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PAGE 14A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 30. 2010
Murray County financial officer says
multi-person advocate’s claims inaccurate
Anderson says he was
given incorrect
information
By Angela Reinhardt
Following a recent Progress
article about a multi-person/sole-
commissioner forum, Murray
County’s Chief Financial Officer
Tommy Parker has refuted some
of the claims made by local
multi-person advocate Phil An
derson.
At the forum Anderson said
he contacted the Murray County
Chief Administrator who told
him a 2008 straw poll showed
voters were 75-percent in favor
of returning to a multi-person
board.
Anderson also argued that,
“the bottom line is they now rec
ognize their mistake in not stick
ing with the multi-person board.”
In an email sent to Sole Com
missioner Rob Jones, Parker said
he did speak with Anderson in
general terms about Murray’s
transition from a multi-person to
a sole commissioner back in
2000, but he refuted the accuracy
of Anderson’s forum statements.
Parker said in the email there
is in fact no county administrator
in Murray and that he never told
Anderson Murray County recog
nized “it was a mistake not stick
ing with the multi-person board.”
Parker also said in the email
that he checked with the Murray
County Elections Office and
found that “the results showed 59
percent in favor of returning to a
multi-member board, not 75 per
cent as the article stated.”
In response to Parker’s email,
Anderson said the Murray
County secretary directed him to
Parker after he asked for the
county administrator.
“When Tommy Parker got on
the phone I asked if he was the
administrator and he said he was
responsible for a lot of things
around here,” Anderson said. “I
interpreted that as a yes to my
question...so yes, I got his title
wrong.”
But Anderson said Parker no
doubt told him the 2008 straw-
poll question showed 75 percent
of Republicans voting wanted to
return to a multi-person board of
commissioners.
“I asked him to explain what
happened that caused the county
to go back to a sole commis
sioner from a multi-person form,
which he did in general terms,”
Anderson said. “ But much to my
surprise he then volunteered that
the voters now want to return to
multi-person form.
“He volunteered that a Re
publican Party straw poll was
75/25 in favor of returning to a
multi-person form. I certainly
didn't dream up those numbers
and I specifically remember ask
ing him was the vote 75 percent
in favor of returning to a multi
person board to which he an
swered yes. As it turns out...
looks like he exaggerated those
numbers.”
Anderson then said he took
the numbers Parker gave him and
concluded on his own that Mur
ray County recognized their mis
take in “not sticking with a multi
person board.”
“Those were my words,” An
derson said. “Never did I say that
Tommy Parker saw the mis
take... but to me having 75 per
cent of voters in favor of
returning to a multi-commis
sioner board showed that Murray
County saw their mistake.”
Murray County Board of
Elections Chair Connie Winkler
reported that in the 2008 primary,
803 voters said they wanted to
return to a multi-member board
while 567 said they wanted to re
main with a sole-commissioner
format.
But Anderson said even with
the lower multi-person approval
rating of 59-percent this still, in
his mind, shows that a majority
of voters in Murray County want
to return to multi-person board.
Both Winkler and Parker said
since the 2008 primary ballot
question there have been no
other efforts in Murray County to
transition from a sole to a multi
person commission.
Dashcrackers play for crowd at downtown cruise-in
The last cruise-in for the sea
son will be held on Saturday,
Oct. 23 starting at 4 p.m.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of
North Georgia - Pickens County
was the charity of the month for
the September Main Street
cruise-in sponsored by the Jasper
Merchants Association. The
Boys & Girls Club assisted dur
ing the cruise-in selling ham
burgers and hotdogs. For
assisting they received 50/50
funds of $156.00. The lucky
ticket winner Bob Wigington do
nated his half to the Boys & Girls
Club making their net profit
$312.00 for the evening. Direc
tor Michele Crawford stated the
profits that were received will be
in support of the Capital Cam
paign “It’s All About the Kids.”
The board of directors has
launched a campaign to raise 2.5
million to build a state-of-the art
youth development center with
the primary focus on teen pro
gramming.
Volunteers from Boys & Girls Club
The cruise-in is a monthly family-friendly event.
North Georgia Mountain Crisis Network, Inc.
Sexual Assault Intervention Services & Education
• 24-Hour Support/Information
• Counseling
• Legal & Medical Advocacy
• Support Group
• Community Education
24 Hour Crisis Line 706-492-3836 • 1-800-334-2836
PO Box 1249 • Blue Ridge, GA 30513 • 706-632-8400
E-Mail: ngmcnsa@etcmail.com
Congrats to Dawrte Frix and Leah Lucas for win
ning first place in both their age divisions in the
Dragon Dash 5K at PCMS. Directed by Richie
Henke Great Job Richie!
Turkey or Ham Shoot
50/50 Cash Prizes
The 4-H Shotgun Team is having a
Turkey or Ham Shoot!
November 13, 2010 • 9:00 AM Until?
Hill City Community
Home made Biscuits for Breakfast
Lunch, Drinks and Desserts
We will have shoots for Children, Women
and 50/50 Cash
Please bring the family
Come out and support the 4-H Shotgun Team
who will be going to State Competition
in May of 2011
Directions: Highway 53 West across the road
from County Line Baptist Church in the Hill City
Community, Look for the tent.
Save this ad and bring with you, there will be
a drawing for something to be announced.
Contact the 4-H office or Lonnie Waters for more
details.
Look Good Feel Better offers goodies
Each month United Community Bank hosts the American Cancer Society’s Look Good... Feel Better
session. The group meets the third Monday of each month in the United Community Bank Community
Room from 10 until noon. This group helps out any woman who is battling cancer or has beaten cancer
in the past. Here they receive a bag of goodies, makeovers and wigs all for free!
If you know a woman who this would apply to, please contact Tanya Kyle at 770-893-2265for reser
vations. The latest cancer treatments aren’t always prescribed by doctors!
Q&A’s about Pickens Mountain Education
Center High School
There are many misconcep
tions about Mountain Education
Center and what all it offers to
students. Here are some Q&A’s
that might help you in your deci
sion making process.
Is the Mountain Education
Center a “real” high school?
Yes. MEC has been around
for 17 years. We are a charter
school and are SACS accredited.
MEC was founded to help de
crease North GA drop out rate by
We have an online
article archive!
www.pickensprogress.com
offering students an option other
than traditional day school.
My child loves playing their
high school sports team. Can
they still play if they attend
MEC?
Only students who attend
both their own high school and
MEC can continue to play sports
for their high school. Students
that only attend MEC cannot.
Do students have to take end-
of-course-test and Ga. High
School Graduation Test?
Yes. These are state require
ments for graduation
Can I do a dual enrollment at
technical school/college while
attend MEC?
Yes. Students must have
earned 15 or more credits and
must meet the requirements of
the college/ technical school.
What about graduation?
Students graduate from MEC
year-round, as soon as they com
plete their graduation require
ments. MEC holds a graduation
ceremony once per year for all
students who have graduated that
year.
Why would I get a high school
diploma instead of a GED?
Students who plan to pursue
continued education after gradu
ation recognize the importance
of a diploma over a GED. A stu
dent planning on attending mili
tary will find that most branches
will not accept a GED.
’Calltog M Crsftfve Yolks-
It’s 9 Chair A&ir
Yes, an opportunity to really put your creativity to work!
We are asking that each participant decorate a chair and donate for a
worthy cause.
No entry Fee required, just your creative spirit and hard work.
Each chair should be easy for one person to carry. It can be a rocker, a doll
chair, pottery chair, painted chair, child's chair, lawn chair, metal chair,
wood, plastic. Unlimited ideas and possibilities
Your creation should be delivered to First Mountain Artist Gallery on Sunday
November 7 th from 2pm - 4pm
(if you can't make this time let us know)
First Mountain Artist Gallery
675 Church Street Jasper, GA
(next door to the Ace Hardware)
706-692-1821
Any questions please call: Kathe Hall 706-692-5625 or email
Tkhall@earthlink.net
Thanks to First Mountain Artist Gallery for Hosting the show of Chairs.
Drop in anytime during business hours the week of November 8 th -13 th . Chairs
will be for sale by silent auction . So stop in and bid on your favorite Chair!
Proceeds from the sales of chairs will be donated to the North Star Educational &
Therapeutic Services in Jasper. NorthStar is a member of the Georgia Network for
Educational and Therapeutic Supports and is a strength based and restorative special
education program. The program began in 1971 and is funded through the Georgia
Department of Education and receives some federal and local financial support but support
is constantly being cut. The funds will be used in many therapeutic services.
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