Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, June 16, 2021 - Pike County Journal Reporter - Page 3A
Williamson council members discuss
sign ordinance violations in the city
BY DWAIN W. PENN
news@pikecountygeorgia.com
In response to recent
complaints during town
hall meetings of illegal
commercial signs in Wil
liamson, council debated
a remedy at the June 3
meeting to encourage
businesses in violation of
the city sign ordinance
to correct the problems
and foster cooperation
and compliance among
merchants.
“The sign code is
on the city website,”
said city clerk Karen
Brentlinger. “It clearly
states what types of
signs are permitted and
the process for applica
tion. It’s not compli
cated.”
As liaison between
the public and council,
Brentlinger urges lo
cal merchants to avoid
embarrassment of
having illegal signs on
their property. Perhaps
the reason a business
violates the local code,
they see other retailers
posting signs and assume
they are legal.
Prior to the June 3
meeting, mayor Steve
Fry went out to check
the conditions of local
streets for his monthly
report. Upon seeing sign
violations, he took pic
tures as evidence of the
problem.
“There were multiple
sign and poster viola
tions in the city,” said
Fry. “Do we enforce the
sign code by sending
out letters and revoke
licenses of businesses
that fail to comply?”
Most of council
agreed enforcing the sign
ordinance was worth it
to keep advertisements
from cluttering up the
business district land
scape.
Those businesses Fry
mentioned by name were
Dollar General, Georgia
BBQ, Papa Johns, Sub
way, The Whistle Stop
and the Wing Shop. To
understand what these
few businesses are doing
wrong, they only have to
compare their location
with two local merchants
without sign code viola
tions: Georgia Hair and
MRJ, the latter paying the
permit fee for their sign.
Signs deemed illegal
by Fry through interpre
tation of the code include
signs on rights-of way,
signs or posters seen
inside a store, or signs
visible from the business
property unless paid for
through a permit.
A popular trend which
could be considered
advertising leprosy
anywhere is pop-ups, as
sessed by Fry as simply
not being done the right
way.
Fry and council are
grateful for the business
es operating in William
son. They provide valu
able convenience and
commerce for residents
while helping the city
with taxes. But ever since
the commercial zoning
district in Williamson be
gan to flourish, residents
wanted the city to look
nice and retain as much
of the original historic
ambience as possible.
COUNCIL ALSO:
• Heard a special
election to fill the vacant
post 5 council seat will
be held on Sept. 21. Ads
will be purchased in July
for qualifying in August.
• Learned the monthly
power bill for the wa
ter tower pump has
increased from $22 to
$54 a month. The rea
son for the increase will
be investigated and if
reduction of the cost is
not possible, the current
price of $5 per 1,000 gal
lons for well water will
be increased.
• Received the May
library report of 84 pa
trons, $26.50 income and
45 books donated. The
summer reading program
started June 2 with 10
participants.
• Agreed to study the
current city building per
mit fee, currently at $200,
and consider amending
it to reflect a fair cost
based on the type of
work to be done.
• Heard the new
garbage service contrac
tor Am Waste of Georgia
LLC proposes no change
on cost of service and
charge per can. It was
noted the new business
will soon phase out the
recycling service and
combine all garbage into
one container which
will be transported to
Columbus for sorting out
recyclables and process
ing.
Scholarships awarded to Pike County students
The Concerned
Citizens for Pike County,
supported by the Pike
County Branch NAACP,
awarded scholarships to
high school seniors at
tending Pike County High
School and Upson-Lee
High School. A committee
selected students based
on grade point average
(GPA), SAT or ACT score,
letters of recommenda
tion and a biographical
essay. Each student was
awarded a scholarship in
the amount of $500.
“These students are to
be commended for the
stellar academic excel
lence exhibited during
their high school career,”
said Patricia Beckham
who is the president of
the Pike County Branch
of the NAACP.
Rev. Herman Lucas
is the president of the
Concerned Citizens for
Pike. The Hilltop Commu
nity, located in Concord,
Georgia, awarded a schol
arship in the amount of
$500 to Lakiya Hooks. She
was a senior in the Class
of 2021 at Pike County
High School. After gradu
ation, she plans to attend
the Fort Valley State
University. She enjoys
playing softball and hang
ing out with friends in her
leisure time. She is the
daughter of Godfrey Ma-
hone and Nicole Harris.
Jada Willis is a Pike
County High School Hon
or Graduate. She plans to
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
Students from Pike County High School who earned the Pike County Branch NAACP scholar
ships include (l-r) Ma’Sherie Blackmon, Lakiya Hooks, Tayla Moreland and Jada Willis.
attend Kennesaw State
University and major in
middle grades education
with a concentration in
mathematics. Jada plans
to teach math to middle
grade students because
she sees a need in this
age group. She enjoys
playing basketball, shop
ping and riding horses.
Jada is the daughter of
Roosevelt and Manika
Willis.
JaVion O’Neal is a 2021
Pike County High School
Honor Graduate. He plans
to attend the University
of West Georgia in the fall
to purse a degree in busi
ness with a minor in elec
trical technology. JaVion
plans to own his own
business after he finishes
college. He enjoys spend
ing time with friends and
playing basketball. JaVion
is the son of Andre John
son and Maurice and
Janelle Ogletree.
Ma’Sherie Blackmon
is a senior at Pike County
High School. She is a
member of the Beta
Club. After graduation
Ma’Sherie plans to attend
Gordon State College
to pursue a degree in
computer science and
become a software en
gineer. She enjoys shop
ping, cooking, playing
card games and taking
care of her puppy, Pedro.
Ma’Sherie is the daughter
of Marcus and Kimberly
Blackmon.
Tayla Moreland is a
senior at Pike County
High School. She is an
athlete who excels in
track and has won many
awards in the region and
at the state level. Be
cause of her astounding
track abilities, she was
awarded a track scholar
ship from Kennesaw State
University. Tayla plans to
pursue a degree in physi
cal therapy and aspires
to be a fitness trainer.
Tayla is the daughter
of Reginald and Tammy
Moreland.
Zykia Buffin is an
Javion O’Neal earned one of
the Pike NAACP scholarships.
Upson-Lee High School
All-A Honor graduate. She
is a member of the Beta
Club and National Honor
Society. Zykia plans to
attend Gordon State Col
lege to pursue a degree
in nursing. She aspires to
become an obstetrician-
gynecologist nurse and
one day own and operate
an OB-GYN facility in her
hometown. She is the
daughter of Eddie Raven
Parks, III and Sharon
Parks.
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PUBLIC NOTICE
CITY OF CONCORD
The Concord Planning & Zoning Com
mission will hold a meeting on Tuesday,
July 6, 2021 at 6:00 PM, at Concord City
Hall, 50 Main Street, Concord, GA.
#110 6/16
PUBLIC NOTICE
CITY OF ZEBULON
QUALIFYING FEES
Pursuant to Code Section 21-2-131 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, the City of Zebulon Mayor and Council,
at its January 12, 2021 meeting, set the qualifying fees for the
upcoming general election for those desiring to seek election
for the Zebulon City Council at $35.00.
#111 6/16
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COVID-19 cases in Pike drop
below 10 over the past 2 weeks
Confirmed cases of
COVID-19 in Pike County
have decreased to nine
cases over the past two
weeks, down from 14 in
the previous two-week
period.
The number of con
firmed deaths due to
the illness remains at 28
and there have been a
total of 1,098 confirmed
cases since the pandemic
started, with 15 probable
deaths and 76 hospital
izations.
Vaccinations are now
available for residents 12
and older.
Pfizer is the only
COVID vaccine that is
available for children
12 through 17 years old
and residents are en
couraged to schedule
appointments at CVS or
Walgreens and to ensure
the Pfizer vaccine is
available.
To make a vaccine
appointment through the
Health Department Vac
cine Scheduling Resource
Line, call 888-457-0186
Monday through Friday
from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and
Saturday through Sunday
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In Pike County, 21
percent of citizens are
fully vaccinated at 3,856
citizens. There are 4,284
citizens in Pike - or 23
percent of citizens - who
have at least one dose of
the vaccine.
Statewide, 35 percent
of citizens are fully vac
cinated and 41 percent
have at least one dose of
the vaccine.
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