Newspaper Page Text
November 9, 2022
Annexation is
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
Forsyth city council
scheduled its annual retreat
at city hall with plans to
review proposed chang
es to the city charter, set
goals for 2023, discuss the
2023 budget and review
departmental projects
and appointments to city
boards. However, only two
of the six council members
attended the retreat. The
lack of a quorum prevented
any votes being taken and
limited the planning that
could be done.
Council members Mike
Dodd and Julius Stroud,
Mayor Eric Wilson, city
manager Janice Hall and
city clerk Regina Me
were present and held
a work session to assist
with planning for 2023.
Council members Greg
Goolsby, John Howard,
Melvin Lawrence and
Chris Hewett didn’t attend.
Reportedly Hewett had the
flu, Lawrence was involved
in preparation for his
daughters wedding and
Goolsby and Howard didn’t
respond.
Wilson said the con
sidered change to the
city charter is a matter of
cleaning up the process of
hiring department heads
from when the charter was
changed in 2016 to create
a city manager position
instead of a city adminis
trator, with less authority.
The proposed language
has Hall bring a name for
department head to council
and council vote whether
to approve her recommen
dation. This would include
the fire chief, police chief,
city clerk and head of city
utilities.
Wilson said he would ask
Rep. Robert Dickey to take
the request to the legisla
ture after the city attorney
writes the language to in
sert in the charter. Me said
it should help eliminate a
grueling process of finaliz
ing new department heads.
Wilson said department
heads will still report to the
manager.
Wilson said at a Middle
Georgia Regional Com
mission event other mayors
talked about things they
are doing to get council
members more “plugged
in” to the city departments.
Lorsyth council members
have acknowledged that
since the system of com
mittees was discontinued,
after the powers of the city
manager were expanded,
council members have
much less interaction with
and less knowledge of the
departments that make the
city function.
Wilson said in Center
ville council members
are assigned to different
departments to advocate
for them. In Perry, the
mayor joins the weekly
department head meet
ings as they go over their
project lists. Wilson said he
wants council to become
more knowledgeable of
city business but not to go
back to where it was with
committees.
“I prefer they [depart
ment heads] handle what’s
going on internally’ said
Dodd. “But I do want to see
council more involved, like
I am with the Golf Board.”
Wilson said he would
like there to be something
online about department
projects, something that
the public as well as council
members could see. He
said he would like for
people to see that things
are getting done. Hall said
there are about 60 projects
currently in progress plus
some add-on projects. She
said she has a spreadsheet
of the projects that she can
put on the city’s website.
“I like the idea of a run
ning list,” said Stroud.
Stroud asked if council
could have a retreat that
included the department
heads to give council a
more complete picture of
what is going on in the city.
CALENDAR
continued from Page 1 B
be Oct. 3-Nov. 18. Poinsettias
come in red, pink and white.
Large are $20 and medium
are $15. Order through a
4-H'er or through the M.C.
Extension/4-H office, 484 Hwy
83 S, Forsyth. All orders are
due by Nov. 18. Pick-up is first
week of December at the of
fice. All proceeds go to support
the 4-H program.
Nov. 20
Seasonal Show at 1823
Artisan Guild
The 1823 Artisan Guild will
have its first show at its new
location (30 East Main St.,
Forsyth—across from City Hall)
on Sunday, Nov. 20 from 2-5
p.m. There will be Artisan cre
ations with an emphasis on gift
giving and decorating, Artisan
demonstrations, hot apple cider
and other holiday goodies.
Dec. 3
Rotary sponsors Commu
nity Clean Up Day
Forsyth Monroe County Rotary
Club will sponsor a community
clean up day on Saturday,
Dec. 3 from 9-11 a.m. The
public is invited to join in keep
ing Forsyth beautiful. Rotary
Club will furnish pick up sticks,
trash bags and gloves.
Dec. 6
Empty Bowls
Mary Persons Visual Arts will
host Empty Bowls on Tuesday,
Dec. 6 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at
Monroe County Fine Arts Cen
ter, 27 Brooklyn Ave., Forsyth.
All proceeds will benefit Mon
roe County Backpack Buddies.
Tickets are $20 and include
admission, one student-made
ceramic piece, a soup dinner
and entry into a raffle for
assorted prizes. Attendees are
invited to wear "ugly sweaters."
Dec. 7
Hospital Authority to
combine Nov/Dec meet
ings
The Hospital Authority of
Monroe County will combine
its November and December
meetings because of the holi
days and will hold one meeting
on Wednesday, Dec .7. The
regularly scheduled meetings
will resume on Jan. 26.
Dec. 11
Wings & Words of Hope
holds benefit dinner
Wings and Words of Hope
will have a benefit dinner on
Sunday, Dec. 11 from 5-9 p.m.
at the Harriet Tubman Museum
in Macon to raise money to
help caregivers and their loved
ones. The benefit will also hon
or the founder, the late Joseph
A. Finney Sr of Juliette. There
will be resources to help other
foundations continue their work
in blessing others.
The formal event will feature a
live band, stand-up comedian
and a catered meal. All pro
ceeds benefit the foundation.
Tickets are available on-line.
For information, contact Cheryl
Finney at 478-394-3831.
Nov. 1-Feb. 28
DNR will lower
High Falls Lake
Georgia Department of
Natural Resources (DNR) will
lower the level of High Falls
Lake approximately 2-3 feet
between Nov. 1 and Fell 28
to let residents perform dock
repairs. Residents should make
arrangements for boats while
the lake is lowered and should
plan for necessary repairs
to maintain compliance with
requirements of dock per
mits. Repairs must be within
DNR specifications. Any new
construction or changes to
a current permitted dock
that require more than a 50
percent rebuild will required a
new permit. Get applications
at the park office. For more
information, contact High Falls
resource manager Taylor Geo-
nis at 478-993-3053.
On-Going
30 for 30 Walk-a-Weigh
Monroe County Extension
invites everyone to participate
iReporter
Page 7B
Forsyths top goal for 2023
Council members Mike Dodd and Julius Stroud discuss the current city limits of Forsyth
while Mayor Eric Wilson looks on at the council retreat on Friday, Nov. 4.
“You’re supposed to come
up with things for you to
work on, but you keep
coming up with projects
for us to work on. Most of
the projects we’re working
on aren’t budgeted, like
$2 million on widening
Montpelier.”
Hall said she was afraid
bringing department heads
to a council meeting would
turn into a long question
and answer session by
council and others who
attended the meeting.
She said she provides an
overview of what depart
ments are doing at council
meetings.
Wilson said again that
the city needs to put online
what the departments are
doing and where they are
in the process. He said
people see the problems on
Montpelier Road every day
and have no idea wheth
er the city is working on
them.
Hall shared a spreadsheet
of projects listed alphabeti
cally with council members
and said she had pulled
them from two drawers of
projects and added some
input from department
heads. Dodd said he likes
the list and the idea of hav
ing it available to the public
but thought it would be
better organized different
ly, perhaps by zones. Hall
didn’t provide the list of
projects to the Reporter.
As the discussion moved
to goals for 2023, Stroud
said his primary goal is
annexation. He said the
rest of the Betsy Lynn sub
division should be annexed
into Lorsyth in 2023 and
the city boundaries should
also annex the areas of
Keith Drive, Gilmore-Bell-
town and Todd Creek.
“I think any place receiv
ing public utilities should
be annexed,” said Stroud.
Hall said the Middle
Georgia Regional Commis
sion, which has been advis
ing Lorsyth on annexation,
recommended a work ses
sion to discuss annexation,
town hall meetings and
letters to affected residents.
Hall said council needs to
be prepared to answer any
questions residents might
ask. She said that a per
centage of residents must
agree to annexation before
the city can annex proper
ty. She said MGRC wants
to know whether council
wants to try to annex ev
erything it wants at once or
do it piece by piece.
Wilson suggested a 5
p.m. work session before
the Nov. 7 council meeting,
but Stroud said they should
check with the absent
council members and
MGRC first.
Stroud said Lorsyth
needs to prepare for more
police and fire equipment
and staff to cover newly
annexed property. H &
H has donated land for a
fire station on its annexed
land. Wilson noted that
annexation will reduce city
revenue because residents
will pay lower rates on
water, sewer and electricity
than the out-of-city rates
See Annexation
Page 8 B
Remember when...
1992
in 30 for 30 Walk-a-Weigh:
Walk 30 minutes per day for
30 straight days from Oct. 15-
Nov. 13. Find encouragement
from daily social media posts
created by Cooperative Ex
tension professionals across the
country and weekly Facebook
Live Walk-a-Weigh classes
from Monroe County Exten
sion agent Amanda Harner.
478-994-7014 or Amanda.
Harner@uga.edu
Heating Assistance
Middle Ga. Community Action
Agency will begin accepting
appointments for heating assis
tance in Monroe and the other
10 counties it serves for house
holds where all members are
65 or older or homebound on
Tuesday, Nov 1. Other income
eligible households may con
tact the scheduling system for
an appointment beginning Dec.
1. To schedule an appoint
ment call 1-844-588-1552
or go online to https:mgcaa.
appointment.works/ea/home.
To be eligible households must
document income, identities
and utility bills.
AA meetings
AA meetings are held at Christ
United Methodist Church, 417
N. Frontage Road, Forsyth on
Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays
at 7 p.m.
Story Time
at M.C. Library
Monroe County Library Story
Time has favorite books, crafts
and surprises each Wednesday
at 10 a.m. at the children's
corner in the library at 62 W.
Main St., Forsyth.
Monroe County
Amateur Radio
Monroe County Amateur Ra
dio Society meets the second
Monday of each month at
6:30 p.m. at Monroe County
Fire Station 1, 693 Juliette
Road, Forsyth.
• PrideCraft Enterprises,
which bought the William
Carter Company facility,
begins production with about
50 sewers and support
personnel. Plans call for
employment to top 200 by
January.
• The 3rd annual Golden
Age celebration for Monroe
Countians 90 and over will
be Nov. 14 with a motor
cade and reception for 49
seniors, including Miss Essie
Roberts, 100 and Mattie
Maddox, 102. There were
77 people over 90 the first
year.
• Two Culloden city coun
cil races have opposition:
Janet Smith is challenged by
George Pierson; Jeff Pierson
is challenged by former
mayor Edd Norris. Mayor
Rod Gonzalez and counci
member David Penamon Jr.
are unopposed.
• Results of this week’s gen
eral election will be posted
in the Reporter window as
soon as they are available
Tuesday night.
• Commisisoners approved a
bid from SSK Steel Builders
for $23,828 for construction
of a single bay fire station on
Shi Road.
• Forsyth police chief Benja
min Ponder shows the new
1992 Crown Victoria patrol
car Forsyth bought on a state
contract for $12,800.
• Red & White Grocery
co-sponsors a jack-o-lan-
tern decorating contest at
Hubbard Elementary and
announces the Pumpkin Troll
of Delores Mathis’ 4th grade
class the winner.
• Animal Control officer
Charles Mays answers the
call to remove snakes living
in the trunk of an abandoned
car in Walter Clements’
backyard.
• Monroe County School
system’s enrollment is up
about 190 from last year,
and the number of students
receiving free and reduced
price lunches is up by 67
(about 2 percent.)
• The Monroe County
Agricultural exhibit wins first
place at the Georgia State
Fair in Macon, Ginny Atkins
wins the State Fair Exten
sion Agent award, and 15
Monroe County 4-Her’s win
individual awards for their
exhibits.
2002
• The state owns the 17
buildings and 44 acres that
make up the former Tift
College property: it paid
Monroe County $5.8 million
for the property it bought for
$10.9 million in the summer
of 2000.
• Mt. Zion United Methodist
Church will host a program
and covered dish lunch to
honor veterans with specia
recognition of Dan Stewart
who has researched and
written all the articles in the
Reporter on men and women
who served in WWII.
• Results of local elections
will be posted on the front
door of the Reporter office as
soon as votes are tabulated
Tuesday night.
• Mary Persons cheerleaders
and the CheerDog Booster
Club have a new fundraiser
called Dawg’ing where lots
of signs appear in a yard and
the owner pays $20 to have
them removed.
• Julia Colvin and Pat Corley
of Sav-a-Pet accept a check
from Walmart associate Scott
Cheatwood.
• Monroe Academy dedi
cates its first academic build
ing in memory of George A.
MacMillan Sr., who served
as headmaster from 1970-
1992, with the MacMillan
family as guests of honor.
• Billy Lancaster of Monroe
County, is named 2002 Dis
tinguished Alumnus in UGA’s
Warner School of Forest Re
sources, the School's highest
honor recognizing service to
the University and the forest
resources profession.
• Vanessa Harrison, a 2002
graduate of Mary Persons, is
a recipient of a four-year Bill
Gates Scholarship totaling
about $6,000/year.
• Christ United Methodist
Church is sponsoring a
package of holiday food
from Angel Food Ministries
for $21, including over 12
pounds of meats.
• The Backlot Players present
“The Legend of Sleepy Hol
low,” directed by Abbie Bunn,
for the students and staff of
Hubbard Elementary. The
cast includes Dick Bazemore,
Sharon Goodwin, Elizabeth
Hunter, Judy Hunter, Jennifer
Lord and Glenn Gregg.
• Monroe County's Doug &
Jennifer Longer are named
the Young Farmer Achieve
ment Award winners for
the Georgia Farm Bureau's
5th District. They produce
broilers, have two acres of
catfish ponds and 80 acres of
planted pines.
• Monroe County Middle
School student Lauren Pope
is recognized as the 5th Dis
trict winner of the Georgia
Farm Bureau Essay Contest.
• Monroe County Arts
Alliance holds its Annua
Pumpkin Festival with a pet
ting zoo, pony and tractor
rides, face painting and
performances by an Atlanta
puppeteer.
• Mary Persons cross country
teams, coached by Perry
Slaughter, both place 2nd in
the 4AAA Region Champi
onship, earning advancement
to the State Championship
meet in Carrollton. Amanda
Coghenour placed 1st over
all in the Girls' 5K; Ben Ham
was the top Mary Persons'
finisher for the Boys’ 5K at
4th overall.
• All 600 tickets to the first
ever Monroe County Hospi
tal Foundation dinner sell out.
2012
• Mary Persons Lady Bull
dogs volleyball team advanc
es to the second round of
the AAAA state playoffs with
a straight-sets home victory
over Statesboro.
• Monroe Countians vote on
the Sunday sale of alcohol in
Monroe County stores.
Civil Rights icons Andrew
Young and Joseph Lowery
address a rally for Barack
Obama at St. James Baptist
Church.
• Monroe County District
1 voters have a choice
between 25-year incumbent
Larry Evans, 63, and Donald
Smith, 64.
• A Macon and a New York
law firm hold meetings to
identify clients for a possi
ble future law suit against
Georgia Power over health
complaints about Plant
Scherer.
• Tommy & Sally Green
of Forsyth celebrate their
50th wedding anniversary
at Maynard Baptist Church
fellowship hall.
• 2008 Monroe Academy
graduate Bryant Ursitti is
commissioned a 2nd Lieu
tenant in the U.S. Army.
• Forsyth Golf Club has three
holes-in-one in six days: Bill
Thompson, Tony Ussery and
Ray Wilder.
• Mary Persons One Act cast
places 4th in region compe
tition; Madison Trammell and
Cole Phelan are named to
the Region All-Star Cast.
Remember When
This look at what Monroe County residents were reading in the
Reporter 30, 20 and 10 years ago this week is brought to you by...
Monroe County
Memorial Chapel
We set the standards
that others follow 1
Harley Ray "Spanky" Beck
86 West Main Street • Forsyth
478-994-4266