Newspaper Page Text
Page 2 - The Wiregrass Farmer, January 6,2016
Superior court judges, district attorney get raises from state
Superior Court judges and
the District Attorney are get
ting a raise from the state.
Among the new laws that
took effect Jan. 1 in Georgia, a
raise for judges and DAs was
included. The state pay for the
superior court judges is now
$126,265. The previous base
pay was $99,862.
The district attorney gets
$120,07. The previous base
pay was $107,905.
Part of the new law granting
them a raise also strikes the
provision for local supple
ments and travel expenses.
However, another part of the
law includes a local contribu
tion to their salaries.
The new law also sets up a
board to review pay for the
judges, district attorneys and
the Circuit Public Defender.
The salary for the State
Court judge and solicitor, pro
bate and chief magistrate are
paid by the County Commis
sion. Salary for the probate
judge is also set by state law as
that judge is a constitutional
office.
In other new laws:
• The grey fox is now the
Georgia state mammal.
• Haleigh’s Hope Act allows
the use of medical cannabis oil
for treating medical conditions.
It has to have less than 5 per
cent THC. THC is the com
pound in marijuana that gives
people the high.
YEAR
(Continued from Page 1)
with armed robbery and two
counts of aggravated assault.
Army veteran Don Rogers was
inside the store and took action
after the guy pointed the gun at
the clerk, demanding money
and then pointed the gun at
him. He shot the three times,
hitting the robber, who then ran
out the door and got into a car
driven by a young girl. They
left out into the county but be
cause he needed medical help
a call was placed for an ambu
lance. Mr. Rogers said he's not
a hero, just doing what he
thought had to be done.
There will be a Runoff for
the Called Election for Georgia
House of Representatives Dis
trict 155 Seat between Horace
Hudgins and Clay Pirkle. The
seat was previously held by
Jay Roberts.
Sycamore plans to sell a
narrow strip of land along
Dasher Street at the intersec
tion of Railroad Street. The
property owner, Tony
Boncimino has asked the
Council to sell him the strip of
land. The motion to sell
passed.
The roof of Rebecca City
Hall was ripped off after a
storm passed through on Sun
day.
Week 5
A detainee died at the state
facility (RSAT) in Sycamore.
The cause of death wasn't de
termined at this time.
The Marching Rebels band
started band camp last week.
Bernard Joiner will be the
new TCES principal.
Sycamore Council voted to
implement step raises for the
City Clerk, Ashley Topley.
An Ashburn man will serve
87 months in the Bureau of
Prisons for one count of wire
fraud and one count of aggra
vated identity theft. Tomeka D.
Wilburn, 32, was also ordered
to make restitution totaling
$58,648 to the IRS.
August
Week 1
Children's theater will per
form Rumpelstiltskin, Private
Eye.
The 4-H Air Pistol team
took third at national competi
tion. This is the first year for
the air pistol team.
Patrice Taylor of Ashburn
was sentenced in federal court
and will serve 84 months in
prison for conspiring to com
mit wire fraud and aggravated
identity theft. She was also or
dered to pay restitution of
$1,107,802 to the IRS. Her
husband, Antonio Taylor will
serve 147 months in prison and
repay $1,107,802.
ADM, the parent company
of Golden Peanut, presented a
check for $5,000 to the Turner
County Fire Department last
week. County Fire Chief
Robby Royal says the donation
will go toward purchasing per
sonal protective gear and
equipment for the firefighters.
Week 2
The Ashburn City Council
had a sharper disagreement
over repairs at the old City Hall
on E. Madison. The City’s in
surance company offered
$32,000 for storm damage re
pair work if the City bid the
work out. The City agreed to
let the insurance company han
dle everything, the insurance
company would pay $300,000
for far more extensive renova
tions. The Council split over
the issue, with a majority
agreeing to hand the whole
process over to the insurance
company.
Ashburn Councilman
Johnny Burgess objected, say
ing he believed there was
something wrong with the in
surance company’s offer. City
Attorney Tommy Coleman
urged the Council to accept the
$300K offer.
For the second year Dylan
and Jacob Gravitt have grown
giant watermelons that won in
the state competition. Cash
prizes were given.
Youngblood Road is going
to get paving work, again. In
dustrial Boulevard will also see
some improvements.
A daughter, Tami Snyder-
Lane Stillwell meets her bio
logical mom, Cesilie Snyder
for the first time since birth.
The Turner County Rebels
defeat Doughtery County Indi
ans 34-8 in the scrimmage
game.
Week 3
A gas line was cut by a mo-
torgrader operated by the Road
Department Tuesday morning
leaving natural gas customers
in Ashburn without gas for a
while. The most affected
places were the schools, nurs
ing home, restaurants and
homes. The cooperation be
tween department heads was
outstanding. The response to
the situation was excellent ac
cording to Ashburn Fire Chief
Brian Meadows. Some 14 mu
nicipal gas departments came
to Ashburn to help the City's
gas department restore gas to
homes. The mayor thanked
everyone who came to assist.
The County Commission
gives Sycamore Mayor Wayne
Woodruff a check for $10,000
to help put in a basketball
court.
A planned new clinic from
Tift Regional for Ashburn is on
hold indefinitely. The property
on E. Washington Ave. for the
new clinic has been purchased
but because of budget con
straints that and other projects
have been put on hold.
A new business, Rips Wings
& Things, has opened on
Hardin Ave.
This years' Food for
Thought program served up
23,114 meals.
The Turner County Rebels
high school football begin their
regular season. They will take
on Terrell County in Dawson.
Week 4
Students at the high school
are able to take classes through
Southern Regional Technical
College and have those classes
count toward college credits at
any school in the state. Now
with dual enrollment the stu
dents don't have to leave the
Turner County campus. The
teachers at the high school will
teach the classes available at
no cost the students.
A contract to have the
Chamber of Commerce presi
dent serve as a paid staff per
son for the DDA is still in the
works.
A decision by the Sycamore
Police Department to buy
some clip-on body cameras
was a good idea, but turns out
the cameras weren't. The cam
eras were horrible according to
Chief Lee Ann Clark so a pro
posal to buy two body cameras
from the Taser Company was
agreed upon by the Council.
The Turner County Rebels
claim a 29-20 victory over the
Terrell County Greenwave in
Dawson.
September
Week 1
After the head competition
cheer coach Molly Roberts and
assistant coach Shonya Shiver
abruptly a new teacher with is
hired. Holly Strickland who
has 12 years experience in the
classroom and 8 years as a
cheerleading coach is hired.
She is highly qualified says
Athletic Director Ryan Alfau.
Cheer practice resumes.
A much awaited store for
Sycamore is a step closer say
Mayor Wayne Woodruff. The
first site for the Dollar General
store had too many wetlands
issues so a second site is
planned and the store will be
bigger than the Ashburn store.
Turner County Stockyard
celebrates 55 years in business.
Week 2
Eureka Heights has a ribbon
cutting. The project cost nearly
$9 million, making it the
largest one-time local project
in the history of Turner
County.
Ashburn City Council may
rename a stretch of road that
reaches from E. Washington in
Ashburn to Sycamore. The
road on the north and south
end is named in honor of for
mer EMS director, Randall
Whiddon. The middle section,
in the unincorporated county,
is Industrial Dr.
Licia Coley was appointed
as the new E-911 Director for
Turner County by the Board of
Commissioners.
In sports, Turner County
Rebels dominated over Dooly
County Bobcats claiming vic
tory with a 50-6 score in Vi
enna.
Week 3
Ashburn resident Don
Rogers was honored by the
Singh family for his quick ac
tion during an attempted armed
robbery at a convenience store
in Sycamore. He was presented
a large framed plaque and a
luncheon.
JROTC gives a salute to the
heroes of 9-11 at a ceremony at
the school.
Turner County Elementary
had a packed turnout for a
Breakfast with Dad event.
The City of Ashburn signs a
contract with Tift Regional to
get a break on hospital bills
from prisoners that are housed
at the Turner County Jail.
The Eureka well and pump
project on the west side of Ash-
bum is still not ready.
A seance was conducted by
Cynthia Morrison (Cindini)
and two different Georgia
Paranormal research groups at
the old Turner County jail.
A request to put a sawmill at
the southern end of Sycamore
was again rejected by the City
Council.
The Turner County Rebels
take out the Randolph-Clay
Red Devils with a final score
of 31-6. So far the Rebels are
3-0 in non-region play.
Week 4
An Ashburn man, Tommy
Lee Walker, 59, dies in a fire at
his home.
In the search for a new
school superintendent 10 peo
ple have applied for the job and
interviews are set to begin next
month. In related news despite
the rumors that the school
doesn't have enough money to
meet payroll is not tme accord
ing to Interim Superintendent
Tommy Day.
The Marching Rebels par
ticipated in Band Jamboree in
Moultrie. The Rebels remain
undefeated after playing
against Telfair County Trojans
in McRae.
Ashburn Primary Care gets
a new family physician, Dr.
Mariel Hepburn.
Week 5
Republican candidate and
Southern Baptist preacher,
Ross Newland from Illinois,
stopped by The Wiregrass
Farmer to give his take on
what our country needs in a
president.
Turner County, Georgia
Schedule of Projects Constructed with Special Local Option Sales Tax Proceeds
Sale Tax Referendum 4/2006 -3/2012
County Projects
Original Estimated Revised Estimated
Cost Cost
Prior Year
Expenditures
Current Year
Expenditures
Total
Est % of Comp.
County Roads, Streets & Bridges
$ 1,836,000.00
$ 3,240,327.30
$ 3,080,398.08
$ 159,929.22
$ 3,240,327.30
100%
Public Safety Rolling Stock
$ 306,000.00
$428,259.19
$425,415.19
$ 2,844.00
$428,259.19
100%
Buildings, Offices & Facilities
$255,000.00
$323,652.41
$323,652.41
$ 323,652.41
100%
County Library Improvement
$51,000.00
$40,098.71
$40,098.71
$ 1,981,396.42
100%
City of Ashburn
$ 1,887,000.00
$ 1,981,396.42
$ 1,981,396.42
$-
$ 266,247.88
100%
City of Sycamore
$ 255,000.00
$ 266,247.88
$ 266,247.88
$-
$ 266,247.86
100%
City of Rebecca
$ 255,000.00
$ 266,247.86
$ 266,247.86
$-
$ 260,829.01
100%
Development Authority
$ 255,000.00
$ 260,829.01
$ 260,829.01
$-
$ 40,098.71
100%
Total
$ 5,100,000.00
$ 6,807,058.78
$ 6,644,285.56
$ 162,773.22
$ 6,807,058.78
Sale Tax Referendum 4/2012 - 3/201
3
County Projects
Original Estimated
Cost
Revised Estimated
Cost
Prior Year
Expenditures
Current Year
Expenditures
Total
Est % of Comp.
County Roads, Streets & Bridges
$ 1,836,000.00
$ 1,836,000.00
$ 1,566,864.93
$562,989.91
$2,129,854.84
116%
Public Safety Rolling Stock
$ 324,000.00
$ 324,000.00
$49,391.04
$ 57,746.00
$ 107,137.04
33%
Buildings, Offices & Facilities
$ 270,000.00
$ 270,000.00
$ 105,695.30
$ 32,676.64
$ 138,371.94
51%
Recreation Facilities & Rolling Stock
$ 108,000.00
$ 108,000.00
$ 8,407.53
$ 31,548.65
$ 39,956.18
37%
County Library Improvement
$ 54,000.00
$ 54,000.00
$ 3,885.00
$ 1,102.00
$ 4,987.00
9%
City of Ashburn
$ 1,998,000.00
$ 1,998,000.00
$ 715,941.17
$ 325,475.32
$ 1,041,416.49
52%
City of Sycamore
$ 270,000.00
$ 270,000.00
$ 96,748.81
$43,983.17
$ 140,731.98
52%
City of Rebecca
$ 270,000.00
$ 270,000.00
$ 96,748.78
$43,983.17
$ 140,731.95
52%
Development Authority
$ 270,000.00
$ 270,000.00
$ 59,846.84
$ 25,000.00
$ 84,846.84
31%
Total
$ 5,400,000.00
$ 5,400,000.00
$ 2,703,529.40
$ 1,124,504.86
$ 3,828,034.26
Kiwanis Club bought and
donated dictionaries for the
students at the elementary
school. Andy Hester and his
department donated items to
the PBIS store at the school. In
sports, Turner Rebels defeats
Charlton County Indians 44-0.
October
Week 1
Early voting is underway. A
Special Called Election for the
City of Ashburn to fill the un
expired term of James Hall,
whom resigned. Qualifying are
Holly Gibson and Howard Jor
dan. Rebecca's Special Elec
tion was cancelled due to only
one person qualifying for the
(SeYEAR Page 3)
HOG
(Continued from Page 1)
hogs. There are a lot of things
going on in control right now.
The best way to control them is
trapping,” he said. “The key is
trap and not relocate the hogs.”
Non crop damage during
that 2011 study was estimated
at $24 million.
The magazine restriction on
shotguns when hog hunting is
also gone. “There are no
firearms restrictions for taking
nongame animals, or nongame
birds, or feral hogs,” the new
law says.
The law also expands the
no-license-needed provision.
Georgia already does not re
quire a hunting license on land
the hunter owns. Now, if a per
son leases land to raise crops,
except timber, or for livestock,
the lease holder doesn’t need a
hunting license to kill hogs.
The law says wild hogs
can’t be hauled alive from
place to place unless the hogs
are going to a location to be
killed or the destination has a
permit to hold wild hogs. A
hog transport license is $15. A
hog-holding license is $100.
In Georgia, wild hogs are
descended from pigs brought
firm Europe. Over the years,
some escaped and turned feral.
When hog production in Geor
gia pretty much ended, some
hogs were just turned loose.
Wild hogs are a menace to
landowners and farmers across
the nation. Texas has such a
bad hog problem it has made
hunting wild hogs from heli
copters legal. Hunting hogs
from planes or choppers is not
legal in Georgia.
A full list of the new Geor
gia laws and amended laws is
at https://gov.georgia.gov/bills-
signed/2015
MANAGER
(Continued from Page 1)
job offer has not been made
publicly. Mr. Hudgins said he’s
not ready to make that commit
ment anyway.
“I am going to just take it
right now and wait and see. I
don’t want to commit that I
would or would not. I will
cross that bridge when I get
there. I’m going to look and
see how it goes,” he said. “I am
looking forward to it.”
Prior to making the decision
to hire Mr. Hudgins as interim
county manager, the Commis
sioners modified the County
Manager job requirements.
The new requirements are:
• Have suitable experience
in management.
• 10 years experience in
local government administra
tion
• The requirement to live in
Turner County can be waived
for 12 months at the Commis
sion’s discretion and another
12 months added to that if nec
essary.
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