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BACK TO SCHOOL BREAKFAST
Aug. 29th
sponsored by the
Roberta Crawford Chamber
and Crawford County Board
of Education for all school
employees to start their school
year off with a BANG!
P.O. Box 6
ROBERTA, GEORGIA 31078
Grand Opening
September 6th, 2-5 p.m.
Chamber Ribbon Cutting at 2 p.m.
Issue 34 Thursday, August 29, 2013
School bells ring
Tues., September 3rd
In Crawford County, school was delayed due to budget
cuts but you will hear school bells ring here Tuesday, Sep
tember 3rd. When the doors open the system will be wel
coming back about 1825 students including pre-k.
Superintendent of Schools, John Douglas asks that every
one be patient for the first few days. “It usually takes us a
few days to get the kinks worked out,” Douglas said.
Lunch prices for this new year, 2013-2014, are $1.60 for
Eagles Nest and the elementary school; $1.80 for middle
and high school. The schedule is listed below:
School Day Schedule for 2013 - 2014
Eagles’ Nest
Students arrive at 7:30 a.m.
School Day for students 7:40 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Bus Riders dismiss at 3:00 p.m.
Car Riders dismiss at 3:15 p.m.
Elementary School
Students arrive at 7:30 a.m.
School Day for students 8:15 a.m. - 3:20 p.m.
Bus Riders dismiss at 3:20 p.m.
Car Riders dismiss at 2:45 p.m.
Middle School
Students arrive at 7:30 a.m.
School Day for students 7:45 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Bus Riders dismiss at 3:15 p.m.
Car Riders dismiss at 3:15 p.m.
High School
Students arrive at 7:30 a.m.
School Day for students 7:45 a.m. - 3:19 p.m.
Bus Riders dismiss at 3:30 p.m.
Car Riders dismiss at 3:19 p.m.
Deputy suspended
pending investigation
Involved in altercation
A deputy sheriff with the
Crawford County Sher
iffs Office has been
suspended with pay
pending an internal
investigation into
his behavior at a bar
in Spalding County,
Georgia on the morn
ing of August 18,
2013.
Captain Terry
Berger, supervisor for
the patrol division said the
department was informed
of the incident late Sunday
evening. I “Captain Berger
had begun looking into the
matter and I ordered the
deputy involved suspended
with pay until investigators
with this office conducted
an investigation into this
employee’s conduct,” stated
Sheriff Lewis Walker.
Deputy Scott Richard
Bruce was involved in an
altercation at Country Rock
Bar and Grill, located at
2700 N Expressway, in
Spalding County on Sunday,
August 18, 2013 around
2:00 A.M. Apparently, Bruce
and another person
had a disagreement
and an altercation
ensued. Deputies with
the Spalding County
Sheriffs office were
on the scene. Bruce
was not on duty at the
time of this incident,
nor was in he in a de
partment vehicle.
Bruce was charge by
Spalding County Deputy
with Obstructing or Hinder
ing Law Enforcement Offi
cers and Disorderly Conduct
both misdemeanor charges.
No court date has been
scheduled at this time.
Bruce, employed with the
Crawford County Sheriff s
Office since May 22, 2013,
has worked in the Patrol Di
vision. He is suspended from
the sheriff s office pending
completion of an internal
investigation which is being
conducted by sheriffs inves
tigators.
Deputy Bruce
Business after hours
Security Finance hosted a Roberta-Crawford County Cham
ber of Commerce Business after hours Thursday. From left
Shena Wornum, Chris Dodd - district manager and local
manager Christy Harris.
The Voice of Crawford County Since 1921 2 Sections, 16 Pages One Dollar
also serving Byron and Peach County
The Hope Chest officially open
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Located at 80 Wright Ave. in Crawford Counseling Center, The Hope Chest held a grand opening and ribbon cutting
Saturday. The Hope Chest is a community based outreach which offers a food bank, thrift store and emergency support.
Hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. At the ribbon cutting from left to right: Michelle Bower, David
Bower, Julie Bower, Phyllis Thiessen, David McLeighton, Charles Cook, Kathleen Cook, Becky Smith, Billy Bassett and Chris
McIntyre.
County increases garbage
service fee by $15 annually
Other options included tax increase, cutting transit
BY VICTORIA SIMMONS
The Georgia Post
Following a lot of discussion the
Crawford County Board of Com
missioners approved increasing the
annual garbage service fee from
$125 to $140 in order to balance
the fiscal year 2014 budget. Chair
man Dean Fripp participated in the
meeting by telephone.
County Manager Pat Kelly had
made the proposal at a previous
meeting and the matter was tabled
until this meeting. Kelly told them
again there had been no increase
for the service since 2010 but the
service provider had increased cost
to the county. This, he said, would
keep the commission from having
to increase the millage rate. He also
noted that there were other options
such as doing away with the transit
program, the extension service,
not giving merit increases and not
paying money to the development
authority. Kelly reminded them
the county had to have a budget by
September 30th and there had to
be public hearings scheduled for
the budget.
There were discussions about
only increasing by $10 a year but
that would not balance the bud
get. The increase is actually $5
more than they are paying on the
contract to the service provider,
however, Kelly noted the county
provided the transfer station to
residents without charging a fee
and that costs the county. Kelly
also reminded everyone that the
hydrant fee was being rolled back
by $5 in the new fiscal year (from
$25 to $20).
Commissioner John Thomas said
that this increase was better than
going up on the millage rate. Kelly
noted there had been no millage
increase in the last five years by the
county. Thomas made the motion
to increase the garbage collection
fee and the motion passed 3-2 with
Frank Hollis and Bobby Blasin-
game voting against the increase.
Brenda Carroll has resigned from
the tax assessor’s board leaving a
vacancy which must be filled after
August 8, 2013. These vacancies
are filled by appointment from the
commissioners and the vacancy is
being advertised. There is also a va
cancy in the County Surveyor office
with the death of Charles Aultman
and the Probate Judge appoints the
replacement to fill the unexpired
term for that office when a vacancy
occurs. The County Surveyor is
paid on a per case basis.
Discussions on security in the
Tax Commissioner’s office and
administration offices have con
tinued for a few months. Kelly had
places request for proposals on a
security camera system and con
struction upgrades. One bid was
received for each. BTV Systems of
Macon bid $5,495 for the proposed
security camera system. Upward
Construction, LLC of Macon bid
$11,456 for security construction
upgrades. Thomas noted that this
subject had been beat to death and
that he knew BTV does good work.
Thomas made the motion to accept
bids and it carried 4-1 with Fripp
voting against it. Fripp said he did
not agree with the camera system
as he did not think that was the
solution.
Mark Hardison of Clifton, Lip-
ford, Hardison and Parker, LLC
presented the board with the audit
presentation for 2012 and was
thanked by the board for attending.
Annie Howard of Blue Bird Lane
came forward to complain about
her property being flooded due
to the lack of ditches. She asked
the board to correct the problem.
After discussion back and forth,
Vice Chairman Paul Chapman
asked that the county engineer and
county manager view the site and
report those findings back to the
board.
Jake Watson, EMA director, at
tended the meeting to inform the
board that GEMA has approved
Crawford County’s Mutli-Juris-
dictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
through July 24, 2018. That means
Crawford County is an eligible ap
plicant for the Hazard Mitigation
Assistance (HMA) grant programs
through GEMA.
Kelly told the board its 2013
Community Block Development
Grant (CDBG) grand application
had been selected to install wa
ter lines and fire hydrants on two
streets. The project will serve 230
people on Sara Hills and Carl Sut
ton roads. Most of those residents
are low to moderate income. The
grant amount if $500,000 and
the county has to come up with a
match of $51,044.
David Mincey III, county at
torney reported that the City of
Roberta and Crawford County had
signed the resolution authorizing
the ballot initiative for the 2015
SPLOST (Special Purpose Local
Option Sales Tax) and that the
elections office had been notified.
The process, he said, was moving
in a timely manner.
through today at noon
If interested you can qualify from
9 a.m until noon today (Thursday)
at Roberta City Hall.
Qualifying for Roberta City Council continues
As of press time Tuesday, Ro- Bassett (Post 1) qualified to seek
berta Mayor Becky Smith qualified re-election for his post. Also up for
to seek re-election and Dr. Billy re-election is Post 2, Erv Patton.
