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The Led County Ledger
Your Hometown Source Of Local News
Hometown Newspaper of Mary Ann Gates
Volume XLVI- Number 2
Leesburg, Georgia - - September 13, 2023
Fifty Cents
Leesburg Police Department Creates Command Staff
During their meet
ing September 5th, the
Leesburg City Council
was updated by Chief
Chris Prokesh on
establishing command
staff positions within
the police department
to improve management
operation.
Chief Prokesh pointed
out that because of the
police departments size,
multiple divisions and
functions, and a 24/7
coverage schedule; it
is impossible for one
person to direct and
effectively manage all
operations around the
clock.
According to Chief
Prokesh, the police
department has three
separate divisions that
handle differing seg
ments of the full-service
police function. The di
visions are patrol, SRO
and criminal investiga
tions.
Senior officers di
rectly under the chief
assigned to each of the
three divisions will be
promoted to a rank and
official capacity of re
sponsibility to direct and
manage their respective
divisions.
Greg Barrett will be
promoted to Major and
will be in the Patrol
Division Commander/
Acting Asst. Chief..
Hank Vick will be
promoted to Captain
and will be the Chief
Investigator.
Jason Anthony will be
promoted to Captain and
will be the SRO Direc
tor.
Perry Hartley will be
promoted to Lieutenant
and will be the sec
ond-in-command of the
Patrol Division
The Patrol Division is
the ‘front-line’ police
service function. The
Patrol Division conducts
the proactive routine pa
trol and traffic enforce
ment activities, as well
as responds to all 911
emergency calls, alarms,
non-emergency calls for
service and motor vehi
cle accidents. The Patrol
Division has two squads
of a day and night shift
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Smithville
City Council
will meet
Monday,
Sept. 18
at 6:00 p.m.
at the
Community
Building
that rotate in a 14-day
cycle to provide 24/7
coverage. At any given
point in time, there are a
minimum of two patrol
division officers “on-ra
dio” in direct contact
with E-911.
The SRO (School
Resource Officer) di
vision consists of eight
officers that hold dual
P.O.S.T. Certification
for both Peace Officer
and School Resource
Officer. The SRO’s are
assigned to handle all
incidents occurring on
school property, as well
as school bus incidents
and GHSA Athletic
events at home and
away. Additionally, the
SRO’s act in the capac
ity of a liaison between
the city and the school
board.
The Criminal Investi
gations Division (CID),
investigates all felony
criminal cases. The
investigators take over
following the initial
report from the patrol
division and handle a
case to its completion
until it is turned over to
the district attorney’s
office for grand jury
indictment. Criminal
Investigations Division
consists of four (4)
investigators. Two that
work out of the main
police office that handle
crimes-against-persons
and property-crimes
on a Monday - Friday
schedule in conjunction
with the courts and the
D.A.’s Office, as well as
two that are assigned to
the school.
The city council ap
proved a request from
Cheryl Allison, Finance
Director to utilize
Ameris Bank to deposit
excess reserve funds
Emergency Services
responded to 158 calls
during the week of Sep
tember 3 - 9, 2023.
EMS Responses
EMS responded to
four calls for abdominal
pain/problems.
EMS responded to two
calls for allergic reac
tion/stings.
EMS responded to five
calls for altered mental
status.
EMS responded to four
calls for assault.
EMS responded to
one call for back pain
(non-traumatic).
EMS responded to
11 calls for breathing
problems.
EMS responded to one
call for carbon monox
ide alarm.
EMS responded to two
calls for cardiac arrest/
death.
EMS responded to
eight calls for chest pain
(non-traumatic).
EMS responded to one
to earn the maximum
amount of interest possi
ble. She said the city has
four bank accounts that
have reserve funds. The
total of these accounts is
$1.6 million.
Cheryl Allison and
Elaine Kent, consultant
from Local Government
Consulting Services,
did extensive research
During the Lee Coun
ty Board of Education
meeting September 11th,
the board approved M
& O and Bond Millage
Rates. The 2023 school
tax rates for Mainte
nance and Operations is
17.000 Mills and Debt
Service is .80 Mills.
Those amounts are cer
tified for the Lee County
Board of Commission
ers to include in the tax
levy for 2023.
The board of educa
tion increased the 2023
property taxes it will
levy by 13.55 percent
over the rollback mill-
age rate. The board held
three public hearings
to allow the public an
opportunity to express
their opinions on the
increase.
Dr, Truitt shared her
plans for the next 90
days as Lee County’s
new school superinten
dent. From August to
December, she said the
first 90 days, is all about
Listening, Learning
and Leading. The Lee
County School System
has the reputation of
academic excellence and
extensive opportunities
for students outside of
the classroom. It is her
intent to foster and nur
ture continued efforts in
these areas. She plans
call for chronic illness/
medical condition.
EMS responded to one
call for diabetic prob
lem.
EMS responded to one
call for eye problem/
injury.
EMS responded to ten
calls for falls.
EMS responded to
nine calls for fire stand
by.
EMS responded to one
call for heart problems.
EMS responded to four
calls for medical alarm.
EMS responded to
three calls for overdose/
poisoning/ingestion.
EMS responded to
four calls for psychiat
ric problem/abnormal
behavior.
EMS responded to 17
calls for sick person.
EMS responded to one
call for standby -football
game.
EMS responded to two
calls for stroke/CVA.
EMS responded to 11
on the best way to put
the reserve funds to
work for the city. They
requested proposals re
garding the use of these
funds to earn the best
interest on the money.
Ameris Bank provides
the maximum interest
on the reserve funds.
Annual net income on
the $1.6 million will be
to participate in listen
ing sessions and focus
groups.
The school system
was notified by Georgia
Department of Revenue
that a coding issue with
the upgrade impacted
the sales tax revenue
process from September
2022 through August
18, 2023. The specific
coding change caused
certain return reve
nue transactions to be
excluded from revenue
collected and distribut
ed. With the adjustment
at the end of August,
Lee County will re
ceive an additional
$123,828.68. August’s
SPLOST’s collection
was $548,333.08 as
compared to July’s total
of $424,446.00.
The board approved
two requests for facil
ity usage. The board
approved Amelia Reed,
the founder of the Brave
Kindness Run to use the
LCES bus & parking lot
on February 17, 2024
for the annual kindness
run. The proceeds from
the event is donated to a
worthy cause. The Chal
lenger League will use
the soccer complex/field
day area for SPED kids
September 16, 2023.
Teaching and Learn
ing Report update was
calls for traffic/transpor
tation incident.
EMS responded to one
call for transfer.
EMS responded to four
calls for unconscious/
fainting/near-fainting.
EMS responded to two
calls for unknown prob-
lem/person down
EMS responded to two
calls for well person
check.
EMS made 111 emer
gency service responses
for the week.
Fire Responses
Fire department re
sponded to five activated
alarm calls.
Fire department
responded to 24 calls to
assist EMS crew.
Fire department
responded to one call
to assist police or other
governmental agency.
Fire department re
sponded to one autho
rized controlled burning
call.
Fire department
$73,440.00 at an interest
rate of 4.59%.
The council approved
Leesburg Methodist
Church placement of a
new illuminated sign.
The city ordinance pro
hibits illuminated signs
in residential districts in
which the church is lo
cated. The current sign
is also illuminated.
presented to the board.
The Georgia Early
Literacy Act (HB 538)
was explained. This bill
addressed kindergarten
through third grade
reading. One way that
instructional coaches
support the teachers is
to review instructional
material that provides
the best instruction for
the students The aca
demic coaches are also
providing professional
learning sessions on
various topics identified
by school improvement
plans. End of Pathway
responded to one call
for dumpster or other
outside trash receptacle
fire.
Fire department
responded to two EMS
calls.
Fire department
responded to one good
intent call, other.
Fire department
responded to two grass
fire calls.
Fire department
responded to seven
calls for motor vehicle
accidents.
Fire department
responded to two calls
where no incident was
found on arrival at dis
patch address.
Fire department re
sponded to one call for
unauthorized burning.
Fire department
responded to 47 calls
during the week.
Emergency Services
responded to 158 calls
during the week of Sep
tember 3 -9, 2023.
The council tabled the
proposal to fill the Lee
County Board of Health
position vacated when
Patricia Tharp moved
from Leesburg. The
board of health meets
quarterly. Mayor Billy
Breeden serves on that
board.
Assessment was high
lighted with a compar
ison to similar school
systems.
During their meeting
September 11, the board
approved the superin
tendent’s recommenda
tions for employment.
The board approved
Samantha Wholf as a
LCPS special education
paraprofessional and
Karen Moncrief and
Melissa Moore-Wil-
liams as ELA interven
tionist at LCMS East.
Also approved were
Althea Macklin as an
adult leader for the
extended day program,
Linda King as a LCPS
food assistant and Mary
Stroud as a full time bus
monitor.
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Lee County Fire and EMS
Services responded to 158 Calls
Board of Education Approves Millage Rate
Dr. Kathleen Truitt was administered her oath
of office by Superior Court Judge James
Sizemore, to perform the duties of local school
superintendent of the Lee County School
System to the best of her ability.