Newspaper Page Text
Get quick access to local professionals with the 36-page
Business Directory inserted into this paper.
$ 1
Wii
Thursday, March 18, 2021
Volume 133 Number 48
Jasper, Georgia
24 pages in two sections
Published Weekly
Alarms sound over mold
at Jasper fire station
Test results find
elevated spore
counts
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
City of Jasper firefighters split
the cost of an air quality test for the
station on Burton Street after sus
pecting mold, and after saying the
city would not conduct a test.
The results, which were sent to
the Progress last week, show ele
vated spore counts and suggests
problems in certain areas of the sta
tion need to be remedied.
A Jasper firefighter said, last fall
they suspected the environment was
unsafe and purchased a test kit from
Home Depot that showed mold in
the attic area. They gave this to their
chief, who then gave it to a city offi
cial on October 14, he said.
“The city manager brushed it off
and told us mold was an allergen,”
said a firefighter who spoke with the
Progress on the condition of
anonymity. Several firefighters have
spoken out recently concerning low
pay, featured in an article last week.
City Manager Brandon Douglas
said he and other city leaders have
been aware of issues at the fire de
partment, not necessarily related to
remediation outlined in the mold re
port, and that rehabbing the facility
was discussed during city council's
January 2021 retreat.
“That being an agenda item is in
dicative that we plan to address is
sues and not ignore them,” Douglas
said. “We have already identified
Jasper Fire Department as needed
some rehabbing.”
Douglas added that it is never his
intent to dismiss employee concerns.
All 12 firefighters split the $395
cost of a professional air test, which
was performed by Certified Inspec
tors of America on March 7, 2021.
In a summary of their findings, the
report states, “The results came back
with a total fungi count that was
‘Slightly Elevated’ to ‘Elevated’
with regards to the total fungi spore
counts. There is remediation that
needs to, at the very least, take place
in the attic and may need to take
See Fire on 10A
More
photos
12A
4
pir J
More charges
against
Wigington,
wife
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@pickensprogress.com
Additional charges were
brought against the former
Chief Magistrate Allen Wig
ington by the March grand
jury, bringing the total counts
against the 25-year county
employee to 58 with the in
vestigation continuing.
See Charges on 11A
County CFO
announces
retirement
With 250 registered green clad
walkers, perfect weather, and lively
entertainment, organizers say this
fourth Shamrock Stroll in down
town Jasper was the best one to
date.
This marked the first big public
event in Jasper since the COVID
shutdown last year and Dale Mor
rissey, the senior director for com
munity engagement with Reinhardt,
said, “I think people were just
happy to be outdoors and in a good
mood.”
Morrissey pointed out that the
event began at Reinhardt’s Cauble
School of Nursing and Health Sci
ences on D.B. Carroll Street that
opened in the past year and boasts
a growing enrollment. “We
were really happy to be able to start
it there, but the Pickens Scholars
programs benefits Pickens students
in all areas at the university, said
Morrissey.
And she felt that ending it at the
courthouse in the center of town
helped all the businesses who
stayed open. “I think we made
an impact for the downtown,” she
said. “It all fell into place. We had
a lot of good help.”
Tony Young named superintendent
School attorney position under fire during public comments,
Ag. building at Jr. High could open in fall
Tony Young
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
In a regular meeting that opened
with fiery comments from the pub
lic regarding the decision to remove
former Superintendent Rick
Townsend, the school board voted
to remove “interim” from Tony
Young’s title and name him new su
perintendent.
The move, which was unani
mously approved, comes after the
board voted 3-2 earlier this year to
renegotiate Townsend’s contract
and more recently to remove him
without stated cause. The board
paid over $400,000 to buy out
Townsend’s remaining contract.
Some members of the public are
outraged, citing fiscally irresponsi
ble behavior and other complaints
(see article about the effort to recall
members of the board on page 9A).
Board member Tucker Green,
who has been vocal about his oppo
sition to the “reckless decision” to
remove Townsend, said he would
approve Young as superintendent to
act in the best interest of students
and staff and to move the system
forward.
Board member Tommy Gartrell
said naming Young superintendent
is an opportunity to heal wounds in
the community after months of tur
moil surrounding the issue.
In a prepared statement, Young
said, “We are now in the last quarter
of the 2020-21 school year and we
want to finish strong. We have faced
many challenges over the last 12
months, but our resilient team of
teachers, administrators, and other
staff continue to overcome them...
Our families have also had to en
dure some tough times as well in
cluding juggling online learning
responsibilities while trying to keep
See School on 10A
Interviews with Pickens High’s Valedictorian
Heather Vincent and Salutatorian Brooke Bell
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@piekensprogress.com
Faye Harvey, the county’s
chief financial officer, this
week announced her retire
ment scheduled for June.
Commission Chair Kris
Stancil said before the first of
the year, when he took office,
Harvey had told him that she
intended to retire some time
around the time her husband,
County Marshal Jim Harvey,
would retire. He has also an
nounced his retirement.
Harvey said Monday that
she enjoyed her time at the
county but she and her hus
band are ready to have more
time to spend with family.
“We’ve worked all our lives
and now it is time to play. I
will miss everyone and I have
loved being here but it is time
to turn it over to someone
else,” she said.
Stancil said this came as
no surprise as Harvey had in
formed him of this at least
three months ago. He said
they will have an official an
nouncement in the near fu
ture, but it was important to
get the job opening out in the
circles where qualified fi
nance personnel look. The job
has already been posted to
certain government websites.
See Charges on 10A
Obituaries - 5A
Valedictorian Heather Vincent
Heather is the Class of 2021
PHS valedictorian. Her parents are
David and Shelly Vincent and her
current unweighted GPA is 4.0. She
will be attending Georgia College
in the fall on an academic scholar
ship, with an intended major of bi
ology and hopes to one day attend
medical school. She has taken 13
Advanced Placement classes while
in high school.
Q. What is your advice to other
students as they make their way
through high school?
Don’t be afraid to change. High
school holds so many opportuni-
See Val on 11A
Salutatorian Brooke Bell
Brooke is the Class of2021 PHS
salutatorian. Her parents are
Daniel and Christi Bell and her
current GPA is 4.0. She plans on at
tending the University of Georgia
in the fall where she will study
Criminal Justice as she intends to
pursue a law degree. While at PHS,
Bell has taken 11AP classes.
Q. What is your advice to other
students as they make their way
through high school?
I would tell other students to
tndy enjoy their high school expe
rience. It can be stressful, and many
aspects of school often became
See Sal on 11A
• Diane Green
• Dorothy Godfrey
• Mike Caylor
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