Newspaper Page Text
The Upson Beacon
Thursday, June 10, 2021
Page 5A
Kyle Fletcher
Executive Director, T-U IDA
Let’s Get
to Work!
I have recently had the oppor
tunity to update the city’s Com
munity Relations Committee,
IDA board, city council, school
board (and soon the county com
missioners) on the biggest prob
lem facing our industries and
retailers... the lack of people
wanting to go to work!
One of the CEOs of a local in
dustry told me a few weeks ago
that his biggest competition was
“the federal government.”
Whether it is incentives given to
the unemployed, lack of am
bition, or not knowing what to
pursue, the result is having a det
rimental impact on our local busi
nesses.
While there are numerous
businesses wanting to hire people
(with various job descriptions
and wages), very few of the unem
ployed are applying or accepting
employment. Following are a few
of the changes we are experienc
ing as consumers due to the lack
of workers:
l) Some businesses are forced
to alter hours.
2) Some businesses are “drive
through” only.
3) Some businesses are having
to rely on existing employees to
work longer shifts.
4) Some businesses are not
able to manufacture/produce the
volume they desire due to limited
staff.
5) Extended wait times for
service.
Outside the retail and indus
trial sector, we see healthcare, law
enforcement, and education hav
ing hiring issues. When there are
n’t enough “certified teachers,”
college graduates are hired with a
provision to get their classes/cer
tification within three years. Wait
times at doctors’ offices may be
longer due to a shortage of staff.
Why aren’t people interested in
these professions?
For new high school graduates
and young adults without a path
way after graduation, why won’t
they enter the workforce arena? I
don’t have an answer, but I do
know they have more options
than ever to choose from when it
comes to becoming employed.
I’ve heard the excuse that
minimum wage needs to be
higher. Why would someone with
no experience and high school de
gree deserve $15 an hour when
they begin a new job? If indus
tries have such a high hourly rate
for entry level positions, their
budgets for other employees
would have to increase and so
would the cost of their products.
If someone will get an entry
level position, have good soft
skills, and pass a drug test, they
are likely to quickly move up the
ladder with wages and promo
tions. The lack of motivation is
concerning as an economic devel
oper, and it should concern every
one in our community. A variety
of free options have been offered
with little interest.
When we can’t find people to
accept jobs with existing busi
nesses, it raises concern about re
cruiting more businesses that
must find employees.
The IDA office will continue to
work with the local school system,
city and county government,
Southern Crescent Technical Col
lege, Three Rivers Regional Com
mission, and other partners in
addressing the lack of people
seeking employment.
Please do your part by having
tough discussions with those who
don’t seem motivated and are ca
pable of working (but don’t). En
courage them to GO TO WORK or
go to Southern Crescent Techni
cal College to learn a skill set.
If we can’t remedy the prob
lem, businesses/industries will
close or move and it will affect all
of us. Let’s get to work and “Build
Upson!”
Workers Needed, Continued from Front
IDA Welcomes Summer Intern Shania Duncan
wage will advance more
quickly, depending on
work ethic.
“Go to work, show up
on time, and pass a drug
test,” she said. “People are
so desperate for workers, I
guarantee you will move up
the ladder quickly. The
number one thing in our
community is being able to
pass drug tests.”
Southern Crescent
offers a two-week course
for eight hours per day to
prepare high school gradu
ates for entering the work
force, focusing on “soft
skills” crucial to the inter
view process. As of her May
24 presentation to the
CRC, Fletcher said no
Upson Lee students had
signed up for the course.
She added that govern
ment supplements have re
duced incentive to seek
employment.
“One of the CEOs here
Tent City,
said his biggest competi
tion is the federal govern
ment,” Fletcher said. “He
can’t compete when people
can make more sitting at
home than going to work.”
Almost 19 percent of
Upson residents have less
than a high school educa
tion, according to Fletcher,
with 36 percent high school
graduates, 20 percent with
“some” college, 10 percent
with associate’s degrees,
and eight percent with
bachelor’s degrees. Median
household income is
$54,000 and average age is
40, with 47 percent male
and 53 percent female pop
ulation.
She suggested that
anyone searching for jobs
visit indeed.com, and re
minded that the civic
center and public library
offer free computer and in
ternet access.
The Thomaston-Upson
Industrial Development
Authority is proud to intro
duce Shania Duncan as its
2021 summer intern, ac
cording to executive direc
tor Kyle Fletcher.
“Several months ago,
we reached out to the UGA
Griffin Administration in
hopes that they had a stu
dent that was interested in
a volunteer internship,”
Fletcher said. “Shania ex
pressed an interest and
that set the wheels in mo
tion for an MOU between
UGA Griffin and the IDA.
“We feel Shania is a
great fit for our office and
she is enthusiastic about
helping us with social
media, marketing, and
other economic devel
opment initiatives,”
Fletcher continued.
“Please give her a big wel
come!”
Duncan was born and
raised in Milledgeville, and
comes from a large family
which includes her three
brothers and two sisters.
In Spring 2019, she gradu
ated from Baldwin High
School with honors, and
she participated in the dual
enrollment program where
she attended Georgia
Technical College and
Georgia Military College.
During her last se
mester of high school,
Duncan completed seven
college classes while main
taining all As. Upon com
pletion of high school, she
continued her education at
Georgia Military College,
where she graduated in
Spring 2020 with an asso
ciate’s degree. She is cur
rently a fourth-year
student at the University of
Georgia Griffin Campus,
majoring in consumer eco-
Continuedfrom Front
Jones said he consulted
County Manager Jason Tins
ley and Planning Director
Doug Currier, both of whom
agreed that the group is not in
violation of current county or
dinances. Sheriff Dan Kilgore
said he understands concern
of residents in the area, but
his office is bound by applica
ble law.
“I sympathize with the
neighbors, but so far there has
not been a criminal violation,”
Kilgore told The Beacon
Monday morning. “We will
do everything within our
power to resolve any situation
involving our citizens, but we
have to apply the law fairly
and equally to everyone.”
Kilgore said his office re
ceived several complaints of
gunfire, so a sergeant was set
to investigate. He found that
Smith Statement,
the weapons were loaded
with blanks, and no live
rounds were found on the
property. Kilgore said the ser
geant “located a person he
recognized” from a black na
tionalist paramilitary organi
zation which conducted
firearms training exercises in
Upson earlier this year.
Chairman Norman Allen
asked if the campsite could be
considered a nuisance, and
questioned whether property
owners could be prohibited
from camping on their prop
erty.
“If the neighbors are com
plaining about it, it’s a nui
sance,” Jones replied.
“There’s a difference between
camping and living - camp
ing is the weekend, and
they’ve been there more than
a week.
“Now they’ve put up a
fence around it so you can just
see the tops of the tents, and
put up a gate with ‘no tres
passing’ signs,” he continued.
“They back their cars in so
you can’t read the tag
numbers. We know one of the
tags is from Nevada.”
Jones said one neighbor
witnessed a man walking the
two-acre tract wearing two
long guns while holding a
machete and a handgun.
“I need to bring it into the
open because I’m getting too
many complaints. Is there
anything we can do? If not,
I’m really going to get com
plaints,” Jones said. “I’m try
ing to give them the benefit of
the doubt, but it if keeps on,
then they’re living there.”
According to Jones, Cur
rier said commissioners
would be required to amend a
county ordinance before tak
ing action against the settle
ment. County attorney Heath
English agreed, telling the
board it currently is “a sher
iff s office issue.”
Kilgore said the matter
was referred to code enforce
ment.
“Tell the neighbors if they
have a problem, call the sher
iff,” Allen said. “If they’re
making a lot of noise after a
certain time, they’re in vio
lation of the noise ordi
nance... code enforcement
can ride by to see if they’re
leaving trash.”
“My constituents have
asked me to look into it, so
I’m throwing it to the board,”
Jones concluded. “I’m look
ing for guidance. Yall think
about it.”
Continued from Front
nomics with an emphasis
on financial planning.
Duncan plans to attend
graduate school next year,
with an eye on starting her
own financial service firm,
according to Fletcher. She
said she has always had a
passion for finance and
helping others, and wants
to help everyone reach
their goals no matter how
big or small.
“Shania is a very deter
mined student with a
bright future ahead of her,”
Fletcher said. “She’s super
excited to be joining the
team!”
Photo Submitted
Shania Duncan
G EOJt C/
Senvice
Lee Bray
706 648 3747 (Office)
706 975 6896 (Cell)
509 N. Center Street
Thomaston, GA 30286
Fire and Water Damage Restoration
Carpet & Oriental Rug Cleaning
VCT & Ceramic Tile Cleaning
Upholstery Cleaning
Odor Control
Construction/Move Out/ Move In Clean-Up
SSlICRC
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end ResloislienCetliUtlion
Ct-rtiHunt ion 4*223063 & ifOna^d
Homecare, Inc.
Bringing Healthcare Home.
101 Deluxe Circle - Thomaston
706-648-6001
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We Rent
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Wf have
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C-pap/bi-pap Supplies
acy,” he told committee
members.
Smith referred to opin
ions that Confederate mon
uments were “intended to
remind emancipated blacks
of their place in society,
[and remind them] who’s in
charge.” He compared
monuments to Jim Crow
laws which limited voting,
work, and education op
tions for minorities.
“Georgia’s law protect
ing monuments must be
changed. It is unjust and
immoral. Somebody must
be willing to challenge it,”
Smith said. “If we’re look
ing for a solution that’s not
a radical solution, we’re
probably not going to find
one.”
Committee member
Sheila Hall questioned
Smith’s assessment, saying,
“I’ve been here 50 years,
and I really don’t agree.”
Hall said multitudes of
students had graduated
from R.E. Lee Institute and
equated the name with pos
itive high school memories,
and added her opinion that
racism is not prevalent in
the community. But Smith
told Hall she had not seen it
from his perspective.
“We’ve been systemati
cally discriminated
Sewage Contract, Continued from Front
million project. “The city
shall pay no more than
$1,060,315 and the county
shall not pay less than
$1,885,004,” Thompson
read to council members.
Construction cost has
been inflated since initial
estimates, adding as much
as $1,030,000 to the
county’s unincorporated
portion, according to
Thompson.
“It’s complicated, and
has a lot of moving parts,”
he said.
A large portion of the
project entails installation
of a transfer pipe which
would move effluent off the
Bell Creek facility on DOT
Road to the Town Branch
facility on Goshen Road.
The two combine for a total
capacity of four million gal
lons per day.
County Manager Jason
Tinsley delivered the pro
posed 20-year agreement to
commissioners during a
work session the following
morning. If approved by the
county, the contract would
face a final hurdle involving
Industrial Development Au
thority participation. The
agreement could be ex
tended to 50 years, accord
ing to Georgia law.
Members voted to post
pone the council’s June 15
meeting until June 29.
against,” Smith said to Hall.
“You probably never have
been stopped [by police]
and asked where you’ve
been, where you’re going, or
made to do things you
shouldn’t have to do. You
probably never experienced
that. I have, a number of
times.”
Following debate be
tween Smith and Hall, com
mittee members voted to
table the R.E. Lee discus
sion with no recommenda
tion for city council.
City Manager Russell
Thompson agreed to sched
ule a tour for committee
members to view examples
of litter and homelessness
in Thomaston for consid
eration at the group’s next
meeting June 21.
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