Newspaper Page Text
The True Citizen, Wednesday, October 28, 2020 — Page 7 A
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Editor:
This letter is in reference to the Oct. 21,2020 article about
Chief Magistrate Judge Palmer. As a voter, reader or colleague,
who does not know this man, one may wonder is it negative talk,
facts or the truth. Sadly to say, most would believe the negative
talk. But being a servant speaks for itself.
The article had many questions, many words and many quotes.
All the questions and most of those questions can only be an
swered by Judge Palmer. But as a neighbor, mentor and a believer
in Judge Palmer, I felt it necessary to answer the ones I know that
are true to the citizens of Burke County. Judge Palmer has served
this community since well before he was unanimously appointed
by the Judges of the Superior Court. I know this because I am an
educator at Burke County High School.
In 2018, Judge Palmer reached out to the local high school
offering services to educate the youth on the laws, the legal
system and administration of justice. He and colleagues wanted
the students to know what to expect in the legal system through
a “mock trial.” Although this did not matriculate, Judge Palmer
remained an active volunteer in the Burke County school system.
In 2019 he was a mentor to a high school senior for a school
project. This student shadowed Judge Palmer, who has been a
great influence in his life. This could well have been the “deserv
ing high school senior”; I do not know.
Judge Palmer provided pro-bono basis services to low income
Georgians while in law school, and the free legal assistance has
been a tremendous resource for our elderly in the community.
The reading of the law is unknown territory for most of us,
just as though one is reading God’s Word without the Spirit. We
cannot and do not understand. The tendency of not understanding
the true meaning because we pick and choose to fit us. Georgia
Judicial Code of Conduct is a judge’s guide for his profession.
This code of conduct does not take away a man’s or woman's
passion relating to their profession; it enhances with rules.
The Georgia Judicial Code of Conduct has Canons. In reference
to this letter, Canon 4 outlines the code of conduct forjudges. Be
encouraged to take the time and decide for yourself.
Regenia M. Jordan
Vidette
Editor:
I am writing this letter in response to a previous article that I
read about attorney/judge Andrew Palmer teaching the “People’s
Law School.” The article classified him as a baby. Yes, it is true
that he is young, but he has very extensive knowledge on regula
tions and laws. I became aware of the course via social media
and the local newspaper, The True Citizen.
The article stated that he gave free legal advice. On the con
trary, he gave an understanding and advice on how the court
system works. In my opinion, he chose participants who were
interested in furthering their knowledge on the legal system. For
the selection process, participants were required to write an essay
on their interest in the law. The ages of participants enrolled in
the class ranged from approximately 20 years of age to 80, all
having different backgrounds and ethnicities.
The class was not used as a platform to campaign or solicit votes
for any candidate, including Palmer. The classes were confirmed
before any campaigning started. Andrew mentioned the election
one time at the end of the class, encouraging us to vote for the
candidate of our choice.
The article questioning Palmer's fairness, integrity and impar
tiality is absurd and impractical. Anybody that donates their time
and knowledge for free, and for the betterment of the community,
shows me that this is the type of person that I want as a Chief
Magistrate Judge.
Christy Ervin
Waynesboro
Editor:
I am writing to attest to the character of the Honorable Chief
Magistrate Judge Andrew Palmer, whom I have known in my ca
pacity as Pastor at Waynesboro Deliverance Evangelistic Church.
Judge Palmer has been active in our community, participating
in youth and adult activities. He has been an excellent role model
for the people of this community.
I have been pleased to witness Judge Palmer’s concern and
commitment to service. I respect him as a person of good moral
character and as a bright light in our community.
Pastor Charles Green Jr.
Hephzibah
Editor:
I want to applaud Judge Andrew Palmer for his achievements
and many accomplishments.
As his sixth grade social studies teacher, it warms my heart
to reflect on the mini version of him and to see him now as a
young adult.
How far he has come! Not only is he a product of the Burke
County Public School System but of the Burke County commu
nity. Now, he has returned to his humble beginnings to provide a
community service with many bright ideas. He could have settled
somewhere else, and to know he wants to give back to the com
munity from whence he came is extraordinary. He is our future
and part of the new generation.
There is a classroom affirmation he use to recite in my class:
“My mind is a pearl; I can do anything in the world.” Not only
has he proven that, but he wants to help others.
It was Ben Franklin who said, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me
and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
Job well done!
Jackie Payton
Waynesboro
Editor:
Our Patriarch, the late Honorable Chief Magistrate Judge
Sterling Wimberly, had the utmost honor, regard and respect for
Burke County and the law. Whenever he was out of the office for
any length of time, his main and most important objective was
to ensure the Magistrate Court office was properly maintained
and all rules, guidelines and regulations were implemented and
followed. Therefore, Judge Wimberly trained, taught and instilled
much knowledge that he possessed in Cynthia Kelley. Judge
Wimberly elevated Cynthia Kelley to be his assistant. She was
highly commended by Judge Wimberly for being an excellent
assistant to him, demonstrating a positive attitude and making
sure all rules and regulations were properly implemented.
Our Patriarch, Judge Wimberly, was very much looking for
ward to Cynthia Kelley being the next Chief Magistrate Judge
of Burke County. He provided her with all the tools needed and
she invested in herself by going back to school and graduating as
valedictorian of her class with a Bachelor of Science in criminal
justice. Cynthia is an exceedingly determined person who is
extremely loyal to Burke County and takes her duties as a judge
very serious. She is looking forward to continuing to serve her
county. She deserves to be the next Chief Magistrate Judge of
Burke County.
Please assist us in voting Cynthia Kelley for Burke County
Chief Magistrate Judge.
The Family of the late
Honorable Chief Magistrate Judge Sterling Wimberly
Fannie Wimberly
Editor:
As a participant in the Fall 2020 People's Law School, I would
like to share my experience. I sat in a courtroom that was modi
fied to be a classroom. In no way did I percieve the four Monday
sessions ( 9/14; 9/21; 9/28; and 10/5 ) as being political. I was
so grateful to hear that classes, in reference to the legal system,
were being offered.
I noticed that several ads were in The True Citizen, long before
the classes began, encouraging enrollment geared toward inter
ested Burke County citizens. In my lifetime in Burke County this
was a FIRST. Again, I was so grateful to see that someone saw
the NEED and as a SERVICE offered a general overview of the
workings of the legal process to the citizens of Burke County.
In The Holy Bible - In The Book of ACTS of Apostle - (KJV
) - Chapter 2: Verse 17, it reads as thus: "And it shall come to
pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit
on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your
young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams."
I am so glad that due to ongoing current disparities where
people distrust judges, lawyers and the legal system in general and
they are suffering due to the lack of knowledge and understand
ing, Judge Andrew Palmer's efforts came to fruition through the
People's Law School; he provided a service to the community
and the citizens of Burke Conuty and insight on how the legal
system works.
This young man, Judge Andrew Palmer, chose topics of discus
sion that were designed to provide the participants with a general
overview of the court system in Georgia with emphasis on include
civil, criminal and constitutional law matters.
This young man, Judge Andrew Palmer, saw a NEED and acted
on it. He is educated, qualified and experienced and is about the
business of being a SERVANT for the citizens of this community.
Maggie Terrell
Burke County citizen
We welcome your letters
Letters to the editor of The True Citizen are welcomed and encour
aged. These are pages of opinion, yours and ours.
Letters to the editor voice the opinions of the newspaper’s readers.
The True Citizen reserves the right to edit any and all portions of a
letter. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters must include the
signature, address and phone number of the writer to allow our staff to
authenticate its origin. Letters should be limited to 400 words and should
be typewritten and double-spaced or neatly printed by hand. Deadline
for letters to the editor is Tuesday at 9 a.m.
Email Letters to the Editor to: truecitizennews@live.com.
Notice of Property Tax Increase
The City of Waynesboro City Council has tentatively adopted a 2020 millage rate which will require
an increase in property taxes by 6.16 percent. All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing
on this tax increase to be held at the Waynesboro Ice Plant at 260 Barron Street, Waynesboro,
Georgia, on November 9 th , 2020 at 10:00 a.m. and November 9 th , 2020 at 6:00 p.m.
This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 11 mills, an increase of 0.638 mills. Without this
tentative tax increase, the millage rate will be no more than 10.362 mills. The proposed tax increase
for a home with a fair market value of $100,000 is approximately $25.52 and the proposed tax
increase for non-homestead property with a fair market value of $300,000 is approximately $76.56.
NOTICE
the Burke County Board of Cc-mn’.issioners doe* hereby announce that the millage rate will be set at a meeting to he held at the
Burke County Courthouse on November 5 J Z02Q at 4: Jfl PM a nd pu rsua nt to i he requirements ot O.C.G.A. § 48 -5-32 does hereby pu bl ish i he
following presEnta lion of the eu r rent yea r‘s 1 jx. d igest a nef levy, a long with t he h isiary of the Lax digest an d levy to r the past 1 ive years.
CURRENT 2020 PROPERTY TAX DIGEST AND 5 YEAR HISTORY OF LEVY
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UNINCORPORATED
2015
2016
2017
2010
2019
nm
N
Real & Personal
2, 1,719,200
3,212,000,089
3.585.509,354
3,749,090,187
4,389,800,453
5,427,926,910
N
MjHjji Vrhidri
27,334,500
21,043,310
10,420,700
13.602,490
11,892,910
17,016,640
c
V
Mubilct Hume 1 ;.
$, 170,900
0.170,900
0,501 £11
0,755,086
9,380,626
9,048,4*8
0
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l
Timbt* - igqs
12,282 740
9,030.101
9,979.270
fl,.690.4 79
7,387,220
11,514,256
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Heavy Ou?y Equipment
D
1UEMW
11 ,013
4,440
0
0
o
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Grott Dijon
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4,460,606,2914
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Litv.r Eai'nipliuii!.
S 20,002,27$
119,100,304
117,405,077
119,056,106
117,711,802
112,278,370
fit
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NET DIGEST VALUE
2,656,425,240
3.16*2,865,572
3,506,475,351
J65S.1B.SJ7
4,300,749,407
5,348,327,924
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TAX
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510,439,flae
5l9 r i«*,lTT
510.547,607
511,570,704
524,161,4111
514,001,100
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INCORPORATED
ZOIS
zoie
20D
2010
2013
3010
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teal & Personal
16S.374.142
163,115,270
169,986,740
165.406,224
170.517,9*1!
1S6.93S.4K
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Meter vehicle*
7,223.420
5,403.290
4.070.640
2.967.910
2,113,300
3,602,6411
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Mobile homes
74B.BB4
740.08*1
752.579
803.925
0*5,07?
833,36?
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Timber ■ 1,00*.
04.033
0
0
0
7,741
0
0
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heavy Ouly Equipment
0
0
0
0
b
0
ft
£
6resi Digest
174,VI7.2 79
ItVibMW
114,134,4541
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Less Exemptions
25.022.258
18.255.121
t7.312.022
19.452.760
10,106,616
ii ,566,318
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NET DlGFST VALUE
ismcn.™
157,4*6,917
154,077,1*31
170,774,745
0
R
M.iintr-rvinrP' ft fiflKT.itlnn
MilLi^i!
7.999
7.074
7.272
7.296
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Less Rollback jlcK.il
QpHiofl Satas Uxj
1.443
1.324
1 .D51
1.145
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NET M,%Q MlLLACE HATE
6.5 5Q0
6.JM0
6.2210
6.1510
6.1300
5.7880
TAX
NET MftO TAXES LEVIED
$977,832
$958,865
6979,765
$921,452
$944,497
49*0.441
TOTAL COUNTY
2015
2016
2017
2Q1£
ZU19
2020
V
TOTAL DIGEST VALUE.
2,805,720,261
3.313,867,904
3,661,972,683.
3,809,003,836
4,454,827,241
5,519,102,169
%
\
TOTaLMSOTMCS ItVIlP
517,617,730
520,337,04.2
521,917,476.
$22,499,746
426,3D6,D16
530,069,449
Ifat T.ir $ IriLrt'.iM 1
52,649,513
51,700,414
5S73.JM
61.3D6.270
£4.561.030
NM T.iicl^ Incrr.-r.r
14.81*4
R.4IH.
3.6114
16.92%
17.3516