Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, June 13,2013
2 Sections, 18 Page
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1 % More SPLOST
County Gives City
By Victoria Simmons
The Georgia Post
Four Roberta City Council
members and the mayor at
tended a joint called meeting
with the Crawford County
Board of Commissioners last
week to discuss distribution
of the 2015 SPLOST (Special
Purpose Local Option Sales
Tax).
The county intends to call
a special election in Novem
ber of this year to extend the
current SPLOST for another
six years. A year and a half is
left on the current SPLOST
(2009) and if it should not
pass this year, the county
would introduce it again in
2014.
County Attorney David
Mincey III told city council
and Mayor Becky Smith that
they would need to come up
with language for the refer
endum that would detail how
their portion of the SPLOST
monies would be spent if
approved by the voters. In the
previous SPLOST the city
had indicated it would use the
funds for public safety and
water/sewer.
Mayor Smith asked the
board to consider an 86% to
14% split, (for 2015)rather
than the 13% the county had
approved. Smith said that
the city expects to replace
the water tower near city hall
and that the additional 1%
of SPLOST revenue would
be enough to cover that task.
Chairman Dean Fripp wanted
to know how that 1 % extra
to the city would impact the
county. County Manager Pat
Kelley said it would be a total
of $36,000 over the six years
and that the county would not
be greatly impacted.
Commissioner Paul Chap
man posed the question of
what would happen if a con
solidation issue passed here.
It was noted that everything
would be put together if con
solidation did occur.
After more discussion,
Commissioner John Thomas
made the motion for the
86%-14% split of the 2015
SPLOST and that the city
would receive its potion of the
revenues as they are received
by the county, not just once
a year as has been the case.
The motion passed 3-0 (only
Fripp, Thomas and Chap-
See COUNTY, Page 11
Councilman Wants It Clear
SPLOST Split Can’t Change
By Charles Cook -
Special to The Post
Mayor Becky Smith called
the meeting of Roberta Cty
Council to order and asked to
add SPLOST to the agenda.
Councilman Erv Patton made
the motion to approve an 86-
14 percent split on the 2015
SPLOST if approved by the
voters.
This was the result of an
earlier joint meeting with the
County Commissioners. In
that meeting Mayor Smith
asked that the percentage be
raised one percentage point.
When asked why, she said
she had calculated the amount
needed to replace “her water
tank” at the city hall. She
stated that it would be 13.88
percent so she rounded to the
next point.
Councilman B. J. Bassett,
who was not at the joint meet
ing, wanted it made clear that
the county could not come
back and change the split after
it was approved.
Planning and Zoning Of
ficer Frank Miller presented
a proposal to change the
wording in the city’s P & Z
Manual. This would clarify
the way a special exception
and variances would be al
lowed. Dr Bassett asked if an
exception was sent to them
and they disallowed it could
there be any way it could be
over turned. Patton tried to
explain the process.
Jerry Gibb brought the
pre disaster plan to council.
Robert Smith of the regional
council was in attendance
to answer questions. Mr.
Gibb explained what they
had been able to accomplish:
Added sirens throughout the
county, added code red to the
warning system, extension
of the county water system,
communications update and
contact with the surrounding
counties by using a common
radio system. This will allow
the county to be classified as a
storm ready community.
See CiTY, Page 12
from left are Commissioners Paul Chapman and
John Thomas, Ed Westbrook - Area 4 Field Coord-
iantor GEMA, Commission Chairman Dean Fripp
and Commissioner Bobby Blassingame and Jake
Watson, CC Emergency Management Director.
The BSA Golden Eagle Dinner featured Kenny tie) and Chief Randy Pate (far right) who helped
Walker (center in back) as keynote speaker, Sheriff preside and present the award. Others pictured
Lewis Walker as the honoree (back with suite and include: Local scouts and the leader.
County
By Victoria Simmons
The Georgia Post
After amending the agen
da to include the discussion
of reimbursement of prop
erty taxes (2008-09 Logan
Hirsh), the Crawford County
Board of Commissioners
welcomed Barry Gooden
and Ed Westbrook from the
National Weather Service.
Gooden congratulated EMA
Director Jake Watson and
the board for the success
of the county achieving
its “Storm Ready” Status.
According to Gooden,
Crawford County is the only
county to have achieved this
status with an all volunteer
EMA staff.
“This demonstrates,” said
Westbrook, “that the board
of commissioners is con-
Sheriff Walker Is Golden Eagle Recipient
Certified Storm Ready
brothers, George, Jerome Jr.
and Kenneth.
A member of Cool Spring
Baptist Church, Walker
serves on the deacon minis
try, as Assistant Superinten
dent of Sunday School and
chair of the Trustee ministry.
He is a member of the Mu-
sella Masonic Lodge #381
and Musella O.E.S. Charter
#319.
Walker was hired by then
Sheriff Kerry Dunaway as
a Deputy Sheriff with the
Crawford County Sheriff’s
Office in December of 1987,
working the patrol division.
He was later promoted to
squad supervisor and then
promoted to Captain of the
Patrol Division in January
2006. Walker worked 21
years as a Deputy Sheriff.
When Dunaway stepped
down, Walker ran and was
elected as Sheriff in 2008.
He graduated from the
Sheriff-Elect Academy in
December of that year. He
was re-elected in 2012 and
has over 2000 hours of law
enforcement training.
See SHERIFF, Page 11
cemed with the safety of its
citizens.”
A sign was presented
to Watson and the board.
Watson thanked them say
ing that the commissioners
and Gerry Gibb (Deputy
EMA Director) had been
instrumental in being able to
achieve storm ready status.
Watson also addressed the
board concerning the Hazard
Mitigation Plan Adoption
which is a resolution the
county needed to approve
and sign. By completing the
Pre-Disaster Hazard Miti
gation plan the county will
remain eligible for Federal
mitigation funding. Watson
said the plan was pretty
much the same as the last
two years. The resolution
was unanimously approved.
D’Lynn Jones, Tax Asses-
By Victoria Simmons
The Georgia Post
Sheriff Lewis S. Walker
was the Central Georgia
Council, Boy Scouts of
America, Gold Eagle hon
oree this year. A dinner was
held last Tuesday to honor
him and featured Kenny
Walker as the keynote
speaker, former local NBA
star.
The Golden Eagle Dinner
is a fund raising event for
the Boy Scouts and proceeds
benefit the programs and
scouts.
Sheriff Walker, a native
of Crawford County, gradu
ated from Crawford County
High School in 1978. He
is the third son of the late
Jerome Walker Sr. and Ola
Mae Walker. He is married
to Nettie Walker and they
have have two children,
Markith and Lewis Jr., two
grandsons, Ke’Sabian and
Jamarrion. He has three
Charles Westberry, right, was presented with a
plaque of appreciation by Development Authority
chair Brenda Carroll in recognition for all his years
on the board and his contributions to economic de
velopment at last week’s meeting.
Crawford County was presented with Storm Ready
signs indicating Crawford has become certified as be
ing prepared for storms. The presentation was made
by Barry Gooden - Warning Coordination Meteo
rologist with the National Weather Service. Pictured
sor Chief Appraiser was on
the agenda and came in late
thinking they still met at 7
missioners to a work shop
on the Pictometry software,
2nd Chance Prom To
Benefit Fire Department
Prom time is over for students but a fundraiser by the
Crawford County Fire Department is giving a second
chance to those who may never have attended their high
school prom or who enjoy getting dressed up for the
prom.
The Second Chance Prom with a theme of “Stairway
To Heaven” will be held Saturday, June 29, 6-10 p.m. at
Camp Grace. Tickets are $20 each or $25 per couple and
all proceeds will go toward equipment for the CC Volun
teer Fire Department.
Dress up in a tux and formal or just a suit and tie, the
choice is yours. A king and queen of the prom will be an
nounced. If you missed your prom here’s your chance to
make up for it, or relive past proms. You can have a good
time while supporting our firefighters.
For more information and tickets contact Fire Chief
Randy Pate at 478-957-9006.
