Fayette County news. (Thomaston, GA) 2009-current, August 23, 2023, Image 1

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Fayette County news., August 23, 2023, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextFayetteville Holds Second Millage Rate Public Hearing, A2 Commemorating International Overdose Aware ness Day 2023, A3 Adamson,WuWin at Atlanta Classic, A8 THE TRUTH SINCE 1886 FAYETTE COUNTY (1) NEWS f ay ett e-news, net Vol. 151, No. 34 Wednesday, August 23, 2023 $1.00 W 1 ' / ## ^ V ■ 3* M juEiJmL ' v 1 \ cf' I f i-Srr t?rr ' k 1 y In *JSSk» ,11 1 ilk. Photos Submitted Fire Destroys local Christmas lights Drive-Thru Attraction Leah Banks Investigative Reporter leah@fayette-news.net The famous Gaddy Farm is home to a well-known Fayette County drive-thru Christmas lights display, a traditional family holiday experience spanning dec ades. On Aug. 16, the attrac tion took a devastating hit when a lightning strike started a fire in the barn that housed many of the fes tive lights, decorations, and sentimental items. According to Mike and Gwen Gaddy, this year marks 36 years of the Gaddy Family Christmas Light Ex travaganza, and if it happens, preparation time will be busy. Gwen Gaddy took to Facebook to update fans, loved ones, and those who wondered about the de struction, emphasizing that the blaze was too large by the time they reached the barn. “It was already far gone when a neighbor alerted us to the smoke. When Mike got to it, it was already fully engulfed,” Gaddy said. “We are so blessed to be able to sleep in our own bed tonight and are so very thankful for our Heavenly protector.” While the barn con tained many key pieces of the show, Gwen says they are hopeful to have the light display. While it may be a See Fire, A6 PTC Council Approves 6.043 Millage Rate Leah Banks Investigative Reporter leah@fayette-news.net The week of Aug. 14 has been busy for Fayette County, as local govern ments in cities and towns have met for multiple mil lage rate public hearings. On Aug. 17, Peachtree City met twice for public hear ings prior to unanimously approving a millage rate of 6.043 mills. The second of three pub lic hearings was brief, be cause no citizen spoke during the public comment portion. Following presentations by Financial Officer Paul Salvatore, only Councilman Clint Holland spoke. Holland has been ada mant that he does not like how the city’s financial standing is, but said he un derstands that the millage rate must remain where it is for city upkeep. “I don’t certainly like it, but I understand it. I think it’s a good budget, I really do. I think we really skimmed it down as much as we can, but with inflation where it is and what’s hap pening in the rest of the world, I see no reason why we don’t keep the millage rate right where it is for this coming year,” Holland said. After Holland’s com ment, Peachtree City Mayor Kim Learnard adjourned See PTC, A6 Tyrone Approves 2.889 Millage Rate in 3-1 Vote Leah Banks Investigative Reporter leah@fayette-news.net On Tuesday, Aug. 15, and Thursday, Aug. 17, Ty rone Town Council held its second and third millage meetings for the 2023 mil lage rate, resulting in a 3-1 vote for approval. During the first public hearing, no citizens spoke for or against maintaining the millage rate at 2.889 mills, but there were cit izens who asked for clarity and understanding of the millage and how it cor relates with increase prop erty taxes for Fayette County. During the second hear ing, Town Manager Bran don Perkins provided a brief presentation of the pro posed millage rate and what the town is using tax reve nues for, providing insight and information to citizens who may wish to speak dur ing the hearing. See Tyrone, A6 Peachtree City Resident Scott Dutton Appointed Assistant Director of GBI Georgia Bureau of In vestigation Director Chris Hosey has appointed retired deputy director of GBI’s In vestigative Division Scott Dutton, a resident of Peach tree City, to assistant direc tor of the bureau. As assistant director, Dutton will assist Director Hosey in overseeing the ex ecution of the GBI’s investi gative, scientific, information, and admin istrative services to the state. “Assistant Director Dut- Scott Dutton GBI ton is a constant profes sional with extensive knowl edge of the agency from his time with the GBI,” Director Hosey said. “I am grateful to AD Dutton for taking this role and look forward to his service to the agency.” AD Dutton worked at the GBI for 32 years before retiring in 2020. He began his career in law enforce ment as a deputy sheriff with the Gordon County Sheriffs Office in 1985. In July 1988, he became a spe cial agent with the GBI, as signed to the Thomaston Regional Office. Following his time in the regional office, Dutton spent more than 10 years representing the GBI on See Dutton, A6 Courtesy of Fayetteville Fayetteville PD Earns National Accreditation The Fayetteville Police Department was recently awarded national accredita tion by the Commission on Accreditation for Law En forcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) in the Law En forcement Accreditation program. Following a multi-year self-assessment phase and a meticulous site-based as sessment of community en gagement, policy, procedures, equipment, and facilities by CALEA asses sors, Police Chief Scott Gray and Accreditation Officer David Cagle, along with Mayor Ed Johnson and City Manager Ray Gibson, at tended the CALEA confer ence in Oklahoma City, Okla. Each agency being re viewed goes before CALEA’s 21-member board of com missioners, where the com mission reviews all findings and determines the agencies’ accreditation status. The evening of the hear ing, during the celebration banquet, CALEA President Marcus Brown and Ex ecutive Director Craig Hart ley awarded FPD with accreditation, signifying ex cellence in public safety and commitment to community. This is Fayetteville’s first award of national accredita tion. FPD now moves into CALEA’s four-year accredi tation cycle that includes four annual remote, web- based file reviews and a site- based assessment in the fourth year. “I am proud of the hard work both our internal staff and external stakeholders accomplished to help us get to this point,” said Chief Gray. “It truly takes an en tire group to make us one of the best departments in Georgia. We can say that be cause we are one of only 30 municipal law enforcement organizations in the state to obtain the ‘gold’ standard of excellence in law enforce ment. “We all owe a huge thank you to Master Patrol Officer D. Cagle for his tire less effort to help us achieve this goal,” Gray continued. “We are proud of our police department and the men and women who work hard every day keeping Fay etteville a safe city.” “We couldn’t be prouder of our police department for earning this National Law See FVPD, A6 INSIDE: FAYETTE VIEWS SPORTS A4 LEGALS 61 SCHOOL 63 CLASSIFIEDS 62 CONTACT US: support@fayette-news.net - (770) 461-6317 - fayette-news.net 67 We Look Forward To Seeing You Soon! Open for Lunch and Dinner • Seven Days A Week 180 Hwy 314, Fayette, GA • 770.703.7514 • fridasbarandgrill.com a Frida’s MEXICAN BAR, & GRILL. IBM