Pickens County progress. (Jasper, Ga.) 1899-current, February 04, 2021, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextThursday, February 4, 2021 Volume 133 Number 42 Jasper, Georgia 20 pages in two sections Published Weekly Changing superintendents costly but Pickens is not alone in frequent turnovers By Dan Pool Editor dpool@pickensprogress.com 75-home development tabled, Downtown coffee shop seeks drive thru By Angela Reinhardt Staff Writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com At their February meeting, Jasper Council tabled annexation of a parcel near downtown where developers want to build a 75-unit residen tial subdivision. Although mayor and council want to see the project come to fruition, city leaders found issues with the developer’s site plan meeting the city’s land use and development guidelines for detached housing under R-3. But developers argued their project does meet requirements as an attached- dwelling development in that zoning. There was some misunderstanding between council and the applicant about whether or not the development would be attached or non-attached homes. Applicant Brian Westbrook requested rezoning and annexation of two parcels (15 acres total) at 855 North Main Street into the city as R-3 (Resi dential). City Manager Brandon Douglas opened the discussion by stating that under that R-3 des ignation, lot sizes for detached family homes must be 13,000 sq. ft. with a minimum of 1,400 heated sq. ft. structures. Douglas also stated there must be a 50-foot buffer around a creek that runs through the property. The applicant pointedly asked if the city had not received his updated site plans and email that outlined intentions to create an attached-unit dwelling under R-3 that See Council on 2A Latest on COVID-19 According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, as of Tuesday, February 2nd there have been 40 confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Pickens County since the department began keeping records in the early days of the pandemic. There were 212 cases in Pick ens over the past two weeks and 2,127 confirmed cases so far here. In Pickens there have been an additional 13 probable deaths from COVID-19 and 153 hospital izations. To date, there have been 12,772 deaths in Geor gia. Plans underway for Arbor Day celebration Jim Heilman of Save Georgia’s Hemlocks surveys one of three hemlocks planted along Town Creek in Lee Newton Park at last year’s Arbor Day event. Organizers hope to plant ad ditional trees on National Arbor Day. Results from an open records request filed by the Progress last week found that the county’s school boards over the past 15 years have spent roughly $650,000 in replacing superintendents who they parted ways with before the end of their contracts. The figure includes money spent to pay the remainder of superintendent contracts and the amount spent to hire interim-su perintendents while they searched for replace ments. It does not include the costs of any searches or consultants used to find replacements. It also does not include whatever deal might be reached with former superintendent Rick Townsend. The amounts paid to the outgoing superintend ents were generally dictated by terms in their orig inal contract. The amount spent on all superintendent pay is a mixture of state funds and local tax dollars. The school’s finance director, Amy Smith, explained in an e-mail, “The function where superintendents are paid is not required to be designated state or local. We do earn some state funds but it is not enough to cover the total salary and benefits so it becomes a state and local expense.” Negotiations with Townsend, the most recent superintendent to get caught in the central office’s revolving door, are still underway. On January 18th, he saw the board vote three-to-two to au thorize their attorney to negotiate with him to Lee Shiver Mike Ballew Ben Desper Supt. for 6/99 - 9/05 Supt. for 9/05 - 12/10 Supt. for 7/11 - 6/13 $131,715 final payment $61,189 final payment $13,473 final payment See complete financial breakdown on page 11A. modify his contract. Being in the first year of his contract, it is likely the amount paid to Townsend to end his employment will be much higher than those shown on the accompanying list as several of those were near the end of their contracts. Nothing had settled as of late Monday. Of the previous superintendents, Ben Desper, who resigned with little advanced notice, received the least at $13,473 in salary and benefits when he left. Carlton Wilson was paid $178,031 when he was voted out in a three-to-two vote a year ago. Wilson’s settlement is the only one that in cludes an “additional payment” line. He was paid $50,000 as part of the final negotiations in addi tion to the remaining salary and benefits. When asked for the correct technical term for the extra money, board attorney Phil Landrum said it was simply an “additional payment.” According to the school finance office’s information, all other su perintendents were only paid remaining salary and benefits under the contracts. Lula Mae Perry Supt. for 7/13 - 12/16 $60,911 final payment Carlton Wilson Supt. for 5/17 - 12/20 $178,031final payment Rick Townsend Supt. for 4/20 - ? Negotiation continuing, no settlement amount mentioned Ben Arp, Interim 1/11 - 6/11 $65,538.01 Salary. Charles Webb, Interim 1/17-5/17 $59,127.82 Salary. And 12/19 - 4/20 $66,410.22 Salary. Smith noted that Perry’s final payoff is higher due to the number of unused sick/vacation days. Her accumulated 60 unused sick days accounted for $48,750 of her final payment of $60,911. In three instances, the board has used an in terim superintendent See Supts on 11A By Dan Pool Editor dpool@pickensprogress.com Organizers from Jasper and Save Georgia Hemlocks are making plans to mark National Arbor Day on April 30th with tree plantings and possibly some classes at Lee Newton Park. Jasper resident Donnie Low organized the planting of three hemlocks last year along the small creek in the park to mark Arbor Day. This year organizers plan to add additional hemlocks, supplied See Arbor on 11A Jasper wastewater expansion construction goes out for bids By Angela Reinhardt Staff Writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com Jasper council is now advertising bids for a construction loan for a long-awaited $8 million wastewater treatment expansion that will double the city’s treatment capacity. The project will increase treatment capacity from 780,000 gallons a day to 1.56 million gal lons a day. City leaders have called the expansion crucial for the future of economic development. The city currently treats approximately 600,000 gallons a day, which is nearing their current per mitted level. While a significant increase, city leaders have said the See Expansion on 11A Recognition Parks, parks and more parks in 2021 Amphitheater, bike trails, Main Street restrooms By Angela Reinhardt Staff Writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com Jasper Council has big plans for parks in the upcoming year, from budgeting over half a million dollars to begin the first phase of a longer- range amphitheater project, to talks of new mountain bike trails, to pub lic restrooms on North Main Street. A concept drawing of what ren ovations to the old bank drive-thru area could look like. The city has plans to begin the phase I bath room project immediately as part of a project that will enhance the en tire North Main Street area around Peace Park and the Old Jail Concept Drawing/City of Jasper Perrow Park/Green Space Council has allocated $525,000 in the 2021 budget to begin im provements to the green space at the corner of Main Street and Spring Street in downtown Jasper. Council plans for the project to culminate in an amphitheater area, which they feel will be a boon to the downtown community. The 0.94-acre space, purchased in 2016 by the city through loans taken out by the Downtown Devel opment Authority, has sporadically been used for events over the years. The upcoming project was dis cussed at Jasper Council’s Thursday, Jan. 28 planning retreat/work ses sion, held via Zoom. After over four years of behind- the-scenes planning by members of council and the Downtown Alliance, See Parks on 11A Attorney puzzled by official Kentucky colonel honor Page 2A Obituaries - 3A • Betty Bruce • Billy Moss • Brad McKinney • Damon Pettitt • Dick Wendelburg • Louie Campano • Morris Bennett Contact Us 94 North Main Street Jasper, Ga. 30143 706-253-2457 www.pickensprogress.com Open for business during these hours: Mon-Thurs, 9-5, and Fri, 9-4:30

Georgia Historic Newspapers

Pickens County progress. (Jasper, Ga.) 1899-current, February 04, 2021, Image 1