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Paid for by Citizens for Continued Good Government
PAGE 2A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. MAY 21.2020
State donates truck to
Yellow Creek Fire Dept.
New fire vehicle for Yellow Creek Volunteer Fire put into service. Commisioner Rob
Jones, Representative Rick Jasperse, Chief Bob Kintner, Past Chief Elmer Barrett, Direc
tor Sloan Elrod, with the donated fire truck.
By Elmer Barrett
Yellow Creek VFD
In late January 2020, the
Yellow Creek Volunteer Fire
Department contacted Pick
ens County EMS Director
Sloan Elrod concerning the
need for a vehicle on the east
end of Pickens County that
would be used for forestry or
woods fires.
Our Yellow Creek Volun
teer Fire Dept, is a totally
volunteer fire station in the
southeast area of Pickens
County. Bob Kintner is the
Chief.
Chief Elrod directed us to
contact Commissioner Rob
Jones to see what the county
could do for us; Commis
sioner Jones contacted our
State Representative Rick
Jasperse to see if state assis
tance was available for this
type of fire vehicle.
Rep. Jasperse contacted
Georgia Forestry Commis
sioner Chuck Williams ask
ing if there was the
possibility of the transfer of a
vehicle from Ga. Forestry
that would meet the county’s
needs.
Rep. Jasperse knew that
Ga. Forestry updates vehicles
occasionally. These vehicles
are removed from service
and can be donated to volun
teer fire departments to be
used to battle woods or brush
fires. Commissioner
Williams agreed to look and
see what was available.
After several e-mails with
the Georgia Forestry Com
mission, Yellow Creek Vol
unteer Fire Dept, agreed on a
2001 Ford 550 diesel. This
truck had been out of service
since August 2019 and
needed some minor repairs
and service, but compared to
the cost of a new vehicle, we
are pleased with our ‘‘new”
truck. This saved our volun
teer fire department and Pick
ens County $25,000.
After the repairs and hav
ing the fire department sig
nage put on the truck, “Brush
9” has been in service for
about 6 weeks now, and has
run at least 4 brush fire calls.
We already had most of the
equipment for Brush 9, so the
cost of putting the truck in
service was minimal.
Having Brush 9 in service
means we do not have to use
a $200,000 fire engine to re
spond to a small brush fire,
and we arrive on scene faster
and are able to advise 911
dispatch if more help is
needed or if Georgia Forestry
needs to be dispatched,
thereby saving the county
and state both manpower and
money.
Yellow Creek VFD thanks
EMS Director Sloan Elrod,
Commissioner Rob Jones,
and Representative Rick
Jasperse for their assistance
in procuring this vehicle for
our community’s safety.
Lucky 7 Auto
Give-Away
The Pickens County
Chamber of Commerce an
nual Lucky 7 Auto Give-
Away will be held on
Saturday, August 8th at Chat
tahoochee Technical College,
100 Campus Drive, Jasper.
Tickets are $125 each and
only 500 tickets will be sold.
For more information or to
buy a ticket call 706-692-
5600. Vehicle voucher is
valid at these dealers: Day’s
Chevrolet Jasper, Jasper
Jeep, Shottenkirk Ford, Ag-
Pro Companies Jasper, Nel
son Tractor Company, Goss
Equipment Company, R&R
Trikes & Outdoor
Let us remember all our heroes
in uniform who made the ultimate
sacrifice to defend our country
on this special day. Everyone here
at Community Bank of Pickens
County wishes you a warm, safe
and happy Memorial Day.
MAIN OFFICE: 15 Sammy McGhee Blvd. • Jasper, GA 30143
COVE ROAD OFFICE: 65 Cove Road • Jasper, GA 30143
706) 253-9600 • www.cbopc.com
Member
FDIC til
Rob Jones
Looking to the Future for Pickens County
• Will work to maintain the county’s strong
financial position and limit unnecessary
costs to taxpayers. This is increasingly
important as we face the COVID-19 pan
demic and potential economic repercus
sions. The time for steady and
experienced leadership is more important
than ever.
• Will work to finalize the process to es
tablish the county’s first reservoir and
water treatment facility in order to further
strengthen the county’s infrastructure.
This partnership between the county and
the Grandview Lake Company for water
supply is well underway.
• Will work with the Board of Commissioners to expand parks and recreation at Roper Park and in other parts of the county.
These expansions will be possible with an allocation of 10% of the next SPLOST.
• Will work to continue expanding our fire and EMS protection throughout the county to improve public safety and ISO ratings.
This is building on progress we’ve already made with new fire stations, fulltime staff, and proper resources and training.
• Will work to finalize the new Recycling and Waste operations center for Pickens County. This project is already underway,
and upon completion, will increase services and accessibility for our citizens.
• Will work to continue progress we’ve made at the Pickens Animal Shelter. We will do this by making additional facility up
grades and increasing our services to best meet the needs of the animals.
• Will work to build further on the great progress we’ve made at the Pickens County Airport. We will continue the multi-phase
expansion plans with the goal of lifting our airport into the top 15 in the state - currently ranked in the top 25.
Rob Jones is a proven leader.
He accepts responsibility and gets the job done.
Re-elect Robert Jones, Chairman Pickens County Commission
Election Day June 9th /Early Voting May 18th - June 5th