rent or a
lump sum for the deed to the
property. In an executive ses
sion, following the regular
meeting, the Board agreed to
pay $15,000 for the property.
The property is approximately
.24 acres.
Assistant County Manager
Jarrod McCarthy explained
that the state now' requires
there to be a housing compo
nent in the service delivery
plan, when a local government
applies for a grant that in
cludes private housing, The
City of Butler is interested in
applying for a grant that in*
dudes a private housing com
ponent. The required service
delivery plan includes the
County and the Cities of But
ler and Reynolds, and must be
agreed upon and signed by all
three entities. The County ap
proved the update to the ser-
Day light
Saving Time
begins Sunday,
March 14th,
at 2 a.in.!
Remember to move
your clocks ahead one
hour before retiring
Saturday night.
r***
The Butler Fire
Department reminds
that this is a great time
to change the batteries
in your smoke and
carbon monoxide
detectors.
vice delivery plan. The City of
Reynolds approved the update
last week.
The County has been in the
process of closing Pye Road, as
requested by the property
owner. The property has now
been sold. Before proceeding
with closing the road, the new
property owner will he con
tacted, to find out if the road
should still be closed.
All South Insurance Agency
would like to bid on the
County’s property and liability
insurance. Currently, the
County’s property and liability
insurance is with ACCG (Asso
ciation County Commissioners
of Georgia), ACCG offers the
County a dividend, and the
County is eligible for its first
dividend from 2020. Also,
ACCG offers property apprais
als, training, human resources,
a legal team, crisis manage
ment, and a discount. IIow-
ever, the Board noted the ad
vantages of using a local com
pany. The issue was tabled to
be discussed in a work session.
Fire Coordinator Jeremy Wil
liams announced that Shelby
Cloniger is the new Taylor
County Assistant Fire Coordi
nator. Also, the structure of'the
Taylor County Fire Depart
ment lias been revised, and the
department is now operating as
one station, rather than several
stations throughout the county.
All county stations continue to
operate.
Williams presented a token of
appreciation to Rex Robinson
for 36 years of service to the fire
department, Rex began as a
volunteer firefighter with the
Panhandle Fire Station in 1984.
Board Chair Randy Nelson said,
The Board wants to thank you
for what you’ve done!”
Williams reported that the
county fire department re
sponded to six calls in Febru
ary, including two alarm calls,
tw o vehicle accidents, and two
structure fires. One structure
fire call was canceled enroute,
and the other was a fully en
gulfed mobile home.
The rescue pumper overhaul
is now r complete and is await
ing a new pump test.
The fire department has ap
plied for a Georgia Fireworks
Grant of up to $25,000, with a
10%' county match. The grant
will be used for tools, thermal
imaging cameras, generators,
scene lighting, Nomex hoods,
and a Sparky (the fire safety
dog) robot, to be used for edu
cational purposes.
EMS Director Brandon
Everett advised that the EMS
received 120 calls in February,
including 65 transports.
Also, the new ambulance with
load assist is now in service,
and this is the final month of
the EMS Class. Eighteen stu
dents are enrolled in the class.
The final exam is scheduled for
March 27th, and the two Na
tional Registry classes are
scheduled.
Commissioner Cicero
Latimore commended Fire Co
ordinator Williams and EMS
Director Everett. He said,
“Things are really shaping up!”
Following the regular meet
ing, the Board went into execu
tive session to discuss legal and
personnel matters, followed by
a work session to discuss the
budget.
TAYLOR COU
PRIMARY SCHOOL
PRE-K REGISTRATION
MARCH 22-26, 2021
Required Document* needed »t th« tim* of rwflit ration:
• of ffe v<i w# (F octr* fWt,’Ujw *9wrrwntj
• Birtti Certificate
' S<K igl Security Card
■ mnmuni2«ton F&mri, GPh ji
• Hearing, Oe*i A Niflr.tiOrt, GPH Fom
Taylor Co. COVID-19 Update
(as of Tuesday, March 9,2021)
Cumulative Cases: 488
New Cases (Past 2 Weeks): 11
Cumulative Deaths: 20
Drive-thru testing is available at the Taylor County
Health Department on Tuesdays, from 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Call (478) 862-5628.
To register for the COVID-19 vaccine, visit:
www.westcenlralheaUhdistrict.com
Also, Pine Mountin Regional Library System has
partnered with West Central Health District to help any
one who needs to register. Call during regular library
hours:
Butler Public Library. (4781 862-5428
Vlon.-Wed., 2-6 p.m.
Thurs., 2-7 pan. * Fri.,2-6 pan.
Reynolds Community Library. 1478) 847-3468
Mon., 12-5 pan. • Tues., 1-5 pan.
Thurs., 1-6 pan.* Sat., 10 a.m.»l pan.
Please be patient and please only register one time.
(Georgia residents only)
(Source: Department of Public Health, West Central Health District,
other sources report different data.)