Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 - Pike County Journal Reporter - Page 5A
County accepts grant, settles on hotel tax and talks Bicentennial
At their April 27 meet
ing, commissioners voted
to accept a Juvenile Delin
quency Prevention Grant,
settled on the rates for
the county’s Hotel/Motel
Excise Tax Ordinance and
heard about the upcom
ing Bicentennial celebra
tion for Pike County in
December 2022.
County manager Bran
don Rogers informed
commissioners of a
$20,000 grant for juvenile
delinquency prevention
in Pike. Commissioners
approved the grant and
authorized the chairman
to sign it.
Commissioners ap
proved a 5% tax rate
collection for hotels and
motels in the county.
The tax would require
all support through
contracts with the state,
state department, state
authority or CVB. County
manager Rogers said that
2% of the tax can only go
to a 501(c)6, adding that
Pike County only has one
that qualifies and that’s
the Chamber of Com
merce. He said the other
3% of the hotel/motel tax
would go to the county.
David Allen addressed
the board about a Bicen
tennial celebration in
December 2022 to mark
the 200th anniversary of
Pike becoming a county.
He suggested the celebra
tion include events each
quarter of the year 2022.
Rogers had an idea of cre
ating a time capsule and
Allen agreed. Allen sug
gested the county create
a Bicentennial committee
to help plan the events.
THE COUNTY ALSO:
• Accepted bids and
awarded the low bidder
McLeRoy Inc. pend
ing further review for
the Old Zebulon Road
culvert replacement job
at $202,000 which will in
clude the demolition and
removal of the existing
culvert and pipe.
• Approved David
Brisendine Jr. to fill an
unexpired term on the
Pike County Joint Board
of Elections and Registra
tion.
• Approved the land
scaping around Gresham
Road Fire Station #8 to
be paid for by the Nelson
Memorial Foundation at
no cost to the county.
• Held a public hearing
and approved preliminary
and final plats for a six-lot
major subdivision called
Woods Family Subdivision
with an interior private
road at 1576 Old Zebulon
Road in Zebulon. The
property is 55.44 acres
and each proposed lot will
be larger than the three-
acre minimum with the
smallest at 5 acres and the
largest at 10.6 acres.
• Held a public hearing
and approved a special
exception to allow Sheryl
E. Westbrook to create a
private family cemetery
on her property at 1346
Hagans Mountain Road,
Meansville by combin
ing two 10-acre parcels
and following all county
requirements.
• Heard commission
ers held an all-day retreat
recently to discuss
information shared at
the all-day retreat with
department heads.
PHOTO BY RACHEL McDANIEL
Pike’s county seat has
changed locations and the
courthouses have undergone
many changes since the coun
ty was established in 1822.
Commissioners discussed a
Bicentennial celebration.
Counterfeit pills may
contain fentanyl
District 4 Public
Health is making the
public aware of coun
terfeit pills involved in
suspect overdoses which
may be sold as Xanax
or Percocet and contain
fentanyl.
“Carroll, Coweta, Hen
ry, Spalding and Troup
Counties have begun
experiencing overdoses
that may be attributed
to counterfeit pills,” said
Hayla Folden of District 4
Public Health.
The Georgia Depart
ment of Public Health
(DPH) alerted communi
ty partners in early April
of a possible cluster of
overdoses related to
counterfeit pills
The information re
ceived from DPH warned
counterfeit pills may
be driving increased
overdoses in Richmond
County, the Coastal
Health District, and
the Northwest Health
District. There is also
limited evidence that
these counterfeit pills
may be in other areas
across Georgia.
Providers seeing un
usual overdose activity
or suspect the presence
of possible counterfeit
pills in your area, please
call the Georgia Poison
Center at 1-800-222-1222
or contact the Drug
Surveillance Unit at
ga.opioidprogram@dph.
ga.gov.
In all cases, people are
advised to call 911 imme
diately upon discovering
a possible case of opioid
overdose.
ARREST REPORT
Between April 26, and Sunday, May 2, Pike County
law enforcement agencies made the following arrests:
PIKE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE:
Gloria Payne, 53, driving while license suspended
or revoked and following too closely;
Alvin Orlando Smith, 37, wanted in Monroe County;
Denidre Ticoris Willis, 20, expired or no registra
tion or title and no insurance;
Kevin Daniel Blair, 34, littering highway;
Madison Alexa Cock, 20, disorderly conduct;
Joseph Murphy Morgan, 33, simple battery;
Arthur Fewis Parks, 65, DU1 alcohol, DU1 less safe,
failure to drive within single lane and possession of
marijuana less than one ounce;
Anthony Andrews, 30, receipt, possession or transport
of fire arm by convicted felon or felony first offender;
Corey Brianna Byram, 27, warrants in Bibb County;
James Willis Price, 20, probation violation (when
probation terms are altered) for fingerprintable charge;
Veronica Faye Roberts, 33, here for court;
Dustin Alan Robinson, 30, habitual violator.
ZEBULON POLICE DEPARTMENT:
Tawanna Williams, 36, no insurance, speeding and
driving while license withdrawn.
Public meetings
The next scheduled meetings in Pike County are:
• Pike County commission, Wednesday, May 12, 9 a.m. in
the main, upstairs courtroom of the courthouse
• Concord city council, Tuesday, May 11,7 p.m., city hall
• Meansville council, Monday, May 10, 7 p.m., Meansville city
hall, 6:45 p.m.
• Molena city council, Monday, May 10, 6 p.m., city hall
• Pike County agribusiness authority, Thursday, May 20,
7 p.m., Farm Bureau office.
• Pike County board of appeals, Thursday, May 20,6 p.m.
• Pike County board of education, Tuesday, May 11,6 p.m.,
Board Room at the Pike County Schools Memorial Annex.
• Pike County library board, Thursday, May 13, 4:30 p.m.,
J. Joel Edwards Public Library.
• Pike planning commission, Thursday, May 13, 6:30 p.m.
• Pike County tax assessors, Tuesday, May 18, meeting at 9
a.m., Pike EMA/Storage Facility, 1132 Twin Oaks Road; office
closed to public each Wednesday so staff can complete 2021
Tax Digest applications, prebill mobile home appeals and
real and personal property returns.
• Pike County water authority meeting, Thursday, May 20,
7:30 a.m., authority building.
• Williamson city council, Thursday, May 6, 7 p.m.,
Williamson city hall. 6:30 p.m., workshop regarding purchas
ing and contract services, public invited to attend.
• Zebulon city council, Tuesday, May 11,3 p.m.
• Zebulon Downtown Development Authority, Tuesday,
May 18, 7 p.m., A Novel Experience, 426 Thomaston St.
• Board of elections and registration, 4 p.m. Tuesday, May
18, in the commissioners’ conference room.
• Pike County Parks and Recreation Authority, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, May 18, EMA facility.
Williamson Music Barn: Open Fridays at 6 p.m. Book
ings: Donna, 770-375-8490; Info: Sandra, 770-595-6947.
National Day of Prayer: Thursday, May 6 at noon
on the south side of the courthouse square. Info: RO.
Box 1263, Zebulon, 770-689-7549, prayerpower4u@
bellsouth.net or online at prayerpower4u.net/event-
single/events/.
Chestnut Oak Bull Bash: Friday, May 7 and Satur
day, May 8 at the Chestnut Oak Arena at 943 Sandefur
Road in Meansville. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the
event starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets available at the Pike
or Upson County Farm Bureau offices, Circle R Feed
in Zebulon, online at Facebook.com/ChestnutOak-
Arena or by calling 678-603-3815.
Pike County Democratic Party meeting: May 20 at
7 p.m. at A Novel Experience with guest speaker Dis
trict 131 Rep. Beth Camp. Call 770-584-3909 to submit
questions for her.
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OBITUARIES
Marty Harris
Mr. William Marvin “Marty” Harris, age 59, of Mil
ner, passed away May 1, 2021. He was born in Griffin,
son of the late Marvin E. Harris and Pat Jones York.
Marty was a 1979 gradu
ate of Pike County High
School, where he enjoyed
playing baseball. He worked
for Southern Company for
35 years before retiring as
an Engineering Analyst.
Marty enjoyed hunting and
watching the Braves. When
his girls were young, he
and Diane traveled all over
the country watching them
in gymnastics and soccer.
Marty, known as Papa to his
five beautiful granddaugh
ters, adored them and loved
spending time with them.
In addition to his par
ents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Beverly
Gish and his nephew, Brandon Gish.
He is survived by his wife: Diane Lynch Harris;
daughters and sons-in-law: Courtney and Denny
Dunn, and Lauren and Blake Rector; granddaughters:
Brookelyn, Kyndall, Ellyana, Cheyanne, and Cecilia;
brother: Gordon Statham; father-in-law and mother-in-
law: Doug and Linda Lynch; brother-in-law and sister-
in-law: Keith and Teresa Lynch; niece and nephews:
Kayla and Greg Dennis, Kaleb Lynch, Kolby Lynch,
and Olivia Lynch.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May
5, 2021 at 2 p.m. at Rock Springs Church, 219 Rock
Springs Road, Milner. Dr. Benny Tate and Pastor Cam
eron Shiflett will officiate. Burial will follow in Moody
Memorial Gardens in Zebulon.
Friends may visit the family on Wednesday from
1-2 p.m. at the church.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the
Chordoma Foundation, PO. Box 2127, Durham, NC
27702 or at chordomafoundation.org.
Moody-Daniel Funeral Home is assisting the family
with arrangements.
CHURCH BULLETINS
New Hebron Baptist Church: May 16, 3 p.m., a
special celebration of life service will be held honor
ing the memory of Rev. Bill Lawrence of Molena. Pas
tor Lawrence served over 12 years at New Hebron as
pastor for the last two surviving members: Fred John
son Jr. and Miss Mary Johnson. Dwain Penn will speak
for about 20 minutes, then allow any visitors to share
their personal memories of Brother Lawrence. Come
expecting a blessing.
Pine Mountain Holiness Church: Monthly food
bank every third Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A short
application must be filled out for first time patrons.
Open to anybody.
Teach Your Children
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when
he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
This is the verse we usually hear at every baby dedication. I agree there
couldn’t be a more suitable verse for this occasion. What an incredible re
sponsibility God has placed on parents, one of the biggest responsibilities
there could ever be.
As a grown adult with no children, I am growing more and more thankful
for this verse. I see a world spinning out of control. What was right is now
wrong and what was wrong is now right. My brother and I just look at each
other in utter disbelief and disgust in some of the things we see and hear.
Although we are grown, our parents’ expectations haven’t changed and we
have those same expectations for ourselves. But, most importantly, God’s ex
pectations haven’t changed. If God is the same today, tomorrow and forever,
and we know He is then His expectations aren’t going to change. If it was
once wrong, it is still wrong. What was right is still right.
As we celebrate our moms this coming Sunday, I’m so thankful for a mama
who brought me up in the ways of the Lord and those ways of life are still
With me today. Written by, Machelle McCoy
(C CHRIST CHAPEL
COMMUNITY CHURCH
68 Old Zebulon Rd. - Zebulon
770-567-1141
Services: Sunday 8:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. & 11 a.m.
BARNESVILLE MARBLE &
GRANITE COMPANY
Serving Middle Georgia For 110 Years
Designers & Manufacturers of
Marble, Granite & Bronze Since 1908
George & Janice Moore
770-358-1470
124 Railroad St., Barnesville, GA 30204