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Seasoned fire chief taking helm in Pickens Cherokee Fire / Photo Tim Prather, who has worked for over four decades in fire services including 10 years as Cherokee County Fire Chief will take over as Pickens County’s Fire & Rescue Chief in April. Angela Reinhardt Staff Writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com Tim Prather, who has served as the Cherokee County Fire Chief since 2011 and who has a decades-long career in fire services, has been selected as Pickens County’s new Fire & Rescue Chief. Pickens Commission Chair Kris Stancil said Prather, a lifetime resident of Pickens County, was hired following interviews with four “incredible can didates,” and that the county is thrilled to have someone of his caliber fill the role. The position has sat vacant since longtime Pickens Fire & Rescue Chief Sloan Elrod was promoted to Pickens County’s Public Safety Director last year to over see all public safety de partments. “I couldn’t have been more pleased with the per son or the knowledge he will bring,” Elrod said. “Fie has been through the growth process that we have been going through and will continue to have. The citizens of Pickens County are in great hands as Pickens County Fire & Rescue moves forward.” See Fire on 11A Murdered Pickens sheriff and deputy recognized over 150 years later By Alex Goble Staff Writer agoble@. picken- sprogress.com On January 17, 1869, at approximately 11 a.m., Pickens County’s Sheriff Isaac McCleaird and Deputy Joseph Brown were shot. They had been re quested to assist in appre hending an escapee from Hamilton County, Tenn. by the name of Joe Richey. It was suspected that Richey was inside a home just a few miles from Jasper, where Sheriff McCleaird found him sit ting at a table shaving. Placing his hand on Richey’s shoulder he told him he was under arrest. Richey bent down with his razor still in hand and drew a pistol from his boot. He shot the sheriff point blank in the chest, killing him instantly. Deputy Brown rushed into the room and was shot twice by Richey as he made his escape on the See Recognized on 12A Whitestone landfill to reopen after agreement reached • Cutoff Road to be cut off from county maintenance? • Sandy Bottoms rezoning approved • County water & sewer bills available by email A sign leading into the Whitestone Valley Construction and Demolition Landfill in north Pickens. The site reopened Friday, March 4, the day after commissioners signed a new agreement that will require the company undergo more oversight, inspections, and follow certain stipulations. By Angela Reinhardt Staff Writer areinhardt@piekensprogress.com Commissioners have reached an agreement with owners of the White stone Valley Construction and Demoli tion Landfill in Talking Rock to resume operations. The county issued a closing order for the landfill in late December after numerous violations were found, in cluding the landfill accepting waste from outside Pickens County and also accepting household garbage, tires, and mattresses, all of which violate county codes. Nearby residents and business owners - as well as motorists driving by the operation in north Pickens just off Highway 515- complained of noxious odors. There were regular fires at the site as well. At the time the landfill was shut down the company had $215,000 in overdue tonnage fees due to the county, which have since been paid. Per the new agreement, discussed at the regular March 3 commissioners’ meeting, there are now several stipula tions the business must adhere to going forward to “enhance health and welfare of the residents and other stakeholders of Pickens County,” said Commission Chair Kris Stancil. Among stipulations landfill owners have agreed to are: Close monitoring of operations; bi weekly covering of construction and demolition waste; mulching; no accept ance of scrap tires; creation of a fire prevention plan to be approved by fire marshal within 14 days and imple mented within 21 days; restriction of accepting construction and demolition waste only; compliance inspections that must be done within 24 hours’ no tice; a host fee increase from $1 per ton to $1.20 per ton to cover operational changes for engineers to conduct in spections. The Monday following the Thurs day meeting the landfill was opera tional. An employee on site said they Gennett Drive bridge repairs coming Downtown bathrooms delayed, CFO resigns, events approved By Angela Reinhardt Staff Writer areinhardt@piekensprogress.com After nearly 12 months, it appears that the bridge on Gennett Drive will be repaired fol lowing Jasper City Council’s bid approval for the project at their March meeting. The bridge collapsed last March due to flooding. Bids for repairs came in significantly over See Jasper on 12A Angela Reinhardt / Photo Lt. Chad Childers was recognized as an exemplary employee of the Jasper Fire Department by council and Jasper’s Interim Police Chief Matt Dawkins. Dawkins told council that Childers, who has been with the department for 14 years, is dependable and considerate. The interim chief relayed a story from February 2022 in which Childers responded to a call where an elderly man accidentally drove his vehicle into a convenience store building. After interviewing the man, Childers discovered he was on a fixed income and was on the way to get bread and bologna. Childers later took it upon himself to go get groceries - including bologna - from the store with his personal money and deliver them to the man. “Actions speak volumes to his character, ” Dawkins said. Qualifying ends Friday A lot of interest for commission seats; but not for school board thus far By Dan Pool Editor dpool@pickensprogress.com As of press time Tuesday afternoon, a lot of interest was evident with can didates seeking to qualify for the two commission seats up for grabs this year. Jerry Barnes, the incumbent in the west district (District 1) has chosen not to seek re-election; and Becky Denney the east district (District 2) resigned earlier. At Tuesday mid-day Josh Tippens and Ricky L. Tucker had both officially qualified for the District 1 seat. Dave Gamer qualified for the Special Elec tion County Commission District 2 (East). Several other candidates had ex pressed interest according to local GOP leader Chris Mora, who was manning the party’s table in the election office. Pickens County Commission Districts Qualifying continues through Fri day. Not so active was qualifying for the three school board seats up for grabs. As of Tuesday only one candidate and none of the incumbents had thrown their hats in the ring. Election officials and the local GOP chair both said they hadn’t heard of much interest. Officially qualifying was Joe Wig- ington for District 5, currently repre sented by Steve Smith; no one had qualified for District 2 currently held by Aaron Holland or district 3 held by Tucker Green. See Qualifying on 12A reopened the Friday, March 4. Within the few minutes this re porter was at the site several trucks came in to dump con struction and demolition waste. Cutoff Road to be cut offfrom county maintenance? Residents who live off Cut off Road have requested and petitioned that it be taken off county maintenance rolls and closed to thru-traffic. Per legal requirements to have a road re moved from county mainte nance, commissioners must See County on 11A Special Insert in this edition 2022 Business Directory Campaign Josh Tatum announces for Commissioner Post 2 Page 3A Obituaries - 6A • Anthony Bruce • Delmer McDaniel • Emory Williams • Jimmy Cagle • Jimmy Taylor • Joanna Ray • Shirley Taylor 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 $1.00 per copy 4879 08163" o