Newspaper Page Text
ilncksn Progress-Argus
Volume 104 Number 34
August Grand Jury F h.
Vacancies on Tax Boara
The August term of the
Butts County Grand Jury
filled vacancies on the Tax
Equalization Board, com
mended use of the Butts
County Small Claims Court
to the public and pursued
with County officials the
capital needs of the school
system and the mental health
program.
Appointed to the Tax
Equalization Board were
Tom Taylor, Mrs. Sandra
Butterworth and B. Haywood
Hodges. Named as alternates
were Lovett Fletcher, Stan
ley Maddox and Charlie
Frank Thurman.
The complete text of the
grand jury’s presentment for
the August term as returned
in open court to Judge Sam L.
Whitmire are as follows:
GRAND JURY
PRESENTMENTS
AUGUST TERM, 1977
BUTTS SUPERIOR COURT
TO: HONORABLE SAM L.
WHITMIRE, JUDGE
BUTTS SUPERIOR COURT
FLINT JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
We the Grand Jury, sworn
and empanelled for the
August Term, 1977, Butts
Superior Court, make the
following presentments in
open Court:
In organizing, the Grand
Jury elected Raymond A.
O’Quinn, Foreman; D. Rich
ard Ballard, Clerk; Luke P.
Weaver, Assistant Clerk and
Joe Norris, Bailiff.
We express our apprecia
tion to the Honorable Sam L.
Whitmire, District Attorney
E. Byron Smith and his staff
for their assistance to this
Grand Jury and for the
competent manner in which
the Courts are conducted.
The Grand Jury returned
14 True Bills, 30 No Bills.
We recommend and re
spectfully request that the
next Grand Jury as the first
order of business read the
presentments of this Grand
Jury after the election of
officers and determine what
action has been taken.
We, the Grand Jury,
recommend that the official
of the City of Jackson and the
officials of the Butts County
Commissioners contact the
Georgia Highway Depart
ment concerning the feasi
bility of installing a traffic
light at the intersection of U.
S. Highway 23 and Georgia
Highway 16 East, since this
has become a congested
area.
We, the Grand Jury,
following the recommenda
tion of the May Grand Jury
asked Mr. Max Collins,
Chairman of the Butts
County Board of Commis
sioners, to give us a report on
(continued on back page)
BUTTS COUNTY SCHOOL CALENDAR
1977-1978
Pre-Planning August 22,23,24
First Day of School August 25
Labor Day-No School Septembers
First Month Ends September 22
In-Service September 23
Second Month Ends October 21
End of First Nine Weeks October 28
End of Fall Quarter November 18
Third Month Ends November 18
In-Service November 23
Thanksgiving Holidays November 24,25
Last Day Before Christmas December 20
First Day After Christmas January 3
Fourth Month Ends January 3
End of Second Nine Weeks January 17
Fifth Month Ends January 31
Winter Quarter Ends February 28
Sixth Month Ends February 28
In-Service March 2-3
End of Third Nine Weeks March 22
Easter Holidays March 23,24,27,28
Seventh Month Ends April 5
Eighth Month Ends May 3
Ninth Month Ends May 31
Post-Planning June 1,2,3
Bibb Company, And Driver, Win
Suits Against Livestock Owners
The Butts County Superior
Court was in session three
days last week, hearing civil
matters, with only one case
requiring a jury.
Two cases prompted by a
highway accident on Decem
ber 2, 1975 took the better
part of three days. It ended
with the Bibb Company
winning a judgement of
SIB,OOO in its suit against J.
Richard Zimmerman and
Bob M. Hacker.
A companion case, grow
ing out of the same accident
and tried simultaneously,
resulted in a verdict of
$28,000 in favor of Seabum
Spivey in his suit against I
Zimmerman and Hacker.
The two cases resulted
from a wreck which occurred
when a truck, driven by
Spivey and owned by the
Bibb Company, collided with
a number of cows on Hwy. 36,
killing several of the animals
and severely damaging both
the truck and the driver.
The grand jury was in
session for two days, com
pleting its deliberations on
Tuesday.
Superior Court Clerk David
Ridgeway reports the docket
for the criminal week, which
began Monday, was only
moderately heavy.
Bill Nelson
Named Coach
Of the Year
Bill Nelson, head coach of
the state runner-up baseball
team at Jackson High last
year, has been selected by
the Georgia High School
Coaches Association and
peer coaches of region 3-A as
coach of the year.
The award was presented
at a banquet held recently in
Atlanta. The award is given
annually to a coach in each
region who the other coaches
feel has done the best
“all-round job of exemplify
ing sportsmanship, leader
ship, cooperation and team
record.”
W. A. Cook Is
Sole Owner Of
Realty Firm
Much interest in Jackson’s
business circles was cen
tered this week in the
announcement by Willie
Avery Cook that he has
purchased the interest of his
former partner, Wayne
Barnes, in Piedmont Realty
Company, leaving Cook as
the sole owner of the Jackson
real estate firm.
The partnership was dis
solved last Friday when
papers were signed transfer
ring ownership of the firm to
Cook.
In announcing the pur
chase, Cook had high praise
for his former partner,
saying “A man could never
have a better business
partner than Wayne Barnes.
Our business and personal
relationships have always
been pleasant and, when the
partnership was dissolved,
we parted the best of
friends.”
Piedmont Realty Company
was organized by Wayne
Barnes and the late Paul
Maddox in 1947. Upon
Maddox’s death, the late
James Buchanan became a
partner in the operation of
the business until his death.
In assuming operation of
Piedmont Realty Company,
Willie Avery Cook brings into
the business 14 years of
experience in the real estate
field and the reputation of
being one of the most astute
and knowledgeable realtors
in the middle Georgia area.
Barnes, who owns a
building supply company and
has extensive real estate
holdings, plans to continue in
the real estate field.
JHS CLASS 1918
TO MEET SATURDAY
CARMICHAEL HOME
The Jackson High School
Class of 1918 will hold their
class reunion on Saturday,
August 27th, at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. J. R.
Carmichael on McDonough
Road. The group will gather
at 12:00 noon.
Red Devils Open 77 Football
Season Friday Night in Gray
The Jackson High Red
Devils will open their 1977
football season this Friday
night in Gray against the
Jones County Greyhounds.
Jones County fell victim to
the Devils last year on the
hill in Jackson to the tune of
7-0.
However, this year the
Greyhounds return 16 of the
22 starters from last year’s
team. Coach Garrard says
that Jones County will be big
up front and sport quick
backs and a good passing
quarterback. He expects his
troops to be up for the game
and eager to get revenge for
last years loss in Jackson.
The Red Devils are also
ready for the opener. Coach
Carmichael feels that this
years team has the potential
to improve on last year’s
5-4-1 record. However, this
will depend upon the rapid
development of some young
players in the offensive line
and the absence of injuries in
the backfield.
This year’s team has as
Jackson, Georgia 30233, Thursday, August 25,1977
James Mize
Buys Jackson
Ford Agency
Announcement is made
this week of the sale of Daniel
Ford Sales, Inc. by Milton
Daniel, owner, to James H.
Mize, of Greensboro.
It was the first change in
ownership of the local Ford
agency, since Milton Daniel
purchased the dealership
almost 23 years ago when it
was operating under the
Spencer-Buchanan trade
name.
At the present time, Mr.
Daniel has not announced his
plans for the future.
■. iniiM
Jim Mize is a native of
Franklin County and attend
ed the University of Georgia
for two years before begin
ning a 24-year career as an
Air Force pilot.
Following retirement from
the Air Force with the rank of
Lieutenant Colonel, he joined
the Success Motivation Insti
tute in Waco, Texas for six
years.
In 1973 he returned to
Georgia to become partner
and general manager of a
large American Motors dea
lership. In August, 1976 he
was named general manager
of Roper Ford Sales in’
Greensboro, from which he
resigned to purchase the
Jackson Ford dealership.
Married to the former
Ellaine Belvin, of Orlando,
Florida, the couple have two
daughters, Jane, 18, Jill, 16,
and a son, John, 14. Mrs.
Mize has recently completed
course requirements for a
registered nurse, which has
been a lifelong goal of hers.
The Mizes will move to
Jackson as soon as possible
and both say they are looking
forward to being “Jackson
ites” with a great deal of
anticipation.
JACKSON STUDENTS
EARN TIFT DEGREES
Among the seven students
completing degree require
ments at Tift College this
summer were Debra Jean
Bunch and LaDonna Frances
Byrd Smith, of Jackson.
many good backs as has ever
been on a Red Devil football
team. The interior line has
made great strides since
graduation of the entire
front line. According to
Coach Carmichael, the Red
Devils will have to control
the ball while on offense and
then play scrappy and hard
nosed defense if they are to
come away with their first
win of the season.
Those players to watch this
year are as follows:
Quarterbacks: Tim Kersey
5' 11”, 160 lb., Jr.; Ronnie
Dodson-5’ 8”, 135 lb.. Soph.
Halfbacks: Charles Stew
art -5’ 9”. 168 lb., Sr.; Reggie
Henderson - 6’ 1”, 164 lb., Sr.;
Merrill Folsom - 5’ 6”, 148 lb.,
Sr.; Joe Kersey - 5’ 6”, 130
lb. Soph.; Willie Ward-6 1",
168 lb., Soph.; Joseph Hicks -
5’ 7”, 127 lb., Soph.; Arthur
Pye - 5’ 8”, 153 lb., Jr.
Fullbacks: Terry Shivers -
5' 10”, 173 lb., Sr.; Mike
Barber - 5’ 9", 163 lb.. Jr.;
Ricky Cook - 5’ 8", 146 lb.. Jr.
Jackson Will Not Levy
A Property Tax in 1977
It might not have been
June in January of 1977 as the
old song goes, what with the
extreme cold and gas
shortage, but it was Christ
mas in August today for
hundreds of City of Jackson
taxpayers.
Jackson Mayor C. B.
Brown, Jr. and members of
the City Council, in a joint
announcement, said there
would be no ad valorem tax
levied on property within the
City limits for 1977
The action, unprecedented
in Jackson’s history, was
expected to meet with an
enthusiastic reception from
taxpayers wearied by the
continuing battle against
inflation and the rising cost
of government.
In making the announce-
Fire Destroys
Three Houses
In County
According to Jackson fire
man W. L. Vaughn, a house
belonging to John Robert
Ransom on Highway 36 about
six miles north of Jackson
was destroyed by fire
Monday morning.
No one was injured in the
fire.
Vaughn said flames were
over 50 percent of the house
when the fire department
arrived and that the fire was
contained briefly until the
flames broke through the
roof.
Vaughn also reported that
a fire destroyed a house
occupied by Vivian Duffey on
Fincherville Road about 1:30
a.m. Tuesday morning.
No one was injured in that
fire according to Vaughn.
Another house in the
county, this one on Giles
Ferry Road, burned about
2:00 a.m. August 17 accord
ing to Luther Jones, volun
teer fireman with the
Flovilla Fire Department.
The house belonged to
Larry Marsh, and Jones said
the house was a total
loss—that nothing was saved.
No one was home at the time
of the fire.
Jones added that the house
had apparently been on fire
for about an hour when the
fire truck arrived because
the house was about to fall in
when he got there.
Ends: Jeff Maddox - 6’o”,
140 lb.. Soph.: Scott Smith -5’
11”, 170 lb.. Sr.; Leon Smith -
5' 10”, 147 lb.. Sr.; Thomas
Sims - 6' 4”, 188 lb.. Sr.;
Cedric Evans - 5’ 11", 150 lb.,
Jr.; Ernest Lawrence - 5’
10”, 130 lb.. Soph.; Barry
Brooks - 6' 1”, 184 lb.. Soph.
Tackles: Wesley Baker - 6'
0”, 206 lb.. Sr.; Mark Cook -5’
10”. 183 lb.. Sr.; Terry Smith
- 6' 0”. 184 lb.. Soph.; John
Freeman - 6’ 3”, 297 lb.,
; Bennon Prine - 6’ 2”,
218 lb.. Sr.; Jeff Hurst -6' 4",
190 lb.. Soph.
Guards: Cary Maddox - 5’
9", 155 lb., Jr.; Danny
Patterson - 5’ 9", 164 lb., Sr.;
John Loftin - 5’ 7”. 138 lb..
Sr. ; Anthony Stewart - 5‘ 9 ”,
160 lb., Jr.; Stan Nelson - 6'
1”, 177 lb., Jr.; Alan Folsom -
5' 5", 170 lb., Soph.
Centers: David Wyatt - 5’
11”, 204 lb., Jr.; Lawrence
Biles - 5' 9", 150 lb., Soph.
ment, Mayor Brown had high
praise for the management
practices initiated by the
City Council and for the
capable and efficient em
ployees of the City in its
various departments.
Although abolition of the
property tax was an out
growth of, and supported by,
income generated by the one
cent local sales tax, the City
government went beyond
revenues stemming from this
source in removing the 1977
tax liability from property
owners.
Hastening to add that the
tax windfall might be
temporary in nature, Mayor
Brown said, “It is our hope
that we can continue to
operate the City on its
current income, without the
County Tax Levy Is 27 Or 23
Mills, Depending on Residence
Members of the Butts
County Board of Commis
sioners at a called meeting
Friday set the County’s tax
millage for 1977 at 27.18 mills
for residents of incorporated
areas and 23.32 mills for
County residents.
This compares with the
1976 levy of 24.36 mills for all
residents of the County.
Most of the increase came
about from the Butts Coun
ty’s Board of Education
request for 12.5 mills for its
maintenance and operation
fund, up three and one-quar
ter mills from the 1976 levy of
9.25 for the same purpose.
The County's maintenance
and operation levy was down
almost one-half of a mill, to
13.8 from 14.317 mills in 1976.
Millage levied for other
purposes. retirement of
school bonds, the state’s
one-quarter mill levy and the
retirement of County bonds
T. Carmichael
Wins Coach of
Year Award
£, ‘Jar
' ''
Tommy Carmichael, coach
and athletic director at
Jackson High, was recently
named ocach of the year for
Region 3-A in track and cross
country by the Georgia
Athletic Coaches Associa
tion.
The award was made at a
banquet held in Atlanta.
Coach Carmichael’s teams
won regional championships
in both cross country and
track during the past school
year.
COMMISSIONERS
TIGHTEN I P BEER
ADVERTISING
Members of the Butts
County Commission at a
called meeting Friday voted
to require all beer and wine
licensees of the County to
remove all outdoor signs
advertising their products.
Beer and wine dealers are
being given 60 days to
comply with this order.
The action of the local
Commission puts the County
in compliance with a state
law which forbids such
advertising.
necessity of levying property
taxes at some later date, but
there are many variables
that have to be considered,
primarily the inflation rate
and the state of the economy.
And although it is our
intention at the present time
to continue a policy of no ad
valorem taxes in Jackson, we
can not guarantee this as a
permanent policy, but will
have to review the situation
on a year-to-year basis.”
The City’s ad valorem tax
rate has dropped from 10
mills in 1975 to 5 mills in 1976
to 0 in 1977.
Abolition of the tax, which
brought in approximately
$120,000 in 1975 and $60,000
last year, is expected to have
a beneficial effect on retail
sales locally as taxpayers
remained at approximately
the same level.
Those residents who do not
live in incorporated areas
will receive a bonanza from
collection of the one cent
optional sales tax. and have
their tax bills reduced 3.86
mills and computed at the
lower 23.32 mills.
Residents of Jackson.
Jenkinsburg and Flovilla will
receive reductions in their
1977 tax bills, which will be
granted by each of the
municipal governments. The
City of Jackson has already
announced that it will not
levy a property tax for 1977.
Butts County Treasurer
Billy Sutton said the 3.86 mill
reduction for residents living
in unincorporated areas was
arrived at on the basis that
Butts County’s share of the
local sales tax would amount
to $177,266.80. Butts County
receives 57.8 per cent of the
Grady Tolen
Dies In Hit’n
Run Incident
According to Sheriff Billy
Leverette. a Butts County
man. Grady Tolen. Jr.. 19.
Route 1, Flovilla was killed
when he was struck by an
automobile on highway 16
east early Saturday morning.
Another man. James Ho
ward Clark, 21. Route 1.
Flovilla, is in critical
condition at Grady Hospital
in Atlanta, also the victim of
the apparent hit-and-run
accident according to Lever
ette.
Leverette said Joseph
Eugene Ingram. 20. Route 1,
Jackson, has been arrested
and charged with hit-and-run
in the incident.
Leverette stated that the
Sheriff's Department re
ceived the call about 4:30
Saturday morning and when
they arrived at the scene.
Tolen was pronounced dead.
He added that Tolen’s body
was lying in the west-bound
lane of the highway.
Clark was lying on the
shoulder of the road on the
w est-bound side according to
Leverette. He was rushed to
Sylvan Grove Hospital and
then on to Grady Hospital.
The incident, which took
place about a mile from the
Jackson city limits, is still
under investigation by the
Sheriff’s Department, the
Georgia Bureau of Investiga
tion and the Georgia State
Patrol.
15c Per Copy
will have more disposable
income to Spend in the
market place.
Of equal importance is the
positive effect the action is
likely to have on the efforts of
the City and County Develop
ment Authorities to attract
new industry to Jackson.
By abolishing the ad
valorem tax for 1977 for City
residents, Jackson joins a
very' select group of Georgia
municipalities that have
been able to live within their
income without levying prop
ertv taxes.
Officials of the City, in
addition to Mayor Brown, are
Councilmen Dawson Bryant.
Allen Byars, Roy Goff, John
L. Coleman and John Robert
Pulliam, from the first
through the fifth wards,
respectively.
total revenue derived from
the sales tax. Jackson 35.7
per cent. Jenkinsburg 3.6,
and Flovilla 2.7 per cent.
The 1977 net digest for the
County has been established
at 538.973.197, Sutton said,
with utilities adding an
approximate $7,000,000 to
that total. The 1976 net digest
was 533.473.817. with $6,797.
875 for public utilities, with
properties owned by mem
bers of the Taxpayers
Protective .Association still in
contest and not shown in
these totals.
Butts County's 1977 digest
has not been approved by the
State Revenue Department
and is subject to a factor,
that is. an overall increase of
a specified per cent. Should
this happen, the Commission
would probably take action to
cut the millage. keeping the
total revenue at the present
projected level, Sutton said.
Arrest Made
For Drug
Violation
According to Jackson po
liceman Rusty Cook, a
Madison woman. Barbara
Seymour Marshall, was
arrested Sunday for violation
of the Georgia Controlled
Substances Act.
Cook said the drug Mrs.
Marshall had in her posses
sion was unlabeled and had
not been analysed at the
time.
According to Cook, bond
for Mrs. Marshall was set at
$750.00.
j SCHOOLS IN! j 1
|SPEEDING’S OUT !l
JOE. THE HOBO. SEZ:
~ t fj
> if'
1 ain’t never drawn a
welfare check and I don’t
intend to, so long as folks will
swap a free meal for a lawn
mowing or w ood splitting job.