About Upson beacon. (Thomaston, Ga.) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (June 17, 2021)
County Postpones Vote on Sewer Agreement Wording, Omission Send Board Back to Negotiating Table with Mayor & City Council By Bridge Turner bturner@upsonbeacon.com Citing three points of concern in the city-ap proved draft, county com missioners postponed action last week regarding a new wastewater service agreement between the City of Thomaston and Upson County. County Manager Jason Tinsley recommended that commissioners table the issue until discussion could continue among members of the board and city council to “iron out” wording in the contract. Tinsley said he spoke with Mayor Pro-Tern Doug Head and City Manager Russell Thompson about his concerns. The city-approved ver sion states that the agree ment would be null and void if the Georgia Envi ronmental Protection Di vision decreases the city’s treatment limit. If the con tract is nullified by EPD action, the county would have made a $2 million capital investment with “nothing to show for it,” according to Tinsley. Tinsley also questioned the legality of wording Ranews has graduated from a "small user" to a "significant user," and needs an additional 15,000 gallons of wastewater capacity at its Upson County plant. Delays involving a joint agreement between the city and county have contributed to the industry needing to truck effluent away from the Delray Road location. which suggests that mil- lage levied for the county’s portion of maintenance and operational cost of the system would apply to un incorporated taxpayers only, not affecting city res idents. Finally, wording was omitted regarding fire pro tection for system users. A previous draft stated that participants would auto matically receive fire serv ice from the Thomaston Fire Department. Full time coverage from a full time department is key for Sewer Agreement, 5A City, County Eye Options For Industry Ranew Trucks Effluent Away From Local Plant By Bridge Turner bturner@upsonbeacon.com City officials learned last Thursday that Ranew’s manufacturing and fabrication plant on Delray Road has reached its wastewater limit and has resorted to trucking ef fluent away from the local facility, according to com ments made at a special called meeting of the city council Friday. The industry, which employs more than 60 lo cally and currently is ad vertising numerous ad ditional employment op portunities, has graduated from a “small user” to a “significant user,” engi neers said. The plant now needs an extra 15,000 gal lons per day on top of the 10,000 gallons of capacity previously allotted. According to city offi cials, there are two options for providing relief to Ranew. The first option would involve the city and county approving a new joint City/County, 5A TPD Reports ‘Catfish’ Scam Area Woman Lost $150,000 Front L-r: Audrey and Garrett Norris; Second Row L-R: Jessica Watson, Chair Jaqueline Hollis, Brian Salter, Deborah Hopper, Robyn Greer, Bethany and Matthew Norris, ULMS Principal Rhonda Gulley, Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico, Angeline McGill, Sheila Hall; Third Row L-R: Jaye Eubanks and Scott Roberts. Photo by Luke Haney BOE Celebrates Guest of Honor Audrey Norris IDA Director Addresses Board A local woman claimed losses of more than $150,000 to a man she “met” on a dating website more than a year ago, ac cording to a report from the Thomaston Police De partment. The man said his name was Robert John Tocci and told the woman he lived in Long Boat, Fla., the report stated. The victim told po lice “they talked for months on the phone,” then in August 2020 Tocci said he “knew a way to pay off the mortgage on her home, but he needed $5,000.” She said she sent $5,000, then Tocci said he needed another $25,000 to get out of a Mexican jail where he was incarcerated during a business trip, and an additional $30,000 be cause he was robbed while in Mexico. The local woman told police she sent Tocci $30,000 at least four times, and between Feb ruary and April this year 8 10499 02461 2 she sent more than $150,000, “emptying her bank account of her life savings.” Having never met the man, she received only photos, phone numbers, and an email contact. She said she kept re ceipts of the transactions, including amounts and lo cations to where money was sent. “[She] said she knows she might never get her money back, but she wanted to report this so it will not happen to anyone else,” the report stated. "... she was told by the Geor gia Bureau of Investigation to file a police report with her local department in order for them to get in- Catfish, 5A By Luke Haney lhaney@upsonbeacon.com The Thomaston-Upson Board of Education met last Tuesday for its regular monthly meeting. At the start of the meeting, Su perintendent Dr. Larry Derico welcomed the “guest of honor,” Audrey Norris, and her family. “Audrey, we are so very thankful and blessed to have you here with us to night,” said Dr. Derico. “All of us in this room, in our schools, and through out our entire community have said a lot of prayers for you, and we continue to pray and give thanks for you and for your sustained good health. You are amazing, and we are so happy to have you and your entire family as part of our UL family.” Norris, the daughter of two Upson-Lee High School teachers, recently went into cardiac arrest during her seventh-grade field day last month. Sev eral Upson-Lee Middle BOE,5A 11th Annual Flint River Poker Float Photo by Jacob Stewart The Thomaston-Upson Chamber of Commerce hosted the llth annual Poker Float last Saturday. Many members of surrounding communities played their chances at winning the grand prize, along with other door prizes. Steve Elliot turned in the winning hand of poker and won a new kayak. See more, Page $B. Photo by Bridge Turner Celebrating a Century with Ms. Cleo Happy 100th Birthday to Cleo Tatum, who celebrated a century of life last Saturday with a drive-thru birth day parade, held at Thomaston First United Methodist Church. Her 100th birthday is Monday, June 21. (0 Griffin Ob-Gyn NOW SEEING PATIENTS IN THOMASTON CALL TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY: 403 WEST MAIN STREET TUESDAY-THURSDAY 8:30-4:30 (770)227.5505 (706)646.2888 Leigh Ann Story, CNM; Bryan Krepps. HO; Jim Dunaway, MD; Lou Hameli, MO; Holly Harrison, PA*C; Nadine Nolting, CNH; Enid Lofters-Jones, MD; Hegan Potter. HD; Katya Brickman. CNM; Ashley Johnson, PA
