Newspaper Page Text
The True Citizen, Wednesday, May 24, 2023 — Page 3
BURKE
COUNTY'S
FIVE-DAY
FORECAST
TODAY
Partly Sunny
20% Chance of showers
THURSDAY
Mostly Sunny
77° 156° 80° 56°
SATURDAY
Mostly Sunny
o
CO
1^
O
IT)
Forecast of the National Weather Service
Waynesboro and Sardis awarded grant funding
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Governor Brian Kemp an
nounced preliminary grant
awards Thursday, May 18, to
taling more than $225 million
for 142 qualified projects that
improve neighborhood assets
like parks, recreation facilities,
sidewalks and healthy food
access in communities across
the state disproportionately
impacted by the COVID-19
pandemic.
"With our partners on both
the local and state levels, we've
prioritized helping Georgia's
communities further recover
from the pandemic with a bot-
tom-up approach," said Kemp
in a press release. "Today, we're
investing these funds to see that
those most heavily impacted
have even more resources at
their disposal, and I want to
thank our partners for helping
us make that possible."
Waynesboro-
$2,200,000 SEE
Waynesboro GRANTS,
was also awarded 8
Burke Countians to see state refunds
WHAT’S NEXT?
; uou r Qi-iuU- f v f/'i i/1- biwfc'.t
Monday, May 29
A Memorial Day's Ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. at
the American Legion Post 120, South Liberty St. Waynesboro.
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Governor Brian Kemp and
the Georgia Department of
Revenue (DOR) announced
earlier this month that the first
round of surplus tax refund
checks have been issued to
Georgia filers.
These refunds are a result of
House Bill 162, passed by the
General Assembly and signed
into law by Kemp earlier this
year. This legislation allows for
an additional refund of income
taxes from 2021, due to the
state's revenue surplus, a press
release states.
“Georgia is once again in a
position to issue surplus tax
refunds thanks to years of
responsible, conservative bud
geting and because we chose
to protect both lives and liveli
hoods during the pandemic,”
said Governor Brian Kemp.
“While failed policies coming
out of Washington, D.C. are
pushing us closer to a reces
sion and forcing hardworking
Georgians to endure sky-high
inflation, we on the state level
are doing what we can to return
money back where it belongs -
in taxpayers' hands."
Just as with last year’s House
Bill 1302, filers must have paid
and filed taxes for the prior
two tax years to be eligible
for the refund. Single filers
and married individuals who
hie separately could receive
a maximum refund of $250.
Head of household filers could
receive a maximum refund of
$375. Married individuals who
hie joint returns could receive a
maximum refund of $500. The
refund amount will be based
on an individual’s tax liability
for Tax Year 2021. Addition
ally, taxpayers claimed as a
dependent who had a 2021 tax
liability will be eligible for the
refund.
Due to the number of tax
payers eligible for this refund,
it will take roughly the same
amount of time as last year
for all eligible refunds to be
processed by DOR. The De
partment anticipates all refunds
for those who hied by the April
18 deadline to be issued within
the next 8 weeks. HB 162 re
funds will not be issued until
2022 tax returns have been
processed. Individuals who
received a hling extension will
not receive their refunds until
their returns have been hied.
Governor Brian Kemp also
signed Senate Bill 92 this
month, establishing the Pros
ecuting Attorneys Qualifica
tions Commission (PAQC).
The PAQC serves as an over
sight mechanism for district
attorneys and solicitor generals
across the state. It is designed
to ensure they fulfill their con
stitutional and statutory duties.
"My No. 1 priority is pub-
to provide additional infor
mation on your spending if
needed,” the letters state. “We
do not want to face the
problem of being in
the last few months of
the hscal year and you
running out of funds.”
However, just 10
days after the second
letter, the BCSO was
asking the panel to ap
prove the purchase of a
new vehicle. The BOC
responded by way of
special called meeting
Monday to discuss
buying a 2023 Dodge Durango
for approximately $36,800.
Chief Lee Webster explained
the Durango was needed “im
mediately” to replace a 2017
Expedition that was totaled
during a recent accident. How
ever, Chairwoman Terri Lodge
Kelly asked Webster to explain
why the BCSO couldn’t utilize
some of the vehicles noticeably
parked in front of the depart
ment. Webster stated that all
the vehicles were serving vari
ous purposes.
Calmly, Commissioner Ev
ans Martin pointed out that the
discussion continuously turns
to the BCSO’s over-budget
issues and the board keeps
urging the department to look
for ways to save money. “We
have to try and work together,”
he stated. “I am not going to
point fingers or point to people
or call names, but it’s just hard
to believe that we don’t have
a couple vehicles that we can
shift around to make
due until we get to the
next budget to try and
save some money.”
Webster assured the
panel that the BCSO
was saving the county
money by getting the
vehicle for a good
price.
“We feel like this is
an opportunity to save
money and replace a
vehicle,” he said.
Commissioner Art Lively
expressed his concerns that the
proper bidding process should
have taken place. Although,
the BCSO put bids out for a
pursuit-capable vehicle last
October, the 2023 Dodge Du
rango doesn’t meet the same
specifications.
am not going to point fingers or
point to people or call names, but it’s
just hard to believe that we don’t have a
couple vehicles that we can shift around
to make do until we get to the next
budget to try and save some money, y y
- Commissioner Evans Martin
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
BURKE COUNTY AND THE CITIES OF GIRARD, KEYSVILLE,
MIDVILLE, SARDIS, VIDETTE, AND WAYESB0R0
UPDATE OF JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Burke County and the jurisdictions of the Town of Girard, City of Keysville, City of
Sardis, City of Midville, City of Vidette, and City of Waynesboro are beginning a five-
year update of their Joint Comprehensive Plan that was previously adopted in 2018.
The plan update will be prepared according to the 2018 Minimum Planning Standards
set by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the Georgia Planning Act of
1989. This initial public hearing is being held to explain the process for the plan prepa
ration and the opportunities for public participation in the development of the updated
plan. The affected governments intend to appoint citizens to participate as part of a
Stakeholder Committee to work with planners for the plan preparation. In addition,
broad citizen participation at every meeting related to the plan preparation is desirable
and recommended.
The plan document, estimated for completion in draft in August, will ultimately be
submitted for review to the Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission and the
Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Plan approval by October 31st, 2023 is re
quired to maintain Qualified Local Government (QLG) status for each government, per
the Georgia Planning Act of 1989, allowing continued eligibility for State loans, grants,
or permits for another five years.
The public hearing will be held in the Old Courthouse at 602 Liberty Street in Waynes
boro, Georgia 30830, on Tuesday, June 13,2023 beginning at 5:30 PM
lie safety across our state,"
said Kemp in a May 5 press
release. "As hardworking law
enforcement officers routinely
put their lives on the line to
investigate, confront, and ar
rest criminal offenders, I won't
stand idly by as they're met
with resistance from rogue or
incompetent prosecutors who
refuse to uphold the law. The
creation of the PACQ will
help hold prosecutors driven
by out-of-touch politics than
commitment to their responsi
bilities accountable and make
our communities safer."
SB 92 establishes the eight-
member commission. PAQC
has the authority to investigate
alleged misconduct by district
attorneys and solicitors-gen-
eral and discipline,remove, or
cause the involuntary retire
ment of those who meet the
conditions for removal.
Continued from front
“My concern is the legality
of the bid process and the State
coming in here and having is
sues with us without bidding,”
Commissioner Tommy Nix
added.
The panel voted 4-1 to deny
the BCSO’s “emergency” re
quest and to accept bids for a
new vehicle. Commissioner
Lucious Abrams opposed the
denial.
LIBRARY CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May 26
Board Game Day with popcorn in the auditorium
May 30
Nintendo Switch Gaming with popcorn and drinks
Introducing ...
Dr. Terrence C. Jenkins
Medical School
Graduate from Ross
University School of
Medicine Commence
ment was on May 19,
2023, at Watsco Center
Gables FL with lots of
friends and family there
to celebrate with him,
with a dinner party
Cruise in Miami FL.
Terrance graduated
with honors and was
conferred the degree
Doctor of Medicine
He will begin his
Residency training in
Psychiatry at More
house School of
Medicine in Atlanta Ga.
Terrance is the son of
Melody J. Jenkins and
the late Durham
Jenkins and John H.
Reedy.
CROSSWORD
e r ACROSS
1) Ancient Andean
5) Inverted "e" phonetic
symbol
10) Word on a door
14) Mess hall offering
15) Hiker's path
16) "Frozen" princess
17) Comicdom's " and Janis"
18) Doesn't own
19) Car payment?
20) Doesn't have enough
23) Pull a lever, maybe
24) 1970 Sidney Poitier title
role
28) Speed up, in music (Abbr.)
31) Makes, as a shot
35) Filmmaker Spike
36) "Peter Pan" author
38) Bit of business attire
39) Menu words
40) Radio or television, e.g.
44) " y Plata" (Montana
motto)
45) "Game of Thrones" airer
46) Big drop in the market, say
47) Makeup of some ceilings
48) Foot-long items?
50) "That is to say ..."
51) Ill-tempered
53) Perched on
55) 1983 No. 1 hit for Lionel
Richie
62) "Pardon me"
65) Grace in "Will & Grace"
66) Teen hero
67) Swing a sickle
68) No longer cool
69) Staff member?
70) Banks of reality TV
71) Compete in roller derby
72) :-), in an email
1
2
3
'
6
7
8
*
,
11
12
13
14
17
'
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
32
33
34
■
35
36
'
■
38
_
■
1
39
40
41
42
43
44
■
■
45
■
47
1
*
■
‘
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
1
"
1
66
67
68
69
70
"
'
DOWN
1) Apple offering since 1998
2) "Quo Vadis" role
3) Hard to rattle
4) "Potted physician"
5) Act the rooster
6) Brunch servings
7) "Frozen" prince
8) Part of SWAK
9) "Not to mention ..."
10) Smith, "the punk poet laureate"
11) 108-card game
12) Show on which Sen. Franken was a
regular
13) Rogue computer of sci-fi
21) Like a rock?
22) ACLU concerns (Abbr.)
25) "Drowned Alive" illusionist David
26) Caviar choice
27) Gobs
28) "Who's on First?" straight man
29) Sissy Spacek title role
30) Sings softly
32) "No worries"
33) Tiny criticism
34) Dole's 1996 running mate
37) Canyon comeback
41) "Scandal" network
42) "Silas Mamer" author
43) Pierogi, for example
48) Word div.
49) Most like Solomon
52) Buccaneers' home
54) Ruth's number
56) Pool exercises
57) Neighbor of Minn.
58) "Casablanca" heroine
59) Evidence of decomposition
60) Words of denial
61) Hidden valley
62) Frick collection
63) "Listen up!"
64) Musical gift
ANSWERS ON 6