Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 16, No. 52
Wednesday, December 27, 2023
UPSON
BEACON
Shining Light & Keeping Watch on Our Community
upsonbeacon.com
219 Thomas Street, Thomaston, Ga. 30286 • 706.646.2382
75 Cents
Newsline
Dec. 27. 2023
City, County
Offices Close
for New Year
City of Thomaston
and Upson County gov
ernmental offices will be
closed Monday, Jan. l for
New Year’s Day. All gov
ernment offices are
scheduled to reopen
Tuesday, Jan. 2 for nor
mal hours of operation.
The Upson Beacon of
fice will close at noon Fri
day, Dec. 29 and will be
closed New Year’s Day.
Deadlines will be at noon
Thursday, Dec. 28 for the
Jan. 3, 2024 edition.
Help City
to 'Get the
Lead Out’
City of Thomaston of
ficials request that res
idents participate in a
brief survey to determine
which homes may have
lead-containing plumb
ing materials and need
recommended testing.
The Environmental
Protection Agency has
established the Lead and
Copper Rule to protect
public health and reduce
exposure to lead and
copper in drinking
water, according to a
statement from the city.
It is estimated there are
between six and 10 mil
lion lead service lines in
our country, many of
which could be in Thom
aston.
“To help us deter
mine whether your home
might have lead-contain
ing plumbing materials
and if further testing is
recommended, we need
your help,” city officials
emphasize. “Simply scan
the QR code using your
smartphone’s camera or
QR code reader app to
participate in a brief sur
vey.”
The QR code is fea
tured in the city’s “Pipe
Up and Help Us Get the
Lead Out!” ad within this
edition of The Upson
Beacon.
“We are committed to
providing our citizens
with a safe and reliable
water supply,” according
to city officials. “Your
participation is greatly
appreciated, and your
input is vitally impor
tant.”
8
10499 02461 2
$41.2 Million City Budget Approved for '24
Council Votes 3-2 for Combination of Property Tax, Electric Rate Increases
Bridge Turner
Editor in Chief
bturner@upsonbeacon.com
Council members voted unan
imously last week to approve a
$41,226,510 city budget for 2024,
but were split 3-2 on its method
of funding.
Mayor Pro Tempore Doug
Head, along with councilmen
Don Greathouse and Jeff Middle-
brooks, voted in favor of a one-
mill property tax increase
combined with an electric rate fee
increase equivalent to one mill of
tax revenue.
Council members Ryan
Tucker and Lakeitha Reeves
voted against the revenue-gener
ating combination - for different
reasons. Tucker voiced his prefer
ence for no property tax increase,
while Reeves opposed any in
crease in utility rates.
“I think that we have in
creased utilities long enough to
cover and balance the budget...”
Reeves said. “Therefore, I’m not
in favor of the one and one.”
Head explained his position.
“I think we had a millage in
crease in 2011 or 2012. Other
than that, none in the last 25
years,” Head recalled. “Every now
and then, you have to adjust the
millage rate.”
In previous meetings, Tucker
expressed his preference for a
consumption-based revenue
source which he said would
spread responsibility more evenly
See City Budget, 4A
m w 1
yr
/
1
mmiM
Seniors at the Thomaston-Upson Senior Center celebrate after receiving bags of holiday
essentials and gifts. Andrew Carroll/Upson Beacon
Senior Citizens Receive
Holiday Blessing Bags
Andrew Carroll
Sports Editor
acarroll@upsonbeacon.com
Participants at the Thomaston-
Upson Senior Center received bags of
holiday essentials and gifts on Dec. 21,
thanks to generous donations of multi
ple area businesses, organizations, and
individuals.
In addition to blankets and essential
items, Beyond the Bell Upson distrib
uted gift bags with various supplies like
dish detergent.
See Seniors, 5A
GA lottery Has Paid Upson’s
Educational Programs $54 Million
Since the inception of the Georgia
Lottery in 1994, Upson County HOPE
and pre-K students have received more
than $54.1 million from the corporation,
according to a statement from com
munity relations director Joy Forth.
To date, 8,601 Upson HOPE stu
dents have received $34,245,964 and
5,463 Upson pre-K students have re
ceived $19,939,302, according to lottery
officials.
“We believe that these education dol
lars from the lottery will improve the
lives of the recipients and their families
and keep our best and brightest here in
Georgia, enabling our communities to
recruit and retain industry with an edu
cated and trained workforce,” the re
lease stated.
According to the corporation, Upson
has received the following: $174,532,787
in prizes paid; $19,854,539 in retailer
commission; $1,866,659 i n capital out
lay; $250,439,251 total returned to the
county when combined with education
proceeds.
Gov. Brian P. Kemp has announced
the Georgia Lottery Corporation’s most
profitable first quarter since its incep
tion. Profits transferred to the state
treasury’s Lottery for Education account
will amount to $389.9 million, surpass
ing last year’s first quarter transfer by
$25.1 million.
"As we celebrate another record
quarter for the Georgia Lottery, we're
especially mindful of the direct impact
these funds will have on our students
See Lottery, 5A
Occupation Tax Payment Due by Jan. 1
The Upson Building and
Zoning Department re
minds business owners in
the unincorporated portion
of the county that occupa
tion tax paperwork and pay
ments are due by Jan. l,
2024.
Anyone operating a
business in unincorporated
Upson County who has not
previously paid occupation
tax must come to the de
partment, in the Drake
Building at 305 S. High
tower Street, Suite D-100, to
pick up required paperwork.
The office can be contacted
at 706-647-1297.
Currently registered
businesses are requested to
provide updated infor
mation, where necessary.
Copies of up-to-date profes
sional licenses, permits,
bonds, and other regulatory
documents must also be
provided.
Receipts showing that
the business location prop
erty taxes and equipment
and inventory taxes have
been paid for 2023 are re
quired to be submitted.
Every renewing business
must report its E-verify
status on the declaration
form included in the mailed
notice.
State of Georgia-re-
See Occupation Tax, 5A
Developments
Met with Mixed
City Feedback
Annexation Public Hearing
Bridge Turner
Editor in Chief
bturner@upsonbeacon.com
Thomaston City Coun
cil held its first public
hearing and reading of an
nexation requests last
week for proposed housing
developments at North-
side and on Yatesville
Highway to mixed com
ments from residents in
attendance.
Karim Dodhia of
Peachtree City told council
members the first phase of
his plan at 1072 Highway
19 North includes multiple
townhomes for sale, and
the now non-gated com
plex will include extensive
amenities. Townhomes are
estimated as follows:
•One bedroom - 760
square feet selling from
$165,000 to $190,000.
•Two bedroom - Ap
proximately 1,000 square
feet starting at $250,000.
•Three bedroom - Al
most 1,300 square feet in
the $300,000 range.
Jane Burdette spoke in
favor of Dodhia’s North-
side development, which
See Developments, 4A
Smith Advocates for
Georgia Downtowns
Thomaston Economic
Development Director Tay
lor Smith, left, chairman of
the Georgia Downtown As
sociation’s Legislative Com
mittee, joined Hartwell
Economic and Community
Development Director
Jason Ford, right, commit
tee vice chair, earlier this
month at the Georgia State
Capitol to represent
members and advocate for
GDA and the Georgia De
partment of Community Af
fairs’ Rural Zone Program
while speaking to the House
Rural Development Council.
In reference to Thomas
ton, Smith shared statistics
relating to the Rural Zone
Program, as well as rec
ommendations for the pro
gram, and detailed
businesses opened and
buildings renovated in the
downtown area.
“This tremendous op
portunity allowed me to
spread the message of
downtown Thomaston’s
continuing transformation,
thanks in large part to the
Rural Zone Program, which
is set to sunset in 2026, so
we also advocated for the
continuance of the program
and several modifications to
the program,” Smith told
The Upson Beacon.
Courtesy of City of Thomaston
Taylor Smith and Jason Ford at the Georgia State Capitol
A -a.-. Holly Harrison PA-C
m urirrin UD^byn
CAll (706)646-2888 or (770) 227-5505 for an appointment.
403 West Main Street* Thomaston
