Newspaper Page Text
County Commission
postpones action on
subdivisions for 90 days
KAV S. PEDROTTI
kayspedrotti@gmail.com
Following a public
hearing on potential
changes in an ordinance
for subdivision devel
opment, and further
comments by citizens in
the regular meeting last
week, the Lamar County
board of commissioners
voted to table action on
the matter for 90 days.
Commission chair
Charles Glass said the
board needs more input
and that having more
time to consider the sub
division regulations will
enable the board to agree
on a plan that would best
serve the county in all
areas. Zoning administra
tor Amanda Buice said
there are other stipula
tions which could be in
cluded, such as lot sizes,
style of houses, minimum
square footage, conser
vation areas and usable
greenspace, water and
sewerage requirements
and others.
Commissioner Ben
nie Horton commented
that the extension of the
subdivision plan docu
ment and further work
by the commission “puts
us on board for coming
together to do what’s
best for the county.” The
board plans to vote on
extending or lifting the
moratorium on major
subdivisions at a special
called meeting in June.
Another town hall meet
ing will be scheduled
soon, Glass said.
Several citizens
expressed approval of
the 90-day extension for
more planning before
the final vote. Speakers
included Rick Stephen
son, Melissa Cline, Chase
Hassey, Elaine Hallada
and Bill Daniel.
The board unani
mously approved a
proclamation honor
ing the late John Perry
Walker Sr., the first Black
bailiff in Lamar County
courts, where he served
for 10 years. Horton read
the proclamation that
included Walker Sr.’s
long service to the com
munity independently
and through his church,
Antioch Baptist, where
he was a deacon. A U.S.
Army veteran of the
Korean War, he held posi
tions in several commu
nity clubs and organiza
tions and was employed
at Continental Tire for
51 years. His son, John
Perry Walker Jr., was
tearful in thanks to the
commission for honoring
his father’s memory.
In other action, the
commissioners:
• Voted to allow rezon
ing of property owned
by Clinton Middleton at
2889 Highway 36 East,
from agricultural-residen
tial to highway commer
cial, with restrictions on
the types of businesses
located on the property.
• Approved board
appointments for the
Region 04 Emergency
Medical Services Adviso
ry Board because of term
changes from two years
to three years as follows
- Douglas Matthews,
expiration June 30, 2023;
Dr. Robert Cox, expira
tion June 30, 2024.
• Took no action pend
ing discussion with other
counties on the Towaliga
Circuit Budget and Indi
gent Defense Budget.
• Discussed the
Pike County agreement
with Ameripro Medical
Transport may increase
the number of ambu
lances available in Lamar
County.
• Approved right-of-
way mowing at three cuts
this year.
• Approved pur
chase of a fire truck for
$504,374 from SPLOST
collections.
• Approved bids for
gym renovations totaling
$419,101; bids to build a
new gym had been sub
mitted at $3 million-plus.
• Accepted a report
by county administra
tor Sean Townsend that
$9,546,510.87 in SPLOST
funds has been collected
with 18 more months
remaining on the tax;
forecast is approximately
$130,000 per month.
The TSPLOST is fore
casted at $10,800,000
for its allowed duration.
Townsend said the col
lections are enabling
such needed purchases
as the new fire truck to
replace aging equipment.
Shooting victim tells story
FROM PAGE ONE
probationer. Additional
are pending both here
and in Pike County.
Wright reported one of
the bullets went into his
home, through two walls
and into a cupboard
where it shattered vari
ous items. “They got that
bullet out for ballistics,”
he added.
Wright was over
whelmed with the
response from his neigh
bors, friends, law en
forcement and especially
his fellow veterans.
“I’m kinda glad the po
lice got him first. There
were about 200 vets out
riding around looking for
that sonofabitch. There’s
no telling what would
have happened if they
had gotten there first,”
Wright concluded.
Tuesday, May 24,2022 ®[je Hgraltr <©a?ttte 3A
THE HERALD GAZETTE/WALTER GEIGER
Man seriously injured in bike crash
BPD officers and first responders attend to a motorcyclist who missed a curve on North College Drive May 19 and was
thrown onto the railroad right-of-way adjacent to the roadway. Chief Craig Cooper identified the man as Robin Everette Smith.
Smith was taken by ambulance to Atrium Health in Macon where he was listed in fair condition Friday. The crash happened at
about 1:40 p.m.
Local election today; polls open until 7 p.m.
Wise Smith. Lurking on
the November ballot will
be Libertarian Martin
Cowen.
Incumbent Commis
sioner of Agriculture
Gary W. Black is running
for US Senate. Those
in the race to replace
him are Republican
Tyler Harper, Democrats
Winfred Dukes, Nakita
Hemingway and Fred
Swann and Liberatarian
David Raudabaugh.
Incumbent Insurance
Commissioner John King
has two opponents in
the GOP primary. They
are Ben Cowart and Pat
rick Witt. Battling for the
Democrat nomination
are Raphael Baker, Janice
Laws Robinson and Mat
thew Wilson.
Incumbent State
School Superintendent
Richard Woods faces
John Barge in the Repub
lican primary. Democrats
seeking the post are
Currey Hitchens, Jaha V.
Howard, James Morrow,
Jr., and Alisha Thomas
Searcy.
Labor Commissioner
Mark Butler (R) is not
seeking reelection.
Democrats in this race
are William Boddie, Jr.,
Thomas Dean, Nicole
Horn, Lester G. Jackson,
111 and Nadia Surrency.
Republicans on the bal
lot are Kartik Bhatt, Mike
Coan and Bruce Thomp
son.
FROM PAGE ONE
representative Beth
Camp (R) faces chal
lenger Dan Brue (R). The
winner in that race has
no Democrat opposition
in the general election.
The most crowded
field of candidates can
be found in the race for
District 2 county com
missioner where incum
bent Bob Heiney is also
not seeking reelection.
Four Republicans are
seeking the nomination
in that race. They are
Don Coffey, William Dan
iel, Chase Hassey and
Jason Lovett. A runoff is
likely in that battle. The
winner will face Demo
crat U’Landa Barkley in
November.
Veteran District 2
school board member
Sue O’Neal also declined
to seek reelection. Robyn
L. Roche is running un
opposed for that spot.
Other Candidates
running unopposed:
Towaliga Circuit Judge
of Superior Court: Incum
bent Tommy Wilson.
School Board (at
large): Incumbent Danny
Turner(R).
School Board District
4: Incumbent Ron Smith
(R).
Races to be decided
in November:
State Senate Dist. 16:
Incumbent Marty Harbin
(R) vs. Pingke Dubignon
(D).
State
House
Dist. 134:
Incum
bent
David
Knight
(R) vs.
Anthony
Dickson
(D).
In the
gubernatorial battle, Sta
cey Abrams is the lone
Democrat in the race.
Battling incumbent Re
publican Brian Kemp for
the GOP nomination are
Catherine Davis, David
Perdue, Kandiss Taylor
and Tom Williams.
Lieutenant Governor
Geoff Duncan is not seek
ing reelection. Multiple
candidates are in this
race. The Democrat
candidates are Erick E.
Allen, Charlie Bailey,
Tyrone Brooks, Jr., Tony
Brown, Kwanza Hall,
Jason T. Hayes, Derrick
L. Jackson, R. Malik and
Renitta Shannon.
The Republicans bat
tling for the nomination
are Burt Jones, Mack
McGregor, Butch Miller
and Jeanne Seaver. Also
seeking the post is Liber
tarian Ryan Graham.
In the US Senate race,
incumbent Democrat
Raphael Warnock faces a
primary challenge from
fellow Democrat Tamara
Johnson-Shealey. Six Re
publicans
are bat
tling it out
for the
nomina
tion in the
primary.
They are
Gary W.
Black,
Josh
Clark, Kel
vin King,
Jonathan McColumn,
Latham Saddler and Her-
schel Walker.
In the 3rd District
Congressional race,
incumbent Republican
Drew Ferguson faces a
challenge from fellow
Republican Jared Craig
in the primary. The win
ner will face Democrat
challenger Val Almonord
in November.
Other statewide
races:
Secretary of State:
Incumbent Republican
Brad Raffensperger has
multiple challengers.
The Republicans are
David Belle Isle, Jody
Hice and T.J. Hudson.
The Democrats are Dee
Dawkins-Haigler, John
Eaves, Floyd Griffin, Bee
Nguyen and Michael
Owens.
Attorney General
Chris Carr faces fellow
Republican John Gordon
in the primary. Run
ning for the Democrat
nomination are Jennifer
Jordan and Christian
VOTE
Midway Baptist Church
158 City Pond Rd. • Pastor Rev. Charles Johnson
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