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The Commerce News
JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 $1.00 COPY
Public safety
Jefferson
County
case
heard by
Georgia
Supreme
Court
on Jan. 9
The Georgia Supreme
Court was set to hear
oral arguments on Tues
day, Jan. 9, involving a
drug-related conviction
from 2020 in the county.
Tracie Lynn Under
wood, 46, of Nicholson,
was arrested by the Jack-
son County Sheriff’s Of
fice in 2016.
She was arrested fol
lowing a search warrant
of her residence and
charged with two counts
of trafficking metham-
phetamine, possession of
methamphetamine with
intent to distribute, two
counts of possession of
methamphetamine and
two counts of possession
of tools for the commis
sion of a crime.
Over 370 grams of
meth was located dining
the search, according to a
past JCSO news release.
Underwood was con
victed in 2020 and faces
a 30-year sentence.
Underwood is appeal
ing her conviction to the
state supreme court, argu
ing that authorities’ entry
to her home was illegal
and violated state law
that regulates use of force
when executing a search
warrant.
While officers did have
a search warrant in hand,
Underwood argues that
they entered the residence
only three seconds after
knocking on the door.
While the case revolves
around technical issues
related to both Georgia
Law and previous cases,
the outcome could impact
how much notice is given
and in what time frame
when search warrants are
issued.
MAILING LABEL
Jefferson Waffle House opposed to convenience store redevelopment plans
By Mike Buffington
mike@mainstreetnews.com
A proposal to redevelop a
convenience store and gas
station on Hwy. 129 at 1-85
in Jefferson could impact
both access and parking for
Waffle House customers.
Glenn “Rusty” David is
seeking a setback variance
to redevelop and expand
the existing store and gas
station next to the Waffle
House. He presented his
variance proposal to the
Jefferson City Council Jan.
8.
But the move was op
posed by a spokesman for
Waffle House, who not
ed the restaurant has an
easement on the property
through which customers
can access and park.
In their report on the pro
posal, city planners also
noted concerns about the
overall plans, but not the
setback variance request
itself.
The report says the over
all plan doesn’t appear to
be “workable” and would
be an “overbuilding” on
the property.
The planning staff rec
ommended that action on
the variance request be de
ferred until more informa
tion is available about the
Waffle House easement.
“In staff’s view, the ap
plicant is trying to put too
much building on the site
given its size,” the planning
report said.
ATHENS ST. PROJECT
In other zoning business,
the council again heard
— and again deferred —
action on a controversial
annexation and rezoning
proposal on Athens St. at
Carriage Ave.
The current plan at the
site calls for 92 townhomes
and 13 single family hous
es on around 20 acres. The
proposal is an extension
of an earlier city-approved
project for 81 townhouses
on 10 acres of the property.
The project has been met
with resistance from some
nearby neighbors who
question whether the devel
opment would have legal
access to the site from a
private road leading into an
existing subdivision.
In speaking for the proj
ect, Brent Bentley told the
council Monday night that
lawyers for the two sides
continue to discuss a possi
ble compromise.
The council had deferred
action on the proposal in
December and again voted
to defer action until its Jan.
22 meeting, or its February
work session meeting to
give lawyers time to clear
See Jefferson, page 2A
Jefferson
Celebrating ‘Mr. Fred’
Photos by Cheyenne Tolleson
Jefferson Police Chief Joe Wirthman (left) and Mayor John Howell (right)
honored Fred Wilson (center) with a plaque containing the official proclama
tion of “Fred Wilson Day” which was acknowledged by the City of Jefferson
on Jan. 4.
Fred Wilson retires from his 33-year
career with city wide celebration
By Cheyenne Tolleson
cheyenne@mainstreetnews. com
Retired Jefferson Police officer Fred
Wilson is a living legend in Jefferson.
Wilson began his 33-year-long Jeffer
son career in 1990 after retiring from the
Army.
To commemorate his years of work in
the city, the JPD and Mayor Jon Howell
dedicated Jan. 4 to Wilson. The occasion
was marked with a reception at Jefferson
Station where Wilson was honored with a
plaque of the town’s proclamation and an
engraved pocket watch.
Over the course of his career at the JPD,
Wilson worked in several different roles.
“I did all of it,” said Wilson. “I used
to stop cars, lock people up, and do the
fingerprinting. I did all the admin work I
could do and we would even be supervi
sors on court days.”
However, Wilson is most widely re
membered by citizens for his years of
directing school traffic, where he got his
endearing title of “Mr. Fred.”
“All the children that know me — they
speak to me, and they come to see me no
matter how old they’ve gotten. If they’ve
gone off and got married, they always
come back and show me their family,” he
explained.
There have even been a few people he
met in his professional life who had then-
weddings officiated by him.
It was the same year he joined the police
department that he was called to preach at
Homer First Baptist Church where he still
serves.
In all of the different routes his career
has taken him, Wilson has always ended
up returning to Jefferson where he attend
ed Bryan High School and spent much of
his childhood.
When asked how he has seen the city
change since those early years, his re
sponse was: “Many people have migrated
into Jefferson, live in Jefferson, and they
have built so much in and around Jeffer
son. It’s really becoming a baby Atlanta.”
As for last week’s ceremony, Wilson
See Wilson, page 2A
Local citizens, friends and family of Fred Wilson all gathered at Jefferson
Station to celebrate the proclamation of “Fred Wilson Day” on Jan. 4. They
were able to listen to his acceptance speech and go up to the podium them
selves for personal testimonies of his work and character.
Nicholson
NWA fires
secretary over
allegations of
misconduct
The Nicholson Water
Authority has fired its sec
retary over allegations of
“financial and other mis
conduct.”
In a brief called meet
ing on Jan. 3, the NWA
board of directors voted to
terminate Cortney Gunt
er from the organization.
Gunter had previously
been put on administrative
leave. In November, the
board named Marybeth
Barrett as the new board
secretary.
During the Jan. 3 meet
ing, the board received
“evidence of financial and
other misconduct,” ac
cording to board minutes.
Chairman Brock Wilson
also told the board that he
had found “inappropriate
personal” photos and vid
eo on Gunter’s work com
puter.
A spokesman for the
board said there would be
no further comment on the
matter from the board.
Gunter read a statement
to the board denying any
misconduct.
Commerce council
Work begins on
Commerce Civic
Center renovations
By Alex Buffington
alex@mainstreetnews.com
Work has begun on a major upgrade to the Com
merce Civic Center.
Assistant City Manager Matthew Hailey made the
announcement during the Commerce City Coun
cil’s Jan. 2 meeting. The meeting was the first coun
cil meeting held at the Commerce Cultural Center,
where future meetings will be held until work is
completed on the civic center.
Hailey noted that crews have begun removing walls
inside the massive, historic civic center building.
The $13 million renovations will provide a new
city hall and civic center/event space for the city.
In related business, council member Bobby Red-
mon asked that Hailey update the council on projects
that are ongoing in the city.
In addition to the civic center project, the council
has long been discussing improvements to its recre
ation department and the construction of a second
wastewater treatment facility. Last month, the coun
cil approved purchasing land for that second waste-
water treatment facility.
OTHER BUSINESS
Also at its meeting, the Commerce council:
See Commerce, page 2A
Jefferson
Alexander named city
attorney for Jefferson
Hopkins retires
after pi years in
theposition
Attorney Rob Alexan
der has been named as the
City of Jefferson’s new
city attorney.
Alexander replaces re
tiring city attorney Ron
nie Hopkins, who held
the position for the past
51 years. Hopkins was
honored in 2022 by the
city for his half-a-century
of service.
See Alexander, page 2A
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