Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 105, NO. 33, MARCH 4, 2009
LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY
MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
Williams named School Superintendent
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Interim School Superintendent
Melissa Williams will officially
head the local school system as
Superintendent, effective March
1. Her employment was ap
proved by the Jenkins County
Boai'd of Education (BOE) dur
ing a called meeting Friday, Feb.
27.
Mrs. Williams was signed to a
2-year contract with an annual
salary of $104,000.
The vote, however, was not
unanimous. BOE Chairman
Carroll Gay, Vice-Chairman
Roderick Campbell, and board
members Roy Cook and Irene
Drummer all voted in favor while
board member Freddie Brinson
opposed.
Mr. Brinson said that his oppo
sition was not directed at Mrs.
Williams personally. He stated
that he felt the application pro
cess should have been opened to
everyone and that the school su
perintendent should reside in
Jenkins County.
The BOE previously an
nounced in a Feb. 4 called meet
ing that Mrs. Williams was the
candidate under consideration for
the School Superintendent posi
tion. The chairman and vice-
chairman were authorized to en
ter contact negotiations with her
with the understanding that final
action would take place at a later
meeting.
Mrs. Williams resides in Metter
with husband, Stevie and one son,
Tyler, who is a student at Geor
gia Southwestern. She came to
the Jenkins County school system
in July 2006 as Director of In
structional Services and has held
the Interim School Superinten
dent position since Oct. 1, 2008.
She was educated in the public
schools of Candler County before
entering Georgia Southern Uni
versity in Statesboro, where she
received a bachelor’s degree in
Business Education and a
master’s degree in Educational
Leadership. Her 25 years of ex
periences include that of a Title I
reading/ math classroom teacher
at Reidsville High School in
Tattnall County for one year, a
business education teacher at
Metter High School for 17 years
and six years at the Candler
County BOE where she was the
program supervisor for technol
ogy, vocational and personnel.
“I am truly humbled to be given
this opportunity to be of service
to this school system and com
munity. It is a pleasure to work
with such dedicated, professional
and caring folks. I have come to
love this community and look
forward to working together to
see good things happen in our
school,” Mrs. Williams said.
VFW Post adopts a highway
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Members of Veterans of For
eign Wars (VFW) Post #2776
are putting their civic pride to
work and are challenging other
local organizations and indi
viduals to do the same.
The local post recently
adopted a section of Highway
17 By-pass as a community
project. Club members have
taken on the responsibility of
picking up litter along the high
way.
“I would like for folks to
know that the VFW are not
only mutually supportive of
each other, but very much ori
ented toward improving the
community. We served our
country, and now we are pre
pared to contribute to this com
munity,” said Byron Scogins,
local VFW commander.
“VFW members have volun
teered to pick up trash along
this one mile stretch every two
weeks as a part of “Keep
Millen Clean Campaign and
challenge all other civic orga
nizations to do the same,” he
added.
“The Millen/Jenkins County
Chamber of Commerce is very
appreciative of the Millen
VFW for adopting the Hwy. 17
area. This is an example and a
challenge to all civic groups to
do the same and let’s all make
Millen and Jenkins County a
cleaner looking town for our
children and grandchildren. We
need to make Jenkins County
a place of which we can be
proud,” commented Paula
Herrington, chamber executive
director.
Other community leaders
also commended VFW mem
bers for their initiative and ex
pressed hope that their chal
lenge will be accepted by other
organizations.
VFW Post #2776 has adopted a section of the Highway 17 By-pass for litter control.
Shown during a ribbon-cutting ceremony are, from left, Ed Arita, VFW; King Rocker,
City of Millen mayor; Paula Herrington, Millen-Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce
executive director; Casey Johnson, Jesse Guthrie, Leroy Clayton, William Gunn, Don
Leonard and Larry Thompson, VFW members; Byron Scogins, VFW Commander;
Pam Dwight, Jenkins County Commissioner; James Henry, Jenkins County Commission
Chairman; Ray Garvin, VFW; Dana Edenfield, VFW; and Clay Boulineau, City of Millen.
(Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
Economy was hot topic at breakfast
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
The economy - national,
state, and local - was a major
topic of discussion at Saturday’s
Legislative Breakfast held at
Krystal’s Taste of Kountry. The
event, sponsored annually by
Jenkins County Farm Bureau
and Millen-Jenkins County
Chamber of Commerce, gave
local citizens an opportunity to
meet with legislators and dis
cuss issues. Legislators in atten
dance were Congressman John
Barrow, State Senator J.B.
Powell and State Representative
Jon Burns.
Cong. Barrow opened his re
marks with an overview of
President Barack Obama’s
stimulus package, stating that it
featured three major compo
nents: tax cuts for lower/middle
class families, state aid and cre
ating jobs through public enter
prise.
“We can’t fix our other prob
lems if we can’t fix the
economy... It is not a perfect bill
but what is important is what it
does,” he said.
Rep. Burns commented that
he was “guardedly optimistic”
about the stimulus package.
“We don’t want to start pro
grams that we can’t fund in the
future,” he said.
Regarding the state budget,
he said, “There are going to be
some painful cuts. You’re go
ing to feel it across the state.”
On the local level. Rep. Bums
commented, “I don’t think there
is a stone left unturned that we
haven’t investigated to bring
good things back to this
county.”
Sen. J.B. Powell called atten
tion to recent changes made in
the rules and regulations gov
erning the processing of pea
nuts, noting that the peanut in
dustry played a major role in the
state’s economy.
He also explained his support
of the “Georgia Power Bill”
which would allow the com
pany to initiate a rate increase
in the near future rather than
waiting until construction at
Plant Vogtle was completed.
Doing so would move the
project forward, Sen. Powell
said.
On the local level. Sen.
Powell noted that there were
some things “in the works”, and
he expressed hope that Jenkins
County would see economic
improvement.
During a question and answer
session, Cong. Barrow ad
dressed the issue of a national
sales tax.
“I like the idea of it, but the
problem is that you can not shift
the tax burden from one tax base
to another without some paying
more and some paying less,” he
said.
The congressman explained
that the nation’s tax base was
presently based on “income.” A
national sales tax would shift it
to a “spending” base.
“And when times get tough,
people stop spending,” he said.
Educational issues discussed
included school vouchers, the
need for local spending flexibil
ity and unfunded state man
dates.
Cong. John Barrow addressed a group of local citizens at the annual Legislative
Breakfast held Saturday. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
BOE honors students
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Recognition of students’ achievements was a top priority at
the Monday, Feb. 23, meeting of the Jenkins County Board of
Education (BOE) with Interim School Superintendent Mel
issa Williams commending students and their coaches/advi
sors.
Tashe McClain was recognized for achieving 1,000 points
during her basketball career.
Spelling Bee winners present and honored were Clintrondra
Reynolds, Donnie Gay, Laura Hart, Jennifer Sanders and
Daniela Hernandez. Jenkins County Middle School FBLA
competitors present and honored were Donald Pennington,
Frank Hagins and Jenny Taylor.
In other business. Superintendent Williams brought BOE
members up-to-date on a new program being implemented at
Jenkins County Elementary School (JCES). The “Grab ‘n’ Go
Breakfast” program would provide students with another op
tion for breakfast, and, hopefully, increase participation in the
school’s breakfast program, she said.
If successful at JCES, the program could be implemented at
Jenkins County High School and Jenkins County Middle
School as well.
Other actions taken by the BOE included the following.
• Approved a school calendar selected by school personnel;
• Approved several fund-raising activities for school clubs
and organizations;
• Approved the resignation of bus driver Angela Joiner and
school custodian Frank Mack;
• Approved the addition of Jerry Messex to the substitute
teacher list; and
• Established a called meeting for Feb.27 to consider the
school superintendent’s position.
Tashe McClain, center, was recognized during the BOE
meeting for achieving 1,000 points in her basketball
career. Shown with her are Interim School
Superintendent Melissa Williams and coach Randy
Cooper. (Staff photos by Deborah Bennett)
Superintendent Williams recognized Spelling Bee
finalists. From left, are, first row: Clintronda Reynolds
and Donnie Gay; and second row: Superintendent
Williams, Laura Hart and Jennifer Sanders. Not pictured:
Destiny Mosley, Justice Deloach and Byron Williams.
Jenkins County Middle School FBLA competitors shown
are, from left, Donald Pennington, Frank Hagins, Jenny
Taylor, Pam Luke-advisorand Superintendent Williams.
Spelling Bee finalist Daniela
Hernandez, left, was also
recognized by
Superintendent Williams.