Newspaper Page Text
Front - May 13 5/11/04 5:45 PM Page 1
Pickens County Health Fair Coming This Saturday
Residents Will Have Opportunity To Participate In A Variety Of Health Screenings / Page 10A
MAY 13,2004 VOLUME 117 NUMBER 1 JASPER, GEORGIA 30143 USPS 431-820 THREE SECTIONS 46 PAGES PLUS SUPPLEMENTS
“Step to the Beat
. . . READ! ”
The Pickens County Library
is getting ready to kick off this
year’s vacation reading pro
gram under the theme “Step to
the Beat . . . READ!” A num
ber of special programs, con
tests and fun activities are
planned for young people.
From infants to teens, the
library’s youth program will be
promoting reading for fun
while school is out and offering
lots of fun things to do during
summer vacation. Page 13A
Tate Community
Association
Meeting Sunday
The Tate Community Asso
ciation, founded in 1947, will
hold their annual meeting this
Sunday at 2:00 p.m. The group
is involved in a number of
projects in the community
which will be discussed at the
meeting along with electing
two members to the board of
directors. Everyone living in
the unincorporated Village of
Tate is a voting member of the
association and is encouraged
to participate. Page 7B
Ball Ground
Heritage Days
Ball Ground Heritage Days,
set for this weekend, promises
fun for all ages. For the kids,
rock climbing, paint ball
shooting, face painting and
lots more will be offered. For
adults, over 70 vendors will be
on hand along with demonstra
tions by wood turners, candle
makers, blacksmiths, weavers
and potters. Tours of historic
homes in Ball Ground will be
offered. Activities begin with
a parade on Saturday morning
and will continue through Sun
day afternoon. Page 14A
Weather
By WILLIAM DILBECK
HI
LOW
RAIN
Tuesday
65
37
.00
Wednesday
77
47
.00
Thursday
80
56
.00
Friday
84
59
.00
Saturday
86
59
.00
Sunday
86
63
Trace
Monday
80
62
.21
Deaths
Audrey Grace Upson
Ernest Mabry
Mike Heath
Harley Grogan
J.D. Childers
James Clark
Jim Stowe
Loy Johnson
Alexine Gibson
OBITUARIES ... .See Page 9A
Visit Us
On The Web
www.pickensprogress .com
The Progress is
printed in part on
recycled newsprint
and is recyclable
Commissioner Newton saysj
County government rules the roads regardless of annexation
Candidates for local offices
remain cordial in first debate
By Michael Moore
Candidates for local offices in July’s primary
election remained mostly friendly and civil as they
squared off in the first of three scheduled public
debates at the Chamber of Commerce building
Thursday night.
The forum was organized by the Pickens County
Republican Party, and about 150 people were pres
ent, many of whom showed up to support a particu
lar candidate.
All candidates in the July 20 primary so far are
Republicans.
Kevin Osborne, chairman of the party and a
deputy in the Pickens County Sheriff’s Department,
moderated the event.
He said the purpose of Thursday’s and two
upcoming forums is to allow voters to get to know
the candidates, “so that people can make informed
decisions.” The two remaining forums, also hosted
by the Republicans, will be in Jerusalem and Big
Canoe.
After opening statements from the 13 candidates
present, audience members were given a chance to
submit questions for specific candidates.
The candidates for sole commissioner started off
the first segment, with Robert P. Jones speaking
first.
Jones emphasized his experience in technological
and industrial services. He said he worked at Mulli-
nax Truss for 22 years, and then he worked at LCI as
a maintenance lead person. He now works at Byrd
Electrical as the service department supervisor.
He said the county needs to improve its infra
structure if it is going to handle the residential and
industrial growth that he said is “approaching at a
steady rate.”
“The county needs to develop a water treatment
facility so we are not totally dependent on the supply
of water from our neighbors as well as the city of
Jasper,” said Jones. He also proposed building a
sewage treatment plant for the county.
On developing the local airport, Jones said it
should be “cut loose from politics,” and be made an
independent entity managed by a board.
He recommended changes in the building depart
ment to allow both inspectors and contractors to bet-
Continued on page 3A
As part of his meeting with Citi
zens for Responsible Development
Tuesday, Commissioner Newton
unveiled a plan to give the county
more clout in property annexation
negotiations with the city of Jasper
and developers.
Newton was asked what could
be done to prevent property owners
from annexing their parcels into
the city to fall under less restrictive
land use requirements.
The commissioner answered
that the county had never tried this,
but could withhold permits allow
ing property owners access to
county roads if they were planning
on developing property in a man
ner inconsistent with county guide
lines .
“I’m sure the city would like to
expand, not everywhere, but to
places where they can generate rev
enue,” he said. “But just because
they annex the property, doesn’t
mean they gain control of the coun
ty roads in that area.”
Newton said through encroach
ment permits, the county can still
control the entrances to county
roads.
“We don’t have to give them
access to the roads,” he said.
Economic Developer Larry
Toney said by the county holding
the key to entrances and roads,
they retain some “parity” in negoti
ations over future annexation and
developments.
Newton said they have never
tried to withhold an encroachment
permit, but thought it would restore
some control to the county.
[A complete story on the
CARD meeting appears on page
12A.]
By Dan Pool
A 19-year-old man stabbed his
mother multiple times and attempt
ed to burn their Bethany area trailer
last Thursday appar
ently believing the
CIA, FBI and govern
ment surveillance
drove him to it,
according to arrest
reports.
When officers
responded to an
“unknown problem”
call at 4:10 a.m., they
found Matthew Imbri-
ano on the front porch
of the Casual Ridge
Road home “covered
in blood” lighting a cigarette
according to the incident report.
The officers instructed Imbriano
to walk to the middle of the front
yard and lay down before hand
cuffing him.
Deputy Joe Black-
well asked if anyone
else was in the home,
not far from Bethany
Church, and Imbriano
first said no, then said
maybe.
As the other two
deputies were moving
toward the home, they
spotted black smoke
beginning to pour out
of the door.
Deputy Tony Hyde
and Corporal Chad
Emory could not enter the house
Continued on page 5A
Murder suspect
Matthew Imbriano.
Growth, billboard issues
discussed at
planning commission
By Christie Pool
The growth being experienced
locally is getting to be a common
story seen in these pages and dur
ing Monday night's planning com
mission meeting board members
heard that April was a record-
breaking month for the the county's
planning and development depart
ment.
According to Director Norman
Pope, the county issued 108 build
ing permits during April, 79 of
those for site built homes, bringing
the total number of
permits issued this
year to 289.
"I have told you
before that this
year we would
The county is
in a lawsuit with
is substantial commercial growth in
the county as well.
"If you want to see commercial
activity go down to Harmony
School Road," he said.
Pope also said a number of local
attorneys have told him they have
processed more changes of owner
ship this year than ever before.
"A lot of time when you see
change of ownership for a particu
lar piece of property you have a
change of use for that property as
well," he said.
*In other busi-
ness. Pope gave an
update on the coun-
ty's lawsuit with
two billboard com
panies who are
likely issue l.000 companies desiring fighting for the
permits and it
looks like we're on
target to do that,"
Pope told commis
sion members.
Of the permits
granted during
April, five were for mobile homes,
l4 for miscellaneous structures,
four for commercial projects and
six permit renewals.
"The vast majority of the site
built home permits came from two
subdivisions whose final plat was
approved and the developers were
able to go ahead and start selling
the property," Pope said. "We're
now at a point where we're in
excess of (the number of permits)
we were last year."
Pope told board members that
along with residential growth there
to erect 29
billboards along
Hwy. 515
right to place 29
billboards along
Hwy. 515 through
out Pickens Coun
ty. Pope said the
county is currently
involved in a suit
with Tinsley Media and Billboards
USA who collectively would like
to construct a plethora of signs
along the four-lane and are fighting
the county's billboard ordinance
that was enacted in 1999.
Tinsley Media recently offered
to settle the dispute outside of court
if allowed to build five of its 12
billboards along the road.
"I think that offer came because
recently there have been some
reversals at the circuit court of
appeals level relating to this type of
Continued on page 5A
Damon Howell / Photo
OLYMPIC DAYS AT JASPER ELEMENTARY - Jasper Elementary students waved flags from 37
different countries Thursday as they participated in the opening of Olympic Field Days, a traditional
activity as the school year begins winding down. Each class learned the flag, the native language,
location, geography, traditional literature, and the art and music from their selected country. Field
Day is filled with all sorts of races, and relays for the kids to enjoy. Each grade level spent a day out
doors in Lee Newton Park.
School Board deadlocks
on finding new member
Hill City Elementary busting at the seams
Bethany man kills mother,
attempts to bum house
Suspect with history of mental problems
tells officer “IHad to Do it”
By Christie Pool
The school board’s May meet
ing got off to a rocky start last
week as the four members in
attendance deadlocked on an agen
da.
After calling the meeting to
order, Chairman Tony Young
asked the board if there were any
additions to the published agenda
and, if not, to approve it as present
ed, a standard procedure at every
meeting.
Board Member Shirley Whitak
er made a motion to amend the
agenda to include “getting a new
board member”. Whitaker and
Ervin Easterwood voted to approve
the amended agenda while Young
and Mark Mitton voted against the
addition.
Mitton then followed up with a
motion to approve the agenda as
presented (without the discussion
of a new board member). That
motion was voted against by East
erwood and Whitaker, deadlocking
the board in a two- to- two vote.
With no agenda to work with,
Chairman Young called for a 10
minute recess.
The need for a new board mem
ber arose after the board’s fifth
member, Joan Locke, recently
moved out of her district, rendering
her unable to serve. The board may
appoint a replacement to fill her
term, which expires in December
of 2006. The person appointed to
the post must be a resident of
Locke’s former district.
Continued on page 5A
