Newspaper Page Text
February 28, 2018
m
Reporter
Page 3A
www.MyMCR.net/vent
Will Davis if you think our
schools and our school
stafff are so bad take your
kids somewhere else and
move. You are evil to the
core and we don't need you
in our town. I'm sure this
won't make the vent but it
will get to you. votes: 50
Looks like a certain family
member of the BOE official
who let a molester become
a sub is wearing out her
mouse on the vent today.
The subsitute is gone end
of story! How about go
complain to the legislature
instead of bashing the
board and the superinten
dents. This is just Will Davis
and his teenage drama
crap, votes: 47
I am ashamed to say Will
Davis is a member of my
church congregation. I
hope you feel the eyes
piercing you tomorrow and
decide to leave our church,
votes: 47
Jackson Daniel is a fine man
and does a great job for the
school district, votes: 42
Jackson Daniel should be
fired immediately!! He per
sonally put Monroe County
students at risk!! All MCBOE
members are accountable!!
votes: 20
So, Jackson Daniel makes
$117+to hire child molest
ers? Waste of money votes:
II
Omg! Whoever is a mem
ber of Will's church congre
gation needs to have a talk
with God. Will uncovered
a child molester working
in our schools and he's the
bad guy?!? Really? votes: 9
I don't recall the Dems pro
testing when the Repubs
were gunned down on
the baseball field last year,
votes: 9
It is time for a new school
board. Not speaking of
Mike Hickman.Stuart Pippin
is a great guy, but the rest
need to go.They have no
interest in our kids. Jackson
Daniel needs to certainly
go! Why on earth would
he put our kids in danger?
Lets vote Monroe County!
votes: 9
God never left the schools
because there have always
been some Spirit-filled
Christians who have carried
God into the schools within
themselves.There will al
ways be a remnant of God's
people, votes: 9
My children will NOT spend
the day with a substitute
teacher that was also a
convicted child molester!
Go ahead and mark them
absent if that day comes
votes: 8
Democratic Logic: Blame
the NRA for something
its members did NOT do.
votes: 8
Democratic Logic: Madman
shoots up school,blame
the weapon. Cop shoots
criminal, blame the cop.
votes: 7
Wow, I'm shocked that
people are bashing Will be
cause he let everyone know
we had a child molester in
the school. Priorities in this
county are so messed up.
votes: 7
Jackson Daniel NEEDS
TO GO! He could care less
about the safety of our
children, votes: 7
Your child may already have
been in the classroom with
the convicted child molest
er. My middle school child
informed me yesterday that
he has had that substitute
teacher but that the man is
so big they could all outrun
him. votes: 6
CANDIDATES
Continued from the front page
commission, the state
or federal legislature or
to be a local judge must
qualify next week.
Greg Head, 41, of
Forsyth, owner of Head
Heating and Air and
already a member of
the Monroe County
Development Authority,
says he will run for
District 3 on the board of
education. That post has
been held for decades by
Phil Walker. Attempts
to reach Walker to see if
he’s running again were
unsuccessful.
Matt Morris, 35, of
Forsyth, an engineer
for CSX Railroad who
will have five children
in the school system in
August, has announced
plans to run for District
5, the post currently held
by the chairman, Nolen
Howard.
Candidates may
qualify at the Board of
Elections office in the
county administrative
building from 9 a.m.-5
p.m. Monday, March
5 through Thursday,
March 8, and then 9 a.m.
until noon on Friday,
March 9.
Head said a big reason
he decided to run was
when his children began
struggling with math
under the Common Core
curriculum adopted sev
eral years ago.
“It. was backwards,”
said Head, noting that,
he and his wife both
learned to use Common
Core math with his old
est. son Michael, then a
student at. K.B. Sutton
Elementary.
Head said it. was
around that, time they
decided to begin home
schooling their children
because the school sys
tem was doing things
with its curriculum that,
confused their kids rath
er than educating them.
Head said they may
consider sending their
kids back to public
schools one day. Besides
the bad curriculum,
Head said he was a
happy with Sutton, and
he volunteered at. the
school, reading books to
kids, dressing up like Dr.
Seuss’ “Cat. in the Hat.”
and taking students for
hay rides on his tractor.
“We have some great,
schools in Monroe
County,” said Head, “but.
there are some improve
ments that, can be made.”
Besides curriculum,
Head said one example
where things can be
improved is the hiring
of a substitute teacher
who had a conviction for
attempted child molesta
tion.
“Somebody dropped the
ball on that.,” said Head.
“I would like to know
CORRECTION
A feature on page 1A of the
Feb. 21 Reporter, "What we
pay them," should have re
ported that Bo Gregory, presi
dent of the Monroe County
Development Authority,
makes $90,000 per year.
Want to run For these posts?
Candidates must qualify next week
Board of Education
JP Evans - District 1
Phil Walker-District 3
Nolen Howard - District 5
Eva Bilderback- District 7 $27
Board of Commissioners
John Ambrose - District 3
George Emami - District 4
U.S. Congress
Austin Scott - Congressional District 8
State Legislature
John Kennedy - Senate District 18
Allen Peake - House District 141
Robert Dickey - House District 140
Susan Holmes - House District 129
Towaliga Judicial Circuit
Judge Tommy Wilson
“It’s inexcusable,” said
Morris. “Our children’s
safety should be para
mount.”
A graduate of Georgia
Tech, Morris and his
wife and family moved to
Monroe County in 2012.
In six years he said he’s
never met. his school
board representative,
Nolen Howard.
“I don’t, have a clue who
any of them [board mem
bers] are,” said Morris,
who will have five chil
dren in the school system
starting in August, when
his youngest, starts Pre-
K. “We need to be more
visible than just being
a career school board
member.”
Morris said as a proj
ect. manager for CSX he
handles $100 million
projects, good prepara
tion for managing the
school system’s $30 mil
lion operation. He noted
that, he’s only had one
project, come in over
budget. in 4+ years with
CSX.
Morris said he’d like
to tighten the reins on
spending so that., for
instance, they could give
the elderly a break in
school property taxes.
“I want, to do what’s
best, for my kids, and the
best, for everybody else’s
kids too,” said Morris.
Howard told the
Reporter he plans to seek
re-election. Howard said
he hasn’t, faced opposi
tion since Dairy Queen
owner Ronnie Daniel
ran against him in 1994,
joking that, he doesn’t,
know if that’s because
he’s done a good job or
because the job pays so
little. The qualifying fee
to run for school board
is $27. The fee to run
for county commission is
$216.
For more information
call the Monroe County
Board of Elections at.
994-7622.
the details. If someone
messes up on their job,
there needs to be some
discipline. In my busi
ness, if someone messes
up badly, they’re gonna
stay home a few days
without, pay.”
Head said he plans to
call Walker and let. him
know he’s running. He
said he doesn’t, know if
Walker, who’s had some
health issues, plans to
run again.
Head said the board
often portrays that. it.
doesn’t, have any power
to make changes, but.
said that’s not. necessar
ily true. For instance,
Monroe County schools
could have opted out. of
Common Core, though it.
would’ve lost. $800,000 in
state money.
“We kind of sold out.
our kids’ learning,” said
Head, adding that, he’s
glad to see the state is
now backing away from
the Common Core cur
riculum.
Head said he thinks
the BOE has a good
superintendent in Dr.
Mike Hickman, and
some good key people.
He also says he’s a big
supporter of the schools’
Choosing the Best, absti
nence curriculum, noting
that, the school system
doesn’t, have to pay for
it and parents can know
the school isn’t, giving
their children condoms
without, their permission.
As a business owner,
Head said another pri
ority is encouraging
students to enter voca
tional education. He said
schools push too many
Pregnant?
Looking for answers
or options?
We can help!
• Free pregnancy test
• Parenting classes
• Pregnancy Support
The Pregnancy Center I
of Monroe Couxfj
478-994-3173
Mon, Tue & Thu 10:00 a.m. ■ 4:30 p.m.
www.monroecountypregnancycenter.org
Monroe County
Tick Spraying Requests
Monroe County is now accepting applications to provide the service
of tick control for your property. Spraying will begin in April and
continue through September. Applications are available at all (13)
Recycling Centers, the Board of Commissioners Office and can be
printed off our website. Mailed applications will be accepted until
the first of April. After that date, applications must be dropped off
at the Commissioner’s Office at the address below. Applications for
a particular address will be accepted until that area is scheduled on
the weekly route. Please call the office to check routes. The cost of
the program is $30 for one spray and $60 for two. To be eligible you
must live in the unincorporated area of Monroe County and have
your street address clearly marked at the road.
This service is not offered for vacant land.
Monroe County Board of Commissioners
38 W Main Street
Third Floor
Forsyth, GA 31029
478-994-7000
www.monroecountygeorgia.com
students into college only
to have them rack up lots
of debt and wind up with
a worthless degree that,
doesn’t, help them land a
job. Better, said Head, to
get. people some training
for a working skill that,
is needed and will help a
young person begin his
ascent, with that, college
debt.
Head noted that, he
has a hard time finding
enough qualified employ
ees for his business,
and noted that. Encore
Plastics in Forsyth has
had the same issue
despite offering a good
hourly wage.
As for Morris, he too
said there was room
for improvement, in the
school system, citing
his problems with the
Common Core curricu
lum, as well as recent,
news that, the school
system had hired a con
victed child molester.
n JHEAD
(478) 992-0044
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NEWS FROM THE GOLD DOME
2018 legislative session updates
By Rep. Robert Dickey
robert.dickey@house.ga.gov
As you read this legislative update, we will be at
Crossover Day (Day 28 out of 40) in the legislature.
What does that mean? As we have gotten closer
and closer to this day, our agendas continue to
get fuller and our days get longer.This week,
the House voted on several bills in the House
Chamber, and committees worked diligently late
into the afternoons and early evenings to hear
important legislation.
One important piece of legislation we passed
overwhelmingly this past week is HB 918.This
legislation would make necessary changes to
our state's outdated
tax code, which has
not been updated in
decades, and seeks
to decrease the tax
burden on our citizens
by cutting individual
and corporate state
income taxes. HB 918
would double the state
standard deduction
for Georgia taxpayers
for all filing statuses,
effective Jan. 1,2018, and would reduce the
income tax rate for individuals and businesses
from 6 percent to 5.75 percent beginning on
Jan. 1,2019.The legislation would further reduce
the tax rate to 5.5 percent on Jan. 1,2020, but
would require approval of the General Assembly
and signature of the governor in order to take
effect.This historic tax update would benefit all of
Georgia's citizens by allowing them to keep more
of their hard-earned money in their pockets, and I
am proud of the General Assembly's work on this
important measure.
We also passed several pieces of legislation
from recommendations from the Rural Develop
ment Council. House Bill 769 passed overwhelm
ingly in an effort to improve access to quality
health care in the rural parts of our state. This bill
includes several health care provisions, such as
allowing for remote pharmacy orders, updating
credentialing and billing practices, establishing
the Rural Center for Health Care Innovation and
Sustainability, establishing micro-hospitals and
creating a grant program for physicians practicing
in medically underserved rural areas of the state.
HB 769 would establish a Rural Center for Health
Care Innovation and Sustainability through the
existing Office of Rural Health. This center would
provide leadership training and health data
analysis for rural hospitals and would be located
at a Georgia postsecondary institution with a
health program or college that focuses on rural
and underserved areas of the state. The center
would educate and train rural hospital leaders on
From left, State Rep. Robert Dickey, pages Ben Ivey and Hugh
Sosebee Jr., Gov. Nathan Deal, Rep. Bubber Epps and Hugh
Sosebee. The Sosebees live in Forsyth, the son and grandson
of the late Superior Court Judge Hugh Sosebee of Forsyth.
best practices and hospital operating standards.
Furthermore, the legislation would allow for the
creation of micro-hospitals, a hospital in a rural
county that has two to seven inpatient beds and
provides 24/7 emergency services, without re
quiring a new certificate of need when a hospital
is closing or has recently closed and is purchased
by a hospital in a neighboring county.
HB 876 would prohibit counties and municipali
ties from banning the use of wood products as
a construction material, as long as the products
meet the state minimum standard codes and the
Georgia State Fire Code. Several cities across the
Metro Atlanta area have banned wood products
from being used in construction in buildings over
three stories high, but
the Atlanta region is a
crucial lumber market
for Georgia tree farm
ers. This measure would
level the playing field
for our state's tree farm
ers, as well as boost
business for Georgia's
97 sawmills, most of
which are located in
rural parts of the state.
Also, on Thursday,
Feb. 22, we convened for a joint session with our
Senate counterparts to hear the Supreme Court
of Georgia's Chief Justice P. Harris Hines deliver
the annual State of the Judiciary address. Each
year, the Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme
Court addresses the General Assembly to report
on the judicial branch's accomplishments and
future objectives.
I would remiss if I did not mention how I am
saddened in the news that Rep. Allen Peake and
Rep. Bubber Epps are retiring from the Georgia
House. Both have been such great leaders in the
House and have made major impacts on Middle
Georgia. I will continue to work with them during
the rest of 2018 as they represent your interests.
The Monroe County delegation will be strong
with Senator John Kennedy, Rep. Susan Holmes
and myself.
I appreciate hearing from you on issues or
concerns that are of importance to you. My office
in Atlanta is on second floor of the Capitol, Room
245. You may also call my Capitol office at 404-
656-2246, or email me at robert.dickey@house.
ga.gov.
As always, thank you for allowing me to serve
as your state representative. Please keep our
state and national leaders in your prayers as we
all strive to make our state and country a better
place to work, live and raise our families.
Rep. Robert Dickey • 404-651-7737
245 State Capitol • Atlanta, GA 30334
robert.dickey@house.ga.gov
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