Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 6A
'•Reporter
June 22, 2016
IN MEMORY
Verlene Pope
June 12, 1930 - June 11, 2016
Forsyth, GA - Funeral services for Mrs. Verlene
Grier Pope were held Saturday, June 18 at the
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Jackson.
Burial was in the Forsyth City Cemetery.
Survivors include her children, Catherine
(Hubert) Campbell, Sarah Pope, Patricia (Ken)
Stychynski, Valerie Shannon, Russell (Myrna)
Pope, Fred (Belinda) Pope, Mildred (Willie) O’Neal,
Willie Mae Moreland, Gussie Pope, Jr., 5 sisters,
2 brothers and a host of grandchildren, other rela
tives and friends.
Freeman Funeral Home in Forsyth was in charge
of arrangements.
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Crime
continued from front
belonged to her store.
She said the only items
inside the register were
keys, some paperwork
and about $20 in coins.
Martinage then saw the
unknown suspect had
thrown a brick through
the store’s front window,
and the brick was lying
on the floor inside the
store next to the counter.
Cummings said she was
last at the store at about
5:15 p.m. on Sunday,
June 19.
The case was then
turned over to Inv.
Rhonda Seckinger of the
Monroe County Sheriffs
Office.
Also on Monday, depu
ties responded to com
plaints that four cars
had been entered in the
Marvin Circle area of
Juliette. Nothing was
reported missing but the
incidents are thought to
City, county offer tips
to slow property crime
With the increase in property crimes, the Forsyth
Police Department and Monroe County Sheriff’s Of
fice are advising residents of some ways to help slow
this trend:
• It’s best for mobile property to be secured within
a structure such as an attached or detached garage,
workshop, or other type of enclosure. An added
measure of security may include a video surveillance
system (though not always economically practical);
• Alternatives would include theft-deterring devices
such as chain-and-lock combinations, locking-wheel
chocks, and the like. Added security to these locking
mechanisms can be accomplished by barricading
with parked automobiles or other items, not easily
moved without access.
This cash register was stolen from
Kudzu Korner in Juliette overnight
Sunday and found in the middle of
the street Monday morning. (Photo
courtesy Sid Newsome)
be related to the Kudzu
Korner burglary.
Also, in a separate
incident, at about 6:24
a.m. on June 14, Dep.
Kemeyan Colvard of the
Monroe County Sheriffs
Office went to a Keith
Drive home where home-
owner Danny Lucear
said when he walked
outside that morning
he noticed his trailer,
which was attached to
his truck, was missing.
Lucear said the theft-
likely occurred sometime
early that- morning, and
it- appeared the suspect-
had cut the lock with
bolt- cutters. Stolen items
included: a Hooper 10 x
16-foot- trailer, valued at-
about- $2,500,
a John Deere
zero turn Lawn
mower, valued
at- about- $6,968,
a red Craftsman
21-inch push
mower, valued
at- about- $200,
an Echo hedge
trimmer, val
ued at- about-
$265, and vari
ous other tools,
valued at- about-
$1,000.
The trailer
was entered into
the crime sys
tem and it- was
found later that- day by
DeKalb County police at- a
DeKalb County home. It
was recovered and Lucear
was able to reclaim his
trailer with nothing
stolen. DeKalb County
police said they didn’t-
have enough evidence to
charge anyone.
In yet- another theft-,
according to the inci
dent- report-, at- about-
7:40 a.m. on June 1,
Officer Kimberly Barnett
of the Forsyth Police
Department- went- to the
City of Forsyth main
tenance shop at- 483
Cabaniss Road where
Forsyth street- depart
ment- head Steve Jones
said an unknown suspect
had cut- the lock from the
gate and stolen two Scag
61-inch Turf Tiger Zero
Turn lawn mowers and
a 1995 Hooper Tailer.
Jones said each mower,
which were both yellow in
color, was valued at- about-
$10,000, and the trailer
was valued at- about-
$1,500
Jones told Barnett the
shop was locked between
5 p.m. on May 31 and
6:10 a.m. on June 1.
Jones said when city
garage supervisor, St-eve
Butler, arrived at- 6:10
a.m. he found the front-
gate unsecured and
pushed open. Jones said
Butler did not- immediate
ly notice the items were
missing, and the incident-
was not- reported until
other employees arrived.
Jones and Butler were
unable to provide a tag
number, vehicle identifi
cation number (VIN) or
serial equipment- number
at- the time of the report-
Barnett- then reported the
items as stolen.
On June 6 Forsyth city
council approved spend
ing $29,985 for three
mowers for the city street-
department, including
replacing the two stolen
ones. Department- Head
Alvin Randall ordered
the mowers from Kenny’s
Repair Service, Inc. at-
$9,995 each. Council
approved the purchase
without- bids as an emer
gency.
City manager Janice
Hall said the city will
submit- insurance claims
for the stolen mowers
and a trailer taken at- the
same time, but- she did
not know how the insur
ance deductible will affect-
what- the city gets on the
claims. She asked council
to approve purchase of a
third mower at- the same
time, which she said was
included in the city’s bud
get- for this year. Council
approved buying a third
Scag Turf Tiger Mower
with 61-inch cut and
26 horsepower Kohler
Engine for $9,995.
“We really need a third
mower to keep up with
the grass,” said Hall.
Council member Mike
Dodd said that- the mow
ers were replaced last-
year when they burned
up.
“What- are we doing to
insure it- doesn’t- happen
again?” asked Dodd.
Hall said that- the mow
ers are now kept- inside
a locked gate instead
of in the yard. Mayor
Eric Wilson said the city
should consider installing
cameras and putting GPS
locators on the mowers.
Hall stopped the discus
sion.
“We don’t- want- t-o tell
thieves exactly what-
we’re doing,” she said.
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or toll free: 800-551-1102
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Welcome Home 2016
Monroe County's ONLY Magazine of the Year!
CEO
continued from front
and new responsibilities on
Monday, June 27.
With the departure of
Tiffany Andrews, who held
both the positions of Chamber
CEO and Development-
Authority director, there will
be some re-structuring of
the position. The Chamber
and DA boards have agreed
to split- the two jobs, and the
DA has hired a head hunter
to help find a new director.
While the authority currently
pays the chamber $100,000
per year to share employees,
that amount will drop to
$48,000 per year in 2017 as
the authority will be hiring its
own director.
Sparks has been the
member services manager
at- the Chamber since last-
September. She is a native
of Monroe County, graduat
ing from Mary Persons in
1996. She has worked with
the Chamber as it- settled into
new offices at- 35 S. Lee Street-
in Forsyth and is ready to
guide it- through whatever re
structuring is needed in the
coming weeks.
“It- will be a learning curve,
but-1 have full faith in the
organization,” said Sparks.
“It- will take time to find the
best- fit-, how to best- serve the
members.”
Mac Brown, chair of the
Chamber of Commerce board
of directors, said that- the
board formed a search com
mittee when Andrews submit
ted her resignation and adver
tised the CEO position for
four weeks in the Chamber
of Commerce network. He
said the search committee,
composed of Keith Anthony,
Steve Coleman and Ben
Thompson, reviewed the
applications received and
decided that- Sparks was the
obvious choice when all were
vetted. The board approved
Sparks last- week.
“The timing couldn’t- have
been better. It- gave us an
opportunity to hire a per
son t-o concentrate on the
Chamber,” said Brown. “She
is familiar with the workings
of our Chamber. She is well-
known in the community,
well-liked in the community
and well-respected in the
community.”
Sparks will not- only help
in creating the new position
of Chamber CEO that- is not-
shared with the Development-
Authority, she will also help
in restructuring and hiring
the other members of the
Chamber staff. Brown said
that- event- manager Lindsey
Childs has decided to stay at-
home with her young chil
dren, with Friday, June 24
being her last- day with the
Chamber. Her position will
be posted as soon as it- can be
re-written.
Sparks’ duties as member
services manager will be
absorbed into the CEO posi
tion. The office manager posi
tion is presently being filled
by a temporary employee,
but- plans are to hire someone
permanently. The new office
manager will work for both
the Chamber CEO and the
Development- Authority direc
tor, taking care of clerical and
administrative responsibili
ties. Brown said the details of
the shared position have been
worked out- by the two boards.
“There is a lot- going on at-
the Chamber,” said Brown.
“We’re on a roll now [with the
hiring of Sparks] and we want
to stay that- way.”
Sparks said that many vol
unteers also work to make the
Chamber run successfully.
She said all of the regular
programs of the Chamber,
including Eggs and Issues,
Business After Hours,
Membership 101, and
Leadership Monroe County,
will continue.
Sparks said the Chamber
board had asked her to func
tion as interim CEO after
Andrews left-, but- she had
not- expected to be offered the
position at- this time.
“I’m very fortunate; I have
a great- board that- is very
supportive, and I have the
best- members,” she said. “I
am truly grateful and very
humbled to be asked to serve
in this capacity.”
Sparks got to know Monroe
County and many of the peo
ple in it- through working at-
the office of her father, Jack
Wiggins. He owned and oper
ated Wiggins Aut-oSalvage,
Wiggins Trucking and
Wiggins Paint & Body. She
also gained experience work
ing with people through
several other jobs before
beginning her career with the
Chamber.
Sparks has two sons who
will be attending Monroe
County schools this fall
and her brother, Brandon
Wiggins, and his family and
her mother, Sharon Tope, also
live in Monroe County.
Showcasing the Best Things about our Community
Judged Best in State by the Georgia Press Association
Summer is coming and that means new families will be moving
into Monroe County. Why not turn these new residents into
YOUR customers by telling them, and reminding the rest of the
county, what you have to offer in Welcome Home 2016, THE
Newcomers Guide
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Published in con
junction with the
Forsyth-Monroe
County Chamber of
Commerce, this
guide will include all
kinds of information
about what makes
Monroe County a
great place to live,
work and play, and
helpful information
for newcomers.
• Established special
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annually since 2009,
as a full color, slick
magazine
• Everything you need to know about Monroe County government,
schools, recreation, housing, churches, services and businesses
• Perfect for newcomers and long-time residents
• Guide's timeless information gives it staying power - readers will
keep handy
• Distributed through all copies of the Reporter and in local
restaurants, waiting rooms etc.
To Reserve Your Space
Contact:
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478-960-2259
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