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CARROLL COUNTY, GEORGIA'S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED / LOCALLY OPERATED NEWSPAPER
The 18th Annual Don-Rich Ford
Villa Rica Frontiers Rodeo
Friday, August 25th and
Saturday, August 26th - see page 4
NEWS REPORTING / NEWS RECAP / NEWS ANALYSIS
AUGUST 13, 2023 • VOLUME 29 NUMBER 8
StarNewS monthly traditional print publication/StarNews Online daily local news
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1992 murder of toddler
in Carroll County, GA
featured in three part
docuseries “Demons &
Saviors” on HULU
story by Wayne J. Reynolds
In 2008, The Carroll Star News
(now StarNews)
published an in-
depth story that
exposed a disturb
ing cluster of
events that led to a
Carroll County,
Georgia mother of
a murdered three
year old girl being
sentenced to life imprisonment plus
20 years for that murder. This hap
pened without a confession, without
a trial, and with a solid alibi witness
that this mother was not present
when her daughter was murdered on
April 14, 1992. In fact, it was
Boyer’s boyfriend David Herrin who
had been alone with the toddler for
six hours during which time the fatal
blow to her head occurred.
See DEMONS & SAVIORS page 13
Boyer (2018)
County Public Schools
Public Hearing to Increase
Property Taxes by 12.73%
Over Rollback Rate
The Carroll County Board of
Education has tentatively adopted
a 2023 millage rate which will
require an increase in property
taxes by 12.73% over rollback rate.
Millage rate not announced yet.
Citizens are invited to the Public
Hearing on the tax increase to be
held in the school board of
education meeting room, 164
Independence Drive, Carrollton,
GA, on Monday, August 21, 2023
at 5:30 p.m.
City Council of Carrollton
Public Hearing to Increase
Property Taxes by 10%
Over Rollback Rate
Mayor and Council of the City of
Carrollton have tentatively adopted
a 2023 millage rate/same as 2022,
which will require an increase in
property taxes by 10.00% over the
rollback rate to keep all of the
property tax increase.
Citizens are invited to the Public
Hearing on the tax increase to be
held at the Public Safety Annex,
115 West Center Street, Carrollton,
GA on Thursday August 17, 2023
at 8:30 a.m.
Ongoing Continual
Property Reassessments:
Law requires county and
cities to decide annually
whether to keep:
- all of a tax increase
- some of the tax increase
- not any of the tax increase
This decision is made
through the setting of
the millage rate
Setting Millage Rate at
“Rollback Rate” =
not keeping increase
Setting Millage Rate at a
“Percentage Over Rollback” =
keeping all or
some of tax increase
To Appeal Your
Property ’s Assessment
A written appeal must be filed
within 45 days of notice date
1. download Appeal of
Assessment form at:
http s ://qpublic .net/ga / carroll/
docs/PT311 A_Appeal_of_
Assessment_Form.pdf
2. download instructions:
http s ://qpublic .net/ga/carroll/
docs/Appeal%20Summary%
202021-10.pdf
Upon request, documentation
can be provided that supports
the value of the assessment:
assessors@carrollcountyga.com
Email appeal to:
appeals@carrollcounty
ga.com
Lake Carroll renovations: water level is now returning
Phase 1 completed, Phase 2 underway, and Lake Carroll is currently - albiet slowly - filling up
New pavilions, new playground, a natural area, an expanded boat ramp and a boardwalk
been SPLOST funded. He also said because of the
proximity of these improvements so close to the lake
they had to also get permits from the Georgia
Department of Natural Resources.
story by Wayne J. Reynolds
If you have driven by Lake Carroll Park at 500
North Lakeshore Drive in Carrollton you may won
der what is going on with all the constmction? And
many have wondered when will Lake Carroll be
back at full pool? The answer is that the park is
undergoing a two phase renovation, with the first
phase having been completed. Carrollton Parks and
Facilities Superintendent Kent Johnston spoke at
length on the improvements. Johnston said, “For
many years, the park has not been renovated or
changed. City Councilman Brett Ledbetter had a
bold vision of what the
park could become, and he
led the charge. I added
some ideas, and the mayor
and council agreed with
the ideas presented to
them.”
Phase 1 was adding one
large pavilion and two
smaller pavilions, a play
ground, and a natural area -
and is completed. Johnston
said that Phase 1 was so
successful that the city
went ahead with Phase 2. Most of this project has
“City Councilman
Brett Ledbetter
had a bold vision
of what the park
could become,
and he led the
charge.. the
mayor and council
agreed with the
ideas presented
to them.”
Phase 2 includes a larger event pavilion which will
be able to host musical groups, and events such as
weddings. This phase also includes a boardwalk so
visitors may walk around this area of the lake. There
See LAKE CARROLL PHASE 2 page 8
November 7,2023
General Municipal Election
QUALIFYING DATES:
Mon., Aug. 21st 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Tues., Aug. 22nd 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Wed., Aug. 23rd 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
This qualifying is for all city councils,
mayors, and school board members
with terms set to expire Dec. 31,2023
QUALIFYING FEES APPLY
Carrollton City Councilman Jim Watters to host
town hall meetings to gain feedback from citizens
Three term councilman for Ward 3, Watters is running for fourth
story by Wayne J. Reynolds
Recently StarNews sat down with City of Carrollton Councilman for
3rd Ward Jim Watters about his plans for reelection, as the qualifying
period for his, and many other municipal seats, is fast approaching:
Monday, August 21,2023 and ending Wednesday, August 23, 2023.
Councilman Jim Watters said, “Yes, I am running for a fourth term.
Qualifying is not until August 21st, but I want the voters to start hearing
from me, and, more importantly, I want to hsten to them.
“I will be hosting several town hall meetings in September and October
that will be well publicized so they can hear directly from me and me
from them.”
Watters was asked what inspired him to mn initially in 2011, and has
See WATTERS RUNNING FOR REELECTION page 8
JimWatters
This issue is also
posted on over
110 Facebook
community pages,
Twitter,
Linkedln,
&
starnewsgaonline.com
Call 770-722-7227
suehorn.starnews
@gmail.com
waynereynolds.starnews
@gmail.com
