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VOL. 105, NO. 36, MARCH 25, 2009 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS ■ m 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.