Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 106, NO. 22, DECEMBER 16, 2009 LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY
MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
Decking the halls
After months of repairs and renovations, the first floor of the Jenkins County Courthouse is look
ing good for Christmas. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
Property taxes
are due Dec. 20
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
Christmas cheer may be in short supply for local property
owners as property taxes are due Dec. 20 with many taxpay
ers seeing an increase in their taxes this year.
Jenkins County Tax Commissioner Brenda Mathern con
firmed that, locally, “collections are slow.”
Since 1999, Georgia property owners have received about
a $200-$300 credit on homeowners’ property tax bills, thanks
to the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant. The Governor and Geor
gia General Assembly funded this credit and provided reim
bursement for it to local governments. It did not change the
amount of property tax owed, just reduced the amount the
homeowner had to pay out of pocket.
This year, however, the Governor and Legislature did not
appropriate funds for the grant due to financial strains on the
state’s budget. Therefore, most property owners across the
state, including those in Jenkins County, saw an approximate
$200-$300 increase in their 2009 taxes, even if the local mill-
age rates for their counties, cities and schools remained the
same as the previous year.
While House Bill 143 provided that the credit could be of
fered again sometime in the future, the grant will only be made
available if state revenues grow at least 3 percent plus the rate
of inflation.
Due to a decrease of approximately $7.6 million in the lo
cal tax digest and a decrease of $58,000 in Local Option Sales
Tax revenue, the Jenkins County Commissioners increased
property taxes levied by the county for the 2009-2010 fiscal
year by 1.36 percent. This represents a millage increase of
0.144 mil. The commissioners called attention to the fact that
the county’s budget was decreased $249,000 from the previ
ous year in an effort to deal with the loss of revenue.
The commissioners last sought a property tax increase of
2.53 percent for fiscal year 2006-2007.
Property taxes are the main source of revenue for the county
to fund services such as law enforcement and fire protection,
jails, courts, road department, landfill and parks and recre
ation facilities.
Fred’s donates to local police, fire departments
Each year since 2002.
Lred’s Hometown Discount
Stores have commemorated
the fallen heroes of 9/11
through a fundraiser for the
emergency teams that serve
their store locations. The
campaign was successful
again this year, and Lred’s is
donating a chain-wide total of
$314,803 to local emergency
teams across their regions.
The local Lred’s store
raised and donated $750 that
was divided between the
Millen Police Department and
Millen Lire Department.
Lred’s stores sold “Hero
Hats” for $1 each with all pro
ceeds going to selected emer
gency teams around store lo
cations. In addition, all oper
ating profits from store sales
on Sept. 11 were also do
nated.
“Hero Hats” are personal
signs that customers pay $1 to
sign and hand in the window
of their Lred’s store in visible
support of their emergency
teams. District managers in
each market select the desig
nated emergency organiza
tions. generally the response
teams who would come to the
store in the event of an emer
gency.
Since the promotion began
in 2002, Lred’s has raised and
donated more than $1.6 mil
lion for local fire, police and
sheriff departments.
“This is our way each year
of saying ‘thank you’ to the
men and women who put their
lives at risk every day to pro
tect our lives and property,”
said Ursula Roman. Lred’s
marketing director. “We hope
the emergency teams found it
rewarding to pass by a store
and see all of those Hero Hats
hanging in the window in
their honor.”
Lred’s, Inc. operates 669
discount general merchandise
stores, including 24 fran
chised Lred’s stores.
From left, James Marsh, local Fred’s store manager,
presents Dwayne Herrington, City of Millen Public Safety
Director, with checks for the Millen Police Department
and Millen Fire Department as part of the company’s 9/
11 fundraiser program. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
ie Jenkins County Board of Education and
CIS of Jenkins County congratulates the
Jenkins County JROYC Raider Team!
Overall State Champions / Runner-Up National Champions
Joining Communities and Schools for Succefttl
1
1
Eli
Congratulations!
This billboard on West Winthrope Avenue pays tribute to the Jenkins County High School JROTC program whose Raider
team was overall State Champion and runner-up National Champion this year. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)
Barbara Mobley
retires from FSA
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News Editor
After almost 31 '/2 years of service with the U.S. Depart
ment of Agriculture (USDA), Barbara Mobley, executive di
rector of the Jenkins County Larm Service Agency (LSA), is
calling it quits and heading home for the last time at the end
of the month.
Mobley’s varied career with
the USDA began in her home
community of Burke County in
March 1978 when she was hired
at the Burke County Agricultural
Stabilization Service (ASCS) of
fice. She became a Program As
sistant with the agency in July of
that year and in July 1986 entered
the agency’s county office trainee
program.
After completion of the six
months training program, which
involved traveling around the
state to five different offices, Mobley was employed as ASCS
County Executive Director for Richmond and Columbia coun
ties. The ASCS became the Consolidated LSA, and she then
served as the agency’s County Executive Director in Rich
mond/Columbia County until May 1995. The Richmond/Co
lumbia County office was combined with McDuffie and War
ren counties, after she transferred to Emanuel County. While
working there, the agency was changed to the LSA.
Mobley’s career as Jenkins County LSA Executive Direc
tor began in July 2000 when she transferred from Emanuel
County to be closer to her home.
Throughout her career, Mobley has witnessed many changes
within the USDA, the biggest of which she said were the tech
nological advances.
"Everything was done manually when I started. Now, ev
erything is computerized,” she said.
"I have enjoyed my work with the LSA and the farmers and
landowners. And I am looking forward to my retirement,”
she added.
Mobley’s plans for the future include doing a lot of travel
ing.
A drop-in reception will be held for Mobley Wednesday,
Dec. 30, at the Jenkins County LSA office. Refreshments will
be served 9 a.m. until noon, but feel free to drop by at your
convenience any time that day.
Don Rich died Dec. 11
Jenkins County’s Tax Appraiser/Chief Tax Assessor Donald
L. Rich, died Lriday, Dec. 11, at the Medical College of Geor
gia in Augusta following an illness.
Rich began his employment with the county in May 1992.
He was Chief Tax Assessor for Jenkins County and was a
member of the Georgia Tax Assessors Association.
Graveside services were held Sunday, Dec. 13, at the Rich
Lamily Cemetery. The complete obituary appears elsewhere
in this issue of The Millen News.