About Pickens County progress. (Jasper, Ga.) 1899-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 2019)
PAGE 2A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. OCTOBER 3. 2019 Continued From 1A RVs Both RVs are hooked to power, water and septic. An issue that has arisen in plan ning commission meetings is that non-traditional housing should not be hooked to per manent power. One of these RVs has been at the current site for six years and another RV was there before. The other has been there 10 years and a trailer sat there before. The residents said they sim ply continued using the power, water and septic tanks that were already there. Buckingham said he be lieves that most of the RVs and other non-traditional housing arrives this way, by pulling into a spot previously used and then hooking up the power themselves and con tinuing the pay the bill so the utility companies aren’t aware the structure has changed. He said he usually is notified of the RVs as per manent homes when the tax office goes out. Based on discussion at their previous meeting, the planning commission mem bers were apprehensive to take any action that would force people out of these non- traditional homes, but they want to put some regulations in place to stop any further ones from being located here, especially if it is on a larger development scale. In the smaller RV live two men, Neal Montgomery and Allen Peardon. Montgomery, who does most of the talking, says early in the conversation that “two men who aren’t gay living in this tight of a space for a decade isn’t great, but they can’t afford anything else.” Both are on disability; Peardon has cancer. Montgomery had lived in another place that burned and moved to the site a decade ago. “I bought this as a place [RV] to live but I never in tended it to be permanent,” he said. “It was supposed to be a stepping stone to some thing better. But I have had a run of bad luck since for ever.” Peardon sleeps in the bedroom and Montgomery on a small couch right inside the door. They say the biggest drawback is the kitchen and bathroom are so close together and “if one of us is cooking and the other [defecating], it’s too close,” says Montgomery. In a convoluted sequence going back most of a decade, both men have owned the RV at different times and rented to the other. “It’s a financial partnership,” they say. Both men say that their RV, which shows damage on the outside where Mont gomery ran into it with a pickup truck, is dry and warm and mostly comfort able. The wiring is up-to-date and they have a hot-water tank attached outside. “We have everything you have at your house except for a washer and dryer,” Mont gomery said. “It’s just smaller but it’s paid for. How Continued From 1A Festival This year’s festival has been expanded to the athletic field just across Highway 53 from the main festival grounds. Participants can walk through a tunnel that runs under Highway 53 to reach the field, where there will be activities for all ages. Returning again this year are the fine arts competition and display at the Pickens Chamber building, regular tours of the Old Jail from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sun day, as well as the popular marble quarry tours and food, craft, and arts vendors. Some tickets are still available for the quarry tours. To purchase, call the Pickens Chamber at 706-692-5600 until Friday, Oct. 4. After Fri day, tickets must be pur chased at the quarry tour station at the festival entrance - cost is $20 for adults; $18 for seniors and children 6-12. Children 5 and under are free. Courtesy parking is avail able at Chattahoochee Tech nical College and Ingles where shuttle busses will take participants to festival grounds. A trolley will also run from the festival’s front gate to Main Street, with stops at the Old Jail, The Car riage House, The Old Mule- house, Lollidrops, 61 Main, Designs on Main, One Sweet World and Smokin’ Mo’s. Admission is $5 for adults; $3 for seniors and children 6-12. Children five and under are free. See page 10B for enter tainment schedule. Continued From 1A Film implied violence,” said Jethro Flicks’ Executive Pro ducer and Director Tim White, who is ecstatic about presenting his first full-length film to the public. “It’s got a more Hitchcock feel.” White, who daylights as an attorney, has been filming home movies and videos for decades, and even appeared as an extra in In the Heat of the Night and other produc tions - but since 2009 he has wanted to take his love of the film industry a step further. The seed for Southern Spirits was planted earlier this year after White became a volun teer with the Pickens Histor ical Society and began giving tours of the jail, which was built in 1906 and has a plethora of creepy features that make it perfect for a scary flick. “I walked in and it was just like a lightbulb went off,” he said. “I knew I had to film there, with the old, closed-in space and the gal lows. It screamed to me that the idea I had from 2009 needed to be revived.” White was on a mission to prove that quality films could be made on a low budget. He began recruiting local actors and got in high gear to film and edit the movie in time for the Halloween season. He’s spent hundreds of hours in the last few months in prepa ration and secured the Old Jail for the screening loca tion. “I wanted to show that this can be done with just one guy a didn’t have to cost $9 million,” said Smith, who in addition to directing also ap pears in Southern Spirits. “I think we nailed it. I hand picked local actors with little to no experience and was able to give direction and just be relaxed about it. The last few weeks of getting this ready to show has been the most fun I’ve ever had. I wanted to prove I could do this.” The film features 13 lo cals, including White, Pick ens Progress Editor Dan Pool, Bill and Bay Cagle, Nancy and Steve Dennison, Mark and Terry Forrest, Don nie Low, Jim Trimby, Edee Disharoon, Beth Johnson Coberly, Lee Banks, and Henry the dog. Smith, a Pickens resident, is also excited about show casing the community he loves. “I love volunteering at the jail and giving tours, and I love this town - but people need something to do and I want to show people that am ateur movies can be fun. These are all local people, local sites, and it highlights Jasper and showcases the town,” he said. If the movie gamers any attention outside the county the director believes it could attract people to Jasper to see the filming location. He also said there will be a sequel next Halloween, and antici pated Jethro Flicks will pro duce two films per year. Plans are to ran Southern Spirits the last three week ends in October on Friday and Saturday nights at 7 and 9 p.m., with the possibility of additional dates and times to be added if demand requires. Follow Jethro Flicks produc tion company on Facebook for more information about where to purchase tickets, which will be $10 per person and include a tour of the old jail before the show. The movie runs 67 minutes. White recommends the film for adults and children above 13. Continued From 1A Bum Ban was if we agreed to be on the scene,” he said. “It’s going to be iffy. The foliage has fallen and fire can get away from you real fast.” Callahan offered the fol lowing safety tips: •Clean away debris from the area where the bum will occur. •Be sure the fire is far away from structures. •Do not use flammable liquids to start the fire. •Do not start fires when it is windy enough to blow leaves or embers. •If possible, have some method of extinguishing nearby. The GFC also recom mends those who burn keep tools on hand such as water, a shovel and a cell phone. Sorrells noted that statewide wildfire activity is on the rise. Over the past three months, Georgia Forestry Commission wild land firefighters have re sponded to 41 percent more fires than its previous five- year average, according to a press release. Callahan said locally they have not had is sues with brash or wild fire at this point, but as drought conditions persist he again urged people to take extreme caution. The 54 counties whose EPD summer bum bans have been lifted are: Banks, Bar- row, Bartow, Bibb, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Gordon, Gwinnett, Hall, Haralson, Heard, Henry, Houston, Jack- son, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lumpkin, Madison, Meri wether, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Paulding, Peach, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Putnam, Richmond, Rock dale, Spalding, Troup, Twiggs, Upson, Walker and Walton. Summer burn bans are put in place to improve air conditions during hot months. For specific information about conducting open burn ing, permitting requirements and current fire conditions in your area, contact the Pick ens GFC office at 706-692- 4801 or visit GaTrees.org. Apply for a burn permit by calling 1-877-OK2- BURN or visit Georgia Forestry Commission online. Amateur Radio Club The Jasper Amateur Radio Club meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Cornerstone Church Auxiliary building, 145 Cornerstone Drive (off Camp Road just east of the Pickens County Community Center). All visitors are welcome to attend. Each meeting has a free presentation and discus sion of Amateur Radio events or operating modes, includ ing Emergency Communica tions. Come see how much fun Amateur Radio can be! Please visit our website at www.jasperarc.com for more details. pmm • • - l r: ^ 1 f i ,n., Dan Pool / Photo Milan Mull, front, and his brother Rex, as well as Rex’s wife, share a comfortable RV, which they much prefer to other housing in the same price range. They say they wouldn’t have anywhere else to go if the county tightens up regulations on camper-homes. many people can say that?” Peardon still hopes to move into a traditional home, but with his cancer and lim ited disability income, ac knowledges that’s not likely soon. He knew Montgomery and when he found himself temporarily without a place to stay, moved in, also think ing it would be temporary. Montgomery, unlike the other men, said he enjoyed the homeless lifestyle fairly well as “there is no responsi bility. I was living under a bridge in Kansas and thought of the words my daddy told me when I was a boy. ‘The richest man in the world can take everything he owns and put it in his pockets. ’ It means you can go where you want.” But he has since settled down to a residence to be re sponsible, he said. He hopes to begin playing as a street musician and demonstrates a very passable version of “Friends in Low Places,” but says that Jasper isn’t too wel coming and he’s been ran off as a panhandler. Both men say they “would be lost in the woods” if the county suddenly disallowed living in RVs. At a larger RV on the same street, two brothers, Rex and Milan Mull, live there. Rex is married and his wife also lives there. They keep the RV very clean and it had a nice breeze blowing with fans running and was comfortable on a hot day in late September. They cook every day and get along well with their neighbors. “We’re happy here and this is some thing we can afford,” Milan said. The brothers are both dis abled, Rex with lung cancer and Milan is deaf and facing a back surgery. [This inter view was conducted by speaking loudly into his hand cupped around his ear.] These brothers say they had been homeless before and have no desire to ever re turn to that condition. Al though their RV is probably moveable, they make it plain - they don’t have anywhere else to take it, nor the money to set up another lot. They say it’s affordable and con sider it much better than any mobile home they could find in the same price range. “We’re happy here and we can afford this,” says Milan. Both brothers say they hope that the county will re alize that the RV housing op tion is important to people with limited income with few other options for housing lo cally. “If they make us move out of here, we’ll probably be sleeping on the courthouse steps,” Rex said. Work Session Agenda THURSDAY - OCTOBER 3, 2019 CONFERENCE ROOM - STE. 168 The Pickens County Board of Commissioners will have a Work Session Agenda for the purpose de scribed below on Thursday, October 3, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. in Suite 168 of the Administrative Office Building located at 1266 East Church Street. Items for Discussion: 1. Department Updates 2. General Discussion Your source of spinal expertise. Your source of relief. Whatever your back issues are, they deserve expert care, □ur team of board-certified spinal specialists start by understanding your pain and any limitations, then performs o thorough evaluation to get the most accurate diagnosis. 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