Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, March 24, 2021 - Pike County Journal Reporter - Page 3A
Molena approves internet service
through the city of Woodbury
BY DWAIN W. PENN
news@pikecountygeorgia.com
After conducting a
brief review of the pro
posed internet service at
the March 8 meeting, Mo
lena council approved,
based on provisional
information, to proceed
with acquiring internet
service through the city
of Woodbury.
“During the recent
budget workshop, clari
fication of the internet
service was exactly the
same as during the Feb
ruary council meeting,”
said mayor Joyce Corley.
“Explanation of addi
tional cost included the
use of the backhaul setup
as well as the optional
circuit setup.”
It was noted once the
city increases its service
infrastructure, slightly
more cost is incurred
to the city. But with the
increase of subscribers,
the cost of the backhaul
setup would be equal to
the circuit method and
the city has the option of
swapping mode of setup
to circuit, breaking its
affiliation with the city of
Woodbury.
Approved by unani
mous vote, Molena will
enter into a one year
contract with Woodbury
conditional on Woodbury
approving the contract
at their next meeting.
Pending Woodbury’s ap
proval, Molena will wait
on amending its budget
once the final cost is
known.
Other transactions
council has approved
are the purchase of a
new police car through
a First Bank of Pike loan
secured by a USDA grant,
and the investment of up
to $20,000 for a depend
able late model truck for
the public works depart
ment.
COUNCIL ALSO:
• Addressed public in
terest in receiving utility
bills by email and paying
through auto debit. Soft
ware is required to pro
cess bills through email
and use of auto debit.
• Heard from police
chief Novin Darsey the
city has a new volunteer
officer, a people-orient
ed individual with an
impressive resume. He
served with the Detroit
police department, Ful
ton County sheriff’s office
and most recently the
Griffin police.
• Declined the acquisi
tion of a fax bridge from
Nextiva, assessed as not
cost effective and would
be “clutter on the clerk’s
desk.”
• Discussed in depth
the merits of new finan
cial software to replace
QuickBooks for tax bill
ing. During evaluation,
EasyBill and EasyPay
were mentioned as com
ponents of the program.
In the long run, the soft
ware would be cheaper
than QuickBooks.
• Conducted a round
table discussion among
mayor and three attend
ing council members.
Glenn Beckham was
absent.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
At left, the
4-H Archery
Team com
petes, includ
ing (l-r) Ben
Parker, Ange
lina Gayhart,
Jared Rhymer
and Catherine
Hellwig.
4-H Archery Team wins top spots
The Pike County
Archery Team earned
several awards from
the 2021 Winter Virtual
Archery Contest. The
team competed Jan.
21 virtually from Dani-
elly Park at Life Springs
Church.
Several archers
received individual
medals including Seth
Bonner who placed
third in the senior male
compound division.
Angelina Gayhart took
home fourth place
in the senior female
compound division with
Cathy Hellwig taking
fifth place.
“Pike County 4-H is
extremely proud of all
their archers for com
peting during this un
usual season,” said 4-H
educator Penny Cosper.
GRAND JURY: True Bills, No Bills
FROM PAGE ONE
William Christopher
Kirkley, arson in the
second degree and two
counts theft by taking.
Chasity Nan Perry,
lottery ticket fraud,
forgery in the first
degree, theft by decep
tion.
Nicholas Lynn Truitt,
criminal attempt to
commit a felony.
Howatdrick Jamal
Jones, armed robbery.
Basil Scott Brown,
possession of a sched
ule 11 controlled sub
stance (oxycodone),
possession of metham-
phetamine, possession
of a drug related object,
possessions of a firearm
during commission of a
felony.
Steven Ellis Davison,
two counts terroristic
threats.
NO BILLS:
Carlene Lucretica
McDowell, aggravated
assault.
Timothy Lee Watkins
11, second degree crimi
nal damage to property.
Michael Paul Bo-
nacci, simple battery,
family violence, criminal
damage to property in
the second degree, cru
elty to children in the
third degree.
INTERNET: Installation to take years
FROM PAGE ONE
“If they are in a census
block where Conexon,
our partner, won grant
funds through the FCC’s
Rural Digital Opportunity
Fund Phase 1 auction last
fall, they will have access
to the service Conexon
Connect is providing,”
she said. “The goal is to
provide service to every
SRE member who wants
it as quickly as possible
but we do not have a
timeline developed yet.
Conexon is currently
navigating the FCC’s and
Georgia Public Service
Commission applica
tion process to receive
the funding won in the
RDOF auction. We want
everyone to understand
that there is a make-
ready process that has
to happen before actual
construction can even
begin and that will take
months to complete. So
people may see trucks in
their neighborhood but
that does not mean they
are already hanging fiber.
Our current infrastruc
ture has to made ready
to accommodate fiber in
addition to the electric
wire and other attach
ment currently on the
poles.”
The project is expect
ed to be complete in 4 to
5 years but construction
and subscriber connec
tions will take place in
phases based on the
system design, starting
at substations. The initial
goal of the fiber-to-the
home part of the project
is to provide high-speed
internet to every SRE
member who wants ser
vice.
“We are thrilled we
found Conexon to part
ner with and are confi
dent they will provide
the level of service our
members expect and
deserve. We will continue
to communicate mile
stones and new informa
tion with our members
frequently and consis
tently,” said Cook.
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