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NOVEMBER 3, 2020
JUDGE ANDREW PALMER
CHIEF MAGISTRATE JUDGE, BURKE COUNTY '
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Vol. 140, No. 35 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Established in 1882 Wednesday, October 21,2020 - $1.00
Board taking heat during hunt for EMA chief
DIANA ROYAL
idianaroyal@gmail.com
As the hunt for a new EMA
director continues, Burke
County commissioners have
found themselves under
scrutiny by the public.
At last Tuesday’s regularly
scheduled commission
meeting, several citizens
spoke out against the board’s
decision to change the job
description for the position,
asking commissioners
why they would lower
their standards for such
an important job and then
accusing them of doing so
in order to hire someone
specific.
Board chairperson Terri
Lodge Kelly explained to
the group that the standards
were changed not to lower the
qualifications but instead to
widen the hiring pool. “This
doesn’t limit us to just the
state of Georgia,” she said,
adding that the search for
a new chief can now reach
nationwide.
The previous week,
commissioners had changed
the verbiage in the job
description from “required”
to “preferred” in reference
to five years experience
as a paramedic and in fire
supervision. Additionally,
the original wording that
said applicants “must” meet
firefighter requirements
set forth by the Georgia
Firefighters Standards and
Training, hold certification as
a Georgia certified firefighter
and be a certified Georgia
paramedic was changed to
reflect preference and not
requirement.
Also during the meeting,
commissioners pointed out
that no one had been hired
for the position, promised
the job or been interviewed
at this point. Applications will
be accepted through Oct. 30.
Commissioner Kelly
responded to an email from
The True Citizen inquiring
about a called Nov. 9 meeting
to discuss the hiring process
for the EMA director and why
the item was not on the agenda
for the regularly scheduled
November meeting, which
is the next day. She said
that meeting had been put
on the calendar in case the
November agenda “was such
that it would be better to have
more time for the important
matter of the EMA.”
That meeting had since
been removed from the
county calendar.
County manager Merv
Waldrop said his intent going
forward is to ask Kelly to sit
in on all of the interviews.
As of Tuesday there was a
total of nine applicants.
C^eiebritieJ & CdLUQIf/s
Major events in Burke County saw great attendance last week, providing not only a
good time for patrons but also a chunk of change that’ll benefit the entire community.
On Thursday, local “celebrities” bussed tables for tips to help support Downtown
Waynesboro. At top Elizabeth Billips helped earn a wad of cash for the event, which was
sponsored by the Downtown Organization of Retailers. Over the weekend, Waynesboro
was made western thanks to the eighth annual Hat and Spur Ranch Pro Rodeo, which
was enjoyed by even the littlest of cowgirls, like Annie Raye Hurst, pictured at right.
See page 2B for the rodeo’s scholarship recipient. For the Celebrity Waiter Night story,
check out page 2A, and for more pictures, page 10A.
Citizens continue to take
advantage of early voting
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Nearly 2,000 Burke County
citizens have opted to vote
early for the Nov. 3 general
election.
As of 2 p.m. yesterday
(Tuesday), a total of 1,965
ballots had been cast,
according to Laverne Sello,
executive director for the
Burke County Board of
Elections and Registration.
On the first day of early voting
last Monday, Sello confirmed
a record high 307, and expects
the number to continue to
soar as another several days
remain as well as voting this
weekend on Saturday, Oct.
24,9 a.m.-4 p.m. Early voting
will continue through Oct. 30,
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the
board of elections office on
the first floor of the historic
courthouse in Waynesboro.
Citizens may also request
an absentee/mail-in ballot; the
deadline for such requests is
Oct. 30, and ballots must be
postmarked by Nov. 3 to be
counted.
According to Sello, voters
can help make the process
of counting absentee ballots
smoother if they adhere to the
following:
• Use only blue or black ink.
• Fill in the answer bubble
completely.
• Don’t forget
to sign (and use VOTING,
the name that is 8A
COVID CORNER
This week, the Georgia Department of Public Health
showed a total of 342,438 confirmed COVID-19 cases for
the entire state as of Tuesday afternoon, including 7,674
deaths and 30,541 hospitalizations. On Tuesday, 1,174
newly confirmed cases were reported as well as 18 deaths
and 153 hospitalizations.
Locally, according to the B. Lamar Murray Public Health
Center, Burke County has reached a total of 871 confirmed
positives, up 12 from last Tuesday. There have been 10 local
deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
Cold hydro testing complete on Vogtle Unit 3
Georgia Power Company
announced this week the
completion of cold hydro
testing for Vogtle Unit 3.
Unit 3 construction is
now approximately 94%
complete, with the total Vogtle
3 & 4 expansion project
approximately 88% complete.
The completion of the cold
hydro testing milestone
prepares the site for the last
major test remaining for Unit
3, hot functional testing, ahead
of initial fuel load.
“Every milestone achieved
at the Vogtle 3 & 4 project
represents another major step
towards operations of the
first new nuclear units in the
U.S. in more than 30 years,”
said Paul Bowers, chairman,
president and CEO of Georgia
Power. “Completion of cold
hydro testing not only helps
pave the way for initial fuel
load, it also moves us closer to
bringing online a carbon-free
asset that will provide clean
energy for our customers, our
state and the country for the
next 60 to 80 years.”
Cold hydro testing of Unit
3 confirmed the reactor’s
coolant system functions as
designed and verified the
welds, joints, pipes and other
components of the coolant
system and associated high-
pressure systems do not leak
when under pressure. As part
of the testing, the reactor
coolant system was filled with
water and pressurized above
normal operating conditions,
then lowered to normal design
pressure while comprehensive
inspections were conducted
to verify the systems meet
design standards.
Georgia Power continues to
expect to meet the November
2021 and November 2022
regulatory-approved in-
service dates for Units 3 and
4, respectively, a spokesman
said.
The Vogtle 3 & 4 project
also successfully started up
the first reactor coolant pump
(RCP) on Unit 3, marking a
first for both the project and
for an AP1000 in the U.S.
This initial run verifies the
RCP operates as designed.
During operations, the RCPs
will circulate water through
the reactor vessel and steam
generators, providing forced
flow of the reactor coolant
through the reactor core,
to the steam generator and
then back again to support
operations.
With more than 7,000
workers on site, and more
than 800 permanent jobs
available once the units
begin operating, Vogtle 3
& 4 is currently the largest
jobs-producing construction
project in the state of Georgia.
Beginning at'****
I (Qll CEE
706-554-2114 www.mizellford.com Wavnesboro. Ga.