Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 140, No. 23 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Established in 1882
Wednesday, July 29, 2020 - $1.00
Carswell denies guilt after felony arrest
ROY F. CHALKER JR.
rchalker@bellsouth.net
Waynesboro Mayor
Gregory Carswell says he
is not guilty of the charges
which led to his arrest in
Statesboro Monday.
Carswell said this week
that he voluntarily turned
himself in after learning a
warrant had been issued. He
was booked by the Statesboro
Police Department on felony
charges including two counts
of theft by deception and
identity theft fraud when using
or possessing identifying
information concerning a
person. He was released after
posting a $10,000 bond.
In his official statement,
Carswell added that, “we
plan to work with authorities
to address these issues and
make sure that the persons
responsible will be arrested
and convicted. My attorney
has instructed me to limit the
scope of my conversation as
this is an ongoing investigation
and other questions can be
addressed by him.”
Detective Sgt. Patrick
Harrelson of the SPD told The
True Citizen Tuesday that the
arrest stemmed from incidents
which occurred as early as
September of last year and
that there may be additional
charges filed. He added that
the complaints came from
Carswell’s former employer, a
title pawn firm called “Check
Into Cash.”
According to reports, the
Burke County Sheriffs Office
notified Carswell about the
warrants and told him he
needed to turn himself in.
Carswell’s attorney, Grady
Blanchard, who is also a part-
time judge of the Waynesboro
Municipal Court, told WRDW
TV that Carswell is being
cooperative with authorities
and that he would not be
resigning from office.
Mayor Gregory Carswell
—FINAL—
DISMISSAL
After months of worrying, wondering and waiting, the Burke County High School Class of 2020 was finally able to hold its com
mencement ceremony amid the current coronavirus pandemic. For the first time, graduation was held on the Bears’ football
field, where students and their guests were all seated in compliance with social distancing recommendations. Nancy Pearce,
a beloved front office worker affectionally dubbed as the original “Mama Bear” retired after serving BCHS for many years,
and seniors requested that she be a speaker at graduation. She is pictured above closing out the ceremony with the speech
she used to give students at the end of the day prior to going home. The BCHS Class of 2020 had a total of 264 graduates.
Waynesboro hires
new attorney
DIANA ROYAL • jdianaroyal@gmail.com
The City of Waynesboro’s choice in a new attorney came down
to the mayor’s tie-breaking vote.
In a called meeting on Thursday, council members favored two
law firms above the pool of five. As the approximately 15-minute
long meeting began, councilman Willie “Leroy” Williams
made a motion to award the bid to Fleming and Nelson, one of
only two firms in the CSRA that specialize in providing legal
services to local governments. Bill Tinley seconded the motion,
and Dick Byne, via telephone, cast his vote for the firm. With
council members Alberta Anderson, Vickie Bates and James
“Chick” Jones (via telephone) opposing, the 3-3 vote went to
Mayor Greg Carswell for the break. He voted down the motion.
Anderson then made a motion to hire the Frails and Wilson firm
from Augusta, with a second from Bates and a yes from Jones.
With Byne, Tinley and Williams opposing the motion, the vote
was again tied 3-3 and went to Carswell, who voted in favor of
hiring the firm.
According to the various proposals from prospects, Frails
and Wilson will charge $225 per hour for representation from a
partner; $200 per hour for an associate attorney; $95 per hour for
a paralegal; and $35 for non paralegal services. The firm’s staff
currently consists of four attorneys, five paralegals, two part-
time and two support staff, according to its information packet.
They provide legal services on a contract basis to the City of
Augusta and have served as general counsel for the Richmond
County Sheriff’s Office. Another of the firm’s listed municipal
experiences includes providing legal representation to George
Ivey, former Mayor of Warrenton, in litigation against the City
of Warrenton. City manager Jerry Coalson said he, along with
Mayor Carswell, will meet with the firm later this week to “iron
out the details” prior to city council’s meeting on Monday, Aug.
3. He was uncertain if there would be a retainer fee but stated
it’s not uncommon practice.
The Fleming and Nelson firm, which currently serves 17
clients, including the Burke County Board of Commissioners
and other counties, cities and development authorities, proposed
$165 per hour for any of its five attorneys and
$75 per hour for paralegal fees.
Other prospects included Merrill and
Stone, $195 per hour (attorney), $85 per hour
SEE
ATTORNEY,
3
Covid case numbers continue to climb
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Burke County’s total
COVID-19 cases reached
370 Tuesday afternoon, up
52 from last week, according
to the Georgia Department
of Public Health. Statewide,
the number of positive cases
has reached 175,052, nearly
30,000 more over the last
seven days, and the number
of deaths has increased from
2,829 to 3,563 in the past
week. Burke County has
not recorded any new deaths
over the past few weeks and
remains at six, according to
local health officials.
While face masks and when
to start school continue to
be hot topics across not just
Georgia but the entire United
States, local school officials
are still working out the plans
for reopening public schools.
The Burke County Public
Schools COVID-19 Task
Force met again Monday,
and though no new decisions
were made nor did the group
change anything that had
already been decided, Dr.
Wayne Hickman, BCPS
administrative coordinator,
shared some of the current
topics of discussion, which
included virtual open
house and procedures after
anyone tests positive for
COVID-19. “In addition,
the group discussed some
of the administrative details
associated with conducting
school, including safety
procedures for after school
activities. These topics were
only discussed, and plans
have not been finalized at this
time,” Hickman said, adding
that all will be notified when
decisions have been made and
board approved. “The task
force is continuing to work on
critical issues and will meet
again on Monday, Aug. 3 at
2 p.m.”
Adam Brett, Headmaster
at Edmund Burke Academy,
said the Spartans are excited
to get started back to school
as normally as possible. “Our
plan has been thoroughly
discussed and prayed over for
several weeks now,” he said.
“We encourage our students,
faculty and our families to
be as flexible as possible as
we continually seek what is
best for our students as we
go through this year.” EBA’s
COVID-19 guidelines can be
found at www.burkeacademy.
org.
Faith Christian Academy
Principal Amy Grubb shared
in a recent article the plans for
FCA’s return as well, which
include regular five-day, in-
person instruction. Those
guidelines can be found at
www.fcawaynesboro.org
under the COVID plan tab.
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