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Lee County, Get Behind Carden! Early Voting Now! RE-ELECT * CARDEN H SUMMERS STATE SENATE CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN The Led County Ledger Your Hometown Source Of Local News Hometown Newspaper of Joe Lamkin Volume XLIV- Number 35 Leesburg, Georgia - - May 11, 2022 Fifty Cents Volunteers Participate in the Great American Cleanup Special to the Ledger by David Dixon Recently Leesburg par ticipated in Keep Amer ica Beautiful’s “Great American Cleanup”. This year the volunteer group concentrated on the Vet eran’s Park in downtown Leesburg. The group was led by City Councilwom- an Judy Powell and Lt. Hank Vick of the Lees burg Police Department as well as the Leesburg Law Enforcement Explorers and other citizens. The cleanup consisted of trash removal, monument cleaning, and general lawn and garden maintenance. Even though it was a cold, windy spring morning, the small group had fun helping beautify our city. Thanks to all who came out to participate in this excellent project. City of Smithville forfeited $118,239.31 LMIG funds As the county com missioners consider the percentage of Lo cal Option Sales Tax (L.O.S.T.) that each of the three local governments will receive, additional information has surfaced concerning Smithville forfeiting $105,501.34 in LMIG funds according to figures from the Georgia Department of Trans portation and the city council approving pay raises for themselves and the mayor. Smithville forfeited $105,501.34 in LMIG funds from 2013 to 2022. according to estimated Smithville LMIG de posits (based on percent increase/decrease in county deposits). The Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) is awarded annu ally by Georgia Depart ment of Transportation to counties and cities across the state. The amount of grant funds received by each local government is based on population and maintained road mileage. In 2013 Smithville for feited $9,973.35. In 2014, $10,750.68 was forfeit ed, in 2015 $10,722.77 was forfeited, in 2016, $10,667.44 was forfeit ed, in 2017, $13,897.18 was forfeited, in 2018 $14,634.43 was forfeited, in 2019 $14,898.32 was forfeited,in 2020, and $14,342.64 was forfeited and in 2021 $14,342.64 was forfeited. In 2022 Smithville applied for $15,859.03. The Total estimated amount un claimed was $105,501.34 by the City of Smithville. Mayor Vincent Cutts stated that he was un aware that the City of Smithville was not apply ing for the LMIG funds until he was contacted by the county manager. He then requested the city clerk to process the ap plication for submittal for 2022. Vincent Cutts, who became mayor in 2020, said the virus pandem ic impacted Smithville along with the rest of the world. Mayor Cutts noted that everything operated in a survival mode and the council meetings were held virtual. He highlighted many of the things that are occurring now in Smithville includ ing a reestablished police department and grant funding for new water meters. In 2009, the General Assembly reorganized/ renamed programs for road paving and repairs into one program called Local Maintenance Im provement Grant(LMIG) Program. The annual LMIG allocation is based on the total centerline road miles for each local road system and the total pop ulation of each county or city as compared with the total statewide center- line road miles and total statewide population. The LMIG program allows local governments greater flexibility and quicker project delivery and fund ing match requirements. Eligible projects included preliminary engineering work, construction supervision and inspection, patching, leveling and resurfacing a paved roadway, grading, drainage, base and paving existing or new roads, re placing storm drain pipe or culverts, bridge repair or replacement, sidewalk adjacent and roadway signs. At a recent Smithville City Council meeting, the council approved a salary increase for themselves and the mayor. The increase in annual salary will be effective starting January 1, 2023. Mayor Vincent Cutts’ yearly salary will in crease from $3000 to $4000. Council members James K. Champion, Dwight Hickman, Ilean Bady and Shalnica French will each receive an annual salary increase of $1000 from $2000 to $3000. 8 10499 02456 8 DOHERTY, DUGGAN, HART&TIERNAN INSURORS Home • Auto • Business • Life/Health P.O.Box 71628 (229)888-2040 Albany, GA 31708-1628 800-628-2040 2301 Dawson Road (31707) Fax (229) 435-3036 www.ddhtins.com Smithville City Council will meet Monday, May 16 at 6:00 p.m. at the Community Building Muggridge To Vacate County Commission Seat Rick Muggridge will vacate his position on the Lee County Commission effective May 15 when he moves from his current residence. Mr. Muggridge rep resents District 4 on the county commission. Mr. Muggridge has served on the county commission for 14 years and is in his fourth term on the commission. He had pre viously served as chairman. Commissioner Muggridge said that he is proud of the county staff and the financial stability of the county. He is proud of the public safety department and feels that cross training of fire and EMS personnel has been very beneficial to the citizens. The Muggridge family will remain in Lee County in a new home that they built. Although Rick Muggridge will be moving out of the current District 4, his new home is within the newly redrawn county district lines for District 4, but the new district lines will not take effect until the next commission election for Districts 2, 3 and 4 in two year. Homeownership is within your reach, even if you don't have much to put toward a down payment. GCB has you covered with low mortgage insurance premiums. Contact us to get a quote today! Georgia Community Bank 3000 N. Slappey Blvd. (229) 446-0102 Online @ GCB.bank NMLS # 648124 To Subscribe Call 229-759-2413 Subject to credit approval. Member FDIC