Newspaper Page Text
August 17, 2022
Page 5A
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN by Don Daniel
What’s happening
to our freedoms?
I have been a Central Georgia Electric Membership
Cooperative customer/member since they had single
line copper wires transmitting electricity down the
road in front of my house and
down to my house. That had to be
over 40 years ago. Back then when
the electricity went out, which
was often, we were instructed to
call the EMC office and report
the outage. Just about every time I
was told “a cat has climbed in the
transmission center”. That excuse
finally got old when I asked,
“cats have nine lives. How many
more lives does that cat have
that climbed into transmission
center?”
A couple of hours later the
lights came back on and a
couple of years later, the single line copper line was up
dated with new line. Me, the squirrel and the birds were
happy and obviously a some kind of protective measure
was taken to prevent cats from climbing into the transmis
sion center.
Unfortunately, I have not made the effort to attend
CGEMC’s annual meeting held every August, usually at
Indians Springs State Park or at some other state park in
their 14-county service area. This year the annual meeting
was held at their headquarters in Jackson. Obviously from
the story reported by reporter Diane Glidwell, 661 people
attended the annual meeting. A purpose of the annual
meeting is to elect a board of directors. Monroe Countian
Phil Ham and was not up for reelection. County Attorney
Bobby Melton also serves on the board.
According to the news report, live entertainment was
replaced by a “slide” show “which included some of the
community projects which CGEMC workers had been
involved.” No slides were shown of how the “killer juice”
had been sprayed turning vegetation brown just about
everywhere on CGEMC right-of-ways service.
I know if I had been there I would probably been kicked
out of the meeting when I would have raised concerns and
questioned why CGEMC uses the “killer juice” regardless
of their adamancy that the spraying does not affect the
environment. The brown foliage looks hideous. And, I was
surprised that there was no questioning of the board of
directors by the members on the use of “killer juice”.
THE FIRST correct answer to The Question came from
Evelyn Chappell identifying the Braves’ World Series tro
phy as the object coming to Forsyth this Wednesday, Aug.
17.
Evelyn gets a certificate for a Whistle Stop fried green
tomato appetizer, slice of Shoney’s strawberry pie, single
scoop at Scoops, dozen Dunkin Donuts, car wash at Bib
Peach and a slice of pizza at Jonahs.
Here’s The Question for this week: What’s the new bank
coming to Forsyth? First correct answer after 12 noon
Thursday, gets the goodie certificate.
THE FORSYTYH City Council had a couple of interest
ing notes reported last week. “Blighted Properties” keeps
blipping on the city’s radar screen. Of course the unfin
ished senior living complex on Brooklyn Avenue seems to
be a permanent blip. It has been on the public’s radar for
just about the three years finally being declared blighted.
Makes you wonder why it took so long to become blighted.
Then there is the question, now, how long will properties
be on a “blighted” list before action will be taken. At least
four other properties have been declared blighted. Wonder
how long they will be on the radar screen before any action
will be taken.
Now that the county has a code enforcement officer and
a code enforcement office, maybe the office and officer will
start issuing a blighted properties report and attempt to
contact blighted property owners.
THE THEY-think-they-are-the-“Exalted Five” were
scheduled to meet yesterday morning and of course it was
“spend taxpayer money’’ There was the Health Depart
ment Service Fee, Flock License Plate Reader System &
ROW, Volunteer Firemen Compensation, Ambulance
Purchase, 2022 budget Amendments, Strickland Loop
Change Order.
Since the meeting was at 9 a.m. I am sure Will have a full
report in this week’s newspaper.
I AM going to take the liberty for a couple of paragraphs
expressing my concerns about what is happening to our
country and the 82 years I have been around. Yes, I am
concerned and glad I am the age I am.
Just before the beginning of WWII, a maniac convinced
the German peoples that he could save them from inflation
and began formulating an “army” before soldiers. He called
them Gestapo. They had to power to proclaim illegality on
all Germans particularly Jews with the comment “show me
your papers”.
Well, right here in our country we have the formatting
of the American Gestapo with the federal government in
tending to hire, get ready, 87,000 IRS agents with what has
been reported having arrest powers and gun carrying.
I am going to assume this is fact, but after a friend just
returned from a work week in Washington, D.C., he told
me how real money was no longer accepted at hotels, res
taurants, bars, just about all businesses. He explained you
had to “purchase” a money card. You transferred money
from your credit card to a Washington, D.C. money card
from which your purchase was deducted. In other words
cash money is no accepted in D.C. Doing away with “cold
cash” is a government plan to control, eliminate and I can’t
think of enough “nasty” words that are printable to what is
being allowed to happen to our freedoms.
HEY, DO you know anyone listed in this week’s paper for
failing to pay their county taxes? The sale of the properties
will be held on the courthouse steps on the first Tuesday in
September, being Sept. 6 beginning at 10 a.m.
Don Daniel founded the Reporter in 1972. Email him at
tullaybear@bellsouth. net.
^Reporter
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Will anyone stand for taxpayers?
To the Editor:
pon reading last week’s
Reporter, it seems like
commissioner George
Emami is the lone voice
for Monroe County taxpayers. You
have county manager Jim Hedges,
finance officer Lorri Robinson, com
mission chairman Greg Tapley, com
missioner John Ambrose and the
Fortner Bunch all against Emami,
with Rowland on the fence. I haven’t
worked out where Will Davis stands.
Will Davis’ column “Why does
county want government secrets” is
pretty damning as to the goings on
there, with total disregard for the
taxpayers, and much of it being done
in secret too. Seemingly, it’s all for
the county employees (they got their
raises ... 40 percent increase for
truck drivers), while thumping their
chests’ as to “what a great job were
doing”.
Oh yeah, and for making a
secret, friendly sale of that land for
$500,000 less than they paid for it,
with no recourse or blame ... yep,
Commissioner Ambrose, you’re all
doing a bang up job alright, and in
secret too!
From this bunch, there seems to
be no regard for those taxpayers on
fixed incomes (no social security
increase until next year), who are
struggling with gas prices, groceries
(what BS, as Cost of Living being
up 10%... go to the Kroger, Ingles
or Walmart and you’ll find stuff has
increased by 40% to 50%), and now
EMC has advised that our electric
bills will be 20% more ... where does
it end?
I am disappointed in Ambrose.
He used to be a “taxpayer friend”,
but seems like he has now joined the
“spendthrift crowd”, and can’t find an
expense/increase he doesn’t like.
Surely, someone, other than
Emami, has got to start showing
some consideration for the taxpay
ers, instead of falling over themselves
giving more and more to the county
employees, and for “off budget”
expenditure, or whatever Hedges,
Robinson, Tapley, Ambrose and
Company “cook up” between them.
Wanted to take this opportunity
to thank Emami for “standing up”
for the taxpayers, and to Will Davis
for shining some light on what this
bunch is up to.
Laurence Byrne
Forsyth
INGRAM
Continued from page 1A
5-1 to give Ingram until
February to resume work
before beginning to address
the property as blight. Only
council member John
Howard voted against tak
ing the property off the city’s
blighted property list and
giving Ingram more time.
The Ingram property was
one of six that city manager
Janice Hall asked council
to remove from a list of 17
blighted properties slated
for possible court action
due to blight. The properties
were identified by the city’s
former code enforcement
officer, Jeremy Malone,
who had contacted or tried
to contact the property
owners, and then referred
them to city attorney Bobby
Melton. Melton sent letters
to the property owners
telling them of the city’s
plans for legal action if the
properties weren’t brought
up to code.
The first property on
the list was 218 Brooklyn
Ave., the Forsyth Station
Senior Community project.
It began construction in
2016 but work stopped
about four years ago and
the incomplete buildings
have been idle since then.
Ingram said he was glad to
have the opportunity to talk
to council about the 18-acre
property and his plans.
Ingram presented eight
slides showing his plans
for the community of a
clubhouse and 55-60 units
for adults ages 55 and older.
He said his plan now is to
build out the community in
phases, with Phase 1 being
the clubhouse and the first
20 units. The clubhouse will
host various types of events
and will include an open air
pavilion. Plans for double
car garages at the residences
have been scaled back to
single-car. Ingram said he
had been asked to keep his
presentation to 10 minutes.
“I don’t think I’ve violated
any law)’ he said. “I think
my rights are being vio
lated.”
He said the builder asked
for an extra $1.5 million to
proceed because lumber
costs are up 25 percent and
other costs have also in
creased. However, Ingram
said he will be able to finish
the project by breaking it
into three phases. He said
there are other properties in
Forsyth that the city could
target as blighted, such as
the old Vaughn Mill prop
erty, which has multiple
deteriorated buildings.
“This [Forsyth Station]
is not a property falling
in,” said Ingram. “I agree I
would like things finished,
but I don’t think public
comment should drive
public policy’
He didn’t agree that the
incomplete buildings and
construction are now unus
able. He said he would burn
the wooden tresses that
have been left uncovered for
four years. He said it will be
a 90-day process to update
design and then another
90 days to get new bids. He
asked for an extension until
February 2023. He noted
there is no expiration date
on his building permits.
Council member Greg
Goolsby motioned to grant
the extension until Febru
ary.
“I think it’s still a great
project,” said Goolsby.
Goolsby said the city
should take the Forsyth Sta
tion property as a lesson to
put more controls in place
on the development of com
mercial property.
“I agree with Greg; we
made this mess ourselves,”
said council member John
Howard.
There was discussion
about whether Forsyth
Station is a commercial
or a residential property,
with the conclusion that it
is a commercial property
while it is being developed
and a residential property
if it is completed. Hall said
one reason she recom
mended an extension is
because when she sought
an appraiser for the blighted
properties, the appraiser
she hired to appraise most
of them said she couldn’t
work on the Forsyth Station
property because she didn’t
appraise commercial prop
erty. Hall said Melton must
have an appraisal to handle
a blighted property through
the court system. Hall
said the code enforcement
officer has been working
with Ingram for a couple of
years. Ingram said that any
multi-family development is
commercial.
The motion to take
Forsyth Station off the
blighted property list until
Feb. 1,2023 passed, 5-1,
with Howard voting against
it. Goolsby said he hopes
the city will have a clear
ordinance in place by then
and can enforce it if needed.
He said Forsyth Station is
the same as the subdivision
that was started 12 years ago
and stopped with roads and
utilities in place. Council
member Chris Hewett said
it isn’t the same when there
aren’t unfinished buildings
deteriorating.
Howard said ever since
he’s been working with city
council (over 10 years),
the city has talked about
blighted properties but
has never done anything.
Goolsby said he didn’t
remember ever looking at
a list of blighted properties
before. Stroud and Howard
quickly disagreed, recalling
that the city had presented
lists of blighted properties.
Council then approved
removing each of the other
five properties presented by
Hall from the list of blighted
properties. The property
at 19 Culloden Road, also
known as 19 Martin Luther
King Jr. Drive, is also owned
by Ingram. Hall said he has
cleared the overgrowth,
painted the house and re
placed the rotten porch. She
said because of all the over
growth, initially she didn’t
realize there was a house
on the property. Her report
said Ingram “brought up to
livable condition.” However,
when Stroud asked how
the city determines “livable
condition,” Hall said the city
only looks at the outside of
the structure and doesn’t
evaluate whether someone
could actually live in it.
The structure at 460 Willis
Wilder Drive is a single
wide mobile home and
belongs to Marcia Banks.
She cleaned up the yard and
had planned to board up
the windows but none were
broken. Hall said the home
needs painting but that isn’t
on the blighted properties
criteria. Council voted to
take it off the list.
The house at 390 Sunset
Circle belongs to Patricia
Dungee. Hall said Dungee
was paying someone to
maintain the yard and didn’t
know they weren’t doing
so. Hall said the property
appraised at $77,500, one of
the highest amounts on the
blighted property list. There
has been a vehicle in the
yard for an extended time,
but it has a tag and insur
ance and is covered. Coun
cil voted to give Dungee 30
days to clean up the yard.
The property at 209 Sharp
Street was recently bought
by James Green who told
Hall he plans to demolish
the house on it. It was taken
off the list to give him time
to do so.
The property listed as 34
Blount Street is actually 116
Blount Street; the city has
corrected the address. It
belongs to Georgia Evans,
whose husband recently
passed away. Melton said
Evans was very cooperative.
Evans said she has a con
tractor coming to evaluate
the property because she
would like to remodel it.
The house was removed
from the list to give Evans
time to hire a remodeling
contractor.
Melton said he is unable
to locate the owner of the
blighted property on Stroud
Street. It has been advertised
and is scheduled for a court
hearing on Sept. 15 at 2 p.m.
He said he created a draft
of an ordinance based on
one in Macon-Bibb, as he
was directed, for council
members to review. It
creates an inflated tax on a
property deemed blighted.
Owners are charged seven
times the ad valorem tax
as an incentive to clean up
property. Melton cautioned
that it will require additional
manpower for Forsyth to
enforce the ordinance.
NEW BANK
Continued from page 1A
East Dublin, Dudley, and Jefferson
ville.
Thomas said they eventually plan
to build a new branch office in For
syth but cannot say where yet.
The Bank of Dudley is owned by
Beth Vaughn of Forsyth, wife of
Forsyth attorney, cattle farmer and
former county commission chair
man James Vaughn.
Thomas said the Bank of Dudley
offers home-town customer service
but with all the options available
from big banks including mortgages,
mobile deposit and on-line banking.
The addition means Forsyth will
keep five banks despite the fact that
Persons Bank has sold to Robins
Financial. Along with the Bank of
Dudley and Robins Financial, the
others are United Bank, Truist and
Planters and Citizens Bank, which
only does loans. The only bank with
two branches in Monroe County
is United, which has an office in
Bolingbroke.
ON THE PORCH
Continued from page 4A
sealed to make it a “private room”.
But there was nothing private about
it. Our hostess came over to greet
us and say hello. Minutes later I
could hear her washing and clanging
dishes some 3 feet from the partition
wall that separated us.
“Seriously?” I asked my wife.
“I knew I shouldn’t have brought
you!” she replied.
I suppose for $75, the odd sensa
tion of staying in someone’s living
room wasn’t that bad.
After we got home the next
afternoon, except for the 8-year-
old’s sporadic yelling and outbursts,
everything seemed strangely quiet
and vacant. I went to the basement,
where our middle child lived. He
had left an assortment of towels and
clothes on the floor and dishes in
the sink, as if to give us something to
help us not miss him.
And then the thought occurred to
me: how much would a basement
with a bathroom and kitchenette,
with a lot more privacy than that
cardboard box in Athens, fetch per
night on Airbnb? We might never
have to make another mortgage pay
ment. Suddenly this half-empty nest
thing isn’t seeming so bleak.