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2A ®[)£ l)fra(ti <©a?£tt£ Tuesday, June 22,2021 County lauds Troop 38 on its 75th anniversary WALTER GEIGER news@bamesville.com The Lamar County commission honored Boy Scout Troop 38 at its reg ular meeting June 15. The commission approved a proclamation noting the Troop’s 75th anniversary. A color guard from the Troop posted the flags and led the Pledge of Al legiance at the meeting. In other business, the commission: •Approved routine minutes. •Reappointed Annie Ruth Bush to the DFCS board. •Reappointed Ryran Traylor to the behavioral health and developmen tal disabilities board. •Reappointed Dr. Rob ert Cox to the area EMS council. •Decided to con tinue with the Christmas parade which was held last year for the first time as part of the county’s Centennial Celebration. Commissioners Traylor and Nancy Thrash were appointed to the parade committee. •Approved the bus service contract with Three Rivers at a cost of $10,770. About half that money will be used to purchase a new bus. •Heard from citizen Rick Stevenson of Jones Road who suggested the county collect local overweight fees from log trucks and other heavy trucks using county roads. Stevenson said counties in south Geor gia use that method to mitigate road damage inflicted by log trucks. SUBMITTED Kelby Flournoy Bulles, a second year medical student at Mercer University School of Medicine, has been selected to work on a student research grant awarded by SAGE Thera peutics. She will work with Dr. Jennifer Barkin, associate professor of community medicine. The pair will study assess ment and treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders in primary care. Involved are a plethora of mental health conditions including postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety. A native of Barnesville and LCHS graduate, Bulles is the daughter of Donna and Robert Flournoy. Clarification: Marty Kinard, who was arrested May 28 on child molestation and sexual exploitation of children charges, was no longer residing at 326 Taylor St. in Barnesville at the time of his arrest. He was actually homeless and arrested in Thomaston. Corrections: Two errors were made in coverage of the Barnes ville city council’s June meeting in our June 15 edi tion. First, the council did not approve setback varianc es for a lot in Spencer Hollow. The council tabled the matter. Additionally, the council heard a first reading on zoning changes on Taylor Street. Approval is pend ing at the July meeting. Also, Robin Pressley of Animal Adventures in Geor gia visited the Milner Community Library recently, not the Barnesville Lamar County Library as printed in last week’s edition. The Herald Gazette regrets the errors. THE HERALD GAZETTE/WALTER GEIGER Troop 38 celebrates 75 years The Lamar County commission issued a proclamation honoring Boy Scout Troop 38 on its 75th anniversary at its regular meeting June 15. A color guard from the troop also set the flags and led the Pledge of Allegiance at the meeting. Pictured are (front, l-r) commissioner Nancy Thrash, longtime scout leader John Briley, scouts Josiah Raynie, Toby Raynie and Hatch Woodall; (back, l-r) commissioners Ryran Traylor, Charles Glass, Bob Heiney and Bennie Horton. Recognitions again highlight board of education meeting KAY S. PEDROTTI kayspedrotti@gmail.com Eight Lamar County 2021 summer graduates, the state winner of the Georgia Young Author’s Award, and the School Nutrition Program were among the recognitions at the June meeting of the school board. The graduates re ceived their diplomas from Dr. Jute Wilson, superintendent. A Lamar County middle school student, Sakarah Simp son, was top winner in the state for the Young Author’s Award. The League of Hun ger Heroes recognizes individuals and organiza tions who have “demon strated heroic commit ment to ending poverty and childhood hunger in their communities,” according to a statement re leased by SNP director Dawn St. Michel. She said the system was nominated by an anony mous com munity member for its efforts to keep children fed during the COV1D-19 pandemic. A total of 369,326 meals were provided to Lamar County children, comprising 131,543 breakfasts; 225,208 lunch es, and 12,575 snacks. Unanimous approv als during the meeting included: Second read teacher evaluation ap peals; spending resolution for July, FY 2021-22; SNP vendor bid award recom mendations for next school year; purchase of a new CO telecommunications sys tem, funded by CARES; primary school fire alarm system, state secu rity grant and ESPLOST funds; state contract maintenance truck and reel mower, ESPLOST funded; classroom ready K-8 math textbooks, curriculum and digital resources, funded via CARES; FY22 RESA and WBL contract, general budget. Wanda Robinson, custodian at Lamar County High School, was honored on her retire ment after 10 years. Also approved was a consent agenda composed of two facilities uses; five fund raisers; eight field trips; 12 recommendations for job positions; seven retirements and one medical leave. Next school board meeting is scheduled for July 19, third Monday because of the Fourth of July holiday. Georgia burn notification law changing Changes are coming to laws affecting Georgians who burn outdoor yard debris. As of July 1, land- owners will no longer be required to notify the Georgia Forestry Com mission of their intention to burn hand-piled veg etative matter. However, the legal responsibilities of those burning out door yard debris will be strengthened. Under Senate Bill 119, GA code section 12-6-90 was changed to eliminate the notification require ment to burn hand-piled natural debris. Agricul ture, silviculture and land-clearing burns for residential or commer cial development will continue to require noti fication to the county for est ranger and a permit is still required for these activities. “Escaped debris burning is the number one cause of wildfire in Georgia,” said Georgia Forestry Commission Director Tim Lowrimore. “The Georgia Forestry Commission responds to more than 3,500 wildfires a year. With a strong focus on individual burn ing safety as required with these new changes, we can bring that num ber down significantly, together.” The Georgia For estry Commission has launched a communica tion campaign emphasiz ing the new changes that must be taken before burning: adequate space between fire and wood lands/structures; sunrise to sunset time frame; person on site respon sible until fire is extin guished; and reasonable precautions to prevent escaped fire. As always, household garbage and man-made waste prod ucts may not be burned and it is unlawful to move debris from one location to another for the purpose of burning. Local burning ordi nances supersede the code requirements. In addition, restrictions on burning in 54 northern Georgia counties under the Environmental Pro tection Division summer burn ban from May 1 through Sept. 30 con tinue to be in effect. Burning of debris generated by machine clearing of an area for the purpose of establishing a small garden spot or land clearing is considered a land type change. These are subject to the EPD land clearing burning rules and may require the use of an Air Curtain Destructor (ACD), de pending on the county in which you live. To clear land with or without an ACD, or burn off acreage or understory, contact your local GFC county office. For more information about these changes and services of the Georgia Forestry Commission, go to GaTrees.org. Barnesville Office NOW OPEN!!! ADVANCED 207,M,lnSl ROOFING & INTERIORS * Licensed and Insured ‘Guaranteed 678.521.9747 • Insurance Specialist • No Money Up Front www.advancedroofingandinteriors.com We Do So Much More Than Roofing! * Siding/Soffit * Gutters * Concrete * Metal Building/ Structures * Spray Foam Insulation * Fencing * Painting * Roof Cleaning/ Soft Wash Call our live phone lines 24/7 for request of emergency tarps when needed for your roof: 678-521-9747 NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS: Lamar County, along with many other counties in Georgia are experiencing what can only be described as an “inflated” real estate market. The combination of historically low interest rates, with historically high construction costs, are driving home sales to an all-time high. Unfortunately, if there are enough sales within the county that are a certain percentage higher than the Assessors values, the Georgia State Audit Department mandates an increase in property values. This is what has happened in Lamar County. Current 2020 sales have indicated that Lamar County was well below the accepted sales ratio range for the Audit Department. While an increase in property values is probable, a representative from Norman Appraisal Services will be available to discuss individual properties with taxpayers. A sales package will be provided to taxpayers upon request, containing sales throughout Lamar County of like properties. The package will be provided to show how low Lamar County Residential property values were last year compared to current year sales. The amount of increase to each property, while significant, should not be basis for appeals, but the value of your home, compared to sales within Lamar County. The increase to property values in Lamar County are based solely on current market adjustments and have nothing to do with taxes or need to increase revenue.