About The Islander. (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 15, 2019)
THE ^ISLANDER Published by Permar Publications www.theislanderonline.com ssislander@bellsouth.net July 15, 2019 Established in 1972 A "daunting job" and a short time frame • Basham to chair Courthouse committee By Matthew J. Permar Glynn County’s recently appointed Courthouse Space Needs Assessment (CSNA) committee met for the first time last week (Thursday, July 11), got their marching orders from the Glynn Coun ty Board of Commissioners (BOC) and elected member Ralph Basham as chairman of the 5-man group. The CSNA is a short term committee appointed by BOC chairman Mike Browning at the suggestion of Chief Superi or Court Judge Stephen Scar lett and Judge Stephen Kel ley. The two spoke at the BOC work session last month to ad dress the overcrowding issues at the County Courthouse. During the work session, the judges suggested that the county appoint a committee to review the Space Needs Assessment study that the Heery consulting firm did for the county several years ago. In addition, the judges suggested the money for the courthouse renovation could come from the Special Pur pose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referendum the BOC has proposed for next year. Along with former fed eral law enforcement agent Basham, Browning appointed construction contractor Bil ly Lawrence, former Glynn County Sheriff Wayne Ben nett, banker Jack Hartman and architect John Tuten to the CSNA. At last week’s meeting Browning told the five com mittee members he selected them because the BOC wants an unbiased opinion of what the county needs to do in re gards to the courthouse. Browning said the group Turn to Page 5 Courthouse committee Moving day As the final touches were put on the Glynn County School System’s new athletic department at the Glynn County Stadium off Fourth St. in Brunswick last week, Athletic Director Steve Waters (top photo) was busy giving tours of the new facility to the media, school board members and parents of student athletes last Friday. The facility will be ready for the start of the 2019 football season, Waters told The Islander. Brunswick High’s first home game is against Coffee County on August 23. In their home opener, Glynn Academy will face Washington High School on August 30. Glynn Academy will break-in the new facility when they meet Valdosta for a scrimmage on August 9. Bottom photo: The view from the new facility’s “sky box,” which houses three rooms available to corporate sponsors and the public. Islander Staff Photos - Permar Glynn County Stadium ready for football! It’s finished and it’s fabulous. The renovated Glynn Coun ty Stadium will be ready for Glynn County High School football by August 1. The first game is scheduled August 9. Almost $4.8 million in ren ovations were budgeted for the stadium including drain age, paving, sodding and By Pamela Permar Shierling construction of a fantastic two story Athletic Center. Fans will have 30 VIP park ing spaces in Tailgate Village located just behind the home stands including a pavilion to keep the hot August and Sep tember sun off tailgaters. Concrete has been poured under each set of stands - home and visitor - so no more standing in the dirt when it rains. The area up to the Ath letic Center will be paved and there will be room for media parking plus 20 buses. Brunswick High and Glynn Academy players have a first Turn to Page 11 Glynn stadium County-Wide News - Read County-Wide Page 3 - Carter receives IOM recognition Page 12 - School discipline reports Page 4 - Letters Page 13 - Sports with Dave Jordan — CRD announces summer fishing contest Page 14 - Pew News Page 10 - HS football tickets on sale soon Page 16- Back Talk Vol 47 Issue 28 Attorney asks BOC to uphold ZBA German Village decision By Pamela Permar Shierling Last Friday, July 12, Glynn County Board of Commission (BOC) members and Glynn County Attorney Aaron Mum- ford received a letter from at torney Brooks Hudson, of Hull Barrett, P.C. in Augusta, stat ing the Glynn County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) ruling on June 6 should be upheld. Hudson is representing con cerned Glynn County citizens. On June 6, in response to an appeal by the Geman Vil lage Property Owners As sociation (POA), the ZBA affirmed Glynn County Com munity Development Direc tor Pam Thompson’s decision to approve the construction Turn to Page 6 Attorney's letter Slade discusses Guale Preserve By Pamela Permar Shierling In an interview last week with interim Executive Di rector of the St. Simons Land Trust (SSLT) Ben Slade, ques tions concerning SSLT’s Guale Preserve were answered. On June 6, in response to an appeal by the Geman Vil lage Property Owners As sociation (POA), the Glynn County Zoning Board of Ap peals (ZBA) affirmed Glynn County Community Develop ment Director Pam Thomp son’s decision to approve the construction plans for Guale Preserve but prohibited the use of Village Drive as access to the preserve and required further development of the preserve to trigger a site plan to be heard before the Islands Planning Commission. Turn to Page 8 Land Trust 0 94922 29970 5
