The State of Georgia’s 2022 net tax revenue collections totaled $12.61 billion for an increase of $741.7 million, or 6.2%, over 2021. This overall increase occurred despite the almost year-long Motor Fuel Excise Tax suspension by the governor.
Net tax collections in November 2022 totaled just under $2.29 billion compared to November
Change would be through state legislature, not voter referendum
Georgia: one of two states with run-offs: Rank Choice Voting is one option story by Sue Horn Evans
In December, Governor Brian P. Kemp appointed the Honorable Erica L. Tisinger to the Superior Court of the Coweta Judicial Circuit. She will fill the vacancy created by the appointment of the Honorable Bill Hamrick to the Geor gia statewide Business Court earlier this year. The Coweta Judicial Circuit is comprised of Coweta, Carroll,
See ERICATISINGER page 23
In December, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger called on the Georgia General Assembly to eliminate General Election Runoffs in the state. With the General Assembly convening in January, it could select from several options to replace runoffs. Rank Choice Voting is one of those options.
See RANK CHOICE page 8
story and photo by Wayne J. Reynolds
As each new year rings in, preparations for filing the prior year’s income taxes becomes a top item on many people, and businesses, agendas. Will this be a DIY year? Or is this the year to find a professional to help wade through the seemingly everchanging laws and forms? Donna and Gerald Clark of RWB Tax Service are only one of the many tax preparation businesses in the West Georgia area, but their story may help shed light on navigating the path to this year’s income tax filing deadline of April 18, 2023.
Ranked Choice Voting is also known as Preferential Voting or Ranked Voting
RCV refers to any voting system in which voters rank their candidates in a sequence of first, second or third, etc. depending on the number of qualified candidates on their respective ballots.
Ranked voting systems differ on the basis of how the ballots are marked, how the preferences are tabulated and counted, how many seats are filled, and whether voters are allowed to rank candidates equally.
First meeting for newly elected District 6 Commissioner Danny Bailey
story by Janice Daniel
Married for 44 years, Gerald and Donna Clark, owners of RWB Tax Service in Villa Rica
As each new year rings in, preparations for filing the prior year’s income taxes becomes a top item . . . this year’s income tax filing deadline is April 18, 2023.
As professionals, Donna and Gerald Clark became frustrated working in corporate America. They each had worked for a big box tax preparation serviceGerald for 10 years and Donna for 25 years in management. In 2015, the made the decision to leave the ‘big-box’ to open their own business, and purchased RWB Tax Service in Villa Rica. Married for 44 years, they now live in Douglaville, having moved from Carrollton.
Giving an example of what it means to have broken away
See RWB TAX page 23
On Tuesday, January 3, 2023 the Carroll County Board of Commissioners met for their regular scheduled meeting. All commissioners were present, including newly-elected District 6 Commissioner Danny Bailey for his first meeting. Bailey offered the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance, after which the agenda
Carroll County to receive $9.86M for 3173 locations through Comcast Cable
Governor Brian Kemp has announced there are now more than $234 million in 29 preliminary grant awards for broadband internet expan-
grant funds to expand high-speed internet access in 28 counties
from stories on StarNews Online website at www.starnewsgaonline.com
Tanner Health System’s Roy Richards, Sr. Cancer Center,Carrollton, will undergo a major facility expansion while continuing to offer radiation therapy treatments throughout the process. The expansion is expected to cost about $15 million. Moving in phases, crews will relocate the center’s CT scanner, raze and rebuild the building’s façade along Clinic Avenue into a two-story structure, renovate the back of the facility for office space and patient waiting areas and install a new TrueBeam linear accelerator. The project is expected to be complete by spring 2024, expanding the 16,000-square-foot cancer center to 21,000.
Work has begun to build new space for the CT scanner used to measure tumors and plan treatments as well as other equipment. Once the CT is relocated to its new space, early next year, work will proceed on razing and rebuilding the front of the cancer center, adding exam rooms and other amenities for patients. By the fall, the new space will be complete and work will begin on the back of the center, creating office space and enhanced waiting areas.
When work begins on the front of the cancer center, patients will be diverted to the adjacent medical office building, West Georgia Specialty Center, where a newly constructed, enclosed hallway will provide access to radiation treatments. Tanner will provide free valet service at the entrance. The offices of Tanner Radiation Oncology, Dr. Dhople and Dr. Sanders, will relocate to an office suite on the third floor of the West Georgia Specialty Center, adjacent to the cancer center.
The cancer center first opened in July 1989, and was named for Roy Richards, Sr. — founder of Southwire and the first chair of Tanner’s board — in 1997. The service has grown through the years to offer a continuum of care — featuring minimally invasive surgical care, leading-edge chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment, a tumor board of cancer specialists to discuss individual cases, and versatile radiation therapy that aims to destroy cancer cells with minimal impact to healthy tissue.
For more on Tanner’s cancer services, visit TannerCancerCare.org.
The registration process for the 2023-2024 school year at Carrollton City Schools is quickly approaching. Registration for grades K-12 opens Jan. 18 and the pre-K lottery registration will take place Feb. 27 through March 3. Pre-K families must obtain a lottery ticket in order to be eligible for the pre-K lottery drawing. Families will be notified beginning March 8 of acceptance status.
Documents required for pre-K and kindergarten registration include a copy of the child’s birth certificate; current Georgia immunization form 3231; vision, hearing, dental and nutrition form 3300; the child’s Social Security card; parent photo identification; and proof of residency. Acceptable items to prove residency include current water, gas and electric bills and original lease agreements. Utility bills or lease agreements must be in the parents’ or legal guardians’ names and include the physical address.
Students must be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2023, in order to register for kindergarten and potential pre-k students must be 4 years old by Sept. 1.
Students who do not live in the Carrollton city limits also are eligible to register. Non-residents go through an application process at reg-
istration and are required to pay a tuition fee as follows: $200 for one child, $350 for two children, and $450 for three or more children if accepted. For more information: 770-832-9633 or www.carrolltoncityschools.net/newfamilies/enrollment.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced that the State of Georgia has joined the $3.1 billion national settlement with Walmart to resolve allegations that the company failed to appropriately oversee the dispensing of opioids at its stores and therefore contributed to the opioid crisis. By joining the settlement, Georgia stands to receive a base payment of $28 million to help fund critical treatment and recovery services for those struggling with opioid use disorder.
The national settlement requires Walmart to comply with robust oversight measures to help
prevent the filling of fraudulent prescriptions and flag suspicious prescriptions.
Georgia officially joined the settlement on Dec. 15, 2022. Local governments have 90 days from the sign-on date to join as well.
Walmart was not a defendant in Georgia’s ongoing litigation involving opioid distributors. Instead, the company approached the state with this settlement offer, which Georgia then accepted. In addition to Georgia, 48 other states have also entered into the settlement or had previously settled with the company.
Cardiac anesthesiologist Davoy Murray, MD, and anesthesiologist Brit Lovvorn, MD, have joined West Georgia Anesthesiology Associates and Tanner Heart Care as key members of the cardiothoracic team supporting Tanner’s open-heart surgery program beginning in January 2023.
Dr. Murray is board-certified in anesthesiology by the American Board of Anesthesiology. He earned his medical degree at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. He completed an internship at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana, and a residency in anesthesiology at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He also completed a fellowship in cardiothoracic anesthesiology with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation Program in Cleveland, Ohio.
Dr. Lovvorn is board-certified in anesthesiology by the American Board of Anesthesiology. He earned his medical degree from the University of South Alabama School of Medicine in Mobile. He completed an internship at Baptist Medical Center – Montclair and a residency in anesthesiology at the University of Alabama Hospital, both in Birmingham.
More on Tanner’s heart care program can be found at TannerHeartCare.org
listings, fishing regulations for Georgia and so much more.
trips at GRN’s Paddle-A-Thon website; regular updates will be posted to track the top paddlers.
The updated 2023 Georgia Sport Fishing Regulations Guide is now available, says the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).
“The Georgia Sport Fishing Regulations Guide is always a great place to start planning a fishing trip, whether you are brand new to fishing or an experienced angler,” said Scott Robinson, Chief of the WRD Fisheries Management Section. “We develop this publication with the help of fisheries biologists and staff to ensure it has the most current and accurate information on regulations and new opportunities, and we make sure that anglers can access it in multiple ways, including online, from our Outdoors GA app or in the printed copy.”
The guide is currently available online at eregulations.com/georgia/fishing, or through the Outdoors GA app (free app for iPhone or Android users). If you need a printed copy, a pdf of the publication is available online at the previously mentioned link (you can print the full book or only the information you need) or you can visit your local recreational license vendor or a Wildlife Resources Division office (GeorgiaWildlife.com/about/contact) and grab a printed copy of the guide.
The 2023 Georgia Sport Fishing Regulations Guide provides information such as a color fish identification chart for both freshwater and saltwater fish, license purchasing information, contact information for Wildlife Resources Division and Coastal Resources Division fisheries management offices and DNR Law Enforcement offices, trout stream listings, public fishing area information, state record fish
What’s New for 2023? Check out this quick bullet list below and get all the details in the new guidebook:
• Seven New State Records were caught in 2022 (p.28 & p.42). Will you get the first for 2023?
• House Pond at Silver Lake Public Fishing Area has updated regulations (p. 21).
· Blueback herring may now be used for bait on Lake Allatoona.
Need more fishing information? Check out the Angler Resources page on the WRD website (Geor giaWildlife.com/fishing/anglerresources).
Georgia River Network (GRN) wants Georgians to visit the state’s rivers, and in 2023, the organization is offering up more than $8000 in prizes and more than 220 miles of canoe/kayak/paddleboard adventures to entice them to explore the state’s expanding water trail system. Based in Athens, Georgia River Network is a 501c3 organization that works to help everyone enjoy, connect with and advocate for economically vital and clean flowing rivers. The prizes are part of the organization’s Paddle-A-Thon competition in which participants compete against one another in more than a dozen categories, including most miles paddled, most trash removed, and most kayak fishing trips.
The Paddle-A-Thon competition kicked off with the New Year and runs through Sept. 6. Winners will be announced at the organization’s 25th anniversary celebration in the fall. The organization hopes to generate more than $50,000 for river protection and water trail development through the event.
Contestants are asked to log their paddle
In addition to individual competitions, contestants can organize teams to compete for prizes including a paddle trip and dinner party for up to 25 people courtesy of the Georgia River Network.
Participants can register to compete and view a full list of prize categories and prizes at https://www.mightycause.com/event/Paddleath on. Potential paddle routes can be found on the organization’s Georgia River Guide App, a comprehensive guide to more than 30 designated water trails across the state. The app is available for free in Google and Apple app stores.
The organization has some 17 on-water events planned for 2023, including its signature event, Paddle Georgia 2023, a week-long, 100mile journey on the Savannah River set for June 24-July 1. The unique educational adventure is considered the largest week-long canoe/kayak camping journey in the country; more than 250 people are expected to participate.
from stories on StarNews Online website at www.starnewsgaonline.com Ends Feb. 12, 2023
Paddle-A-Thon registration fees are $35 and include a year’s membership in GRN, a Paddle-A-Thon bandana and a $20 discount to participate in one of Georgia River Network’s river adventure trips or kayaking skills/water safety classes during 2023.
The river adventures kick off March 30April 2 with a two-day, two-night, 22-mile excursion on the Satilla River in southeast Georgia. The trip hits the peak of the wild azalea blooming season along the banks of the winding blackwater river and features catered meals and nightly education programs. More information can be found at https://garivers.org/paddle-georgia/spring-onthe-satilla/
Kayaking classes begin May 7 with courses planned at Bear Creek Marina on Lake Jackson in Jasper County.
was approved and minutes of meetings from November 30, 2022 through December 9, 2022 were approved.
District 2 Commission Clint Chance was selected by the board to be vice-chairman with a vote of 6-0 (Chance abstained). District 3 Commissioner Tommy Lee made the motion, seconded by District 5 Commissioner Ernie Reynolds. This selection is for a one-year time period.
Carrollton | 119 Maple Street | 770-838-9608
Douglasville | 6670 Church Street | 770-942-5681
Villa Rica | 485 W. Bankhead Highway | 770-459-3100
In the business section of the meeting, Finance Director Alecia Searcy presented the financial reports for month ending November 30, 2022. Searcy said she is seeing some downward trends in some areas, and sales taxes are still strong.
Member FDIC. © 2022 United Community Bank | ucbi.com
Total revenues YTD at November 30th were $37,412,188, while total expenditures at $28,361,148 for the same period, both exceeding the prior year’s totals at this point, revenues by around $2,000,000 and expenditures by around $4,000,000. Expenditures were at 42.3% of budget, and the Fund Balance was $48,559,285. Searcy said they are still working on the Villa Rica fire station, and that Public Works has purchased 11 vehicles, all of which came in at or below the bid prices.
Total revenues YTD at November 30th were $37,412,188, while total expenditures were at $28,361,148 for the same period, both exceeding the prior year’s totals at this point, revenues by around $2,000,000 and expenditures by around $4,000,000.
lease would give them a dispatch location for the second Crisis Response Team vehicle which Villa Rica is sharing in the cost. Goodman said they now have the vehicle and it is being outfitted, a police officer is currently in training as a crisis responder, and they are working with the University of West Georgia on hiring a professional counselor specializing in mental health crisis situations.
Carrollton | 119 Maple Street | 770-838-9608
Carrollton | 119 Maple Street | 770-838-9608
Douglasville | 6670 Church Street | 770-942-5681
Douglasville | 6670 Church Street | 770-942-5681
Villa Rica | 485 W. Bankhead Highway | 770-459-3100
Villa Rica | 485 W. Bankhead Highway | 770-459-3100
Commissioner Reynolds remarked that Solid Waste expenditures were over 100% of budget. Searcy said that the amount of solid waste is increasing and the cost of running the convenience centers is at 119.3% of budget, but tipping fees and moving trash from convenience centers to landfill make up the balance in that category.
MHA would be using two of four vacant offices at Station 16. Goodman said their office hours would be 10 hours, 4 days per week, and that the dispatch of the Crisis Response Unit will be through the same 911 system that the sheriff and fire stations use.
Distict 2 Commissioner Clint Chance noted that the county will not be charged with funding anything there. District 3 Commissioner
See MENTALHEALTH page 12
Member FDIC. © 2022 United Community Bank |
Member FDIC. © 2022 United Community Bank | ucbi.com
Carroll County Farm Bureau (CCFB) was recognized for its outstanding member programs and agricultural advocacy activities at the 85th Annual Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Convention held Dec. 4-6 on Jekyll Island. Doug Smith is the CCFB president. Jennifer Dixson is the CCFB office manager. CCFB received the GFB Rewarding Excellence in Ag Program (REAP) Planter Award in the organization’s large membership division. GFB’s REAP award honors county Farm Bureaus for the organization/ membership,
advocacy, leadership development, education & amp; outreach activities they did between Sept. 1, 2021, and Aug. 31. The REAP Awards are divided into three tiers –Harvester (1st), Planter (2nd) and Cultivator (3rd) with five tier winners in each of GFB’s three membership categories – small, medium & amp; large.
“Georgia Farm Bureau is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year. Our organization has thrived since 1937 because of our dedicated volunteer
Carroll County Farm Bureau 324 Columbia Drive, Carrollton 770-832-9089
leaders and county staff who work to promote agriculture in their local communities by visiting schools to teach students how farmers grow our food and meeting with their elected officials,” said GFB President Tom McCall. “It’s a pleasure to recognize Carroll County for the work they have done to promote agriculture in its community this past year.” As a REAP Planter Award winner, CCFB President Doug Smith received an embroidered Farm Bureau vest and CCFB Office Manager Jennifer Dixson received a gift card.
Founded in 1937, the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general farm organization with 158-chapter offices that cover all of Georgia’s 159 counties. As a membership-driven, nongovernmental organization, GFB serves as the voice of Georgia farmers and rural Georgia by advocating for them on legislative issues and promoting Georgia commodities. Its volunteer members actively participate in activities that promote agriculture awareness.
City of Douglasville’s negotiations were lengthy, pushing the deadline for Villa Rica
story by Janice DanielThe Mayor and City Council of Villa Rica held a Special Called Meeting on T December 30, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. Councilmember Danny Carter was absent. Mayor Gil McDougal apologized to council present for the last minute notice. As City Attorney Mecklin advised, the Douglas County LOST (Local Option Sales which Villa Rica is a part of, has to be re-negotiated every ten years after a U.S. Census. This year, Douglas County and the City of Douglasville took an unexpected extended amount of time negotiating their agreement, pushing Villa Rica to rush in order to get their portion authorized and signed before the end of the year.
Mecklin remarked that the City of Villa Rica is growing, and the city is pleased that Douglas County and the City of Douglasville are willing to share their LOST money with Villa Rica. He said that once Douglas County and the City
Georgia is one of the two last states that holds runoffs to determine election outcomes when no one candidate has garnered 50% plus one vote of the total votes cast to declare a majority. Runoffs have gained attention in recent years for their costliness to candidates and, more recently, interference of early voting with holidays, specifically Saturday voting on Thanksgiving weekend.
“Georgia is one of the only states in country with a General Election Runoff,” said Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “We’re also one of the only states that always seems to have a runoff. I’m calling on the General Assembly to visit the topic of the General Election Runoff and consider reforms.
conducted on a level required for statewide races in as large a body as Georgia. It could be effective for elections the size of county or city elections.”
“No one wants to be dealing with politics in the middle of their family holiday,” said Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “It’s even tougher on the counties who had a difficult time completing all of their deadlines, an election audit and executing a runoff in a four-week time period.”
If the Georgia Legislature should decide to take up replacing the runoff system - and any change would be through legislation, not a voter referendum - choices include variations of Rank Choice Voting, as ranked voting systems differ.
Prior to the January convening of the Georgia Legislature, State Senator Mike Dugan (R) was asked if he had any thoughts concerning RCV. Senator Dugan said, “Rank choice is an interesting concept that has been proven to work on a fairly limited scale. I’m not sure it has ever been conducted on a level required for statewide races in as large a body as Georgia. It could be effective for elections the size of county or city elections.”
Rank Choice Voting is described as a system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. The term ranked voting - also known as preferential voting or ranked choice voting - refers to any voting system in which voters rank their candidates (or options) in a sequence of first or second (or third, etc.) on their respective ballots.
Ranked voting systems may differ on the basis of how the ballots are marked, how the
citizens may rank as many candidates as they see fit.
In one type of system, the process can seem to be complicated: if a candidate wins a majority of firstpreference votes, he or she is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest firstpreference votes is eliminated. First-preference votes cast for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the next-preference choices. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of the adjusted votes. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority.
The Congressional Research Service published a Legal Sidebar that had been prepared for Members and Committees of Congress on Octboer 12, 2022: “Ranked-Choice Voting: Legal Challenges and Considerations for Congress” ( https://crsreports.congress.gov
LSB10837) The Sidebar provided a brief overview of RCV, examined several federal and state legal challenges, and identified some potential legislative options for Congress.
Below are some excerpts:
“Ranked-choice voting (RCV) is an alternative voting system that allows voters to rank multiple candidates on a ballot in order of preference. RCV has been adopted in at least 50 jurisdictions across the United States, including for statewide and federal elections in Maine and Alaska. These election systems, also called preferential voting or instant-runoff voting (IRV), have been uniformly upheld in federal courts as a lawful policy choice within the states’ constitutional authority to administer elections.
“While several state courts have also upheld RCV, the Maine Supreme Court concluded in
rushed Special Called Meeting December 30th to signRANK CHOICE
The Blue Group,located in Carrollton, was created in 1994 by founder Kirby Laye. Kirby, and his employee Erica Baldwin (seven years with The Blue Group), sat down with StarNews and discussed what, exactly, is The Blue Group?
Kirby began by explaining his company’s name: The Blue Group. “Back in 1994 I wanted to start a company, but wasn’t really sure exactly what direction I wanted to go in, and I didn’t want to keep paying lawyers to trademark names. I wanted to
go in any direction I wanted to. I was driving down Highway 5 and I do my best thinking looking through the windshield. And with the blues and thinking of Big Blue, I thought I would use the word blue and after bouncing names around came up with The Blue Group. I didn’t want to look like a single person entity, so The Blue Group. Just like today, I have had to explain what The Blue Group is many times. It took years to build brand awareness.”
The Blue Group specifically is Information Technology (IT) specialists focusing on networking, IT services, repair, camera systems, office automation controls, access control, smart thermostats, and managed service provider with NOC and SOC, and SIEM services.
Kirby reflects, “Growing up, I remember my father getting up at five a.m. and going to the plant to turn on the lights, adjust the thermostat, and other tasks to get the work ay going. I’ve done IT set-up at a movie studio in Atlanta where the employee can now do all that on his phone from home. Today, you can do all the things you once had to do physically in
person, including brewing the coffee pot or ordering coffee from the coffee shop ahead of time - and this includes home systems, too, not just at the office.”
Kirby carried out his first IT job January 3, 1984. In the four decades since, he has done business with companies large and small. “We do business locally with Southwire, Georgia Pacific, and Lockheed Martin.” They have also done work for the United States Army.
Erica said, “We have done business in all 48 of the lower 48 states as well as all the provinces of Canada, and even Mexico. Most have had some connection to companies here in Georgia. And we do business with many small local businesses.”
Kirby, in explaining his responsibility to his clients, commented, “Insurance companies are going to change IT. Why? Ransomware. Ransomeware is going to hit your company not if, but when. It doesn’t matter if it is StarNews with three computers or Southwire with 2,000.
“It comes in as phishing. Spammers come in through emails and get the information. Insurance companies are tired of paying. They are saying to companies that they have not done their due diligence and cancelling protection policies. Insurance companies are taking it a step further filing lawsuits against the IT companies, saying they didn’t protect their companies. So IT companies are explaining to their clients that if the company is not fully compliant, they won’t be their IT service provider.”
Kirby commented on unusual experiences. “Many of our long-time clients will occasionally make unusual requests. One company flew us to California because they were having problems with the homeless breaking into their property. So, we strung barbed wire on top of the fencing they had around the place. But, I am pretty sure the products inside the fence were too heavy for anyone to carry over a fence. When they have strange stuff come up, they call us.
Kirby relayed one especially interesting call, “One lady called me, explaining she had been hacked and that we had been referred to The Blue Group by an employee from the Georgia Bureau of Intelligience. That should have tipped me off
For four decades, the demand for experienced, knowlegeable, and immediate IT work has taken The Blue Group of Carroll County to Canada, Mexico, and all 48 contiguous United States
Club fundraiser will benefit numerous community charities
from press release
The deadline is fast approaching for local talent to audition for a chance to win the $1,000 grand prize in the Rotary Club of Carrollton’s second West Georgia Talent competition to be held Saturday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. at the Carrollton Center for the Arts located in downtown Carrollton.
Inspired by the TV hit show, “America’s Got Talent,” Rotary’s West Georgia Talent is a local flavor version that promises to entertain with a wide variety of performances that will appeal to all age groups and interests, says Rotary Club Past President Scott Robison, who established the fundraiser last year with great success.
“The object of this event is twofold – one, to offer a signature event sponsored by the club to bring the community together in a fun, entertaining way; and two, for it to become a sustainable fundraiser to support Rotary’s ongoing mission of ‘Service Above Self’ by providing funding for various causes and needs in our community.”
A philanthropic focus for this year’s club is a partnership with the Carroll County Child Advocacy Center, which trains community members to raise awareness of sexual abuse of children.
Participants uploaded a two-minute or less audition video to the website. A judging panel will now review the videos and select finalists for the live show. Once finalists confirm acceptance, they will pay a $20 registration fee.
Robison said the live show format will be similar to “America’s Got Talent,” with judges providing feedback and the viewing audience participating in the selection of the competition winners. Competition winners will receive $1,000 for the grand prize, $750 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third.
Patrick Yuran, a member of the club, for the second year is serving as the competition producer. Yuran, who has professional experience in theater and performance, is the Oak Mountain Academy headmaster and has directed productions for the Carroll County Community Theatre with fantastic reviews of his amateur casts.
The Rotary Club of Carrollton is approaching a century of service in the Carrollton area and beyond. The club’s Service Above Self mission supports Rotary International’s polio eradication effort and other initiatives around the world. Locally, the club supports or outright funds several worthy causes: The UWG Dr. Rash Education Scholarship, West Georgia Technical College Education Scholarship, Carroll County Council on Aging, Carroll County Training Center, Friends of the Neva Lomason Memorial Library, THS Emergency Shelter, The Blake House, and Carroll County Mental Health Advocates.
A philanthropic focus for this year’s club is a partnership with the Carroll County Child Advocacy Center, which trains community members to raise awareness of sexual abuse of children.
Robison says Rotary’s West Georgia Talent competition offers sponsorship levels that will help make the program successful in supporting the above-mentioned causes plus more. Details are available on the westgatalent.com website.
Robison said many talented entries have already been submitted and even more are expected. Audition details can be found on westgatalent.com.
Current Rotary President Julianne Foster said with last year’s event being the first, no one really had an idea of how successful it would be.
“I admit I was apprehensive of how well it would turn out, but I was floored at the quality of the talent and the professionalism of the event in general,” said Foster. “Scott and Patrick did a fabulous job of creating this signature event. We are looking forward to a great night of entertainment while supporting our community at the same time.”
Tires are a significant investment, and it makes sense to plan ahead for the purchase. Now, as to how soon you need to make that purchase – the best way to decide is to let your tires tell you. Here are four basic things to look for in evaluating the condition of your tires. Any of these signs will mean that it is time to start shopping and get those old tires replaced: •Look at the tread depth. •Look at the tread wear indicator bars. •Check for cracks in the sidewalls. •Check for blisters or bulges.
The Mayor and City Council of Villa Rica met Tuesday, December 13, 2022 for their work session at 10:00 a.m., with Mayor Pro Tem Matthew Montahan presiding in the absence of Mayor Gil McDougal. All councilmembers were in attendance. The regular meeting of council and mayor was scheduled later on this day. (See story page 14.) Two of the items on the agenda for the work session were for discussion purposes only. City Attorney David Mecklin asked that the contract for 2023 solicitor position be postponed to January.
The main topic of conversation was the reapportionment (redrawing of boundary lines) of council wards due to 2020 Census results. Mecklin explained that each census requires that all cities in all states have evenly balanced wards, and the one for Villa Rica had been prepared by the Georgia State Reapportionment Office to ensure each ward in the city limits is within the limits allowed by law. He also stated that none of the current councilmembers were in a district outside of their own ward.
Several council members stated objection to only seeing the new map now.
Councilmember Leslie McPherson said that part of her ward is now in Douglas County, and she can’t possibly keep up with all the business of two municipalities with all their various departments and boards and laws. She said she knew that the council had not held up the publication of the new map, and asked why did they just now get it when time is almost up for filing it? Meckin said that part of the delay was due to the fact that the city does wards by property parcels and the 2020 U.S. Census does it by census blocks, so it had to be sent back for some corrections for that. But, he state he does not know why it was so late in being presented to council. He also stated that he doesn’t know why the new map is not on the city’s website. Carter said they should have been made aware months ago.
Mecklin said the next step to be completed is sending the map to the Secretary of State Office to make it legal, and he doesn’t know how long that process will take, but there is a city election in 2023 that would be according to this map. He added that council has authority to set their own voting wards under the State’s Home Ward Power. Council wanted to table the issue, but Mecklin said that would have to be done in the regular meeting (later that day) not at this the work session.
Another discussion item was about job descriptions in relation to the position of Downtown Coordinator Position which is currently advertised on the website. Mecklin cautioned that council doesn’t need to get involved in personnel matters, and that City Manager Barber can fill the advertised position whenever he pleases. Councilmember McPherson said it was on the work session agenda for discussion purposes only.
The Mayor Pro Tem and Council then prepared the Consent Agenda as follows:
1.2023 Annual Agreement with Municipal Judge, standard contract approved annually.
2.2023 Holiday Schedule for 12 holidays, whereby City Hall is closed on those given days, which are New Year’s Day 1/2/23; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 1/16/23; Presidents Day 2/20/23; Good Friday 4/7/23; Memorial Day 5/29/23; Independence Day 7/4/23; Labor Day 9/4/23; Veterans Day 11/10/23; Thanksgiving Day 11/23/23; Day after Thanksgiving 11/24/23; Christmas Eve 12/22/23; Christmas Day 12/25/23.
3. Consideration of End of Year Incentive Pay for full-time and part-time employees, based on how well the Self Insurance Fund has performed over the last fiscal year. In FY2022 fund balance increased by $401,418, so Incentive Pay will be $300 for each full-time employee and $150 for each part-time employee, at a total cost of $61,397.25.
4.Mental Health Crisis Unit #2 Intergovernmental Agreement at a budgeted cost of $79,806.
5.Purchase and implement a TI RECON simulator for use by police department to provide opportunities for officers to be exposed to decision making on high liability areas, such as “shoot or don’t shoot”. It will also be used for VRPD Citizen’s Police Academy to help citizens understand how officers make these decisions. Cost is a budgeted $44,250.
6.Develop, launch, and utilize a VRPD specific mobile application for cell phone users by OCV LLC for a Technology Fund budgeted amount of $14,000.
7.Request engineering for North Candler and West Gordon streets storm drainage improvements and stream restoration engineering design. Budgeted amount for the design of this project is $69,900, but City Engineer Bobby Elliott stated that construction will be expensive. Staff is recommending Georgia and West Engineers, but repair will involve the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Georgia EPD. Since there is stormwater that drains all the Main Street Plaza area from the police station to the drainage canal, public drainage easements must be obtained from surrounding property owners
8.Charles Davis presented a request to list two vehicles on GovDeals.com, since they are no longer worth the repair costs. One is a 2008 grapple truck which has a blown engine and a 2015 Nissan Sentra that is a drug seizure vehicle of no use in its current condition.
9.Pay a violation fine to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources because in a review of the operation of the wastewater collection system from February 2018 to the present, two violations were detected.
10.Request for purchase of Automatic Samplers for the wastewater treatment facilities at a budgeted cost of $35,816, to be supplied by Teledyne Isco
11.Request to engage with Grizzard & Associates, Inc. for improvements to the Cowans Lake Raw Water Pump Station at a budgeted cost of $86,000.
12.To approve price increase for the installation of the Cleghorn/Anderson Waterline Extension. Budgeted cost of $78,720.
13.Request budgeted fund of $73,571 for development and installation of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system at the North Wastewater Plant, to be performed by John Zile.
14.To engage with the Thermal Process Systems for the replacement of the Storage Nitrification Reactor Volute, a vital part of the pump for the West Plant, at a non-budgeted cost of $61,838.35 to the Water/Sewer Fund.
15.For approval of the updated resolution with Synovus Bank regarding authorized signatures for city’s bank accounts, adding Teresa Campbell, City Clerk, removing Alisa Doyal, deleting Bobby Elliot and adding Tracy Jarvis.
16.Adopt a resolution authorizing an investment account with Synovus Trust Company, and adopt an investment policy.
17.Approve Budget Amendments #1 - 12.
Tommy Lee asked about the cost of the liability. County Attorney Stacy Blackmon responded that she had already coordinated with the insurance companies involved for liability coverage of $2,000,000.
District 1 Commissioner Montrell McLendon offered support of the Crisis Response Units stating that he is in public education and sees the kinds of problems these units will be dealing with, “Everything these guys do is a liability, and it’s just something the county provides” and he is “happy that we have the room to accommodate them.”
Commissioner Reynolds said although he has concerns that the county is creating a “hodgepodge” of departments together, he remarked to Goodman that, “Your work will be needed more and more, it’s not going to decrease.” This intergovernmental agreement within the Fire Station and the Mental Health Advocates was approved by the board unanimously.
county with an as new two-year warranty, and at a savings of roughly $9,400 since it is a demo. Board unanimously approved.
Ferguson also presented the board with a request to purchase new playground equipment for the recreation complex baseball field area.
Commissioner Reynolds said although he has concerns that the county is creating a “hodgepodge” of departments together, he remarked to Goodman that, “Your work will be needed more and more, it’s not going to decrease.” This intergovernmental agreement within the Fire Station and the Mental Health Advocates was approved unanimously.
Commission approved Korkat’s bid of $69,340.10 unanimously, to come from SPLOST funds.
Commissioner Chance asked for consideration of the selection of Caliber 1 Construction, Inc. as the “Construction Manager at Risk” for the fire station at 746 Bankhead Highway, Villa Rica. This is to replace the current Fire Station No 9, and authorize the chairman to negotiate and execute the agreement and conditions, and take all other actions necessary for the project.
Director of Solid Waste Jacqueline Dost made two requests. First, she said security fencing is needed at the Temple Convenience Center. She stated that she took three bids and chose West Georgia Fence for a price of $14,283. Concrete, etc., was not included, and would be needed later. Commission approved unanimously.
Secondly, Dost, along with Keep Carroll Beautiful Executive Director Martyne Griffin, asked the board for consideration to approveacceptance of a grant from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources EPD in the amount of $46,695, for a target of removing as much waste as possible from the landfill through a recycling program at the convenience centers. Griffin said they will use this grant to reach residents who may be unfamiliar with recyclable materials and how to dispose of them properly. The grant will go toward collection bins and signage in the Carroll County municipalities that previously did not participate in their yearly events for recycling. There are already bins at the convenience centers for metal and cardboard. Tires are handled by a separate grant, but for this grant they want to put two more bins at each center with proper signage..
Manager at Risk is a cost-effective and timeconscious alternative to the traditional designbid-build process in that the At-Risk method entails a commitment by the Construction Manager to deliver the project within a Guaranteed Maximum Price. With Commissioner Lee recusing himself from the vote because he works for Caliber 1 Construction, the vote was 6-0 to grant this request.
Commissioner Bailey made an appointment of Jamie Beam to serve on the Carroll County Planning and Zoning Commission, and an appointment of Bill Hodge to serve on the Community Development Appeals Board of Carroll County.
Commissioner Chance asked for consideration of the selection of Caliber 1 Construction, Inc. as the “Construction Manager at Risk” for the fire station at 746 Bankhead Highway, Villa Rica. Manager at Risk is a cost-effective and time-conscious alternative to the traditional design-bid-build process
Chance was then selected by the board to be Vice-Chairman. This selection is for a one-year time period.
There is already a public education campaign in place with one-minute clips on how to recycle right and direct the public to a website with more information, which the grant will cover around 300 announcements throughout the year.
Commissioner Reynolds remarked that the public has been through a lot of being pulled back and forth on the subject of recycling, and a consistency of practices on recycling would be helpful. Board voted unanimously to support this grant with an $11,500 in-kind match.
Recreational Director Thad Ferguson asked for consideration to approve purchase of an ABI Force infield machine and infield grooming equipment from Tri-State Pump & Control, Inc. at a cost of $31,063.90 from SPLOST funds. This machine has been used as a demo model with only 60 hours of use, and it has the ability to cut lips off the infields (to separate dirt from grass) and also laser grade fields. The company has offered to sell this machine to the
Under Public Comments, Kelly Hite of 609 Spring Street, Villa Rica, spoke as an advocate for Animal Control and stray animals in Carroll County. She said the Carroll County Animal Shelter was way over capacity, having as many animals as Fulton and DeKalb Counties combined. Hite said the county is not enforcing ordinances that are already in place regarding animals, and that the county has not offered any help in the way of adoption events to reduce the number of animals in the shelter, or low-cost spay/neuter clinics to reduce the reproduction of the animal population in the County.
Chairman Michelle Morgan made a presentation to James “Pete” Gamble recognizing forty-six years of service on the Carroll County Board of Elections, starting in 1976 to 2022. Gamble was given a plaque of appreciation and a round of applause.
One item was taken up in the Zoning Session, a request for a Conditional Use Permit by applicants Ken and Alyson Nesbitt at 851 Shirey Dairy Road. Nesbitts want to add on to their current pool house an amount of square footage that would exceed the 1,230 square feet that requires presentation to the board. Public Hearing was done at the Planning and Zoning Meeting, where there was no objection, and they and staff recommended approval of this request, which was approved by the board unanimously.
Board adjourned the regular meeting, then entered into executive (secret) session.
Carroll County Board of Commissioners met Thursday afternoon, December 1, 2022 for their regular monthly work session, all being present except for outgoing District 6 Commissioner George Chambers.
Blake Doss, Government Affairs Director
for the Greystone Corporation, stated that Greystone is beginning a Broadband pilot program which will reach into parts of Carroll County. He said the program is still in the conceptual stage, and will operate as a Broadband service which is 100% owned by Greystone.
Doss said this will affect Commissioner Ernie Reynolds’ District 5 primarily. They still begin in 2024 in Fulton County and move westward in their expansion.
damaged vehicle in the amount of $34,276.04, after insurance reimbursement.
Consent Agenda No. 3 was approval of a donation of some Carroll County recreational items that were stored and not currently being used, to be donated to the City of Bowdon for their gymnastics program.
Consent Agenda No. 4 was approval to accept a FEMA grant for the purchase, programming and distribution of weather radios for critical infrastructure and residents, in the amount of $15,450.
Consent Agenda No. 5 was to approve
The Carroll County Board of Commissioners met Dec. 9. 2022, 9:00 a.m. for the purpose of swearing in two re-elected commissioners and one newly elected commissioner.
Pastor James Bean offered the Invocation, and a special song, “You Are My Champion” was played and sung by Joseph and Beth Parson.
Probate Judge, Edith J. Haney performed the swearing-in of Commissioner Clint Chance, Commissioner Steve Fuller, and Commissioner Danny S. Bailey.
Commission Chairman Morgan conducted the swearing-in of Otis Wilson as Warden of the Carroll County Correctional Institute, and Alex Rainwater as Deputy Warden.
Carl Brack was absent and was be sworn in later by the Probate Judge in her office. Brack was elected as District Supervisor for Soil & Water Conservation.
2021 when net tax collections totaled just over $2.29 billion ($2.4 million less).
The changes within the following tax categories account for November’s overall net tax revenue decrease:
Individual Income Tax collections for November totaled $1.28 billion, an increase of $55.8 million - or 4.6% - over FY 2022 when net Individual Tax revenues totaled roughly $1.22 billion. The following notable components within Individual Income Tax combine for the net increase:
- Individual Income Tax refunds issued (net of voided checks) decreased by $16.5 million or -23.2%
- Individual Withholding payments increased by $33.5 million, or 2.8%, compared to FY 2022
- Individual Income Tax Return payments were up $17.7 million, or 78.9% over last year
- All other Individual Tax categories, including Estimated Tax payments, were down a combined $11.9 million
- Sales and Use Tax: Gross Sales and Use Tax collections for the month increased by $153.1 million, or 11.5%, to a total of $1.48 billion compared to a total of nearly $1.33 billion in FY 2022. Net Sales and Use Tax increased by $65.6 million, or 9.8%, compared to November 2021 when net Sales Tax revenue totaled $670.3 million. Lastly, the adjusted Sales Tax distribution to local governments totaled $739.6 million for an increase of $85.4 million, or 13.1%, compared to last year.
- Corporate Income Tax: Net Corporate Income Tax collections increased by $39.5 million, or 358.1%, from last year when Corporate Tax revenues and refunds combined for a net total of -$11 million.
The following notable components within Corporate Income Tax make up the net increase:
- Corporate Tax refunds issued (net of voided checks) decreased by $34.6 million or67.3%. Corporate Income Tax Estimated payments were down $2.3 million, or -6.6% from last year
- All other Corporate Tax payments, includ-
FInance Director Alecia Searcy spoke on the financial report for the month ending October, 2022. Revenues year-to-date are $20,917,643, or 31% of budget; expenses at $22,634,688.
Concerning SPLOST, Searcy mentioned roadwork, a fire station, new administration building, and several vehicles.
Loy Howard, President and CEO of Tanner Medical Center, Inc. was present at the meeting to ask their approval of TEFRA Resolution for a $35 million bond issuance for Tanner to purchase needed equipment and upgrade their software. Bonds will be a ten-year term with 4.25% interest and a two-year option to repay. The county is not backing the issuance of the bonds, but their approval is needed for the tax exemption, and will not be an endorsement of the creditworthiness of TMC or the project.
This item was made Consent Agenda No. 1.
Consent Agenda No. 2 was approval of the Sheriff’s Office request to purchase a patrol vehicle to be paid with funds received for a
ing Corporate Return payments, were up a combined $7.2 million
- Motor Fuel Taxes: Motor Fuel Tax collections for November decreased by $172.5 million, or -99.4%, compared to last year’s total of $173.5 million, as a result of Governor Kemp’s Executive Orders to extend the suspension of the Motor Fuel Excise Tax.
- Motor Vehicle - Tag & Title Fees: Motor Vehicle Tag & Title Fee collections for the month increased by $1.7 million, or 6.7%, compared to November 2021 when Motor Vehicle fees totaled $26 million, while Title ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) collections increased by roughly $5.2 million, or 8.5%, compared to a total of $60.8 million last year.
City manager warns councl that the list of current capital projects equals $175M and that the city cannot handle all of them: “How do we cull the list?”
story by Janice Daniel
The Mayor and City Council of Villa Rica met Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. for their regular monthly meeting, with Mayor Pro Tem Matthew Momtahan presiding (Mayor Gil McDougal absent).. All councilmembers present.
Councilmember Shirley Marchman offered the Invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Officer Chase Gordy of the VRPD. Officer Gordy was one of the Officers who was wounded in the April 2021 high speed chase/shooting. Gordy has plans to get married in February.
Sarah Andrews presented IT Director Jim Chambers with his 5-year service award.
The Lion’s Club of Villa Rica presented a $1,000 donation to the VRPD for their “Shop With a Cop” event where they shopped with and bought toys for 94 children, and also bought presents for 100 senior citizens, which they delivered on 12/14/22.
Councilmember Danny Carter requested that two items be removed frmo the agenda: the 2023 Contract for solicitor and the Reapportionment of Council Wards, which was discussed in the work session and has more work to be done.
Under Public Comments:
1. Dr. Bernice Brooks of 130 Red Branch Road said that on the 9th of December she saw a Code Enforcement Officer picking up political campaign signs on Tommy Dorsey Drive from private property. She stopped and told him they had 15 days to remove the signs; that ytis was private property and can legally stay there indefinitely, but that e would not give her the signs and drove away with them.
Councilmember Leslie McPherson responded that sometimes no one picks up the signs and they become litter on the right-of-way. She said she was the councilmember who spoke to Codes Enforcement and that she believed the signs to be for candidates not included in the runoff and that the signs were in the right-ofway. She also informed everyone that Code Enforcement usually keeps the signs in their building for pick-up.)
2.David Lattick of 9783 Reflections Drive Mirror Lake spoke positively of the Villa Rica Police Citizens Academy, and that he is now the Citizens Police Chief.
18. To engage Rhyme & Reason Design team to create a logo and related brand marks, to create a standard style and branding guide, and related work for marketing identity for the city: $59,750. McPherson asked Barber if the city really needs to spend money on this.
19.Engage Singlepoint to assist with Land Acquisition: $3,500 per parcel, working from the end of North Carroll and the road project going back toward Cleghorn, for which he has no idea of the cost. To obtain the road right-ofways, or possibly purchase entire parcels, the City would probably issue bonds for this project, and ultimately future year debt payments. As he explained, this is just the beginning of a process.
20.To authorizecity manager to produce a letter of support for a grant application from Carroll County’s EMA Director. Carroll County is applying for a grant from FEMA to fund the cost of updating the county’s MultiJurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. The County and the City need to participate in this plan update in order to be eligible for Federal money for mitigation related projects.
Work Session was adjourned.
3.Nathan Haire of the Twin Oaks subdivision had two complaints: at the corner of South Carroll and Tolbert Street there is a large hole filled with water, and he feels that a serious accident is likely to occur there. Secondly, at the corner of Maple and South Dogwood there is no sign or anything noting that there is a storm drain system there with a drop-off of three to four feet.
4. Mesa Perez wished to speak on a boundary line dispute with Councilmember Danny Carter, to which Mayor Pro Tem Momtahan (who is also an attorney) stated that this is a civil issue and also Public Comments are not supposed to be directed toward any individual. Momtahan reminded him of these rules more than once, then Perez was asked to leave the meeting.
Consent Agenda was approved (see work session story page 11.)
The Financial Update was given by Finance Director Jennifer Hallman. The city had double in sewer and water taps over last year, and that cash was at $31,394,013. She said the Pine Mountain Gold Museum Ghost Train brought in revenue of $42,094, slightly less than last year. The Self-Funded Insurance bank balance was $1,268,214. This plan had savings of $85,000 as of October 31, 2022.
City Manager Report: Tom Barber gave information about capital projects and debt cost giving the opinion the city should be careful about which projects it needs versus wants. The list of capital projects still to be carried out equals to $175 million and that the city cannot handle all of them at the present time. He said some of the projects are mandated, some have just been started, such as the roads and East Side TAD. Others, like downtown projects, the LCI grant application, and railroad quiet zone, Barber said the city should decide which is necessary, “How do we cull the list down? What do we have at our disposal to pursue the list?”
As to the General Fund what the city has the most control over is the digest and the millage rate, and certainly the preference would be to increase the digest (property owner base) instead of the millage rate. He stated, “We need the digest to go up by hundreds of millions of dollars, and that the East Side TAD and Highway 61 projects could get the digest where it needs to be, when completed.”
As to the water/sewer issue, the city only has control over the number of customers using the service, and the rates charged. He said, “we can’t sell water for less than we pay for it.”
Villa Rica has been gradually raising the rates over a 10-year period, but growing the number of customers is the only way to give that area the help it requires.
Barber also talked about what debt will be like in the near future. He said the city should only borrow money for 20-year pay-off terms, or less, because when you get up to 25 and 30 years, the pay-back is double the amount borrowed, “Time is on our side if we save up the money to make a purchase.”
He said the council’s decisions on what to spend money on should focus on things that will increase the quality of life or add additional development. “These are hard decisions when you don’t have enough money to do all you want to do,” he advised, but “be careful about randomly spending money. We need to start working on which projects we really need to start spending money on.”
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
City of Carrollton Mayor and Council Work Session October 20, 2022
During the City of Carrollton Mayor and Council Work Session Oct. 20, 2022, the voted items were:
1.Motion to amend the agenda by removing Item #2, FY2023 Budget AmendmentMobile Crisis Unit - from the budget, was passed unanimously by the Council. (See Regular Meeting 11/7/11 for explanation.)
2.Motion to award the Lake Carroll Park Phase #2 bid to JHC Corporation in the amount of $3,511,500 was approved by council unanimously.
3.Council went into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing real estate matters, after which they came back into Open Session and voted unanimously to adjourn.
Regular Meeting of the Mayor and Council November 7, 2022
In their regular meeting held Monday, November 7, 2022 at 6:00 p.m., the Mayor and Council met, and Mayor Betty Cason led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Councilmember Jaquelene Bridges offered the Invocation. There were no citizen comments, and the minutes of October 2022 meeting were approved.
During mayor and council announcements and comments, Councilmember Bridges reminded all that it was Homeless Awareness Month, and encouraged all citizens to donate to the local nonprofits that provided services to the homeless in the City. Councilman Bob glum thanked Kathy Parsons of Impact West Georgia for attending the meeting and giving out purple ribbons as a reminder of November being Homeless Awareness Month. He also recognized that Veteran’s Day is near, and noted appreciation for all veterans and members of the U.S. Military.
The mayor echoed Councilman Uglum’s comments about the Impact Georgia Organization, adding that Impact West Georgia has heating centers in the winter and cooling centers in the summer open to all who need them. She congratulated the Trojan Football team on their going to the State Championship play-offs.
ZONING:
1.Annexation & Rezoning Request for 2032 W. Hwy 166/Maple St.: approval was given to applicant John Sammon’s request to consider annexing in the house in the northeast quadrant of the proposed request, and to table the remainder of the requested annexation and rezoning request to (O-I). No one spoke in opposition to his request and it was granted 31, opposing was Councilmember Jim Watters.
2.Annexation & Rezoning request for 85 acres including Cottage Hill Road, Studio Drive, Nizzear Lane, Tabernacle Drive, Carrollton SR166 By-Pass, Tom Reeve Drive, Hays Mill Road and Plantation Walk to be annexed from Carroll County to City of Carrollton zone O/I (Office & Institutional), and rezoning from various city zoning designations to O/I; and one annexation from County R-2 to Carrollton Residential PD. The application was made by the Carrollton Independent School System. City Manager David Brooks stated that the purpose of the request is to expand their existing campus, and added that the Planning Commission recommended approval of this request at their last meeting. He also stated that the School System does not have a finalized plan yet. Council approved the request unanimously.
In other business. Brooks said that the reason for removing Budget Amendment #2 (Mobile Crisis Unit) from the Work Session to the Regular Meeting was that the City of Villa Rica, in their FY2023 budget, had committed
$79,906 to be applied toward the second Mobile Crisis Unit; and that Villa Rica’s fiscal year is October to September while Carrollton’s fiscal year is July - June; three fourths of the total, then the $59,854.50 of Carrollton’s portion will be moved from FY2023 to FY2024. This budget amendment was approved unanimously.
Project “Excalibur” Tax Abatement: in an effort to encourage a local company (pseudonym “Excalibur”) to build an expansion in the city limits of Carrollton, the Carrollton Payroll Development Authority is looking for support from mayor and council.
Brooks stated that this is the same type of tax abatement as in past years. Council approved 3-0. Councilmember Uglum abstained.
Council approved the appointment for Public Defender of Dane Garland, and to the Carrollton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Board, and Jim Rowell to fill the unexpired term of Judy Rowell, with a term expiration date of 6/20/24.
There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned.
Special Called Meeting Carrollton Mayor and City Council November 30, 2022
On November 30, 2022, Mayor and Council of the City of Carrollton held a Special Called Meeting for the purpose of a Public Hearing about the Redevelopment Plan & Tax Allocation District One, City of Carrollton. This meeting was not recorded.
Special Called Meeting Carrollton Mayor and City Council December 1, 2022
On December 1, 2022, Mayor and Council of the City of Carrollton held another Special Called Meeting for the purpose of hearing a presentation from the KB Advisory Group, the consulting firm who created the redevelopment plan. City Manager, David Brooks, introduced Geoff Koski, Alex Seidenberg, and Gabby Oliverio who were there from KB. Koski provided an overview of the redevelopment plan, highlighting the boundaries of the proposed TAD, proposed uses, estimated tax allocation increment base, as well as estimated TAD revenue. Council went into Executive Session to discuss real estate matters, after which the Special Called Meeting was adjourned. This meeting was not recorded.
Regular Meeting of the Mayor and City Council December 5, 2022
On Monday, December 5, 2022, the City of Carrollton held their regular monthly meeting, in which all were present. Mayor Betty Cason led the Pledge of Allegiance and Councilmember Jim atters offered the Invocation. There were no citizen comments.
Minutes of the prior meetings were approved.
To begin the business section of the meeting, the Mayor, who has been on the Georgia City Administration Council for the past year, announced that they planned a program called the “Mayor’s Reading Club” set up for kickoff in January, 2023.
The highlights of the Proclamation, which the mayor read, are that literacy is not just an education issue. It is an economic, workforce, and quality-of-life issue. Research shows that children who can’t read proficiently by the end of third grade are more likely to experience poor health, have discipline problems, and drop out of high school. Low literacy levels are linked to hundreds of billions of dollars in non-productivity, healthcare, and judicial costs, and 74% of Georgia fourth graders do not read proficiently.
The Mayor’s Reading Club contains a book series to use to teach young readers about local government. The first book is “Georgia Caroline Visits City Hall” and is flexible, can
be delivered in person or virtually, and will promote partnerships between the City, County, schools, public libraries, local nonprofits and the business community. Contact City Hall to learn more about this program.
Resolution 14-2022, as explained by City Manager Brooks, concerns the city aiding the city school board to acquire the remaining land south of Cottage Hill Road for future expansion of education and athletic facilities. He said the resolution would authorize the transference of up to five million dollars and transference of certain properties (124, 153, 158 and 202 Nizzear Lane and 109 Brixton Circle) to the Board of Education of the Carrollton Independent School System. Resolution was passed 4-0 by the council (mayor is a non-voting member except in a tie vote).
There was an Annexation & Rezoning Request for 2032 West Hwy.166/Maple Street, a combined acreage of 2.43 acres, to be annexed into the City under the O/I (offices and institutional) zoning district. As no citizens spoke in opposition, the request was approved 3-1. Councilmember Watters voted against.
There was a Project Rezoning Request for 416 Old Newnan Road to be rezoned from R20 (single family residential 20,000 sq.ft. lots) to R-8 (single family residential 8,000 sq.ft. min.) by applicant Johnny Blankenship of Buildsouth, Ltd., for the purpose of constructing a 47-lot single family residential subdivision. The access to the subdivision would be from Old Newnan Road and Burns Road. Recommended for approval by the Planning Commission. Speaking against was G.W. Petty, an adjacent property owner, who said the density was too high and would create too much traffic.
However, cuncil approved the request (with the same conditions as other subdivisions have to abide by) with a vote 4-0. It should be noted
that one of the conditions will be “a landscape buffer of 20 feet shall be installed adjacent to the GreenBelt so as to shield Carroll County Public Works facility.”
Resolution #13-2022 was approval of the Redevelopment Plan and Tax Allocation District 1, which passed by council 4-0. The goal of the TAD is to upgrade and enhance the downtown area and its connecting commercial corridors and to encourage the private redevelopment of outmoded, suburban mall and highway-oriented commercial land uses into modern development patterns to achieve the vision set forth in the city’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan. Redevelopment Plan is the redevelopment of blighted, underdeveloped and vacant structures and parcels along Maple Street and State Highway 166. This area consists of 837 parcels totaling 540.8 acres.
Mayor and Council then adopted the Meeting Calendar for 2023.
Some appointments were also made: Jean Waldrop and Casey Vance were reappointed to the Planning Commission and Rodney Smith and Brett Hicks were newly appointed to the Planning Commission. All four having term ending date of 12/31/2025.
With no more business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned.
City of Carrollton Mayor and Council Work Session December 15, 2022
The City of Carrollton Mayor and Council met for their monthly work sSession on Thursday, December 15, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. and all members were present. Mayor Cason led the Pledge of Allegiance and the invocation was offered by Finance Director Jim Triplett.
Mayor and Council discussed two rezoning requests that are coming up, and also some board appointments. They then went into Executive Session, and when they returned, the meeting was adjourned.
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Hello, 2023. Where will you be taking us this post-pandemic year?
Aldous Huxley’s 1932 novel Brave New World should be a must read or (must re-read) for every one of you who is - right here right now - reading this little space in this little newspaper. Or, take an evening off and watch the 2006 dark comedy “Idiocracy” by Etan Cohen and Mike Judge. In his novel, Huxley describes a ‘brave new world’ where there is no privacy, no family, no monogamy, and an endless supply of a feel-good drug to take away all the worries and stress of existing. Break down the family, break down personal barriers, break down the child, and add in big government, big tech, and big media. “Idiocracy” adds a quite believable factor to grease that dark highway straight into a scary, hellish future: the gradual dumbing-down of succeeding generations until they know not what they do.
As we begin the new year under the Gold Dome, I find myself in reflection over where we have been, what we have experienced, what we have learned and most importantly, where we are going as a state. Over the last few months, we have undergone the intensity of another crucial election cycle to ultimately determine the future and direction of our state.
As with any election cycle, we also found ourselves preparing for the legislative session ahead. While we are unsure as to what the 2023 session will entail, we are excited about returning to Capitol Hill to continue our work for the betterment of our state. Below is a quick rundown of the latest news within your Georgia General Assembly.
I hope you find this update helpful as we make way for the brand new legislative term. As always, if you have ideas, questions, or concerns, please reach out to me anytime. Be
on the lookout for weekly updates during the legislative session as I will continue to update you on news concerning your government at work. Thank you for allowing me the pleasure and honor of serving our home under the Gold Dome. And thank you, Georgia, for your record voting turnout. Elections matter and every vote determines the future of our great state.
The citizens of Georgia have spoken. Record turnouts brought victory to our conservative slate of statewide constitutional offices, which included
a resounding victory for Governor Brian Kemp. Congratulations to incumbents Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger; Attorney General Chris Carr; Insurance Commissioner John King. We also welcome newly elected constitutional officers, Lt. Governor Burt Jones; Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson.
Georgia voters also elected to keep conservative representation as the majority voicing their interests within both assembly chambers, the House and Senate. It is no secret that a major catalyst for the conservative victory on the state level was due in part to our response amid the unprecedented times of the pandemic. We were the first to open, remained open and continued to support our small businesses, yielding a positive result for our state’s economy which is still
which is in Carroll County.
American Commerce Bank is a Domestic Profit Corporation and has four locations. Principle office in Bremen with two other offices in Georgia and one in Florida.
Georgia Pro-Birth Accountability Act: Georgia House Bill 1 (Prefiled Legislation); Partisan Bill; introduced November 22, 2022: Georgia Pro-Birth Accountability Act; Sponsor, Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick: Summary: “A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to provide for the compensation of pregnant women who but for a fetal heartbeat law could choose to terminate the pregnancy but are compelled to carry the pregnancy to term and give birth to a child; to specify the type and duration of compensation; to provide for procedures and requirements to obtain compensation; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.” Getting paid to have a baby? Well, I’m going to venture a (very safe) bet that if this should become law, the number of “unwanted” preganancies would increase astronomically. Hey, break up that notion of “family”; make bringing new life into this world as a business, just a side hustle.Big government in charge. Scary. Presses to stop permanently for The Birmingham News, The Huntsville Times, and Mobile’s Press-Register: The Alabama Media Group reports that after February 26, 2023, it will permanently stop the presses for The Birmingham News, The Huntsville Times, and Mobile’s Press-Register. From an online report: “What’s happening in Alabama is where local papers have been headed for a while, says Penny Muse Abernathy, a visiting professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Abernathy is the author of annual reports on the state of local news around the nation. A 2022 report found that at least one in five of the 100 largest newspapers in the U.S. are now publishing two or fewer times a week in a print edition.”
. . A 2022 report found that at least one in five of the 100 largest newspapers in the U.S. are now publishing two or fewer times a week in a print edition
Gannett initiates another round of layoffs, cutting its news division by 200: “Among those affected were reporters at flagship paper USA Today and producers working on Gannett’s digital optimization teams. Gannett started another round of layoffs, just four months after the company terminated hundreds of employees. The layoffs, which will continue into Friday, are part of Gannett’s efforts to cut its news division staff of 3,440 by 6%. That amounts to roughly 200 layoffs.”
The reduction/closing of newspapers is giving big media - the cable ‘news’ and their one-sided and destructive agendas - all the air they need to fester and grow, becoming clearly and easily dominant.
If newspapers aren’t around in our brave new world, how will we know what’s happening? Spacebook? (as my friend’s 90 year old grandmother used to say). Please support independent, local journalism. Please subscribe. It’s only $20 for one year of StarNews: P.O. Box 680, Carrollton, GA 30112.
If you had the initiative to read Sue Horn Evans’ excellent front page article in the December edition of the StarNews concerning the county government placing $10,000,000 (ten million) dollars of your excess tax payments into two small private banks, you might ask why? If the ten million was not needed to fund the operation of the county government, why was it not returned to the taxpayers by reducing your property tax? Or sending you your prorata share such that you could use your money as you saw fit?
Thank the StarNews because you don’t get this sort of reporting from any other source.
Let’s examine the article.
1.Your county commissioners and the chairperson approved this action unanimously 12/6/22. Now these are good people, but did they understand that they over-assessed and you OVERPAID your obligations? Who was representing you?
Was this incompetence or were they conned by staff? Was there a hidden purpose? Makes no difference, end result: the same.
2.Carroll County Finance Director, Alecia Searcy, asked “permission from the Board to do business with American Commerce Bank and Southern States, both local community banks.” Because they “need deposits”. I understand that Southern States is a “Foreign Profit Corporation” with its principal office in Anniston, Alabama. It has 13 locations in Alabama and Georgia, one of
Ms. Searcy indicated that the banks are offering a very good interest rate of 3.25% to 3.5%. Yeah, better than you can get! Note making a profit on these excess monies should create more excess, which is not bad, but such interest would increase the existing “problem” excess.
I understand that the current Fed Funds overnight rate is 3.75 to 4% What do you pay to borrow from the banks? Is anyone aware of the current inverted short term, long term rates?
3.Ms. Searcy told the Board that goal was to put about five million in each bank, but to try to protect the deposits exceeding FDIC coverage the ten million would be spread over about 20 different banks. Now, IN See ED WILSON page 24
“The Governor shall take care that the laws are faithfully executed and shall be the conservator of the peace throughout the state.” Section ll, Paragraph ll of the Georgia Constitution. Gov. Kemp’s Georgia can easily and accurately be described as a “sanctuary state” for the “criminal illegals” he promised to go after when he ran for office in 2018 and pledged to end already illegal sanctuary policies.
With constant reminders that Georgia is home to more illegal aliens than Arizona and more illegals than green card holders, this space will often be used to provide continuing education on multiple laws that were put in place to deter illegal immigration into our GOP - ruled state but are now ignored.
We’ll start with OCGA 42-4-14: “Illegal alien” defined; determination of nationality and verification of lawful admission of person confined in a jail facility.” It was put into law in
2006 as part of the “Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act” which was a long, multi-section bill that passed out of the state Senate committee process by the Public Safety Committee with Senator Brian Kemp, chairman.
Intended to detect illegal aliens who end up in any of Georgia’s jails and report them to the feds, the law is short and simple. It reads in part: “As used in this Code section, the term ‘illegal alien’ means a person who is verified by the federal government to be present in the United States in violation of federal immigration law. When any person is confined, for any
period, in the jail of a county or municipality or a jail operated by a regional jail authority … a reasonable effort shall be made to determine the nationality of the person so confined… a reasonable effort shall be made to verify that such foreign national has been lawfully admitted to the United States and if lawfully admitted, that such lawful status has not expired. If the foreign national is determined to be an illegal alien, the keeper of the jail or other officer shall notify the United States Department of Homeland Security…”
Who runs most of the jails in Georgia? County sheriffs.
The statute reads: “The Georgia Sheriffs Association shall prepare and issue guidelines and procedures used to comply with the provisions of this Code section.” Those instructions are in place.
As a state senator at the time, Gov. Kemp also voted “YEA” on final pas-
Taking notes on some of the changes in our brave new world, post-pandemic: scary big government, big tech, and big media
“Not just what happened, but what matters”
GEORGIATECH Beta Theta Pi
“California is now a valuable touchstone to the country, a warning of what not to do. Rarely has a single generation inherited so much natural wealth and bounty from the investment and hard work of those more noble now resting in cemeteries and squandered that gift within a generation. History has shown that a government’s redistribution of shrinking wealth, in preference to a private sector’s creation of new sources of it, can prove more destructive than even the most deadly enemy.”
- Victor Davis HansonDoes Hanson speak from a position of knowledge and experience? He has lived all of his life in California, grew up on his grandfather’s raisin farm and got his PhD in classics from Stanford. He has been a professor, commentator, author, and wrote a weekly column for National Review for 20 years before he started to comment on some forbidden topics. His views are largely conservative and politically independent.
Does America have a touchstone? Not really, but it should be able to use history as a standard of what not to do. If you believe that American independence and wealth is a miracle and has been made better by its struggle through wars, consensual government, a tradition of self-critique, religious tolerance, individual freedom, free expression, free markets, and individualism, you have a standard. Certainly not always perfect, but constantly trying to be better for all.
California’s wealth is undeniable. It has a
traveler. One earth-shaking event took place at the end of World War II. I was 15 years old. The social changes we Korean people experienced may be best understood by reading the book, The Changing World Order by Ray Dalio. The author explains the difference in cultures between China and the United States. Korea has been under the influence of China for centuries, although it has developed a unique culture of its own.
GDP that ranks 5th among countries in the world. At 40 million residents, it is the most populous state (one out of every 8 persons live in California) with a median income over $78,000.
Then, why the reported exodus? 27% of its residents were not born in America, many have not assimilated or embraced American values or culture. One out of every 6 people who live on welfare live in California. High taxes, burdensome regulations, fires, energy policies, etc. have put the state in a situation of declining prosperity for the middle and lower oncome classes. Even some elites are moving. For a detailed summary read The Decline and Fall of California: From Decadence to Destruction
How can a government make the redistribution of wealth in a declining scenario? Keynesian economics promotes the idea that economies thrive due to a higher total spending of individuals, families, businesses, and governments. We are currently testing that
theory and building a debt and future liability of gigantic amounts that swallow our GDP. We take in 4 trillion dollars and spend more than 150% of that. Unfunded liabilities are being pushed down the road for future citizens to pay. The current answer is to print money.
The difference between Socialism and Capitalism is an exhaustive topic. Today, America has a bastardized system that mimics parts of both. Whether our super elites are in fact oligarchs, welfare or social security is socialism, graduated income tax is Marxist, etc. may have one on either side of the argument. Hanson wrote a great book entitled The Dying Citizen: How Progressive Elites, Tribalism, and Globalization Are Destroying the Idea of America. Do not be one!
Hillsdale College’s free courses on The United States Constitution are a great starting point for a basic understanding of the role of government in a Constitutional Republic.
Become knowledgeable!
striking. We had to learn how to live in a free democratic country. At first, it was confusing and many of us felt lost. We were accustomed to taking instructions from above and were rewarded when we successfully accomplished the assigned task.
The year of the Rabbit has arrived, according to the Chinese zodiac. Needless to say, the first generation of immigrants usually harbor the deepest emotions toward their homeland, no matter how well they have assimilated with the new world. The familiar phrase, “You can take the boy out of the country, but you cannot take the country out of him” resonates with me.
The world has undergone tectonic changes during the lifetime of this nonagenarian
River Rambles syllabil@aol.com
Years ago, when the Chattahoochee Story Project was just the beginning of a beginning of an idea, a fifth-grader at the Whitesburg Elementary School told a story about an adventure he and his dad had on the river. I regret I don’t have a record of that boy’s name. This was at least fourteen years ago so that tenyear-old is all grown up and who knows where? Should you recognize yourself in this Ramble, please know that your story - and your telling of it - has stayed with me all this time. I hope my re-telling does it justice.
You told us how you and your father had put in at the boat launch on the Coweta side of the Chattahoochee just below the bridge on Highway 16 outside Whitesburg. How you’d fished all day up and down the river until finally it was time to go home. Did you catch anything? I don’t remember asking. Just before putting your boat on its trailer, your dad suggested the two of you sit in the boat and watch the sun go down over the water.
“The next thing we knew,” you said to us at
“Chinese culture compels its leaders and society to make most decisions from the top down . . . putting collective interest ahead of individual interests . . . and having filial respect for those superior in the hierarchy . . . American culture compels its leaders to run the country from the bottom up, demanding high levels of personal freedom, favoring individualism over collectivism, admiring revolutionary thinking and behavior.” (page 448)
The contrast between the East and West was
school that day, your eyes wide with the excitement of the reveal. “It was morning and we were at McIntosh Reserve!”
You check your audience to make sure we are suitably amazed. “My dad and I fell asleep and floated down the river all night long!” you exclaim, in case someone missed the point.
“And we had to walk all the way home,” you add ruefully, with a storyteller’s instinct for wrapping things up.
I marvelled at this story then and now. In a sense it’s a perfect story, in no small part because it’s true (I assume) which only adds to its wonder.
The sweet father-son moment that opens the tale is the incident that propels it (and the boat) back into the water. And it has fishing in it, too, which gives it a hook so to speak, for the many who love the fish and the dining.
The outcome is funny, surprising, and also full of awe as this listener couldn’t help wonder what being “floated down the river all night long” is like, especially if you are sleeping. It might almost feel like a dream, one where you can’t remember details yet you know exactly how the experience felt.
There is mystery at the core of this tale, which also lends allure and impact. Sleeping people can’t give information: what they saw, what they felt.
So, the only actual observer is the river, with all her many eyes. Shadowy as a ghost ship gliding noiselessly over her waters - what does
Suddenly, we were told to think things out for ourselves and make our own decisions without being told what to do. Freedom manifests itself in a democratic country when each of us learns how to pursue happiness within the democratic rule of law, we were told. But, despite the passage of decades since then, the vestige of the old cultural legacy still lingers on in the Republic of Korea to this day.
In the meantime, the tension in the peninsula shows no sign of abating. According to some commentators, the pariah state of North Korea is believed to be hanging on to its nuclear arsenal as leverage against the imaginary use of force against it by the Allies. Its leadership
the dark and silent boat look like from her perspective?
Picture some kind of wooden rowboat, probably with a small outboard motor, sitting half-in, half-out of the river at the beginning of the story, at the place where the concrete ramp meets the water. Father and son are warm and sleepy after a day of fishing together. The evening sky is a swirl of coral, cobalt, and lavender fading to grey. Water laps gently against the hull, a soothing sound even with the highway close by. The boat rocks. Eyes close.
Slowly, slowly, the current coaxes the boat out into the channel. Lightly it sails through a silver band cast by the rising Moon. High above, stars blink on like tiny living lamps while below fireflies flick over the mirror of the river mingling their reflections with distant galaxies.
A whippoorwill calls. In the dark the little skiff hurries through a churn of water and slows again. The passengers sigh and shift. They lean into each other. Trees on the banks tip their roots and bend their limbs as the rowboat slips past. Geese fly across the face of the Moon, honking at the unusual sight beneath their noisy V. Wind stirs the passengers’ hair.
Turtles gaze up from the ooze as the black rectangle glides over them. Fish startle from their rest and dart away. A heron shrieks. On the shore, a raccoon peers up from washing his nighttime meal of mulberries and clams. Deer at the river’s edge lift their heads, ears
may be afraid of a zero-sum game: “a mathematical representation in game theory and economic theory of a situation that involves two sides, where the result is an advantage for one side and an equivalent loss for the other.” The fear presumably stems from the sense of insecurity of the dictator of North Korea.
The Pyongyang regime needs to open its border for the common good. If and when it does, the tectonic pendulum would swing toward a positive-sum game to the benefit of all. A positive-sum game is “a competitive situation that results in total gains that exceed total losses. This allows for win-win outcomes whereby all participants are winners.”
Alas! No such sign is in sight as of now. But the encouraging truism dawns on me that says, “It is usually the darkest shortly before sunrise.” May tectonic change come about in North Korea this year!
twitching, to watch the boat skim mutely by. The Moon sets. Stars fade off. A wood thrush sings. Morning comes, and with it wakefulness.
Perhaps you stretched before you opened your eyes and your hand clanked the side of the boat. That never happens in your bedroom. Your eyes pop open. There are no familiar walls, no wildlife posters, no window letting in the soft dawn.
Instead, the light is everywhere and bright, and there are trees on a shore and paths, and another concrete launch you recognize as the one at McIntosh Reserve from which you and your dad have set forth often. How did you come to be here? Could this be a dream?
Perhaps you whispered, “Dad, wake up!” And he does. And you know by his face that this is no dream.
And after a while maybe he rubs his cheeks and says, “Well, dang, son. The river gave us a free ride. Sorry I missed it.” And then he starts to laugh and so you laugh too.
How do I know this? I don’t. But who wouldn’t be curious about that moment of waking? And who wouldn’t want to be carried like that by the Chattahoochee, surrendering effortlessly to her current and trusting in her care?
I like to think you were still laughing when you and your father tie up the boat by the launch and start the long trek on foot toward home.
Georgia, especially Atlanta, was that no one seemed to care to make their address known to the public. He found this especially frustrating, when trying to find a business. His solution was something like charging $100 more for a business license, and refunding that amount when the business owner showed they were displaying proper and correct signage for the address.
I- Introduction: When I moved to Atlanta, almost 60 years ago, I found and occasionally listened to Neil Boortz on radio. Because he led in the new Conservative movement of the day, Mr. Boortz had many analyses and complaints to make. There was one complaint that I was reminded of recently, while driving outside Newnan, trying to make a doctor’s appointment and getting lost. We finally let GPS guide us, but still no luck!
Young Neil Boortz’s complaint about
As a newcomer to the area I would, daily, get frustrated trying to locate a business or some office, even make daring u-turns in that quest. I was barely verbalizing what was wrong, when Neil Boortz gave me the total picture during his radio program. If I remember correctly, he repeated it regularly, like it was a shtick. I don’t know where the aged Mr. Boortz is on the radio dial today, but his message about addresses is still relevant. Nowadays, there are further complicating factors.
Getting back to our doctor’s appointment,
when Margery and I decided to turn on our cell phone’s GPS, we typed in an address number of “2202” instead of the correct one, “2201”. Small error. But it turns out that no evenaddresses in the 2202-3002 range exist. So, rather than interpolating and giving us a location across the road from where we really wanted to go (2202 vs. 2201), it told us we had arrived at our destination at 2861, almost a mile away! How could a GPS system be so wrong? Imagine such a blunder while the 911 people had sent an ambulance looking for you!
To be sure, in a city like Atlanta, GPS has been “debugged” and “disambiguated”, but I do question if such efforts are made in the new areas of expansion, like the suburbs. After all, we just experienced the lack of such an effort in Coweta County. There are services, like the U.S. Postal System, Amazon, and UPS, who have figured out ways of sorting and delivering. (As far as I know, these all use zip
West Georgia Right to Life
PRESIDENT
“The Heartbeat of Georgia” Duanehack46@gmail.com 470-370-2452
Right to Life encourages us to remember that January is designated as “Sanctity of Human Life” month. Please take a moment to remember those who cannot fight for themselves. This year, Sunday January 22, 2023, will be National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday” is recognized annually on or near January 22, the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973. And this year, we are celebrating the overturning of Roe Vs. Wade! Praise our Lord!
Sanctity of Life Sunday is in remembrance of the 62 million pre-born babies murdered through abortion since ‘73. Republican presi-
dents since President Reagan have traditionally designated “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday” to be the closest Sunday to January 22.
Notable portions of the January 22, 2018, given by President Trump is his presidential proclamation reads as follows: “We observe National Sanctity of Human Life Day to affirm the truth that all life is sacred, that every person has inherent dignity and worth, and that no class of people should ever be discarded as “non-human”. Reverence for every human life is one of the values for which our Founding Fathers fought and defines the character of our Nation.
“Today, it moves us to promote the health of pregnant mothers and their preborn children. It animates our concern for single moms; the elderly, the infirm, and the disabled; orphan and foster children. Medical Science continues to support and build the case for life. Today’s medical technologies and break throughs now allows us to see images of the preborn child with much more clarity than was able in 1973.
In week 3 after conception, blood vessels and sex cells form. At week 4 a baby’s heartbeat
begins to beat. Week 5 tiny arms and legs appear, a baby’s face can be seen. Week 10 fingerprints begin to form, Week 12 the baby is now 3 inches, weighs 2 oz, fine hair, able to swallow and responds to skin stimulation. (Unfortunately, 12% of all abortions since 1973 have occurred PAST this 12-week period of time, which would be 7.5 million innocent babies) These images present us with irrefutable evidence that babies are growing within their mothers’ wombs - precious, unique lives, each deserving a future filled with promise and hope.”
So, let’s define and debate this: Is God prolife? What does scripture teach us concerning life issues? What does God think about abortion? We just recently celebrated the birth of Christ a few weeks ago, God himself in the flesh of Jesus Christ. We must look no further than the incarnation when God Himself entered the world as an embryo. John 1:14 “And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”Think about that for a
codes and postal addressing as a basis for their schemes.)
This all brings me back to Neil Boortz’s idea. It was a useful idea, which was to have each and every address prominently showing, especially those of commercial operations. As a civil libertarian, he suggested an incentive (the $100 refundable fee) that would encourage civic conscience without top-down orders from a government. That didn’t work. And it wouldn’t today, in spite of technical advances. I think there is something else. It involves a strange combination of many factors, psychological, cultural, technical, historicalyou name it.
II- Discussion: Imagine the following: A photograph of a racing-car as it crosses the finish line. Here are some details that are in the picture: There is the number of the racing-car, “100”, which is painted on its side. Then there
See BILL BOURIS page 20
moment! Jesus Christ, the prenatal deity, entered human history in a uterus for the purpose of redeeming human beings from sin.
Mary, a scared, unmarried teenager fits the perfect profile of so many young women today who are told they must abort their unborn child in order to save their own futures. Thankfully, that was not God’s message to Mary. His will was for the life of the child - and subsequently for all who would find everlasting life through Him. As I mentioned in our December Op-Ed, aren’t we glad and thankful Mary was ProLife?!
So, this leads me to the question: What do we, as Christians, need to do about abortion in our country? It is no accident that we are living in this precise cultural moment that God has placed us here! Proverbs 31:8 “Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction”. Our Chapter slogan at West Georgia Right to Life is: “Being a voice for those that have no voice, the preborn and the aged”
The unborn cannot speak for themselves, so
They call it acrophobia. The fear of heights. I’m not afraid of heights though. The higher, the better. The higher you go, the more you see. Greater height, greater perspective. One hundred and two floors above New York City in the Empire State Building observatory. A thousand feet above Chicago on its 360 TILT. Six hundred thirty feet up to the top of St. Louis’s Gateway Arch. With their sweeping views and vantage points, there’s nothing like seeing a city from above itself: concrete jungles and green spaces, businesses and homes, rivers and roadways. Whether by tram or by elevator, there is such anticipation in the ascent. I can’t wait to get to the top!
I think that there’s something about summits, about apexes, something soul-satisfying about reaching the highest possible point. I wonder if there’s an innate desire in us to pursue pinnacles. I wonder if a climber’s drive to reach the peaks of the world’s highest moun-
tains, is the same as a child’s to reach the tops of the jungle gym. My great-niece, Alyssa, a wonder-woman-in-training, inspired me as she tackled various climbing challenges. I watched, with awe and pride, as this then-7-year-old, strapped to a harness, first scaled a climbing wall before moving on and mounting the dome chimneys and stairways of heaven. Not only was Alyssa conquering any fear of physical heights, but she was also, I hoped, conquering any fear of mental heights as well. Some of Alyssa’s steps were met with apprehension. Caught between the tension of looking down precariously and looking up purposefully, sometimes the fear of wrong movement kept her hanging to a rung “too long.” But, eventually, she’d take another step up.
From one challenge to the next, it was easy for me, standing there on the floor, to encourage Alyssa to go higher. I could see how far she’d come and how close she was to the top. If she didn’t overthink it, if she would just press on, the top was mere steps away! Sometimes my cheerleading was vocal, other times, as I watched her stop and strategize, I kept quiet, giving her silent space to see for herself that she could do it, for her to learn to believe in her own capability. And she did. Challenge after challenge. She. just. kept. going.
Cheerleading for Alyssa was easy. I love her.
And because of my love for her, I could see in her what she couldn’t see in herself.
Cheerleading for myself is much, much harder. They call it achievemephobi: fear of success. I’m not talking about an income bracket or a title or a position. I’m not talking about acquisitions. I’m not even talking about marriage or motherhood. Although noble, those definitions of success are much too narrow. I’m talking about what psychology calls selfactualization, the desire to become the most that you can be, the desire to achieve your full potential. I’m talking about what the Gospel calls life and life more abundantly (ref. John 10:10); a life that’s absolutely full, real and genuine, eternal and meaningful; one that’s active and vigorous, blessed and completely devoted to God.
The people that I know who are afraid of heights say that their fear lies in the potential for falling. While that is certainly some of it, I’m not afraid of falling, of failing. I think that my fear is in actually making it to the “top.” With each step of elevation, there’s always excitement and expectation for the expanse that awaits us at the top. But, God’s elevator is a lot like processing. We don’t just go up, we grow up. And while we all applaud growth, we don’t always appreciate the pruning that comes with it. Not only are we leaving the stability and
familiarity of the ground, but we’re also being released from habits, relationships and attitudes that stunt God’s purposes for us. Caught between looking down, precariously, at what was left behind and looking up, purposefully, to the plans that God has for us, the tension sometimes keeps us - fearfully - hanging to a present that is no longer serving God’s best for us. Sometimes we call it caution. Sometimes we call it waiting for the right time. But it’s always rooted in fear.
Psychologically, fear is treated in one of two ways: either through exposure or cognitive behavioral therapy. Exposure therapy helps treat phobia by putting the thing before you. Instead of avoiding the fear, you confront it in a safe environment. Through cognitive behavioral therapy, a therapist helps you gain a different perspective of the fear by talking and asking questions. This processing helps you learn to respond better when exposed to the fear.
Spiritually, I believe that God treats the same way. He gives us glimpses of the callings on our lives and hints to what He has in store for us. He exposes us, incrementally, to greater dreams and desires. He also, through His Word, coaches us through the fear. “Why are you fearful? (Matthew 8:26) You can do all
sage on this public safety measure.
This writer has spent considerable time over the last several years talking to law enforcement officials and collecting responses to open records requests that tell me many - if not most - jailers in Georgia do not obey this law. I have spoken to sheriffs who have no recollection of ever even hearing about it.
We’ll revisit this topic next time, but until then I leave you with the defiant and unpunished public pledge from metro-Atlanta’s Democrat Gwinnett County Sheriff Keybo Taylor, made as one of his first remarks at his January 1, 2021 swearing-in event: “What we will not be doing is notifying ICE of anybody’s immigration status in our jail or any of our facilities.”
Sheriff Taylor has been allowed to keep his promise. I don’t know how many innocent Georgians have been killed, raped, molested, or
BILL BOURIS from page 19is a display that tells us the speed of the car, as it crossed the finish line, 150 mph. And finally there is a flag with a big “1” on it, signifying that this car was the first to cross the finish line, the winner of the race.
This is to illustrate that a number can be used in three different ways; as the name of something (racing car “100”), as a quantity (150 mph), or as the order in which some event occurred (“number 1”, the first, i.e.. the winner). We understand these three uses of Number, even though we have never been taught the grammatical basis for them at school. But one thing we know, by common sense, is that these types of numbers shouldn’t be combined or mixed. Yet, we do, or come awfully close to doing so, in our various postaladdressing systems.
Here in Carroll County, starting with the original Land Lot numbering, we have started
we must raise our voices for them to protect their right to life. And we do this in response to what Christ has done for us. When we were lost in sin, unable to approach God, or speak for ourselves, Jesus became our advocate - one who speaks for someone else - and pleaded our case before the Father. If we are going to be a voice for the unborn, we need to know three things: what we believe, what we are facing, and what we must do.
What we believe: As Christians we could make many Biblical arguments against abortion - how we’re knit together in the womb (Psalm 139) or how John the Baptist leapt in his mother’s womb when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, came to visit Elizabeth - to name just two examples. But we don’t need to make it
19
things through Me! (Philippians 4:13) Why did you doubt? (Matthew 14:31) Press toward the mark! (Philippians 3:12-14).”
I also can’t help but think that God looks at us kind of like I looked at Alyssa. I say that, not to make God common, but to make Him relatable. I John 4:18 NKJV (emphasis added) tells us that, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” We can be confident that, in His unconditional and unfailing love, Jesus is there, encouraging us to the next level, with the harness of His Spirit holding us as we go.
If you’re like me, then you might be thinking that you’re not exactly sure where God is taking you. You might think, even with His glimpses and hints, that you’re still not properly equipped to do what He’s asking of you. You, like me, may be fearful of the becoming, of the
otherwise harmed by Gov. Kemp’s “criminal illegals” in the last four years - but neither does he.
Please re-read the top paragraph of this column and consider calling the governor’s office in Atlanta. The phone number is 404-656-1776. Leave a polite message with the young staffer who answers. Nothing will change if you don’t.
The lack of enforcement of state laws aimed at the organized crime that is illegal immigration and “undocumented workers” is not an oversight - but we are “number one for business.”
A reminder: Discussion of illegal immigration is not allowed under the Gold Dome.
Related: My complaints against Carroll County officials News for readers here following the progress of my early 2022 complaints against Carroll County officials for their literally thousands of admitted and documented, decades-long viola-
our addressing with the naming of things. Land Lot “170” is a name, and not something to do arithmetic with. This “naming” seems to be human and universal. Even the aboriginal people of Australia, who have had an ancient system of navigating (on foot) the entire continent, use the naming (or description) of things as the basis for such “wanderings”. Hereabouts, even if we have “progressed” to other more sophisticated naming schemes, Land Lot referencing is still part of the description of a property when it gets sold.
III- “Inconclusion”: Enter GPS, typically via our cell-phones. Such a GPS uses a system of 3-dimensional coordinates that can, for instance, locate a vehicle, with an accuracy of better than one foot, anywhere on earth. In order to coordinate and calibrate the dozens of orbiting satellites that are needed for such tasks, Einstein’s space-time (4-dimensional!) equations need to be used. Anyway. . .
just a Biblical argument. We can make a statement that so many on the other side have used on other issues: we follow the science. We believe in the science of embryology which states that from the time of conception, we are distinct, living, and whole human beings. You’ll find those words in any embryology textbook on any college campus today. It’s not just Christian rhetoric - it’s science.
What we are facing: We must understand that the issue of abortion is a spiritual issue disguised as a culture war. Our enemy, the devil, wants to destroy what God has created. And snuffing out the lives of babies that are created in God’s own image is what he is after with abortion.
Abortion is the pagan replacement for man’s pursuit of eternal life. Not only are women
making, of being different. If so, I want to share a word with you that is helping me. I recently heard a pastor say that God doesn’t ask for what He hasn’t already given. If He’s asking you to give it, do it, or be it, it’s because He’s already placed “it” there.
A lot of times I have been disappointed in myself for being fearful, for succumbing to its power to keep me stagnant. But fear is part of the human experience. And I’m learning that conquering it is not necessarily trying to be fearless, but choosing instead to live our best lives in spite of it and to just take. the. next. step. Despite quivering voices and knocking knees, we’re capable. You and I are cities set upon a hill. We cannot be hidden.
PRINCIPLE: Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. II Timothy 1:6-7 NKJV
tions of state laws aimed at making it difficult for illegal aliens to obtain jobs, benefits and services in Georgia: “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over…”, but enforcement of those laws doesn’t look good either.
More on that next time. But it is still true that state officials are holding huge budget surpluses but nobodyincluding Gov. Kemp and the leaders in the Republican/Georgia Chamber of commerce-controlled legislatureis calling for funding a system of audits and compliance checks on those laws.
Joe Biden’s desk.
. . . that tell me many - if not most - jailers in Georgia do not obey this law. I have spoken to sheriffs who have no recollection of ever even hearing about it.
A personal note: 2023 marks the twentieth year since this writer set aside his own business to fight illegal immigration. The Dustin Inman Society, which we founded for that purpose, was named after a Woodstock youth who is forever sixteen. Dustin Inman was killed by an illegal alien who had been released by local law enforcement multiple times before he killed Dustin in 2000 and put his mom in a wheelchair for the remainder of her shortened life.
Conservatives should ask their state legislators about that fact. Open borders liberals should thank them for creating welcoming conditions for potential future Democrat voters if an immigration amnesty lands on the President
I believe our cell phones are used to tell where we are located, say, while traveling in our automobile, and that information is used in messaging our distance and direction from the address we want to get to. These kinds of calculations are not done by NASA, but by subscription services like Verizon and Google.
To be sure, there are many other pieces to this truly remarkable system. It is a vast subject with many private and proprietary players who, at this time, don’t brag about their talents to just anybody. At least my browsing the internet did not easily yield what I’d hoped would be a good description for this article.
So, to sum up: Recently we almost missed a doctor’s appointment because we’d been misled by our GPS. What followed, well, let me put it this way: Say you’re driving and there is a sudden knocking sound coming from your car’s engine. You’d feel panic, and then you’d try to find out what caused that noise. Well,
aborting children to keep the life they want for themselves, but science is using and killing the unborn to extend human life. We are trying to play God.
Judges 21:25: “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes”. This is a spiritual battle.
What we must do: Dietrich Bonhoeffer said: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil.” We need to understand that abortion was only made possible in this country because the Church abdicated our spiritual duty to influence government for God’s purposes.
Unlike the corporate-funded, anti-enforcement lobbyists who are likely talking to your state legislators in the Capitol today, we are completely dependent on private donations to operate.
Dustin Inman never voted.
that’s the kind of feeling I had after the GPS failed us. Trying to understand that failure led me into several areas of daily life. These involved the problem of locating buildings and the delivery of the mail to them. Mail delivery seemed important because you had to know how to find a place, before you could do something like deliver the mail to it. Soon, that led to a discussion of the three ways we use Numbers. And, after traveling by a strange circuitous route, here we are! It makes me wonder if the issues raised here are nothing short of reflections of how our brains are wired and work, through a mixture of experience and dreams!
From the sing-song continental navigatings of the Australian aborigines to the invention of the satellite system that informs our GPS, there is the question: Where does all this come from? Though it is a bit late, I wish you a very happy new year, and may your GPS not mislead you!
We believe in the science of embryology which states that from the time of conception, we are distinct, living, and whole human beings. You’ll find those words in any embryology textbook on any college campus today. It’s not just Christian rhetoric - it’s science.
Again, I’ll remind you of Proverbs 31:8. We are to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves. It’s not enough to be against abortion but remain silent and passive; this is complicity. Arm yourself with knowledge about what you believe, recognize that this is a spiritual battle, then raise your voice and speak for the unborn. Knowledge is Power!
When the Church stands up with the power of the Holy Spirit, Satan sits down. But we must take a stand for those that have no voice: the preborn, infirmed, the disabled, and aged!
As you know, inflation was big news throughout 2022. But will it continue in 2023? And looking even further ahead, how should you account for inflation in your long-term
In regard to the first question, many experts predict that inflation will cool off this year, though there are no guarantees. The high inflation of last year is thought to have been caused by some unusual factors, such as a spike in the demand for consumer goods as
the world came out of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to supply chain issues. Also, the war in Ukraine drove up oil prices, increasing the cost of manufacturing and shipping and driving up the price of wheat and other commodities.
In any case, last year reminded us that inflation needs to be reckoned with as you work toward your financial goals. But how you respond to inflation will depend somewhat on your stage of life. So, here are some suggestions to consider:
If you’re still working … Contribute more to your retirement plans. If you can afford to put more money away in your IRA and 401(k), you may want to do so. The more resources you’ll eventually have available in retirement, the better protected you are against
the rising cost of living.
Adjust your portfolio objectives with your financial professional. Using tools such as “hypothetical” illustrations, a financial professional can show you some different paths you might take with your investments, given different rates of inflation. So, for example, if you feel that inflation may be higher for a longer period than you once thought, you could request a hypothetical showing how you might need to adjust your investment mix to achieve your long-term goals, given your risk tolerance and time horizon.
If you’re already retired … Consider parttime work or consulting. Once you retire from your career, it doesn’t mean you can never do any paid work again. If you’ve accumulated years of experience and expertise, you could
The prolonged cold weather during the Christmas holiday has a lot of producers asking, “Are my winter annuals going to regrow?” Unfortunately, there isn’t a clear answer. Many cool season forages can handle subfreezing temps for short periods and the degree of damage depends on air temperature, soil temperature, topography, winter precipitation, stand health, stand age, and stage of growth.
MORE INTERNET from front page sion through the Capital Projects Fund Grant Program. Carroll County will receive $9.86M ($9,861,589) for 3173 locations through Comcast Cable Communications. These awards will improve connectivity in 28 Georgia counties that have 455,000 unserved locations..
On August 12, 2022, Governor Kemp announced the creation of the Capital Projects Fund Grant Program, utilizing funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. The Governor’s Office of Planning & Budget and the Georgia Technology Authority worked together to identify the most unserved and underserved counties in the state and establish a competitive grant program.
These awards also follow the historic $408
Potential for recovery will depend on how much growth and what stage the plant was at before the cold snap.
More advanced growth stages will be less susceptible to winter kill compared to tender young growth. Unfortunately, many producers planted late last fall because of late season drought so the plants may not be at the same stage of growth as in a “normal” year. Cold tolerance will even depend on temperature and variety in many cases. Oats are generally less
million in preliminary grant funds that the state announced in February of last year. Together, the programs equal nearly $650 million in grant funds that will work hand-in-hand with hundreds of millions of additional matching funds. These investments and the projects associated with these two grant programs aim to serve roughly 200,000 of the remaining 455,000 unserved locations in the state.
The 29 awardees announced include 12 different internet service providers comprised of EMCs, large telecommunications companies, and local Georgia-based companies. The state will open a second round of the Capital Projects Fund Grant Program for the five eligible counties that did not receive an award this Spring (Calhoun, Echols, Johnson, Miller, and Webster Counties).
winter hardy than other small grains and can suffer substantial yield loss when temperatures dip below 20°F. Ryegrass is likely intermediate to oats and other small grains in terms of winter hardiness, but there is a wide range within varieties.
When forages experience subfreezing temperatures, plant cells can break or rupture which contributes to darker color leaves. Cell death can occur when ice forms within the plant cells. The impact of freezing weather on forage quality is mixed and highly variable. The damaged forage may have a lower quality than what you were anticipating. Watch your cows closely for loss of condition and supplement their diet as needed to accommodate this difference.
The best way to combat cold damage is prevention. Plants need good leaf area during the fall to synthesize carbohydrates and accumulate organic reserves before winter. High K:N ratios in soil will help ensure winter hardiness as well. Once temperatures warm back up, growth of the forages will be slow. Optimum temperatures for winter annual forages are typically between 60-80°F. Be careful grazing the vulnerable plant material. Graze carefully and give the plants time to rest.
Short answer: only time will tell if the forages are going to regrow this season.
use your skills as a consultant. Also, many part-time jobs are available for retirees. With the added income from employment, you may be able to delay taking withdrawals from your retirement accounts and other investments, possibly extending their longevity. (Once you turn 72, though, you will need to begin taking money from your 401(k) and traditional IRA.)
Delay taking Social Security. You can begin taking Social Security when you’re 62, but your monthly checks will be substantially bigger if you wait until your full retirement age, which will likely be between 66 and 67. (You could even wait until 70, at which point your monthly benefits will max out.) Of course, the ability to delay taking Social Security depends on whether you can afford it, but it may be possible if you work longer than you once planned or if you work part time in retirement. But even if you do need to take Social Security before your full retirement age, your payments will be adjusted annually for inflation — in fact, for 2023, benefit checks will rise 8.7% over 2022.
We’ll always have to deal with some level of inflation, so it’s a good idea to be prepared.
Derick Newton is financial advisor, 937B Maple Street, Carrollton, GA 770-832-9515
Number of Weapons Carry Permits applied for: DEC. 1-31, 2022: 152
Concerning Weapons Carry Permits: On April 12, 2022, Governor Brian Kemp signed into law the Georgia Constitutional Carry Senate Bill 319 and the License Reciprocity Measure House Bill 218 which now allows a lawful weapons carrier to carry a concealed weapon without a gun permit requirement. A background check is still required in order to purchase weapon - and the applicant must pass the background check - but a permit to carry is now longer required.
Georgia is one of 24 states that now has Constitutional Carry which follows the intent of the Second Amendment of the Constitution allowing the right to bear arms.
DECEMBER 1-31, 2022:
DECEMBER 1-31,
Tanner Medical Center, Carrollton: Girls: 61 Boys: 59
Tanner Medical Center, Villa Rica:� Girls: 31 Boys: 24
Carroll County Sales Barn 225 Sales Barn Road, Carrollton January 2, 2023: 442
December 26, 2022: CLOSED December 19, 2022: CLOSED December 12, 2022: 397
Total population as of JANUARY 4, 2023: 413
Males: 352 Females: 61
(The Jack T. Bell Detention Center, 1000 Newnan Road,Carrollton)
Total population as of JANUARY 4, 2023: 229
Capacity: 246 Males: 100%
The Carroll County Correctional Institute is a separate entity from the Carroll County Jail (which houses males and females on a temporary basis)
Insurance is not a “buy it and forget it” product. An annual checkup on your current insurance policies can result in a healthier policy, a healthier pocketbook and a healthier you.
The new year gives us a chance to brag about all the changes we have on our agendas for the months ahead. We are going to lose weight. We are going to exercise. We are going to save money. We are going to make more time for family. However, one item that can be overlooked is an insurance review to make sure that your coverage still meets your family’s needs.
As you begin the new year, now is the perfect time to make sure your financial house is in order including a review your current insurance coverage. Call and discuss any changes with your agent to ensure you and your family are fully protected.
Here are a couple of things to consider on your Annual Personal Insurance Review Checklist. Has your employment changed? Have you experienced a life event such as marriage, divorce, oradoption? When is the last time you shopped your insurance coverage?
Major employment changes can drastically change your need for protection. Often, employment changes lead to income changes which may have a dramatic effect on your insurance needs.
Typically speaking, as individuals grow their incomes, they tend to spend it on a bigger house or buy a more expensive car instead of saving all that increase. New jobs often mean new fringe benefits, so it’s important to identify which employer-provided coverages have been gained or lost and adjust your personal coverage accordingly.
If you are the primary breadwinner of the
from the corporate mold, Donna said, “Honestly, we are a family business, we are local to the area, and we try to give back. And, we are open year round. We don’t disappear when tax season is over.”
Also breaking from the corporate mold, RWB doesn’t use temporary, or seasonal, help to prepare taxes. (They do hire temps during tax season for front desk duties.) Gerald, Donna, and employee Ellen Cloninger are responsible for tax preparation. Donna has more than 32 years of experience; Ellen 22 years; and Gerald 19 years.
Both Donna and Gerald are Enrolled Agents, which means they are recognized by the IRS that they can represent clients before the IRS.
Speaking from her decades of experience, Donna said, “One of the biggest mistakes people make - after the fact - is taking money out of their retirement without understanding the tax consequences that come with it. Day
home, do you have enough life insurance to ensure your family doesn’t have to experience the additional trauma of having to move or sell your belongings? Take the time to review all your life insurance coverage to eliminate debts and establish a buffer while your family adjusts to their new normal.
Thinking about worst-case scenarios such as divorce or death is never a pleasant experience, but do you know what’s even worse? Not being prepared! Failing to keep a close eye on your health and life insurance policies could leave you overpaying for coverage you don’t need or, even worse, leave you and your family underprotected. Getting married and having a baby are definitely momentous occasions in life and making sure those you love are covered is essential!
You may have done an in-depth review of your needs when you originally purchased your life insurance policy. At that time, you considered your family’s financial needs, took inflation into consideration, and decided on a coverage amount and term. Yet, every new year brings changes into our lives such as weddings, births, new jobs, new roles and other variations. These important events should be reflected in your life insurance policy.
Equally important is who you choose to name as beneficiary of your life insurance policy. Does your beneficiary selection need to be revisited?
I recommend shopping your health insurance coverage every year, there are so many changes from year to year. Many top insurance carriers have experienced substantial rate increases and that’s why shopping your insurance is always a good idea! It allows you to keep the prices in check and take advantage of premium tax credits that may otherwise not be offered.
Working with a local independent insurance agent will help you maximize your purchasing power across the marketplace while letting them do the work for you. Contact my office today at 770-537-5300 to find the right coverage for your family at an affordable price Call Marcy at 678-821-3508
traders, for example, do transactions in items like bitcoin and crypto currency not realizing each of those transactions need to be recorded and many people don’t keep good records. They are taxable. And if they buy and sell in less than 30 days, it is considered a wash sale and they can’t take their losses. For example, if you sell and buy a stock back within 30 days and you take a loss, you can’t claim it because it is considered then a ‘wash sale’.”
“Energy credits will be important in 2023 and 2024 and it might be a good time to look into them,” Gerald said. “There are credits for electric vehicles, but they are requiring serial numbers this year.”
Donna and Gerald also recommend calling before major changes happen in your life, such as marriage divorce, pregnancy, home sale, and withdrawing from retirement funds. They explained that withdrawing during your 59th year rather than waiting until age 60 might have negative consequences, as could buying
www.starnewsgaonline.com
To view complete inspection details: dph.georgia.gov/environmental-health
12/14/2022: Woodland Christian Camp 90 Woodland Camp Temple 100 previous 100 12/02/2022: Wimps on the Lake 2810 Hwy 16 N Whitesburg 100 previous 99 12/22/2022: Comfort Inn 104 S Cottage Hill Rd Carrollton 81 previous N/A
12/07/2022: Carroll County Training Center 200 Alton Estes Dr Carrollton 100 previous 100 12/07/2022: AGW Ice Cream 201 Newnan Rd Carrollton 100 previous 100 12/12/2022: Young’s BBQ 3763 Old Villa Rica Hwy Carrollton 100 previous 100 12/14/2022: Woodland Christian Camp 90Woodland Camp Carrollton 100 previous 100 12/30/2022: Mr Banh Mi 1002 W College St Bowdon 100 previous 100 12/16/2022: Enchanted Lanterns 1025 E Main St Whitesburg 100 previous 100 12/29/2022: The Oaks of Carrollton 921 Old Newnan Rd Carrollton 99 previous 99 12/28/2022: Papa John’s Pizza 596 Hwy 61 Villa Rica 99 previous 99 12/28/2022: Popeye’s 1517 Hey 27 S Carrollton 98 previous 98 12/30/2022: Gallery Row Coffee 309 Adamson Sq Carrollton 98 previous 98 12/19/2022: Sips Soda 920 Maple St Carrollton 97 previous 100 12/22/2022: Cami’sTropical Smoothies 725 Alabama St Carrollton 97 previous 100 12/02/2022: A lo Catracho 207 Brumblelow Rd Unit B Carrollton 97 previous N/A 12/02/2022: Evan’sBBQ 342 W Hwy 78 Villa Rica 95 previous 99 12/06/2022: Captain D’s 913 S Park St Carrollton 95 previous 96 12/05/2022: All Chicken & Seafood 816 S Park St Carrollton 95 previous 95 12/05/2022: Zaxby’s 1125 S Park St Carrollton 93 previous 93 12/30/2022: Courtyard by Marriott 180 Barnes Ave Carrollton 92 previous 96 12/06/2022: Chicken Salad Chick 1785Hwy 27 S Carrollton 92 previous 96 12/09/2022: Fine As Shine BBQ 1818 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 91 previous 100 12/29/2022: Chopsticks Brothers 120 Cunningham Dr Carrollton 91 previous 92 12/07/2022: Kristi’s Southern Eats 422 Newnan St Carrollton 90 previous 95 12/02/2022: Brothers Bar & Steakhouse 901 S Carroll Rd Villa Rica 90 previous 94 12/06/2022: Johnny’s New York Pizza 1670 Hwy 27 S Carrollton 90 previous 87 12/29/2022: Carrollton Nursing and Rehab 2327 Hwy 27 N Carrollton 87 previous 90 12/07/2022: G-Town Wings 1302 Maple St Carrollton 85 previous 91 12/30/2022: Jerry’s Country Kitchen 328 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 82 previous 89 12/08/2022: Green Tomato 1315 S Park St Carrollton 82 previous 83 12/07/2022: Kobe Japanese 519 Bankhead Hwy Carrollton 80 previous 82
and selling a home within a 24 month period.
“Our advice is to make the call and find out before any major changes in your life,” Gerald commented. “We also recommend calling early, like during July through September and let’s take a look at how things are looking. Do a little tax planning.These types of phone calls are free to our clients.”
. . . a new Georgia law allows you to claim a tax credit for the unborn on your Georgia return.
utilizing these services,” Donna said. “For example our employee, Deonne Bloodworth, focuses on payroll for us. On payroll services, we try to make payroll happen the way they want. And we have multifaceted ways of working with them.”
“We have a saying here: ‘and then some’, going the extra mile,” Donna said.
One interesting change they said was that a new Georgia law allows you to claim a tax credit for the unborn on your Georgia return. Georgia residents are entitled to a $3000 tax credit for each unborn child.
Georgia residents are entitled to a $3000 tax credit for each unborn child.
“We are proud of how we run our business,” Donna states. “For example, we both have a tremendous amount of referrals. Gerald has a client who he inherited when we bought the business and Gerald has had 15 referrals that began with that one client.”
“Dealing with the IRS takes time and patience. We had a man come who owed back taxes of over $100,000. We negotiated with the IRS, settling on around $10,000. That doesn’t happen often, of course. Another lady we filed for her had the IRS misevaluate and said she owed $38,000. After nine months she settled for $300. The IRS is just like all of us; they aren’t infallible. We will work through problems with the IRS to get the right return.”
Heard, Meriwether, and Troup counties.
Elected in 2020, Tisinger was State Court Judge for Carroll County, having previously been a partner at Greer Tisinger, LLC for nearly ten years. Prior to her appointment to the state court, she clerked for the Honorable Charles S. Wynne and Honorable B. E. Roberts, III. She also served as an administrative law judge in Tennessee and worked as in-house defense counsel for an international insurance company.
Judge Tisinger attended the University of
North Carolina where she graduated with a bachelor’s in American History. She then continued her studies at Mercer University at the Walter F. George School of Law.
Judge Tisinger, her husband, and two children live in Carrollton and are members of Carrollton First Baptist Church, where she serves as a Deacon. She has also held numerous leadership positions in her community, including as a board member of Open Hands Christian Ministry, as a committee member of Circles Designer Showcase, and as a volunteer with the Tanner Medical Foundation.
“Many people also don’t realize we handle loans and ways to get their taxes done without paying upfront,” Gerald said. “And we don’t nickel and dime people. We don’t charge our clients for extra copies, notary services are free to them, and each client gets a full copy of their return. We do more than just personal taxes. I handle estates and trusts, while Donna handles corporations and partnerships,” said Gerald.
“We also do bookkeeping, payroll, sales tax reports, and business setups. Among other business services. We have over 50 clients
In conclusion, Donna commented, “We think we create an atmosphere that our clients enjoy. Although we have high professional standards, we want our clients to enjoy and appreciate the atmosphere. We treat each client with respect and we found it runs both ways.”
For more information on RWB Tax Service, visa rwbtax.com, on Facebook or call 770-4569980. They are located at 594 Carrollton Villa Rica Highway (Hwy 61), Suite A in Villa Rica next to Waffle House in the Walmart Shopping Center.
MY VIEW, EITHER THE BOARD MISSED THIS OR THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND OR THEY GOT CONNED.
4. To his credit, District 5 Commissioner Ernie Reynolds did not object to having an excess, but he still voted with the majority to keep your money.
Let’s look below the surface. I understand that the SPLOST, in my view, a gross rip-off, provided for a new administration building to cost about ten million. We don’t have the new administration building, but I understand that much of the allocated ten million has been spent.
Could it be that somehow this “excess” will be used to cover the SPLOST monies that were
STATE REP COLLINS from page
well above the national average.
allocated to the unbuilt Administration Building?
Everything happens for a reason and it seems to me that someone or several may benefit or expect to benefit from putting these (your) monies into these particular banks. Kick back, sweetheart loan, employ some relative, who knows and I may be dead wrong, hope that I am.
But, I have served on too many boards over a very long time to ignore a possibility that smells like a probably.
Who is looking out for you?
Was our county government more cost effective under a single commissioner or are you paying dearly for “representation”? Your call.
17
Unfortunately, our bid to get Herschel Walker elected to the U.S. Senate was not successful. We are grateful to Herschel, along with everyone else brave enough to place their name on the ballot for consideration. Politics is not for the faint of heart and we recognize the sacrifice it takes for all involved to seek elected office.
While we welcome our newly elected leadership, we also reflect over a great loss within our own House body. It is with sadness to announce that former House Speaker, David Ralston, is no longer with us. During his tenure, spanning over a decade, Speaker Ralston was a huge force within Georgia politics. His presence will be sorely missed, amongst Republicans and Democrats alike, who have been greatly shaped by his remarkable leadership style, leaving a legacy that will most assuredly stand the test of time.
system in this state to grant temporary tax relief to properties that are severely damaged or destroyed as a result of a natural disaster and that are located within a nationally declared disaster area. The resolution also includes the required ballot language to ratify this amendment.
Referendum A: Grants tax exemption for certain timber equipment.
As set forth by our state constitution, we are set to begin the 2023 legislative session, Monday, January 9th. There will be no shortage of issue debate as we will hit the ground running.
If you are interested in learning what will be up for consideration, I encourage you to visit the Georgia General Assembly website, under PreFiled Legislation which began in mid-November.
While we will never forget Speaker Ralston, we do have great faith in our newly slated Speaker nominee, Jon Burns. Speaker elect Burns will be confirmed the first day of the 2023 legislative session and we have no doubt that he will represent our House body with the integrity, dignity, and respect for which he is known.
During our November elections, Georgia voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of two constitutional amendments and two statewide referenda. Here is a quick overview of what this means for the future of Georgia.
Amendment 1: Suspends compensation for public officers indicted for felony.
Overview: Passage of proposed Senate Resolution 134 amends Article II of Section III of the Constitution of Georgia, relating to the procedures for suspending or removing public officials, to provide that the compensation of certain public officials be suspended if they are suspended from their office due to a felony indictment. The resolution also includes language for the ballot question required to affect this amendment to the Constitution of Georgia.
Amendment 2: Grants temporary tax relief to properties severely damaged or destroyed because of a disaster.
Overview: The passage of House Resolution 594 amends Article VII, Section I of the Constitution by authorizing the governing authority of each county, municipality, and consolidated government and the board of education of each independent and county school
Overview: Passage of this measure will exempt timber equipment from ad valorem taxation. Timber equipment includes all equipment owned or held under a lease-purchase agreement by a timber producer and is directly used in the production or harvest of timber products, excluding motor vehicles. “Timber producers” are defined as any one or more individuals or entities registered to do business in the state that are primarily involved in the subsistence or commercial production or harvest of timber products.
Referendum B: Expands tax exemption for agricultural equipment and certain farm products.
Overview: This measure amends Georgia code relating to the exemption of qualified farm products and harvested agricultural products from taxation, by adding dairy products and unfertilized eggs of poultry to the list of qualified farm products and by modifying the definition of “family-owned farm entity.” Family-owned farm entity is expanded to allow an entity created by the merger or consolidation of two or more entities that would qualify independently as a familyowned farm entity.
Did you know Legislators meet from across the state prior to every new legislative term? A legislative term consists of two sessions or two calendar years.
Prior to the beginning of the 2023 legislative session, General Assembly members made their way to Athens last week for the Biennial Institute. This tradition, which occurs every two years, provides us with educational opportunities, insight as to the legislative priorities for the upcoming year, and gives us a chance to welcome those newly elected to the Georgia General Assembly.
As set forth by our state constitution, we are set to begin the 2023 legislative session, Monday, January 9th. There will be no shortage of issue debate as we will hit the ground running.
If you are interested in learning what will be up for consideration, I encourage you to visit the Georgia General Assembly website, under Pre-Filed Legislation which began in midNovember.
Carroll County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday, December 6, 2022 for a regular monthly meeting, where all were present. The consent agenda from the work session was read and approved unanimously. (See work session story page 13).
Board reappointed Lester Harmon to the West Georgia Regional Airport Authority, and appointed Cora Reeves to the Carroll County Board of Elections and Registration.
Under Public Comments, Dee Perry of 148 Clinic Avenue, Carrollton, spoke about the upcoming Subdivision Ordinance Amendment. She commended all who have been involved in this difficult and “not fun” process. She said that diversity is what makes Carroll County
unique, and the ordinance changes are a step toward smart growth. Tthough it might be fraught with complications and emotions, we “need to get started on it”.
County Attorney Avery Jackson presented the document that he presented at the Wwork session with no changes. He stated this is the proposed change to the Carroll County Subdivision Exemption Ordinance, and it is not revising the subdivision rules of Carroll County traditional Subdivision Ordinance Regulations.
This document is proposes to add a third option amendment, Estate Lot Development Exemp-tion, stating that for lot sizes four acres or more, even if there are more than four of those, the county would allow subdivision in the AG areas for those who want to split their
land among their heirs, and does not require the standards of traditional subdivisions. He said the traditional Subdivision Regulations are still there as before, and the exemption for four-lot splits for minor subdivions are still there.
A move and second was made to accept the document as presented.
Commissioner Chance said he couldn’t support that unless they changed the language on the paving of dirt roads.
The vote was then taken with four approving, three opposing.
Jackson stated that part of the ordinance amendment was as follows:
a) If any lot on a final plat is adjacent to an unimproved county road, a final plat shall state “Carroll County public works has no immedi-
ate or future plans to improve the existing road shown on this plat to a paved surface. Acceptance of this plat is acknowledgment that the road as shown may continue to be an unimproved road for an unlimited time period.”
And, b) Unless a final plat is approved and signed by the Carroll County Water Authority, a final plat shall state: “Carroll County Water Authority does not have any existing or adequate water lines which currently serve this property and has no immediate or future plans for water line extension or upgrade to service this property. the property owner or subsequent owners shall assume that the property as shown on this plat will be served by a private well system.”
Meeting was adjourned.
The Mayor and City Council of Villa Rica met for their November Work Session on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, and all councilmembers were present.
Loy Howard, CEO of Tanner Health System, was there to announce that Tanner is donating the land across from the hospital to the City of Villa Rica. They were originally planning to sell the property to In-Line developers, but they encountered problems with rock, essentially making it useless for development. Howard said that Tanner is very committed to the City of Villa Rica, and he hopes the land can be a greenscape. Howard received a round of applause from those attending the meeting.
Corrine Thornton was also at the meeting with more good news for Villa Rica. She said the Georgia Department of Community Affairs awarded a $17 million grant to the Rural Downtown Redevelopment Authority, and that the money must be spent by June of 2024. She announced that they were giving $1.7 million to Villa Rica for the purpose of connecting the downtown to some of the disadvantaged
neighborhoods of the city. She opined that this is the “chance of a lifetime” for the city.
Council then began discussing items for a Consent Agenda for the regular meeting to follow at 6:00 p.m.:
1.Contract for Tourism Development Services between the City of Villa Rica and the Villa Rica Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc.: hotel/motel 8% tax will be for use by the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB). The city will submit the money to the CVB quarterly, which the CVB will use for certain purposes for the promotion of the tourism in the geographical area from which the tax was generated. This money had previously been paid to the DDA, who then passed it on to the CVB. Now the contract is between the city and the CVB directly.
2.Authorize city manager to purchase a 2022 F-150 from Peach State Ford for the amount of $29,786, including the strobes, for use by the Code Enforcement department.
3.Addendum to Paycom HRIS (Human Resource Information System) to automate the employee benefits to Carrier Feed via Paycom, at a budgeted cost of $11,440 for the first year.
This work is currently being keyed in by the HR department staff.
4. DDA Appointment of Ron Smith to fill expired term of Carl Peabody, whose term expired 3/31/22. Smith’s term: 3/31/22- 3/31/26.
5. Upgrade V-Plex Civic Center Audio/Visual System; cost $29,055 by Distex. Mayor said he thinks more people will use the V-Plex when it has a good sound system. McPherson said system needs to include headsets, lapel mics, in addition to regular mics.
6. Appointment of Amy Bradley to fill a vacancy on Recreation Advisory Commission.
7. To purchase and deploy five (5) additional Axon Taser 7 electronic control weapons for the police department at a budgeted cost of $18,000. This will make a total of ten (10) tazers in use by the VRPD.
Chief Michael Mansour was asked by the mayor to explain the situation the police encountered that early morning. Chief said his men had been alerted that a murder suspect from Douglas County was in the area; they located him; he ran into a creek bed and shot himself while the police were pursuing him.
story by Janice Daniel
Mayor and City Council of the City of Villa Rica met Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. for a regular monthly meeting. All councilmembers present.
Under Public Comments, Kelly Hite spoke again to advocate for the animals in Villa Rica, especially the feral cat population. She asked the council to create an Animal Advisory Board to help get these feral cats spayed or neutered.
Councilperson McPherson gave an update from her comments last meeting about the Dollar General which misrepresented what they would have available, including fresh fruits and vegetables. She did hear from a representative of Dollar General who told her the Whitesburg store, which does have fresh fruits and vegetables, is a 12,000 square-foot store, whereas the one in Villa Rica she is referring to is only about 7,000 square feet and does not have enough room for everything they represented that they would have when they first gave their presentation to the council.
McPherson also gave a detailed report on the assessment of the value of homes going up 43% on average nationally, and the subsequent rise of property taxes, in some places in Villa Rica almost doubled. Her third point was about the COVID vaccines, with a statistic out of Florida by the Surgeon General that there was an 84% increase in deaths by cardiac arrest in the male population, ages 18-39, and that Big Pharma (Pfizer officials) said they didn’t know
whether their vaccine would stop transmission of the virus, and many died because of it.
Mayor Gil McDougal said that he disagreed with her last two sets of information, and urged people to do the research themselves, rather than taking the word of any individual. He said that, as he has been in real estate for 20 years, system of evaluating homes is based upon mathematics of real money that people are willing to spend for homes in any particular area. He said if you think your taxes are wrong, appeal to the Tax Assessor’s office. He also emphasized that state auditors look at the tax assessments of houses and urged citizens “please don’t fear the process that is set up. It is not a conspiracy to raise taxes.”
Minutes from October meetings were approved. Consenta genda prepared at the work session (see story this page) was read and approved.
Council then took up the issue of the 2023 Proposed Council Meeting Schedule. The main contention was whether to have work sessions and regular meetings on the same day or not. McPherson was not in favor of having both on the same day. Councilmember Anna McCoy perferred one day. All councilmembers weighed in with their opinions, emphasizing the need to study the packet that is available online at least five days before the actual meetings, with the meeting times posted, and those who are interested are also able to watch the meetings as they are happening, or visit city hall to view them on paper.
The final vote was close, with 3 in favor of the same-day meetings, and 2 opposing, so the one-day option was approved.
Staff member Tracy Jarvis presented VA-1322 for 395 West Bankhead Highway. Council voted unanimously to approve the applicant’s application with conditions that they would still need to meet.
Two amendments were also considered:
1.Section 7.02 regarding offstreet parking and loading, where no public comments were given.Council voted that parking spaces would be 9x18 feet.
2.Section 7.08 asked for three species of trees to be removed from the list of approved trees for greenspace, being Leyland Cypress, Hybrid American Arborvitae, and Hetz Midget Arborvitae, due to the high rate of failure of these plants when planted within parking lots and other hardy surfaces. No one spoke for or against in the Public Hearing. Council approved this amendment unanimously.
The increase of night shift differentials for police officers was discussed at length. The recruitment and retention of officers who work from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. is a continuing effort of the VRPD, and the current night shift differential of $.50 is not enough. Council approved this night shift differential of $1.50 for Officers, Corporals and Sergeants unanimously.
Council then went into executive session to discuss matters of real estate, and therRegular meeting was adjourned.
The chief emphasized that no police officer fired any weapon.
8.Solid Waste pick-up will change from weekly to bi-weekly, or twice a month. Bobby Elliott, City Engineer, said this is necessary to handle solid waste pick-up with the current crew they have, and the plan will go into effect February 1st of 2023. Efforts will be made to make citizens aware of this change, and it was suggested that each resident could log on to the city’s website and find out what their pick-up day will be at any given time period.
This system is not in effect at the present, but will be up and running by the Solid Waste Change deadline. It was also noted that this has nothing to do with the GFL pick-ups.
9.Engage with Southern Corrosion for maintenance of the city’s water storage tanks at an annual cost not to exceed $45,000.
10. Engage with 120Water for the development of the Lead and Copper monitoring requirements at a first-year cost of $21,574. John Bain said that the EPD gave a compliance date of October 2024. The completed project will provide a digital inventory of all public and private water service lines that will be used by the city.
11. Engage with Simonton Engineering for the design of a replacement solids handling chamber at a budgeted cost of $21,750 for the North Plant. It will be next year before the city purchases the actual chamber.
12. Approval of the new City Clerk, Teresa Campbell, who had been serving as Assistant Clerk since October 1, 2020.
13.Increase purchasing authority of city staff and a way to monitor it by the city council.
14. To approve a 12-month agreement with CSRA Probation Services, Inc. effective 12/1/22. Tommy Payne of Intertech Probation Services, who the city used for many years, sold out to CSRA, a corporation which was founded in 1997 and who has over 30 offices serving over 150 courts. They use automated appointment reminders via text and have a Supervision Smartphone App that allows clients to report and pay from their phones.
15. Engage Brandstetter Carroll, Inc. to perform a Parks and Recreation Master Plan for a budgeted amount not to exceed $92,000.
16. Authorize the mayor to execute addendum #23 with Carter & Sloope to design a new water line along the North Bypass and to oversee the subsequent construction, for an amount not to exceed $212,000. City Manager Tom Barber said if the city waits until the road is constructed to install the water line, it would be more expensive.
17.Authorize mayor to execute the proposal from Falcon Design Consultants to design an upgrade to North Avenue and Elm Circle all the way to Highway 61.
Meeting adjourned.
The following mayor and council meeting information provided by Mt. Zion City Clerk Tammy Hyde. For more information visit cityofmtzion.com
MOUNT ZION:
On December 13, 2022, City of Mt Zion held their council meeting with all members present. New business: RESOLUTION 2022016 – LED Lighting for Tanner Complex Fields. Deposit of 50% will be written at time of contract signing. Expenses will be paid from 2021 SPLOST. Motion by Eric Robinson, seconded by Marty Spruill with no objection.
RESOLUTION 2 2022-017 – Led Lighting for Turkey Creek Field. Motion to accept Donald Newman. Seconded by John Griffin with no objection.
RESOLUTION 3 2022-018 – Fees for Water and Garbage. Motion to accept Eric Robinson, Seconded by John Griffin, with no objection.
Motion to add Resolution 2022-019 to the agenda by Eric Robinson, seconded by John Griffin with no objection. The new garbage rates will be $20.00 for the first cart and $12 for each additional cart, and the reconnect fees for customers who have water service turned off for on-payment will be $50.00 for the first cut off and $100 for each additional time water is cut off during a 6 month period, an, the late fee for payments made after the due date of the
CONSENT AGENDA from page 13
Metropolitan Communications as the vendor to provide pre-programmed Midland Weather Radios to the Carroll County EMA, not to exceed the grant amount of $15,450.
Concent Agenda No. 6 and 7 was to authorize Carroll County Board of Commissioners to sign an agreement with two local banks, American Commerce Bank, N.A. and Southern States Bank, to deposit $5 million in each of these banks, and to produce those deposits to the banks in order for them to make loans to people in the county. County will incur no investment risk as a result of these deposits, and will earn interest at a rate higher than they are currently receiving.
Consent Agenda No. 8 was to approve end of Fiscal Year 2022 Budgent Amendments to clear the books for 2023.
Consent Agenda No. 9 was approval of the Tax Abatement to Project Excalibur, same as prior years.
Consent Agenda No. 10 was to appoint Cindy Barge to the Carroll County Health Board, term expires December 31, 2022.
Consent Agenda No. 11 was to re-appoint Aaron McWhorter (member at large), Joel Neal (District 1) Trey Wylie (District 2) Bobby Holcombe (District 3), Amanda Greenwood Smith (district 4) Barry Huff (District 5) and John W. Tanner III (District 6.) Terms will expire December 31, 2024
Consent Agenda No. 12 was to reappoint Kevin Hemphill (term of one year) to the Three Rivers Regional Commission Board of Directors.
Consent Agenda No. 13 was to reappoint Sandra Houston to Carroll County Board of Tax Assessors, term end December 31, 2028).
It was agreed that Catherine Huckaba would be reappointed to the Carroll County Board of Elections and Registration, as part of the Consent Agenda.
The subdivision amendment Ordinance was brought before the Board in its final draft by County Attorney Avery Jackson. Avery agreed to come back with a final draft at the December 6th meeting.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
15th will be $10.00.
The following mayor and council meeting information by City of Bowdon City Clerk Susan Pierce. For more information visit Bowdon.net.
BOWDON:
Bowdon City Council met for a regular meeting on Monday, December 12, 2022. The council approval of Veer 2015 LLC/Patel Food Mart. No issues with background check per Chief Brock. Motion by Councilmember Wes McEntyre to approve the alcohol license application for Veer2015/Patel Food Martas presented; second by Councilmember Randy Saxon; motion carried unanimously.
Workers Comp renewal, currently paying $18,835; with the renewal premium with Bitco will be $19,863 an increase of about 5%. Motion by Councilmember McEntyre to approve the workers comp renewal as presented; second by Councilmember Marty Johnson; motion carried unanimously. Main Street Board appointing Kelly Christopher of God’s Gym to the Main Street Board, replacing Carolyn Crawford whose term expired June 30, 2022. Motion by Councilmember Marty Johnson to approve the appointment of Kelly Christopher to the Main Street.
Board as presented; second by Mayor Protem Jan Johnson; motion carried unanimously. Wage and Salary Adjustments – City Manager Gary Bullock gave council copies of wage and salary considerations with current budgeted salaries as well as proposed salaries. He looked at increasing police starting salaries to $17.00 per hour. There were no salary increases in the latest budget due to the reduction in LOST proceeds. With actual revenues being higher than budgeted, we are able to give a 3% increase across the board as well as increasing the minimum police salaries to $17.00 per hour.
Motion by Councilmember Saxon to give a 3% across the board salary increase to all employees as well as an additional increase to the police department to bring the minimum police salary to $17.00 per hour as presented; second by Councilmember Marty Johnson; motion carried unanimously.
In the City Manager Reports, the city netted about $41,000 in their surplus vehicle disposition. There have had problems with the culvert on Saxon Street; there is a concrete culvert which ha separated, and we are getting erosion under Saxon Street, so we need to replace that culvert. After talking to GDOT, the city is going to substitute the 2021 LMIG sidewalk project for the Saxon Street culvert repairs. They will move the sidewalk project to the 2023 LMIG. They may see if the county can do the Saxon Street paving after the culvert repairs.
The tennis courts are being used, primarily for pickle ball.
An individual is giving basketball lessons in the Copeland Hall Gym; he is paying $50 per hour to use the gym to host the private lessons.
The air quality report for the Gymnastics Center is finished and should be received this week. Mr. Bullock went through Tacos El Torito with the Fire Marshal today. They still have to put up smoke detectors and they have an exit sign, but it is not lit.
The following mayor and council information provided by Temple City Administrator Bill Osborne and City Clerk Kristen Etheridge
TEMPLE:
On December 5, 2022 Temple City Mayor and Council held their monthly meeting. Below are highlights of items discussed: Special recognition of the City of Temple Recreation Department employees for their
service to this local government, to the citizens of this community, and to everyone who visits our city park and its facilities. Consecutive staff reports on the proposed City of Temple 2023 Fiscal Year General Fund Operating Budget and Water Fund Operating Budget, including the proposed changes in these annual operating budgets since the first public hearing on each of these operating budgets was held in November.
Discussion among the City of Temple’s elected officials pertaining to the proposed Capital Improvements Fund Budget for the 2023 fiscal year.
Council Member Hiley Miller asked if under the police department vehicle, do we need to change the funding from 2021 SPLOST to Blue Line, purchasing one vehicle from each line? Council Member Ricahrd Bracknell said that yes, that was discussed at a previous meeting. Finance Director Kenneth Abidde said that one vehicle would come from Blue Line. It was stated that $47,000 would come out of the Blue Line account. Council Member Bracknell asked if this cost would cover the outfitting for the vehicles; Chief Lee explained that we may have to amend that later when we get it figured out.
Approve an Ordinance to adopt the City of Temple’s 2023 Fiscal Year Capital Improvements Fund Budget. There was a motion by Council Member Bracknell to approve an ordinance to adopt the City of Temple’s 2023 Fiscal Year, second by Council Member Walden. Vote 5-0.
Establish the new position of Administrative Assistant in the Temple Senior Center and place it at Pay Grade 7 in the City’s personnel compensation plan. There was a motion by Council Member Bracknell to establish the new position of Administrative Assistant in the Temple Senior Center, second by Council Member Wallace. Vote 5-0.
Staff report concerning the requests from three other city departments for additional personnel or to reclassify a position, being the request from the Police Department for two additional police officer positions, the request from the Public Works Department for two additional technician positions, and the request from the Recreation Department to reclassify one current position. Explained that we have not included funds in the proposed budget for these requests, but if they decide to approve the requests, we would have sufficient funds in the operating budget to handle this for all of next year. There was a motion by Council Member Bracknell to approve two additional police officer positions, two additional public works positions and to re-classify one position at the Recreation Department, second by Council Member Tom Wallace. Vote 5-0.
Adopt a resolution to prevent the automatic 1.50 percent annual increase in water tap fees and sewer tap fees from occurring in February 2023.
There was a motion by Council Member Bracknell to adopt a resolution to prevent the automatic 1.5 percent annual increase in water tap fees and sewer tap fees from occurring in February 2023, second by Council Member Walden. Vote 5-0.
Approve an Ordinance to adopt the City of Temple’s 2023 Fiscal Year General Fund Operating Budget. There was a motion by Council Member Miller to approve an ordinance to adopt the City of Temple’s 2023 Fiscal Year General Fund Operating Budget, second by Council Member Bracknell. Vote 50.
Approve an Ordinance to adopt the City of Temple’s 2023 Fiscal Year Water Fund
Operating Budget. There was a motion by Council Member Howard Walden to approve an ordinance to adopt the City’s 2023 Fiscal Year Water Fund Operating Budget, second by Council Member Miller. Vote 5-0.
For the City of Temple’s Water Meter Replacement Project: (a) approve a specific scope of field investigation to be carried out by RTS Water Solutions as part of the installation and activation of each new Neptune water meter; and (b) approve a change order in the current agreement with RTS Water Solutions in order to require certain field investigation work to accompany each meter installation in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reporting requirements for lead and copper pipes, at a total additional cost not to exceed $29,300.
There was a motion by Council Member Wallace to approve a specific scope of field investigation to be carried out by RTS Water Solutions and to approve a change order in the current agreement with RTS Water Solutions at a cost not to exceed $29,300, second by Council Member Walden. Vote 5-0.
Review and approve the Request for Proposals to be issued pertaining to bush-hogging and mulching at the City of Temple’s groundwater wells, located on the City’s Sewer Treatment Plant property, with the deadline for the City’s receipt of proposals to be Thursday, December 29.
City Administrator Bill Osborne stated he thinks we need to make the company, Geosystems, responsible for doing this, instead of brining someone else in. That keeps the company we have handling the bigger project to also handle this smaller project so that we won’t get caught in the middle. Osborne stated that we don’t need a vote for this.
Authorize the City of Temple Public Works Department to move forward in the Lakeland Park residential subdivision with the outlet pipe leveling and related drainage elevation work, in accordance with the stormwater management recommendations made by the consulting firm of Turnipseed Engineers, using funds included in the department’s FY2023 budget. Public Works Director Hal Burch explained that this is a project that they can do in house. There was a motion by Council Member Bracknell to approve this project, second by Council Member Wallace. Vote 5-0.
This agenda item was added to discuss the certificates of deposits that are at, or near maturity, and to vote on how and where these funds should be reinvested. Finance Director Kenneth Abidde explained that normally you have a ten day grace period from the maturity date to renew or reinvest. He let the Vice President of Synovus know that we are behind and that we would let them know something after the meeting tonight. The City Attorney stated that the GA code requires that cities invest in traditional deposit institutions, which is what you would think it would be: bank and savings & loans, and you can also invest in government bank securities. There was a motion by Council Member Miller that we roll the two restricted investment funds with Synovus, accounts #7222 & account #5048 for a 14 month maturity with Synovus at a rate of 3.25%, second by Council Member Walden. Vote 5-0.
There was a motion by Council Member Bracknell that we go with a 14 month CD at Truist at a rate of 3.0% or better for accounts unrestricted #3933 and restricted #3666 , if we can not get the 14 month CDs, then move these accounts to Synovus for 14 months at 3.25%, second by Council Member Wallace. Vote 4-1. Council Member Walden, opposed.
City of Mt. Zion, City of Bowdon, and City of Temple
an advisory opinion that RCV conflicted with the state’s constitutional requirements.”
“In most of the United States, voters participate in a single-choice voting (SCV) system. In an SCV election with a plurality threshold, also called “first-past-the-post,” a voter chooses one candidate, and candidate with the most votes wins. In an election with a majority-threshold requirement instead of a plurality threshold, if a candidate does not receive a majority of the vote, a runoff election may be held.
“RCV, as opposed to SCV, allows each voter to rank multiple candidates for the same office on a ballot in order of preference rather than making a single choice. RCV is also referred to as instant-runoff voting or IRV because the tabulation process described imitates the model of runoff elections, but in the case of RCV, the final results are available almost instantly.
“Proponents of RCV claim that other election systems, such as SCV elections with plurality thresholds, overly benefit candidates with a strong core of support, or a “base,” by allowing those candidates to win with only a plurality of voter support even if they are strongly opposed by the rest of the electorate.
“Proponents also argue that RCV creates strong incentives for candidates to appeal to voters who may cast them as their second or third choice, thereby encouraging the election of officials by a broader coalition of voters and reducing partisanship. Opponents of RCV
that this was not the ‘usual’ client, because the GBI has a great forensic team - they would not need us to help them. Now, she did have sensitive data, so I asked her if she had any idea who had hacked her systems? She replied, ‘Aliens!’. Well, she had everything unplugged, including TVs at night. So, I bought the products she needed, and even bought the extended warranty, which I generally don’t do, and installed the new equipment. Her place later got hit by lightning, so, again, I headed to her place.”
Erica continued stating that Kirby “thought he was ahead of the game with the extended warranty, but she had her husband chop up the router and scatter the parts all over the county so nobody could put it back together! All her passwords were long - 20 characters or morethere was no way Kirby could have memorized, but when Kirby went to lunch she changed all the passwords again in case Kirby got kidnapped and tortured him for information. Another time she chopped off the ends of the ethernet!”
I asked Kirby and Erica if they had a tip for managers or business owners? Kirby commented, “ Yes, run your business, and listen to the experts. I don’t know anything about building cabinets or running a newspaper, but I am great at technology. You run your business; let us handle the technology.
“Back in 1984, Data General had 256 bits of ram and maybe 5 or 10 meg hard drive computer. Your phone probably has a million times that now. Our technology changes so fast. In my field, you have to find your niche. You can’t be a general practitioner, you have to be a specialist. Our core niche is networking. We have guys who specialize in security, wireless, or certain applications and things like that.”
Erica added, “We are not in it for a fast buck. We treat each client as if they are our only customer. It is the reason large businesses and small companies have been with us for over 20 years.”
You can reach The Blue Group at 770-2149140 or by cell at 770-824-7716.
argue that this system unconstitutionally burdens the right to vote and decreases turnout by making voting more complex. Maine and Alaska are the only two states that currently use RCV for statewide and federal general elections. In 2020 election cycle, dozens of jurisdictions across the country used RCV in federal primaries, state and local primaries and general elections, and military and overseas voting. At least two states enacted legislation in 2022 prohibiting the use of RCV.
“Federal courts have consistently upheld RCV as a policy choice to implement primary and general elections that do not violate federal constitutional and statutory requirements.
‘The Voter Choice Act (H.R. 5500/S. 2939) would direct Election Assistance Commission to provide technical assistance and award grants to state and local governments transitioning or considering transitioning from SCV to RCV systems.”
