Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 105, NO. 36, MARCH 25, 2009
LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY
MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
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Memorial War Monument erected
Members of the VFW Post 2776 are shown with the Memorial War Monument the group recently placed on the lawn of the
Jenkins County Courthouse, honoring Jenkins County soldiers who lost their lives in World War I, Word War II, Korea and
Vietnam. From left, are Casey Johnson, Dana Edenfield, Floyd Chance, Leroy Clayton, Ray Garvin, Randall Brown, Larry
Thompson, William Matthews, Don Leonard, Jesse Guthrie and Elbert Burke. (Photo contributed)
County votes in favor of ESPLOST
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
The county’s current 7-
cents sales tax will remain un
changed. Local voters ap
proved a referendum to renew
for another 5-year period the
current 1-cent Education Spe
cial Purpose Local Option
Sales Tax (ESPLOST) in the
March 17 Special Election.
The referendum passed by a
vote of 364-45.
Approximately 411 of the
4,958 registered voters went
to the polls to cast their bal
lots in the election. This rep
resents 8.29 percent of the
county’s registered voters.
The present ESPLOST was
originally passed in 2005, for
a 5- year period, along with
approval of the issuance of
general obligation bonds by
the Jenkins County Board of
Education. 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 at
that time that a second refer
endum would be needed in
order to generate sufficient
revenue to pay off the bonds
as they mature over a 10-year
period.
Revenue generated by the
ESPLOST and sale of bonds
was approved to fund planned
athletic improvements at
Jenkins County High School
which included construction
of the new gymnatorium and
tennis courts. Other projects
included improvements and
equipment at all schools and
the central office, construc
tion of a new bus shop and
maintenance shop, purchase
of buses and maintenance ve
hicles, improved technology
at all schools and system-
wide safety and security
equipment.
The maximum amount of
revenue that can be collected
by renewal of the ESPLOST
has been set at $5,258,175.
Grandparents, students dine together
Jenkins County Elementary School celebrated Grandparents’ Day recently by allowing students to invite
their grandparents to have breakfast with them. Shown serving are, from left, Mamie Clifton, Principal Jim
Jarvis, School Superintendent Melissa Williams and Baraka Allen. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
TE-grant
project goes
to bidding
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
After five years of planning and delays. Cotton Avenue may
soon get a “facelift.” The City of Millen announced this week
that it is accepting bids for the Cotton Avenue TE-grant project.
Bids will be accepted until 2 p.m. Thursday, April 30, at the
City Municipal Building. At that time the bids will be publicly
opened and read. A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held 1
p.m. Tuesday, April 21, at the municipal building. The dead
line for questions, which are to be submitted in writing, is 11
a.m. Friday, April 24. An advertisement appears elsewhere in
this issue of The Millen News outlining the bid specifications
and other pertinent information.
The Georgia Department of Transportation awarded the city
a $500,000 TE grant in 2004 for the purpose of renovating and
promoting economic development in downtown Millen. An
additional $350,000 TE grant was awarded the city in 2005.
Due to the increased cost of materials, Millen City Council
later voted to combine the two projects and bid them out as
one with hopes of securing better bids. It was estimated that
combining the projects could save as much as $75,000.
Phase I of the TE grant project will incorporate green space
into Cotton Avenue, enhance lighting, make the sidewalks
handicap accessible and initiate parallel parking on the store
side of the street. Phase II provides for construction of addi
tional parking lots on the railroad side of the street, among
other things.
Federal funds available under the TE grant program provide
80 percent of the total project cost. The sponsor’s local match
must be at least 20 percent of the total project cost and may be
cash, in-kind services or donated services, materials or real
estate.
It is not known at this time when actual construction may
begin on the project.
Chamber ‘Gala’
is Thursday
The Millen-Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce will host
its annual “Gala” 7 p.m. Thursday, March 26, at the old Pal
Theatre on Cotton Avenue. Tickets are $10 each and may be
purchased at the chamber office or from any chamber director.
Humorist Dr. Wayne Ates will provide entertainment and hors
d’ oeuvres will be served.
Another highlight of the event will be recognition of local
businesses that have made improvements to their properties
during the past year.
Foot race leads
to drug arrest
Sunday, March 15, deputies of the Jenkins County Sheriff’s
Office responded to back-up Millen Police Department offic
ers after a reported robbery at the Enmark Service Station, U.S.
Highway 25.
After arriving, deputies spotted a suspect walking through a
vacant lot behind the station that matched the description of
the robbery suspect. Upon identifying themselves and order
ing the suspect to stop, he ran and deputies followed him
through a residential area where he was apprehended and a
quantity of suspected marijuana and cocaine, packaged for
resale, were seized.
Orenthal Rodriques Scott, 30, of Johnson Lane, was charged
with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, posses
sion of cocaine and probation violation arising from a Jenkins
County State Court Case. It was determined that he was not
connected with the Enmark robbery.
He is being held in the Jenkins County Jail, without bond,
pending Jenkins County State Court action on the probation
violation and Jenkins County Superior Court action on the drug
charges.
Board of Commissioners discuss airport improvements
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Improving communications
between the Jenkins County
Commissioners and the Air
port Committee which they
previously appointed was a
priority at the Tuesday, March
17, meeting of the commis
sioners.
Airport Committee member
Don Gay met with the group
to discuss planned improve
ments at the airport. These im
provements include a 1,000
foot extension of the existing
runway, extension of the run
way protection zones, con
struction of a parallel taxiway
and runway safety areas, a pos
sible fueling station, the pos
sible construction of an 8-
plane hanger and approxi
mately 60.6 acres of land ac
quisition.
Commissioner Tommy Lane
reported that he had verbal
commitments from three indi
viduals who stated they would
rent hanger space at the airport
if it was available in the future.
In consideration of this, Mr.
Gay was instructed to acquire
prices for the construction of
a hanger and report back to the
commissioners.
In other matters, the com
missioners denied a request
from the local chapter of the
Sons of the Confederacy to re
move three shrubs adjacent to
the Confederate Monument on
the courthouse lawn in order to
make room for markers the
group was proposing to erect
in the future. The decision was
based upon opposition from
the Daughters of the Confed
eracy, owners of the Confed
erate monument.
The SCV was previously
granted approval for place
ment of a single marker com
memorating the 100 th anniver
sary of the monument and that
decision was not changed.
Following a discussion of
needed repairs and improve
ments to the courthouse cool
ing/heating system. Chairman
James Henry was authorized to
contact other counties con
cerning their levels of satisfac
tion with the work performed
by the architects being consid
ered by the commissioners for
their project.
Chairman Henry was also
asked to contact two possible
candidates for membership on
the Jenkins County Tax Asses
sor Board to determine if ei
ther would be willing to serve.
An application for a beer/
wine license was tabled until
such time as the county attor
ney could determine that the
applicant had a full under
standing of the ordinance re
quirements and Georgia law
referenced by the ordinance.
Approval was granted for
the establishment of a fourth
area of fire protection to be
provided by the North Jenkins
County Volunteer Fire Depart
ment. This area extends from
Georgia Highway 23 to But
termilk Road and was previ
ously included in the county’s
Master Plan for fire protection.
A “wait and observe” action
was initiated concerning the
recent discovery of “possible”
termite infestation at the court
house.