Page 2 - The Wiregrass Farmer, January 7,2015
Burgess proposes rotating Commission chairman post
Editor’s note: The County
Commission met Tuesday
evening and was supposed to
select a chairman. This story is
about the workshop meeting
last week. Tuesday evening’s
meeting was held after the
paper was printed for the
week.
In his years on the County
Commission, Joe Burgess has
never served as chairman. At
the workshop meeting Dec. 30,
he said he was not interested in
being chairman.
However, Mr. Burgess also
put forth the idea of rotating
the chairman post among the
Commissioners.
“I figure each district ought
to be on rotation to be chair
man,” he said. Later in the
meeting he also said, “I don’t
want it.”
The Commissioners chose a
chairman at the Tuesday
evening meeting. The meeting
happened after this week’s edi
tion was printed.
Rotating the chairman post
didn’t receive huge support for
the rest of the Commission. Of
the current commissioners,
only Sam McCard and Daryl
Hall have served as chairman.
Outgoing Commissioner
Greg Hudgins said if the post
is rotated, a new commissioner
could be chairman.
“Not really,” Mr. Burgess
replied. “Rotate it. The new
commissioner does not have to
take it.”
“Then it’s not rotating,” Mr.
Hudgins replied.
“I just brought it up,” Mr.
Burgess said. “You can do or
not.... If you feel it is the right
way, you will vote to do it. If
you feel it is not the right way,
don’t vote to do it.”
“You still could have a new
commissioner take over as
chairman unless you skip over.
If you have the new man take
over as chairman, there must
not be much to it,” Mr. Hud
gins later said.
Mr. Burgess said there was
not much to being chairman.
“In 30 years, you have not
been chairman,” Mr. McCard
said. He said in his opinion Mr.
Burgess didn’t know exactly
what he was talking about.
Mr. Burgess replied he does
have the right to speak.
Incoming Commissioner
Nick Denham, seated in the au
dience, said the Commission
should do what the charter
says. Mr. Denham replaced
Mr. Hudgins who chose to not
run again.
GET ATLANTA
INVOLVED
The chief barrier to this idea
is the County Charter. It speci
fies the Commission will select
a chair and vice chair from the
ranks. Rotating the position
among the Commissioners
means the charter has to be
changed, said County Attorney
John Holland.
A charter change requires
an act of the General Assembly
which begins meeting this
month. Such local legislation
efforts generally sail through
the Legislature with little prob
lem.
The charter was last
amended in 1985. Mr. Burgess
said it was written then so the
chairman post “couldn’t ro
tate.”
AFTER THE MEETING
COMMENTS
Commissioner Hall con
tacted The Wiregrass after the
meeting to add a few things.
“The Chairman position is
supposed to be so easy a new
commissioner could perform
as chairman. As a Commis
sion, we have added to that
post which makes it a little
more hectic.
“As a new commissioner, I
came to it (was elected chair
man) after a few months. I
served as Chairman as a new
commissioner. Politics was in
volved in that.
“If you want to be chairman
and you get two others to sup
port you, you can be chairman
for” the rest of the tenure as a
County Commissioner.
“Joe was not all wrong in
asking for what he did. He got
kind of beat up by Greg and
Sam, but he did ask for some
thing that is doable.
"Both of them (Burgess and
McCard) were right. It is a lot
of work. Is a lot more work
than other commissioners do.
In Joe’s defense anyone
elected as a commission can sit
in that post. It is not that diffi
cult.”
Mr. Hall also said serving as
chairman teaches commission
ers what that post entails. He
said with that knowledge in
hand, other Commissioners
might be less ready to criticize
the chairman.
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REC
(Continued from Page 1)
recreation completely at the
Highway 41 complex, conces
sions have always been run by
a contractor. When Ashburn
and the County were splitting
the costs on recreation, the
stand was run by the depart
ment.
"Bid it out,” said Commis
sioner Greg Hudgins. “I won’t
have no vote, but bid it out.”
Mr. Hudgins served his final
meeting as a Commissioner at
the December workshop. At
the Tuesday meeting, after the
paper was printed, Nick Den
ham sat in Mr. Hudgins’ place.
“Exactly,” said Commis
sioner Daryl Hall.
MO MONEY
“I don’t know that it’s
something designed to make a
whole lot of money,” said
Commission Chairman Sam
McCard.
Years ago when the City of
Ashburn was running the de
partment, it was run by Rec.
Director Mike Coker with
help.
“We made money at it,” he
said.
Mr. Coker said he could
take concessions over, but it
means the County would have
to hire two more employees for
the recreation department. He
said he and the other employee
don’t have time to run the
stand.
“It won’t take but two peo
ple to do it. One person can’t
run it,” Mr. Poore told the
Commissioners.
FAILING REC?
Commissioner Hall said
WELL
(Continued from Page 1)
that did not meet the original
specifications.
Mr. Bollinger said the com
pany then offered to dig a new
well. City officials were very
surprised by the offer and im
mediately accepted that.
The well company gave an
other proposal, repair the exist
ing well and dig a new one.
Mr. Bollinger said that was
quickly rejected.
TIME FRAME
Because a new well is being
dug, another engineering re
port is required. That’s being
done. When it’s complete, state
officials must then sign off on
the well.
“I’m looking to get started
within 30 to 60 days and be
Invitation to Bid
The Turner County Commissioners are accepting bids
for the operation of the Concession Stand at the Turner
County Parks and Recreation Facility. Specifications may
be picked up at the County Commissioners’ Office at 208
East College Avenue, Ashburn, Georgia between the
hours of 8 AM and 5 PM Monday through Friday. Suc
cessful contractor will be required to have a million dol
lars of general liability insurance naming the County as
an additional insured on the policy.
Successful contractor will also be required to be reg
istered with the E-Verify System, also referred to as the
Immigration Law. Bids should be turned in no later than
Thursday, January 22,2015 at 3:00 P. M. at which time
bids will be opened and read aloud. Bids that are mailed
should have “BID” clearly marked on the outside of the
envelope and addressed to the Turner County Board of
Commissioners, P O Box 191, Ashburn, Georgia
31714-0191.
Turner County is an EOE mlf/h
TURNER COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTS
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URN
adding concessions to Mr.
Coker’s list of job duties is
more of a stretch than he’s
willing to support. He also
said, “it is a failing recreation
department.”
“That’s your opinion. You
are wrong,” said Commis
sioner Hudgins.
“Take a look at the num
bers,” Mr. Hall replied. He said
participation in organized
recreation sports is dropping.
That tracks what the school
system and the Census Bureau
report as well. Turner County
is losing population and the
number of school-age children
has dropped a good bit.
“We are setting Mike up to
fail (if we) do this,” Mr. Hall
said.
“We used to do it. It’s up to
y’all,” Mr. Coker said.
complete in 90 to 120 days,”
Mr. Bollinger said. “Once the
hole gets drilled and hooked up
and approved, it will be fin
ished. Everything else is done.
It should wrap up in six
months.”
In a related matter, the
County Commission is ex
pected to hand over a small
strip of land to the City at the
Eureka property so the City
can have access to the well and
pump and stay on City prop
erty.
The access will be behind
the solar panel field and behind
the Eureka Heights townhouse
development.
Commissioners asked if an
easement instead would work
instead of deeding the property
over. Mr. Bollinger said either
would work, but deeding the
property over would be much
better for the City.
YEAR
(Continued from Page 1)
Week 3
Fur flies in Sycamore as
Councilman Fred Eister tells
fellow Council member
Brenda McNair to shut up. He
also says the best thing for her
is to resign. Mr. Eister also
gives his report on an investi
gation into the Sycamore Po
lice Department, saying the
officer did nothing wrong.
The Board of Education
raises taxes by two mils. This
takes the total millage for the
county to 32.12. Opposition to
the hike was mostly centered
on how the money would be
spent.
Preparations continue for
the coming visit of The Travel
ing Wall, a scale model of the
Vietnam Wall memorial in
Washington, DC.
In sports, the Rebels opened
football season and the base
ball team played a 100 inning
game as a fundraiser.
Week 4
The Rebels rolled over the
Green Wave in the football
opener.
The Sycamore Council
takes steps to slow speeders in
the City. The Council also low
ered the mil rate from 11.5 to
11.
Two new department stores,
one in Sycamore and one in
Ashburn, are still on the way.
The Sycamore store hit a few
snags during the year, but
Mayor Wayne Woodruff says it
is coming.
Chris Irvin, grandson of
Tommy Irvin, visits Turner
County stumping for the Geor
gia Agriculture Commissioner
post which his grandfather
held for decades. He lost the
election.
Ashburn receives a $500K
grant for sewer improvements
on the west side of town.
SEPTEMBER
Week 1
The Traveling Wall will
open Thursday. It proves to be
a major hit. Guest speaker
Tommy Clack, a ‘Nam veteran
who lost three limbs there, is
profoundly impressed. Mr.
Clack will return in January to
be the speaker at the Chamber
of Commerce banquet.
Game Warden Chad Hulsey
is the first ranger in Georgia to
receive the Torch Award.
In sports the Rebels prepare
to host Dooly County.
Week 2
The Traveling Wall is
counted as one of the best, if
not the best, event to ever hap
pen in Turner County. Ashburn
Mayor Jim Hedges is lauded.
Mayor Hedges is the primary
reason The Wall came to
Turner County. The appear
ance was jointly sponsored by
the City and the County Com
mission.
In an attempt to get a better
handle on garbage, the Com
missioners change the setup
for renters. From now on, the
property owner will get the bill
if the customer is renting the
residence.
The Rebels lose to the Bob
cats. On the diamond, the Lady
Rebels are also facing an uphill
battle.
Week 3
Sycamore Mayor Wayne
Woodruff asks SPD Chief Lee
Ann Clark resign or be fired.
He accused her of insubordina
tion. A meeting between the
two later ironed out their dif
ferences. A few months later,
the mayor would praise Chief
Clark for attention to detail.
The Council also holds a
lengthy discussion on SPD
policies and what constitutes a
meeting of the Council.
The Homecoming Court is
announced.
On the road, the Rebs top
pled the Randolph-Clay Red
Devils.
Week 4
Flu season is here! Shots are
available.
An anonymous writer tells
of her descent into drug abuse
and bad marriages. The writer
tells of how Jesus came into
her life and saved her in more
ways than one.
Telfair County ruins home
coming for the football team
with a win over the Rebs.
Jacolyn Deann Smart is the
Homecoming Queen.
OCTOBER
Week 1
Turner County is tapped top
be one of a few counties in
Georgia to participate in the
REACH - Realizing Educa
tional Achievement Can Hap
pen - scholarship program.
First Lady Sandra Deal comes
down to salute the four
REACH scholars, 8th graders
Zebony Davis, Elizabeth Mar
tin, Aletan McKinney and
Katelyn Watson.
Amrik Binapal releases his
third book of poetry.
In sports, Charlton County
easily handles the Rebels. A
fun run fundraiser for Chloe
Kendrick is set for Saturday.
Week 2
A Rebecca man is killed
while working on a Bobcat ex
cavator. The death was ruled
an accident.
According to information
from the FBI, Ashburn is well
below the top 20 most danger
ous cities in Georgia.
Mayor Jim Hedges dyes the
Veteran’s Park fountain pink
for Breast Cancer Awareness.
The Middle School Rebels
head for the playoffs in
Nashville while the senior
Rebs even the season with a
win over Lanier County.
(See YEAR Page 3)
Put your gently used formal dresses into a
community dress shop. Help other young
ladies have the time and look of their life for
their special night.
Call 567-3655 or bring your dress to
109 N. Gordon St, Ashburn
Dresses, once some are donated, are avail
able at no charge to those who are in need.
Co-Sponsored by Kelly Dry Cleaners
in Tifton.
IS YOUR REFUND
IMPACTED BY THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT?
FIND OUT.
JANUARY 8TH
9 AM TO 9 PM
Come into H&R Block and ask your questions. Our ACA
Specialists will get you the answers you need, for free.
229-567-0572
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY.
NO CHARGE.
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