The Georgia post. (Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga.) 19??-current, December 21, 2017, Image 1

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The Georgia post., December 21, 2017, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextIssue 51 Thursday, DECEMBER 21,2017 The Voice of Crawford County Since 1921 also serving Byron and Peach County 2 Sections, 28 Pages One Dollar County shows off new building A grand opening was held at the old CGTC building which is now the Crawford County Gov ernment Complex facility. On hand to see the new offices Friday was Judge David Mincey, III, center. He is pictured with Joel Sherlock who took his place as county attorney and County Manager Fabian Hollis, right. It is a building the county can be proud of and which saved taxpayers lots of money since the county will not ever have to build a new county complex. Nick Patton with the Crawford County Tax Assessor’s office greeting visitors to the building and the office. A poster was also displayed explaining some facts about the tax assessor’s office. Judy Samuels and EMA Director Rick Sharon were really excited about their new space at the government complex. There is a roll up door, loading dock for emergency equipment, and lots of storage space for them for needed items as well as an observation room and much more. Displayed in front of them are Red Cross items as Judy is a Red Cross volunteer. The Crawford County Fire Department also has a room in the building where they can hold train ings as well as meetings. Everyone is still working on getting settled in to their offices. Council approves grant extension to complete water improvements BY KRISTI WATKINS The Georgia Post The Roberta City Coun cil held a called meeting on Friday, December 15th to approve a $25,000 CBDG Grant extension to continue road and water improvements at the Housing Authority and water improvements on Sea- gler Road. The extension is to finish Phase 1 of the project. According to Public Works Supervisor, Jeff Harrison, the project had to take cuts due to the budget, but were getting the extension to cover the remaining water and road improvements in those areas. While council was an swering Councilman Robert Cody’s question of yellow flags around town (which are gas lines), Mayor Smith and Patton stated the blue flags and white circles were water lines and were possibly the old asbestos water lines that needed to be replaced. Mayor Smith stated the work on Seagler Road and the Housing project are to replace those lines. Councilman Dr. Billy Bas sett motioned to approve the grant extension with Council man Erv Patton seconded the motion. Mayor Becky Smith mentioned a meeting was to be held with the RDC and Public Works Supervisor Jeff Harrison to discuss applying for a CDBG grant for 2018 to help with the sewer project. Harrison stated he met with GEMA and FEMA on grants for the city. He stated that since Governor Nathan Deal declared the State of Emer gency for Hurricane Irma, the city would be eligible to get litigation money from the state level, but the city does not qualify for federal funds. The money from the state would be used to upgrade public works that would make it better. Harrison stated the city is in need of a new genera tor for the water plant. He explained they had tried to get a portable generator from the Forestry Department, but to no avail. Harrison stated he is trying to get a grant to help pay for a new generator for the water plant since the gen erator was cut from the orig inal grant project budget on Phase 1 because there weren’t enough funds. He stated the cost of a new generator runs approximately $100-150,000. Harrison stated if the city can get assistance from the state litigation, the city would only have to pay 15% of the amount. Mayor Smith stated she had a meeting with GDOT on the 2018 grant for Agency Street to include curbs, gut ters, paving and the culvert at the base of the hill between the high school and Knoxville Store. She stated it was a $1 million project. She also add ed the county’s project will be funded in 2020 which will include two four-lane parts of Hwy 80 and Matthews Road. Dr. Bassett brought before council the gutters on Highway 80 are in need of cleaning. He stated he would hate to see the sewer drains get clogged from the debris. Mayor Smith explained work ers have worked on cleaning Highway 341 and would be continuing to Highway 80 next. Patton approached council with a concern about the park not having handicap access on the west side of the park. He stated a handicap person would have to go to either end of the park to get to the other side. He stated there was a curb from one end to the other with no drop point for a person in a wheelchair to cross without having to go to one end of the park. He stated near the pavilion would be ideal. Mayor Becky Smith stated it would be something for the new administration to look into. Petition calls for firing investigator The story on the beheading of a dog by his owner after being told he had to by an investigator, according to the posted video, has not only gone nationwide but interna tional. Calls have been report ed from Europe and Canada as well as all across the United States. Deputies went to Joe Good win’s house December 1st after a dog bite report. The dog, Big Boy, charged at the deputy and was shot and killed. Goodwin said he could not find his pa perwork to prove the dog had been rabies vaccinated, he was told the dog’s head needed to be cut off to be tested. Goodwin said he was told to cut the head off or be arrested by Investigator James Hollis. Crawford County Sheriff Lewis Walker said Goodwin was given options but that Hollis should not have ordered him to behead his own dog. A petition was started on line calling for Hollis to be fired. Hollis was placed on ad ministrative leave pending an ongoing investigation which was turned over to the District Attorney’s office. The petition garnered 170,000 signatures in a two week time frame and was growing. In the meantime, Goodwin is now being represented by Macon attorneys Reza Sedghi and Thomas Jarriel. “Mr. Goodwin was forced to decapitate his beloved dog or go to jail after the dog was shot and killed by a Craw ford County sheriffs depu ty,” Sedghi states in a news release. The attorneys will pursue any and all legal remedies to hold accountable the egregious con duct of the investigator, who under the threat of incarcera tion, forced this barbaric and unconscionable act.” Combined edition With this week’s Christmas special we decided to combine The Georgia Post & The Byron Buzz. Things will be back to normal next week. Thank you. Santa s helper CC Sheriff Lewis Walk er and members of his staff, along with volunteer firefighters helped deliver Kids Yule Love presents to 80 kids which were donated by churches, community organizations, businesses, the high school and many individuals too numerous to name. Katie Jones, who heads up the local Kids Yule Love toy drive, says Thank you to all. “This year exceeded all expectations,” Jones said. Sheriff Walker is pictured at left. Santa, also rode around with the group delivering to talk with the boys and girls around the community.