About The Jenkins County times. (Millen, Ga.) 2023-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 2023)
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 No bid may be withdrawn after the closing time for the receipt of bids for a period of thirty (30) days.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.
