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Crawford County HS FFA will be hosting its
ANNUAL FALL FRUIT SALE.
They will be selling Florida Indian River Groves fruit and will have a
selection of Navel Oranges, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Hamlin (juice)
Oranges and Tangelos. There will also be a mixed carton available with
Navel Oranges and Ruby Red Grapefruit. Fruit will be sold in 10 lb., 20
lb. and 40 lb. cartons. Prices will be $18 for 10 lbs.; $22 for 20 lbs. and
$30 for 40 lbs. Sale now until October 25th. Will be delivered to CCHS
week of November 18-22. Payment must be made prior to ordering the
fruit. For questions or to place an order see any CCFIS FFA member or
email daryl.baxley@crafordschool. org.
Lunch and Learn offered and sponsored by
Mario de la Garza of Payscape Advisors
Join fellow small business owner and discuss the challenges
surrounding invoicing and cash flow. Fie plans to share infor
mation on automation and streamlining invoicing to save time
and get paid quicker as well as discuss the benefits of accept
ing payments online. Please RSVP Chamber office or Mario
at; mario.delagarza@payscapeadvisors.com ; or rcccoc@
pstel.net By September 24th at 2 p.m. Lunch and Learn to be
held on Sept. 26, 2013 to be held in the Chamber office.
Issue 37 Thursday, September 26, 2013
Board of education
approves budget
Crawford County Board of Education met at 6:50 p.m.
on September 19, 2013 for the final hearing on the budget
and proposed 2.5 millage increases. The well explained
presentation was given by board member Brad Cody
-2nd District to an audience of about eight people. With
the increase of the 2.5 mills and budget approved, the
meeting was closed and re-opened following a prescribed
procedure of three hearings and a final decision in a sep
arate meeting.
The final meeting of the board was for a budget which
includes fund balance replenishment of $50,544.00 in
the approximate 13K budget. As Cody pointed out a
loss of 56 students for many reasons including private
and home schools over the last few years has amounted
to a loss of $140,000 with state funding of $2500 for
each student in FTE funds from the state. Over the last
five years the state has increased the expense locally by
approximately 7K cuts handed down to Crawford County
Schools and all schools across the state. Federal funds
have been decreased as well. A fund balance is recom
mended by the auditors but that has been dipped into
once too many times to cover the cost of lost renews
leaving yet another deficiency requiring funding. Forestry
and Land Conservation produced another loss of fund
ing at the local level. Only 35 percent of the “roof tops”
pay taxes and as the revenue sources shrink the local 35
percent of roof tops will feel the cuts.
The in-depth report and analysis provided by Cody was
very thorough and can be viewed at Crawford County
Schools -eBoard under meeting date September 19, 2013.
He was able to show the audience where and why each
cut occurred and where the local budget had made up
the cuts. He also showed the decrease in FTE and what
the cost to the system meant; loss of tax revenues from
redirected tax money to private schools; cost of increased
funds for insurance to classified employees; cost of loss
of employees by not filling positions not so much to the
system but to employees. He covered many areas which
the board felt gave validity to the increased millage rate.
Ready to vote the members present, chairman Ray
mond Dickey, Brand Cody, Vice Chair Lee Sanders, and
Tim Johnson, Jake Howell representing the 5th District
was absent, were called to cast their vote openly by Dick
ey. The decision by the board was to approve the budget
of the approximately 13K and a 2.5 mill increase as a bal
anced budget showing as a 16 millage need by education
and increase from 13.5 mills voted on and Tim Johnson
voting “no”.
Now the board is moving into the fiscal year 2014 on a
balanced budget but it took a mill increase, cuts in per
sonnel and finally other cuts in programs where possible
for it to be balanced.
Commissioners reluctantly
approve BOE increase
BY TAM IWALBERG
The Georgia Post
Not one citizen attended the Crawford County Board of
Commissioners meeting that was held on Thursday, Sep
tember 19, 2013 where they voted on the 2014 Fiscal Year
Budget.
The board voted on and passed the FY 2014 Budget, the
Water Enterprise Budget, and the Special Revenue Fund
Budget as well as a resolution to close all Crawford County
banking accounts with Certus Bank. Certus closed their
Crawford County branch and the board wants to stay with
a bank that has a branch location right here in town. They
are opening new accounts with Citizens State Bank.
The board also voted to adopt the county millage rate of
12.53 for the unincorporated areas of Crawford County and
14.27 for the incorporated areas. After passing the millage
rate, several board members spoke out about their reluc
tance to pass the school millage rate increase.
Dean Tripp board chair, wanted everyone to know that
he understands that all of the employees of the county
“work very hard to keep the budget under control” but it
“aggravates him that the school is going up 2.5 mill”. “ I
don’t like it but I have no choice but to sign it”, Tripp said.
Board member John Thomas agreed with Tripp and
wanted the citizens of Crawford County to know “The com
missioners did not set the millage for the Crawford County
Board of Education and they have no choice but to pass it.”
In the future, Dean Tripp said he would like to see the
Commissioners work together with the Board of Education
(BOE), which is the same thing that he and Paul Chapman
voiced at a recent BOE meeting.
Frank Hollis asked, “Why can’t the school do it them
selves? Why do we have to sign off on it?”
David Mincey, III lawyer for Crawford County explained
that if the Commissioners do not pass the millage rate
increase for the BOE, then it goes be- BUDGET, Paae 10
The Voice of Crawford County Since 1921
also serving Byron and Peach County
Farm Bill myths debunked
Like the people involved in a newspaper production.. .who have ink in their
blood the farmer says he has dirt under his nails and on his hands. They don’t
do it to get rich nor do they do it for any other reason except to sustain the
many areas our county needs food and food products. Jon Huffmaster, center,
spoke to local Kiwanians on many issues dispelling some Farm Bill Myths
like the farmers need the bill to make them rich. Small farmers are never the
recipients of any programs just the large, the reason it is called the farm bill
because most of the money goes to farmers. The farm bill works against the
free market, and the list went on as he explained away each of the myths to
show the real recipient of the farm bill is not the farmer but those who receive
the harvest of the many farms and ranches in Georgia. Georgia Farm Bureau
will be happy to explain why this bill is so important to our local farmers who
toil day break to sundown the majority of the days in a given year. They are
a crucial industry in our company allowing safe food stuffs that are required
to meet all standards before deliverable to our population. Food is not grown
in a can but under the feet of our farmers. Pictured with Huffmaster is Amy
Moncrief, left and Rena Booker of CC’s Farm Bureau.
City employee accused
of theft gets reprimand
Though a motion was made
to terminate a city employee
who had been accused of theft
by taking, Roberta City Council
voted to place a letter in the
employee’s file.
City Council met Monday
to discuss the situation and
determine a course of action.
According to the incident
report filed by the Crawford
County Sheriffs Office, the in
cident took place on September
10th at the home of Troy Cook
on Mathews Street in Rober
ta. When Cook arrived home
he noticed the tool box on his
trailer open. Upon investiga
tion he discovered his Husq-
varna 350 Chainsaw missing,
valued at around $400.
He was advised by investiga
tor Ricky Lee Benford the serial
number would be needed so
it could be entered in case the
chain saw was pawned. Cook
stated, according to the report,
that he would know the chain
saw because of a different char
acteristic he had added to it.
City employee Verdale (Dale)
Grant had been on the Cook
property two days in a row and
Cook called his supervisor Bob
Bade to find out why. Bade
stated he did not know and stat
ed that the day he was reported
on the property was Dale’s
day off and did not know of
any reason for him to be there
but would check. According to
Cook, if Dale was off he was in
the city truck and city uniform
and had parked off to the side
of house where there are no
windows to see from his house.
Dale had said he had found a
wet spot in the woods but Cook
did not find one.
Bade went to the sheriffs
office to make a statement and
told them Dale had said he was
looking for a leak and asked
Cook if the water pressure was
low. Bade brought Grant to
the sheriffs office later and he
was read his rights and agreed
to talk to the investigator. The
incident report states that in
“so many words Dale admitted
to taking the saw but would not
out right state it. He was willing
to work out a deal with Mr.
Cook.” The investigator called
Cook and the two worked out
a deal and went to the Western
Auto Store, making the incident
a civil issue. Grant’s pastor went
to talk with the investigator
on September 16th. Benford
offered Grant the right to take a
polygraph to eliminate him as a
suspect but Grant did not want
to take the test. Ms. Wilson,
pastor, stated that as a church
family she was looking into
purchasing the saw for Grant.
On September 20th Wilson took
a receipt for the purchase of the
chain saw to the sheriffs office.
Cook was called to sign the
receipt and collect the saw.
City council went over the
incident report and went into
executive session to discuss the
personnel matter. When they
were back in regular session, a
motion was made by Council
man Erv Patton to terminate the
employee. The motion died for
lack of a second. Council decid
ed that a letter would be placed
in Grant’s file.
(NOTE: you are innocent
until proven guilty in a court of
law.)
2 Sections, 14 Pages One Dollar
Commissioners asked
to help with
land water issues
BY VICTORIA SIMMONS
The Georgia Post
With the amount of rainfall this year, homeowners are hav
ing problems with water in their yards and roads. They bring
these concerns to the County Commissioners who can only
do something if the problem is on county right of ways.
Such has been the case with Dent Road, Causey and Ham
lin roads. At last week’s meeting Harold Lockett presented
the commissioners with photos showing water coming over
Cactus Road and entering his property and asked them to
help solve the problem. County Manager, Pat Kelly after dis
cussion back and forth said that the roads department could
pull the ditches which seemed to be clogged and causing the
problem. There was also discussion on whether or not it was
the county’s right of way and County Attorney David Mincey
III was asked to look into it. Lockett told them the problem
was from the road never being kept straight and that there
was never a problem until this year. Commissioner Paul
Chapman noted that there had been a lot more water this
year. Kelly was to look at the situation and see what would
resolve the problem if possible.
Blue Bird Lane had been discused several times by the
county and it was again on the agenda. Commissioner Frank
Hollis reported that he and the county engineer had met to
discuss the drainage situation during heavy rains on Blue
Bird Lane. He said the problem could be solved if the road
was widened, ditched and culvert pipes added. Chairman
Dean Fripp pointed out that the board had voted to create
a “turnout” which would divert the water through a water
easement. The property owner said that the board had voted
to clear the property and install ditching to resolve the issue.
Chapman reiterated that the board voted for the turn out and
if that did not correct the problem, they would consider other
options. Fripp told Kelly to proceed as per the vote of the
board.
In other business Nick Tresco with the Georgia Forestry
Commission (GFC) presented the 2012/2013 GFC Annual
Report, noting that they had responsed to 49 fires in the
county. GFC issued 3000 burn permits, created 190 miles of
firebreaks and assisted 1000 acres of prescribed burning. He
was thanked by the board for the report.
A vacancy exists on the Board of Assessors with the re
tirement of Brenda Carroll and three applications had been
received. All three were in attendance: Elisabeth Claeys,
Kimberly Miner and and Sterling Braswell. Claeys has a
Georgia Real Estate License but not currently practicing. On
the application she wrote that she knows the importance of
tax assessment and calculation in relationship to property
value. Miner teachers full time in Bibb County and once held
a real estate license in Pennsylvania. She and Claeys have
lived here about a year. Braswell has volunteered with the
Development Authority and noted on the application that he
has limited knowledged and would like to learn more. He has
lived in the county for over 30 years. Applicants were thanked
for attending the meeting but a decision was not made at this
meeting.
Tread for Ed
Though the weather did not cooperate, spirits were not
dampened for the close to 100 people who came for the
first local Walk to Defeat ALS honoring Ed Tomberlin. Eve
Tomberlin, Ed’s widow, raised $8000 through this first
“Tread for Ed” which will become an annual event. Mon
ies go toward finding a cure. ALS is known as Lou Geh
rig’s disease and destroys neurons that send messages to
voluntary muscles causing paralization.
