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The True Citizen, Wednesday, September 21,2022 — Page 3
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1 FRIDAY 1
| SATURDAY |
SUNDAY
BURKE
COUNTY'S
FIVE-DAY
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FORECAST
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81°
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IT)
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00
58°
87165°
Forecast of the National Weather Service
Overspent: the BOC moves money around
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
The County is moving
money around as they cover
over-spent budgets in multiple
departments.
E911 has experienced great
er than predicted overtime us
age due to various factors. Di
rector Laycee Silas requested
a budget increase of $31,560
which includes the 18.65% of
more than $4,000 in benefits to
carry the department through
the year and ensure 24/7 proper
coverage in dispatch.
Faced with many challenges
during the first year of con
solidation, Silas said she asked
for the increase because two
employees are out on the Fam
ily Medical Feave Act, nine
employees were out sick with
COVID over three pay peri
ods, four employees trained
but no longer work there. The
Violence
department is training four new
employees to fill the vacant
positions.
“Four teammates wipe a
whole shift out,” Silas wrote in
an August 29 email to Finance
Director Michael Wiseman.
“The Sergeants and myself
have all been working shifts
in order to attempt to reduce
overtime, however just last
week I had another employee
(test) COVID positive with
symptoms and one out with
double pink eye.”
Overtime costs exceeded the
original amount budgeted by
$26,600.
“Fortunately our wireless
fees and 911 fees have ex
ceeded the projected revenue
so we have enough fees in the
911 fund so the general fund
does not have to cover this
expense,” said County Man
ager Merv Waldrop during the
September 13 meeting.
After settling a recent lawsuit
regarding back-pay issues from
2019 amounting to $27,000,
the Magistrate Court’s sala
ries will be significantly over
budget at year-end. Wiseman
recommended a budget amend
ment in the amount of $30,680
from the contingency fund to
absorb the unexpected costs.
During the August meeting,
the BOC tabled the budget
amendment request from the
Sheriff’s office to place the
remaining Vogtle Safety funds
that were surrendered to the
county into their small equip
ment fund. The BOC returned
the budget amendment request
back to the Sheriff for changes
to the line items that would
align more appropriately with
the agreement. During the
September meeting, the BCSO
requested the remaining funds
of $210,710 be placed in the
equipment fund for purchasing
vehicles.
Additionally, with the Sher
iff’s mandamus suit filed
against the commissioners,
along with the undisclosed
bank account records, the
county has incurred substantial
legal and accounting fees over
budgeted amounts. According
to Waldrop, the county spent
an extra $110,000 in attorney
fees and $20,000 in audit fees.
“In order to pay for these
fees, we will need to exhaust
the contingency fund as well
as utilize all of the additional
funds brought in by our online
auction of equipment,” Wise
man said in a September 6
email.
The BCSO attorney fees will
be deducted from their budget.
The BOC unanimously voted
to grant the E911, the Mag
istrate Court, the BCSO and
the County’s amended budget
requests.
Continued from front
QUALIFYING FEE NOTICE
In compliance with GA. Election O.C.G.A 21-2-131 (A) (1), the
following qualifying fees were set for the City Council Mem
bers will be $35.00.
Qualifying for the offices listed above will begin at 9.00 a.m.
on Thursday, September 26,2022, and will end at 4:00 p.m.
on Thursday September30,2022.
Special Election will be held on November 8,2022.
City of Keysville
REVIVAL
Green's Cut United Methodist Church
263 Green’s Cut Church Road, Waynesboro 30830
Sun., Mon., Tues.,-Oct. 2,3.4 at 7 PI.
Most students engage in so
cial media and have access to
mobile devices. A lot goes on
behind screens and keyboards
and not all of it is good, she
said. Students are plotting to
meet up and fight, often times
ensuring there are spectators to
record and then post on social
media sites for likes, shares
and comments. In some cases,
the behavior may be exacerbat
ed by the use of illegal drugs.
Williams suspects that many
students mimic the behaviors
of the adults in their homes
who use illegal substances.
Bullying, defined as making
fun or spreading rumors, is no
better than pushing, hitting or
kicking another student, she
said.
“While conflict is nothing
new, the ability or perhaps
willingness to have civil dis
course to resolve conflict ap
pears to be a thing of the past,”
Williams said.
Edmund Burke Academy
Headmaster Adam Brett agrees
that conflict resolution skills
make a world of difference.
“Fights are very rare at EBA.
I am in my third year as head
master and I think we have had
one,” he said in an email. “We
work hard at teaching students
at an early age how to solve
disagreements with words.”
At BCPS, students are en
couraged to talk to a trusted
adult. There is even a tip line
located within the Burke Coun
ty app, where bullying, drugs,
fighting and weapons can be
reported. Multiple administra
tors, counselors and school
resource officers are located in
each school.
Partnerships exist between
BCPS and Burke Commu
nity Partnership Communities
in Schools of Burke Coun
ty (BCP-CISBC), the Burke
County Sheriff’s Office, Au
gusta University and the De
partment of Juvenile Justice.
Preventive and restorative
measures are implemented as
well as research-based pro
grams, while also applying
stiff consequences as needed.
Mental health resources are
offered during the school day.
“The most important part
ners we can have, however, are
our families and community
members,” Williams said. “A
community-wide effort is the
only way to mitigate the prob
lems we’re seeing.”
Williams said more family
and community engagement is
always welcome. If a magical
answer existed, BCPS would
CROSSWORD
FreeDailyCrosswords.com
21st Septembe
ACROSS
1) Cannabis product
5) Type of beef
10) Golfer's rental
14) Assert confidently
15) Brown in a pan
16) Ubiquitous cosmetics
ingredient
17) What souffles do
18) Kind of panel
19) Unexplainable picked-up
feeling
20) Stress
23) Large-eyed lemur
24) Showing signs of wear and
tear
25) Total
28) Cause for opening a
window
30) What a good pilot knows
how to do
31) Den drug of old
33) "7 Faces of Dr. "
36) Project for homebuilders
40) The avant-garde's Yoko
41) Judicial orders
42) spumante
43) Bit of perspiration
44) Larry Bird was one
46) Salesperson's pitch
49) Harmful bacteria
51) Bad GPS revelation
57) Goddess symbolized by a
cow
58) Extra
59) Delight or jubilation
60) Convene
61) Sailor buddy
62) Long fishes
63) Blows it
64) Pulled vehicles
65) Becomes compost
1
2
3
4
14
17
20
I
25
26
27
30
36
40
*
11
12
13
46
47
48
51
57
60
63
DOWN
1) Instrument with 47 strings
2) Good's opposite
3) Large butte
4) Prevent from happening
5) Declare firmly
6) Watts of Hollywood
7) Takes huge drinks
8) Four Corners state
9) "Buona " (Italian "Good evenin
10) Fancy cracker topper
11) Choice invitees
12) Automaton
13) Itsy-bitsy
21) Long, long, long time
22) Pound the ground
25) "But wait, there's more"
26) Bounding site?
27) Not deceived by
28) Lubricates
29) Double header?
31) "Ars Amatoria" poet
32) Family member who may eat off th
floor
33) " we forget"
34) Naysayer
35) Applying to ears
37) Took up residence
38) Historic time
39) Avoid work
43) Wild creatures
44) Some New York-style hotdogs
45) Big game
46) Gunk
47) Tough puzzle
48) Less cordial
49) Related maternally
50) Like many hams
52) Doctrines
53) Australian gemstone
54) Fake butter
55) Lash mark
56) Eliot of the Untouchables
ANSWERS ON 8
already be implementing the
solution.
“We all need to keep a closer
eye on our children, talk with
them, and get more involved in
their business,” Williams said.
“They need to know we care
but also that we’re all on the
same page when it comes to
their education and wellbeing.”
Guest speaker
will be
Jordan Clayton
Senior Pastor at
East Baptist Church
in Sardis
Pastor Clayton will also
present special music each |
night!
Come out and
receive a blessing!
5r
Thank You to our customers!
wmk
September 30
25% OFF
All Jewelry
through the end of September.
Sterling Silver Rings/Necklaces ... etc
Buying/Selling U.S. Coins and Bullion
Fleetwood Coins and Jewelry
STEVEN & CONNIE NIX
706-551-5115
117 West Sixth Street
Waynesboro, Georgia 30830
FLEETWOODCOINS@HOTMAIL.COM
WWW.FLEETWOODCOINS.COM