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WAYNESBOROGEORGIA
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Waynesboro
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Vol. 142, No. 2 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Established in 1882
Wednesday, March 2, 2022 - $1.00
Rhonda and David Clemens handle running a business with humor.
with (uwu/t* ana love
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Couples around the county
manage businesses together.
Rhonda and David Clemens are
a couple who handle working
together with humor.
The couple lost track of how
many years they have been mar
ried.
“29 or 30 years,” Rhonda said
laughing, “somewhere around
that.”
Both Rhonda and David owned
businesses individually before
they got married. She dealt in
hydraulic hoses and he repaired
trucks. Fifteen years after they
tied the knot, they opened up
Burke Feed & Farm Supply, Flwy.
56 N. It was an idea that was
inspired by the closing of a feed
store where Rhonda purchased
food and supplies for her horses.
David, not as much of an avid
equestrian, claims he was only
the person who fed the animals.
“I had this wild idea,” Rhonda
said, laughing while denying her
husband’s claim to enslavement
to the feeding chores. “It might
be when I am out of town.”
In reality, the couple divides
the responsibilities attached to
running the livestock feed and
supply store. She keeps the books
and handles purchasing. David
steps up to the plate wherever he
is needed, including deliveries,
unloading, and equipment repairs.
Rhonda credits David for his
knowledge about hay and cattle.
“When I need an answer, I find
him to get the information,” she
said.
The couple works together
about 35 hours per week. Rhonda
said getting on each other’s nerves
is not a challenge they face in
spending so much time together.
“I might get on his nerves,”
she said laughing again. “But he
doesn’t bother me that much.”
Rhonda admits that she and
her husband possess opposite
attributes. David said the arrange
ment works because they respect
each other’s strengths. They
know one another well enough
to know what the other is good at
doing. They’ve spent enough time
together to be able to predict the
other’s actions and preferences.
David said he and his wife are
aware of what each other’s gifts
are. They complement each other.
“We just kind of roll with it,”
Rhonda added in agreement.
“Nobody else would put up with
either one of us.”
They both
agreed the ad
vantage of run
ning a business
SEE
CLEMENTS,
3
Alcohol ordinance
gets first reading
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
The Waynesboro City Council had
its first reading Feb. 21 of the pro
posed alcohol ordinance which will
allow for the sale of distilled spirits.
If passed, the ordinance will allow
liquor stores to sell distilled spirits
Monday through Thursday from
8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday through
Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and
Sundays from 12: 30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
No alcohol sales will take place on
Christmas Day or on Thanksgiving.
Licenses will only be issued upon
approval at a public hearing and no
licenses will be granted except to
retail establishments devoted exclu
sively to the retail sale of distilled
spirits by the pack
age.
“Persons holding ALCOHOL,
a license to sell dis- 7
This camper set up in Midville has some citizens questioning whether
Wallace Lemons’ pursuit for the mayor position is legal.
Midville election is
rife with controversy
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Citizens are questioning Coun
cilman Wallace Lemons’ right to
qualify for the race. Lemons hies
homestead exemption for tax pur
poses in Laurens County, where he
and his wife own a home. However,
Lemons is registered to vote in Burke
County and stays in a camper in
Midville.
This is not the first time Lemons’
residency has been questioned. Ac
cording to official Midville City
Council meeting minutes, Joan
Poythress brought up the issue in
April 2019 regarding Lemons’ posi
tion on the council. Lemons said he
claimed the homestead exemption
due to higher
& ccc
taxes on the
Laurens County CONTROVERSY,
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This selfie posted on Facebook has
some Midville citizens wondering if
mayoral candidate Pat Dye stormed
the capitol.
Billy Hopper, county
leader, dies at age 85
ROY F. CHALKER JR
rchalker@bellsouth.net
Former long-time Burke County
Administrator Billy Hopper has died
at the age of 85.
The Waynesboro native, a gradu
ate of Waynesboro High School
and Davidson College, served for
eight years as the administrator for
the City of Waynesboro and subse
quently 28 years as Burke County
Administrator.
He assumed the county post in the
1970s during the start up of Plant
Vogtle and stayed until his retirement
in 2001..
Retired Burke County Sheriff Greg
Coursey said this week that Hopper
was “very knowledgeable about
all county departments and helped
me prepare my first budget for the
sheriff’s office.”
“Billy helped plan and design the
new law enforcement center after the
county was sued for overcrowded
conditions,” Coursey said.” He also
credits Hopper with implementing
the county’s retirement system for
all employees. “He was liked and
respected by everyone he worked
with, not only locally, but throughout
the state as well.”
Hopper also planned and imple
mented the remodeling of the his
toric court house and many other
county facilities.
Merv Waldrop, current County
Manager and Hopper’s successor,
said Monday that “Billy Hopper
was a dedicated public servant.
Even after he retired in 2001, he
still served the community on the
county’s development authority for
16 years. He was the steady voice
of reason throughout all my years of
association with him, both in public
life and at First Presbyterian Church
where he served as an Elder.”
Waldrop added, “During his tenure
as County Administrator he saw and
adjusted to many changes in our
community. He helped guide the
County as we transitioned in many
ways both politically and economi
cally. Throughout all these changes
he maintained a level head and
served as a wise advisor to many.
Burke County is definitely a better
place because of Billy Hopper’s
work. His influence on this com
munity will continue to be felt for
many years to come.”
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Billy Hopper, shown here seated in front of the historic Burke
County Courthouse, where he spent most of his long career in
public service.