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VOL. 111, NO. 16, October 8, 2014
LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY MILLEN, GEORGIA • 75 CENTS
Commissioners guarantee
payment of school bond
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News edito
The Jenkins County Commissioners have agreed to guaran
tee payment for construction of the new PreK-12 consolidated
school, on behalf of the Jenkins County Board of Education
(BOE), should the 1-cent Education Special Purpose Local
Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) fail to generate the funds needed
to pay the local share of the project.
During a recent meeting of the commissioners, Van Pool,
BOE attorney, presented the request from the BOE. In the event
that the ESPLOST revenue falls short of what is needed to pay
off the school bond issue, the commissioners approved a reso
lution agreeing to levy an ad valorem tax to cover the remain
der.
The BOE recently signed a contract with the Georgia De
partment of Education whereby the state agreed to contribute
funds in the amount of $20,132,147 for construction of the
new school. The ESPLOST was approved by voters in No
vember 2013 as a means of generating the local funding needed
for the project. It was predicted thel-cent sales tax would pro
vide $3.5 million over a 5-year tax period.
In other business, Lee Wilson, Jenkins County Tax Asses
sor presented information regarding cell tower revaluation. He
informed the commissioners that his office was aware of 12
cell towers within the county and that 15 carriers were using
those towers. The cost of revaluation would be $17,400. Mr.
Wilson requested that the revaluation occur soon in order for
the updated values to be included in the 2015 tax digest.
Mr. Wilson also discussed Accessory Finder, a program that
helps locate property additions that may not be on the tax digest.
He introduced Chad Rupert of GIS1, who explained the program,
noting that the program history from other counties had netted
between $3-$8 dollars of additional tax revenue for every dollar
spent on the program. The cost of the program was determined
to be $9,600 that could be billed monthly.
The commissioners agreed to review the information and take
action at their next meeting.
County Administrator Grady Saxon presented to the commis
sioners a written agreement that gives Optim Medical Center-
Jenkins an extension of time to pay Medicare/Medicaid reim
bursement that is due Jenkins County.
Mr. Saxon also presented an amendment to the original Inter
governmental Agreement between the commissioners and the
Jenkins County Hospital Authority, stating that the commission
ers would make quarterly payments for indigent care to the Au
thority, rather than semi-annual payments. The amendment was
approved.
Other actions taken by the commissioners included: approved
an application for a beer and wine license made by Tiffany Wil
liams for Club Diamond, pending the outcome of the final re
view by the Sheriff’s Office; approved purchase of offset harrow
in the amount of $4,365 from FarmMart; and approved two con
tracts in regard to meals provided at the Jenkins County Senior
Citizen Center.
Miracle Walk to help fight cancer
Jenkins County is partnering with the University Hospital
Health Care Foundation and News Channel 6 to host its first
Miracle Walk Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Jenkins County Rec
reation Department complex. The event is designed to sup
port and enhance research efforts to fight cancer.
Individuals and groups are encouraged to register for the
event. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the "Walk” be
gins at 9 a.m. Golf carts will be available and water stations
will be set up throughout the course. Individuals who are bat
tling cancer or who are survivors of cancer will be honored at
the event and will receive a special gift.
The goal is to raise $10,000 for the fight against cancer.
There is no cost for registering, but the community is being
asked to support the activity with donations. All donations
are tax deductible and will benefit the University Hospital
Health Care Foundation.
Local businesses are asked to donate items such as food,
drinks and gift certificates.
For more information, contact Lula Burton at 706-871-3517
or Nona Roberson at 478-982-4511.
FAIR DREW A LARCE CROWD
The annual Fair-on-the-Square drew a large crowd of
exhibitors and visitors to the Jenkins County
Courthouse lawn on Saturday. (Staff photos by Deborah
Bennett)
The Fair-on-the-Square parade through downtown
Millen is always a highlight of the Fair-on-the-Square.
Friends of Magnolia
State Park Day a success!
Fifty-six people volunteered on State Park
Day, Sept. 27, for clean-up efforts at Magno
lia Springs State Park. Friends of Magnolia
Springs State Park (FMSSP) provided the vol
unteers with T-shirts, door prizes and lunch.
Park Manager Dustin Fuller commented, “It
was great to see so much getting done in
such a short period of time.” FMSSP mem
bers shown, from left, are first row: Linda
Newton, Claudette Sasser, Evie Wiggins,
Veronica Cowart, Susan Welch and Elaine
Lanier; and second row: Richie Akins, Cindy
Gordon, Joe Sasser and Park Manager Dustin
Fuller. FMSSP members present but not pic
tured: Art Johnson, Larry Johnson and
Clarence Belt (Photo contributed)
Local twins need
kidney transplants
By Deborah Bennett
Millen News edito
Twins Natalie Lattimore and Atalie Bynes, 40-year-olds,
have always been close and have always shared things, in
cluding illnesses. That tradition continues as each has begun
preparing for kidney transplants, due to the effects of their
20-year battle with diabetes.
Natalie, however, lays claim to “always being the first.”
“I was the first to be diagnosed with diabetes, the first to be
diagnosed with high blood pressure and the first to be diag
nosed with Stage 5 kidney disease," said Natalie. “It’s like
I’m the first with everything. If I go to the doctor with the flu,
later she’s (Atalie) going to get it.”
Natalie was also the first to begin home dialysis treatments
in December, 2013. Atalie soon followed her sister’s lead and
has been on home dialysis since August. Both are on medical
leave from their jobs. Natalie has been employed by Fred’s in
Millen for almost 10 years and Atalie is a 15-year employee
of Koyo Jtekt of Sylvania. Both have hopes of returning to
their jobs.
Natalie was also the first to be placed on the list for a kid
ney transplant. Atalie has just begun the testing process.
“I had to raise a certain amount of money before I could get
on the kidney transplant list. This is to show proof that I will
be able to afford the necessary medication after the surgery. I
understand that just one pill I will have to take will cost around
$1,000 a month,” explains Natalie.
There a few differences in the women, however. They have
different blood types. So, one twin could not donate a kidney
to her sister even if one of them was healthy. They will also
have their transplants at different hospitals, Natalie at Geor
gia Regents University in Augusta and Atalie at Emory Uni
versity in Atlanta.
Both women say they have come forward with their story
to raise awareness about the long term effects of diabetes, the
need for organ donors and to encourage others to take better
care of themselves.
“I was warned several years ago that dialysis was a possi
bility, but I ignored it. I just thought I was too young, that it
would never happen to me. But it did," said Natalie.
Atalie admits that she delayed starting dialysis because it
was “hard to accept.”
“It was hard to deal with at first. I cried a lot. I just didn’t
want to talk about it. My sister is stronger than I am and I
finally just told her how I was feeling. And it got better after
that," Atalie said.
Natalie has to raise $7,500 for her transplant with the Kid
ney Foundation providing matching funds. She expressed deep
gratitude to the numerous churches and individuals who have
helped her as she tries to reach her goal.
“I also want to acknowledge my family and close friends.
There have been times when I could not do anything for my
self. My family had to do everything for me. I know I can
overcome anything with their support and encouragement,”
said Natalie.
“I just want to be around for my children,” said Atalie, who
has two daughters, ages 23 and 4. The oldest will graduate
college in December as a Registered Nurse.
Anyone who would like to help Natalie reach her goal of
$7,500 may make a donation to the Georgia Transplant Foun
dation, 500 Sugar Mill Rd., Ste. 170-A, Atlanta, GA 30350,
Attn: Transplant Fundraising Program. Contributors should
put on the check, “in honor of Natalie Lattimore.”
Once Atalie has completed testing and been approved for
the transplant program, she, also, will be required to raise funds
as proof of her ability to pay for the necessary medication
after her transplant.
Family members of the twins will undergo testing to deter
mine if anyone is a suitable donor for either of them. Others
interested in receiving information on testing as a donor should
call Karrie Moyer, Living Donor Coordinator, for Natalie, at
706-721-8560 or Perry Dykes, Pre-Renal Transplant Coordi
nator, for Atalie, at 855-366-7989.
The twins are the daughters of Elizabeth Mosley of Millen.
Both are members of Needful Baptist Church of Millen.
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