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Thursday, March 16, 2023 | Volume 135 Number 48 | Jasper, Georgia | 20 pages, 2 sections | Published Weekly | $1-00
County gets injunction to enforce
stop work order at homeless shelter
Shelter leader says they will
vacate downtown location
Wednesday; Still pursuing
Martin Road building
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@pickensprogress.com
In an escalating and contentious situation,
Pickens Superior Court issued an emergency
order on March 10 to prevent the Refuge in Jesus
organization from either occupying or working on
their proposed location for a homeless shelter on
Martin Road.
Stephen Lovell, a board member for Refuge in
Jesus, said the county is intentionally making it
difficult for them by forcing them to meet codes
for commercial operations since there are no
codes here specifically for non-profit homeless
shelters.
The temporary order prepared by the county
and signed by Probate Judge David Lindsey (act
ing on behalf of the superior court judges who
were not available) stated the county fire marshal
had issued a stop work order for 735 Martin Road
in early March. The homeless shelter had leased
the former commercial building just off Highway
515 for a shelter where they could house up to 16
people and had begun work there prior to having
any approved plans or an approved septic system.
"The verified petition and sworn testimony of
the petitioners established that the dwelling at 735
Martin Road is not compliant with current fire
codes, nor is the dwelling served by an adequate
sanitation system. In its current condition, 735
Martin Road is not suitable to house 16 individu
als,” stated the petition filed in Superior Court on
March 9th by County Attorney Phil Landrum
with supporting documents from Fire Marshal
Shane Callahan and Commission Chair Kris Stan-
cil.
Lovell acknowledged in a phone interview
Tuesday that they had worked at the site ahead of
permits and plan approval but said they hadn’t
significantly altered the building. “There is noth
ing in code for a homeless shelter, so they are try
ing to force us into [being classified as] a halfway
house,” Lovell said. “This kicks up the ante and
forces us to become commercial.”
The county’s petition further stated that on
March 3, Lovell told the fire marshal that the res
idents of the current homeless shelter in down
town Jasper would have to move out of that
location on March 15 and they would move into
the Martin Road location immediately.
Commission Chair Kris Stancil explained in
an interview that based on statements by shelter
supporters on social media and from direct con
versations between Fire Marshal Callahan and
Lovell, the county worried shelter leaders would
n’t abide by the stop work order and have their
residents move in regardless of the permit/inspec
tion situation.
Lovell, however, said See Shelter on 11A
Planning
commission
sees routine
business at
March
meeting
Director notes
larger lots
gaining
popularity
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@pickensprogress.com
Reports may say north
Georgia is in the midst of a
residential growth wave, but
you wouldn’t know it from
Monday’s planning commis
sion meeting.
The county commission
gave nods of recommenda
tions for four property own
ers to change zoning. Two
involved single home proj
ects, one a small produce
stand and one a three-lot
subdivision.
The planning office staff
did indicate there were big
ger projects in the pipeline
but Monday’s meeting was
handled quickly with no op
position to any of the
changes. All received ap
proval from the commission
and will now be presented to
the board of commissioners
for final approval.
• First up was David Mar
tin who wanted to rezone .35
acres in Tate off Highway 53
from Rural Residential to
Highway Business. Martin
said he and his wife will start
a produce stand with some
vegetables they grow them
selves plus boiled peanuts
and more fruits/vegetables
from other area growers or
the farmers market in At
lanta.
• Bryan Warner received
approval for changing three
acres on Pleasant Hill Road
from an Agriculture zoning
to an Estate Residential zon
ing. He intends to build a
home there and already has
family living in the area.
Planning Director Wes
Frye explained that basic Ag
zoning requires a minimum
of 10 acres; Small Ag re
quires a minimum five acres
and an Estate Residential
minimum of three acres. He
felt like these Small Ag and
Estate Residential zoning
will be increasingly popular.
“People want a little bit of
country but not too much,”
he said.
•Raymond and Debra
Roberts received a recom
mendation to rezone six
acres on 136 West in Talking
Rock from Highway Busi
ness to Small Ag. The own
ers said they have no
intention to have a business
See Lots on 11A
Over 40 days; over 4 miles a day,
man bears cross for Jesus
Photo/Angela Reinhardt
Matthew Bennett has carried this cross every day for over a month along the same route in Ball Ground - and
he doesn’t plan on stopping until God tells him to stop.
1*
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ffirlmffrliTi
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H IM & ^
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By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
After I turned a curve on Old
Dawsonville Road he came into view,
a man of modest stature carrying a
wooden cross that looked larger and
heavier than he was.
I pulled over and walked across
the road to say hello. The man - who
later told me his name was Matthew
Bennett - was sweating, his face was
etched and hard, someone who’d
clearly had a difficult life. But when
told him I was there to talk about why
he was doing what he was doing, his
eyes brightened and he beamed a joy
ous and generous smile, one that
would permeate the entire interview.
This was the 46th day Bennett car
ried that cross four miles from his
house, down Old Dawsonville Road
and into See Cross on 11A
Shamrock Stroll ushers in St. Paddy’s Day
Fun yearly
event sees great
weather; pro
ceeds benefit
Pickens students
at Reinhardt
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Organizers with the
Shamrock Stroll reported
the March 11 event enjoyed
good weather, a good
crowd, and was all-in-all a
good time in downtown
Jasper - no blarney about it.
“We were really pleased
with the turnout,” said or
ganizer Mandy Cantrell,
also director of Operations
at Atlantic Coast Conser
vancy, who hosted the event
for the first time this year.
“We had more people regis
ter than expected, the band
was great to get the energy
up, and the costume and
dog contest went really
well.”
The stroll covers .5K in
downtown Jasper ending
with vendors and music.
The Shamrock Stroll’s
inaugural event was in
2018. Until this year it has
been organized by Rein
hardt University and Dale
Morrissey of the college.
Morrissey spearheaded the
Shamrock Stroll, and
Cantrell said she has been
vital to the event’s success.
“ACC would like to
thank Dale for her part in
this fundraiser,” Cantrell
said. “It was her baby and
ACC is honored to be able
to head this up this year.”
Winner of the costume
contest was Ryan Johnson.
There were also costume
winners for Grandest Lep
rechaun, an 82-year-old, as
well as Youngest Lep
rechaun, a two-year-old.
Harmony Elementary
School won the Best Group
Participation Award.
Proceeds for the Sham
rock Stroll go to support
Pickens County students at
tending Reinhardt Univer
sity.
photo/Robin Dunn
Leaping Leprechaun - Ryan Johnson kicks up his heels
enjoying the great weather and high energy of the yearly
Shamrock Stroll. More Shamrock Stroll photos Page 8B.
PHS Literary
Team finds
success at
Region
Page 3A
Coin Show
returns to
Dean Center
in Jasper
March 25
Page 10A
Obituaries 9A
• Jimmie Sue Godfrey
• Michael Grant
• Randy Hicks
• J.C. Hightower
• James Kozacek
• Lisa McCoy
• Larry Reiter Sr.
• James Royer
• Vickie West
• Ronald Woods
Contact Us
94 North Main Street
Jasper, Ga. 30143
706-253-2457
pickensprogress.com
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