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UNITED
WE STAND
FAMILY*COUNTRSP
NEWSPAPER
A Textbook for the Times!
Issue 22 Thursday, May 28, 2020
The Voice of Crawford County Since 1921
also serving Byron and Peach County
Hail to the class of2020
Where there’s a will there
is a way and the adminis
tration of Crawford County
High School found a way to
do graduation for the class
of 2020 in spite of COVID-19
and threatening rain Friday
night, May 22. It took a lot
to come together quickly but
it did, very successfully. It
included a stage, program
and speeches from the Vale
dictorian Annika Austin and
Salutatorian Jada Popkoski.
Parents and others watched
in the comfort of their cars
or on the hood of their vehi
cle. The class of 2020 CCHS
was given a proper send off
with just a little variation
from the usual ceremony.
The rains came as graduates
tossed their hats into the air.
1 Section 10 Pages One Dollar
Another ‘clean’
audit for county
BY KATELYN JENNINGS
The Georgia Post
Crawford County has again
received an unmodified opin
ion, which is a “clean opinion”
on their Annual Financial
Audit for the 2019 fiscal year.
This is the best opinion a gov
ernment can receive, accord
ing to the auditors.
The county has ended the
year with a fund balance
of $1.3 million in General
Funds, and $2.1 million in
Total Funds. The Government
Finance Officers Association
recommends the county have
at least 2 months or more
worth of operating funds
saved in their unassigned
account, although the county
is under this amount in that
account, their total fund bal
ance has been consistent for
the last three years, which the
auditors say is positive!
In 2019, using the Special
Sales Tax proceeds, Craw
ford spent $194,565 on
roads, streets, and bridges;
$213,547 on Public Safety
Improvements and Equip
ment; and $27,134 on
Recreation Facilities and
Improvements.
Crawford County Com
missioners approved an
additional $4,000 for a new
fire station in the county,
making the total cost of the
station $85,000. This fire
station will be located in
Musella, and will replace the
old fire station across from
Dickey Farms.
Along with getting a new fire
station, Crawford County Fire
Department will be receiving
11 new self-contained breath
ing apparatuses (SCBA). The
fire department has received a
grant in the amount of $4,900
from the USDA, and the
county will pay the remaining
$9,100 to purchase these air
packs, totaling $14,000.
There will also be a new cell
tower being built on Highway
42, just outside of Roberta.
The motion was approved for
the county to purchase 1.8
acres for $20,000 where the
tower will be placed, and the
cell tower for $38,623. The to
tal cost of the tower to be built
will be $80,873. Other costs
include the land appraisal
($750), property survey
($3,000), title/deed ($1000),
equipment shed ($3500),
fence two plus acres ($6000)
and the annual sinking fund
($8000). These costs will be
divided evenly between the
Board of Education, Crawford
County Sheriffs Office, Craw
ford County Fire Department,
and the City of Roberta.
At the beginning of the
meeting, Rowell Road
property owners were
informed by the Board
that the expenses for their
driveway culvert were to
be theirs after the county
crowned and ditched the
road. The property owners
asked the county to change
the construction of the road,
which they denied. However,
they were allowed to use a
different size pipe for the
culvert, rather than the 18”
pipe they recommend, as
long as the pipe is inspected
and approved by the County
Roads Department.
District 2, board of education candidates address issues
Two board of education seats
and one county commission
seat has challengers for the
seat. This week we feature
District 2 of BOE.
Incumbent Brad Cody is be
ing challenged by Al Hatcher.
Brad Cody is a lifelong
member of this community,
a 1989 graduate of Crawford
County High School, and
lives in Roberta with his wife
Amy, son Luke a He received
both Bachelor and Master of
Science Degrees in Electrical
Engineering from Mercer
University and currently
works as a senior engineering
supervisor at Robins Air Force
Base. He is a 1989 graduate of
Crawford County High School
and was salutatorian. Qualifi
cations:
1 - What, do you think
are the problems facing
the school system? I begin
by saying that I believe that
we have a very good school
system with the potential to be
great. Yes, we are small and
have limited resources when
compared to some of our
larger surrounding systems.
But what really frustrates me
at times are low expectations
among our students.
2 - What do you bring to
the table if elected? I ran
for the board in 2013 because
I saw a need for leadership
within our system. My goal
was to provide my children
and yours a quality education,
from teachers who care in a
safe environment. Changes
Brad Cody
needed to be made and have
been made and while there is
still much to do and room for
improvement, we are headed
in the right direction. The best
days are ahead as we are on
the cusps of breaking ground
on a new combined Middle /
High School. I believe this new
school is going to be a “game
changer” for our system and
community! However, due to
recent events like CV19, we
have some tough days ahead
and we need strong leadership
like never before. I love this
community; I love our teach
ers and I love our students. I
have a servant’s heart, strong
management and leadership
skills, and I am dedicated to
seeing our system reach its full
potential!
3 - What would you like
to see changed within the
system? I desire to see our
entire community unite to
make our schools better. We
ALL benefit in some way when
our children excel in school
and extra-curricular activities.
Our children and teachers
need everyone’s support and
encouragement. Whether
you have children in school or
not, I challenge everyone to
ask themselves, “What can I
do to make our school system
better?” I believe we ALL
have something to offer. But
most importantly, I challenge
everyone to simply have a
better ATTITUDE about
our schools. Is everything
perfect? Of course not. But I
can assure you, we have men
and women giving their very
best to make it a better place
for our children. And make
no mistake, our children are
the future of our community
and our country. We each
have a choice to be a part of
the problem or the solution.
I’ve chosen to be a part of the
solution. What about you?
Al Hatcher feels his leader
ship experience and varied
background will come in
handy on the school board.
Qi: What do you think
are the problems facing
the school system? I think
some of the issues facing the
school system are as noted: a)
Funding/Budget obligations
(e.g., technology, teacher/
student resources, construc
tion of the new middle & high
school project). Currently, the
Coronavirus Pandemic which
has oresented new financial
Al Hatcher
and other impactful challeng
es for all stakeholders (e.g.,
Alternative learning- distant
learning, increased technology
needs for schools and homes,
increased nutritional support
and transportation support);
b) Recruiting and retaining
qualified and experienced
teachers/and other employees
(to include, qualified sub
stitute teachers); c) Student
achievement (reading liter
acy, graduation rates, drop
out rates): Student success
must be a top priority for all
students within the Crawford
County School (CCS) System;
d) Student motivation is a
concern for some students:
Lack of self-motivation or fail
ure to take personal respon
sibility for one’s educational
opportunities to enhance
personal achievement will
usually result in negative
outcomes each school term: e)
Communitv Involvement (All
stakeholders); and f) Safety Is
sues (building security across
the system).
Q2: What do you think
you bring to the table if
elected?
a) My commitment: If elect
ed to serve as a member on
the Crawford County School
Board, I pledge to support
the school system’s plan
by supporting its mission,
vision, beliefs, and strategic
goals. My primary focus will
be on student achievement;
school, home, and community
engagement; and supporting
organizational and operation
al processes. I will support
teachers, staff, and adminis
trators, so they can effectively
carry out their duties and
responsibilities to ensure safe,
cohesive, along with condu
cive learning and working
environments.
b) Leadership Experience:
Retired Army Officer with
a varied background and
experience in command and
leadership positions at all lev
els. Also, served in demanding
staff positions at the Joint and
Combined levels within the
Armed Forces. I served for 26
years on active duty.
c) Educator in school/col
lege settings: Professor and
Assistant Professor of Military
Science at the College and
University levels, Adjunct
Professor of Criminal Justice
(Army Education Centers at
Fort Benning, Georgia and
Vicenza. Italv) while serving
on active duty. After retire
ment, I served as the Senior
Army Instructor for JROTC
at Batesburg-Leesville High
School in South Carolina for
14 years.
d) Committees served/Co-
Chair: At Batesburg-Leesville
High School, I served on the
District and High School
Leadership Teams, the High
School Literacy Team (Co-
Chair), Teacher-Mentor
Team, and the High School
Advance Ed and SACS Com
mittees.
e) Connection to Craw
ford County System (CCS):
Substitute Teacher in all three
Crawford County Schools, a
volunteer in CCS, and mentor
students in CCS.
f) Diverse Background:
My military experience has
afforded me the opportunity
to serve my country through
out the world. I have a diverse
background and a profound
respect for varied and differ
ent cultures and traditions.
Q3: What would you like
to see changed within the
system? a) Increased grant
writing at all levels to help
generate more funds/grants
for system enhancements,
teacher support, training, and
classroom resources; b) Re
view of the system’s Retention
of Teachers Plan. Determine
if the current plan of actions is
effective to recruit and retain
qualified and experienced
See BOE, page 3