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VOL. 105, NO. 26, JANUARY 14, 2009 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
Commissioners appoint chair, vice-chair
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
James Henry was reap
pointed Chairman of the
Jenkins County Commission
ers. and Tommy Lane will
serve as Vice-Chairman for
2009. The action came during
the group’s Tuesday, Jan. 6,
meeting.
Commissioner Henry was
reappointed by a 3-1 vote with
Commissioner Domingo
Green opposing the action.
Commissioners Floyd
Chance. Tommy Lane and
Pam Dwight voted in favor.
During discussion of the
matter, Commissioner Green
commented that he felt the
board “was moving toward a
one man county operation”
and outlined several of his
concerns. These included: the
manner and time frame in
which the U.S. Census Bureau
advertised and hired local po
sitions, a delay in the hiring
of an employee for the Jenkins
County Senior Citizens Cen
ter, actions taken to deal with
trucks hauling pipes on Old
Louisville Road and the Spe
cial Purpose Local Option
Sales Tax agreement with the
City of Millen.
Following the vote for
chairman. Commissioner
Dwight inquired if Green
would be interested in serving
as vice-chairman of the group.
When he declined, she nomi
nated Commissioner Lane for
the post, stating that she felt
every commission member
should have the experience.
The motion was approved.
Troy Gay was also reap
pointed as county attorney.
Newly elected sheriff, Rob
ert Oglesby, accompanied by
Chief Deputy Johnny Griner,
addressed the commissioners
with several concerns.
Sheriff Oglesby requested a
close-out audit of the Sheriff
Department’s finances and in
ventory to begin his first term
of office. The commissioners
approved the request with the
county’s auditing firm to per
form the financial audit and a
qualified private citizen to be
asked to audit the departmen
tal inventory.
The commissioners also ap
proved the purchase of a pick
up truck for the department
with the sheriff authorized to
attempt to negotiate a better
price than the $31,046.04
quoted. It was noted that the
last patrol car purchased for
the department was more ex
pensive than the price quoted
for the truck.
Sheriff Oglesby inquired of
the county policy which re
quired county employees to
work for the county one year
before they became eligible
for health insurance. The
commissioners noted that the
policy did not apply to elected
officials and agreed to recon
sider it for possible revision.
In other matters, Jenkins
County Tax Assessor Don
Rich informed the group of a
vacancy on the Board of Tax
JAMES HENRY,
COUNTY COMMISSION
CHAIRMAN
Assessors and requested that
consideration be given to
nominating someone to fill the
position. He pointed out that
several weeks training was re
quired.
Architect Beryles Johnson
presented a slide presentation
on renovations and repairs his
company had performed on
the Jefferson County Court
house, stating his intention to
bid on proposed water damage
repairs to the Jenkins County
Courthouse. He requested and
received specifications for the
project.
Other actions taken by the
commissioners included the
following:
• Approved a request from
the local VFW post seeking
permission to place a War Me-
TOMMY LANE,
COUNTY COMMISSION
VICE-CHAIRMAN
morial Monument on the
courthouse lawn with Com
missioners Lane and Chance
to meet with VFW members
to determine a suitable loca
tion;
• Approved renewal of a re
duced landfill dumping fee for
Cavalier Home Builders for
an additional 12 months;
• Approved resolution for
renewal of transit system 5311
program application with the
Department of Transportation;
and
• Approved request from
North Jenkins County Volun
teer Fire Department for
matching local funds in the
amount of $4,382 as a require
ment of a $87,648 grant to be
used to purchase protective
clothing.
BOE vice-chairman recognized for service
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Jenkins County Board of
Education Vice-Chairman
Roderick Campbell was rec
ognized during the Monday,
Jan. 5, meeting of the group
for receiving a 15 year service
pin at the Georgia School
Boards Association’s annual
conference in December 2008.
“Mr. Campbell was elected
by the voters in District 1 as
their representative of the
community’s voice on educa
tion matters. He has diligently
worked to make improve
ments to the school system.
Having received this service
milestone is indicative of his
commitment to public educa
tion,” said School Superinten
dent Melissa Williams.
In other business, Carroll
Gay and Campbell were reap
pointed as Chairman and Vice-
Chairman, respectively. Gay
has completed 14 years of ser
vice, all while serving as
Chairman. Campbell has com
pleted 15 years of service
while serving as Vice-Chair
man for 11 years.
“It is quite an honor to have
Mr. Gay and Mr. Campbell
elected to these leadership po
sitions, which in indicative of
their sincere dedication to our
students and our schools.
However, the success of the
school system is dependent
upon the entire board working
as a cohesive team,” Superin
tendent Williams said.
Vanderver R. Pool was also
reappointed as School Board
Attorney.
Superintendent Williams re
ported that tax revenue was
beginning to come in with col
lections as follows: $25,318 in
October; $141,081 in Novem
ber and $284,770 in Decem
ber.
She also reported that the
school system was recently
recognized by the Georgia De
partment of Education for ex
cellence in the education of
students with disabilities by
meeting the state target in
transitioning students to their
desired postsecondary out
comes, educating students in
the least restrictive environ
ment, graduating with regular
education diplomas, reducing
the number of students who
drop out of school and meet
ing or exceeding state
achievement standards for
Reading/English Language
Arts.
Superintendent Williams
said, "We are indeed grateful
to school system personnel,
parents, community members,
stakeholders and the special
education director for your
diligent efforts in receiving
this honor.”
In other matters, approval
was granted for installation of
a fence by Ronnie Fleming per
lease agreement with the St.
Bernadette Catholic Church at
a cost of $1,085. The BOE will
request from the Jenkins
County Commissioners a
waiver of a $267 fee for in
stallation of a driveway pipe
at the location.
Roderick Campbell was reappointed Vice-Chairman of
the BOE. He is shown being recognized by Jenkins
County School Superintendent Melissa Williams for 15
years of service on the Georgia School Boards
Association. (Photo contributed)
Other actions taken by the
BOE included the following:
• Approved BOE meeting
dates for 7 p.m. the third Mon
day of each month with the
following exceptions - Feb.
23 and Dec. 14 in 2009 and
Jan. 4, 2010.
• Approved Georgia School
Boards Association Risk Man
agement as the vendor for
workers compensation ser
vices with a bid of $55,015;
and
• Approved a $500 coaching
supplement for C-team girls’
basketball coach.
CARROLL GAY, BOARD OF
EDUCATION CHAIRMAN
Three injured
in shooting
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
A fight on Reeves Street in the City of Millen Saturday,
Jan. 10, sent three Millen men to the hospital with gunshot
wounds and resulted in the arrest of another.
Charged with aggravated assault in the incident is
Khampbrel Gross, 21. The victims were Timothy Lamar
Burke, 24, Simone Sinclair Chance, 25, and Tyrone Jeff,
21.
Chuck Sullenger, assistant special agent in charge, Geor
gia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), said the Millen Police
Department (MPD) received the initial call for assistance at
approximately 1:25 p.m.
“A fight started with gunfire, and three persons were hit,”
said Agent Sullenger.
No one was critically wounded, he added.
The incident remains under investigation as a joint effort
of the GBI and MPD.
Neighbors save
man from fire
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Observant neighbors and their quick thinking averted a
near tragedy this weekend when Rhesa Reeves of Millen
was pulled from his burning mobile home at 2185 Speedy
Sapp Road in Jenkins County around 10 a.m. A North
Jenkins County Volunteer Fire Department (NJCVFD) in
cident report identifies his rescuers as neighbors Clarence
and Lucille Overstreet.
The Overstreets reported that they saw smoke coming
from the Reeves residence and had a relative call 9-1-1.
Mr. Overstreet then took action, forcing the front door open.
He was initially driven back by smoke and heat, however.
When Mrs. Overstreet attempted to enter she tripped over
Mr. Reeves who was lying on the floor. Together they man
aged to pull him from the house.
Mr. Reeves suffered from smoke inhalation and was taken
by private vehicle to Burke Medical Center for treatment.
Betty Boone, who lives with the Overstreets, said that
the couple did not think of themselves as they tried to help
a neighbor.
"We just think of him (Reeves) as family,” said Boone.
“You don’t want to see someone you love killed in a fire.”
The origin of the fire was determined to have been the
kitchen range and was ruled accidental in nature.
The NJCVFD and Jenkins County Fire Department re
sponded to the call for assistance.
Special Election to
be held March 17
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
A Special Election to determine if the present Education
Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) should
be renewed for an additional 5-year period has been set
for Tuesday, March 17.
The deadline for registering to vote in the Special Elec
tion is Feb. 16. Anyone who is not presently registered
may do so in the office of the Jenkins County Registrar at
the Jenkins County Courthouse during normal business
hours.
The present ESPLOST was originally passed in 2005,
for a 5- year period, along with approval of the issuance
of general obligation bonds. The sale of bonds allowed the
school system to obtain immediate funding for planned
capital improvement projects rather than having to wait
for ESPLOST funds to accumulate. It was noted then that
a second referendum would be needed in order to generate
sufficient revenue to pay off the bonds as they matured
over a 10-year period.
The maximum amount of revenue that could be collected
by renewal of the ESPLOST has been set at $5,258,175.
The Jenkins County Board of Education stresses that this
is not a request for an “additional” one-cent sales tax but
the “renewal” of the present tax.
A legal ad outlining the election process and other
ESPLOST details appears elsewhere in this issue of The
Millen News.