About Upson beacon. (Thomaston, Ga.) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2024)
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 UPSON BEACON ig Lights Raping «atcn on Page 5A Yatesvllle Library Receives Repairs & Renovations Grant Andrew Carroll Sports Editor acarroll@upsonbeacon.com During the March meet ing of Yatesville City Coun cil, Jennifer Domeneck told members the Yatesville Public Library, part of the Pine Mountain Regional Li brary System, has received the State of Georgia Major Repairs and Renovations Grant. The matching grant will assist the library with major building repairs, including replacing window frames and screens, doorways, the roof and soffit repairs, and replacing the office inside the library. Renovations will also in clude adding new lighting and repairs to all woodwork around the building. Domeneck asked the board for further assistance to replace landscaping around the building, citing that overgrowth is damag ing the foundation and outer walls. — / § j / Foundations of Addressing Chal longing mk From left are Marcus Autism Center members Keller Street and Dr. Deva Carrion with Thomaston- Upson School System officials Jenna Dunaway and Starr Jefferys. Andrew Carroll/Upson Beacon Middle Georgia Community Actions Elevate Sosebee to Executive Director Marcus Autism Center Completes Fourth Round of Training at ULHS Warner Robins - Middle Georgia Community Action Agency, Inc. Board of Direc tors proudly announces the confirmation of Tammy Sose bee as the organization's ex ecutive director. MGCAA officials say Sose bee brings a wealth of experi ence and regional familiarity to the role, recently from her position as deputy director for the agencies, and from a dec ade of additional experience as an executive assistant, and 12 years as facilities manager overseeing purchasing and maintenance operations. Serving as interim ex ecutive director since July 2023, Sosebee demonstrated strategic vision and leader ship, and collaborated with the board of directors for both the MGCAA and Heart of Georgia Community Action Council. With these agencies, she worked to unify initiatives ad ministratively, which involved refining and implementing a long-term strategic plan to el evate awareness and delivery of the agencies’ services and Sports HOF, Continued from Front of Alabama. She thanked all in her life who helped guide her during her high school and college years. The second member of the 2024 class to be called was Mike Majors, who holds the record as the winningest foot ball coach in U-L history. Ma jors took over the program in 1999 and went on to make the playoffs every year after his first season. Majors recalled the thing he was most proud of was turning U-L from “a school that everyone wanted to play,” into a “hardnosed team that nobody wanted to see show up.” Troy Woodard accepted induction on behalf of Randy Marshall. Marshall was a run ning back for R.E. Lee Insti tute during the Rebels’ state championship attempt in 1987 Tax Office, Continued from Front Tammy Sosebee resources throughout the re gion. As deputy director from July 2018 to present, Sosebee oversaw grant development, directed and coordinated pro grams, oversaw financial re porting, strengthened communications, increased process efficiency, and sus tained relationships crucial to MGCAA’s success. In her ear lier roles as executive assis tant and facilities manager for MGCAA, she demonstrated exceptional organizational and management skills, su pervising staff and overseeing facility maintenance for 35 fa cilities. and victory in 1988. Marshall led the region in 1987 in yards gained and in touchdowns earned in 1988. Woodard stated that Marshall, who was unable to attend due to medi cal issues, was all about busi ness on the team and that his attitude carried the team to the championship. Tommy Murphy was in ducted next and, although Murphy was unable to attend the ceremony, Jim Fowler spoke about Murphy and re marked how a basketball player developed into one of the best tight ends in R.E. Lee history and helped guide the Rebels to the first state cham pionship appearance in 1961. Jim Fowler then inducted long-time friend and colleague Jim Pruett. Pruett has been a constant in Upson County football since the 1980s. He attended R.E. Lee and returned to coach the Rebels Her work was noticed at the state level as well, where she was selected to serve as an officer for the Georgia Com munity Action Association Board for three years as secre tary. The mission of the Heart of Georgia Community Action Council, Inc., and the Middle Georgia Community Action Agency, Inc., is to provide, in collaboration with public and private partners, social serv ices that address the needs of disadvantaged individuals. MGCAA and HOGCAC form a service area that covers 20 percent of the state (22 counties), which annually re ceives more than $18 million in federal and state grants and earns philanthropic donations to lift people from poverty to prosperity. MCGAA serves Bibb, Butts, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Lamar, Monroe, Peach, Pike, Spalding, Twiggs, Upson, and Wilkinson counties. For more information, visit mgcaa.org. after his stint in college. Pruett’s ninth grade and jun ior varsity teams were re nowned for their toughness. After coaching, Pruett moved into the media, where he filmed U-L football games for years and joined fellow hall- of-famer Mickey Thrasher on Funioi as color commentator. Finally, the 2001 ULHS Lady Knights soccer team was inducted. Jaime Joiner spoke on behalf of the team and re marked how the players were the pioneers of girls’ soccer in Upson County from the start. The 2001 Lady Knights team was the first girls’ soccer team to come out of the Thomas- ton-Upson Recreation De partment, and the team still holds various records for girls’ soccer at ULHS. See additional images a t wiviv. upsonbeacon. com. Andrew Carroll Sports Editor acarroll@upsonbeacon.com Officials with the Mar cus Autism Center’s school consultation program made their fourth and final visit of the 2023-24 school year to the Thomaston-Upson School System on March 15, rounding out the first year of a new partnership. The partnership be tween Marcus and T-U Schools was made possible by the state’s Capacity Building Grant. Thirteen teachers and multiple support staff members were able to meet with members of the Mar cus Autism Center. The fourth training session fo cused on operational defini tions of certain behaviors and ways to collect data on those behaviors. Jenna Dunaway, T-U Schools director of excep tional children’s services, IDA Director, Continued from Front achieving many of our com munity’s goals.” Mayor J.D. Stallings, who also sits on the IDA board, said Gulledge’s en thusiasm and proactive ap proach has already injected fresh energy among the staff. “We eagerly anticipate the positive impact he can foster within the com munity,” Stallings added. “Thomaston-Upson County has so many amaz ing assets and is absolutely brimming with opportu nity,” Gulledge stated. “One key aspect of a successful community is quality leader ship, and Thomaston-Upson has that in abundance. Eco nomic development is a team sport, and this is a tre mendous and unified team filled with future-focused leaders. I am honored to be joining this community at such an exciting juncture.” Upson County Commis sion Chairman Norman Allen, who also sits on the IDA board, applauded the choice. “I am elated to welcome Slade to Upson County, and he has my complete con fidence that he will success fully lead our economic development team,” Allen said. “He knows what suc cess looks like and under stands that communities that are winning are not commented that the train ing has paid off for the school system with teacher self-efficacy improving dra matically over previous years. “We have had so many positive outcomes. To have the teachers’ self-efficacy improve has been huge. Also, positive outcomes with students, as challeng ing behaviors have de creased. [We are] teaching students different ways to communicate rather than those challenging behaviors, and meeting their Individ ualized education program goals,” Dunaway stated. Dr. Deva Carrion of the Marcus Autism Center agreed. “[Teaching] is a passion driven field,” Dr. Carrion commented. “Sadly, it is a field where a lot of people are losing their passion. The population of students that we’re seeing is very different than it was years ago, and simply sitting back and wait ing on the phone to ring. “He clearly demon strated to me that he under stands the importance of strategic planning and goal setting, building productive positive relationships with all stakeholders, and is will ing to make things happen as we work to bring j obs and opportunity to Thomaston and Upson,” Allen con- teachers who are very ex perienced and knowledge able are struggling with how to best serve some of our more challenging students. When you’re consistently presented with a task that’s too difficult, and you don’t feel effective in completing that task, that passion gets lost.” Dr. Carrion said, at the end of the day, the goal of the program is to bring pas sion back into teaching and help students. Collaboration between academics and be havior analysis can lead to helping teachers feel more productive in serving the needs of their students. Dunaway stated that she wishes to continue the part nership in coming years and she has indicated that the Capacity Building Grant has been a major tool for the school system in helping students with learning chal lenges. tinued. “I am thrilled and looking forward to being a part of his team.” Gulledge’s contract in cludes a $100,000 annual base salary plus benefits, and provides for a potential performance incentive of up to 20 percent of the base sal ary tied to achieved criteria, which would be paid at the end of the calendar year. UPSON COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS - REGISTRATION OFFICE Risk Limit Audit Upson County will be conducting a mandatory risk limiting audit on the March 12, 2024 PPP Election on March 20, 2024 at 10AM in the Courtroom of the Magistrate Court located at the Government Complex at 305 S. Hightower St. Thomaston, GA 30286 The public is invited to attend. For more information please contact the Elections Of fice at 706-647-6259. daytime business, especially restaurants. If you take away 50 to 100 more [of our] cus tomers per day... the square could end up being pretty empty during the day.” •Costs to consider - “One option could be that the tax assessors move downstairs to the clerk of [superior] courts office. There’s plenty of room and not much ren ovation would be required. Upstairs could be used for additional storage for both of fices. It was mentioned that the registrar’s office and building and zoning could relo cate to the main government complex (Lee building) once probate moves... Why not consider doing that and leaving the tax of fice and tax assessor where we are, and sell the Drake Building for a possible retire ment home or apartments?” Chastain switched hats, speaking to commissioners from a property owner’s perspective. “As a taxpayer, I’m wondering how much this remodeling and moving will end up costing the county,” he said. “Will what you sell the annex for cover the cost of re modeling and moving? As a concerned cit izen, what kind of price can we put on being able to remain convenient to our tax payers, and what will be the cost of remov ing such a substantial amount of daytime [traffic] from our businesses on the square?” Following the meeting, County Man ager Jason Tinsley said the analysis has re cently begun and any office movement is “potential.” “We’ll take these concerns and make sure our consultants are aware,” Tinsley assured. “[Chastain] will have the oppor tunity to share his concerns with the folks doing the study. I can’t offer the board any feedback because we’re not that far along. It’s still a very general conversation.” The study group has held one meeting, according to officials. “It would make sense to consolidate for one-stop shopping [at the government complex] and to sell the buildings that are expensive to maintain,” Commission Chairman Norman Allen said, emphasiz ing that Chastain is part of the “working group” contributing input to the study. Allen said the board’s goals are reduc ing the county-owned property footprint, increasing efficiency and safety, and ensur ing cost effectiveness. A Whole New Perspective! My wife suffered from Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and I struggled with sleep apnea. After my sister- in-law attended a For My Life Retreat in Thomaston, GA, she flew to Seattle to minister to my wife with what she had learned. Within a month, the Lord completely healed my wife of MS. This challenged my belief system, and I began to study the Bible from a whole new perspective. As I diligently sought the Lord on this matter, He also healed me of sleep apnea. Since then, our whole family has been restored. God healed my daughter of dyslexia and my son of allergies. In our extended family, we've also seen asthma, eczema, and flat feet healed. Today my life is victorious. I'm joyful and thriving in my relationship with God. I learned so many things at the For My Life Retreat that I had never heard before. The teaching is scripturally sound, and the Lord really is moving there. -Mike, WA Find more information about the FOR % LIFE RETREAT 0 ' at Bei»tHealth.com JuSt This special offer is valid for our in-person /K ^ •— retreats and online course through 2023 J for residents of the following counties only: 'r' Spalding, Pike, Upson, Lamar, and Butts. $459 ValueTh is f ve-day retreat is presented monthly. Email: GuestServices@BeinHealth.com for promo code Be in Health is a ministry of Hope of the Generations Church 4178 Crest Hwy (74W), Thomaston, GA 30286 Call: 706-646-2074 with reducing property maintenance de mands for the county, according to offi cials. However, Chastain said he believes relocating the tag office would be more costly in the long run. Chastain noted the following: •Customer convenience - “With the courts gone, there will be plenty of parking for customers on the square. Will there be sufficient parking for office employees plus our customers if we move to the Drake Building? Our customers, especially the elderly, can more easily park right near the office.” •Employee convenience and security - “We have everything like we need it now. The bank we use is right across the street... As far as security, I feel being on the square is safer, considering the amount of traffic and businesses located there. Kind of like having neighbors next door.” •Businesses on the square will be af fected -“With courts moving, businesses on the square will lose a considerable amount of potential customers for their
