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County considers projects for next SPLOST
By Richard Dumas
forsyth@mymcr.net
Monroe County Commissioners
met for two hours on April 11
to discuss potential projects for
the next Special Purpose Local
Option Sales Tax (SPLOST),
which is slated to be voted upon
in November, and came up with
a wishlist of over $40 million in
projects.
Monroe County manger Anita
Buice told commissioners that
the county is on pace to receive
about $20 million in collections
from its current SPLOST, which
began in January 2014 and runs
through 2019. Buice, who said the
county’s SPLOST proceeds are
closely tied to coal purchases by
Georgia Power, said the projected
collections are about $5 million
less than was initially expected
when projects were selected.
Buice said that means that 2014
SPLOST projects that have not
yet been bonded will not be cov
ered under the current SPLOST.
Previously bonded projects
include: the county’s new 9-1-1
radio system, the county’s head
quarters fire station, the county
convention center, purchased in
2015, and upcoming expansion
to the county recreation depart
ment. She said non-bonded proj
ects include: road paving, some
road department equipment and
additional emergency vehicles.
Monroe County finance direc
tor Ashley Wooley said any 2014
projects that exceed the amount
received by the current SPLOST,
such as the radio system that was
overbudget by about $154,000,
will have to be paid for by other
county sources, such as the gen
eral fund.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office
Chief Deputy A1 Shackleford,
who was present at the April 11
meeting, said the sheriff’s office
can’t go through 2019 without
getting new patrol vehicles.
Shackleford estimated the sher
iff’s office needs six to seven new
vehicles annually, saying there are
currently seven or eight vehicles
being used by deputies that have
well in excess of 300,000 miles
on them. Shackleford said the
sheriff’s office is converting its
fleet from Dodge Chargers to
Ford Explorers and said each
new vehicle costs about $33,000.
Shackleford said he is also seeking
grant assistance for new vehicles
through the Georgia Governor’s
Office of Highway Safety and also
intends to ask Monroe County
Schools to buy at least one new
vehicle for the system’s school
resource officers.
Shackleford said, “We are very
conscious about monies and how
we can do things better for less
but still accomplish what we need
to do and what our vision and
our mission statement is and what
we’re supposed to do as a county
sheriff’s office.”
District 1 commissioner Larry
Evans, who has served as a
commissioner for 30 years, said
Monroe County commissioners
have never neglected the sheriff’s
office when it comes to spending.
He noted raises given last year to
newer deputies and said Monroe
County’s sheriff’s office’s upper
level staff members are compen
sated as well or better than most
surrounding counties. District 4
commissioner George Emami,
who has been in office less than
six months, said ensuring the
safety of both deputies and county
citizens should be the county’s
top priority. Emami said he wants
more specific data showing where
Monroe County compares to
other sheriff’s offices in terms of
number of deputies and vehicles.
Based on estimates, com
missioners projected the total
proceeds collected for the 2020
SPLOST at about $23.2 million.
If all parties agree to keeping
the same percentage split of the
proceeds, Monroe County would
stand to take in 83 percent, or
about $19.3 million, of the total
earnings from the next SPLOST
with the cities of Forsyth and
Culloden receiving the rest.
Despite the $19.3 million esti
mate, commissioners determined
about $40 million in project costs
for the next SPLOST, including an
estimated $10 million for a new
government judicial building to
house all county judicial services
in the same location. Buice said
the current proposal calls for the
new judicial building to be built
behind the county administra
tion building. She said Monroe
County Superior Court Judge
Tommy Wilson has suggested the
building’s total cost could even
range as high as $20 million.
Monroe County commission
chairman Greg Tapley said of the
$20 million asking price: “That
sounds high to me. What kind of
a building does he (Wilson) want
to build?”
Evans said a decade ago Wilson
asked commissioners for a new
courthouse with a price tag of $38
million. Evans said commission
ers instead completed the renova
tions on the existing courthouse
at a price of $1.2 million. Tapley
then proposed asking the city of
Forsyth to go in on a joint project
for the new judicial building.
Other proposed SPLOST
amounts included: $5.3 million
for county fire/EMS, $6 million
for the county road depart
ment, $7 million in water system
enhancements and $10 million
to complete upgrades to the
recreation department. Emami
also requested that $3 million be
included for internet infrastruc
ture enhancements.
Development Authority of
Monroe County director Bo
Gregory, who was present at the
April 11 meeting, also urged com
missioners to include $3 million
in the next SPLOST to be used
for land acquisition at the request
of the Authority. Gregory also
asked commissioners to include
$250,000 annually in its regular
budget for Authority operations.
INCIDENTS
Continued from 5B
Male suspect shop
lifts clothing from
Forsyth Tractor
Supply store
At about 1:59 p.m. on April
16, Sgt. David Asbell of the
Forsyth Police Department
went to the Tractor Sup
ply store on East Main St.
about a theft. The male store
manager showed Asbell a
surveillance video of a white
male stealing clothing from
the store. The store manager
said the suspect was about
5’8”, had a goatee and was
dressed in blue jeans and a
white shirt. The suspect, who
left the store with a stack of
clothing without stopping to
pay for it, was seen on video
leaving in a shiny, black
Toyota Tundra with the tag
display covered.
Forsyth officer
inspects suspicious
package found
on railroad tracks
At about 7:24 p.m. on April
19, Cpl. Wade Kendrick of
the Forsyth Police Depart
ment went to Berner Avenue
about a suspicious package.
Forsyth firefighters told
Kendrick they were notified
about a package laying on
the railroad tracks near East
Main Street and Railroad
Avenue. Kendrick saw a
white, 1 x 2-foot package lay
ing propped up on one side
of the tracks that appeared
to have been placed there
intentionally. Kendrick in
spected the package and did
not find any wires around it,
but he requested a thermal
imaging camera from the
Forsyth Fire Department.
The camera determined the
package did not have any
hot spots, but he put a plate
carrier vest over the top of
the package in case it was
an explosive. Kendrick then
studied the package further
and determined it was sim
ply styrofoam wrapped in
plastic. He then removed the
package from the tracks and
notified Norfolk Southern
Railroad of the discovery.
Deputies discover
Ecstasy tablets on
female passenger,
reveals pot in bra
An 18-year-old black
College Park woman was
arrested and charged with
Violation of the Georgia
Controlled Substance Act
and possession of marijuana
after a traffic stop on 1-75
South on April 17. At about
8:08 p.m., Sgt. Willie Brown
saw a white 1998 Mazda
MPV van traveling 89 mph
in a 70 mph zone on 1-75
South near mile marker 191.
Brown determined the van
had four occupants, includ
ing a male driver, two male
passengers and a female
passenger. Brown then is
sued the driver a speeding
ticket and allowed the group
to leave. Moments later, dis
patchers notified Brown that
the female passenger was re
ported missing out of Fulton
County on Nov. 15. Brown
then stopped the van a sec
ond time at mile marker 188,
and Sgt. Kemeyan Colvard
smelled a strong odor of
marijuana coming from
inside the van. Deputies then
searched the occupants, and
Cpl. John Thompson found
in the female passenger’s
possession a small plastic
baggie of marijuana and a
clear green tube containing
seven small blue pills and
three white pills, which were
suspected Ecstasy and Alpra
zolam tablets. The female
passenger also removed a
small mason jar containing
marijuana from her bra area.
The passenger confirmed the
drugs belonged to her, and
she was taken to the Monroe
County Jail.
Driver arrested
after deputies find
brandy bottle in
SUV during stop
A 39-year-old white Port
Orange, Fla. woman was
arrested and charged with
DUI after a traffic stop on
1-75 South on April 17. At
about 10:22 p.m., Cpl. John
Thompson saw a white Ford
Explorer with an Arkansas
tag following too closely
behind a tractor trailer in
the far right lane and failing
to maintain its lane on 1-75
South near mile marker 188.
Thompson then stopped
the SUV on the Exit 187 off
ramp and smelled a strong
odor of alcohol coming from
inside the SUV Thompson
shined his light at the female
driver through the pas
senger side window, but she
didn’t notice and continued
looking out the driver’s side
window. Thompson then
knocked on the window and
saw the driver’s eyes were
bloodshot and watery and
also noticed a nearly empty
bottle of E&J brandy on the
passenger side floorboard.
The driver, who said she
did not have her license
on her, then gave a false
name while saying she had
consumed alcohol earlier
in the day before taking a
four-and-a-half-hour nap.
The driver then failed several
field sobriety tests and tested
positive for alcohol on a field
breath test. Thompson then
inventoried the vehicle and
found the driver’s cell phone
and purse. He then found
inside her wallet an Arkansas
ID card that revealed the
driver’s real identity. Dis
patchers then determined
the driver’s license was sus
pended, and she was wanted
out of four different Arkan
sas jurisdictions. Thompson
then took the driver to the
Monroe County Jail, where
she tested positive for nearly
three times the legal limit of
alcohol on a state breath test.
The driver was also charged
with following too closely,
failure to maintain lane, an
open container violation and
giving a false name and date
ofbirth.
Culloden teenager
arrested after
throwing bottle at
vehicle on April 18
A 17-year-old white
Culloden woman was ar
rested and charged with
disorderly conduct after she
allegedly threw a glass bottle
at an Acura driver in a fit
of road rage on Hwy. 74 on
April 18. At about 7:45 p.m.,
Cpl. Thomas Haskins met
with a Hawkinsville man,
who was an off-duty Hous
ton County deputy, who
said he was driving his white
2002 Acura TL westbound
on Hwy. 74 when a red 2008
GMC Canyon passed him.
The man said as the Canyon
passed his vehicle, a female
passenger in the Canyon
threw a glass bottle out of
the window at him. He said
the bottle hit his driver’s side
window and left a scratch.
He said his window was half
way rolled down at the time,
and the bottle nearly came
through the window and hit
him. The man said he fol
lowed the Canyon on Hwy.
74, recording its license plate
and calling 9-1 -1. The man
said a dispatcher ordered
him to head back eastbound
and return to the scene of the
incident at which point the
Canyon followed his Acura
for a while before turning off
onto Oxford Road. Haskins
then called the Canyon’s
male owner, who said his
17-year-old son drives the
Canyon. Haskins then called
the owner’s son, who said
the Acura kept braking in
front of him at which point
he passed the Acura. The
owner’s son said his girl
friend threw a glass bottle
out of his vehicle window
and hit the driver side win
dow of the Canyon. Haskins
then called the girlfriend
who first denied anything
had happened before later
admitting to throwing the
bottle. The girlfriend said she
immediately regretted her
decision to throw it before
revealing her whereabouts.
Haskins then went to a Pine
Grove Church home and
arrested the girlfriend before
taking her to the Monroe
County Jail.
Hephzibah driver,
passenger charged
with intent to sell
drugs in 1-75 stop
A 19-year-old black
Hephzibah man and an
18-year-old black Louisville
man were each arrested and
charged with possession of
marijuana with intent to
distribute after a traffic stop
on 1-75 South on April 19. At
about 1:11 a.m., Cpl Thomas
Haskins and Cpl. Wade
Kendrick of the Forsyth
Police Department saw a
gray 2016 Dodge Charger
with very dark window tint
traveling on 1-75 South near
mile marker 186. The male
driver was visibly shaking
when Haskins stopped the
car, and Haskins smelled a
strong odor of raw marijua
na coming from inside the
car. The driver first denied
having any marijuana in the
car before later admitting to
having “three zips” of mari
juana inside a book bag on
the back seat. Haskins asked
the driver if he was refer
ring to three ounces, and he
replied, “Yes.” Haskins then
searched the car and found a
large plastic bag with plastic
wrap on its exterior. Inside
the plastic bag was a large
amount of marijuana as well
as several empty plastic bags.
Both the driver and a male
passenger were taken to the
Monroe County Jail. The
driver, the 19-year-old, was
also charged with a win
dow tint violation. Haskins
later weighed the marijuana
and determined it was 5.4
ounces.
Ellenwood woman
arrested for DUI
on 1-75 South after
leaving strip club
A 35-year-old black Ellen-
wood woman was arrested
and charged with DUI (per
se) after a traffic stop on 1-75
South on April 19. At about
3:09 a.m., Cpl. Thomas
Haskins saw a black 2014
Mercedes-Benz C300 with a
busted front passenger side
headlight failing to maintain
its lane on 1-75 South near
mile marker 190. The female
driver smelled strongly of al
cohol and perfume that ap
peared as though it had just
been sprayed. The driver,
whose eyes were red and
glossy and whose speech
was slurred, admitted to
having consumed two mar-
garitas at a friend’s house.
The driver said she was
headed to Stockbridge and
Forest Park, and Haskins
told her she was headed the
wrong direction. The driver
then became argumenta
tive and said Stockbridge
was only three or four exits
away. The driver then failed
several field sobriety tests
and tested a high positive for
alcohol on a field breath test.
The driver then changed her
story and said she had just
consumed alcohol about
20 minutes earlier at a strip
club. Haskins asked the
driver why she had said she
was at a friend’s house, and
she said she was drinking
alcohol at a friend’s house
prior to going to the strip
club. Haskins then inspected
the vehicle and saw there
was significant damage to
its front right side that ap
peared to stem from hitting
a concrete object. He then
asked the driver about the
damage, and she denied her
vehicle was damaged at all.
Haskins then took the driver
to the Monroe County Jail,
where she tested positive
for more than two times the
legal limit of alcohol on a
state breath test. The driver
was also charged with failure
to maintain lane, violation of
headlight requirements and
violation of minimum speed
requirements.
Deputies discover
handgun connected
to Macon crimes in
stop on Hwy. 87
A 25-year-old black Ma
con man was arrested and
charged with speeding and
a window tint violation after
a traffic stop on Hwy. 87 on
April 16. At about 4:45 p.m.,
Dep. Cody Maples saw a
red 2015 Chevrolet Camaro
with dark window tint trav
eling 90 mph in a 55 mph
zone on Hwy. 87 near Dixie
Drive. Maples also saw the
car was following too closely
behind a tractor-trailer and
appeared to be trying to
pass on a double yellow line.
Maples smelled a strong
odor of marijuana com
ing from the car, and the
male driver said he didn’t
know he was driving so
fast. The driver said he was
in a hurry because he had
just left work and needed to
use the bathroom. Maples
then asked the driver about
his dark window tint, and
the driver said he had been
stopped because of it before
but had never gotten in
trouble. The driver then
admitted to having smoked
a marijuana joint inside his
car earlier that morning and
admitted to having a small
knife in his right pocket.
The driver agreed to allow
Maples to search his car
and said he only smoked
marijuana to “deal with
all of the bulls— at work.”
Maples noticed the pas
senger glove compartment
was locked and saw the
driver trying to conceal his
keys in his left hand. After
the driver reluctantly gave
Maples his keys, Maples
opened the glove compart
ment and found a Ruger 9
mm. handgun. Dispatchers
notified Maples the gun was
reported stolen out of Bibb
County and was connected
to several murders and
aggravated assaults. Maples
asked the driver why he was
in possession of the gun,
and the driver said he didn’t
know why it came back
stolen, saying he had had it
for a long time. Maples then
found inside the car several
Crown Royal baggies that
smelled of marijuana.
Maples then took the gun
as evidence and transported
the driver to the Monroe
County Jail. At about 6:05
p.m., Maples met with Bibb
County Inv. Carlos Stokes
who said the gun was not
technically stolen but had
been sought in connec
tion with several crimes in
Bibb County. Stokes, who
took possession of the gun,
said he intended to notify
a judge about taking the
driver into Bibb County
custody due to violation of
bond conditions for being
in possession of the gun.
At about 3 p.m. on April
17, Maples saw the driver
remained in the Monroe
County Jail and contacted
Stokes about it. Stokes said
he was still trying to obtain
a warrant to keep the driver
in jail, but Monroe County
assistant district attorney
Steven Ouzts told Maples
he needed to release the
driver if Stokes could not
come through with a war
rant. Stokes told Maples he
needed 30 more minutes,
but when he still had not
gotten a warrant by 4 p.m.,
the driver was released
from Monroe County jail
custody.