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2023 BUSINESS DIRECTORY The new Business Directory available inside this edition! 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* - L 'tI.jwe; ■JfW ffirlmffrliTi I l H IM & ^ * ; | 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 $1.00 per copy o