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THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2008
Commerce officer accused of rape in Banks
Investigation continues at BCES
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Banks County superintendent
Chris Erwin is still awaiting word
on lab results which could have an
impact on the final decision into
an investigation of an incident at
Banks County Elementary School
last month which left the assistant
principal on leave.
Erwin said Monday he hopes to
have information by the end of next
week which will help clear up alle
gations that male fifth grade students
at the school were allegedly made to
BY SHARON HOGAN
Members of the Baldwin City
Council discussed at its monthly
council meeting on Tuesday, May
27, the possibility of the city hold
ing a fall festival during the Labor
Day weekend.
Ken Thurmond, President of the
Cornelia Lions Club, came before
the council for the second time to
discuss a festival event in Baldwin.
Thurmond said, “We met here a
few weeks ago and talked about a
festival here in Baldwin. We are now
ready to put a committee together.”
Thurmond said, “We can call it a
fall festival or a fun festival. If it is
O.K. with the council we would like
to proceed on this.”
Thurmond said he and Betty Harper
have been riding around looking for
some spots in the city that would be
suitable for this event.
Thurmond said Fieldale said no
due to insurance issues. A spokes
man at Hayes Chevrolet, Hwy. 365,
BY JUSTIN POOLE
The rising cost of gas led the
Maysville City Council to hold a
called work session last week to
look into ways of saving money.
Maysville Police Chief Clarence
Sullens presented a list of ways
to cut costs and conserve fuel in
the department, including the fol
lowing:
•not letting the cars sit idling
and turning the engines off when
parked.
•patrolling on foot between busi
nesses in close proximity.
•using the motorcycle more fre
quently to patrol. The motorcycle
averages around 45-55 miles per
gallon.
•requiring deputies to park in
high visibility areas.
•switching to 10-hour days, four
day a week schedules.
•more stationary checks.
Sullens also told the council that
he was going to speak to the offi
cers about changing procedures
when chasing a vehicle.
“If they just accelerate normally,
it won’t use up as much fuel,” said
Sullens.
Sullens also gave statistics on
some of the patrol cars. The 2001
model Crown Victoria patrol car
averaged 18 miles per gallon
(mpg); the 2003 car averaged 11
mpg; the 2006 car averaged 11.6
mpg; and the car Sgt. Rory Clark
uses averaged 11.6 mpg.
WATER DEPARTMENT
As for the water department,
drink from a water fountain from
which a substance had been poured
into. There is question whether the
substance was urine or Gatorade.
Assistant principal Lori Rylee,
who has been in the Banks County
School System for 13 years and an
assistant principal for the last two,
has been placed on leave pending the
investigation. Rylee allegedly made
the students drink from the fountain
after not been able to determine who
poured the substance into it.
The incident came to light after
said they would be glad to let the
city use the field behind their deal
ership for this event.
Another location that was looked
at was the city’s roadside park on
Hwy. 441. Thurmond said Lions
International does have insurance to
cover this event as long as no alco
holic drinks are served.
The date is tentatively set for
Saturday, August 30, during the
Labor Day Weekend.
“We would like to have citi
zens involved on this committee,”
Thurmond said.
Council member Beverly Holcomb
said, “I would like for the citizens to
have some input on what the festival
is called.” Holcomb said she under
stood from some of the old-timers
that Baldwin was considered at one
time to be peach country, with a
lot of peach orchards and packing
houses located in the city.
“It seems like we could incor
porate peach in the title of it,”
Ralph Sailors presented the fol
lowing ways to conserve fuel:
•carpooling when doing repair
work.
•turning off the vehicle when
stopped.
•rolling down windows instead
of using the air conditioner.
•making the detainees walk to
the library to work.
•parking between houses and
walking to each water meter.
•purchasing a more fuel-efficient
vehicle.
The water department’s older
1996 model pickup averaged 12
mpg and the newer 2001 model
pickup averaged 14 mpg.
The council members also asked
about the possibilities of convert
ing to radio controlled meters.
Another possibility discussed was
the feasibility of a golf cart or ATV
for the water department or a small
truck like a Ford Ranger.
The council discussed purchas
ing a 2005 model Ranger with
31,000 miles that costs $9,200.
The council decided that the mat
ter would be resolved at the next
meeting.
The city council’s next meeting
is June 9 at the library.
ACTION ITEMS
In other business at the called
work session, the council:
•heard from Steve Nichols, direc
tor of Jackson County Emergency
Management Agency, about the
Hazard Mitigation Resolution.
•reviewed the fire hydrant meter
some students told their parents
what happened. The students said
they were told by the assistant prin
cipal if they spoke of the incident
then law enforcement as well as offi
cials from the Department of Family
and Children’s Services would be
contacted.
A group of parents has request
ed that Rylee be terminated from
the school system and that system
employees receive training on how
to handle matters of this nature and
how to properly question authority.
Holcomb said.
Thurmond also said, “We have
looked at also having something in
the spring.”
Thurmond said he was looking
to have something for the kids and
entertainment at the festivals.
Baldwin resident Andrea Harper
said, “Festivals are very labor inten
sive and very expensive. The cost of
advertising exceeds the money you
take in.” Harper also said the city
will really need a dedicated group
of volunteers to work on this event.
Harper said she has a contact list
the city could use and she also, has
a list of free advertisers that are
available.
Thurmond invited everyone in
attendance to the Cornelia Lions
Club 50th anniversary celebration
on Saturday, June 7.
A bar-be-que will be held. The
plates will cost $20 per plate. This
will include bar-be-que pork, chick
en, baked beans and potato salad.
rental agreement and discussed
adding a line to include the date the
meter was returned and inspected.
•reviewed the update on the
grease trap policy.
•discussed terms for Downtown
Development Authority members
to put on their next agenda.
•stated that the solid waste agree
ment would be brought up at the
next meeting.
•discussed implementing a time
limit on library computer use.
•discussed changing the speed
limit in front of the Golden Pantry
from 45 to 35 mph.
•received information on mag
netic locators and decided to get
additional bids.
•discussed electrical concerns at
Veterans Park.
•agreed for the mayor to approve
bid for repairs to the power pole
and receptacles in the park due to
safety requirements.
•discussed the request for street
lights from different areas of the
city and the possibility of Georgia
Power doing an analysis.
•discussed two bids for repairs
to the water and sewer lines on an
as-need/emergency basis.
•discussed the copier renewal
lease at $119 per month on a 36
month lease for 2,000 copies. After
2,000 copies, an additional cost of
$.01 per copy would apply.
•discussed possible dates for a
retreat. A decision will be made at
the next meeting of the Maysville
City Council.
An officer of the Commerce Police
Department has been put on “admin
istrative leave” pending a Georgia
Bureau of Investigation allegation
that he raped a woman in Banks
County.
Banks County sheriff Charles
Chapman and chief investigator
Kyle Bryant confirmed their office
was contacted about a rape charge.
Since the allegation involved a law
enforcement officer, they turned the
investigation over to the GBI.
BY SHARON HOGAN
Baldwin leaders are looking at
ways to cut the city’s gasoline
expenses.
At a meeting last week, council
member Jeff Murray gave a report
on behalf of Tim Hall, public works
director, concerning ways that have
been implemented to cut down on
gas usage by city vehicles.
All city vehicles have been tuned
up and the tire pressure is checked
every Monday morning. Supervisors
have been instructed to plan daily
routes to allow employees to ‘buddy’
up. Employees are also are required
to ride together to lunch and they
must ride in their own vehicle if they
are going over one mile.
Hall said brush pickup was dropped
to once a month from twice a month
by the city. Hall also said people
are bringing in shrub bushes from
outside the city to be picked up by
the city to go through the chipper.
Grass cutting by the city employees
has been dramatically reduced. The
city is maintaining just what has to
be maintained.
All tractors that use diesel that are
not driven on the highway and have
been switched over to off-road die
sel. All meter reading will be done
with the small utility trucks, which
get an estimated 40 to 50 miles per
gallon. The city will surplus off
three of the big vehicles. The small
utility trucks are also used on water
repairs and cut-offs.
Hall reported that the heat and air
thermostats in the bottom of city hall
are set at 72 degrees. The hot water
heater at the shop has been turned
down to 110 degrees. Gas furnaces
have been turned completely off.
Some of the light bulbs in the city
buildings have been changed out
also.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at last week’s
meeting:
•the council discussed the city’s
comprehensive plan update. Council
member Beverly Holcomb said
Commerce Police Chief John
Gaissert confirmed that Cpl.
Cameron Boswell was placed on
administrative leave May 19. He
continues to be paid.
“I cannot comment on an allega
tion of wrongdoing by an officer or
an incident in another jurisdiction,”
said Gaissert. “We will evaluate the
facts and circumstances of the alle
gations pending the conclusion of
any investigation.”
Boswell, who is the depart-
Baldwin will be contracting with
MacTec to handle the update. “We
didn’t meet the deadline to do ours
with Banks County,” Holcomb said.
The city has until Jan. 1 to get this
done. “We will set up a meeting with
MacTec on this,” Holcomb said.
Citizen A. Harper told Holcomb
the city needs to look at Habersham
County’s plan. “They have envi
sioned some ideas for Hwy. 365,
you need to look at,” Harper said.
•the council approved a request
from Heath Caudell to build a house
on a lot that he is purchasing with an
existing house on Park Avenue from
Kevin Gaddis. Caudell said the plat
shows one one-acre parcel in the
City of Baldwin. Caudell said he has
a hand-drawn survey showing the
land as lots 5 and 6 on a 1960s sur
vey. Caudell said, “I would like to
get some clarification on is this two
lots? If it is two lots, I would like to
get this split back into two one-half
acre lots and would like to build a
house on lot 6.” The house that is
there now is on lot 5. Caudell also
said the hand-drawn survey is regis
tered in Habersham County and the
property is now in Banks County.
The property is currently zoned R-1.
Syfan checked the code book and
the lot size for R-1 is 15,000 square
feet. “A half-acre lot for each is
large enough for R-1 zoning,” Syfan
said. Syfan said the clearest thing is
to allow him to subdivide the prop
erty into two one-half acre lots. “A
subdivision is not a rezoning and
you wouldn’t have to jump through
all the hoops for a rezoning,” Syfan
said. The new house must meet
all the set-back requirements the
city has in place and Caudell was
instructed about the fees that would
need to be paid.
•police Chief Daren Osborn pre
sented the council with a quote on a
software program he would like for
the police department to use. “We’ve
paid $7,500 (July 1-April 30) so far
this year for software, and it’s not
worth it,” he said. Management Data
ment’s drug dog handler, has not
been arrested. He resides in Banks
County.
Without Boswell, the depart
ment cannot use its drug dog, since
the dogs are used strictly by their
assigned handlers, according to
Gaissert. However, other local juris
dictions have drug dogs if the need
arises.
“We have some alternate resourc
es,” Gaissert commented. “Jackson
County has a drug dog and Banks
System (MDS), Statesboro, would
cost the city $4,750 for the system
and training. This is a cost of $2,100
for one year, plus set-up fee and
license fee. “Up front, it’s a little bit
of money, over the long run we will
save about $5,000-$6,000 per year,”
Osborn said. The software also has
the capability to do programs to go
to the state. Osborn said the software
also has the capability of in-car
printing of citations, however, this
is not realistic right now because
it requires laptops and printers in
the cars. The council unanimously
approved the purchase of the soft
ware from MDS.
•Murray gave the council a report
on the fire department’s Boot Drive
that was held on Friday, Saturday
and Monday, over Memorial Day
weekend. The fire department held
the boot drive to raise money to buy
an all terrain vehicle (ATV) to be use
in rescue operations because people
who get hurt in the woods need to
be carried out. Murray said last year
the fire department did a gun raffle
and held a softball tournament and
raised $2,100. The boot drive raised
a total of $7,200. Murray said, “We
had the fire department vehicles set
ting out for everyone to see during
the boot drive. The department pur
chased the ATV today and was able
to purchase a trailer to haul it on. We
will have it painted fire department
red and lettered up.”
•the council heard from Baldwin
resident, Victoria Kelley, concern
ing the ordinance for ATVs on
city streets. Osborn said, “All four-
wheelers are banned from the city
streets. Some dirt bikes are allowed
if you can purchase a tag for it.”
Kelley said she lives on Scenic Falls
Road and people ride ATVs up and
down this road. Osborn said she had
recently stopped some youths in that
area for riding ATVs in the street.
•the council met in closed session
for one hour to discuss personnel
and real estate issues. No action was
taken.
Voters encouraged to obtain absentee ballots
Registered voters, including those in Banks County,
may request an absentee ballot from their county reg
istrar by completing an application available on the
Georgia Secretary of State’s website.
The website is: www.sos.ga.gov/elections/
ElectionCenter08.htm.
Voters may then submit the form to their county regis
trar by mail or fax.
Contact information for county registrars is available
at www.sos.ga.gov/elections/ElectionCenter08.htm.
Absentee ballots will also be available at the registrar’s
office beginning June 2. Voters will be allowed to cast
an absentee ballot without giving a reason for wanting
to vote early.
“We will likely see high turnout in this year’s general
primary and general election. That could mean extended
wait times at some precincts,” secretary of state Karen
Handel said. “Absentee voting is a convenient way for
voters to exercise their civic duty without having to visit
a polling place on election day.”
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