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PAGE 2A —THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 10. 2009
Sheriff ...
continued from 1A
SHERIFF’S OFFICE
BUDGET
The 2010 proposed budget for the sheriff’s office calls for
$2,263,743 — $685,469 more than the 2009 budget.
Thomas has asked for four new deputies to allow for one
additional deputy per shift. That would put five deputies on the
road during any given time. “Madison County is 234 square
miles and crime is up because of the economy,” Thomas said.
In addition, Thomas asked for 12 new patrol cars to replace
those with high mileage (150,000 plus) at a cost of $312,000.
Thomas said patrol cars often must be driven at high speeds,
increasing liability for the county if something tears up and
someone is injured or killed. “That could put us in a bad posi
tion,” he said.
“I don’t expect to get 12 cars -1 never did - but I got to ask,”
he said.
Commissioner Stanley Thomas questioned the sheriff about
the number of cars currently being driven home by deputies
who live out of the county.
Sheriff Thomas said there are currently six deputies who
drive their cars to out-of-county homes.
Sheriff Thomas also noted that the $14,000 budgeted for
MANS (drug enforcement assistance) has been reduced to
zero for next year because he has worked out a new contract
with the agency at no cost to the county.
JAIL BUDGET
The 2010 jail budget calls for $1,550,479, up $283,241 from
2009.
The increased figure includes a request for six additional
jailers. Thomas explained that there are currently four jailers
on each 12-hour shift and two of those positions are stationary,
which leaves only two to monitor an average jail census of 65
-75 inmates, or more. The sheriff said
“We need at least five on the shift,” Thomas said, explaining
that if one person is out, that leaves only one to deliver meals
and mail and to monitor prisoners. “It’s a little daunting to have
one person dealing with what could be 80-something people,”
he added. And Thomas said getting four of the requested six
positions would be adequate.
Thomas presented a Georgia Sheriff’s Association study,
which recommended one more person per shift.
“The main thing I want is the (extra) jail positions,” Thomas
said. “... The jail is the county’s biggest liability. With those
positions, that would help us out a lot.”
Commissioner Thomas said the sheriff could look at cutting
other areas of his budget to fund any new positions.
Commissioners also focused on $90,000 budgeted for hous
ing out inmates. Only $9,050 of that $90,000 has been spent
so far this year, thanks to a deal with Oglethorpe County to
house inmates. The board discussed moving that amount back
to $20,000 for both 2009 and 2010.
“I understand that we’ve padded some items just in case
lightning strikes,” Stanley Thomas said, adding that this year’s
budget needs to be “pretty close to actual” for all department
expenses.
“Then if something happens, we’ll get it out of contingency
at that point,” Commissioner Thomas said.
“How are the rest of the department heads going to feel if we
give him this (extra jail positions)?” Pethel asked the board at
the end of the meeting, noting that it’d take a “pretty good tax
increase” to fulfill all the sheriff’s budget requests.
“That’s my feeling,” Commissioner Bruce Scogin said. “I
know public safety is important, but preserving jobs right now
is a lot more important.”
“I can’t see adding those four (jail) positions either,”
Commissioner Mike Youngblood said.
Edwards ... continued from 1A
Scott Edward stands in middle of a tract of land once covered in household trash.
The reclaimed land now planted in grass, provides mulch for Fertile Crescent
Farms, an organic flower farm. Photo by Charles Richards.
“That’s just the way things were
done,” Edwards said of the dumping.
“The older generations just allowed
the dumping of tons of household gar
bage on this piece of property. It’s just
another example of an older generation
not thinking about how their actions
will affect a future generation.”
Unfortunately, besides being unsight
ly, every time it rained, runoff from
the dump would come over onto their
farmland.
“I just felt a moral obligation to clean
it up,” Edwards said.
He talked with the landowners and
also with EPA officials. One official
told him flippantly he should just buy
the land and clean it up himself.
And when a 16-acre portion of the
land came up for auction four years
ago, Edwards and King did just that.
Since then, the pair has purchased the
remainder of the 30 acres.
“We’ve taken about 100,000 pounds
of garbage off the land and four mobile
homes,” Edwards said.
The land, with its hardwood forests,
rolling meadows and creeks, has under
gone a remarkable transformation.
Grass has been planted in the mead
ows and is harvested for mulch for the
adjacent organic flower and vegetable
gardens.
“The reclamation of this land has
been one of the most rewarding expe
riences of his life,” Ginni said of her
husband.
Edwards and King were recently
honored by Mark Wiles, senior forester
of the Georgia Forestry Commission
and the Madison County Board of
Commissioners for their work in
reclaiming the land.
Edwards is especially grateful to
Wiles, who he credits for “holding his
hand” throughout the process. Wiles
worked with Edwards and King to
write a land management plan for the
property.
Wiles presented them with a
“Certified Steward Award,” for going
“above and beyond” in their work
to reclaim the land. BOC chair
man Anthony Dove also recognized
Edwards for his outstanding achieve
ments as a steward of the land.
“He has turned one of the most
blighted properties in the county into
one of the most beautiful,” Dove said.
Edwards said in the beginning they
decided to plant flowers in their garden
“for the fun of it.” They wanted to play
around with different varieties to see
what worked best. The Edwards have
always used organic materials to fertil
ize and control pests in their vegetable
garden and the practice continues with
the flowers they grow.
Edwards took several classes on
flower gardening and one in particular
that he took last winter — a cut flower
class — really got him hooked.
“Things we can grow right here in
Madison County are being shipped
(over here) from places like Israel, for
example,” Edwards said. He wanted to
see what they could grow successfully
on their land.
This is their first season at growing
the flowers for sale and the venture
has gone very well, he said. They have
a florist in North Carolina who uses
flowers from Fertile Crescent regularly
and they sell both their flowers and
vegetables at an organic farmers’ mar
ket in Athens every weekend.
There’s a lot more to it than he could
have imagined. “It’s a lot of work,” he
said, adding that during the height of
the season they were picking flowers
every day - and it must be done in the
early morning and late in the evening
to help prevent wilting. Fortunately,
Ginni could devote more time to the
garden during the school break.
She comes home from school on
Fridays now and sets about preparing
flower arrangements for the weekend
market. Other neighbors and friends
have pitched in to help out.
They have spent their first flower-
growing season trying to market “out
of the box.” Edwards said they’ve tried
to sell as many of the flowers as pos
sible at retail as they’re getting started.
“I hope we can eventually cater to
event planners,’ Edwards said.
They practice “succession plant
ing,” putting different things in the
ground one after the other. Those
things include herbs, asparagus, corn,
tomatoes, and of course flowers. This
winter, the garden will be planted in
winter peas as a cover crop until it’s
time to till for spring planting and the
tender spring and summer plants will
be started in a greenhouse on the farm.
Prime growing season is June
through September. “Things are begin
ning to wind down now,” Edwards
said.
Edwards said he wants to expand the
garden onto the reclaimed land and to
learn more about cut flower farming
and flower varieties as he goes along.
“Right now I’m growing things I
can’t pronounce,” he chuckled.
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will be selling the Equipment for the Estate of BUFORD HEAVY
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 AT 9:30 A.M.
Directions from 1-85 & 441:
Go north 3.5 miles, turn right onto 164 east, turn left immediately.
Port-a-Band
Metal Nibbler, Elect. & Air
Die Grinder, Air, Several
Port-a-Cool System 60”
S/S Work Table
Vice Grips (50)
Elect. Polisher
Snap-On-Puller
Air Wrenches
Chain Saws
Ring & Pinion Gear
Desk & File Cabinet
Misc. Carb & Carb Parts
Gasket, New
Misc. Steel
Wheel ie Bars
Cylinder Hone
Ext. Cords
Engine Heads, Big Blk & Small Blk
Alum. Engine Heads - Big Blk
Oil Pans (Many)
Shop Fans
Rear End Complete
Metal Lathe Glausing 48”
Milling Machine w/Tools Bridgeport
Sheet Metal Roll 3’
Elect. Belt Sander
Reddy Heater
Band Saw Startrite
Racing Transmissions
Rear Parts & Hangers
Port-a-Power
Tap & Die Set
FFeavy Duty Pop Rivet Set (Air)
Jig for Building Cars
24 Ga. Lockformcr
Chop Saw Heavy Duty Makita
Argon Bottles
Air Comp. 5 HP 80 Gal.
Engine 1 Ioist
Hand Trucks
Snap-On Battery Charger
Tool Box w/Tools
Dewalt Drill Bit Set
Crankshafts (Several)
Piston Set (Many)
Bolt Bin w/Bolts
Snap-On Battery-A Iter. Tester
Paint Cun Binks
Air Sander
79 Camaro w/Roll Cage
Misc. Car Body Parts
Dayton 250 AC-DC Welder
Miller Dial Arc Welder w/Heliarc Attach
Dayton Blade Welder
Welding Rods
Air Pressure Tester (Ashcroft)
Fuel Barrel l Pumps
1963 Ford Fairlane Tudor V8 Complete
Shop Stools
Racing Seat
Racing Tires & Wheels
Jack Stands (Many Sets)
Floor Jacks
Bead Blaster Kwik-Way
Hyd Press Snap-On
Creeper Snap-On
Misc. C-Clamps
Axle Knocker
Auto Darkening Welding Hood
Side Grinder 4” x 7”
Snap-On Tool Box w/Tools
MagnaFIux Spot Check Kit
Intakes, Sm & Big Blk Alum. Hi Rise
Alum Water Pumps
Small & Big Engine Blocks (Several)
Rod Set (Several)
Alum. Radiators
Header (Several)
Hi-Performance Ignition Parts
Degree Wheel
2 - Parts Washer
Racing Gas Cans
Camshaft Bushing Knocker
Valve 1'ools
Camshafts in the Box Sm & Big Blk
Chrome Valve Covers (Several)
Clevite Eng. Bearing
Elect. Over-Hyd Pipe Bender
8’ Metal Break Tennsmith
Metal Crimper Hyd.
Drill Press w/F Folder Sears
Tubing Bender
Bench Grinder on Stand
Race Car Tube Chassis (New)
Work Lights (Many)
Engine Stands (Several)
TERMS: Cash or check with bank letter from person not known to auctioneer. All items sell “as is, where is”.
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