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Vol. 143, No. 35 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Established in 1882 Wednesday, October 18, 2023 - $1.00
Keysville faces dilemmas
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
A Direct Congressional Spending
grant awarded through Senator Ra
phael Warnock’s office for $ 197,000
is no longer available to assist in
financing Keysville’s second well
project.
Environmental Protection Agency
spokesperson Davina Marraccini
issued the following statement in re
sponse to The True Citizen’s inquiry:
“Because the drilling well work
was already completed and did not
appear to meet federal procurement
standards, it limited EPA’s ability to
participate in that phase of the proj
ect. Additional work will be required
to deliver a usable water supply (e.g.,
constructing a building around the
well head, purchasing additional
equipment, etc.) and EPA has ad
vised the community and (Georgia
Rural Water Agency, (GRWA)) to
consider using the Community Grant
funds for this work (instead).”
The GRWA is working with the
city’s engineer and EPA understands
they are still in the early stages of
developing their project application.
EPA has also shared some suggested
project alternatives for
consideration, along SEE
with guidance to facili- KEYSVILLE,
fate faster environmen- c
Concerned Citizen James Neely pointed out the city’s charter expressly
communicates that elections should be staggered and occurring on
odd numbered years during the October 10 meeting.
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Family, residents and staff of
the Keysville Nursing Home &
Rehabilitation Center celebrated
the 103rd birthday of a resident
who fills the facility with her
vigorous nature.
Selma Alerta (Green) Dixon turned 103 years old October 12.
Selma Alberta (Green) Dixon
was born October 12, 1920 in
Soperton, Georgia. After Soper-
ton, she lived in Vidalia where
she married Robert Dixon. The
couple adopted a child, James
Dixon. However, Selma lived
a large portion of her life in
Miami, Florida. Even today, she
talks about living in Miami with
fondness.
“I liked the beach,” she said
recently.
Selma also speaks about the
multitude of children she carpd
for while their parents worked,
and the many people she met
while employed as a house-
cleaner.
Selma moved back to Vida
lia to assist in caring for her
mother Lela Gillis who died in
the 1970s. In 2021, she moved
to Louisville to be closer to her
niece Leila McCall. In 2022, she
moved to the Keysville facility
where her niece, Lucille Walker,
is employed.
j 9 * 4 - *_
“She is full of life,” Leila Mc
Call said of her aunt and pointed
out that even when she was 101
years old, Leila had to show up
before 10 a.m. if she wanted to
catch Selma at home. Otherwise,
Selma would be walking around
Vidalia to complete errands. “She
is very funny and very loving.”
Selma has not
lost her sense of SEE
humor and likes to SELMA,
joke about looking 3
County insurance
costs increase *
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetuecitizen.shelliel@gmail.com
Less than a month into the new
budget, the county’s contingency
funds are nearly half depleted.
The Board of Commissioners ap
proved a budget amendment October
10 for $177,380 to cover a 46%
increase in property and casualty
insurance costs. The county is also
looking at higher deductibles.
Employment practices, public of
ficials and law enforcement liability
were stated reasons for the increased
cost of insurance policies, resulting
in the county dishing out $829,860
for insurance for one year.
Discussions are still taking place
regarding a potential settlement in re
gard to claims of sexual harassment
involving Sheriff Alfonzo Williams.
Also, although the Columbia County
Sheriff’s Department completed
their investigation months ago and
forwarded their findings to District
Attorney Jared Williams’ office, he
has released no decision in the Au
gust taser death of Freddie Walker.
Additionally, Jared Williams’ of
fice continues to review the GBI’s
investigation into training classes
provided by the Sheriff for law
enforcement accreditation require
ments. His office is also still working
on a second investigation the GBI
turned over pertaining to potential
misuse of county and grant funds.
It is unclear if any of those in
cidents specifically contributed to
increases in insurance costs.
However, records show the law
enforcement deductible increased
from $10,000 to $100,000. The de
ductible for insuring public officials
rose from $10,000 to $25,000. The
employment practices deductible
rose from $10,000 to $75,000. There
were no changes to deductibles in
any other areas.
Wiseman said only a 20% in
crease, due to inflation, was ex
pected. A September 28 letter from
the insurance agent cited inflation,
increased building costs and lawsuits
for the higher premiums.
The $177,380 budget amendment
came out of the county’s contingency
fund of $400,000, leaving only
$222,620 for emergencies for the
rest of the fiscal year.
Also, during the meeting Sheriff
Williams opposed the panel’s deci
sion to pay $213,045.65 in FY 2023
unpaid invoices out of his depart
ment’s FY 2024 budget. After the
unanimous vote, Sheriff Williams
alleged the move was illegal.
Financial Director Michael Wise
man described the perfect accounting
scenario as one in which expendi
tures are recorded and paid in the
same year they are incurred, while
department heads and elected of
ficials stay within budget.
“We don’t have that perfect sce
nario right now with the 2023 in
voices,” he said.
Attorney Barry Fleming said he
would check with the Sheriff’s attor
ney to further discuss the legalities
of it. However, before the discussion
concluded, Williams added $16,030
more to the list for housing inmates
in Jefferson and Glynn Counties.
City struggles as trades become less appealing
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Public Works Director Jody El
lison recently approached Waynes
boro officials with the city’s struggle
to hire qualified personnel.
“We are short in pretty much all
positions,” he said recently.
During a combined city depart
ment meeting October 2, Ellison
voiced his frustration with hiring a
mechanic, stating he had given up on
filling the position that remains va
cant after six months. The position’s
starting pay is $16 per hour, but is
negotiable, and does not include die
sel repairs. Primarily, the mechanic
would change oil and complete mi
nor repairs on lightweight vehicles.
Recent applicants include people
who only know how to change oil
and are looking for wages around
$25 per hour.
Ellison said the city cannot find
a backup sanitation driver either.
However, he feels it is not a problem
that exists exclusively to the City of
Waynesboro.
“A lot of the local businesses are
having this problem too,” he said
recently. “We can’t compete with
Plant Vogtle pay.”
To help alleviate the problem, the
city proposed a program that will
provide paid CDL licensing training
when an employee agrees to work for
the city for two years. Currently, the
city’s starting pay for CDL drivers
is $19 per hour. However, as infla
tion continues to harshly cut into the
pockets of consumers, $19 per hour
does not sound as appealing as it may
have in pre-pandemic times.
“The last two or three years have
just blindsided everybody as far as
fuel, food and you name it,” Ellison
stated.
The struggle to make ends meet is
not exclusive to employees though.
Ellison pointed out that even the city
is paying three to five times more for
parts and supplies then they were
several years ago.
“It’s hard for us to raise wages,
because how do we pay for if?” he
asked hypothetically.
Ellison who oversees the city’s
water, streets, beautification and
sanitation services, often asks city
employees to fill dual roles as well
to help fill in the gaps.
Ellison also brought to the city’s
attention, the problem that could
present itself when current workers
retire and there is no one to fill their
shoes. Many of the qualified city
personnel are Generation X’ers,
already in their 50s. Ellison pointed
out that new hires need to transition
and grow within the departments for
years before they can assume the
responsibilities of seasoned workers.
He also pointed out the most-qual
ified employees now are all in the
same age range. Younger people are
not applying and stepping into the
job roles. Even when there is some
interest, they are expecting higher
pay for less experience. Often, when
they are more qualified, they look
to the larger city jobs that promise
bigger paychecks. As society moves
more toward remote positions, the
applicant pool for skilled trades
diminishes.
“It’s not an immediate concern
but it is going to be moving to the
forefront in the next several years,”
Ellison stated.