Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2016
THE COMMERCE NEWS • THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 5A
Living in tumultuous times
We are living in tumultuous
times in our country. Upon learn
ing about the officers killed in Dal
las Texas, an email was sent out to
all of our deputies advising them
that Dallas may seem far away
but there is evil right here around
us. Then comes Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, and again our deputies
were reminded to be mindful of
their surroundings and vigilant in
staying safe and going home to
their families every day.
As sheriff and as a law enforcement
officer, we all take an oath to serve and
protect the citizens of our county/commu-
nities and enforce the laws of the State of
Georgia. That is our duty every day when
we come to work. If there was no one to
enforce those laws, we would be in a mess.
Personally, I don’t know what happened
in Baton Rouge or Minneapolis as far as the
gentlemen who were killed by law enforce
ment. All I saw was a short video that
was put out by the news media. There
was never time for an investigation before
12 innocent officers were ambushed and
shot in Dallas Texas, by a sniper, with five
of those officers succumbing to their inju
ries. Grieving families were left behind;
fathers, mothers, wives, children, loved
ones, friends, and police departments that
will forever be hurting.
Another officer in Valdosta Georgia,
ambushed as he answered a call for ser
vice, shot multiple times.
Then a week later, in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, seven innocent officers were
ambushed and shot, again by a sniper
with three of those officers losing their
lives. More loved ones, along with a police
department and a sheriffs office, and a
community left to mourn their loss.
There are bad people in every profes
sion I know of, including law enforcement.
When it is determined after a thorough
investigation that a law enforcement offi
cer has committed a heinous crime, then
that officer needs to be arrested and held
accountable for their actions. Innocent
lives should not be taken because of the
actions of others, whether it is law enforce
ment or anyone for that matter.
In North Charleston South Carolina, in
2015, a police officer shot a man in the back
after a traffic stop, as the man was running
away from the officer, at which time that
man was not a threat to that officer. That
officer has been charged with murder, is
in jail and rightly so, should never get out
when convicted.
As we remember the officers
in Texas and Louisiana, I want to
share with you exerts from the
Officer Down Memorial Page:
•Senior Corporal Lome Brad
ley Ahrens, served 14 years with
Dallas Police Department and Los
Angeles California, survived by
his wife and two children. His
wife is also with Dallas Police
Department.
•Police Officer Michael Leslie
Krol, served nine years with Dallas
Police Department and also Wayne County
Michigan for four years.
• Sgt. Michael Joseph Smith, served 27
years with Dallas Police Department, sur
vived by his wife and two daughters.
•Police Officer Patricio E. Zamarripa,
served six years with Dallas Police Depart
ment, a Navy veteran, survived by his wife,
2-year-old daughter and stepson.
•Police Officer Brent Alan Thompson,
served nine years with Dallas Area Rapid
Transit, U.S. Marine Corps veteran, sur
vived by his daughter, granddaughter and
his wife.
•Deputy Sheriff Brad Garafola, served
24 years with East Baton Rouge Parish
Sheriffs Office, survived by his wife and
four children.
•Corporal Montrell Jackson, served 10
years with Baton Rouge Police Department,
survived by his wife and infant son.
• Police Officer Matthew Gerald, served
one year with Baton Rouge Police Depart
ment, U.S. Military veteran.
God bless these officers who took that
oath to serve and protect. They paid the
ultimate sacrifice. God bless their families
also.
As sheriff of Jackson County I want to
personally thank all of our deputies that
come to work each day who work the front
lines and respond to calls not knowing if
they will go home at the end of that shift.
All of our employees do a great job for the
people of Jackson County and, for that,
I am most appreciative. They do this job
because of their servant hearts.
Thank you to the people of Jackson
County who have reached out to us through
phone calls, emails, text, bringing goodies,
buying meals for the deputies and for just
being kind during troubled times. We
appreciate those acts of kindness.
As we go about our daily lives, let us
never forget the fallen.
All gave some but some gave all.
Janis Mangum is sheriff of Jackson
County.
Letter to the editor
Commerce PD thanks citizens
Editor:
The Commerce Police Department
would like to express our sincere appre
ciation to the citizens of Commerce and
Jackson County. We have always felt
appreciated, but the past few weeks have
been extra special.
In the aftermath of recent nationwide
tragedies, we have had a tremendous out
pouring of support from our amazing cit
izens. I could never express my gratitude
for how much this means to my officers
and me. This support has come in the
form of snacks and goodies being brought
to our office, meals purchased at local
restaurants, cards, or just a simple hand
shake and encouraging words of support
while on-duty.
All of the expressions of support have
reminded us that even through hard times,
our community stands strongly behind us.
The men and women of our department
are truly honored and humbled to serve
the citizens of this great city.
Sincerely,
Chief Brandon P Sellers
Making up 'compost stew'
Ms. Ashley with Keep Banks County Beautiful told area youth at the Banks
County Public Library’s summer reading program last week how to make
healthy “compost stew.”
Bouncy house fun
Children enjoyed the bouncy house at the summer carnival held recently at
the Maysville Public Library.
Carnival games
Children lined up to play games at the summer carnival at the Maysville
Public Library. The event was held as a celebration of the end of the summer
reading program. The carnival included a bouncy house, dunk booth, ring
toss, ping pong table game, duck pond game, bean bag toss, cake walk, pop
corn, cotton candy and prizes.
Banks BOE approves projects
The Banks County Board
of Education approved the
following project requests
at its July meeting:
•Banks County Primary
School (BCPS) to sell spirit
items, August 2016 - May
2017.
•BCPS to host music
lessons, August 2016 - May
2017.
•BCPS to sell Mayfield
ice cream products, August
2016 - May 2017.
• BCPS student/class
pictures and yearbook,
August 2016 - May 2017.
•BCPS to sell Square
One Art student artwork,
August 2016 - May 2017.
• BCPS Fall Fund Raiser,
August 2016 - May 2017.
•BCPS Book Fair, Octo
ber 2016 - March 1, 2017
• Banks County Elemen
tary School (BCES) night
at local restaurants, August
2016 - May 2017.
•BCES vending
machines in teacher work
room, August 2016 - May
2017.
•BCES Yearbook Sales,
August 2016 - May 2017.
• BCES Box Tops for
Education, August 2016 -
May 2017.
•BCES School Pictures,
August 2016 - May 2017.
• BCES School Book
Fair, August 2016 - May 2017.
• BCES selling ice cream,
drinks, smart snacks after
lunch, August 2016 - May
2017.
• BCES Gayle Rylee’s
class to sell t-shirts, August
1,2016 - May 26, 2017.
•BCES Fall Fundraiser,
August 16, 2016 - Septem
ber 13,20168
•BCES Music Program
recorder sale, August 2016
- March 2017.
• BCES Art to sell Square
1 student art, September
2016 - November 2016.
•BCES Music Program
to sell personalized DVD’s
of school concerts/perfor-
mances, October 2016 -
May 2017.
•BCES Music Program
to sell roses for 4th grade
musical, December 2016.
•BCES PE. classes
Jump Rope for Heart, Feb
ruary 2017 - March 2017.
• BCES Art Classes Fine
Art Night, March 10, 2017.
• BCES Spring Fling, May
2017.
• Banks County High
School (BCHS) Media Cen
ter to sell Thirty-One items
to purchase magazines,
Aug. 1,2016-Aug. 31, 2016.
• BCHS Media Center
Book Fair, Oct. 31, 2016 -
Nov. 7, 2016.
• BCHS Media Center
Book Fair, March 1, 2017 -
March 15, 2017
• BCHS Media Center
to sell Thirty-One items to
purchase magazine, April
2,1017 - April 30, 2017.
Please
recycle
this
paper
Super reader
Mallory Oliver, 9, was the “Super
Reader” winner recognized at the
Maysville Public Library’s summer
reading carnival.
Sweet treat
Olivia Nance is shown enjoying
cotton candy at the summer carni
val held to celebrate the end of the
summer reading program at the
Maysville Public Library.
Projects
Year
Approved
Cost
Expended
Banks
2006 Splost Project
Report
Courthouse/Annex
Sewage Projects
Safety & Fire
Recreation Facility
Roads & Bridges
Water Facilities
Projects
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
Year
Approved
8.000.000.00
1.250.000.00
300,00000
125,000.00
1.483,000.00
5.000,000.00
Cost
7.675.339.00
1.721.041.00
1.263.725.00
1.758.963.00
1.592.123.00
655.005.00
FY07 - Year 1
FY08-Year 2
FY09-Yoar 3
FY10-Year 4
FY11-Year 5
FY-12Year 6
FY13-Ytar 7
FY14-Year 8
FY15-Year 8
FY1S-Yeer9
415.974.00
4.507.292.00
2,281.969.00
333,426.00
1.429.00
49.829.00
70.099.00
9.229.00
4.092.00
2,000.00
67.880.00
1.196.683.00
108,684.00
18.410.00
277.083.00
52.301.00
135.403.00
22.598.00
585.573.00
263.347,00
256.804.00
30.387.00
101.633.00
190.373.00
1.436.570.00
1.473.901.00
5.198.00
3.327.00
69.324 00
40,373.00
22.754.00
85.400.00
70.051.00
70.87800
275,016.00
130.906.00
Expended
Banks
2012 Splost Project
Report
FY13-Year 1
FY14-Ycar 2
FY15-Year 3
FY1G-Year 3
General Obligation Debt
2012
450.000.00
450.000.00
249.040.00
200.960.00
Sewage / Water
2012
4.470.000.00
971.273.00
88.016.00
365.609 00
517.648.00
Safety and Fire
2012
1.900.000.00
1,571.299.00
154.355.00
1.416.944,00
Recreation
2012
1.000,000.00
1.435.608.00
2.500.00
657.00
1.432.451.00
Roads & Bridges
2012
4.825,500.00
3.436.810.00
30.256.00
1.073.648.00
2.332.906.00
Plotter Equipment
2012
7.500.00
6.606.00
6.606.00
Vehicles
2012
192.000.00
194.208.00
43.596.00
74.311.00
76.301.00
Senior Center
2012
30.000.00
1.000.00
1.000.00