Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2A
Council gets up to speed on business
By Jerry Murtagh
The Leader-Tribune
It was the beginning of the mil
lennium, the beginning of the
year and the beginning of a new
council in Fort Valley last week
After opening their session
with a prayer offered by Bran
non C arroll, minister of youth,
F irst Baptist Church, Mayor
-John Stumbo took the opportune
ty to recognize the accomplish
ments of former city coundlmen
.Jeff Holly and Wilbur Spillers.
(see our article: Council honors
ibnner members)
The mayor then swore in three
newly elected council members.
Beth Collins and Herman Light
are new to the council and Nor
man Fitzgerald was elected for
mother term in November.
Stumbo noted that, "Collins
was sworn in earlier to fill an
unexpired term, so what we’re
going to do is swear in all three
members for their new term this
m
V
S' » fF V
* tu t
& kZ l
/
1 ■a±.
Mayor swears In new council members.
Camellia & Main
Warehouse
Sale
■*' » Saturday, January 29
iBiCSCi to 2 4
. : a.in. p.m.
Just in Time For Valentine
Great ideas for Spring Decorating
Great Buys on Large Rugs!!!
30% to 80% off our regular Catalog Prices
Visit www.camelliaandmain.com and click on “Specials"
for more great buys on overstock merchandise.
The Camellia & Main Warehouse is located 2 miles
south of Fort Valley on Hwy. 341 in the South Peach
Industrial Park.
I V 1 OV.
jj i
Shopping Center • Fort Valley, GA
825-5493
r Rent New Release at regular price and
I get I
I 99c I
I for only I
I one I
L Otter axptra* 2-MO Not valkfwlth any other oft St- Mantle ad tor discount 1
--
/
4 Pack Super Deal
Mutiduy - Thursday & Sunday
Rent 3 at , 2 99 “ ch Game Room
4 th one free! " vf
Movies or games Select Movies
Rerent next day @ 99tf Rent 5
(Rerent excludes Sat.)
movies
Saturday Special pay $ 5 00
Combo Keep 5 days
Rent 4 movies or
games Orm Marita
5th movie or game mwjmmvALS
free! Keep till Monday WMKLI
1 ,"
F
evening.”
Mayor Stum bo opened his reg
ular monthly announcements on
a of sadness ”
fje noted that, “We’ve had, in
gm* jj| our the death of two
persons this past week who were
connected with city government
f or man y years.
Ojyg D f these was Ms. Johnnie
Mae Towns, who was the mother
0 f Mayor Jimmy Williams, and
the mother-in-law of Mayor Pro
Item Barbara Williams. The oth
er was Mrs. Louise Peterson, the
wife of Pete Peterson, long time
mayor of Fort Valley.”
Stumbo said that he and the
council wanted to express their
sympathies to the families,
There’s another load of trees
available at the fire department
behind dty hall, Stumbo told the
council. “The trees are free for
the taking. This is a part of the
program that we inaugurated a
year ago to plant 2000 trees in
€|e letter-Crtfevne,
Fort Valley USA by December
31st, 2000."
Stumbo said that about 800
more trees have been ordered.
The mayor’s prayer breakfast
will be held this Friday in the
Pettigrew Center at Fort Valley
State University. Tickets are
$10.00 for the breakfast, (see the
article on the mayor’s prayer
breakfast.)
Stumbo expressed his appreda
tion to those who contributed to
the fund raising campaign for
the Peach County Boy’s and
Girl’s Club noting that the club is
close to raising the $120,000 nec
essary for the first year of opera
tion.
Council recognized the city’s
employee of the month for
December and January, (see arti
cle on December & January good
months for FVPD).
Reverend Randy King
appeared before council to
express a series of concerns
about environmental issues and
economic development, (see our
article: Stumbo responds to citi
zen concerns)
The first item of business on
the agenda was the Municipal
Gas Authority of Georgia
(MGAG) resolution.
Mayor Stumbo explained that
MGAG is a cooperative arrange
ment between cities in Georgia
that buy natural gas in order to
stabilize the price and assure
themselves of adequate supply.
One of the reasons for this,
Stumbo said, is that as the price
of wholesale gas goes up and
down, we have to pay the market
price but we don’t have the abili¬
ty to adjust our rates every time
the price changes.
“By pre-purchasing the gas
supply,” Stumbo said, “MGAG
assures stable prices and suffi¬
cient volume.”
On a motion by Councilman
Bobby Hester and seconded by
Councilwoman Beth Collins,
members voted unanimously to
accept the MGAG agreement.
Council members voted unani
mously to support a resolution to
re-imburse attorney Charles
Ruffin of Macon for his services
to a local resident in a eondem
nation proceeding initiated by
the Fort Valley Utilities Commis
sion.
Mayor Stumbo explained that
because of difficulties with the
condemnation proceeding the
utility commission decided to
withdraw the condemnation and
construct a proposed well on
adjacent property which could be
obtained with less difficulty.
Under state law, the utility
CITY OF FORT VALLEY
COMMITTEE
ASSIGNMENTS FOR
CALENDAR YEAR 2000
F ina nce
Herman Light, Chair
Norman Fitzgerald
Bobby Hester
Beth Collins
Police
Bobby Hester, Chair
Norman Fitzgerald
Ruth Thompson
Mayor Stumbo
Eire
Ruth Thompson
Bobby Hester
Herman Light
Mayor Stumbo
Public Works
Norman Fitzgerald, Chair
Barbara Williams
Beth Collins
Mayor Stumbo
Personnel
Barbara Williams, Chair
Herman Light
Ruth Thompson
Mayor Stumbo
Special Protects
Beth Collins, Chair
Barbara Williams
Bobby Hester
Mayor Stumbo
commission and the dty of Fbrt
Valley arc required to pay attor
ney fees in the condemnation
proceeding,
Ruffin originally submitted a
bill for over $20,000. After
reviewing his charges, Stumbo
recommended that the city pay
Ruffin $3060 in attorney’s fees
and a total of $1825 worth of
expenses incurred for appraisal
and surveying in connection with
the four hour hearing that was
held before the condemnation
proceedings were abandoned,
The mayor explained that it
was up to the city to decide on
what amount to pay and the
attorney can appeal if he so
deddes.
Council members considered a
resolution concerning capital
expenditures and unanimous
approved $12,000 for turnout
gear for the fire department,
$35,000 for a trailer for the sani
tation department, $46,920 for
two Crown Victorias for the
police department and $680 for
video surveillance at the police
station.
Members voted unanimously to
authorize the purchase of a new
fire truck for $175,500. The
funds will be borrowed from the
Citizen’s Bank of Fort Valley at
4.378%
Mayor Stumbo observed that
maintaining the city’s low ISO
rating, which contributes to low
er fire insurance rates, depends
upon maintaining the ability of
the fire department to respond
quickly and reliably,
Council members considered
modifications to the city’s dan¬
gerous dog ordinance, (see our
article on Dangerous Dogs)
Renewal of the city’s mutual
aid fire agreement with Perry
was approved unanimously by
council. The agreement permits
Perry and Fort Valley fire
departments to assist each other
if the need arises,
Council authorized minor revi¬
sions in their ethics code neces
sary to comply with require
ments of the Georgia Municipal
Association. Once the code is
accepted by GMA, Fort Valley
will be designated as a “City of
Ethics."
Members authorized budget
amendments to reflect savings
the city realized this year,
The pension plan will require
$64,000 less than was budgeted
for the year. Fewer workman
compensation claims last year
resulted in a savings of $23,730
and $11,500 was saved on insur
ance. The total savings to the
city was $99,230.
Council unanimously approved
a resolution establishing mem¬
bership on this year’s commit¬
tees. (see our article on commit
tee assignments)
Members voted unanimously to
authorize the fire department to
hire one additional firefighter.
Wednesday, January 26,2000
M
■ * i %%
• '<%
Burton
Two good months
for police department
By Jerry Murtagh
The. Leader-Tribune
The FVPD closed out the old
millennium and opened the new
with some good news.
Fort Valley’s employee of the
month was drawn from the
police department in December
and January.
The employee of the month for
December was not able to be
present at last month’s meeting,
so Detective Chris Burton
received his plaque last week.
The mayor noted that Burton
“worked for the police depart¬
ment since August of 1996 dur¬
ing which time his job perfor¬
mance has been exemplary.
After distinguishing himself in
the patrol division, he was
transfi (red to the criminal
investigation division.
He is currently a member of
the bicycle patrol recently grad¬
uating from the police officers
bicycle school in Forsyth.
He is involved in community
service, organizing the explorer
scout program and currently
attends Fort Valley State Uni¬
versity.
Burton competed in a regional
competition for criminal justice
students in the southeast. The
competition, held in Columbus.
Ga., was attended by criminal
justice students throughout the
Forged checked passed
By Victor Kulkosky
The Leader-Tribune
Fort Valley police have cut off
one source of some forged
checks around town and are
looking for another.
Suki Rizks, owner of Jason's
Minit Mart, told Officer Troy
Henton that Barbara Harvey
had cashed two checks at the
store worth a total of $595.
Harvey, of 506 Carver Dr. in
Fort Valley, waived her right of
counsel after her arrest on Jan
15 and explained the operation
to police.
Harvey said her nephew,
Ramel Jenarn Wynn, of 79
Ravenwood Way in Warner
Robins, had a quantity of
checks he’d stolen from his last
job at Nationwide Homes.
She said Wynn typed the
names of the people whom he
wanted to cash the checks and
Thief takes a ride
in FV garbage truck
By Victor Kulkosky
The leader Tribune
The most popular vehicles to
steal are such things as Cam
rv’s and Accords, but one
would-be thief took a joy ride
in a Fort Valley garbage
truck.
Lt. Brown of the Fort Valley
Police got a call the evening of
16 about a theff from the
Public Works Dept lot on
Camellia and spotted
the garbage truck heading
north on State University Dr
Brown turned around and
over the truck He rec¬
the driver who got out
Desmond Howard
As Brown talked to Howard,
noted a very strong smell of
Spurgeon
southeast induding the Univer¬
sity of Florida and the Universi¬
ty of Georgia.
Burton placed second on the
academic test, a considerable
accomplishment”, according to
Stumbo, “considering the num¬
ber of participants and the
schools they were from.”
In accepting the award. Burton
noted that the criminal justice
club from Fort Valley State Uni¬
versity will be competing in
national competition in Indi¬
anapolis coming in March."
The employee of the month for
January was also from the police
department.
Stumbo noted that, "Detective
Sergeant Lawrence Spurgeon
has consistently demonstrated
exceptional service to the com
muiiiu.
During the month of December
and into January, Sgt. Spur
s< is leadership and initiative
resulted in solving twelve bur¬
glaries, making twelve arrests
and recovering nearly $5000
worth of stolen property.
Sgt. Spurgeon’s investigative
skill are exceptional and
reflect great credit on himself,
the police department and the
city of Fort Valley. Sgt Spur¬
geon joined the police depart¬
ment in January of 1996 and
resides in Fort Valley with his
wife and daughter."
that he'd given her three
checks. Two were cashed at
Jasons Minit Mart and anoth¬
er was cashed at Young's Super
Food for $351.59.
According to police report
W ynn has more stolen checks
at his home, Harvey told
FVPD. and had given forged
checks to Patricia Ann Walker
of 601 Spillers St., and Ethel
Mangham. address unknown,
both of Fort Valley
A forged check signed by
Mangham was cashed at Har¬
vey’s Supermarket on Dec. 30.
1999 for $301
Tw o checks stamped “alleged
forgery" were returned to
Foodmax, where they were
cashed on Dec 22. The
checks, from John P Howell of
Covington, were made out to
Sherman D Harper for
$298.34 and to Willie D Sher¬
man for $298.23
alcohol, bloodshot eyes, and
that Howard w as incoherent
A field sobriety test given by
Deputy Trice of the Peach
County Sheriff's office showed
Howard well over the legal
limit
At the station. Howard’s
results of 250 and 259 on
breath tests were more than
twice the limit for Dl l A
records check also showed that
Howard's license w as suspend
ed for a previous Dl l
He was booked for Of I and
damage to government proper
ty for damaging the truck and
the chain link fence he drove
through He was also charged
with criminal trospa .NS
According to report. FVPD is
investigating further
#