Newspaper Page Text
Page 2 — Wednesday, October 6, 2010, The True Citizen
Isakson to hold
‘open office day’
From Staff Reports
U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson has planned an “Open Office Day”
in Waynesboro this Thursday, Oct. 7.
Nancy Bobbitt, his Senior Field Representative for the Central
Savannah River Area (CSRA), will be available to constituents,
3-5 p.m., in the conference room of the Burke County Court
house.
Bobbitt will talk to residents about their views and concerns
on a number of issues concerning the federal government, fed
eral legislation and federal agencies, including Veterans Affairs,
the IRS, Medicare or the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration
Services.
“This open office day will help ensure that the views, con
cerns and local efforts of all Georgians are reflected in the op
eration of our office,” Isakson said.
Sardis adopts unfit
housing ordinance
ByTres Bragg
tresbragg @ bellsouth .net
Sardis City Council has been focused on beautifying the city
and recently adopted an unfit housing ordinance that will do just
that.
During last month’s city council meeting, members voted unani
mously to adopt an ordinance that will require property owners
to keep their property fit. According to the ordinance, the deter
mination that dwellings, buildings or structures are unfit depends
on whether or not they are dangerous or unsafe.
Documents point out the seven primary determinations of un
fit property including; defects that increase the hazards of fire,
accidents or other calamities, lack of adequate ventilation or light,
dilapidation, disrepair, structural defects, un-cleanliness and ad
ditional standards which may be adopted by the governing au
thority.
If property owners fail to comply with an order to repair or
demolish unfit properties, a court could order a demolition.
Tickets available
Celebrity Waiter Night
is next Thursday
By Elizabeth Billips
lizbillips@yahoo.com
It s not too late.
There are still a few seats left for next Thursday’s annual Celebrity
Waiter Night fundraiser in Downtown Waynesboro.
This year’s theme “Thursday Knight Football” will come to life as
a crew of waiters and waitresses volunteer to dress out in football and
cheerleader uniforms to raise money for the Downtown Organization
of Retailers (DOOR).
Their tips will help fund community events like Trick or Treat on
Liberty Street, Christmas on Lib
erty and the Boss Hog Cook-off.
While the 8 p.m. seating at Good
Day Cafe is already full, seats arc
available for 6 p.m. The menu in
cludes a choice of "Bulldog Bris
ket” or grilled chicken and shrimp
skewers.
Several tables are also up for
grabs at First Liberty Market
where Cajun and More will serve
bourbon basted baby back ribs and
charbroiled running back ribeyes.
Tickets for the Oct. 14 dinner
are $30 each and include entry into
the 9:30 p.m. after-party with mu
sician Keith Gregory.
To save a seat, contact any
waiter or call Nan Lynch or Amy
Lively at 706-554-8100.
THE SQUAD
Good Day Cafe
Hostess: Elva Raines
Bartenders: Tracy Quick and
Kim & Jerry Arrington
Waiters: Ben Knight & Jesse
Palmer IV and Lindsai Gentry &
Shae Ward
First Liberty Market:
Hostess: Jayne Brinson,
Bartenders: Craig Elliott, Mat
thew Jenkins and Art Lively
Waiters: Paul Cates & Pete
Cates, Jason Blackburn &
Gaines Story, Krystal Chance &
Denise Quick and Allie Randall
& Jessica Russell
Public meeting on
Vogtle’s new reactors
slated for Thursday
From Staff Reports
New reactors at Plant Vogtle will be the topic of a public meeting
tomorrow evening (Thursday).
Staff members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are taking
comments on preliminary findings that show there are no environ
mental impacts that should stop two new reactors from being built
and operated at Plant Vogde.
The environmental impacts were studied as part of Southern
Nuclear’s application for a Combined Operating License, which is the
final major federal hurdle that must be crossed before full scale con
struction may begin.
The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Augusta Technical College’s
Waynesboro/Burke Campus, and staff will also be available for infor
mal discussions with members of the public during an open house
session from 6-7 p.m.
Picture This
The True Citizen staff has been working hard to update our photo
gallery. Several new galleries have been added to our website and
can be viewed by visiting www.thetruecitizen.com. Click on the “Photo
Gallery” button in the top left corner of the page. Some of our new
galleries include Burke County and Edmund Burke football games,
Farm Fest 2010, Racks by the Tracks, UGA football, Edmund Burke
Cheer Fest and the Bird Dog Breakaway. New galleries will be added
on a weekly basis. Photos can be seen and purchased for as little as
$2.09 each. If you have any questions contact Tres Bragg at 706-554-
2111 Ext. 211.
Garbage trucks to go high-tech
By Elizabeth Billips
lizbillips@yahoo.com
New GPS technology could help save money and man-hours
for the City of Waynesboro.
Monday night, city council decided to invest around $13,600
in new GPS units and software to help manage Waynesboro’s
yard waste pick-up service.
According to city administrator Jerry Coalson, a system
mounted in the city’s garbage truck will enable employees to
pinpoint properties in need of city services with the touch of a
button.
“When the garbage collector is on his route on Tuesdays and
Wednesdays he can record the addresses of houses that have yard
waste out for pick-up by simply pushing a button,” Coalson said,
noting the system banks those addresses then generates a report
which will be handed over to the yard waste pick-up crew on
Thursdays. “Instead of driving all over town looking for leaves
and limbs, they’ll look at the list and go straight to the proper
ties.”
Coalson believes the purchase will quickly pay for itself by
saving up to a half-day’s work each week.
“We won’t waste that gas, that time or get that wear and tear on
our trucks,” he said.
The dashboard-mounted units will also allow employees to
record addresses of properties where residents are in violation of
city ordinances, rang
ing from animal con
trol issues to junk
piles and weeds.
Built-in cameras will
also allow for instant
documentation.
After start-up, the
system will cost
around $ 1,800 a year
to operate.
City council voted
5-0 to purchase the
system and software, with the exception of Portia Washington who
abstained.
“I want to know why we keep spending more money when we’re
not creating any jobs,” she said, adding that the crew’s current ride-
by method seemed to be working. "Every time we come to the table
we’re spending money ... we need to go through the budget first.”
Coalson said the system will be paid for with 2010 SPLOST rev
enue, which has come in much higher than expected, mostly due to
pre-construction work at Plant Vogtle.
Waynesboro officials were counting on the one-cent sales tax bring
ing in around $680,000 by the year’s end. But as of late September,
$701,000 had already been collected.
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Tttbeye Steak
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See Store
For Details
At Avery’s in Alexander
FREE HOTDOGS
LIVE MUSIC
Turkey Shoot To Follow
2:00 PM Until
'if your gun isn't worth a toot,
we’ll loan you one that will shoot'
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