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Vol. 143, No. 12 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Established in 1882 Wednesday, May 10, 2023 - $1.00
DABC credit card use scrutinized
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
The County has recommended that
the Development Authority’s board
take a close look at the department’s
credit card statements, according to
County Manager Merv Waldrop.
“There are some questions about
credit card use,” Waldrop said. “We
want to be careful with all county
credit cards. The County has an ob
ligation make sure that public funds
are spent wisely. We are looking
into the use of the Development
Authority’s credit card as well as
other purchases. The bottom line is
that the use of public money needs
to be transparent and accountable to
the public. All expenses must be for
a legitimate public purpose.”
A receipt shows the Development
Authority’s Director Jonathan Lupo
ordered pizza purchased with the
County’s credit card and had it deliv
ered to his Grovetown home address.
The charge was incurred in Febru
ary 2023 and includes $46.10 worth
of food from MODPizza delivered
by Uber Eats. Lupo said it was an
honest mistake. The restaurant had
the wrong credit card on hie and the
DABC has been reimbursed.
Also in question are Lupo’s gaso
line purchases. Multiple receipts
and statements show him purchas
ing fuel in Flarlem, Waynesboro
and Augusta throughout 2022 and
into 2023 .When Lupo was initially
hired, he was granted permission to
use the County’s 2014 Ford Taurus
to travel back-and-forth to work, up
to 40 miles. Multiple purchases show
that Lupo failed to provide a receipt,
stating that the pumps’ printers mal
functioned.
Flowever, the policy of the County
is to use the County’s fueling station
at the Public Works shop for fueling
county- owned vehicles, including
the Development Authority, said
Waldrop.
“A credit card should SEE
never be used to fuel per- DABC,
sonal vehicles,” he said. 8
'
Sandie VanValkenburg pushes her grandson in a swing at the Waynesboro park.
THEN
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Local women weighed in on how the role of mother
has evolved over the years.
Sandie’s children were born between the years of
1975-1979. Bill Gates founded Microsoft in 1975,but
the average person did not think about the upcoming
internet. In 1970, the divorce rate was 3.5, and by
1972 it had increased to four divorces for every 1,000
Americans. In 1976, it jumped to five, and by 1979,
the rate was 5.3 per 1,000 American couples.
Sandie was married when she had her children.
Birthing children out-of-wedlock was not yet socially
accepted.
“It was just kind-of the beginning,” she said. “Hav
ing children without being married. It was not what it
is today, it was very scattered.”
Sandie and her husband moved to Burke County in
1980. She stayed at home with her children until the
youngest one was in second grade.
“A mother belongs (at home) raising her small
children, in my eyes,” she said with
conviction.
One of her children was diagnosed MOTHERHOOD
with ADHD. The FDA approved (J , ^
GBI launches inquiry into
Sheriff Alfonzo Williams
ROY F. CHALKER JR.
rchalker@bellsouth.net
Augusta television station WJBF
reported Monday that, at the request
of District Attorney Jared Williams,
The Georgia Bureau of Investiga
tion has launched an investigation
into Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo
Williams.
The GBI confirmed the investiga
tion with The True Citizen Tuesday
morning. “The GBI is conducting
a limited preliminary inquiry into
allegations and concerns regarding
Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Wil
liams. That investigation is active
and ongoing,” said a GBI spokes
person.
Williams confirmed to WJBF that
the investigation is related to his
travel and reimbursement expenses
“related to both his job as Sheriff of
Burke County and as an instructor at
the private company, Leaders Help
ing Leaders Network (LHLN).”
Sardis man involved
in N.C. standoff
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetuecitizen.shelliel@gmail.com
Documents hied with the Superior
Court of Burke County show that a
Sardis man recently involved in a
4-hour standoff in North Carolina
was released early from prison on a
prior case.
Jerry Arnold Flakes Jr. (then 17
years old) was involved in a Burke
County incident in which he was
arrested with Clint Ethan Hagan for
a 2009 incident. Initially, charges
were reduced after Flakes admitted
his part in the crime. He was adju
dicated on four counts of burglary in
the Juvenile Court and served thirty
days confinement. Hagan and Flakes
appeared before the Honorable Judge
James G. Blanchard, Jr in November
2010 and pled guilty; Flakes to two
counts of burglary and one count of
theft by taking. Hagan pled to seven
counts.
Flakes burglarized a Sardis barn
Jerry Arnold Flakes Jr.
alongside Hagan. He was also
charged with theft by taking after
the men stole a 1989 Honda four-
wheeler type off-road
vehicle. Additionally, SEE
they were charged STANDOFF,
with burglarizing a 8
Development Authority dissolves, Midville makes large purchase
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
The City of Midville voted to as
sume responsibility for economic
growth in its downtown area after
the Midville Industrial Develop
ment Corporation (MIDC) decided
to dissolve.
MIDC Treasurer Glen Saxon, 88,
said he has personally been over
seeing nine buildings for the last
decade. Aging members decided it
was time to sell. In response, the
City Council elected to purchase
the nine buildings and 31.85 acres
of land from the MIDC. They will
be looking at finding some grants
to assist with renovations, including
the addition of air conditioning to
four buildings, according to Mayor
Wallace Lemons.
“The City of Midville will take
possession of the buildings June
1,” the mayor said. “We have^"
paid for the buildings already.”
Current tenants can expect a
few changes, including an in
crease in rent as renovations are
completed and insurance policies
are purchased. Lemons said the
city hopes to attract new busi
nesses to its downtown area and __
is looking to adopt a policy that
discourages their stagnant use.
“In the past, people have rented
them and used them for storage,”
Lemons stated. “We do not want that.
We are going to end that when we
take possession June 1. We want ac
tive businesses in those buildings. If
you rent a building from us, we want
it up-and-running within 90 days.”
* * Ifyou rent a building from us,
we want it up-and-running within
90 days. J J
Midville Mayor Wallace Lemons
The land that was purchased in
cludes a pecan orchard and is the
former site of the Ogeechee River
Redbreast Festival that ran from
1984-2008. The festival was known
for the well-known musicians who
performed including, Hank Williams
Jr., Ty Herndon and Rhett Akins. The
^^Development authority rented out
the land for the annual festival.
However, in the future the par
cel might remedy a topic often
brought up by citizens during
monthly council meetings.
“We would like to look at add
ing a parking lot for 18-wheelers,”
said Lemons. “We don’t have any
^^rlace for big trucks to park.”
Saxon said the MIDC was estab
lished around 1972 with 40 members
and held a nonprofit status. It was
started after John Cowart wanted to
open an iron works business in Mid
ville, but needed a matching grant.
“The corporation was formed in
order to support his efforts,” Saxon
said.
Today, six members remain. The
youngest member is in his 70s. The
MIDC is discussing the possibility
of donating the funds from the sale
to charity.
“I think it will be a good arrange
ment,” Lemons said of the city
assuming ownership of the proper
ties. “I think the tenants will enjoy
renting from the City of Midville.
We would like to see Downtown
Midville grow.”