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Published by Permar Publications • P.O. Box 20539 • St. Simons Island, Ga. 31522 • 912-265-9654 • www.theislanderonline.com
August 31, 2009 Established 1972
Ballard renovation complete
Cutting the ribbon to officially open the newly renovated 'classroom' wing of the old
Ballard school building last week were: (left to right) Glynn County Commission chair
man Jerome Clark, Representative Jerry Keen, Assistant Commissioner of the Ga.
Dept, of Corrections (DOC) Derrick Schofield, (DOC) Officer Nelson Pittman, Ware
State Prison Warden Darrell Hart, Glynn County UGA Cooperative Extension Agent
Robi Gray and County Administrator Charles Stewart. Islander Staff Photo
Completion of classroom building finalizes
Ballard renovation project
County reviews
sign ordinance
with islanders
By Matthew J. Permar
It seems there are a number
of real estate companies, and
several restaurants, primarily
on St. Simons Island, that are
either in violation of or unhap
py with the Glynn County Sign
Ordinance.
Recently, the County
Administrator sent letters to
the real estate companies and
restaurants advising them to
come into compliance with the
ordinance.
According to County Pulbic
Information Officer Candice
Temple, "The letters were sent
out for sign ordinance viola
tions. The letters for banners
and portables were hand deliv
ered on Friday, August 11. The
letters for large signs were
mailed Saturday, August 12. "
"The letters were sent
out after Code Enforcement
received a number of com
plaints. Following those
complaints, Charles Stew
art (County Administrator)
requested that the officers can
vas the entire island to find
out how prominent these types
(the four covered diming the
meeting) were," Temple said.
"Code Enforcement officers
took two days and looked at all
of St. Simons Island. Those vio
lations they found were mailed
letters corresponding with the
type of violation. Along with
the letter, each establishment
was given a photograph of
their violation," she said.
The two main violations,
according to the county, were
use of the small 'A' frame or
sandwich board signs that the
businesses put out in front of
their offices that usually state
'Agent on duty' and the over
sized signs at the entrances to
new developments advertising
lots for sale.
Some restaurant owners
also received violation notices
based on the use of the 'A'
frame signs they put out front
to advertise nightly specials or
live entertainment.
The 'A' frame signs are con
sidered portable signs, which
are illegal in all zoning dis-
Turn to Page 5
Sign ordinance
The main office of the Glynn
County Recreation Depart
ment has been in their new
home in the renovated Ballard
School library building since
September 2008.
Now that the Ballard class
room renovation is complete
Glynn County's University of
Georgia Cooperative Exten
sion office moved into their
new digs with a ribbon cutting
ceremony last week.
During the ceremony project
Manager and Assistant Coun
ty Administrator Paul Chris
tian expressed his thanks to
DOC Director of Engineering
and Construction Services Bob
Plemons, Ware State Prison
Warden J. Darrell Hart, Offi
cer Nelson Pittman, head of
the inmate construction crew,
State Representative Jerry
Keen (Dist. 179), and Glynn
County Commissioner Don
Hogan for their efforts in the
complete refurbishment of the
By Pamela Permar Shierling
Ballard classroom building.
According to Christian the
cost to the County was $52
per square for the 10,500 sq.
ft. renovation. "If we had bid
the project out, rather than
use the Department of Cor
rections labor, the cost to the
county would have been $200
per square foot," he said.
The renovation work by the
inmates included gutting the
classroom building, new wir
ing, plumbing, windows ceil
ing, fire alarm system, all ADA
compliant, and new lights. "In
other words," said Christian,
"a complete renovation."
Glynn County Commis
sioner Howard Lynn (District
4) talked about Ballard's his
tory; it was built in 1937 and
named Community School
then Ballard Elementary after
the superintendent of schools.
"This has turned out to be
a beautiful building," Lynn
said. "Back in 2003 Tommy
Clark (former District 1 Glynn
County commissioner) and
I began to work together to
bring back Ballard because we
didn't want to see this school
go to waste."
Rep. Keen, who helped
coordinate the work between
Glynn County and the Depart
ment of Corrections, said,
"Please thank the inmates.
They deserve a thank you from
the community for their work.
This project is a great example
of the state and local govern
ments working together."
The refurbished Ballard
classroom building houses
the Glynn Comity Universi
ty of Georgia (UGA) Exten
sion Office, including Glynn
County 4-H, three public use
community rooms, storage for
recreation equipment and a
room to outfit kids with the
proper equipment for county
recreation department sports
programs. □
ssislander@bellsouth.net
Vol 37 Issue 35
Seven found dead
in Brunswick
mobile home
Shortly after 8:00 a.m.
on Saturday, August 29, the
Glynn County Police Depart
ment received a 911 call of mul
tiple deceased persons found
in a mobile home in the New
Hope Mobile Home Park.
Officers responded and upon
entry found multiple persons
deceased and two persons criti
cally injured. The two injured
were transported to an area
hospital for care.
The investigation is a homi
cide investigation, according to
Police Chief Matt Doering.
Autopsies of the victims
began at 7:30 a.m. Sunday,
Aug. 30 at the Georgia Crime
Lab with Glynn County Police-
investigators in attendance.
•Glynn County Police Emer
gency Management volunteers
and investigators began an
expanded search of the area
surrounding the mobile home.
Turn to Page XX
Glynn homicide
Mayor
announces
reelection bid
• Says city will refuse
to close I Street for
jail expansion
Last week Brunswick Mayor
Bryan Thompson announced
his reelection bid for a second
term as the City's mayor.
With his wife Heather
Heath at his side, Thompson
told the crowd that he was run
ning for a second term because
he really enjoyed serving the
citizens as mayor.
"I have learned so much,"
Thompson said. "Serving as
your mayor has been a rich
and rewarding experience."
Thompson also said, "It has
been a process of maturation
for me and the commissioners.
We have grown to point where
there are certain things we
won't tolerate any more; things
that we won't let ourselves be
pushed and jostled into."
"There are certain things
we have to stand up and fight
Turn to Page 5
Mayor to run again
