About The wiregrass farmer. (Ashburn, Ga.) 1984-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 26, 2008)
Rebs whup Brookstone - Sports ™ Wiregrass Farmer Serving Turner County Since 1902 Accident kills one by Ben Baker Editor An man died at Tift Regional Hospital on Monday morning from injuries received in an accident at the Golden Peanut Plant in central Ashbum. Keith Branch, 24, no address given, died shortly after arriving at the hospital, said County Coroner Edgar Perry. “He was helping move some rail cars and was pinned between a tractor and a rail car,” Mr. Perry said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will be investi gating the accident. Body found The badly decomposed body of a man was found Monday in a Crisp County cot ton field. The body is thought to be Nathan Holley, 34, of Ashburn. No identification was found on the body. It has been sent to the Crime Lab for examination. Mr. Holley is a suspect in the Oct. 6 murder of Tommy Wayne Giles. Tax bills not proving a taxing matter, yet Bumper crop EUNICE GRAVITT’S orange tree bore 115 oranges this year. The 40-year old tree had previously pro duced one or two oranges in years past. Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008 ASHBURN, GA, 31714 VOL 106 - No. 48 • 500 /Around Town \ Subscribe to The Wiregrass Farmer Delivered in your mail every week. Call 567-3655 for information. Pix with Santa Treasure's Galore, Yard Sale, Turner County Elementary School Gym Saturday, Dec. 6, 8am-12 pm. Pictures with Santa. Game Tickets The ticket prices at the game Friday night will be $10. All ticket prices for State playoff games are set by the GHSA and the school system has no con trol over them. Also, we greatly appreciate our boosters and all the sup porters of Turner County Athletics, but due to GHSA rules only GHSA passes can be accepted. Athletic Booster passes cannot be honored. Thank you every one for your support on our great year Family holiday traditions by Ben Baker Editor Reaction to this year’s tax bills, at least at government offices here, has been mild so far. Taxes across the county went up, some times doubled or more from last year’s bills, after the real property was re evaluated here. The re-eval was the first in several years and was ordered by the state. Tax Commissioner Shirley Brock said she’s been pleasant ly surprised, so far, with tax payer reaction. “I had some disappointed. It hasn’t been too bad. Not what I thought it might be,” she said. “People are always pretty nice. They don’t give me too hard of a time.” Which is not to say those who’ve come by her office are pleased. “They are not happy with it because taxes have gone up,” she said. At Ashburn City Hall, there’s been no reaction worth noting, said City Clerk Sheree Hickman. Two people did come in with questions, which City Hall staff explained, she said. Sycamore’s tax bills are not yet out. City Clerk Janice Brown said a communications error between City Hall and the County offices delayed the notices. “I hope mine will go out this week,” she said. Rebecca rolled their millage back to accept just new growth. Tax bills for Rebecca should not show the same kind of jump seen elsewhere. The tax season is also not over, Mrs. Brock noted. “I don’t know what the next few weeks will bring when they start actually paying,” she said. Sponsored by Turner County Schools Parent Involvement Council. Presented by Connie Brown and Javier Gonzalez Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 5:45 pm. Turner County Pr- K/Special Services Cafeteria. Cookies and punch will be provided. Fruit sale Again this year Turner County 4-H is sponsoring a Holiday Fruit Sale to raise money for the County pro gram. Orders are being taken and will be delivered in December. The fruit will be sold in whole boxes (4/5 bushel) or half boxes (2/5 bushel). The fruit selection consists of Navel Oranges, Juice Oranges, Tangelos & Red Grapefruit. Whole box $25, half boxes $15. To place your order, call (229)567-3448. Christmas Parade Saturday, Dec. 13, 6 pm Parade, line up at 5 at Civic Center Christmas Open House to follow downtown with merchants Theme - Home for the Holidays. Check on students by going online Every Thursday from noon-1 p.m., parents are invited to the High School to meet with Mr. Augusta and learn how to go on-line to access their childs’ grades and attendance. Please call ahead to make an appt. with Mrs. Williford at 567-4377. Obituaries Deborah Jean Sumner, 52, Leesburg Complete obituary ^information is on Page 5 Cafs eye view A pair of bicyclers recently stopped in downtown Ashburn and their cat had a good look around. The couple left Tennesse and are on their way to Florida. Pond cleanup under way by Ben Baker Editor City crews are working by hand cleaning the area around a retention pond in west Ashbum. It’s not the first time crews have gone in there, said City Manager Ben Taylor. “We’re cutting some trees and cleaning up right now. It’s really wet. That limits what we can do. We are doing as much as we can,” he said. “All the work is hand work. We can’t get any big equip ment down there.” The pond is off Jefferson and Son Story Road behind the ceme tery also in that neighborhood. City crews ran into the same prob lem last time they went to work on the retention pond. It is in a low-lying area, which means it gets boggy. The City’s heavy equipment would get stuck if they tried to move it down there. The City has worked on the area before, but City Councilman James Burks said earlier this month more was needed. “Without both righteousness and justice, we have an immoral society,” he said in his opening remarks, “it’s nothing but a haven for snakes, rodents and mosquitos.... By Monday are we going to have some activity over there? We’ve not had any activity since September. I’m asking for some activity to be done by Monday.” Following the meet ing, Mr. Burks, the City Manager, Mayor Jim Hedges and City crews met at the pond to dis cuss what could be done. During the Council meeting, Mr. Burks insisted little work had been done there. “They have gone as far as they can go. Its so boggy down there,” Mr. Taylor said during the meeting. Mr. Burks noted the City has anoth er retention pond on the east side, which also had problems with boggy soils. That pond, not far from the old City (See POND Page 2) County Commission expected to vote on meeting agenda policy next week by Ben Baker Editor County Commission Chairman Daryl Hall still wants an agenda policy for County meetings. Earlier this year, the chair man said he wanted some thing in writ ing about who can be on the agenda and when they have to peti tion to be on the agenda. The chair man said he did not have the full support of the board when setting the agenda and allowing members of the public to come speak. At the November meeting, County Attorney John Holland presented a draft ordinance out lining agenda procedures. The Commissioners took the draft with them to study it. They are expected to vote on it at the Dec. 2 meeting. The first question Chairman Hall brought up was an item that allowed a majority of the Commissioners plus 1 to sus pend the rules of order. Mr. Holland said that came straight from an agenda ordi nance proposal from the Association of County Commissions of Georgia. “I talked with the ACCG, They said on something like suspending the rules, you want more than just a majority,” he said. He also said the Commissioners could change that or any part of the draft ordinance they wanted to. “Except for things like open meeting laws you have to com ply with, you can change it,” he said. “This is how to con duct a meet ing.” A major item of the proposed poli cy is public participation in the meeting. In recent years, the Commission has a public comment item on the agenda. No one is required to sign up ahead of time to speak during this part of the meeting. Most of the time, no one speaks. “That’s in here also,” Mr. Holland said of public com ment at the Commission meet ings. “It’s really not changing anything, just setting forth the way we do things. It doesn’t change anything substantive ... as far as basic voting and things you can’t change.” Chairman Hall said the Commissioners needed to take the policy home and study it. He suggested some minor changes are needed. ROWDY FOLKS One item allows the chair man to remove anyone from the meeting if they are being disruptive. Mr. Hudgins asked who was going to do the removing. “The law is never here,” he said. “You can call them,” the chairman said. Mr. Burgess and County Manager Charles Kinney said the Commission meetings do need someone in law enforcement present for the meetings. (See AGENDA Page 2) Hall Holland WO} UM Kinney People try to live within their income so they can afford to pay taxes to a government that can't live within its income. Robert Half
