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4A I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com
Wednesday, October 19,2022
FROM 1A
Jail
make $35 an hour that work for CorrectHealth
directly,” Rowan said. “But if they don’t have
the staffing, they have to reach out to nursing
staff services, and they may-and usually do-
pay them double.”
In that case, higher rates may be charged to
account for a portion that the staffing service
would get back.
Rowan pointed to the nursing shortage as
“systemic” or “across the board” with all jail
nursing companies, not just DCSO’s partnering
one.
“They’re just having a hard time hiring nurs
es,” he said. “It’s just like having a hard time
hiring officers, firefighters and everything else
right now. It’s just the days we live in.”
The pricing accounts for overtime, and there
will be a set overtime process. The new staffing
matrix also includes a registered nurse who will
act as a project coordinator, a more regular fix
ture and part of the jail’s healthcare team.
Rowan elaborated that the staffing was where
“these dollars are” in terms of the bid.
For 2022, DCSO secured a $410,000 contract
with CorrectHealth Dawson. Thus far, over the
year’s first two fiscal quarters, there’s been an
additional $128,455 charged for staffing.
When added to the original price, that is clos
er to the $719,953 that was originally given as a
bid for medical services, which “is not a pretty
thing,” Rowan said.
He added that irregardless of the staffing
issues, medical costs “are on the rise anyway.”
Chairman Billy Thurmond pointed out that
the $894,329 figure was a negotiated price,
which Rowan confirmed, explaining that coun
ty purchasing manager Melissa Hawk helped
secure that price down from a starting point of
$1.2 million.
District 1 Commissioner Sharon Fausett
asked about who else CorrectHealth Dawson
does business with and whether those agencies
were also being charged similar prices.
Rowan explained that agencies in surround
ing counties, like Cherokee and Lumpkin, use
them, with Thurmond adding that 42 sheriff’s
offices have the same medical contractor.
There stands a $174,000 difference between
the national contract price and the maximum
could-be price, the chairman added.
“You want to be the only one they’re doing
that to,” Thurmond said, “even if that means
making a call to some of your comrades and
making sure that they’re doing the same thing
to them that they’re doing to us.”
Rowan agreed and explained that DCSO jail
Capt. Anthony Davis is currently reviewing the
Q1 and Q2 statements to make sure everything
checks out.
“[With] that little bit of due diligence like
that,” said Thurmond, “I think that’ll make us
and the citizens feel a little bit better.”
Chestatee neighborhood, Modem Woodmen
raise can, money donations for local food bank
By staff reports
Recently, residents from
Chestatee neighborhood in
Dawson County partnered
with Alex Williams from
Modern Woodmen of
America to donate hundreds
of canned items and several
hundred dollars of monetary
donations to the Dawson
Community Food Bank.
According to information
provided by Williams, the
Chestatee home and garden
group had Linda Benson, the
director for the Dawson
Community Food Bank, as
their speaker at their
September luncheon. The
group requested that all
attendees bring a jar of peanut
butter or jelly as a donation to
the food bank, and received a
total of 125 jars, as well as
cash donations totaling
approximately $800.
The group then partnered
with Williams to donate even
more food. Williams was able
to contribute over $500 worth
of peanut butter, jelly, canned
goods and soup to the drive.
In September alone, the
Dawson Community Food
Bank served over 1500 fami
lies.
Photo courtesy of Alex Williams
Residents from Chestatee neighborhood recently
partnered with Alex Williams from Modern
Woodmen of America to donate hundreds of
canned items and monetary donations to the
Dawson Community Food Bank.
FROM 1A
Raider
you to the DCHS JROTC Cadets and
parents that volunteered at the scoring
tables and concession stand.”
Six different events — each with
unique individual and collective
requirements — awaited the many
Raider units, most of which had multi
ple teams.
That was the case for the DCHS
Raiders, whose strongest group proved
to be the Mixed A team.
A combination of male and female
cadets came together and used their
strong communication skills to finish
sixth out of 18 mixed teams, highlight
ed by a third-place finish at the rope
bridge competition.
While the main objective of that
event was for a certain number of indi
viduals to crawl across a rope bridge
within a period of time, the crucial ele
ment was the team effort to assemble
the bridge, get the person on and off
the rope, and then disassemble the
bridge.
Other events included the tire flip,
obstacle course, sandbag relay, cross
country rescue and team run.
The cross country rescue involved
the team wearing weighted rucksacks
while simulating a rescue through a
challenging wooded trail.
For the obstacle course, each team
had to first find a way to get all units to
clear a wooden wall before embarking
on the course. One person had to serve
as the stepping stone while the first
ones to get over the wall helped pull
others up.
By the end of the event, the DCHS
Raiders had shown both significant
physical exertion and teamwork.
According to Pamplin, the efforts of
the DCHS Mixed and Male Raider
teams have qualified them for an “All
Services” state Raider meet held
Saturday, Oct. 22, at Yahoola Creek
Park in Dahlonega.
FROM 1A
Dooley
“You’ve done a lot of good in this
community, [and] some see it; some
don’t. A lot of people never know what
you guys do,” Fire Marshal Jeff Bailey
said.
Bailey added that Dooley has set the
example for all incoming recruits on
how to be a firefighter, leader and civil
servant, tirelessly and selflessly putting
effort into the job, like the search-and-
rescue operations for which Dooley’s
“been invaluable.”
“I’ve never seen him ask anyone to do
anything that he has not done and
would do,” Bailey said. “He’s one of the
best men to work with and work for,
and he’s also a very valued friend ...
you’ve brought emergency services for
ward light years more with your sup
port.”
Dooley encouraged his coworkers
that Dawson wouldn’t “be a little less
safe” like Bailey said, elaborating that
he’s tried to pass on as much training,
knowledge, resources and abilities as
possible during his tenure with the
department.
“I have no doubt that you guys will
pick it up, run with it and do just as
good of a job for Chief Leist,” Dooley
said. “Work just as hard, protect the
community and serve just as much as
you did for me...chief officers will
come and go, but [with] the fire service,
you guys will pick up the torches and
carry on.”
“I know there’s been a lot of change
[and] a lot of questions, but I firmly
believe that this county, this fire depart
ment has a great, great future ahead of
it,” Bailey added. “I hope y’all will wel
come the [new] chief and work with
him to support our growth.”
One of the E911 dispatchers, Hope
Leahey, also wrote a farewell for
Dooley. Over the headquarters inter
com, she said that the outgoing division
chief has “earned the respect of his fel
low firefighters and peers.”
“You truly leave the best legacy of
leadership for those who will remain in
this department. You are a leader who
knows the way, goes the way and shows
the way,” Leahey said. “You’ve impact
ed so many lives during your tenure
with Dawson County, and the Dawson
County fire services will never be the
same. You will truly be missed.”
Public Service Announcement
Brenda Dalin, Program Director, Ninth District Opportunity, Inc.
announces Home Heating & Water Help for the Elderly and
Medically Homebound for Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Dawson,
Elbert, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Jackson,
Lumpkin, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Rabun, Stephens,
Towns, Union and White counties.
Households in which every member is age 65 and older -OR- is
medically homebound due to health reasons may apply for
assistance with their heating & water bills beginning on
November 1, 2022. One-time payments will be made by check
issued to the home heating suppliers up to $500.00 and up to
$300.00 to the home water suppliers. Eligibility for the program is
based on the income of all household members.
*Water Assistance Only: Households not 65 or older or elderly, who
need assistance with their water bill, you may call your local office
beginning November 1,2022. Dawson County 706-265-3744
When applying for assistance, persons will present verification of
age for everyone in the home, verification of all household income
received within the past 30 days (check stubs, public assistance
checks, unemployment checks, etc.); verification of Social Security
numbers for everyone in the home, verification of citizenship (driver’s
license, state ID, etc.), and the most recent heating source AND elec
tric bill and their water bill. PLEASE BRING ALL DOCUMENTATION
AS WE CAN NO LONGER OBTAIN THE INFORMATION FOR YOU.
All eligible applicants are asked to contact Ninth District Opportunity,
Inc.’s scheduling system November 1,2022 beginning at 12:01A.M.
by telephone at 855-636-3108 or go online to ndo.appointment.works/ea.
Phone lines and website for scheduling will not be active until the
opening date of the program and no appointments will be made by
telephone or online until this time. No walk-ins, please.
Appointments will be scheduled until all funds are exhausted.
Additional information will be made available online at www.ndo.org.
Only households 65 years of age and older or medically homebound
may apply beginning November 1,2022. Applicants that do not meet
the required criteria will be denied. The general public may apply on
December 1,2022.
Ninth District Opportunity, Inc. is an equal opportunity agency while
providing services without regard to age, race, religion, gender,
sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or any other
classification or category.
2022
NORTH GEORGIA
IT
n
rxi
Join us for speakers, demonstrations, entertainment
and more at our 2022 North Georgia Home Show!
* in
m
Its
II I
OCTOBER 21-23
FRI12PM-6PM • SAT 9AM-6PM • SUN 12PM-4PM
RAMSEY CONFERENCE CENTER
Lanier Technical College Campus - Gainesville
Conveniently located off l-985/Hwy 365 (Cornelia Hwy)
Free to the public, we will be taking cash or non perishable food
items for Donation to the Georgia Mountain Food Bank at the Door.
GEORGIA
MOUNTAIN
F^OD BANK
'til no one is hungry
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