Newspaper Page Text
144th YEAR, NO, 42
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2021
1 SECTION, 8 PAGES
50 CENTS PER COPY
City of Reynolds, Georgia v. City Of Butler, Georgia...
Butler’s Motion To Dismiss Is Granted
According to the court order
filed in the Superior Court of
Taylor County, on Dec. 16,
2016, the City of Reynolds
hired Monquavious Harvey as
a police officer, Reynolds in
curred $10,464 in training fees
for Officer Harvey.
On Oct. 30, 2017, Reynolds
terminated Officer Harvey’s
employment, for cause. Officer
Harvey Was unemployed for
approximately one week, before
he was hired as a police officer
for the City of Butler on Nov. 6,
2017.
On Jan. 17, 2020, the City of
Reynolds filed suit against the
City of Butler for reimburse
ment of Officer Harvey’s train
ing expenses, based on
O.C.G.A, § 35-8-22 and Officer
Harvey's employment contract
with the City of Rcynolds.
The employment contract
states, The City of Reynolds is
“entitled to recoup a portion of
said [training! costs in the
event that Officer Harvey vol
untarily terminates his
employment...In the event Of
ficer Harvey leaves City of
Reynolds employment to go to
another police agency in the
State of Georgia during a pe
riod of zero to 24 months after
being hired, tbc reimburse
ment shall be governed solely
by the provisions of O.C.G.A. §
35-8-11."
O.C.G.A. § 35-8-22 states,
“Unless otherwise provided by
an employment contract to the
contrary, if the State of Geor
gia or any county or municipal
ity thereof employs a peace of
ficer and said peace officer is
hired by another agency within
15 months after completing
mandated or formalized train
ing requirements, then the to
tal expense of training, includ
ing salary paid during training,
shall be reimbursed by the hir
ing agency to the State of Geor
gia or any county or municipal
ity thereof which initially paid
for such training,”
On Feb, 20, 2020, the City of
Butler filed its Answer and
Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss,
arguing that “no reimburse
ment is owed to Reynolds be
cause Officer Harvey did not
voluntarily terminate his em
ployment with Reynolds and
because Officer Harvey did not
leave his employment with
Reynolds to go to work for But
ler."
On July 22, 2021, the Court
heard oral arguments in the
case, and on Oct. 13, 2021. the
Honorable Judge Bobby Peters,
Superior Court Judge, granted
Butler s Motion to Dismiss, and
Reynolds’ Complaint was dis
missed with prejudice.
The Order reads, “Reynolds*
Complaint fails to stale a claim
upon which relief can be
granted because Officer
Harvey’s employment contract
clearly states that no recoup
ment of training expenses is
allowed unless Officer Harvey
voluntarily terminated or left
his employment. Neither hap
pened in this case. Instead,
Officer Harvey was fired by
Reynolds. The argument of
Reynolds, the term “leaves”
makes the reason for leaving
irrelevant Just the fact that he
is gone from their agency for
any reason invokes their right
of recovery. Htnvever, this ar
gument is without merit.”
“Further, the employment
contract's attempted reliance
on the statute does not work in
this case because Officer
Harvey did not leave his em
ployment with Reynolds ‘to go
to another agency.’ The undis
puted facts show, Officer
Harvey was fired by Reynolds,
he was unemployed for ap
proximately one week, and
then he was hired by
Butler...Thus, by its own terms,
Reynolds’ employment contract
does not allow reliance on
O.C.G.A. § 35-8-22 in this case.”
The Order notes, “While this
may be a case of first impres
sion in Georgia on the issue of
reimbursement from a law en
forcement agency which hires
a police officer terminated for
cause, this court also looks at
the intent of the statute in
question...The statute was not
designed nor is it written to
require a law enforcement
agency hiring an officer w'ho
w r as trained and terminated for
cause by another agency to re
imburse the agency which ter
minated the officer for the costs
of training upon hiring same.
Any agency which terminates
an officer for any reason does
so with the knowledge they will
lose their investment in that
officer when he or she is termi
nated, a unilateral decision
which cannot be imputed to all
law enforcement agencies
which may hire said officer in
the future within the 15 month
window outlined in the law."
The City of Reynolds has 30
days to appeal this ruling.
School Board Works To Build Educational
Partnerships Between Community And Schools
By VALORI MOORE
Editor
The Taylor County Board of
Education met last Monday
night, for the regular monthly
meeting, which was opened
with the Invocation by Jamie
Burgess, Deacon at Taylor Mill
Baptist Church,
Chattahoochee-Flint RESA
Director Ricky McCorkle was
present to discuss community
engagement and building edu
cational partnerships between
the community and the schools.
McCorkle emphasized using
resources and getting the com
munity involved with the
schools.
He provided tips for setting
the culture in the school for
happy students and teachers.
These include developing a
winning attitude, introducing
students to state and local lead-
On Oct. 11th, according to
Reynolds Police Chief Lonnie J.
Holder, Officer Danny Anthony,
Jr. and Sgt. Vernon Humphrey
w'ere dispatched by E911 to an
address on Montague St. in
Reynolds, in reference to a dis
pute involving a gun.
The incident was caused by
read rage and occurred on GA
Hwy. 96.
The Reynolds Police Depart-
ers, providing the best possible
facilities, encouraging the com
munity to buy into schools and
activities, promoting and pub
licizing schools weekly, and
branding your name (making
the school logo visible through
out the community).
Mr, McCorkle explained that
positive community relation
ships increase the graduation
rate, test scores, extracurricu
lar involvement, parental in
volvement, business support,
community support, volun
teers, ownership, community
unity, and community pride.
In other business, last Mon
day, Investigator D.J. Flores
with the Dublin Police Depart
ment and the Georgia Gang
Association provided gang
awareness training to the en
tire school staff. This follows a
community gang incident that
ment launched an investiga
tion and issued warrants for
the arrest of Brandon Vershon
Thomas, a 29 year old male of
Reynolds, for Terroristic
Threats, Reckless Conduct, and
Possession of a Firearm During
the Commission of a Crime.
Thomas turned himself in to
the Taylor County Jail, without
incident.
occurred several weeks ago,
involving several students*
The incident did not occur at
the school.
Taylor County Alternative
School Director Andrew' Britt
has received an award from the
Georgia Association of Alterna
tive Education for his tireless
efforts in alternative education.
Mr, Britt lias been invited to
the National Alternative Edu
cation Conference in St. Louis,
MO.
This week, Oct. 18-22 is Na
tional School Bus Safety Week.
This year's theme is “1 Bus +- 1
Driver = Big Impact on Educa
tion.” Local bus drivers were
recognized during the meeting
and are being honored during
the week.
School Superintendent Jenni
fer Albritton asked the Board
to consider a supplemental re
tirement plan for bus drivers,
lunchroom staff, and custodi
ans through the Public School
Employees Retirement System
(PSERS), with a contribution
toward the plan by the Board,
The Board will consider the re
quest and revisit the issue.
The Board approved the con
tinuation of work on the inter
com system at the middle and
high schools. This will lx? filed
with insurance, since the prob
lem is due to lightning.
Also, Superintendent Albrit
ton was authorized to use two
federal grants (up to $45,000)
to purchase a vehicle to trans
port small groups of students
(6-8 students) and conduct
school business. One grant is
for 831,067, and the other is for
around $13,000.
The Board amended the 2021
Board Training Plan to reflect
training that was completed.
Board members also approved
the 2022 Board Training Plan
and approved the 2021 Annual
Training Report.
Two policies were presented
and tabled for a 30-day review
period. Policy BCBK pertains
to board members signing an
affidavit at executive sessions,
and Policy GAE deletes confus
ing language in the policy gov
erning complaints.
Before going into executive
session to discuss substitutes
and personnel, Board Vice
Chair Dr. Glenda Latimore re
minded everyone that October
is Breast Cancer Aw r areness
Month.
Superintendent Albritton ad
vised that the system recently
lost a beloved teacher, Mrs.
Jeraldine Cooper. Mrs.Albrit-
ton said, “She was a fixture at
the schools. ..and she dedicated
her life to this school system.
She was an asset to the com
munity and will be missed,”
Reynolds
Man Arrested
For Burglary
And Criminal
Road Rage Leads To
Arrest Of Reynolds Man
Trespass
According to Reynolds Police
Chief Lonnie J, Holder, on Oct.
15th, he, Officer Danny An
thony, Jr., Officer Jeffery Th
ompson, and Sgt, Vernon
Humphrey responded to 41
South Liberty Street, in refer
ence to a burglary in progress.
The caller provided a descrip
tion of a male to E911, and
Chief Holder identified the
man, walking in the area.
Sean Tyson Haynes, a 41 year
old male of Reynolds, was
taken into custody without in
cident. He was transported to
the Taylor County Jail and
charged with Criminal Tres
pass and Burglary,
Chief Holder commends the
officers for their quick re
sponse, being proactive, and
keeping the citizens of
Reynolds safe.
Join Us for our TCPS Annual Title 1 Meeting!
Due to COVfD-19, Title I annual meeting will be held virtually.
The purpose of this is to provide parents and other
community stakeholders with an overview of
the TCPS Title [ Program, the Parental Involvement
Policy and the School-Parent Compact.
October 19* -21 s1
Visit TCPS school website or TCPS Facebook
Page for information.
Butler Fire Department
Receives Accolades From
Standards & Training Council
By VALORI MOORE
Last Tuesday night, the But
ler Mayor and City Council met
for the October meeting,
Butler Fire Coordinator Eddie
Moulton advised that a site re
view by the Georgia Firefighter
Standards and Training Coun
cil (GFSTC) was recently con
ducted, GFSTC Compliance
and Evaluation Manager David
Trussell noted, to Fire Chief
David Windham, “You and your
entire department are to be
commended on their attention
to detail, organization, and
maintaining of the
department's training records
and documentation. Your sta
tion and engine are
compliant.,.Keep up the good
work,”
Fire Chief Windham thanked
the Mayor and Council for their
support. He said there are cur
rently 20 members on the fire
department roster. Fire Coor
dinator Moulton reported that
the Butler Fire Department
responded to 21 calls in Sep
tember.
Public Works Director David
Windham announced that the
City has been awarded the
2021 Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) for just
over $1 million, for street,
drainage, and housing revital
ization in the Gloria St., Venus
St., and Bell St. area. He
thanked Grant Specialties for
their help in acquiring the
>See Butler Council on page 3
Change To Traverse
Jury Service
Traverse jurors summoned for Nov, Sth do not
need to report until Nov. 29th, at 9:30 a.m. t at the
Taylor County High School Auditorium.
TCHS Annual
Title I Meeting
Please join Taylor County High School
for the Annual Title I Meeting,
October 21, 10:00 - 10:45 or 5:00 - 5:45.
The meeting will be offered virtually.
Please look for the link on the TCHS
Facebook page and/or school website.
SAVE THE DATE
For more info: I78-8G2-9622 www.taylorccnxiliycofc.com
NOVEMBER
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Free Admission
10 A.M.- 8 P.H.
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HOTAIR BALLOON
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Also*,*
Arts & Crafts, Food Vendors,
Parade, Live Music and
Entertainment, and Lots More!
:5Mf
5:10 MILE
Goal to Raise $300
flGjusan G. Koi»|S^
Breast cancer Foundation
Contact Chelsea McGhee
mcqhee.chelsea@taylorboe.org