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THIS ISSUE
Copyright © 1999 Forsyth County News
Special section:
Best stories of *9B.
Section C
Sports
Some dramatic finishes
in middle school hoops.
Page IB
LAKE LANIER LEVELS
Jan. 12 *
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Home
Focusing on nutrition,
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Opinion— 9A
Sports extra 4A
'fop stories 1C
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Vol. 90, No. 8
Sheriff: Exempt command staff from civil service
By Colby Jones
Staff Writer
Sheriff Denny Hendrix has amended his
complaint against the Forsyth County Board
of Commissioners by specifically asking the
courts to declare his command staff exempt
from civil service policies.
Hendrix’s attorney, Ben Mathis, filed the
amended complaint in Forsyth County
Superior Court Monday.
The document includes 11 exhibits that
illustrate how the county has refused to rec
ognize Hendrix’s right to appoint a team of
|i bBIS JI Ek 44 I nJS
Photo/Tom Brooks
Recognition for Topping
The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners Monday expressed appreciation to Pat Topping, who
recently resigned as president of the Cumming/Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce. Topping,
holding his certificate, said he was speechless. Commissioners Julian Bowen, Andy Anderson,
Chairman Bill Jenkins, John Kieffer and Michael Bennett joined in thanking Topping for his efforts on
behalf of the Chamber and the county. The Chamber has formed a search committee to hire a
replacement for Topping, who will be rejoining the Macon Economic Development Commission.
Bank robbers arrested
by Cherokee authorities
By Colby Jones
Staff Writer
Cherokee County
investigators have
charged two men in
connection with the
October robberies of a
SouthTrust Bank in
Forsyth County and an
Etowah Bank in
Cherokee County.
Their names were
not available at dead
line Tuesday. Maj. Ernie Bom of the
Forsyth Sheriff’s office said
Cherokee authorities handled the
case after catching the pair rob the
same Etowah Bank, located on Hwy.
140 at Eamey Road, on Friday.
Cherokee County Lt. Jim Harvey
said witnesses provided a description
of the getaway car and it was
stopped by officers, who recovered
guns and money from the vehicle.
The Etowah Bank also was
robbed on Oct 27, a week after the
Kids mark the map ;
Winning fifth grader Mark
Vaughan cleaned up at the i
Chestatee Elementary ;
Geography Bee Tuesday.
Students were expected to
answer questions regard
ing all aspects of geogra
phy, from the name of the
Asian river which caused
great damage in 1998
(China's Yangtze) to the
busiest airport in America
(Chicago's O’Hare).
Vaughan will now compete
in the county-wide bee.
Photo/Tom Brooks
J Your "Hometown Paper" Since
Hanson
bery, deputy David
Witkowski was shot in the shoulder
with an assault rifle. He has recov
ered and is back at work with the
department.
However, the FBI arrested
Canton resident Michael Wayne
Hanson, who is in his 20s, late
Friday, for the Wachovia robbery. He
was charged with bank robbery and
assault with a deadly weapon after
being arrested at the Pizza Hut in
Canton where he worked, said FBI
spokeswoman Celestine Armstead.
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THURSDAY JANUARY 14, 1999
advisors to serve solely at his pleasure.
“The Commissioners, through their
unlawful conduct, are attempting to do indi
rectly that which they cannot do directly,
i.e., control the operation of the Office of
Sheriff, and the gratuitous statements by
Defendants’ counsel to the contrary do not
change this fact,” states the complaint.
It mentions the county’s refusal to recog
nize Earl Singletary’s promotion and the fir
ings of Majs. Ron Casper and Mark Thomas
as interferences with Hendrix’s rights as a
constitutional officer.
Hendrix issued both command decisions
pair allegedly hit the
SouthTrust Bank on
McFarland Road.
Investigators from
Cherokee and Forsyth
counties initially said the
robberies were connected
to an Oct. 23 robbery at
Wachovia bank, which
sits on McFarland Road
across from SouthTrust.
During the Wachovia rob-
after suing the board of commissioners last
January for usurping his constitutional
authority.
Hendrix promoted Singletary Oct. 19
after Col. Thomas Townsend resigned to go
back into retirement. Since the position
includes added responsibilities, Hendrix said
his chief deputy should be paid at least
Townsend’s $49,900 starting salary.
However, county officials contend the
promotion violated civil service policies that
require all job openings be posted through
out county buildings for 10 days. In an
October letter, Wendy Frazier, assistant
Photo/Cheryl Vaughn
Gubernatorial greetings
The oath of office was administered Monday to Roy Barnes, the state’s 80th governor.
Administering the oath was Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court Robert Benham,
Barnes' fellow University of Georgia School of Law graduate. Among those crowding the
Capitol for the ceremonies were former President Jimmy Carter, also a former governor,
Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor was also sworn in. The inaugural ball was Monday evening.
manager of human resources, said even if
Singletary were properly promoted, he
would not receive a $12,073 raise.
The matter remains unresolved and the
promoted colonel currently receives the pay
of a major.
In another departmental dispute over
civil service, Thomas and Casper were given
until Dec. 31 to leave the department, either
by resignation or termination.
Both men said they had never received
any disciplinary action from the Sheriff’s
See SHERIFF, Page 2A
District Attorney’s
office looking to
technology of ’99
By Colby Jones and Jim Riley
Staff Writer
The fact that crime increases along with population is a
natural consequence of grov/th, but District Attorney Phil
Smith says a new computer system will expedite the move
ment of an increasing case load through the system, and pro
posed changes at the state crime lab would help cases get to
trial quicker.
Last year, the county’s Superior Court handled 380 crimi
nal cases, according to numbers from the Clerk of Court’s
office.
Smith currently is putting his staff through training in order
to get maximum use out of the county’s integrated computer
system. When it goes completely on-line, the network will
integrate paperwork from the District Attorney, Clerk of
Courts, Solicitor General, State Court, Superior Court,
Magistrate Court, Probate Court and Sheriff’s Office.
Underground fiber optic cables now link most of the depart
ments.
The project began last February after commissioners voted
to sign a contract with The Software Group in hopes the pur
chase would eliminate duplication of services.
Smith said the system will allow prosecutors to pull an
incident report without making a trip to the Sheriff’s Office.
See TECHNOLOGY, Page 2A
Watershed must be
studied before permit
for sewage discharge
By Jim Riley
Staff Writer
At their meeting Monday night, Forsyth County
Commissioners voted to postpone a decision on a water
shed assessment study after discussion with the engi-,
neering firm of CH2MHiII.
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division
(EPD) requires the assessment prior to the issuance of a
permit for water intake or sewage discharge.
See STUDY, Page 2A
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