Newspaper Page Text
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RYAN ABI& FRIENDS
SATURDAY, NOV. 19 • 7 P.M.
Join Ryan Abel & Friends as they celebrate the music that
defined a generation! A 19-person band accompanied by
full strings and horn sections will replicate the classic
songs that came bounding out of Laurel Canyon and
reverberated over the airways in the 60s and 70s. Per
forming hits by The Eagles, The Monkees, James Taylor,
Carole King, Linda Ronstadtand many more!
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Vol. 142, No. 39 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Established in 1882 Wednesday, November 16, 2022 - $1.00
Homeowners to see rise in tax bills
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
“The budget tentatively adopted
by the City of Waynesboro City
Council requires a millage rate
higher than a rollback millage rate,”
said Assistant City Manager Trinetta
Skinner.
The Waynesboro millage rate will
remain at 11 mills, however due
to higher market values, property
owners will see an increase in their
property tax bills. For a property
valued at $100,000 that represents
an increase of $32.48 in property
taxes. The property tax increase on
a non homestead property with a fair
market value of $300,000 will result
in a $97.44 increase.
“The value of the tax digest has
gone up but we have been at 11 mills
for over 30 years,” said Mayor Elect
Bill Tinley during a public hearing
November 10.
Flowever, Tinley warns hom
eowners not to get mad at the Tax
Assessor’s Office for the increase in
values. The Georgia Department of
Revenue determines how assessors
valuate properties. There are mul
tiple factors that weigh in on decid
ing what property is worth. Fie said
his personal property value increased
by $30,000 in one year.
“That’s because somebody down
the street built a lot bigger house than
what Eve got,” he said laughing.
Currently, the State also recom
mends a rollback millage rate of
10.188 however; the decreased
amount will not be enough for the
city to make ends meet. Waynes
boro’s revenue generated from prop
erty taxes is estimated at $1.6 mil
lion; however it is still not enough to
fund the city’s entire budget. Tinley
said inflated costs are the reason the
city can’t afford to decrease the mill-
age rate in order to offset the higher
values placed on people’s homes. Ele
estimated that the cost of replacing
a water pipe has risen by as much as
100% compared to last year.
“If you pay more for your gas,
then we have to pay more for our
gas,” Tinley pointed out. “If you pay
more for your equipment, then we
have to pay more for our equipment.
We had to provide fire protection,
police protection, water, sewer, gar
bage collection
and property tax SEE
doesn’t pay for HOMEOWNERS,
all that. We have 5
JUDGING DEC. 2
GingeA&Jieacl C&nJteAb ‘bJiiJrv SuAeeb rki$e&
The 7th annual gingerbread competition is heating
up for downtown Waynesboro’s annual Christmas
on Liberty Square celebration on Friday, Dec. 2.
The contest is sponsored by Mr. Golf Carts/Mr.
Auto Parts and Blanchard and Calhoun Real Estate
Co. And $650 in cash prizes will be awarded to the
most creative gingerbread artists.
An additional $50 prize will be given to the judges’
favorite "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" themed
creation.
Among the judges will be State Court Judge
Jackson Cox, Waynesboro Mayor Elect Bill Tinley,
Downtown Director Don Lively, Bradley Bachman
of B-n-W Southern Comfort Antiques, Georgia
Power's Suzanne Sharkey, Burke County Sheriff Al-
fonzo Williams, Cory Cooper of Hazelcreek Wealth
Partners, Margaret Newton of Newton Risk Man
agement Agency, Mr. Golf Carts’ Amy Eastmead,
and Blanchard and Calhoun's Elizabeth Highsmith,
DIVISIONS
ages 4 and under
ages 5-8
ages 9-12
ages 13 and up, including adults
Kristin Ellison and Alma Jewell.
Deadline for tum-in is 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 2, and
judging will take place that afternoon before the
downtown Christmas celebration begins.
The gingerbread houses will be on display from
6-8 p.m. at Blanchard and Calhoun’s office on Lib
erty Street, next to Good Day Cafe.
SWEET PRIZES
* $75 - first place in each division
* $50 - second place in each division
* $25 - third place in each division
* $50 - best "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" theme
RULES
1. Entry may be a house, barn, building or any other structure,vehicle or landscape/scene. Kits are acceptable.
2. Main structure must be at least 50 percent gingerbread.
3. All visible components MUST BE edible. Candies may be wrapped or unwrapped.
4. Entry must be on a sturdy, portable base.
5 .Entry must have been constructed in 2022
6. Entry must be at Blanchard and Calhoun no later than 10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 2
7. Each display must be accompanied by a completed entry form, available at
Blanchard and Calhoun, 636 Liberty St., Waynesboro, or by emailing Elizabeth®
BlanchardAndCalhoun.com or kellison@blanchardandcalhoun.com
DROPOFF
-By appointment: 706-877-2139 Kristin or 706-551- 0729 Elizabeth
-3-6 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 30 and Thursday, Dec. 1
-Deadline 10 a.m., Friday, Dec. 3
Have you seen this man 1
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Thirty-eight year old Ricky Green was last seen
in Millen November 2 around 2 p.m. after a friend
gave him a ride to Hendrix Street.
Green is the dad to three children ranging in age
from 6-11 years old. His partner of 16 years, Anna
Hoflich, said the Jenkins County Sheriff’s Office
has received a tip that Green was possibly spotted
in Waynesboro earlier this month.
The couple was experiencing relationship prob
lems but Hoflich is shocked by Green’s disappear
ance. Family members in other states have not
heard from him. Green left with only his prescrip
tion medications.
“Normally, if we got in an argument, maybe he
would leave and clear his head,” Hoflich said. “But
he would always come back and be in touch with
his children.”
Hoflich said she and the children are struggling to
cope with the situation. What started out as a typi
cal day, has turned into a nightmare for this family.
“He is loved very much and he just needs to come
home,” she said. “If anybody can help, just tell me
that the man’s okay, it will ease my anxiety and I
can at least stop shaking.”
If anyone has any information on the where
abouts of Mr. Green, please contact the Jenkins County Sheriff’s Office at
478-982-4211 or 478-982-1570. Green’s height is 5 feet 6 inches and he
weighs approximately 160 pounds. He has blonde hair and blue eyes and
several tattoos, including a neck tattoo and the word “ loyalty” tattooed on
his right hand.
Local voter turnout down
AJM highlights Jewish
influence on Waynesboro
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Representatives of the Augusta
Jewish Museum (AJM) met with
the NSCD XVIIC Chapter 26 of the
Richard Warren Colonial Dames
October 22 to shed a little light
on the Jewish history surrounding
Burke County.
The Waynesboro area once had an
active and vibrant Jewish communi
ty, said Attorney Nathan Jolles.
In fact, AJM Founder
and first Chairman of SEE
the Board businessman, AJM,
Jack Steinberg, was the 5
At right, volunteer Robyn Wittenberg Dudley, Nathan Jolles, and
President Jack Weinstein presented information of the Augusta Jewish
Museum during the Colonial Dames meeting October 22.
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
“In Burke County, we ended up
with just over 53% voter turnout,”
said Board of Elections Director
Beau Gunn. “The turnout in the Mid
terms in 2018 was just over 60%. So,
though we had a busy early voting
period, overall turnout was down.”
At the historic courthouse, the
early voting period was efficient
without much of a line at any time,
with the exception of the last Friday
the polls were open. Locally, C. Britt
Herrington won the race over op
ponent Lacey Hillis Zorn in a close
race. Out of a total of 646 votes cast,
Herrington won 49.18% in compari
son to Zorn’s 47.68%. People voting
“Yes” for SPLOST equaled 63.26%
of the ballots cast. In District 4,
Tommy Nix won the Commissioner
race, receiving 61.22% of the votes
in comparison to 37.06% of the bal
lots cast for Clinton B. Bates.
The runoff election for the U.S.
Senate is December 6, 2022. The
Board of Elections is currently
accepting absentee ballot by-mail
applications through November 28.
Voters who have requested a bal
lot earlier in the year and indicated
on their application that they were
elderly or had a disability will not
have to submit another application
for the Runoff; they will be mailed
a ballot automatically.
Early in-person voting for the
Runoff will take place November 28
through December 2 from 9:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m. at the Burke County
Elections and Registration Office
located in the historic courthouse
building. Voters are encouraged
to contact the office to verify their
registration or absentee ballot ap
plication status at 770-554-7457 or
burkereg @burkecounty-ga .gov.