Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, March 3, 2021 - Pike County Journal Reporter - Page 3A
Williamson moves forward with festival plans
BY DWAIN W. PENN
news@pikecountygeorgia.com
Despite twelve months
of dealing with COV1D 19,
the federal government
down to local municipali
ties still face challenges
disrupting social norms,
all compounded by
pervasive grief as deaths
soar above a half million.
One year ago the city
of Williamson made the
prudent decision to
cancel the second annual
Wisteria Festival. Other
plans and events delayed
by the virus were the
disk golf course Eagle
Scout project and the
county-wide bag toss
tournament. With deter
mination and tenacity in
this new year, Williamson
council made the deci
sion at the Feb. 4 meet
ing to host the Wisteria
Festival in April.
“The Wisteria Festival
will be held Friday and
Saturday, April 2 and 3
which is the weekend
of Easter,” said council-
woman Carol Berry.
“There will be a limit of
50 vendors, even though
we had 75 to register
last year. The 50 will be
spaced farther apart,
using more of the park,
than they were in 2019.
Four bands have signed
up to play.”
“Because it is Easter,
we will have an egg hunt
for the children. Volun
teers are needed and will
be assigned jobs such as
driving the people wagon
and posting signs. The
scouts will handle park
ing. With an increase in
COV1D vaccinations and
the anticipated reduction
of infection and mortality
rates, we are hopeful of
hosting a good festival.”
Eagle Scout William
Gray shared an update
on the disc golf course,
construction expected to
start soon with help from
Gray’s fellow scouts. The
pandemic temporarily
slowed commerce, limit
ing business and private
contributions. Dona
tions are still coming in
to cover the cost of the
project and materials will
be purchased soon. It is
uncertain if the venue
will be ready by April.
Councilman Tom
Brown, who conceived
the idea for the bag toss
tournament, said plans
were on track waiting for
improved pandemic num
bers. Although the idea
generated buzz on social
media last year, the tour
naments will begin when
the public feels it is safe
to participate.
COUNCIL ALSO:
• Paused to reflect on
the life of Benson Hilley
who recently passed.
Mayor Steve Fry noted
Hilley was honored at his
retirement from council
as one of the longest
municipal office holders
in the state. He was a tre
mendous attribute to the
city and a special memo
rial is planned improving
the Benson Hilley Park.
• Heard the city had
a total surplus among
three budgets in excess
of $575,000.
• Heard of slow prog
ress on the amphitheater
yet the existing structure
will be used at the Wis
teria Festival. Estimates
for further work on the
project will be sought
once an RFP draft is
ready Feb. 26 to compare
with the current contrac
tor’s quote.
• Received the library
report for January: 181
patrons and $510.75
income; $477 of that was
received through a suc
cessful book sale.
• Learned all problems
with noise created by
Sanoah Springs venue has
been solved to the satis
faction of both entities.
• Heard the emergency
generator grant came
through and installment
will be done prior to the
deadline for use of funds.
• Approved to move
ahead with a special
election if possible at an
estimated cost of $8,000.
• Approved to look at
other options for internet
service while waiting for
report of Concord’s start
up experience.
• Approved to have
the county issue a stop
work order on business
operations adjacent to
the old BP property.
Major reasons for action
included meeting state
health department re
quirements, setbacks and
submission of ownership
and lease documents.
• Approved the $8,000
bid for repairs to the old
fire house.
• Approved update on
the amended application
for city permits.
• Approved update to
the amended schedule of
fees: $25/ day for rental
of caboose or library
ANIMAL: Shelter under construction, nears completion
PHOTO BY RACHEL McDANIEL / PIKE COUNTY JOURNAL REPORTER
Rains have delayed construction but work continues on the inside of the new Pike Animal
Shelter. Pictured are animal control officer Tanya Perkins (r) and assistant William Owensby.
FROM PAGE ONE
One person from each
municipality in Pike can
volunteer to serve on the
board as well although
they do not have voting
rights and the only person
to volunteer so far is Steve
Fry, mayor of Williamson.
The first board meeting is
currently being planned.
Rogers said no policies
have been outlined for the
adopting/placing of strays
in the shelter.
“For the foreseeable fu
ture the county is going to
continue to operate under
the current ordinances,”
he said.
“People need to know
an animal shelter and
animal control are two
different things,” said
animal control officer
Tanya Perkins. “In refer
ence to animal control, 1
would advise the citizens
to read the Chapter 91
Animal Control Ordi
nance for Pike County. As
animal control officer and
director, it is my duty to
enforce the Pike County
Animal Control Ordinance.
The animal shelter should
have its own separate
ordinance in place to be
run as a shelter.”
The following are a few
definitions from Section
91.04 of the Animal Con
trol Ordinance for Pike
County.
A “DANGEROUS DOG”
is one that:
a) Causes a substantial
puncture of a person’s
skin by teeth without
causing serious injury;
provided, however, that a
nip, scratch, or abrasion
shall not be sufficient to
classify a dog as danger
ous under this subpara
graph;
b) Aggressively attacks
in a manner that causes
a person to reasonably
believe that the dog posed
an imminent threat of
serious injury to such
person or another person
although no such injury
occurs; provided, howev
er, that the acts of barking,
growling, or showing of
teeth by a dog shall not be
sufficient to classify a dog
as dangerous under this
subparagraph; or c) While
off the owner’s property,
kills a pet animal; pro
vided, however, that this
subparagraph shall not
apply where the death of
such pet animal is caused
by a dog that is working or
training as a hunting dog,
to predator control dog.
Per the ordinance
(section 91.04 Z), a “VI
CIOUS DOG” is: any dog
that inflicts serious injury
on a person or causes
serious injury to a person
resulting from reasonable
attempts to escape from
the dog’s attack.
Per the ordinance
(section 91.04 R), a “NUI
SANCE DOG” is one that:
a. Attacks or acts so as
to menace citizens off of
its owner’s property, or at
tacks or acts as a menace
to pedestrians or other
persons using public
ways.
b. Attacks or acts to
menace pets or livestock
off its owner property.
c. Repeatedly runs
at-large, causing destruc
tion or theft of personal
property while at-large,
causing and accumula
tion of waste on another
person’s property while at
large and/or harassing a
property owner while at-
large; or e. Is left in unsani
tary conditions causing
excessive odors, etc.
Minimum, local fine
amounts for violations of
the Pike County Animal
Control Ordinance Plus
court costs:
1) Dangerous and
vicious dog incidents
involving pets only: $250
2) Dangerous and
vicious dog incidents
involving humans: $500
3) Animal nuisance
incidents: $100
5) Dumping of animals
along roadways or aban
doning animals on proper
ties, and other instances
of animal cruelty: $500
6) Dogs running-at-large
in restraint districts: $50
7) Failure to provide
proper rabies inocula
tions: $100
8) Keeping of wildlife
or exotic animals without
county approval: $500.
Molena council hears about local
internet options, citizen requests
BY DWAIN W. PENN
news@pikecountygeorgia.com
Molena council intro
duced a new concept
at its Feb. 8 meeting. It
enhances communication
with residents for a vast
array of city business.
For years the city has
provided a forum to al
low public comments pri
or to calling the monthly
council meeting to order.
For February, comments
and/or questions via
phone calls, texts, emails,
or Facebook messaging
were published in the
agenda and responses
given as needed.
Chris, a McCrary Road
resident, was one of sever
al visitors at the meeting
anticipating positive inter
net service news. He said
he was currently paying
$115 a month for internet
and the recent announce
ment of two local electric
membership corporations
pursuing internet service
for their customers was
encouraging.
The first phone com
ment inquired about the
city tennis courts. A posi
tive response was the
recent resurfaced courts
will have lines painted
and nets installed. The
next query dealt with
restoring the old walking
track behind the park.
Unfortunately labor cost
prohibits taking any
action at this time. Two
callers suggested the
city’s Facebook page be
used to share news of
monthly meetings and
other events in the city.
The invited guest was
David Stewart of Aire-
spring, the internet ser
vice company currently
doing work in Woodbury,
Concord and eventually
Williamson. Stewart gave
a brief summary of work
required to bring fiber
optic service and inter
net to Molena including
the installation of nomi
nal equipment at the
homes and businesses of
customers.
According to Stewart,
the city has two choices
of independent contrac
tors that will install the
fiber optics and charge
a monthly fee for the
service. One costs $1,800
per month and the other
$1,550 per month. Stew
art encouraged council
that if it chose not to go
that route, the city of
Woodbury will look into
the possibility of aiming
a radio signal to Molena
and propagating the ser
vice 100 feet above the
city from the top of the
water tank to customers
within a certain radius
as environmental condi
tions allow.
Councilman Glenn
Beckham said he was in
favor of the city going
it alone. Councilman
Damon Riggins expressed
the consensus of council
to wait until after a bud
get workshop resulting in
a decision being tabled
until the next council
meeting. Meanwhile,
it was mentioned that
Georgia district 131 Rep.
Beth Camp has promised
to send information on
a potential grant to aid
in the procurement of
internet service.
COUNCIL ALSO:
• Heard the next quali
fying to fill the vacant
post 3 council seat will
be held in August in time
for the November elec
tion, if necessary.
• Approved to proceed
with application for a
new police car and pay it
back through the USD A
grant.
• Heard the city’s
SPLOST wish list is due
by June.
Your hometown restoration and roofing experts!
VACCINATION: For sailor from Pike
FROM PAGE ONE
“We can accept nothing
less than success,” said
Gilday.
Though there are
many opportunities for
sailors to earn recogni
tion in their command,
community and careers,
Dublin is most proud
of becoming a part of a
family.
As a member of the
U.S. Navy, Dublin, as
well as other sailors,
know they are a part of a
service tradition provid
ing unforgettable experi
ences through leadership
development, world
affairs and humanitarian
assistance. Their efforts
will have a lasting effect
around the globe and for
generations of sailors
who will follow.
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