Newspaper Page Text
Page 8 - Wednesday, December 27, 2023
The Jenkins County Times
jenkinscountytimes.com
AtA
Public
Notices
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
Sealed bids for construction of 2023 Jenkins County Road
Improvements will be received until January 25 th , 2024 at
11:00 AM at the Jenkins County Commissioners Office at 833
Winthrope Avenue, Millen, GA 30442 at which time and place
they will be publicly opened and read. Any bid received after
said time and date will not be considered by the Owner. No
bid may be withdrawn after the closing time for the receipt of
bids for a period of thirty (30) days.
The work shall consist of furnishing all products and
equipment and performing all labor necessary to perfomi
the following:
Resurfacing approximately 3.8 miles of Lane Road
and 1.3 miles of LB Hall Road with asphalt. The
Contractor shall provide 4” deep patching, bituminous
tack coat, leveling, striping, and traffic control. Time
allotted for final completion of work is one hundred
twenty (120) calendar days.
Plans, Specifications and Contract Documents are on
file at Parker Engineering, LLC. Copies may be obtained
from Parker Engineering, LLC., 36 Courtland Street,
Suite B, Statesboro, Georgia 30458, Phone: (912) 764-
7722, Email: lindsev@parker-engineering.com. upon
payment of $75.00 for each full-size set (non-refundable).
Bids shall be accompanied by a bid bond or certified
cashier’s check in an amount not less than 10% of
the base bid. All bonds shall be by a surety company
licensed in Georgia with an “A” minimum rating of
perfomiance and a financial strength of at least five (5)
times the contract price as listed in the most current
publication of “Best’s Key Rating Guide Property
Liability”. Performance and Payment Bonds, each in
an amount equal to 100% of the contract price shall be
required of the successful bidder if contract is awarded.
Each Bond shall be accompanied by a “Power of
Attorney” authorizing the attomey-in-fact to bind the
surety and certified to include the date of the bond.
Funding is to be provided by GDOT-LMIG and the Jenkins
County Commissioners.
Owner reserves the right to reject any or all Bids and
to waive informalities, including without limitation, the
rights to reject any or all nonconforming, non-responsive,
unbalanced or conditional Bids and to reject the Bid of
any Bidder if Owner believes that it would not be in the
best interest of the Project to make an award to that
Bidder, whether because the Bid is not responsive or
the Bidder is unqualified or of doubtful financial ability
or fails to meet any other pertinent standard or criteria
established by the Owner.
Contractor shall comply with E-Verify regulations.
JENKINS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
EMPLOYMENT AVAILABLE
JOB TITLE: ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/
BOOKKEEPER
The Jenkins County Board of Commissioners is
accepting applications for the full-time position
listed above. This position is responsible for
the day-to-day support functions of the County
Administrator and Commissioners’ Office.
Major Duties:
• Dispatching Work Orders
• Accounts Payable and Payroll
• Supply Purchasing
• Accounts Receivable
• County Transit Dispatcher
• Receptionist
• Record Keeping
• Balancing Monthly Reports
Other Duties:
• As assigned
Qualifications:
• High School Diploma, College Degree in
Business Preferred
• Knowledge of:
• Computer Operations
• General Office Procedures
• Interpersonal Communications Skills
• Any combination of education and
experience which results in the requisite skills
for this position.
Salary is negotiable, based on experience and
education.
Jenkins County is an Equal Opportunity and
Drug Free employer who uses E-Verify. We
require a pre-employment drug screen and
criminal background check.
Applications and resumes should be submitted
to:
Jenkins County Board of Commissioners
Attn: Grady Saxon, Administrator
P.O. Box 797
Millen, Georgia 30442
All applications must be received by 5:00 PM.
on January 31, 2024, to be considered for this
position.
Window Cleaning
Allstate Building Services, LLC
Window Cleaning * Pressure Cleaning * Caulking Specialist
Quality Work At Its Best
25-*- years of experience
Narr«l Pettis, Owner P.O. Box 1129
S13-809-71SS Millen. GA 30442
Npetthll« yahoo.com
Federal Judge Signals
Hurdles for Challenge
to Georgia’s Redrawn
Voting Map
Bv Joe Brady, Editor
for
The Times
Efforts to challenge
the recently drawn
congressional and
legislative maps by the
Republican majorities
in Georgia's General
Assembly faced skepticism
from U.S. District Judge
Steve Jones during a
hearing on Wednesday.
The judge indicated that
the focus of the case on the
rights of Black voters, not
Asian or Hispanic voters,
could pose challenges to
the legal arguments put
forth.
The new maps, drawn
during a special session,
aimed to address concerns
raised by Judge Jones in
October. He had declared
the previous maps, drawn
in 2021, in violation of
the Voting Rights Act.
The revisions resulted in
the creation of seven new
Black majority districts in
the General Assembly, two
in the state Senate, five in
the Georgia House, and an
additional Black majority
district in the state’s
congressional map.
However, Democrats
argued that the new maps
failed to protect "coalition"
districts, where Blacks,
Hispanics, and Asians
collectively hold enough
political influence to elect
a minority candidate, even
if Blacks do not constitute
a majority. Georgia’s 7th
Congressional District,
previously a coalition
district centered in
Gwinnett County, became
a focal point for this
argument.
The redrawn 7 th
Congressional District, as
per the new map, would
be 75% white, with
Republicans shifting it out
of Gwinnett County and
extending it northward
into predominantly white
Dawson and Lumpkin
counties.
During the hearing.
Judge Jones emphasized
that the case had primarily
addressed the rights of
Black voters, and no
evidence regarding the
voting behavior of Asian
and Hispanic populations
was presented during the
earlier trial. He expressed
reluctance to rule on a new
alleged violation in a short
timeframe.
Judge Jones indicated
that a decision would be
forthcoming soon to meet
the mid-January deadline
for the 2024 elections. The
outcome of this case carries
significant implications for
the electoral landscape in
Georgia, as it navigates
the complex intersection
of voting rights and
redistricting.
Georgia Secretary of
State Calls for an End
to General Election
Runoffs
By Joe Brady, Editor
for
The Times
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is
renewing his plea to the Georgia General Assembly
to do away with General Election Runoffs in the state,
advocating for a break from political discussions
during the holiday season.
As the specter of a contentious Presidential election
looms next year, Secretary Raffensperger is urging
lawmakers to consider eliminating runoffs in the
upcoming legislative session. The aim is to spare
Georgian families from the extra helping of election
talk and allow them to focus on festive celebrations
during the holiday season.
"Next year, as the jingle bells of a contentious
Presidential election ring, families across Georgia
should be prepared to feast on turkey - not political
stuffing. Let's spare them the extra helping of election
talk at the holiday table," said Secretary Raffensperger.
"I'm calling on the General Assembly to visit this topic
next session and eliminate this outdated distraction."
Highlighting the importance of spending the holiday
season with loved ones without being inundated
with political solicitations, Secretary Raffensperger
emphasized that Georgia is one of the few remaining
states employing the General Election Runoff model.
Runoffs have occurred in the 2018, 2020, and 2022
general elections, contributing to a cycle of prolonged
political campaigns.
“The end of this holiday campaigning would be
Santa’s greatest gift to Georgia voters,” Secretary
Raffensperger remarked.
The legislative session, set to commence in January,
provides an opportune time for legislators to deliberate
on various options related to the election process.
Secretary Raffensperger is encouraging lawmakers to
consider the impact of runoffs on the holiday season
and the strain they place on county election offices.
“No one wants to be dealing with politics in the
middle of their family holiday,” Raffensperger
asserted. “Our county election offices will already be
securing the 2024 presidential election with audits and
certifying those results. Let’s not burden them with
another election.”
Georgia's 2022 midterms witnessed record-
breaking turnout and demonstrated a high level
of access for voters. With some counties offering
as many as 19 days of Early Voting in the General
Election, Georgia continues to be a national leader in
providing safe, secure, and accessible elections to all
eligible Georgians. Secretary Raffensperger's call to
cn3 General Election Runoffs aligns with the broader
efforts to streamline the electoral process and enhance
the holiday experience for Georgia residents.
Gov. Kemp Announces
State Employee Retention
Pay Supplement, New
School Safety Funding
Special
to
The Times
Governor Brian R Kemp
- joined by First Lady
Marty Kemp, Speaker Jon
Bums, Chairman Matt
Hatchett of the House
Appropriations Committee
- today announced a state
employee retention pay
supplement of $1,000
for each of the roughly
112,000 state employees
and 196,000 educators and
school support staff across
the state. Governor Kemp
also announced school
safety funding that will be
added to the yearly base
budget and will provide
every public school in
Georgia $45,000 to use on
personnel or infrastmeture
improvements that
strengthen campus security.
"Throughout the
pandemic, a summer
of unrest, and the
unprecedented challenges
of the last several years,
our state employees have
worked hard, taken on
additional challenges,
remained committed
to serving their fellow
Georgians, and become
more streamlined so
we can remain the best
state for opportunity,"
said Governor Brian
Kemp. "This retention
pay supplement will
arrive during the holiday
season, and it’s part of my
administration’s way of
showing our appreciation
for all that they do."
Governor Kemp’s
Amended FY 2024 budget
submitted to the General
Assembly in January will
include approximately
$330 million for these
one-time pay supplements,
including $202 million for
K-12 teachers and school
support staff. The budget
will also include more than
$100 million to provide
ongoing annual funding
for local K-12 schools for
school security and safety.
“This additional
investment in school safety
will benefit every part
of the state,” continued
Governor Kemp, “and
it’s just the latest action
we’re taking to secure our
classrooms and back our
law enforcement. This
new funding comes on top
of the $7,000 teacher pay
raise and historic K-12
funding levels we’ve put in
place since I took office.”
Previously, Governor
Kemp authorized two
school safety grants,
totaling $185 million.
In 2019, the governor
approved grants of
$30,000 for every public
school in the state to use
as they saw fit to improve
campus safety, followed by
a second round of grants
announced earlier this
year equaling $50,000 per
school.
“The safety and well
being of our students
across the state is always
my top priority,” shared
Lt. Governor Burt Jones.
“I want to thank Governor
Kemp for his support of
significant funding for local
school safety initiatives
and his leadership on
this issue. I am looking
forward to building on
this announcement and
enhancing school safety
measures, as I outlined
in my Georgia School
Safety Initiative in October,
and strengthening our
commitment to making
Georgia’s schools the
safest in the nation”
"I’m proud to join
Governor Kemp in
providing additional
funding for school safety
initiatives as well as
supplemental pay for our
state employees,” said
Speaker of the House Jon
Bums. “We want every
child in our state to have
the opportunity to learn,
grow and explore in a safe
and secure environment,
and this proposal will
help ensure that happens.
We also want to continue
prioritizing our state
employees who help
deliver the critical services
our state depends on. We
look forward to working
with our colleagues in
the Senate to make these
priorities a reality during
the upcoming legislative
session."
A
Hidden
Gem in
the
Heart of
Rocky
Ford
By Joe Brady, Editor
for
The Times
Tucked away within
the historic confines of
Rocky Ford City Hall is a
literary haven that many
may not be aware of -
the Rocky Ford Library.
As the resident librarian,
Jane Rahn affectionately
describes it, "This is
my Norman Rockwell
town." Jane's love for her
community and its quaint
library shines through
as she unveils plans to
elevate the library into a
vibrant hub of learning and
community engagement.
The shelves of the
Rocky Ford Library are a
testament to the generosity
and support of the town's
residents. Jane explains,
"On these shelves are the
love and support of our
town; they have donated
books by the tote full."
The library, furnished with
donated books, has become
a repository of community
spirit, reflecting the literary
interests and passions of its
residents.
Jane Rahn envisions a
future for the library that
extends beyond its current
offerings. "I would love to
offer computer workshops
for our older patrons,
an afterschool program
with some of our retired
educators, and even drama
classes! I would enjoy
doing a drama about the
founding of Rocky Ford."
Her ambitious vision
reflects a commitment
to making the library a
dynamic and multifaceted
community resource.
Supporting the Rocky
Ford Library is simple and
accessible to all. Residents
can fill out a membership
card and start borrowing
books at two-week
intervals. Additionally, the
library welcomes book
donations of all sorts and
on most subjects. Jane
Rahn also spearheads
a thoughtful initiative
known as the "red ribbon
program." She explains,
"We tie a red ribbon around
six magazines and take
them to our homebound
patrons." This initiative
ensures that even those
who cannot visit the library
in person can still enjoy
reading materials.
However, like many
community initiatives, the
library faces challenges.
Jane reveals, "We also have
a need for bookshelves. We
just don't have the funds
for any right now." This
call for support echoes
the library's importance
as a community asset and
the potential it holds for
growth and enrichment.
The Rocky Ford Library
is open on Wednesdays and
half-days on Saturdays,
providing a welcoming
space for residents to
explore literature and
engage in community
activities. For more
information or to contribute
to the library's growth,
interested individuals can
contact Jane Rahn at 912-
687-6073.
