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THURSDAY. JUNE 17. 2021 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 5A
To the Editor:
The Prohibition Party was
founded to pursue life for all
and things so that in living,
all the people can enjoy all
the things.
As the American people
have deserted the Prohibition
Party, they have degenerated
into human sacrifice of chil
dren in the millions for
money and to get it by ap
peasing drunkards and ad
dicts of perverted sex all of
whom do not care who dies.
They just want to get money
and to feed their addiction.
Evil interstate groups ad
vocating homosexuality, sex
change, same sex marriage,
alcohol, marijuana, alien
creeds, abortion, and com
munist agendas.
So evil and wicked have
we become that we stand
silent as governments, armies
of addicts, and merchants de
stroy millions of lives.
Georgia Prohibition is
championing a prohibition
amendment to stop the
slaughter of millions of
American men, women, and
children and to pull up our
weak, puppet, banana repub
lic style governments from
destroying the people in their
care to strong, free, American
governments defending each
life so each of us can enjoy
all things.
Billy Joe Parker
Prohibition Party vice-
presidential nominee AD
2020
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Construction to begin immediately
on Junior High Ag Center
Floor plans for the new Pickens Junior High School agriculture facility, which will be located behind the campus.
The school board (back row) and Supt. Tony Young (front row at right) recognized retirees for the 2019-2020 school
year. Retirees are Susan Anderson, Hanna Baker, Abby Bates, Sharon Flowers, Gayla Foster, Pennie Fowler, Alan
Jent, Lydia Meadows, Agayla Young. Some are not pic
tured.
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@piekensprogress.com
After years of discussion
and planning, a new 5,060-
square-foot ag center at
Pickens Junior High School
is just months away from be
coming reality, with con
struction to begin as soon as
possible.
“We’re really hoping to
be ready to open it by the
time schools starts,” said
Pickens Schools Operation
Director Stacy Gilleland.
“It’s going to be close, but
that’s what we’re pushing
for. It’s possible it could be
winter depending on how
things go.”
At the June meeting, the
school board approved a
contract for a guaranteed
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maximum price of $2.4 mil
lion for the SPLOST-funded
project. The contract in
cludes replacement of the
bleachers in the PJHS gym
for an estimated $147,000.
Now the system is just
waiting on materials, which
have been unusually difficult
to secure in recent months.
“We knew the steel was
going to be a problem but it
seems like it’s just every
thing that’s some holdup
with,” Gilleland told the
Progress. Similar to reports
of high-price of residential
construction, construction
for the ag project came in
about $300,000 to $400,000
more than anticipated. Still,
school leaders say the facil
ity will be a welcome addi
tion to the junior high
campus. Ag students at the
junior high have been
shipped to the older ag facil
ity at the old Jasper Middle
School campus (currently
home to Mountain Educa
tion Charter Campus and a
law enforcement training
center).
“We’re always excited
when we get to expand our
services to our kids and give
them more opportunities,”
said Superintendent Tony
Young.
Board member Tommy
Gartrell said the addition
would help make the campus
a crown jewel in the commu
nity.
During the planning
process, Gilleland has met
with members of the ag de
partment to be sure the facil
ity will meet their immediate
and long-term needs. The
floor plans show 20 pens for
livestock, wash pens and a
wash area, a practice arena,
The school board recognized retirees for the 2020-
2021 school year. Retirees are Lisa Barnett, Christie
Brooks, Robbie Cheatham, Wanda Farist, Darlene Hern
don, Jill Liberatore, Geraldine Parker, Regina Payne,
Judy Rangel, Carol Smith, Michelle Stangline, Julie
Warner, Linda Weyman, Nancy Wilson. All but one was
not in attendance as most were out of town on vacation.
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a large lab/meeting area and
other features like
office/storage space. Not
shown on the floor plan but
crucial parts of the design
are specialized faucets, fans,
a top-of-the line ventilation
system and other elements
that will make the facility
run smoothly and efficiently
for teachers and students.
There was also care to en
sure larger trailers would
have room to navigate
around the building. The
building’s facade will be part
brick and will emulate new
baseball facilities at Pickens
High School.
“It’s going to look really
nice,” Gilleland said.
A cost savings is their
plan to relocate the green
house currently at the old
Jasper Middle School cam
pus to the new PJHS agricul
tural facility. The greenhouse
was repaired after it was
damaged in a hail storm a
few years ago, and the oper
ations director said it is “like
new.” Gilleland also antici
pates being able to save be
tween $75,000 and $100,000
by relocating the road that
will lead to the new ag facil
ity, which will be located be
hind the school campus near
the gym and adjacent park
ing lot.
This is one of several of
the school system’s capital
outlay projects that have
been funded through
SPLOST dollars, including
renovations at PJHS and
the sports complex and
football field at PHS. After
the PJHS facility is com
plete school leaders will
focus on a new ag facility at
the high school, then after
that renovations at the high
school similar to those that
were done at the junior
high. Voters passed a new
SPLOST last year that will
fund future renovations and
other projects. 2020
SPLOST collections will
begin next year after 2016
collections are completed.
The 2016 SPLOST will
also bring in more than was
expected due to higher-
than-anticipated
revenue.
sales tax
Georgia Education
Workers' Compensation
Trust recognized Pickens
County School District for
maintaining a 25 percent or
lower loss ratio on workers'
compensation claims. This
achievement is the result of
staff completing training.
Pickens Schools HR Direc
tor Chris Parker was pre
sented with the award.
Other news from the school
board meeting:
• All Pickens County stu
dents will have free break
fast and lunch for the
2021-2022 school year. At
this time the school is not ex
pecting parents to have to fill
out free and reduced lunch
forms because kids will eat
free.
•The board entered an
agreement with Chatta
hoochee Technical College
that will allow Pickens High
School students to enroll in
culinary courses as part of
the dual enrollment program,
and allow Chattahoochee
Tech to utilize the school’s
culinary arts facility.
•The board approved
funding of a portion of a
UGA Extension Agent’s
salary. Pickens County has
not had an agent in over a
year. Board members dis
cussed how valuable they
see that position as being for
the county at large.
•The board gave final ap
proval to a change in the
public participation policy.
Under the new policy inter
ested parties will only need
to give a 24-hour notice to be
placed on the agenda. Under
Photo/PJHS Facebook
In the board’s personnel
report, Kanyon Petti was
named as assistant principal
and athletic director at Pick
ens Junior High School.
Petti has worked for the last
six years as an English
teacher at Pickens High
School, and was also head
cheerleading coach. Prior to
her employment in Pickens
County she worked at River
Ridge High School. Petti
was also the system-wide
teacher of the year in 2018.
the old policy, parties inter
ested in being placed on the
agenda had to give notice in
writing five days before the
meeting.
•The board approved a
contract of up to $220,000 to
fund repairs for a failing
plaster ceiling area at the
Tate Elementary School
campus. The operations di
rector said it is old-style
plaster and very heavy, and
that it poses a safety issue if
not addressed. The ceiling is
on the second story of the
school. Board Chair Sue Fin
ley said funding the repairs
was imperative.
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