Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, October 27, 2021 - Pike County Journal Reporter - Page 3B
SPECIAL PHOTOS
Airman First Class Cameron A. Cooper performs a post flight inspection of a C-17 aircrew
member’s helmet. He is assigned to the 437th Operation Support Squadron at Joint Base
Charleston in South Carolina.
Cameron Cooper serves at Joint
Base Charleston; sister at PCMS
Airman First Class
Cameron A. Cooper is
currently serving in the
U.S. Air Force in the
437th Operation Sup
port Squadron at Joint
Base Charleston in South
Carolina. The base is part
of the Air Mobility Com
mand Unit. Airman First
Class Cooper graduated
from Pike County High
School in 2020. Cooper
left for basic training at
Lackland AFB in Texas in
January 2021, then went
to Shephard AFB in Texas
for Tech School and is
now in Charleston for his
first duty station.
“1 never really under
stood the sacrifices that
military service members
and their families made
until 1 became a military
mom. 1 am just begin
ning to see what they go
through to defend our
freedoms and serve our
country. We are super
proud of what it took for
him to get there and to
fullfil his dream. He is do
ing very well and loving
his job,” said his mother
Mary Cooper.
The 437th and 315th
Airlift Wings provide
rapid global mobility
using the largest fleet of
the C-17 Globemaster 111.
They deliver armored
vehicles, medical efforts,
paratroopers and cargo
where needed. The 628th
Air Base Wing and the
Naval Support Activ
ity provide installation
support services to more
than 60 mission partners
and 90,000 service mem
bers, retirees and fami
lies. Approximately, 20%
of all jobs in the Charles
ton Metropolitan area are
tied to JB Charleston.
Airman First Class
Cooper is the son of
Wren and Mary Cooper
and his sister Taylor Coo
per, all of Pike County.
Taylor recently
graduated from Geor
gia Southern Univer
sity as a music educa
tor and started her
first job as Pike County
Middle School’s choir di
rector in August.
“We are super blessed
that she was able to
come back to her home
town and find a teaching
job in music,” said Mary.
Taylor Cooper recently started her first teaching job at Pike
County Middle School as the music educator.
Veteran and Military
of Year nominations
needed
Pike County Middle
School is now accepting
nominations for its an
nual Veteran of the Year
and Active Military of the
Year Awards.
Nominations must
in the form of an essay
as to why the person
should receive the honor.
It should include name,
branch of service, years
served, medals and
by Nov. 1
ribbons earned and any
other relevant informa
tion. For veterans, any
veteran organizations,
community service, et
cetera will be helpful.
The deadline for
nominations is Nov. 1.
Nominations can be sent
to Todd Child at Pike
County Middle School or
e-mailed to childt@pike.
kl2.ga.us.
Concord council talks
millage rate increase
BY DWAIN W. PENN
news@pikecountygeorgia.com
The October 12 meet
ing of Concord council
was amenable from
the beginning with a
welcome of a new city
resident attending the
proceedings. Sharing of
reports followed with
the usual topics of ways
and means, water depart
ment, street department
and the Strickland build
ing.
The first item of new
business was the 2021
millage rate.
From the subject arose
the challenge of how to
finance the 2022 budget
without a major increase
in city taxes. During
discussion, one council
member observed, “We
have suddenly become
like the federal govern
ment.”
“The current tax
digest didn’t show an
expected increase,” said
mayor John Strickland.
“There was a slight
decrease in the digest. If
we keep last year’s mill-
age rate, the city will fall
$72,000 under budget.
To cover the budget, the
tax rate must be raised
from 6.2 to 7.65 mils. To
help reduce that increase
we can use some of our
budget surplus to cover
the difference.”
If the millage rate is
increased to finance the
budgets, it is an increase
of less than 25%. Howev
er, the mayor and council
vowed to do everything
possible to reduce the
tax burden on residents.
Budget hearings will
be held at city hall on
Thursday, October 28
and Tuesday, November
2, both starting at 6:30
p.m.
COUNCIL ALSO:
• Heard from water su
perintendent Doug Neath
the good news that duck
weed on the wastewater
ponds is under control.
But getting sunlight to
the ponds has caused
the algae to bloom which
is being controlled by
chemicals.
• Heard from the
mayor that speed bumps
were removed from a city
street prior to paving
and they haven’t been
reinstalled.
• Learned the Jubilee
will have 113 vendors,
fewer foods yet a variety,
and new craft vendors.
• Heard from deputy
clerk Anita Neath the city
is still negotiating a con
tract for the Strickland
building keyless system.
• Heard a Pike County
Family Connections pre
sentation from director
Michael Powell. As part
of their literacy outreach,
more books will be given
away at public events.
• Learned through the
mayor the county com
missioners are encourag
ing municipalities to have
a float in the Christmas
parade as practice for
the county’s bicentennial
celebration in December
2022.
• Heard the city has 48
internet customers and
that number is increasing
steadily.
SPECIAL PHOTOS
At left,
kindergarten
students who
were selected
as Septem
ber Students
of the Month
at Pike
County Pri
mary School
include Lacey
Bowlden,
Briar Bowl
den, Amory
Clower, Scar
lett Davis, Lo
gan Valeich,
Kamrynn
Bryan, Bray-
lynn Story
and Aaron
Hamlin. Not
pictured are
Sophia Pate
and Brilynn
God bee.
PCES honors Students of the Month
At right,
first graders
who were
selected as
September
Students of
the Month
at Pike
County
Primary
School in
clude Remi
Boyt, John
Patrie, Bent
ley Stansell,
Teah Mone,
Tinlee
Leather-
man, Karlee
Martinez,
Presleigh
Spradlin,
Caylee
Totzeck,
Raegan
Fulgham
and Avalynn
Poole. Not
pictured is
Zoey Dock
ery.
«%:;v
At left, sec
ond graders
who were
selected as
September
Students of
the Month at
Pike County
Primary
School in
clude Zain
Momin, Beau
Williams,
Gunner
Hayes, Stella
Gillies, May-
lee McIntyre,
Easton
Walker, Pyper
Valeich, Auria
Willis, Brooks
Stephens,
Aubree
Bruce, Koah
Ivester, Gray
son Potter
and Ryann
Bates.