Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, October 20, 2022 | Volume 135 Number 27 | Jasper, Georgia | 24 pages, 2 sections | Published Weekly | $1.00
Foothills sewage dominates town hall discussion
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@pickensprogress.com
The sewage situation with the
Foothills commercial area was the
prime topic of discussion at the
county town hall meeting held Mon
day at Fellowship Presbyterian
Church.
Based on comments Monday and
previous reporting, the Foothills
commercial area, comer of Steve
Tate Highway and Highway 53, is
operating on a private septic system
which is nearing the end of its lifes
pan. The owner of the system as well
as the Foothills IGA grocery store
there would like to see a deal
reached between Pickens County
government and Utilities, Inc. (a
large corporation that operates the
Big Canoe sewage system among
other interests across the nation) to
ran a sewage line to the commercial
area from its Big Canoe operation.
Owner Jeff Downing has termed
this as “not about growth, but about
preservation.”
The contention, according to
statements from both Commission
Chair Kris Stancil and Commis
sioner Josh Tatum, is that Utilities,
Inc., whose representatives they
speak with frequently, wants more
sewage customers than just the com
mercial businesses at Foothills to
make the investment in the line fi
nancially feasible.
At different points in the evening,
Stancil and Tatum reiterated they are
open to seeing a sewage line ran to
the businesses there but will do what
is necessary to prevent high density
residential development that could
See Town Hall on 11A
photo/Dan Pool
Pickens’ East District Commissioner Josh Tatum, left, shakes hands
with a constituent at a town hall meeting Monday, which drew dozens of
Big Canoe residents concerned about the sewage issue at the Foothills
shopping center. At center, Commission Chair Kris Stancil talks with an
other member of the public.
Volunteering
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County, city
leaders declare
Saturday, Oct. 22 as
Serve Pickens Day
Volunteers to help
16 local non-profits
Page 7A
FY 2023
county budget
talks continue
Public hearing in December
Heritage Days draws more than
5,000 to Talking Rock
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
The board of commis
sioners met with all elected
and some other county offi
cials Monday, Oct. 17 for ini
tial budget discussions, with
each official presenting their
proposed budget for the 2023
fiscal year.
Commissioners met with
all department heads to hear
their proposals two weeks
prior. These collective meet
ings are the beginning of the
budgeting process that will
stretch into mid-December
when the final budget is
adopted.
“This is the first draft of
submissions so there will
probably be some back and
forth and trying to work on
corrections here and there,
but I think all-and-all for a
first round it went well,”
Chair Kris Stancil said.
“We’ll be working through
that over the next few weeks
to finalize the draft and do a
full budget presentation.”
Elected officials are not
under direct control of
county commissioners, but
are still funded with local
taxpayer money. Department
heads are hired by the board
of commissioners and are
controlled by that board.
Some departments, such as
the economic development
director and 4-H extension
agent, are funded in part by
the county, with other hinds
coming from other local en
tities, or state and federal
funds.
Chair Kris Stancil, as well
See Budget on 11A
photo/Max Caylor
The Town of Talking Rock hosted its annual Heritage Days last weekend, Oct. 15th and 16th. The event proved to
be very successful, with over 5,000people visiting the tiny town for a variety of fall activities.
Mayor James Bryant Jr. said this was a great event and is part of their work to see that Talking Rock is more than
a drive-thru town.
Above, Bowen Bosworth-Beacham is ecstatic as the “coolest pumpkin in the patch” as he enjoys the kids area at
the Talking Rock Heritage Days festival.
See more scenes from the festival on page 2A.
Local 4-Her named state champion
Vote
VOTE
See sample
election ballots
Page 4B
Games
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Think you know
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Test yourself
with the
Pickens Puzzler
crossword.
The competition
was tough, but
Sophie Morgan’s
“magical”
personality saw her
named a state
winner
Submitted by Pickens
County 4-H
The 33rd annual Georgia
National Fair started on Oc
tober 6 in Perry, Ga.. It is a
state-sponsored fair that is
held every October on the
Georgia National Fair
grounds and Agricenter. It
started in 1990 with 270,000
visitors but has grown to
over half-million attendees
in the last few years.
It has a wide range of ac
tivities and shows including
4-H competitions. There is a
statewide 4-H Public Speak
ing Contest, which is divided
into informational and moti
vational categories.
4-Hers compete in age
groups: Cloverleaf Level
(4th-6th grade), Junior Level
(7th-8th grade) and Senior
Level (9th-12th grade).
Sophie Morgan, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Morgan,
traveled to Perry to compete
in this contest. Sophie com
peted in the Cloverleaf divi
sion as a 5th grader from
Jasper Middle School.
She entertained the crowd
with a little “magic” trick.
Then she challenged the lis
teners to go out and make a
change in their community.
She encouraged them not
to give up when they see a
problem.
She reminded them, “We
are 4-Hers. When we see a
problem, we do something
about it.”
The competition was
tough, but the judges
couldn’t resist Sophie’s
“magical” personality. After
some discussion, she was
named the state winner.
Congratulations Sophie.
See Magic on 11A
Sophie Morgan’s magic trick warmed up listeners at the state 4-H Public
Speaking Contest and then the local 5th grader inspired with a message that in
cluded, “We are 4-Hers. When we see a problem, we do something about it. ”
Page 6A
Obituaries - 10A
Claude Morgan
Delle O’Neal
Dorothy Keever
Karen Gurty
Janet Stafford
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