Newspaper Page Text
Page 6A
May 9, 2018
/Reporter
IN LOVING
Thomas James Glennon
January 18,1941 - May 3, 2018
Forsyth - Thomas James Glen
non, PhD passed away peacefully on
Thursday, May 3. Tom was born on
Jan. 18,1941 in New Orleans. He was
preceded in death by his parents, Wil
liam Augustus Glennon Sr. and Ruth
Mauffrey Glennon, and his brothers
William and Patrick Glennon. He is
survived by his wife, Maggie, his chil
dren, Eamon Glennon, Moira Potter
(Ben), Siobhan Glennon (Brian),
Caitlin Walker (Bo), and stepsons Cliff Bowden and John
Bowden.
An honor graduate of Louisiana State University, 1967
and the University of Southern Mississippi, 1969 and
1971, Tom came to Mercer University in 1971 and after
spending 45 years teaching in the College of Arts and
Sciences retired in 2016 as Professor Emeritus. Over the
course of his tenure, Tom was an innovator who was
responsible for developing a number of groundbreaking
initiatives that helped reshape both Mercer and downtown
Macon including the Mercer Service Scholars program
and the Mercer Commons grant.
Tom used his larger than life personality to encourage
others to improve the life of people in the community. He
waved the banner of inclusion for those with physical and
mental disabilities so that they could lead full and enjoy
able lives. In addition to teaching at Mercer, Tom founded
the First Street Arts Center in 1989 and the Georgia Chil
drens Museum in 2005. He also served on numerous state
and local boards and never stopped creating opportunities
for both his students and those around him to give back
and contribute to their community.
Tom loved to travel, play with his dog Max, and was an
avid photographer. A celebration of Life will be held in a
few weeks. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to
the Christ United Methodist Church Memorial Fund at
P.O. Box 162, Forsyth, GA 31029.
Please visit www.monroecountymemorialchapel.com to
express tributes. Monroe County Memorial Chapel has
charge of arrangements.
Thank You Notice
he family of Mrs. Florence Jones is eternally
appreciative for all acts of kindness, generosity,
support, and love shown us during the illness
and passing of our loved one. A special thank
you is extended to Pruitt Healthcare of Forsyth and Pruitt
Hospice caregivers for the exemplary care she received.
May God bless each of you is our prayer.
William Scotty Hawkins
February 1,1992 - May 4, 2018
Forsyth - William Scotty Hawkins
passed away Friday, May 4,2018.
Graveside services will be held at 3:00
p.m., Wednesday, May 9,2018, at
Monroe Memorial Gardens. Rev. Re
becca Mathis will officiate. The family
will greet friends one hour prior to the
service at Monroe County Memorial
Chapel.
Scotty was born February 1,1992, in
Macon, Georgia. His father, Massey
Edgar Hawkins Jr. preceded him in death. He was em
ployed with Mellow Mushroom. Scotty was loved by
everyone he came in contact with.
Survivors include his parents, Tammy and Ralph Pippin;
sisters, Jessica Hawkins, Shania Hawkins and Brittney
Hawkins of Forsyth; nieces, Ryleigh Martin and Elbe
Grace McMurray.
The family maybe contacted at the residence of Jessica
Hawkins, 57 A East Main Street, Forsyth, GA 31029.
Please visit www.monroecountymemorialchapel.com to
express tributes.
Monroe County Memorial Chapel has charge of ar
rangements.
Roy T. Bankston
July 11, 1945 - May 6. 2018
Macon - Roy T. Bankston, age 72, passed away on Sun
day, May 6,2018 in the Brookdale Dementia Care assisted
living facility in Macon. Services and burial will be private.
He was the father of Steve Bankston of Forsyth.
He was born in Andalusia, Alabama to Roy Eugene
and Myrtis Bankston on July 11,1945. He was a gradu
ate of Warner Robins High School. He married Margaret
Bankston in 1965. He retired from the U.S. Air Force in
1988. He enjoyed spending time with his wife and family.
He is survived by his sons: Darren and Steve, his Daugh
ters: Karen and Lauren as well as numerous grandchil
dren.
Family, friends and others’ lives that Roy touched are
invited to the Monroe County Memorial Chapel, 86 W.
Main St, Forsyth Ga. 31029 from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. on Friday,
May 11 to reminisce or chat. Please visit www.monro-
ecountymemorialchapel.com to express tributes.
Monroe County Memorial Chapel has charge of ar
rangements.
Willie B. Chambliss
August 21.1943 - April 22. 2018
Forsyth - Funeral services for Mr. Willie B. Chambliss
were Friday, April 27 at Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church,
9818 Zebulon Road, Forsyth. Burial was in the Hart Fam
ily Cemetery.
Survivors include his siblings, Otis (Bernice) Chambliss,
Jimmie Lee Chambliss, Angela Walker; sister-in-law, Mary
Chambliss and a host of relatives and friends.
Freeman Funeral Home in Forsyth was in charge of ar
rangements.
Robert Robby’ Brown Jr.
August 14,1965 - May 7, 2018
Culloden - Robert Erwin “Robby”
Brown Jr. of Culloden, age 52, died
in a Macon hospital, Monday, May 7,
2018 after a brief illness.
Robby was born Aug. 14,1965 in
Bibb County. He proudly served his
country as Sargent in the Marine
Corps and participated in Operation
Desert Shield/Storm in the Gulf War.
His careers included residential con
struction, timber brokerage, certified
insurance counselor and ranch manager. Robby enjoyed
all things, work and recreation, outdoors. He was a mem
ber of Rogers United Methodist Church, Monroe County.
He was preceded in death by grandparents Fred and Ma
rie Lindsey, and Erwin and Louise Brown.
Survived by parents: Freda and Donnie Daniel of
Forsyth; Robert Erwin “Bobby” and Nancy Brown of
Milledgeville; Significant other, Erica Berecky; son, Dalton
Brown of Corpus Christi, Texas; daughter, Madison
Brown of Macon: brother, Randy and Amanda Brown of
Forsyth; sisters, Traci and Jason Medders, Daphne and
Dale Epps of Milledgeville.
Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday,
May 10,2018, at Rogers United Methodist Church. Rev.
Eugene Barlow will officiate.
Please visit www.monroecountymemorialchapel.com to
express tributes. Monroe County Memorial Chapel has
charge of arrangements.
Dorothy Ann Davis
February 11,1954 - May 1, 2018
Forsyth - Funeral services for Dorothy Ann Davis,
64, were held Friday, May 4 at St. Luke A.M.E. Church,
Forsyth. Burial was at St. Paul A.M.E. Church Cemetery,
Smarr.
Freeman Funeral Home in Forsyth was in charge of ar
rangements.
Doris Ogletree
March 17,1937 - April 27, 2018
Forsyth - Homegoing services for Mrs.
Doris Powell Ogletree were Saturday,
May 5 at St. James Baptist Church, For
syth. Pastor Antonio Proctor officiated.
Burial was in Monroe Hills Memorial
Gardens, Forsyth.
Survivors include her husband of 63
years, Ralph Ogletree, Sr.; four children,
Juanita (Bobby) Davis, Margaret Ogle
tree, Ralph (Gail) Ogletree, Jr., Warron (Kim) Ogletree;
three grandchildren; four sisters, Mildred Hunter, Hazel
(James) Jones, Linda (Melvin) Mebane, Cozetta Pettway;
two brothers. Marvin (Emma) Powell, Rickey Powell and
a host of relatives and friends.
Visitation will be Friday evening from 6:30-8:00PM at St.
James Baptist Church.
Freeman Funeral Home in Forsyth was in charge of ar
rangements.
HAWKINS
BROWN
REJECTED
Continued from Front
be updated before commis
sioners review any more com
mercial zoning applications.
Monroe County manager/
zoning officer Anita Buice
said there are 279 commercial
tracts within the county, and
Rowland noted that many
of them are “danger points”
where developers could find
loopholes to exploit. Tapley
said the county does not have
any pending commercial zon
ing requests.
Commissioners then voted
4-0 to halt commercial devel
opment for 90 days. Monroe
County attorney Ben Vaughn
said commissioners could
decide later to extend the
moratorium, which is set to
expire on Aug. 7, even longer
if needed.
Whiteside told commis
sioners that Vantage had
applied for 12 separate tax
credits through the Georgia
Department of Community
Affairs (DCA) and had been
approved for 10 of them,
including one at the New
Forsyth Road site. Whiteside
said Vantage has developed
and self-managed about 50
housing properties, includ
ing Middle Georgia locations
in Warner Robins and Fort
Valley. Whiteside said Vantage
intended to leave a tree buffer
at the rear of the proposed
complex to keep from en
croaching on the backyards of
Cross Creek residents.
Bill Larsen, an attorney
representing the Cross Creek
Homeowners’ Association,
said the proposed project vio
lated all four basic standards in
the county’s zoning ordinance
that commissioners must use
to decide whether to grant
a conditional use request.
Larsen said the apartments
would not be compatible with
the use of adjacent properties.
Larsen noted that the density
of neighboring lots is no less
than one unit per acre whereas
the apartment site would have
four units per acre. Larsen also
said the complex would have
a significant adverse impact
on adjacent properties. He
said some Cross Creek Circle
homes are located within 30
to 40 feet of the property line
of the proposed site and said
additional noise, lighting and
the size of the apartments
could diminish Cross Creek
property values. Larsen said
the apartments could also
create a greater burden on
county roads, such as New
Forsyth Road where Academy
of Classical Education (ACE)
is already located less than a
mile from the proposed tract.
Lastly Larsen said the apart
ment complex could increase
crime and traffic, which could
hamper emergency vehicle
response time, and potentially
lessen county property tax
revenues if property values
along New Forsyth Road
diminish. Larsen also noted
that the complex might not
increase Monroe County sales
tax revenues because of its
close proximity to North Bibb
County shopping areas.
Cross Creek Circle resident
Alan Little, whose home abuts
the tract in question, told
commissioners he did not
believe there was a need for
low-income housing in the
area, noting the household
income of District 3 residents
is higher than that of the
whole of Monroe County or
Bibb County. Little also noted
that the nearest apartment
complex to the proposed site,
The Overlook just inside Bibb
County on New Forsyth Road,
rents one-bedroom apart
ments for $900. Little also
expressed similar concerns to
Larsen about increased traffic
as well as the potential need
for additional law enforce
ment patrol or fire services. He
also estimated that each child
living at the complex who at
tends Monroe County Schools
would cost the school system
about $7,000.
Another Cross Creek Circle
resident, Miller Owen, said he
retired to Cross Creek after
selling his farm in western
Monroe County. Owen said
he feared the complex, which
would back up to Owen’s lot,
would significantly hurt his
property value.
Carriage Drive resident John
Ricketson, who has lived in
his Riverside Plantation home
for 30 years, told commission
ers that he feared the pro
posed complex would bring
additional crime to the area
and noted another nearby low-
income complex, River Walk
Apartments on Hwy. 87 just
inside Bibb County currently
has six large signs in front of it
advertising for tenants as well
as litter strewn on the right-of-
way at its entrance. Ricketson
said he was less worried about
issues related to the complex’s
tenants as he was persons stay
ing at the complex who don’t
pay rent.
“These people will be com
ing to Monroe County to
avoid law enforcement in Bibb
County’ Ricketson said. “This
is not an issue of race. Blacks,
whites, Latinos, Indians
and Asians currently live in
complete harmony in these
(surrounding) neighborhoods
right now”
Ricketson also said potential
drug activity at the complex
could lead to residential bur
glaries in nearby homes.
Evoking laughter in the
room, he said, “If you don’t
believe me, just watch ‘Cops’
on FOX, or ‘The First 48’ or
‘Live PD’ on A&E.”
Ricketson then read aloud
an internet commenter’s on
line review of River Walk. The
commenter said her neighbor
was shot by her boyfriend
shortly after she moved into
River Walk.
Ricketson said the com
menter wrote: “If I could rate
it zero, I would. This place is
a joke. I’ve been stuck at this
place for 10 months waiting
for my lease to be up.”
Ricketson then turned his
attention to Vantage, telling
Whiteside to find a different
community to build apart
ments.
“Many families made the
investment here over 30 years
ago in the comfort of knowing
we were escaping the worst
that Bibb County had to offer.
Whomever came up with the
foolish and reckless idea that
they could just destroy our
way of hfe has been smoking
that crack from Bibb County’
Ricketson said. “It is not the
obhgation of Monroe County
or its citizens to sacrifice their
hfe savings, their safe and
secure lifestyles or their peace
of mind just so Vantage can be
greedy and make a corporate
profit off the backs of the hard
working, longtime residents
of Monroe County. Does
Vantage travel the Southeast
just looking for victims to ex
ploit? Who is going to pay for
the full-time armed security
that will be needed? Who is
going to pay to clean up the
roadsides for the people that
have no vested interest in the
quality of hfe here? Leave us
the hell alone. Nobody needs
this. We do not want this,
and we will not give up our
way for hfe for this. Go back
to where you came from. If
this is such a good idea, find a
piece of property close to your
home, devise a plan to infect
your own way of hfe with this
disease. You have picked the
wrong piece of property for
an experiment that is just a
tattered remnant of the failed
pohcies of the socialistic
Obama administration.”
Pea Ridge Road resident
Byron Pitts agreed with Rick
etson, saying a 2013 double
murder on Woods Road a
mile from his home was the
result of Bibb County crime
moving north. He said several
of the convicted murderers
hved at the aforementioned
River Walk Apartments.
Pitts said, “Right now the
(Monroe County) schools
don’t have a problem with a
lot of drugs and a lot of gangs.
If you approve and this is
built, were going to have a
huge problem and it’s going to
drive people out of our county
because our schools will suffer
immediately’
Sherry Mitchell of Macon
was the lone proponent (other
than Whiteside) of the project,
saying she runs an after-school
program for children at River
Walk Apartments. Mitchell,
who said she moved to Middle
Georgia from California two
years ago, said the issues being
mentioned about the harms
of low-income housing were
overblown.
In reference to River Walk,
Mitchell said, “We as a com
munity were a community
of family we’re a community
of home, were a community
that I have the awesome
honor to serve. And we as
a community we clean our
community we pick up our
community were involved in
our community. There’s kids
that their parents work during
the day were there every day
to assist the kids with their
homework. And the kids that
are there are very involved in
being a productive part of the
community at that particular
complex. So what I know that
these developments provide is
a stable home for families.”
After about 40 minutes of
discussion, commissioners
finally weighed in. Tapley
asked Whiteside about the
value of the proposed com
plex. Whiteside replied that
the total development cost
would be about $12.3 million,
which would result in about
$80,000 in annual property
taxes including about $40,000
that would be paid to the
county with the rest going to
the Monroe County Board of
Education. Doing the math
aloud, Tapley told Whiteside
that the estimated $40,000
paid to the schools would only
be enough to pay for the add
ed expense of six more kids in
the school system before any
more students would become
“a burden to the county”
Ambrose, who in reference
to Mitchell’s comments said,
“there are a bunch of wackos,”
living in California, then mo
tioned to deny saying he didn’t
want surrounding property
values to diminish. Commis
sioners then voted 4-0 in favor
of denying the project.
District 4 commissioner
George Emami was absent
from the May 1 meeting.
Call your local Monroe County representative
Scott Harrell
478-256-3586
or toll free: 800-551-1102
3250 Vineville Ave., Macon, GA 31208
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