THE
^ISLANDER
Published by
Permar Publications
www.theislanderonline.com
ssislander@bellsouth.net
October 7, 2019
Established in 1972
Vol 47 Issue 40
BOE breaks ground for new school
The Glynn County School System officially broke ground on the new Altama Elementary School
site last week. From left are: Board of Education Chairman Jerry Mancil; John Tuten & Associates
architect Brock Toraben: BOE Member Eaddy Sams; architect John Tuten; BOE member Dr.
Hank Yeargan; Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jim Pulos; Director of Facilities Al Boudreau; Altama
Elementary Principal Michelle Drew; BOE member John Madala; BOE member Linda Bobbitt; BOE
Member Mike Hulsey; and Glynn County Schools Superintendent Dr. Virgil Cole.
Altama Elementary will be built from ESPLOST 3 funds at a cost of $28.1 million. It is scheduled to
be finished by the end of September 2021. Photo courtesy Glynn County School System
BOE to award Altama school construction contract
Court grants
defense motion
to suppress
in vehicular
homicide case
By Pamela Permar-
Shierling
Katelyn Jones’ trial was
scheduled to begin Monday,
October 7, but may be delayed
due to Superior Court Judge
Anthony Harrison’s granting
of a defense motion to sup
press the traffic stop in which
a passenger in Jones’ car, Ste
phen Deloach, died several
days later.
In March 2018 Jones was
charged with three counts
of homicide by vehicle in the
first degree, involuntary man
slaughter, felony murder, two
counts of fleeing or attempting
to elude a police officer, posses
sion of a controlled substance,
driving under the influence,
reckless driving, two counts of
tampering with evidence, and
speeding.
The charges stem from the
results of a traffic stop involv
ing Jones which was initiated
by former Glynn County Po
lice officer Kevin Yarborough
in February 2018 at the re
quest of GBNET officers.
Yarborough testified at an
August 1 hearing about the
circumstances leading to the
traffic stop as well as the stop
itself.
According to Yarborough’s
sworn testimony, he was on
patrol on 1-95 as part of the
Glynn County Police De
partment’s (GCPD) H.E.A.T
(Highway Enforcement of
Aggressive Traffic) and DUI
program.
Yarborough said he re
ceived a call from GBNET (the
now disbanded Glynn Bruns
wick Narcotics Enforcement
Team) officers telling him
they might need him to stop
a car carrying drugs that was
traveling north on 1-95.
Turn to Page 4
Defense motion granted
During their work session
last week (Oct. 3) the Glynn
County Board of Education
was presented with five pro
posals for the construction
of new Altama Elementary
School.
McDonald Construction is
expected to be awarded the
contract to build with a bid of
$21.8 million at the Tuesday,
Oct. 8 regular meeting.
According to Al Boudreau,
Facilities and Maintenance
Executive Director, the Al
tama budget is short almost
$1.4 million.
The original Altama bud
get was $24,250,000 then it
was upped to $26,771,582 to
include $1.6 million for the
site purchase and $1 million
increase in construction cost.
By Pamela Permar-Shierling
According to Boudreau the
new budget is $28,141,950.
“We are short almost $1.4
million,” Boudreau said, “but
we expect $1.2 million in sav
ings from Burroughs Molette.”
The BOE also will consider
three construction change or
ders one each for the replace
ment Altama school, Glynn
County Stadium, and Glynn
Academy’s Sidney Lanier
building.
The Altama Elementary
School change order is for
a $150,000 increase to the
Owner’s Contingency to cover
extra fill and the sewer discov
ery and tap.
According to architect John
Tuten the original estimate to
haul out unsuitable dirt and
bring in fill dirt was simply
that, an estimate.
“We don’t know how much
dirt will need to be replaced
on a site due to having to re
move unsuitable dirt and tree
roots.” Tuten said. “I can as
sure you every truck load of
dirt is monitored.”
“Also part of this change or
der is the JWSC (Brunswick-
Glynn Joint Water and Sewer)
tie in,” he continued. “We did
not know the condition of the
lines, and now we think that
it will be simpler than what
we have allowed for in the
$150,000. We think $50,000
to $60,000 of the change order
will not have to be spent.”
The change order for the
Turn to Page 12
School Board
Still no decision
on Oglethorpe
Center
By Pamela Permar-
Shierling
The Brunswick City Com
mission made no decision dur
ing last week’s work session
(Oct. 2) concerning whether
or not to build the Oglethorpe
Convention center, the size
of the center, or the funding
mechanism.
City Manager Jim Drumm
presented three options to the
commission:
• Option 1 - A 20,000 sq. ft.
center with design plans be
tween 85 and 90 percent com
plete. Elkins Construction as
construction manager at risk
would price out the design
and give a guaranteed maxi
mum cost of construction. The
city would pay Elkins about
$35,000 for the guaranteed
maximum pricing. Estimated
Turn to Page 6
Oglethorpe Center
City, County
discuss SPLOST
at joint meeting
By Pamela Permar-
Shierling
During the joint City - Coun
ty Commission meeting last
Tuesday, Oct. 1, which was to
discuss the 2020 SPLOST list,
the only SPLOST project that
was discussed was the County
Courthouse project.
However, the extent of the
courthouse project isn’t known
yet since the committee ap
pointed to study the court
house space needs doesn’t
report to the County Commis
sion until Tuesday, Oct. 8.
What is known is that any
thing done to the courthouse,
if it’s included in a SPLOST,
would be a Tier One project.
That means funding for the
courthouse project comes off
the top reducing the amounts
Turn to Page 13
Joint meeting
County-Wide News - Read County-Wide
Page 2 - Development Authority awards
grants
Page 3 - Joe Willie, Robbie Sue "Best on air
Personalities"
Page 5 - County outlaws private business on
public property
Page 10 - City passes storm water ordinance
Page 16 -Back Talk
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