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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023
Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 12 Pages, 1 Section Plus Supplements
Vol. 57 No. 52
Bramlett
forced out
by Lula
Council
By SHERRY LEWIS
The Lula City Council
voted to oust council mem
ber Gene Bramlett from of
fice after holding a public
hearing on the matter at the
Lula Depot on Tuesday eve
ning.
The Deport was turned
into a courtroom with law
yers and witnesses in atten
dance, but when all was said
and done, and some two and
a half hours later, the coun
cil unanimously voted to re
lieved him of his duties.
Councilman Tony Cornett
made the motion, stating,
“I make a motion to relieve
him due to incompetence,
malfeasance, misfeasance,
and releasing privileged and
confidential information to
the public.”
City leaders say this all
came about after Bramlett
released “privileged and
confidential information”
to members of the public
following a closed session
to discuss hiring an assis
tant city manager. During
the proceedings, it was
stated that Bramlett leaked
the name of one of the can
didates and went on to tell
people which candidate the
council preferred and why.
Bramlett didn’t go down
without a fight; he had legal
representation who argued
that there was no proof that
he divulged the information
because it quickly became
public knowledge.
Bramlett has dodged two
attempts to get him out of
office. The council voted to
relieve him of his duties ear
lier this year, and a petition
signed by citizens failed af
ter an attempt was made to
relieve Bramlett and Mayor
Joe Thomas of their duties.
City Attorney Joey Ho
mans said the ruling will go
into effect in 10 days and
noted Bramlett would have
30 days to appeal.
Christmas comes to town
Homer, Lula, Gillsville, Baldwin
hold holiday festivals, parades
Children visited with Santa at the Christmas celebration Saturday in Homer. See Page 12 for
more photos from the event.
It was a rainy night in Lula when the recent Christmas in Lula
but that didn’t stop people from lining up and waiting for the
event. Shown are Tommy Talley, Debbie Smith and Becky Tal
ley. See Page 3 for more photos from the event.
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A large crowd attended the Christmas in Gillsville festival.
The two-day event included photos with Santa, Christmas
goodies and other fun activities. See Page 3 for more photos
from the evebnt.
Mayor Stephanie Almagno shows her preference for Santa Claus at the photo booth. See Page
3 for more photos from the event.
Inside
this issue
•School-Page 2
•Opinion—Page 4
•Sports—Page 5
•Crime—Page 6
•Church—Page 7
•Obits—Page 8-9
MAILING LABEL
Banks students recognized for academic
achievement; named REACH Scholars
By HANNAH CAUDELL
The Banks County Board
of Education recognized
the Realizing Educational
Achievement Can Hap
pen (REACH) Scholarship
recipients when it met on
Thursday.
The REACH Scholarship
recipients are identified in
the eighth grade for out
standing academic achieve
ment. The students must
commit to specified require
ments to stay eligible and, if
they do, they will receive a
college scholarship.
This year, the scholar
ships were presented to
Alondra Paramo Andrade,
Nova Aguilar, Deja Brown,
Iszak Clarke, and Ruthie
Moore.
The board also showed its
appreciation for the spon
sors who donated money
to the scholarship fund, in
cluding HBC Roof, Metro
Site, UpState Curb, Com
merce Country Cafe, and
Hoyt & Ruth Parson and Phi
Delta Chapter Eastern Star.
STUDENT
RECOGNITION
The BOE also recognized
the following:
•the middle school soft-
ball team for having a per
fect season, and the high
school team for placing
third in the state champion
ship.
•the Banks County FFA
Environmental Natural Re
sources team for earning the
National Runner-Up title. In
the Forestry CDE, the FFA
program also won the Na
tional Championship.
•BCHS senior Pepper Da
vis, a member of the cross
country team, for earning
fifth place in the state cham
pionship race.
OTHER BUSINESS
Also at the meeting:
•assistant superintendent
Joy Edwards spoke about
the Georgia Power-spon
sored trip to Ron Clark
Academy for some teachers
and administrators. While
there, they were able to ob
serve different types of in
struction and to learn from
the faculty of a model char
ter school.
•heard updates on what
can be expected for the
next school year in terms
of instruction, security, and
budget. In August 2024,
the school system will be
switching from Google
Classroom to Canva for
their online instruction. The
school system is also con
tinuing to work on their se
curity updates, and they will
begin planning for the next
school year’s budget.
•the board reviewed the
field trip and project re
quests for the week, includ
ing a FFA trip to Kansas
City and the Beta Club toy
drive.
•director of finance Dr.
Daniel Oldham gave his
expense report, which in
cluded that the school sys
tem has stayed under budget
during the first five months
into the school year. The
SPLOST for November to
taled $425,691, which was
favorable according to Old
ham.
•it was reported that the
school system will go on
their Christmas break on
Monday, Dec. 18. Teachers
will return on Wednesday,
Jan. 3, for a professional
learning day, and students
will return on Thursday,
Jan. 4.
•the BOE approved hiring
Jaime Chapman, parapro-
fessional; and James Gei
ger and Jared Sanders, both
teachers.
•the BOE approved the
resignation of Karina Ar-
menta, paraprofessional.
Maysville Christmas event to be held Saturday
The Maysville Com- Christmas in the Park event 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event chocolate and music. For community club at Mays-
munity Club will hold its on Saturday, Dec. 16, from will include vendors, hot more information, email the ville.comclub(3)gmail.com.
