Newspaper Page Text
Page 2— Wednesday, August 19, 2020, The True Citizen
Appointments, new
hires for city, county
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
After an executive session
to discuss finding an interim
city manager for Waynesboro,
council members unanimously
voted to accept current man
ager Jerry Coalson’s recom
mendation of Valerie Kirkland.
Kirkland, who serves as
the city’s finance director and
supervises the administration
department, has served the city
for many years and was ap-
Coalson
and the various things he’d
planned to say to the mayor and
five other council members.
“We have a real problem
here. We have the best city
manager in the southeast and
probably the best suited for
Waynesboro,” his statement
read. “He has trained all of us.
He knows what Waynesboro
needs and adapts [a new]
business’ needs to what we can
do ... the City of Waynesboro is
bleeding, and not from a blood
vessel, from an artery. We have
lost a valuable resource and a
great industry person whose
experience is unbelievable. The
Chamber of Commerce and
Burke County Development
Authority will miss him, too.
He is always professional and
courteous and never tries to
sway anyone a certain way.
Jerry does his homework and
presents it on both sides of an
issue. The bottom line is, we
need to get Jerry Coalson to
stay.”
Coalson is not the first
Waynesboro employee to
pointed as acting city manager
for two months in 2011 when
Coalson was out on medical
leave. “She did an outstanding
job,” he said, adding that she
has played a role in all the im
provements made in the last 15
years. “She has taken on many
projects over the years and
always does a great job. She is
already respected and liked by
the staff. I think she will do a
great job for Waynesboro.”
Also during the meeting,
Coalson introduced the city’s
resign in 2020. In fact, he is
the sixth since June of this
year when 15-year veteran city
attorney Chris Dube submitted
his resignation following an
agenda item calling for the
discussion of his replacement.
The next day, public defender
Marnique Oliver handed
over her resignation, telling
The True Citizen, “I have
been disturbed by all that has
happened ... I feel like the way
this was handled may not have
been the best way.” Two more
resignations followed - one
from Chief Municipal Court
Judge Christopher Hudson
and then from Associate
Municipal Court Judge Gary
Beddingfield.
The following week,
public works superintendent
Chris Stewart tendered his
resignation, later telling The
True Citizen that he was
pursuing the opportunity to
do a lifelong dream job. “Now
I spend my days in the fields
and ponds with dogs,” he said.
“I feel I made a great decision.”
new public works superinten
dent, Robert Seamans, who
comes to Waynesboro from
Statesboro.
Last week, Burke County
Sheriff Alfonzo Williams an
nounced his pick for interim
chief deputy. Lee Webster
will fill the shoes of Lewis
Blanchard upon Blanchard’s
upcoming retirement in Octo
ber. He submitted his resigna
tion and retirement announce
ment last month.
Continued from front
On Monday, the seventh
resignation came from building
inspector John McDaniel,
though his letter did not
provide any information other
than a two weeks notice.
Carswell said he does not
believe any of the resignations
have been caused by city
council. “I can only go by what
I am told by the ones leaving
or who have left,” he said.
“I understand all the judges
except one and the public
defender all resigned because
they were told that the mayor
and council were planning to
get rid of them so they should
turn in their resignation, which
was far from the truth, but they
still did it.” He went on to say
that the biggest complaint he
has heard concerns the new city
attorney. “I was told that they
were the highest lawyers. After
speaking to Frails and Wilson,
they have brought their price
down to $165, the same as
Fleming and Nelson on which
the council voted unanimously
to accept on Monday night.”
Kelley issues statement
on husband’s arrest
Following last week’s report concern
ing her husband’s arrest on drug related
charges in Texas, Magistrate Court As
sociate Judge Cynthia Kelley issued the
following statement:
“Late last month I learned that my
husband, Calvin Kelley and his brother
Wesley Kelly, had been arrested by state
and federal law enforcement agencies
in Texas and charged with possession of
drugs. While I was aware that Calvin
was going on a trip with his brother, I
was not aware of any of the particulars
surrounding their trip. Therefore, I was
both shocked and disappointed to learn
about these allegations.
“At no point in time has any law en
forcement agency contacted me or made
any accusation that I was a part of this
unfortunate event. Moreover, I do not
possess any further information beyond
what has already been reported in the
media. I have the utmost faith and confi
dence in our criminal court systems and
will keep Calvin in my prayers as he
and his brother make their way through
the appropriate systems of justice.
“For almost 30 years, I have faithfully
served the people of Burke County.
Since 2013, I have faithfully served
this county in my capacity as Associate
Judge of the Burke County Magistrate
Court. I believe in honesty and transpar
ency and have made myself available to
any investigatory agency that wishes to
discuss my position on this situation. I
would like to continue to focus on my
duties to the people of Burke County;
therefore, any further questions regard
ing this situation may be directed to my
attorney Titus T. Nichols. Thank you.”
PUBLIC AUCTION!
"The Auction House Of The South"
425 Highway 25 South
Stk #15766
9020 Ford
SUMMER
£ale£ cY&m
2020 Ford
MUSTANG
Starting At
$26,639
2020 Ford
Stk #15736
Stk #15674
2020 Ford
2020 Ford
ECOSPORT
Beginning At
FUSION
Only
ESCAPE F150 XL SUPERCAB
t i ^ , Requires FMCC Financing
N° w Only SBrtins „
*22,630 *32,034
PRICES _ DEALER RETAINS REBATE PLUS tttf DEALER FEE, IVAT FEE, GA WARRANT* RIGHTS FEE, TITLE AND TAG FEES 0% FINANCING THRU FMtC WITH APPROVED CREDIT. IN LIEU OF FORD REBATES
Ask about Ford's Special Programs
1st Responders - Military
Medical Professionals
GA Farm Bureau
Supplier's X Plan
706-554-2114 www.mizellford.com Waynesboro, Ga.