Newspaper Page Text
©he Butler Mmtlh
“Your Newspaper Since 1876”
(Publication Number USDS 584-720)
145th YEAR, NO, 24 THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2022
1 SECTION, 8 PAGES 50 CENTS PER COPY
Taylor County Fire Department Honors
Sug Henderson For 40 Years Of Service
Saturday afternoon,
June 11th, the Taylor
County Fire Department
honored Rubin “Sug”
Henderson, Firefighter
#704, for 40 years of ser
vice and dedication to the
citizens of Taylor County
through his selfless work
with the fire department,
Taylor County Fire Chief
Jamason Byrd opened
the program and wel
comed guests, followed
by comments from fellow
firefighter Brandon Bell,
lifelong friend Terry
McCants, State Repre
sentative Patty Bentley,
Taylor County Chief
Deputy Tommie Fowler,
former Fire Chief Judson
Montgomery, lifelong
Pictured (l-r) arc: Taylor County hire Chief Jamason Byrd,
State Representative Patty Bentley, Rubin “Sug 1 ' Henderson, and Terry McCants.
friend Richie McCants, and sisters, Claudia Dawson and Ardella Pearson, Rep. Bentley announced that
Governor Brian Kemp declared June 11, 2022 as “Rubin 'Sug' Henderson Day” in Georgia. Sug, accompa
nied by his wife, Barbara, was presented with a plaque from the State of Georgia, a personal firefighter
hat, t-shirt, cap, and plaque from the Taylor County Fire Department, and an antique fire hose nozzle from
the Reynolds Fire De
partment. Following the
presentation, guests en
joyed a barbecue meal.
Butler Garden Club Yard Of The Month
The Butler Garden Club Yard of the Month is the streetscape of the City of
Reynolds. With the help of Amber Woodward, Public Works Director Scott
Jones, and funding by the City, seasonal planters were installed just in time
for the Strawberry Festival, This attractive streetscape can be viewed at East
Wainwright Street in Reynolds. The Butler Garden Club Yard of the Month is
a monthly feature of, and is chosen by, members of the Butler Garden Club.
Grand Jury
Convenes For
June Term Of
Superior Court
The Grand Jury of Taylor
County convened on the
13th day of June 2022, with
23 members present and
sworn.
The following officers
were elected: Victoria
Dozier, Foreperson, and
Amy Jones, Secretary.
The Grand Jury returned
nine true bills and zero no
bills.
The Grand Jury recom
mended that these present
ments he published in The
Taylor County News and
The Butler Herald.
The Grand Jury wishes to
thank the Honorable Ben
jamin A. Land and the Dis
trict Attorney Stacey Jack-
son and his staff for their
service and assistance.
Flint Energies Foundation Awards
$250,000 To Law Enforcement
Recently, Flint Energies Foundation awarded a total of a quarter of a million dollars in grants to 25 local
law enforcement departments, at an appreciation luncheon held at the Co-op's headquarters in Reynolds.
The grants, which were $10,000 each, are to assist the departments with their public safety efforts and
can be used for training and to purchase protective equipment or other necessary items. Of the 25 law
enforcement agencies that received grants, nine of those were sheriff’s offices, including Taylor County
Sheriff's Office. Also, 16 police departments received grants, including Butler Police Department and
Reynolds Police Department. “Flint Energies' mission is not just to provide electricity, but to improve the
quality of life for our consumer-members and the communities we serve, and that begins with public
safety,” said Marian McLemore, Flint’s Vice President of Cooperative Communications. “We appreciate
our local law enforcement agencies and the work that our officers do to keep our communities safe. The
Flint Energies Foundation wanted to express our deep appreciation through the grants given,” said
Joanne Hamlin, Flint Foundation Chairman.
Commissioners To
Further Discuss
Juneteenth Holiday
By VALORI MOORE
Editor
Last year, Juneteenth be
came a federal holiday in
recognition of the emanci
pation of enslaved African
Americans. Juneteenth is
observed on June 19th of
each year and the following
Monday when the 19th is
on the weekend. This year,
the observance is Monday,
June 20th.
At this month's regular
meeting of the Taylor
County Board of Commis
sioners, Commissioner
Tameka Harris made a
motion for the County to
recognize Juneteenth and
give county employees the
day off with pay. With no
second, the motion died,
and the County will not
observe Juneteenth with a
day off, at this time.
A discussion of funding
the day off for the holiday
ensued. Commissioner
Tameka Harris stated that
there will be further discus
sion when information as to
how much the holiday will
cost is obtained.
Commissioner Randy
Nelson noted, “I have no
problem with the holiday.
If we can swap it for an
other one, no problem!”
The Georgia Department
of Transportation (GDOT)
asked the County, the City
of butler, and the school
district for support for
RCUT intersections on the
Fall Line Freeway at Oak
St., McDowell St., and Old
Hwy. 96. The City of But
ler sent a letter of support
for the RCUTs. The school
board sent a neutral letter,
neither for or against, the
RCUTs, and the Commis
sioner took a vote at this
month’s meeting. Commis
sioner Milton Harris voted
in favor of supporting the
RCUTs, with Commission
ers Randy Nelson and Rob
ert Peacock voting no, and
Commissioner Tameka
Harris abstaining. Chair
man Cicero Latimore only
votes in the case of a tie. A
letter will be written to
GDOT stating that the
County is not in favor of the
RCUTs, at this time.
Roads and Bridges Direc
tor Bo Crook advised that
the railroad crossing on
Lofton Rd. has been sub
mitted to GDOT for fund
ing three times. The
project was rejected, and
GDOT advised that the
road is owned by the rail
road.
Crook said he has been in
contact with CSX Railroad.
The railroad will study the
intersection and their engi
neer will make a decision
concerning Lofton Road,
(Initial discussions with
the railroad referenced
Norfolk Southern.)
The Commissioner ap
proved the only bid, from
Robinson Paving Co,, to
pave five miles of three dif
ferent county roads. The
bid is $600,000 to resurface
the middle portion of
Crowell Rd., Murray
Jarrell Rd., and Bethel
Church Rd. The resurfac
ing is expected to begin in
six weeks.
Chairman Latimore
thanked all Taylor County
residents for voting and
approving the regional
Transportation Special
Purpose Local Option Sales
Tax (TSPLOST). He added,
‘T twill help tremendously.”
Taylor County Fire Chief
Jamason Byrd reported
that the county fire depart
ments responded to 28 calls
last month. During a call
on June 4th, a vehicle hit
the fire engine. Repairs are
being made and filed on
ins urance.
Chief Byrd said quotes for
two new fire stations are
being obtained. One sta
tion will be in Mauk at the
intersection of Currington
Rd. and Evergreen Church
Rd. The new golf club, Fall
Line Club, is donating the
land for the station. The
second station will be on
Wilson Rd.
Also, the fire department
has three new firefighters,
Alicia Moncrief, Jason
Rowell, and Matt Sawyer.
They have completed train-
ing and passed the exam.
Chief Byrd thanked them
for their commitment to
serve Taylor County citi
zens.
EMS Director Abb
Preston reported that Tay
lor County EMS responded
to 136 calls in April, with
78 transports to nine hos
pitals. In May, there were
135 calls, with 83 trans
ports to nine hospitals.
Director Preston advised
that the EMT Class is com
plete. Two students have
tested and passed the
exam, so far.
Mindy Bass was reap
pointed for another three-
year term on the Taylor
County Library Board.
Terry Hudson was ap
pointed to the Tax Assessors
Board for a four-year term.
Abb Preston will serve a
two-year term on the West
Central Georgia Region 7
EMS Board, and Matt
Troutman was reappointed
to serve another five-year
term on the Taylor County
Recreation Board.
Taylor County
Board Of Assessors
Notification
Notice is hereby given that a member of the
appraisal staff will review and inspect proper
ties which are the subjects of an active building
permit for changes and improvements which
have been made to the property. Also, site visits
and reviews will be made, if determined needed,
in all of Taylor County of residential, agricul
tural, and commercial properties to determine
if improvements have been made or verifications
need to be made in our data.
These appraisal reviews will include measur
ing structures, listing construction information,
and photographing the subject property, The
majority of these field reviews will take place in
the coming weeks, from the hours of 9 a.m. to 4
p.m., Monday through Friday. Appraisal staff
will be in a vehicle clearly marked Taylor County
Tax Assessors or GMASS Contractor/Appraiser.
For more information or concerns on this noti
fication, please contact the Assessors Office at
(478) 862-3802 or by email taylortax@pstel.net.