Your official newspaper serving Greene, Morgan and Putnam counties in Georgia’s Lake Country \ www.LakeOconeeNews.us
VOL. 19 NO. 50 G FRIDAY DECEMBER 15 2017 75 CENTS
GREENE COUNTY
B&G Clubs rebuilds following embezzlement
Josh Lurie
josh@lakeoconeenews.us
The arrest warrant for a former
chief executive office of the Boys
and Girls Clubs of North Central
Georgia is just the beginning of
a story for an organization that is
working to not only adjust course
but also to brighten the future for
young people in its district.
Current CEO Bob Mackey, who
was appointed in May, has a clear
message to communicate on behalf
of the organization.
“We wanted to make sure this
was not covered up,” he said. ‘We
want to be transparent. We believe
in our community.”
Mackey’s predecessor, Landers
Thomas, turned himself in to the
Morgan County Sheriffs Office
Nov. 17 after an arrest warrant was
issued alleging he embezzled nearly
$50,000 from BGCNCG.
The warrant was issued by the
Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Mackey said the organization’s
corporate board provided evidence
and pursued an investigation by
the GBI.
“We brought this to the forefront
to help other organizations,”he said.
‘We wanted to ensure this never
happens again. We wanted to do
the right thing.”
Mackey said the organizationhas
SEE CLUBS » A3
BGCNCG CEO
Bob Mackey
speaks
during the
2017 Youth
of the Year
presentation
in Madison.
SEE
COVERAGE
» PAGES
A6-7
Contributed
Contributed
Members of the local contingent included, from left, Dr. Otho Tucker, John Ellenberg, Larry Kludt, Mike Lynch and Dr. Chris
Houston.
Greene County brings home $3.15 million grant
Dave Brown and Career Academy steering $3.15 million dollar grant. Career Academy.
dave@lakeoconeenews.us committee and governance “It was a very interesting pro- “Everything from filling
board, prepared for the big day cess,” said Larry Kludt, chair- out the grant application and
The contingent from Greene like they were going on a game man ofthe Board of Governance
County, including the College show - except the stakes were a for the Greene College and SEE GRANT » All
PUTNAM COUNTY
Mclver
out on
bond
Lynn Hobbs
lynn@lakeoconeenews.us
Claud “Tex” Mclver posted bond and
was released from the Fulton County
Jail around 9 p.m. Monday night.
Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills,
a longtime, close friend of Mclver’s, on
Monday said he had just received a text
from Mclver’s sister saying he was out.
Mclver, who lived in Putnam County
part-time until his confinement in jail
SEE MCIVER » A9
index
Calendar B4
Churches B8
Classifieds D4
Obituaries A8
Opinions A4
Real Estate Sales D3
Recipes D1
Sports C1
Recipes D1
Sports C1
FRIDAY
50/32
Partly Cloudy
WEATHER »D7
o
94922 87855 7
Published by
Smith
Communications Inc.
MORGAN COUNTY
HPC supports latest Foster Park plan
T. Michael Stone
michael@lakeoconeenews.us
The latest iteration of developer
Brad Good’s Foster Park plan passed
its first test Tuesday night when
the Madison Historic Preservation
Commission voted to write a letter
supporting variances that will be
needed to implement development.
Local attorneys James Orr and
Elizabeth Bell, vocal opponents of
Good’s two previous development
concepts, argued that the HPC did
not have the legal authority to pass
on a letter of support.
“You are only authorized to issue a
SEE MADISON » A10
Local
attorney
James Orr
discusses
zoning
ordinances
with HPC
members
(from left)
Cherie
Vaughn,
Flynn
Clyburn,
Richard
Simpson and
Brad Rice.
T. Michael
Stone/Staff
GREENE COUNTY
City approves annexation for Dollar General
Dave Brown
dave@lakeoconeenews.us
The Greensboro City Council voted
unanimously at its Dec. 4 meeting to
move forward with the annexation of
the land from the county where a new
Dollar General is proposed.
According to City Attorney Adam
Nelson, to move forward at this point
the city is now required to publish a
notice as a requirement of annexation.
At the city council’s November
meeting, Dollar General was given
the green light to close its existing
store and build another one.
Dollar General, the variety store
that, according to its web site,
features discount name brand and
generic food products, home goods
and health and beauty supplies, will
be moving about a block away from
its existing store at 1041 Town Creek
Blvd to a more visible and accessible
location at the corner of Willow Run
and Highway 44.
“Dollar General is in the process of
being annexed into the city from the
county,” said Greensboro city planner
Rick Zeier.
“The zoning is already in place.
They’ve also got the sewer and the
water right there, too.
“The annexation process could take
SEE CITY » A10
