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WAYNESBORO, GEORGIA
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Vol. 143, No. 19 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Established in 1882
Wednesday, June 28, 2023 - $1.00
Sheriffpromotes and gives raises despite budget deficit
The sheriff is working hard at
making an already bad budget deficit
even worse.
Official “Personnel Action Forms”
show Sheriff Alfonzo Williams has
promoted the ranks and/or increased
the pay of 20 personnel effective
July 2,2023 despite nearly depleted
Detention Center salary funding and
with a budget that is over by nearly
$1 million.
The promotions and raises equal
an overall increase of $46.25 per
hour or $102,813.75 per year.
The promotions include a Captain
to Colonel of Court and Detention
that includes a $3.37 an hour raise,
putting the newly promoted Colonel
at $36.89 per hour or $82,006.49 per
year. Another promotion includes a
Major to Colonel for an increase in
pay of $5.31 per hour.
Five Lieutenants will also be
promoted to Captains with raises that
range from $1.88 - $3.24 per hour
more. One deputy will be promoted
to Sergeant for a $3.79 per hour
increase in pay.
The promotions include two newly
created positions of Colonel which
have not been in the county’s pay
plan previously.
When asked how the BCSO could
justify two new positions and pro
motions while detention center
salaries are nearly depleted and with
expenditures nearly $1 million over
budget, Sheriff Williams said the
reorganization plan will save money
in the long run.
This is the Sheriff’s
statement:
“Based on a combi
nation of retirements,
consolidation of work-
SEE
SHERIFF,
8
Michael "Cowboy Mike" Searles
dies at age 80
Michael Searles. “Cowboy
Mike.” died Friday at the age of
80. Fie was a longtime columnist
for The True Citizen and a be
loved member of the community.
Fie was an accomplished mag
azine writer and book author in
addition to his newspaper writ
ing. True Citizen Publisher Roy
F. Chalker, Jr. said this week that
“Mike’s shoes will be impos
sible to fill. He was a uniquely
talented writer and a seriously
deep thinker. He did his research
before he started typing, and he
knew his subject and its history.
We will miss him both profes
sionally and personally.” A na
tive of Edwardsville, Ill., Mike
graduated from Southern Illinois
University, Edwardsville, and
Howard University, Washington,
D. C. He retired in 2012 from
Augusta University, Augusta,
GA, as an associate professor.
He was a member of John I.
Blackburn Presbyterian Church
and later Westminster Presby
terian Church in Burke County
where he served as elder, trustee,
and choir member. He actively
participated on several com
mittees in Northeast Geor
gia Presbytery including
the Committee on Minis
try. He actively partici
pated with the Western
Writers of America,
Western History Asso
ciation, the Authors Club
of Augusta, Optimist In
ternational, was a charter
member of the Waynesboro
Optimist Club, the Voters Project,
and several other civic organizations.
Mike died at his home in Keysville,
and his family said Mike wanted oth
ers to know “he had a good time, and
he enjoyed his life” as evidenced
by his hearty laughter and his
jovial demeanor. He is
survived by his wife of
60 years, Toni Searles.
Michael Searles’
complete obituary can
be found in this issue of
The True Citizen.
WPD terminates officer
over child abuse allegations
Christopher Rosier, 34, has been
charged with a misdemeanor charge
of sexual battery in Columbia Coun
ty stemming from allegations that he
touched the buttocks of his daugh
ter’s friend during a sleepover.
The Waynesboro Police Depart
ment issued the following statement
June 22: “On Sunday, June 11,2023,
the Waynesboro Police Department
was made aware by Officer Chris
topher Rosier about allegations of
domestic issues made by a minor
child in the home. Waynesboro
Police Department reviewed a copy
of the informational report filed that
stated no visible evidence of abuse.
Later, we made contact with the in-
Christopher Rosier
vestigating authorities
and were advised there
were further allegations
of abuse of the minor
SEE
ROSIER,
8
Man out on murder charges
rearrested after fight
Jonathan Hughes was arrested
Thursday, June 22 after a fight broke
out at the Econo Lodge on N. Lib
erty Street.
According to the incident report,
Hughes was intoxicated when WPD
officers arrived. Video footage from
inside the motel showed Dominque
Hankerson and Jonathan Hughes
fighting. Both were arrested for dis
orderly conduct.
Hughes was out on bond stemming
from a November 2021 Waynesboro
shooting that left one man dead and
injured others.
During the early morning hours
of Nov. 7,2021, police responded to
an apartment on Dowell Avenue fol
lowing reports of a shooting. At the
scene, they located a deceased Black
male, later identified as Marquel Tar-
ber, lying in the front yard near the
apartment’s front steps. Jason Cuyler
was charged with aggravated assault,
possession of a firearm by a convict
ed felon and possession of a firearm
during the commission of a crime.
Hughes was charged with malice
murder, felony murder, aggravated
Jonathan Hughes
assault and two counts of possession
of a firearm during the commission
of a felony. Both Hughes and Cuyler
were injured by gunfire. One other
person received minor injuries from
the incident as well.
Sheriff explains why he rescinded WPD deputization
Sheriff Alfonzo Williams and
WPD Investigator Angela Collins are
not working well as a team.
A June 16 letter from Sheriff Al
fonzo Williams to WPD Chief Willie
Burley stated members of the city
police department had broken the
Sheriff’s trust on multiple occasions.
In response, Williams decided to
rescind the deputization of all WPD
officers. In response to the Sheriff’s
decision, Burley issued a statement
June 20 saying there was no animos
ity between the two agencies.
However, in a June 27 email to The
True Citizen, Williams elaborated on
his decision.
“I have grave concerns about
Major Angela Collins and many of
the decisions she is making at the
Waynesboro Police Department,”
he said. “She is undermining the
Chief of Police and the Sheriff. After
several occasions of this type of in
competence, I met privately with the
chief of police and several council
persons to express my concerns. I
thought it wise to rescind the deputy
status. I would not knowingly allow
an employee of the sheriff’s office to
undermine our integrity. Therefore,
I will not allow anyone affiliated in
any way with our office to do the
same.”
What sparked the animosity?
Conflict arose over the handling of
two criminal investigations.
A suspected elderly abuse case
involving the sale of a home belong
ing to a 78-year-old woman was
forwarded to the FBI after the WPD
issued warrants for the arrests of two
men. One of the men claimed he had
spoken to the Sheriff about the ac
cusations prior to being arrested by a
WPD officer. Before the WPD could
interview him, the BCSO released
him from jail.
The FBI con
firmed they were EXPLANATION,
made “aware of 3
Sheriff Alfonzo Williams
Major Angela Collins