The Caulor County Neus
and
The Butler Herald
"Your Newspaper Since 1876”
(Publication Number USPS 534-720)
147th YEAR, NO. 30
THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2024
1 SECTION, 8 PAGES
$1.00 PER COPY
CITY OF REYNOLDS
Georgia
Recovery
Campus
Donates
Tesla To
RPD
Georgia Recovery Campus
celebrated its first anniver
sary Friday, July 19th, with
a community luncheon at
the Reynolds Police Depart
ment/Armory. Following
lunch, a 2023 Tesla Model
3, which was donated to
the police department by
Georgia Recovery Campus,
was unveiled. The elec
tric vehicle will be used for
training and at the schools.
Georgia Recovery Campus
See Tesla on page 6
• M
Traffic Stops In Reynolds
Lead To Felony Drug Arrests
On July 16th, around 10:53
a.m., Reynolds Police Sgt.
Brad Harrell was on patrol in
Reynolds when he observed a
red Dodge Journey with an ex
pired tag. A traffic stop was
conducted, and during the
investigation, probable cause
was developed to search the
vehicle. The search led to
the discovery of 462.6 grams
(about 16.5 ounces) of mari
juana and edibles.
Sean Covington-Yancey, a 33
year old of Columbus, GA, was
arrested and charged with
Felony Possession of Marijua
na, Possession of Drug Relat
ed Objects, and Expired Reg
istration.
While patrolling, Sgt. Har
rell also observed a vehicle
speeding, 84 mph in a 45 mph
zone, and conducted a traffic
stop. While speaking with the
>See Arrests on page 8
Fate Of Retail Consumption Of Distilled Spirits In Reynolds
To Be Determined By Voters In November General Election
By VALORI MOORE
Editor
Last Monday night, July
15th, the Reynolds Mayor and
City Council held the monthly
work session and city council
meeting.
Before the regular meeting
began, the Council voted to in
vite City Attorney Brian Cau
sey to the meeting.
Package sales of distilled
spirits are already allowed in
the City, but retail consump
tion of distilled spirits is not
legal in the City. During the
work session, there was a dis
cussion about calling for ref
erendum to allow retail con
sumption of distilled spirits in
the City.
In the regular meeting.
Councilman Eddy Couch stat
ed, "For the betterment of the
City, I make a motion to put
the referendum on the Novem
ber ballot." Councilwoman
Timishea Price seconded the
motion. At the vote, Coun
cil members Eddy Couch,
Brandon Hunter, Timishea
Price, and Hannah Sloan
voted “yes," and Councilmen
Tommy Beeland and Danny
Peed voted "no." The motion
passed, and the referendum
will be placed on the Novem
ber ballot. If passed by voters,
the referendum will authorize
the City to issue licenses to
provide retail consumption of
distilled spirits.
Mayor Fred Waller not ¬
ed. “We are putting it in the
hands of the citizens."
Councilman Hunter said,
"It’s budget time!" As a mem
ber of the finance committee,
Hunter noted that the budget
has been studied extensive
ly, adding that it is tight, but
there are some positive things.
He said the finance committee
is looking for ways to cut, but
there is not a lot to cut. Coun
cilman Danny Peed, who is
also on the Finance Commit
tee, reminded that there are
some cuts to the City’s income,
as well. He said the proposed-
budget needs to be approved,
so hearings can be held.
Included in the budget are
raises for nine full-time city
employees, in all depart
ments. This does not include
part-time employees or em
ployees who are still in the
probationary period of their
employment. Hunter said this
was done with great thought.
Budget hearings will be held
Tuesday, July 30th, at 11
a.m., and Thursday, Aug. 1st,
at 6 p.m. Both hearings will
be at the Depot, and the bud
get is expected to be adopted
at the next regular meeting on
Aug. 19th.
Also, the Council unanimous
ly voted to accept a 2023 Tesla,
donated to the Reynolds Police
Department by the Georgia
Recovery Campus. The Tesla
will be used for transportation
to training and at the schools.
Police Chief Lonnie Holder in
vited the Mayor and Council
to the Georgia Recovery Cam
pus' first anniversary celebra
tion on Friday, Aug. 3rd, at 12
p.m., at the Armory, for the
unveiling of the Tesla.
The Annual Christmas Tree
Lighting is scheduled for Fri
day, Nov. 29th, at 6 p.m.,
at the gazebo. The Annual
Christmas Parade will be held
Saturday, Dec. 7th, at 10 a.m.
Councilwoman Hannah
Sloan thanked Celeste Slaton
and Gene Brunson of Georgia
Farm Bureau, as well as Gina
Summers, for their work on
the butterfly garden at Reyn
olds Community Library.
Georgia Farm Bureau is pur
chasing the plants that will be
planted each quarter, so that
the garden will become an offi
cial Rosalynn Carter Butterfly
Garden.
Reynolds Fire Chief Sam
McCrary reported that the
Reynolds Fire Department re
sponded to three calls during
the past month: a power line
issue, a false alarm, and a
2-car wreck with no injuries.
He advised that one firefight ¬
er will complete training in
about a month.
Also, on Aug. 3rd. from 10:30
a.m. until 12:30 p.m., the Po
lice Department will hold a
Community Day at the Ar-
mory. Bookbags and school
supplies will be issued.
Chief Holder was scheduled
to be a speaker at the Chiefs
Conference on July 23rd. He
was to speak on state accred
itation and the new 6-month
police academy.
Public Works Director Scott
Jones announced that there
was no asbestos detected in
the water in the latest test
ing.
Also, aerial mosquito spray
ing has been done twice and
is working well. The original
quote was for $680 per month
(for two sprays), but the City
was invoiced for $500.
Jones said the Georgia De
partment of Transportation
held an update meeting on the
replacement of the bridges on
Hwy. 128, north of Reynolds.
He said the new bridges will
be built next to the existing
bridges, so the bridges will
remain open during construc
tion. The replacement project
is expected to begin in 2027.
Taylor County Commissioner
Tameka Harris was present
at the meeting. She advised
that, in July, the Commission
ers took responsibility for the
recreation department and
the Cities of Butler and Reyn
olds are no longer asked to
contribute to the county recre
ation department. She asked
if the City has any plans for
the recreation money, which is
around $10,000.
The Council did not know
that the County had taken re
sponsibility for the recreation
department and was no longer
asking for the money, so no
plans are in place.
Public Works Director Jones
said, “We already have recre
ation plans and no money, so
the money could go to that.”
At this time, Councilman
Couch asked if some of the rec
reation games could be played
in Reynolds. Councilman
Hunter replied that the Recre
ation Board tries to keep the
games in a central location.
Couch then asked if the funds
could be used for transporta
tion for practices/games, and
Councilwoman Price noted
that the County has not main
tained the recreation field on
Louisiana Court.
Commissioner Harris said the
County is trying to put some
things in place for the Coun
ty to help with equipment
and uniforms, since there are
many who can’t participate in
recreation due to the cost.
Dawn Kinsey-Ogburn ad
dressed the Mayor and Coun
cil concerning street repairs.
She said the streets on the
north side of the railroad
tracks are in dire need of re
pair. She asked if there is a
road development plan, if
money is allocated for street
repairs, and if the City is eli
gible for Community Develop
ment Block Grants (CDBGs).
Public Works Director Jones
replied that the last (2019)
CDBG project was a storm
water project that was just
finished. He said the City
has applied for a CDBG for a
paving and drainage project
on N. Macon St., Morris St.,
and N. Collins St. This is a
$1 million dollar grant, with
a $60,000 match for the City,
The City is waiting to see if
this grant is awarded. Jones
said the City is also applying
for a Local Maintenance and
Improvement Grant (LMIG)
from GDOT, in the amount of
$25,000.
Ms. Kinsey-Ogburn asked
for a committee to be formed
to address street repairs
and drainage issues. Mayor
Waller replied, “We are at the
mercy of the federal govern
ment. I would like you to form
a committee.”
Ms. Kinsey-Ogburn said she
will form the committee, but
needs guidelines. She will re
turn to the September meeting.
Melinda Mathis Howell also
addressed the Mayor and
Council. She asked what con
stitutes being in the City Lim
it for tax purposes? Attorney
Causey replied, “It’s the City
Limit.” Then, Ms. Howell
asked if it is possible for one
person to consume 9.000 gal
lons of water in a month? She
said her mother is billed for
9.000 gallons of water every
five to six months. She said
there are no leaks, and she
wants to understand. She will
follow up at the next meeting.
To conclude the meeting,
Councilwoman Price ad
dressed the Council. The
presentation was titled “Mul
tiversed, Multidimensional
Class Action” on the agenda.
Councilwoman Price voiced
the following grievances: Dis
criminatory hiring practic
es for not hiring her son and
nephew for summer employ
ment, which she said violates
O.C.G.A. 20-1-11 and 45-19-
29; The City moving a water
meter for one citizen, but not
for another; The City refusing
to allow a citizen to be placed
on the agenda for a recurring
complaint; The good ol‘ boys
hiring system, which she says
operates in the City, in viola
tion of O.C.G.A. 50-5-67; and
the City failing to seek a solu
tion for flooding for a family
that has been asking for over
a decade.
Councilwoman Price ended,
"I’m looking through the same
lenses as the rest of the Afri
can American Community,
the same services that are
rendered to the one side of the
tracks that are not rendered
to the other side. I'm sure the
other people at the table will
act like they don’t know, but I
digress.”
With no further business
to discuss, the meeting ad
journed.
TAYLOR COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL
4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
TAYLOR COUNTY 3-12 SCHOOL
5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
www.taylorcountyschools.org
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