Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 105, NO. 43, MAY 13, 2009
LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
City accepts TE-Grant bid for Cotton Ave.
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Work on the long awaited
Transportation Enhancement
(TE) grant project for Cotton Av
enue could soon get underway.
Millen City Council accepted the
low bid for the project of approxi
mately $600,000 from Ellis
Woods Contracting during the
Tuesday, May 5, meeting of the
group.
Mayor King Rocker noted that
Ellis Woods Contracting was the
contractor that performed work
on a similar project in Sylvania.
The Georgia Department of
Transportation awarded the city
a $500,000 TE grant in 2004 for
the purpose of renovating and
promoting economic develop
ment in downtown Millen. An
additional $350,000 TE grant was
awarded the city in 2005. The city
has also received a grant for re
surfacing of Cotton Avenue in
conjunction with the projects.
Phase I of the TE grant project
will incoiporate green space into
Cotton Avenue, enhance lighting,
make the sidewalks handicap ac
cessible and initiate parallel park
ing on the store side of the street.
Phase II provides for construction
of additional 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.
In connection with the TE grant
project, Mayor Rocker and City
Manager Lamar Faircloth were
authorized to explore the possi
bility of securing funding for re
placing the city’s water main on
Cotton Avenue. It was noted that
the water line was thought to be
over 100 years old. The cost for
the project was estimated to be
approximately $219,128.
“If we’re ever going to do it,
now is the time,” commented
Mayor Rocker.
In other action, Mayor Rocker
volunteered to donate his May-
oral salary for as long as it takes
to cover the city’s contribution to
ward swimming pool repairs at
Magnolia Springs State Park. The
repairs arc needed in order for the
pool to be able to open this sum
mer. Funding of the repairs will
be a joint effort of the city, Jenkins
County Commissioners and
Jenkins County Development
Authority.
“That is a show of leadership,”
remarked Councilman Ivey
McMillan as council approved
the mayor’s request.
The only other action taken by
council was the approval of
switching city communications
from Verizon to duplex radios at
a monetary savings.
Cotton Avenue is scheduled to get a “face-lift” as work will soon begin on the City of
Millen’s TE-grant project. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
CLOSING TIME
A local retail landmark, Citi-Trends, will soon close its doors. A sign in the window indicates that the Millen store is the only
facility that is being closed. The store began operations in Millen as Allied Department Store many years ago and later
became Citi-Trends. The exact number of years it has been in operation is unknown, but it is estimated to be 50+ years. The
number of workers employed by the store is also unknown. Numerous telephone calls from The Millen News to Citi-Trends’
headquarters in Savannah were routed to “voice mail” and not returned. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
A
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RELAY
FOR LIFE
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Cancer
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Relay For Life
to be held Friday
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Jenkins County’s annual Relay for Life will get under
way 7 p.m. this Friday at the Jenkins County Recreation
Department complex.
Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signa
ture fundraising event designed to celebrate survivorship
and raise money for cancer research, prevention and early
detection. Participants form teams, raise money through a
variety of activities and walk non-stop throughout the night
"because cancer doesn’t sleep.”
The opening activity will be the customary Survivors’
Walk. Another important activity is the lighting of lumi
naries in honor of those battling the disease and in memory
of those who have lost the fight.
Entertainment and other activities are planned through
out the night, and food items will be available.
The public is invited to come out and spend an enjoy
able evening with friends and neighbors in support of the
fight against cancer. For more information on the Relay
for Life, contact Vicki Adams at 982-5700.
Courthouse repairs to be bid out
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Needed repairs to the Jenkins
County Courthouse, which in
clude repairs to the roof and clock
dome, will soon be bid out. The
authorization was given to archi
tect Frank D’Arcangelo during the
group’s April 21 meeting.
The replacement/repair of the
heating and cooling system in the
courthouse was discussed as to
whether or not to repair the present
system at an estimated cost of
$360,000 or replace it with 10 all
electrical units at a cost of
$220,000. Also discussed was the
use of tin roofing rather than as
phalt shingles.
In other matters, Jenkins
County Sheriff Robert Oglesby
met with the group and presented
several architectural drawings of
the Jockey International building
for inspection, based upon the
county’s consideration of acquir
ing the building.
Sheriff Oglesby also discussed
the need for a Resource Officer
for the Jenkins County school sys
tem, stating that since there are
funds for this puipose, he felt they
should be used. He also noted that
he had been working with Jenkins
County Family Enrichment Cen
ter on a proposal and grant for the
program.
It was also noted by the sheriff
that his department now has
“around-the-clock surveillance”
on Friday and Saturday for the
county.
Jerry Jennings attended the
meeting and requested that the
commissioners give their ap
proval on the third phase of the
Carlton Oaks Subdivision. Fol
lowing a discussion of the matter
with county field director Grady
Lane, approval was given by a
vote of 4-1. Commissioners James
Henry, Pam Dwight, Domingo
Green and Tommy Lane voted in
favor. Commissioner Floyd
Chance cast the opposing vote.
Other actions taken by the com
missioners included the follow
ing:
• Approved a request from
Byron Scogins of the VFW to
conduct a Memorial Day Service
May 25 on the courthouse
grounds;
• Approved a Mutual Aid
Agreement with the City of
Swainsboro, pending Fire Chief
Dwayne Henington’s approval;
• Approved securing a credit
card to be issued in the Jenkins
County Sheriff Department’s
name;
• Tabled action on water/meth
ane monitoring contract with
Stantec in order to secure addi
tional information on rates;
• Accepted a bid in the amount
of $5,927 for office furniture for
the commissioners’ office from
Best Office Solutions; and
• Tabled appointment of mem
ber to the Jenkins County Tax As
sessor Boai'd.
The roof and clock dome of the Jenkins County Courthouse
will soon get needed repairs. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
Jenkins County
Hospital to hold
Health Fair
The Jenkins County Hospital Health Fair has been a
local favorite for several years now. Regretfully, due to
various circumstances, the Health Fair will be presented
in a scaled down format this year 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tues
day, May 19, and Wednesday, May 20.
The laboratory will offer the "discount rate” lab pack
age as a general health screening. The package will in
clude a Complete Blood Count (CBC), Basic Metabolic
Profile (BMP), AST (basic liver screen), and a Lipid Pro
file (good and bad cholesterol screen) all for one price of
$15. In addition to the tests offered in the package, par
ticipants will be given the opportunity to have their thy
roid (TSH) and/or prostate (PSA for males) screened for
an additional $5 per test.
No physician’s order will be required, and the results
will be sent to the participants only. It will be up to the
participants to take the results to their physicians if they
so choose. The lab will not report the results to any phy
sicians. This is a great opportunity for citizens and a great
health screen, which in the past has proven to uncover
previously undiagnosed conditions.
The Lipid Profile and Glucose (included in the BMP
require an 8-12 hour fast (no eating). Testers may have
water only and regular medications). Testers should re
port to the front lobby of the hospital to receive a lab
packet and take advantage of this great opportunity.