Rica’s interim city manager Jeff Reece to begin working as city manager for Bowdon in November
Reece’s 6 month agreement with Villa Rica to end a month short by Wayne J. Reynolds
At the Bowdon City Council meeting held Monday, July 8, 2024, a motion was made by Ward 3 council member Wes McEntyre to offer the
Haralson County first
to be chosen for UGA’s
from press release
Haralson County was recently selected as a 2025 Planning Rural Opportunities for Prosperity and Economic Leadership (PROPEL) Community. This program, led by the
position of Bowdon City Manager to Jeff Reese for $85,000 per year contingent on starting in November. This motion was seconded by Ward
See JEFF REECE page 4
in West GA area
PROPEL program
University of Georgia (UGA), assists rural communities implement a multistep model to help them advance their economies. Launched by UGA in 2021, the two-year program
See HARALSON FIRST page 15
Public invited to join in on a Community Read
Carroll County NAACP Branch 5179 and Underground Books
Literary Arts Foundation invite you to join in a Community Read of the book, “All We Can Save; Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis” (edited by Ayana
Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson). You can start reading or listening to the audiobook any time, but there will be a special free Kickoff Event on Saturday, September 21 from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. at Neva
See COMMUNITY READ page 4
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission dismisses Hulsey/Dost charges of discrimination against Carroll County Board of Commissioners
EEOC issued “official notice of dismissal” stating it “will not proceed further with its investigation” Hulsey/Dost allowed 90 days to decide whether to sue county in federal or state court: they do not
by Sue Horn
The United State Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued an official “Determination of Charge” each for the separate but similar complaints filed last October by two female Carroll County employees, Ashley Hulsey and Jacqueline Dost, against the Carroll County Board of Commissioners alleging violations
of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
On March 20, 2024, the EEOC informed Hulsey and Dost separately that “This is official notice from the EEOC of the dismissal of your charge and of your right to sue. If you
choose to file a lawsuit against the respondent(s) in this charge under federal law in federal or state court, your lawsuit must be filed within 90 days of your receipt of this notice.” The 90day window passed as of June 24, 2024
See DISMISSED page 12
County school board discusses plan to counter possible tax collection reduction
If voters pass statewide amendment November 5th, school board makes plan to opt out in January 2025 to halt additional reduction in property taxes
by Janice Daniel and Sue Horn
The Carroll County Board of Education met for their monthly work session Monday, August 19, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. during which the negative implication of Georgia House Bill 581 on property tax revenue was discussed. HB581, that was signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp on April 18, 2024, enables a Constitutional Amendment/House Resolution 1022 to be on the November 5, 2024, ballot with an option to reduce property values. See LESS TAXES page 10
St. Margaret’s annual pumpkin patch celebrates its twentieth year with a first “Pumpkin Fest”
by Wayne J. Reynolds
St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church has hosted a fall pumpkin patch with a vast array of pumpkins all around the church on Newnan Street, Carrollton, catching the eye of any passerby for the past twenty years.
“In fact, we have become known as the ‘pumpkin church’,” said Diane Nivens, church member and chair of the pumpkin festival committee. “With it being our twentieth anniversary, we decided to expand the idea into a pumpkin festival which we are calling ‘Pumpkin Fest’. It will be held Saturday, October 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. And, yes, you can still buy pumpkins throughout the month of October. Our Laura Lenaeus,
Carrollton keeps millage rate; property taxes to increase
No one from the public attends any of the three public hearings required before a tax increase goes into effect
by Janice Daniel
City of Carrollton held their monthly work session Thursday, August 22, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. with all council members present. City Manager David Brooks announced that city staff recommendation was to keep the 2024 millage rate at the current rate of 4.082 mills. He said that three public meetings were held with no one from the public in attendance.
See CARROLLTON page 10
Villa Rica votes unanimously
for
full rollback of millage rate
Citizens speak up at public hearings; council votes unanimously to not increase property taxes
by Janice Daniel
During a Special Called Meeting of August 27, 2024, Villa Rica City Council held the third and final public hearing
VILLA RICA FULL ROLLBACK page 30
Dost
Hulsey
Shown left and right are Father Jeff Jackson and Diane Nivens, chair of the St. Margaret’s Pumpkin Fest
Obayana Ajanaku
Our funeral homes are all owned and the same local family the Hightowers. Our top priority is to provide the best, most dignified, and quality service to our friends and families. Our staff is committed to providing support, compassion, information, and direction as needed to all members of our community, their families, and friends who are dealing with loss and grief.
COMMUNITY READ from front page
This collection of 60 essays and poems by diverse women writers speaks hard truths about environmental problems, but it also offers concrete suggestions with a large dash of hope. As artist Favianna Rodriguez writes in her essay in the All We Can Save anthology, “In the social justice movement, I’ve observed that our work is often centered on what we are against. We are clear about what we don’t want — the no … We must also create a culture that is about our yes.” The editors have created an associated website, www.allwecansave.earth with more ideas and artwork.
It’s easy to participate:
1. Obtain a copy of the book. If you’d like a free copy of the book, stop by and ask at the counter at Underground Books, open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. If you’d like to try Libro.fm audiobooks (an Audible competitor that supports indie bookstores instead of Amazon), just email us at UndergroundBooksLLC@gmail.com and
JEFF REECE from front page Lomason Public Library, Rome Street, Carrollton.
2 council member Bobby Elliott; motion carried unanimously. The City of Bowdon had been seeking to fill that position since the death of City Manager Gary Bulloch as a result of injuries from a vehicular accident earlier this year (February 22, 2024). Reese had just been hired June 26th by the City of Villa Rica as Interim City Manager with a six-month agreement.
Reese spoke on the Villa Rica job agreement and how that would affect the date he would begin working for the City of Bowdon, “We haven’t confirmed an exact date, but it will be the first week of November. Including the weeks that I worked with Villa Rica and leading up to the first official starting date in Bowdon, it will be at almost six months.
“Bowdon delayed hiring me until November
we’ll reply with a free link. The library also has a print copy.
2. Attend the kick-off event September 21 from 1-2:30 at the Neva Lomason Library, and bring a friend. Dr. Kathy Skott-Myhre from UWG will be our keynote speaker. Sign in there with your email address if you’d like to receive additional resources, journaling prompts, and discussion questions during the following month. Can’t come to the event? No problem, just let us know if you’d like to follow up with us.
3. Read and ponder individually, with a partner, or with a book group. Share what you’re learning with your friends.
4.v On October 27 we’ll have a zoom meeting in which we can share what challenged us, what we hope to do in response to the reading, where we found hope, and more. Alex Dileo from the All We Can Save Project will lead us in this discussion.
If you’d like to learn more, visit our event page on Facebook, “Community Read of ALL WE CAN SAVE—KICK-OFF EVENT!” or email Carol Boyd at boydville@bellsouth.net
is where the starting date came from.“
Villa Rica Mayor Leslie McPherson commented, “Mr. Reese has been a great help and I am grateful for the time he has been able to give us as interim city manager before moving onto Bowdon as their city manager November 1st. Working for Villa Rica with all the current ongoing projects, directional change from residential growth to eco-nomic development, along with addressing daily citizen concerns is very demanding and time consuming. He has offered - and I hope it will be the will of the council - to keep him on as a consultant to see a number of projects through and,, also as a help to the individual who will be filling the position he is vacating. Jeff has a massive amount of institutional knowledge related to Villa Rica, that See BEGIN NOVEMBER page 31
Each Tara pool safety cover is built with commercial grade hardware and construction techniques. Features like our reinforcing hem around the edges of our fabric panels, double layer webbing across the entire cover, triple stitching and box and x stitched intersections are usually only found on competitor’s extreme safety covers. What that means for you, is that your Tara safety cover will stand up to the toughest conditions and provide years of solid protection.
Allen’s Florist
The compost goes through a 90-day composting cycle; resulting in the desolation of pathogens and other inorganic substances. Their compost not only enhances tremendous growth but also replenishes the vitamins and minerals that have been depleted from the soil.
The Garden Planter Sock is a self-contained compost growing mix! It also contains a percentage of worm castings, which activates the microrganisms in the root system while increasing plant growth and production. A balanced combination of worm castings and exotic animal manures create a powerful soil builder and a nutritious plant food. Just place the sock down in the desired location, cut small openings in the material large enough for your seeds or transplants, plant directly into the planter, water, and watch your plants grow! It works on your patio by itself or wherever you need it!
Chattahoochee Riverkeepers celebrating 30 years, and Sally Bethea was there in the beginning
by Wayne J. Reynolds
Sally Bethea was among the first female Riverkeepers in the country in 1994. What is a Riverkeeper? Bethea explained, “First of all. Riverkeeper is a trademark name. To use the name, you apply to the Waterkeeper Alliance and you must meet certain criteria. Among the criteria is you must have a boat, have a spokesperson, and be willing to make necessary improvements to the water to make it fishable, drinkable, and fishable as well as educating the public, and being willing to sue polluters.”
For Bethea, it began with volunteering on environmental issues back in the 1970s with the Sierra Club. “I found I enjoyed the environmental work more than my day job so I went back and got my Master’s Degree in environmental planning from Georgia Tech. I worked for a couple of government agencies. I gravitated back to nonprofit work. In 1993, I met Laura and Rutherford Sidell. Laura is Ted Turner’s daughter. They wanted to start a Riverkeeper group for the Chattahoochee River, similar to what had been started for the Hudson River in New York. The City of Atlanta was discharging sewage into the Chattahoochee south to West Point dam and no one was doing anything about it. So, Chattahoochee Riverkeepers was born with an initial grant of $50,000 from Ted Turner’s charity with a goal of saving, cleaning up, and restoring the Chattahoochee. And now, Chattahoochee Riverkeepers are celebrating their 30th anniversary.”
Sally said that Riverkeepers has grown to an annual budget of $2.2 million with three offices across the state, 18+ employees with a flotilla of boats monitoring the river weekly. “I was the founding director and still say ‘we’ when discussing the group - even though I retired in 2014! Looking back, I think I was a natural-born underdog advocate for this gorgeous river.”
When asked about McIntosh Reserve, a Carroll County public park that fronts the Chattahoochee, Bethea said, “I love McIntosh Reserve, it is an absolute jewel - a hidden gem. With the help of local government, Trust for Public Land and many non-profits, McIntosh is getting bigger with more access to a river dramatically cleaner than it was 30 years ago. Some of the people with Friends of McIntosh have been with me since the beginning. Working together we have improved a resource.”
Bethea is referring to the Trust for Public Land acquisition
this year of 429 acres of undeveloped land to expand McIntosh Reserve. In May, the Senate and House Appropriation Committees approved a $1.95 million grant, and with this expansion, McIntosh Reserve is now 956 acres.
“But it can always get better and there are always challenges as we continue to clean up the river. “It is an ongoing process to operate and maintain the river. The last couple of Atlanta administrations and councils have not paid enough attention. But Chattahoochee Riverkeepers are on the job and monitoring. It is like fixing a house - you must keep it up or it will deteriorate! There are nine Riverkeepers here in the state and they are vigilant protectors of the water that is so critical.”
Chattahoochee Riverkeepers has over 100 volunteers taking water samples [see Sybil Rosen Thomas commentary on page 19] and sending them to five labs that are connected with. The local and state governments take samples but not as often or extensive as the Riverkeepers do. They are keeping a watch not only of the main river, but also the tributaries flowing into the river.
They also monitor the tributaries and the entire watersheds that flow into the Chattahoochee. Locally, it would include Snake Creek and its watershed. It does not monitor the Little Tallapoosa River as it flows in the opposite direction into Alabama. They also look for long term trends and they know who to contact if they find any that are of concern.
Another problem impacting the Chattahoochee is climate
change, according to Bethea. Mores intense rain or droughts will impact waterways. She commented that the Riverkeepers are in the right place to keep governments and businesses accountable. After retiring in 2014, Bethea had more time to read. She began writing a column and also did some hiking along the Chattahoochee. She realized maybe there was a book to be written. In 2023, the University of Georgia Press published “Keeping The Chattahoochee” and it is now in its third printing. Bethea said, “It is kind of love letters to the river. I am honored that one group this year announced it is one of ten books every Georgian should read.”
Bethea said about herself, “Once an environmental advocate, always an environmental advocate. And get out and enjoy the river!”
Sally Bethea will be the guest speaker at Carrollton Kiwanis Club meeting at the University of West Georgia’s Hubbard Dining Room at 11:59 a.m. on Friday, September 20th. Contact Paul McDaniel at 678-232-8733 if you wish to attend. (There is a charge for a lunch meal.)
For more information about Chattahoochee Riverkeepers: chattahoochee.org
Bethea’s book is available locally at Horton’s Books on the square in Carrollton or online at: www.amazon.com/Keeping-Chattahoochee-RevivingDefending-Foundation/dp/0820364320 ugapress.org/book/9780820364322/keeping-thechattahoochee/
Haralson Historical Society Fried Pies
Sally Bethea
in June of 2004, began this legacy with the pumpkin idea.”
“The pumpkin sales have gone to support our youth ministry and with the Pumpkin Fest will be use the additional funds to support the entire church including our wonderful and important community outreach,” continued Father Jeff Jackson, Rector of St,.Margaret’s. “It is a way to invite the community to our church and is truly a community event. It is not about just selling pumpkins, it is about hosting a good experience.”
painting for different age groups. There will also be face painting, bounce room, photo booth, and treasure hunt. There will be a pie contest for both youth and adults with a $20 entree fee with a $100 prize. There will be a bake sale with cakes, popcorn balls, and candied apples. And don’t miss the BBQ plates!”
Tickets are $5 with no food and $15 with the BBQ plates.
“ . . .we will be running a free shuttle back and forth to the Arts Festival downtown. We will also have tours of the church.” - St. Margaret’s Pumpkin Fest Chair Diane Nivens
Nivens added, “You don’t have to come to church here to know you are loved.”
Nivens and her committee began planning for this event back in January. Of course, it all begins with the pumpkins. The church buys around 70% of a tractor trailer load from a fundraising company in North Carolina.
“As you can imagine it is a huge task just unloading the truck,” Father Jeff exclaimed. “All volunteers are welcome and what Diane and her committee have put together is truly amazing! So many of our 400 to 500 church members will be involved.”
Nivens explained the day’s events for the Pumpkin Fest, “At 10 a.m. we have many activities targeting the young children. At noon, the music starts with the West Georgia University Choir performing in the sanctuary. At 1 p.m. Father Jeff performs, at 2 p.m. Late Bloomers, at 3 p.m. Luke Smith, and 4 p.m. Dr Seaman and Dakota Dodge - and with more acts to follow! By the way, we will be running a free shuttle back and forth to the Arts Festival downtown. We will also have tours of the church.”
Among the pumpkin activities will be a scavenger hunt, pumpkin bowling, and pumpkin
“What
Democracy Look Like?” three-part series continues at Neva Lomason Library
6 p.m. Tuesdays: Sept. 24 and Oct. 22
from press release
Dr. J. Salvadore Peralta, professor, Department of Political Science, University of West Georgia, recently engaged the public on the question of “What Does Democracy Look Like?” in the first of a three-part series on the topic. Sharing his experiences living through dictatorship and civil war in Nicaragua and emigration to the United States, he explained how they inspired his interest in learning more about what a democratic form of government offered in comparison.
Along the way, Dr. Peralta secured a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to extensively study major tenets of democracy and to share these with others.
Responding to questions from Dr. Peralta, members of the audience shared formative experiences that were fundamental to their own understanding of what freedom and democracy has meant to them.
The public is invited to attend the next two sessions that will take place at the Neva Lomason Memorial Library at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 24th and Tuesday, October 22nd. Discussion will focus on defining characteristics at the heart of a healthy democracy and existing threats to their existence.
Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Carrollton-Carroll County and the Neva Lomason Memorial Library, these events are free and open to the public. It is not too late to join the discussion.
“You can purchase tickets, enter the pie contest, or sign up to be a sponsor at https:// www.stmargaretsga. com/pumpkinfest, on Facebook, or pay at the door,” said Nivens. “We hope your business, organization, or you will be a sponsor which includes tickets as well.”
According to its history, St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church draws its inspiration from the life of St. Margaret of Scotland, a beacon of compassion and faith in turbulent times. St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Carrollton has honored Margaret’s legacy through its unwavering commitment to service and unity.
From its humble beginnings as an “Unorganized Mission” Church in 1887 to achieving full parish status in 1965, today, under the guidance of Father Jeff Jackson, St. Margaret’s works to continue to be a beacon of hope and compassion, embodying the spirit of St. Margaret in all that they do. Their mission: “Together we are dedicated to serve Carrollton with minds to think, hearts to love, and hands to serve.”
“I think St. Margaret’s is known today for its outreach as much as being the ‘pumpkin church’,” Reverend Jackson commented. “The Soup Kitchen started here in our parish hall. The Circles of West Georgia started here and has its offices and meetings here. Circles is a community-driven way to affect poverty and promote prosperity through long-term education and social support.
“We also offer financial assistance, a food pantry, and Star Fish Village bringing the homeless into stability. We work closely with THS Homeless Resource Bridge, Impact West Ga, and Giving Hearts Food Pantry.
“We also have the Connector which is a
resource for finding services those in need might need. But, it all is about us all working together. We hope all of you will come meet me, our staff, and all our hard working members at Pumpkin Fest on October 12th - and remember you can buy pumpkins all month long in October!”
St Margaret’s Episcopal Church is located at 606 Newnan Road, Carrollton. You can reach them at 770-832-3931 They hold two services: Sunday at 9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II with nursery available for newborns to 36 months 8:30 a.m-12:30 pm. and a second service: Holy Eucharist Rite II at 11 a.m. On Wednesdays they hold a 12 noon Holy Eucharist Rite II service. www.stmargaretsga.com www.stmargaretsga.com/pumpkinfest
Smith Brothers
by Janice Daniel
The Carroll County Board of Commissioners met Thursday, August 22, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. for a Special Called Meeting.
The commission unanimously passed a resolution for a full rollback of the millage rate, from 6.6710 last year to 6.3630 for this year.
Financial Report was given by Finance Director Alecia Searcy for the month ending July 31, 2024, the first month of the county’s new fiscal year. Revenues were $3,470,434 or 4.34% of budget, and expenditures were $7,270,451 or 9.93% of budget. Searcy stated the reason for the high expenditures was that the county paid a lump sum on large insurance premiums in order to get a lower annual rate. The unaudited General Fund Balance was $37,157,697.
Chairman Michelle Morgan presented a consideration of the expenditure of $108,415.29 to construct physical spaces in the back portion of the Magistrate Court building, located at 166 Independence Drive, Carrollton, with the cost to be paid out of the Opioid Settlement funds and the work to be completed by Carroll County and other contractors.
This will create a place to conduct therapy ordered by the Carroll County Drug Court, and also a space for an Accountability Court, the 8th in the state. Treatment services are currently being done off-site. Juvenile Court Judge Tom Parmer and Superior Court Judge Dustin Hightower, were at this meeting to support the request to use the empty space in the Magistrate Court building for support services to give help and hope for recovery for those in the programs. The Juvenile Court supports family treatment for parents in order to help them get their children back into their home and out of foster care.
Morgan said she has spoken with Director of Public Works Danny Yates and he assured her that his department can handle the construction
portion of this project, and some items, such as carpet and tile, will be outsourced, and also, that this will not affect the function of the Magistrate Court in any way. The item was approved 7-0.
Lori Thomas, program director of the Carroll County Early Diversion Program, advised the commission that the five-year SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) grant which they received in 2020 and ends 4/29/25, leaves them enough money to cover 100% of the cost of combining two part-time positions and creating one full-
by Janice Daniel
Mayor & Council of the City of Villa Rica met for a Special Called Meeting Friday, August 2, 2024 at 11:30 a.m.. Council members Shirley Marchman and Anna McCoy were absent.
The purpose for the meeting concerned the percentage of T-SPLOST (Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) the city would be entitled to receive, if T-SPLOST is approved by voters in November.
At the Special Called Meeting of July 25th, council voted to approve an Intergovernmental Agreement with Douglas County to receive 5.35% of the T-SPLOST if passed. City Attorney Kevin Drummond had told council during that meeting that since Douglas County voted to give the Villa Rica 5.35% of their SPLOST money, he thought the amount Villa Rica would receive of the T-SPLOST would be the same. However, the amount on the Resolution from Douglas County was 5.04% - which was Villa Rica’s percentage of the previous Douglas County vote on SPLOST and that was the reason Drummond had changed 5.04% to 5.35%.
He told council at this meeting that Douglas County was only going to allow Villa Rica 5.04% of the T-SPLOST money if it is approved
time position for a Peer Support Specialist. Thomas presented the job description for this person to the board, and assured them that the person would be hired with the understanding that the job is grant-funded, the grant will run out 4/29/25, andthe job is not guaranteed to last past that date unless some other source of funding is obtained. Request approved unanimously 7-0.
Commission unanimously approved county’s abandonment of 1,641.23 feet of Arnold Road, for which all county agencies had signed approval. Yates advised that the road will be
by voters, not 5.35%. Drummond then advised council that they would be better off to accept the 5.04% than to use the complicated formula determined by the state. He said Villa Rica’s engineers had given him the millage numbers required by the formula, and the result for the city would be about 4.7%,. So, he said, “It still makes sense to go with the 5.04%” rather than taking the lesser amount if Villa Rica didn’t present an IGA at all to participate in the T-SPLOST funds.
Council Memeber Danny Carter said, “Our population is growing. They aren’t being fair.” Drummond said he was “not happy” with Douglas County’s decision either. City Manager Jeff Reese said he felt like Villa Rica was being treated like the “redheaded stepchild” in this matter, and that, moving forward, city representatives need to be active in communication with Douglas County and be involved “from the start” in their meetings which affect the city. Carter agreed that Villa Rica has been treated like the “red-headed stepchild” by Douglas County for quite a while, and added, “I won’t encourage [Villa Rica] people to vote for it [the T-SPLOST], because Villa Rica’s population is growing” and by implication, could cause a sway in the election. Mayor Leslie
closed off at the Paulding County line and at Mr. Arnold’s property line to stop the currently illegal activities which have been occurring there.
Proclamation was read naming September as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. September was also proclaimed as part of the National Recovery Month.
Morgan advised that the commissioners will not be meeting for a work session or regular meeting in the month of September, since the few items they needed to address were taken care of in this Special Called Meeting.
McPherson said, “If the voters don’t vote for it, it will be a non-issue.”
Council voted 3-0 to approve the IGA for Villa Rica at 5.04%. Drummond advised that, between the 5.35% and the 5.04%, the difference would be about $3,100 for every one million dollars of T-SPLOST collected.
In Public Comments: Alita Farmer Doss was there to ask again that council set up town meetings so that citizens can get more information on the TAD and the SPLOST and other things they didn’t understand. She stated that the criticisms made of Council Member Shirley Marchman weren’t really fair because “we haven’t been showing up [for the meetings].” She also said that Public Comments is not an effective way to communicate because it is a one-way street since council usually does not respond. Doss said, “If the city sets up town meetings and we don’t show up, then shame on us.”
Mayor McPherson said that citizens could check and see information the city already has on its website that explains the TAD, and she thinks there is also a Citizen Education video available. On SPLOST, she said “what we have goes back quite a few years.”
Sanders Insurance
September 15, 2024 www.starnewsgaonline.
LESS TAXES from front page
If voters say “yes”, the passage of this statewide amendment would allow counties the option to provide a freeze on homestead values that would limit the amount of property taxes homeowners would pay. With this option, the counties - including school boards - may say no by “opting out” in January 2025, deciding to not allow this reduction in taxes.
Specifically, the amendment would allow “for a statewide referendum to cap annual assessment increases for homesteaded property taxes (owner-occupied primary residences) at the rate of inflation.”
Carroll County is one of 17 counties that already has a Floating Homestead Exemption that gives a tax reduction. This new property homestead exemption would be in addition to that one.
If voters say “yes”, the passage of this statewide amendment would allow counties the option to provide a freeze on homestead values that would limit the amount of property taxes homeowners would pay. With this option, the countiesincluding school boards -may say no by “opting out” in January 2025, deciding to not allow this reduction in taxes.
Superintendent Scott Cowart updated the board with a summary of HB58: it would go into effect January 1, 2025 if passed November 5th; would create a statewide floating homestead exemption; and create new estimated roll-back definition and notices. Cowart said the new law would stack onto the existing local homestead and senior exemptions, and may significantly reduce property tax revenues which would in turn reduce “flexibility” to meet local needs of the school district.
HB 581 would limit how much a homestead property assessment can increase year over year at a percentage determined by the inflation rate as calculated by the State Revenue Commissioner.
schools about this bill, and that they “usually let us know what’s coming down the pike.” Board Member Bart Cater said if the public realizes this bill will cause their taxes to go down, “they will vote it in”. Chairman Turner asked Wolfe if a scenario could be put together to show what effect this law would have had if it had been passed last year. Wolfe said they have started working on that, but a lot more information is needed. The HB581 timeline provides that, if the law is approved by Georgia voters, that information, a review summary, timeline, and an impact analysis will be provided from an expert. If the Carroll County Board of Educa-tion intends to opt out, the advertisement would be published in Carroll County’s legal organ, and three public meetings would be held at the board’s 1. January Work Session; 2. January Regular Meeting; and at a 3. January Called Meeting.
In other business at the August 19th work session:
Assistant Superintendent of Business & Finance Delene Wolfe said the system would have to increase the millage rate. . . Board Member Bart Cater said if the public realizes this bill will cause their taxes to go down, “they will vote it in”. .
Cowart said school districts may opt out of participating in this new law, a process which may start January 1, 2025 but must be completed by March 1, 2025. This process includes a 60day period for the required llegal organ advertisements and three public hearings.
Board Vice Chair Sandra Morris said it sounded like this could be bad for the school system. Assistant Superintendent of Business & Finance Delene Wolfe said the system would have to increase the millage rate. Cowart said schools are prohibited from lobbying against this bill, and that their only option is to educate the public about its impact. Chairman Bryant Turner said the Georgia Legislature did not notify the
A motion was made to approve this rate by Council Member Brett Ledbetter; seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Stacie Gibbs. Motion was pproved 3-1, with Council Member Bob Uglum opposing.
Due to the strong property valuation increases by the county government since last year’s city budget, by retaining the prior budget’s millage rate, property taxes for City of Carrollton residents will increase. In other business at the August 22nd work session:
Resolution #11-2024 GMA Deferred Compensation Plan - Successor Provider was presented by Human Resource Director Faith Pullen. She stated that until a few years ago all but a few employees moved their 457(b) plans from GMA to the alternate provider, and that, after discussion, the remaining employees are moving their 457(b) plans from GMA to the alternate provider. She said that this resolution will close out the GMA 457(b) De-ferred Compensation account. A motion was made to approve and passed 4-0. Pullen also presented a GMEBS (Georgia Municipal Employee Benefit Systems) Retirement Plan Ordinance and Adoption Agreement
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Jared Griffis reported that, on the first day of school, every classroom had a teacher. He asked the board to put the West Georgia Technical College MOA on the Consent Agenda. This Memorandum of Agreement, a mutual agreement between the board and WGTC, provides for the school district to accept students from the School of Health Science and School of Nursing programs for instruction and practice intended to benefit the students in accomplishing their educational goals and create a highly trained work force.
Superintendent Cowart asked the board for approval of a budget increase for the Operations Center of $250,000. He said a portion of the alternate program mobile classrooms will be funded by ESSER and the remainder by SPLOST V. This budget increase allows for additional asphalt work and the City of Carrollton and the Carroll County Board of Commissioners requiring larger water lines than had originally been anticipated. Request was approved unanimously.
After executive session, board returned to regular session to approve the personnel actions requested by the superintendent.
Addendum, stating that the addendum addresses IRS compliance changes. Motion was made and this item was also approved by council 4-0.
Finance Director Kevin Bush detailed Budget Amendments FY24-09, 10, 11, 12 and FY2501, stating that they address grant income, audit compliance, computer equipment, hotel/motel fund revenue, and capital projects. These budget amendments/increases were approved 4-0.
Mayor and council also discussed several other items, such as City Cemetery Improvements, the Fire Code Ordinance, the Coin-Operated Gaming Machine Ordinance, and others.
Community Development Director Erica Studdard advised that Ed Fouts, who was appointed to the Historic Preservation Commission last month, will not be able to serve, and someone else will need to be appointed. She added that Alison Rosborough recently moved which also leaves a vacancy for her unexpired term.
City Manager gave his report, and some other community development items were discussed, but will be voted on in the next regular meeting.
Mayor and Council held an executive session and adjourned after going back into regular session.
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CARROLLTON from front page
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with neither Hulsey nor Dost choosing to sue the county. Hulsey is county Communications Director and Dost is county Solid Waste Director.
The county’s liability insurance company MarshMcLennan hired the law firm of Freeman Mathis & Gary (FM&G), LLP, Atlanta, GA to defend the Carroll County Board of Commissioners which is comprised of six members and one chairman. The cost of defending the county against Hulsey and Dost was covered under the county’s insurance premium that is paid for by county taxpayers. StarNews received notice bypress time (Sept. 10th) from the county attorney that the total dollar amount that FM&G billed the insurance company was not yet known.
Freeman Mathis & Gary’s defense of the commission board included a summary statement to the U.S. EEOC that Hulsey’s claims were “both factually and legally defective” and that Dost’s claims were “entirely without merit”. On January 26, 2024, FM&G submitted to the EEOC a 33-page response to Dost’s claims and a 33-page response to Hulsey’s claims. FM&G asked the EEOC to dismiss both charges with a finding of “no cause”.
On October 13, 2023, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners [CCBC] had received notice that Hulsey and Dost each filed a complaint alleging discrimination based on “retaliation, sex, and involve issues of harassment, terms/conditions” that occurred on or about October 4, 2023. Hulsey’s complaint listed 59 charges. Dost’s complaint listed 44 charges. Most of the complaint details/incidents, although separate, were similar. The complaints were against the board for doing “nothing to prevent or correct the gender discrimination and retaliation to which Mr. Reynolds [District 5 Commissioner Ernie Reynolds] and other men at CCBC have subjected us to.”
Hulsey’s and Dost’s complaints contained the same verbatim statement summing up what the female employees allege they were “subjected to” which is the following: “Since I spoke up about the gender disparities, Mr. Reynolds and other Commissioners and employees have retaliatorily ostracized me, isolated me, and cast me out. I believe that Mr. Reynolds wants to get rid of me and have my employment terminated.”
Dost and Hulsey both alleged that one commissioner, Reynolds, “publicly called out the fact that” they had received raises higher than other employees because they were women. But, FM&G, after review of videos of commission public meetings, stated (page 2 in each of the two responses) that “There is absolutely no evidence that his [Reynolds] reference to the Charging Party’s raise was due to her gender. Instead, Commissioner Reynolds argued that whereas the vast majority of county employees received only a $1/hour raise, some employees received raises that in his opinion were inequitable, including one employee who received a 39% raise, one who received a 27% raise, and
another who received a 16% raise. Commissioner Reynolds did not reference any of the three employees by name or gender, but argued that these types of raises necessitated greater budgetary controls such as mandatory board approval for all raises over 10%.”
It was noted in the FM&G’s responses that Chairman Michelle Morgan repeatedly asked Reynolds to name the employees, as noted on Pages 19 in Hulsey response and Page 20 in Dost response: “The Chairman returned to her initial question: ‘Would you please tell me who the three are that you continually discuss?”
This is confusing as Morgan would have known who the employees were as she was the one who both issued the raises and determined the amount of each raise. Under Section 14 of the Carroll County Charter, “chairman shall have exclusive authority to … fix the compensation of all employees and officials of the county.” Any reason as to why Morgan was verbally pushing Reynolds to be the one to publicly identify the employees was not included in either response to EEOC. Reynolds did not name anyone and stayed with his point concerning the budget and raises for all county employees, specifically the he believed a “merit-based system rewards and encourages high performers in public services”. Reynolds said, “What I’m saying is that there is inequity. I simply want to address the inequity and ensure that favoritism is not flourishing, but equity is flourishing and there’s proper ‘tone at the top’.” To which Chairman Morgan then announced it was the Communications Director. At a later time, Morgan also identifies by job the Solid Waste Director.
In the budget Reynolds was discussing, Morgan gave Dost a $23,760 / 39% raise, and Hulsey a $10,400 / 16% raise. Dost was hired July 2021 with a salary of $61,240. After her 39% raise one year later in July 2022, Dost was being paid $85,000 a year. A meetings concerning the budget, Reynolds’ public statements continued to include his opinion that these specific raises were “inequitable” and based upon “favoritism” rather than merit. In her complaint, Dost stated the raise was due to increased job responsibilities. Her job was Solid Waste Manager and was changed by Chairman Morgan to Solid Waste Director one year later. Dost stated it was because of her gender that Reynolds believed she was receiving more, and that his conduct was based upon discriminatory animus towards females. Hulsey’s salary was $65,000 before the 16% raise of $10,400 for a salary of $75,400.
Despite Morgan being a defendant in the complaint, both Dost and Hulsey confusingly go to Morgan’s defense in their official complaints against her / commission board: Dost stated “Mr. Reynolds publicly blames, criticizes, and undermines Chairman Morgan, a female, implying she is not competent.” Hulsey stated “Mr. Reynolds and some of the other male Commissioners try to undermine the Chairman and take control
See WITHOUT MERIT page 13
WITHOUT MERIT from page 12 away from her because she is a powerful woman.” From these statements, Chairman Morgan appeared to have been active on both sides of this legal issue: having favored these two employees with significant financial benefit yet being the one who publicly identified both (by specific job).
Due to the fact it was Morgan who revealed the identities of the two to the public (along with a third female employee by job title who did not file a complaint) seemed to indicate the repeated accusations of “gender discrimination” “retaliation” and “animus” against Reynolds were grossly misplaced. And were it not for Morgan’s identifying the two at the public meeting and short of a leak within the board to the local newspapers or radio of Dost or Hulsey’s identity by job, the public and other county employees would have most likely remained in the dark as to whom Reynolds was referring.
the new fiscal year, and that for purposes of ‘budget integrity’ Solid Waste or perhaps the Finance Director or Chairman should give the CCBC a heads up about major upcoming purchases. .
From these statements, Chairman Morgan appeared to be on both side of this legal issue: having favored these two employees with significant financial benefit yet being the one who publicly identified both (by specific job).
. . Commissioner [Steve] Fuller asked whether anything was salvageable on the old excavator prompting a laugh from Dost . . . Commissioner [Tommy] Lee then asked, ‘It’s not the one that burned up, right?’ and the Chairman [Morgan] responded it was not.”
In conclusion, Freeman Mathis & Gary summed up their findings for a “No Cause” request to the U.S EEOC:
1. found no evidence Reynolds’ references to pay were based on gender
2. both Hulsey and Dost did receive their rais-
See NO CAUSE page 15
RWB Tax
Hulsey’s complaints #50, #51, and #52 included two others commissioners, Tommy Lee and another unnamed: “Mr. Reynolds has stopped including me on work-related email correspondence on which I historically would have been included. County Attorney Avery Jackson told me that District 3 Commissioner Tommy Lee stated that I was not to be in the same meetings he was in, or he would not come to them. This has made my job difficult and hindered my performance of my job duties, as my projects require me to meet with the district commissioners, which I have always done in the past. Previously, one Commissioner and I spoke almost daily and worked closely together to share information about current projects with the public. Now, however, he has abandoned me as a friend and colleague and only includes me in necessary business matters.”
Dost complaints #33. #34, #35, #36, and #37 included claims of being “berated” and “subjected to a grueling inquisition”: “On September 28, 2023, I appeared before the CCBC regarding a request to replace a piece of equipment for my department. My written request made it clear that I had held off on asking for this needed equipment because I feared being unfairly subjected to a grueling inquisition, because of the turmoil within CCBC during the budget process, and because of my health. I had conferred with the Chairman about holding off. Nevertheless, when I appeared before the CCBC regarding the request, Mr. Reynolds took the opportunity to berate me and the Chairman for making the request after the budget process concluded. One Commissioner brought up the Public Works equipment that had caught fire and again wrongly placed the blame on Solid Waste, asking if the equipment I needed to replace was the same one that caught fire. Though they and the CCBC agreed that my department needed the equipment, Mr. Reynolds and another male Commissioner took the opportunity to attack me, question my competence and integrity, and retaliate against me.”
After reviewing the recording of the September 28, 2023 commission meeting, FM&G’s response (on page 22) to the charge of Dost claim of being subjected to a “grueling inquisition” was the following: “After the Charging Party [Dost] had finished presenting, Commissioner [Clint] Chance began the CCBC’s [commission board’s] discussion by asking a few questions about the warranty, which the Charging Party answered. Commissioner Reynolds then spoke up, saying he had ‘no problem’ with the Charging Party’s purchase request, that the equipment was ‘needed’ and her ‘selection [was] good”. Reynolds noted, however, that he first heard of this purchase request no later than three weeks after
NO CAUSE from page 13
es and neither lost their jobs
3. The only employee whose proposed raise was rejected in that budget by the board was a male (fire department)
4. 60% of the county employees who received raises were female
5. Carroll County did not subject the Charging Party to any adverse action
6. Charging Party cannot show harassment sufficiently severe or pervasive to constitute a hostile work environment
7. Charging Party’s own allegations amount to no more than 4 incidents over the course of 11 months
8. Gender-neutral conduct such as “angry looks, harsh words, and ‘silent treatment’ cannot form the basis of a hostile work environment” and that an “employee must present concrete evidence in the form of specific facts, not just conclusory allegations and assertions.”
Specifically, FM&G cited Miller-Goodwin v. City of Panama City Beach, Fla. 385 F. App’x 966, 970 (11th Cir. 2010): ”Importantly, not all conduct by an employer negatively affecting an employee constitutes adverse employment action.” And that “none of these allegations” “resemble a termination, demotion, suspension without pay or pay raise or cut.”
Editor’s note: For reasons of story length and due to the fact there were a total of 103 complaints from Hulsey and Dost and a total of
provides rural cities and counties with resources needed to set up economic and workforce development systems and envision each community’s future. PROPEL utilizes asset-based strategy development and action to develop initiatives tailored to the specific communities they work with. The program also provides connections to UGA researchers and faculty and workforce development opportunities that will set Haralson County up for future prosperity and success.
Haralson County is the first community in West Georgia to be selected for the program and they will officially become a PROPEL community in January 2025. The Greater Haralson Chamber recently welcomed Greg Wilson and Madeline Cantu from the Carl Vincent Institute, along with several business and community leaders, to their office to begin preparations.
“The PROPEL grant will allow us to bring local leaders together and explore ways to increase economic opportunities for our community. It will also open up access to resources at UGA to help us achieve the goals of the plan.” said Eric McDonald, President of the Greater Haralson Chamber.
The program is funded by three U.S. Department of Agriculture grants as well as a $250,000 gift from the UGA Foundation.
To learn more about the PROPEL program, visit https://cviog.uga.edu/services/georgiaworkforce-and-economic-resilience-center/ propel.html. For more information, contact the Greater Haralson Chamber of Commerce at 770-537-5594 or visit www.haralson.org.
The Greater Haralson Chamber, the largest business organization in Haralson County, serves as the pillar for business advocacy and growth in West Georgia. It oversees the county’s Development Authority and actively fosters business growth, workforce development and community advocacy. Committed to positively impacting businesses through local, state and national advocacy, it regularly seeks ways to enhance business environments. The Chamber also showcases members to visitors, playing a vital role in connecting businesses through initiatives like Grand Openings, Red Carpet services, networking events, seminars and online communities. Visit haralson.org for more information and to contact the Chamber.
Specifically, FM&G cited MillerGoodwin v. City of Panama City Beach, Fla. 385 F. App’x 966, 970 (11th Cir. 2010): ”Importantly, not all conduct by an employer negatively affecting an employee constitutes adverse employment action.” And that “none of these allegations” “resemble a termination, demotion, suspension without pay or pay raise or cut.”
66 pages of responses from Freeman Mathis & Gary, not all points of contention were covered in this story. Readers may view the full documents that were obtained through the Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq.) at www.starnewsgaonline.com
J Best Hair
Edward Jones
HARALSON FIRST from front page
The Carroll County Cattlemen’s Association - the largest single chapter in the State of Georgia - invites
by Wayne J. Reynolds
On Saturday, October 19th, the Carroll County Cattlemen Association will host the 3rd Annual Beef Fest from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Carroll County Ag-Ed Center, Newnan Road, just off the bypass. This event hosted 500 to 600 people the first year and 600 to 700 people its second year.
The Cattlemen invite the public to come out on October 19th, not only have a truly fun day of activities - hayrides, beef chili cookoff, cornhole, live cattle on site - but to learn more about the beef industry that has grown to be a significant part of Carroll County, Georgia’s economy and identity.
The Carroll County Cattlemen’s Association has been a West Georgia
fixture since the late 1950s. The Carroll County chapter is one of 75 chapters of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association and has the largest membership.
“We are the largest single chapter in the state,” exclaimed President Neil Hendrix, who is in his third year serving as president. “We have over 190 members with a goal this year of reaching 200 members. At our monthly meetings, we average 90 to 95 members in attendance - where we always have a ribeye steak dinner!”
“I am now in my mid fifties and have been involved with the Cattlemen’s most of my life going back to when I was 16 years old when I was a member of Junior Cattlemen’s,” Hendrix said. “We have an outstanding board and
members. We do a lot of work in the community which Our mission is to educate and promote the beef industry County, and to be a voice for the cattle farmers! At our make a point of presenting interesting programs and people that keep us all coming back. We have great sponsors and members who make all we do possible we surely appreciate each one of them.”
Hendrix, and others in the beef industry, have observed in the past few years that many residents do not have a true grasp on how important agriculture, including the beef industry, is here in Carroll County.
Carroll County can boast of having 806 farms totaling 92,092 acres, of which 402 farms raise cattle and 349 farms recently harvested 14,364 acres of forage, using the land for hay and haylage.
“We do a lot of good things,” Hendrix continuesd “We get involved with many cooking events like providing the dinner at AgSouth Appreciation Day, at events at the Carroll County Sales Barn, the meal for the Sales Barn Stockholders Meeting, and have worked
“We also promote the beef industry through outreach. with the 4H summer camp in which we are getting the younger kids involved. We got to keep the youth involved.”
Hendrix also added that there is a Junior Cattlemen group which has between 15 to 18 members and that they also work with the West Georgia Cattlewomen’s Association which meets in Carroll County and has 34 members with President Lauren Holland. “ We work closely with them on a variety of events”
Another event they host - which was the brainstorm of past Cattlemen president Ray Burke - is the Top Hand Competition for the teenagers in the Future Farmers group. The Top Hand Stockmanship and Stewardship Program is a series of cattle handling contests designed to educate and equip Carroll’s youth with the skills, knowledge and confidence to be successful advocates and/or employees for the beef industry.
Shown above is the Carroll County Cattlemen’s board of directors. Left to right: Kim Hagen, vice president; Randy Coggins; Gary Castleberry, treasurer; Vinny Spitzer; Eric Brown; Angie Stober; Neil Hendrix, president; Lauren Holland, West Georgia Cattlewomen’s president; and Paula Burke, secretary. Not shown are board members Josh Hollingsworth and Preston Hendrix.The Cattlemen meet on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m., Ag building, 900 Newnan Road, Carrollton.
“We host it twice a year,” Hendrix said. “The first is for our own local kids and the second is a regional event for 6 or 7 groups which included Coweta and Haralson last year. After we got the UGA Extension Service involved, it became a statewide event! The next event will be in the spring.
Highlighting the Enduring Impact of Our Farming Communities invites the public to its 3rd Annual Beef Fest on Saturday, October 19th
which we enjoy and love. industry here in Carroll our monthly meetings, wedo County. at worked with City Station. outreach. We are involved
We hope to host the statewide event in the future as improvements are made to the Ag Center.”
“The Beef Fest came around as we wanted to do something that involved the community, and out of our discussions we came up with the Beef Fest. And it was all worth it just seeing the faces of the kids who had never seen hay and how much they enjoyed a hay ride! And of course ,getting to see live cattle for the first time!”
Around 30 vendors are scheduled for the one-day event. Ag-related goods will be for sale, including locally grown beef. Also ice cream - you can’t forget ice cream! There will be tractors, cornhole games, and other family-related activities. Hendrix said, “The Cattlewomen will have face painting and a pool filled with corn that the kids absolutely loved last year! And don’t miss the Beef Brisket Plates that sold out last year. Also, you can vote on the Beef Chili Cook Off which you get to sample. Te Cattlemen will be offering chargrilled hamburger plates with chips and a drink for just five dollars ($5) - that’s bargain lunch! And keep in mind this isn’t store-bought beef - this is beef from here in Carroll County. You will be able to taste the delicious difference. We will be having the Gun Raffle as well. Our goal is to make it an annual event on the third Saturday in October, an annual tradition and affordable for the whole family.”
Beef Fest will be held at the Carroll County Ag Center October 19, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, at 900 Newnan Road at the 166 bypass.If you would like to be a vendor for $25 or a sponsor, please call the Ag Center at 770-836-8546 or call President Neil Hendrix at 770-519-4129.
President Neil Hendrix concluded with, “Not all Cattlemen’s Association members own cattle. Some just want to help promote the beef industry in Carroll County. You have my personal invitation to come join the association and help us reach our goal of 100 members - just ten more - and enjoy a ribeye steak dinner!”
Photo top: Shown above at last year’s Beef Fest is 10 year old Tucker Brown with the Scottish Highlander bull named “Sterling”.
Photo at left: Also, shown from last year’s Beef Fest is a vendor’s table.
Carroll County Master Gardener Training Class 2025 now accepting applications
Carroll County Master Gardener Training Class 2025 is now accepting applications to become a Carroll County Master Gardener Extension volunteer. Join our horticulture volunteer team!
To apply, complete the attached application and return with a check for $200. Checks can be made payable to Carroll County Extension/4-H. Credit cards are also accepted.
The application process consists of an application, a faceto-face interview in November/December, and approved background check paperwork.
All applications are due October 31, 2024.
For questions, please contact Paula Burke at pjburke@uga. edu or 770-836-8546.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service,
Your local Carroll County Farm Bureau has been
children about where their food and fiber comes from! Last month, we visited several county schools teaching about cover crops and how they help our farmers. We then made cover crop “monsters” with students who then sent us pictures of their hair (grass seed) growing! It was fun and a huge success, but most importantly, our youth learned about Agriculture! With the fall season around the corner, please stop by to pick up your Certified Farm Market Passport Book. Each family member may have their own book to get stamped as you visit the many apple & pumpkin markets this season, while earning some free gifts! This is a very popular program, and the whole family can do it together! Here at Farm Bureau, we are also sharing our “I Farm I Vote” materials. Come by to pick up a yard sign. Regardless of your choice, it is so important to vote! If you like what we are doing with our local children, their parents, and our community, please consider becoming a member of Carroll County Farm Bureau for just $35/ year to support our efforts. Call us today to get your membership!
COMMENTARY
A clean voter
roll is essential
“I’d rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in The Boston telephone directory than the faculty of Harvard University.” - William F. Buckley Jr.
“WE THE PEOPLE” are getting ready to entrust our future to a group of elites not unlike the Harvard faculty, in that they believe “they know best.”
The first Tuesday in November has fast become less important, with other means of voting being pushed upon a secular and disinterested populace. Although everyone voting on election day would be preferable, what are some of our election problems?
TRAVIS PITTMAN
GEORGIA TECH Beta Theta Pi
level. No two states administer elections in the same way.
. . . 462 counties had more registered voters than age-eligible people. . . . Last month, New Jersey self-reported 259,000 more voters on their voter rolls than theoretically possible.
Abrams is still calling herself the governor of Georgia.
There are more than 10,000 election jurisdictions in the U.S. The largest jurisdiction in the country has over 5 million voters. Sadly, several years ago, Judicial Watch (JW) sued eight states to clean up voter roles for over four million invalid voters. Recently, JW calculated that 462 counties had more registered voters than ageeligible people to the count of 3.55 million people. Imagine the effect of recent border activity. Last month, New Jersey self-reported 259,000 more voters on their voter rolls than theoretically possible.
SUE
HORN EVANS
EDITOR/ PUBLISHER
The saying goes if you want to become an expert in something - play the harpsicord, speak fluent French, be a pickleball champion - you need to spend 10,000 hours on that one thing. I guess I am an expert at sleeping, eating, stressing - ha! What I am an expert at is the business of newspapering: I have put in 80,000+ working hours (38 years) into this industry (producing, managing, reporting, accounting, editing, sales, etc.)
Contested elections are here to stay and have escalated since 2000. Both sides have had their turn from the likes of Al Gore, John Kerry, Al Franken, Hillary Clinton, Stacy Abrahams, and Donald Trump. The Gore 2000 defeat was decided after four weeks of recounting.
Similarly, the Al Franken recount took six tries to make him the winner by a few hundred votes. Stacey
Unmistakably, a clean voter roll that only contains legal voters is one of the keys to a correct tally of voters. Each state has a chief election official overseeing an advisory role over state and federal elections. Elections are usually administrated at the county
Recent estimates by conservatives argue that between 10 - 30 % of illegal aliens now appear on voter rolls. Considering numbers like 40 million illegals neither born in America nor assimilated through the legal process,10 million in the last four years, and an 80% likelihood they vote Democratic, one should evaluate the
See CLEAN VOTER ROLLS page 21 Choices
When the well runs dry
An email I received this morning made me think of this concept of the 10,000 hours, a number that I’ve very recently learned represents “completion” in the Bible, more specifically “divine completion of the testimony of God”.
My friend’s email contained a comment about Facebook and those of us who “don’t use that medium anymore”. She astutely opined: “All the controversy social media creates has convinced me it is a tool of the devil. If C.S. Lewis saw this coming, he would have included it in the Screwtape Letters!”
For those who have not read The Screwtape Letters yet (no spoilers here), this classic book explores the importance of purposely choosing good over evil by choosing to take a deliberate stance as a Christian and leading a life following Biblical principles. A demon named Screwtape offers ways - through written letters - for his demon nephew Wormwood to undermine God’s Word tempting humans to abandon God. C.S. Lewis imagines what it is like for the mortal humans to confront, battle, or succumb to the temptations in life.
Facebook - certainly a form of “written letters” - has been bringing out the worst in some people since its beginning in 2004. It’s now 2024. Twenty years of opportunities for mean-spirited critics to spread worldwide their one-sided rants, with most having all but abandoned civilized debate etiquette. Twenty years. How many FB ranters/users have logged 10,000 hours? What area of expertise has a 10,000-hour FB ranter chosen to complete/achieve? My friend was spot on on her observation of social media being the tool of the devil. It’s encouraging to hear that there are less people now on FB.
I must confess, after doing the rough math just now, I realize that I have not passed the 10,000 mark yet for reading/studying the Bible. Had I read/studied about three hours a week since becoming an adult, I could have made a claim today of being a type of expert on God’s Word. My self-challenge begins now.
Voters need to learn about House Bill 581 and House Resolution 1022 before the November 5th General Election: This issue’s front page story is an important one: “County school board discusses plan to counter possible tax collection reduction”. HB 581 is property tax relief for Georgians. It provides a statewide floating homestead exemption to limit yearly value increases. Without getting into details, what this means to Carroll County home owners is this: Carroll County already has a Floating Homestead Exemption. If this new property tax relief is approved by voters statewide in November, Carroll County property owners will receive an additional reduction in property taxes on their primary residence. But, school boards can stop this additional tax reduction by simply opting out. At the county school board work session of August 19th, Assistant Superintendent of Business & Finance Delene Wolfe said the system would have to increase the millage rate if this tax reduction option passed and the board did not opt out. This is a tough choice either way, voters. But if it passes and you voted for it, be sure you are in attendance at the county school board’s January 2025 Public Hearings when the board plans to formally opt out. Be sure your voice/your choice is heard.
West GA Talent Audition is Friday, September 20th: Video auditions deadline for Rotary Club of Carrollton’s 3rd Annual West GA Talent performing arts competition is Friday, September 20th. More details at westgatalent.com, including information about cash prizes! This year’s beneficiary is the James R. Fulford endowment established to support neurology care at Tanner Health System. The live event will be held Saturday, October 26th, in the University of West Georgia’s Grand Ballroom - sounds like it will be a grand event!
Please subscribe to StarNews: $35 for two years. Check or money order. PO Box 680 Carrollton, GA 30112 . Thanking you in advance!
“When the well is dry, we learn the worth of water.” - Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Alamanc, 1733.
As an optimistic environmentaleducator in upstate New York, I’d introduce kids to the limits of fresh drinking water using an apple. Holding up a red delicious, I’d ask them to think of this apple as all the water on Earth. As they watched, I’d cut a fourth of the apple out of the whole fruit. Explaining that threefourths of all water on our planet is seawater, i.e. too salty to drink – I’d flip that puckering three-fourths of an apple into the woods. Then I’d show them the lone quarter apple and suggest that this one-fourth represents all the freshwater on Earth.
Slicing off a thin sliver of pale apple meat, I’d conclude by saying, “And this is how much freshwater is available for us to drink. Guess we better take care of it.” Then I’d pop that tiny slab into my mouth, much to the kids’ blinking surprise, and the
SYBIL ROSEN THOMAS River
Rambles
point would be made (hopefully): Children, there’s only so much to go around.
Imagine a world where 780 million people have no access to safe drinking water. Where 2.5 billion lack basic sanitation. That shouldn’t be too difficult as, sadly, that is the world we live in. Who of us reading StarNews can picture a life where clean water is no longer as close as the kitchen tap? We’re prone to take our drinking water for granted.
Naturally, that’s less true for those of us living in remote places. Clean drinking water has always
You might be an environmentalist if...
You might be an environmentalist if… you enjoy outdoor sports!
Outdoor sports, whether team sports or individual activities, can be a positive boost to our health—both physical and mental. Keeping our muscles moving can improve cardiac function and prevent bone loss. Time spent in natural settings has been shown to reduce stress. Many outdoor pursuits from bird watching to football can improve our problem-solving skills and factual recall. Team sports promote social skills and opportunities for developing cooperative relationships. And swimming is certainly a valuable way to cool off in the hot summer months!
Our Parks and Recreation Departments as well as local schools provide youth and adults with multiple ways to get outside, move, and enjoy themselves. Friends of McIntosh Reserve offers a series of Walk and Talks that combine being in nature with learning about eagles, wildflowers,
mushrooms, history, and more. The Greenbelt offers a safe walking or biking experience open to everyone. We have small farms in our county willing to host farm tours, and other opportunities to experience our place in the environment abound. There are so many benefits to being outside, but every spring as we’re getting ready to get out there and play, we are also reminded of potential dangers old and new—sunburn, heat illnesses, insect borne diseases, for example. Sometimes as the summer wears on, however, we start taking the precautions for granted. As autumn sets in, we’re still happy to be out on the field
been a prized feature of life at the fish camp, then as now. Our well works wonderfully these days; Chattahoochee Riverkeeper tested the water and pronounced it healthy and clean. An occasional lightning strike in the yard – or even as far away as on Highway 5 – inevitably burns out the fuse for the pump and filtration system but – oh, well (haha). A small price to pay for the blessing of reliable water.
Apparently, a hand-dug well was already here when my late husband Glyn arrived in 1969. Old and shallow, the well’s repairs are mostly what’s remembered from those times. The proximity of the creek in the floodplain meant Glyn’s three stepkids did a lot of schlepping of buckets of water, brought up to the house for drinking, cooking, and flushing the toilet, especially in times of flood. That changed in the 1980s when Glyn’s third wife, the late Wanda
See RIVER RAMBLES page 21
or in the woods, but we might begin to “forget” our sunscreen and insect protection. We might think, “Oh, the days are getting shorter. I can work in the garden/train for my sport a while longer while I have plenty of light. I’ll get a drink when I go back inside.”
Back in early summer I picked up my grandson from cross country practice. It was 69 degrees, humid, and he had, of course, exerted himself thoroughly. And it showed, dripping down his face. I remarked that it was a good thing the coach has practice early in the morning. Turns out, the Georgia High School Association has regulations about when outdoor practices can take place according to the “Wet Bulb Globe” temperature, but I wonder if it’s as strictly and uniformly enforced as the school year starts. Heat-related illness, while preventable, is a leading cause of death and injury among high school and college
See YOU MIGHT BE.. page 21
CAROL BOYD
ensuring that clients are well taken care of.
During this time, West Georgia also experienced the largest change in judges in history. Here are some of those changes:
1. Douglas - Judge Deah Warren is
Suckered
e. Now, Judge Simpson must fill the important position of chief magistrate.
f. Last, the Coweta Judicial Circuit will have the 8th superior court judge when the governor decides to make the appointment,
number and instructed to have a seat to wait to be called to see a DMV interviewer. Not bad. It was a short wait.
gery, she did so and spent nine months in the hospital, much of which was in ICU. God and medical personnel were able to save her life. Michael Hubbard was by her side the whole time and continues to express his loyalty to his
character, experience, and fundraising ability to succeed in the “Peoples’ Court.” I strongly encourage our community to keep an eye on this appointment. Judge Simpson has See JASONSWINDLE page 20
C. ED WILSON
C. ED WILSON
Thoughts While Shaving cedwilson587@yahoo.com
Thoughts While Shaving cedwilson587@yahoo.com
medical or life insurance, charity pitches, legal hucksters (claiming to get you the most) vs. professional attorneys who just give you their name and types of cases they pursue, that interrupt the program that I want to watch.
Georgia, but instead to buy in eastern Alabama. He has. My relative heard of the tax and spend policies here in Carroll County. He was told of the tax assessments on real property here and the routine denial of most appeals. He arrived a the conclusion that Carroll County is on the same path that is destroying California.
if these products were really good would they not be promoted by retail stores, pharmacists or your doctor? Money back guarantee?
needs of the administration or the direction of the political leadership. Verbal communications? Nobody will likely ever know.
My driver’s icense was to expire on 10/3/2024 and ,for some time, I fretted over going to the DMV as I was sure that at age 96 (10/3/2024) I was sure to get a hassle. They would likely insist on a driver’s test with parallel parking in a space exactly two feet longer than the car and all sorts of aggravations such as probably my needing to change glasses, etc. I entered the Carrollton DMV in a bad mood and expecting the worst.
When I saw the interviewer, I explained that I had expected the worst. But, he was all business and got right to the interview. He tested my vision. No problem; no new glasses required. He then took my picture. Here is a problem: some ugly old guy must have stood in front of me, because I cannot look that bad. But, that is the picture that will be on my driver’s license.
Suckered. Let’s first define the term “suckered” as used here. Generally, a sucker is a person that is easily cheated, deceived or fooled. That pretty well describes me and you who are pretty much responsible for the world we have created and now tolerate.
This article was triggered by “in your face” TV advertising for pain relievers, products to add or lose weight, (generally a genetic issue), beauty products (to con females), erectile disfunction products or procedures (to con males),
First, I was giveb an informational page to fill out. I fully expected questions like “Do you still beat your wife?” (either you do or you did.) But ,the questions were reasonable, albeit pretty much what the DMV should already have in their files: my name, address, license number, etc. I was then handed a piece of paper with a
The Holy Mountain BILL BOURIS
digi@mindspring.com
This is about one of the most beautiful and interesting, and at the same time, most dangerous swims I’ve ever done. First, some background. It involves family history, as well as the End of World War I. By the way, that war did not end in 1918, but five years later in 1923 with the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne. That treaty had profound and lasting effects on my family and all our relatives.
Whenever we travel to Greece, we go to the South to the island of Crete to visit with the family of my mother’s sister. Then we go to the North to visit my father’s family.
In the North, there is a place named Mt. Athos, also called “The Holy Mountain”. It
Now, the surprise! I got renewed for EIGHT YEARS! My license is valid until my 104th birthday! Maybe everybody gets eight years if they have had no problem. I don’t know, but a smart aleck relative told me to be sure to post the renewal date on a calendar so I would not forget to renew at age 104. Guess that I should!
And, daily, I get letters from some entity that bought my name and address (potential sucker) based upon a purchase or contribution that I previously made. I am sure you get these letters, too. I will not knowingly ever do business with or buy anything from those who antagonize me. Should you? I really dislike these ads and letters.
So, bottom line: I went in with a bad attitude, and the DMV folks melted me with kindness. Not at all what I expected.
Now, some negatives. Just had a relative that is moving out of socialist California to resettle in a better place. He has been here about a month and insists that the best advice that he has received so far is NOT to settle in Carroll County,
First, look for intentionally blurred small print disclaimers that you cannot read or those who read words so fast that you cannot understand a word they say. Always avoid these advertisers as these disclaimers are telling you up front that they have limited responsibility, purchasers have varying results and the product has no acceptable certifications. Will you bite? We will pay almost anything to relieve pain, but
occupies most of a long peninsula in northeast Greece. Though it is considered part of that nation, it really is a protectorate of Greece. On its border with Greece there is a Greek town called Ouranoupolis, “Heaven’s City”. That’s where my father’s family is.
Holy Mountain has only monasteries of the Christian Orthodox faith. Because of its age (dating back to 800 A.D.) and religious importance, Holy Mountain is visited for scholarly as well as religious reasons. My guess is that visitors of the Protestant faith are second in number only to those visitors of the Orthodox faith. Protestantism and Orthodoxy have a lot in common, mainly starting with their rejection of an old idea - that the Bishop of Rome is the head of of the Christian Church. (This subject is still being ‘negotiated’.)
My paternal grandfather (1848-1948), whose name was Fotis (meaning “The Light”), was a deeply religious man who chose to settle his family next to the Holy Mountain, in Heaven’s City. That decision was made around 1923. And, when I was born in 1935,in NYC, he sent a tiny wooden crucifix for me. It was very special
Guaranteed by whom? When?
Those selling life insurance deceive by not telling you about exclusions and limited coverage and those pushing “Medicare advantage” don’t tell you that you get small dollar benefits while big dollar benefits are limited. Why would insurance companies push Medicare advantage unless they benefit? Does it take a rocket scientist to understand that they only spend money (advertising) to make money? (premiums vs benefits).
For reader information only, I served on and chaired the Carroll County Board of Assessors some years ago. Back then, we were blessed with a chief assessor who was technically competent, politically astute, and most important: wise. We were also blessed with a board of Equalization that was independent and made such edjustments as they saw fit, for or against the taxpayer or the assessor. As chairman of the board of assessors, I spent many hours analyzing the state’s method of correlating sales to assessments. In the end, I accepted that the State of Georgia methodology and algorithms were sound. I could offer nothing better.
The problem, as I see it now, is application of sales data to a tax parcel. It seems to me, that an appraiser can increase or decrease a taxpayer parcel, based upon selected sales to increase or decrease the total digest based upon the tax
As for appeals to the current board of equilization, I appealed a year or so ago, and in my view, one member asked good questions as to my claim of a lack of uniformity in like assessments while the other members pretty much “rubber stamped” the assessors value. I have not appealed since then. In my view, a waste of time.
As for east Alabama, vs Carroll County, were I choosing today, Alabama would be appealing.
The legal hucksters tell you the dollar value of the settlement, but not what the client actually got. One-third to one-half or more of the settlement goes to the attorney and “legal expenses”. Realistically, the threat of legal action will get a bigger settlement and less hassle for the client, but your insurance premiums will go up to cover the costs and we all pay.
because it had been carved by a monk of the Holy Mountain. In ink, around its sides, were written words, starting with “To my only grandson...” My mother believed it had protective powers and whenever I was sick, she made me wear it. Apparently the Heavenly Rewards, which my Papou Fotis certainly deserved, did not include sufficient earthly equivalents to cover expenses. This situation was described to me by Uncle George, when I first visited Heaven’s City in 1961. Until recently, more than 60 years later, I did not have a good understanding of what my uncle had told me. Back then, when I was in my mid-20s, I did not have the appetite to really listen to what he was saying, not even the mindset to realize that he was complaining and that he would not accept his father’s judgment of him. Instead, my heart’s appetite was always turning to the incredible setting of Heaven’s City. I had never, before or since, experienced such a pristine place, for at least 50 miles in all directions. In 1961, there wasn’t even a road to that town. The only road, which started at the district capital, gave out about 20 kilometers short of Heaven’s City, and travelers would have
The power of hope in difficult times: anchored in God’s promises
PASTOR hpitts@ mcmempowered.org
In moments of uncertainty, when the ground beneath us seems to shake and the future looms dark and unclear, hope becomes our most vital resource. Hope is not a flimsy wish or an optimistic outlook; it is a profound, unshakable trust in something—or someone—more significant than ourselves. For believers, this hope is anchored in the promises of God, as articulated in Scriptures like Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 15:13. These verses remind us that even in the darkest of times, God’s plans for us are good, and His hope will sustain us through every storm.
The Promise of a Future and a Hope: Jeremiah 29:11: Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the most cherished verses in the Bible, often cited for its comforting promise: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give
you a future and a hope.” The Hebrew word for “plans” here is מַחֲשָׁבוֹת (machashavot), which carries the connotation of thoughtful, intentional designs—plans crafted with care and purpose. God’s plans for us are not haphazard or reactive; they are deliberate and tailored to bring about our ultimate good.
This verse was initially spoken to the Israelites in exile, who had been torn from their homeland, their temple destroyed, and their future uncertain. However, amid their despair, God assured them that He had not forgotten them. His plans for them were still intact, including survival and a future filled with hope.
In our lives, we often face “exiles” of different kinds—times when we feel lost, displaced, or overwhelmed by circumstances beyond our control. In these moments, Jeremiah 29:11 becomes a beacon of hope, reminding us that our circumstances do not thwart God’s plans for us. His promise of a future and hope is as accurate today as it was for the Israelites then.
Hope as an Anchor for the Soul: Romans 15:13: Paul’s prayer in Romans 15:13 further illuminates the nature of our hope in Christ: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Here,
Paul identifies God as the “God of hope,” a title that reveals hope as a defining characteristic of God Himself. Hope is not just something God gives; it is part of who He is.
The Greek word for “hope” in this verse is ἐλπίς (elpis), which implies a confident expectation, a sure and certain anticipation of what is to come. This hope is not rooted in our circumstances, strength, or ability to see the future. It is rooted in God’s unchanging character and His faithfulness to His promises. Paul’s prayer is that we would be filled with this hope, not just to the brim but to the point of overflowing. This kind of hope is infectious; it spills into every aspect of our lives, touching those around us. It endures through trials, sustains us in hardship, and empowers us to keep moving forward even when the way ahead is unclear.
Anchored in Christ During Uncertainty: Hope in Christ serves as an anchor for our souls, as described in Hebrews 6:19: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” An anchor holds a ship steady in the midst of turbulent waters, preventing it from being swept away by the storm. In the same way, hope in Christ anchors us firmly in God’s promises, keeping us steady in the face of life’s challenges.
This anchor becomes crucial in times of un-
Note that most TV attorneys dress much better after a year or so on TV - example: the smiling face in the “one call that’s all” ad. Often, your case is passed on to another attorney and your “advocate” just keeps a referral fee. Currently, some advertisers make an acceptable return on their advertising costs only by referrals of those who call in to those who will take the case and those who refer get a part of any settlement. Everybody wants a part of any payout. Companies who sell a product and subcontract delivery should be avoided. Generally, the sellers pay the delivery people so little that the delivery people just want to drop it and go. Chairs are sometimes left in carports and mattresses leaned against a bedroom wall. Pay a little more and get better service.
As for my Democrat friends who may be considering Harris, would you really want her as commander-in-chief since she has done such an outstanding job as “border czar? Buy future Democrat voters as Biden has tried to push school debt on the taxpayers rather than the schools who ripped off the students. Who will pay those back that paid their own way? Do you prefer “buying votes” or just open the border to a path to citizenship? Were you taught that the USA is a “democracy” (mob rule) or a Republic (elected representative rule) Did your teacher know the difference?
Always look at the disclaimers. They will tell you who to avoid and realistically, there are a few straight forward ads that serve a practical purpose. A little thought will help you spot the
See ED WILSON page 19
cedwilson587@yahoo.com
to get out of the bus and wait by an improvised dock until a motorized sailing boat (owned and operated by a distant cousin of ours) would arrive and take you the rest of the way. And incidentally, just before that “end of the road”, there is an isthmus that the bus traveled on, which had the remains of the canal that Xerxes dug 2500 years earlier, during the Persian Wars. (It saved the Persian fleet a couple of hundred miles of sailing.) AND, just before the Xerxes Canal, there is a marker that shows the village where Aristotle was born. But, what my heart had really responded to was not that ancient history, but the incredible state of Nature: the air, the sea, the very light.
The sandy shore, a blinding white, was no more than 50 feet from our house, and soon I was going down there for a daily swim. Later in the morning, we’d all get in Uncle George’s boat and go across the bay to some islands and gathered lunch from our fish traps, and come back to cook it, eat it, and then...siesta. The sea was so clear, and the air shimmered... Today, here in Whitesburg, I’m lying in bed
See BILL BOURIS page 23
certainty—whether due to personal trials, global crises, or life’s general unpredictability. It reminds us that our future is secure in God’s hands no matter how fierce the storm. Our hope is not wishful thinking; it is the confident expectation that God is at work, even when we cannot see it, and that His plans for us are good.
This hope does not eliminate the trials we face, but it changes how we face them. With our eyes fixed on Christ and our hearts anchored in His promises, we can endure suffering with patience, knowing that it is not the end of the story. We can walk through the darkest valleys with the assurance that God’s light will guide us and His love will sustain us.
Living Out Hope: A Call to Action: Nevertheless, this hope is not passive; it calls us to action. Romans 12:12 encourages us to “be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Hope gives birth to joy, even during trials, because it looks beyond the present pain to the future glory that awaits. It fosters patience because it understands that God’s timing is perfect and His plans are worth waiting for. Furthermore, prayer drives us to our knees as we seek God’s guidance and strength to persevere.
As believers, we are called to hold onto this
See HARRY L. PITTS, JR. page 31
HARRY L. PITTS, JR.
Importance of continuing education after high school: a pathway to future success
PATRICK YURAN HEADMASTER
Oak Mountain Academy
As the new academic year begins, graduation is already on the minds of many. Students nearing the end of their high school journey will soon be faced with a critical decision – whether to pursue higher education or enter the workforce immediately. This choice can significantly influence career trajectory, earning potential, and personal development. In today’s rapidly evolving job market, continuing education –whether through college or industry-specific pathways – provides crucial advantages that can set individuals on a journey to long-term success. Pursuing higher education after graduation offers a substantial economic benefit. A college degree often serves as a gateway to higherpaying jobs and greater job security. According to a report by Seminole State College, businesses increasingly require post-secondary credentials for entry-level positions. This trend highlights the necessity of post-secondary education to remain competitive in the job market. College graduates with a bachelor’s or associate degree are more likely to secure employment, often with higher starting salaries, than those entering the
CLEAN VOTER ROLLS from page 19
the reason the Left has no desire to close the border. In April, Judicial Watch uncovered a voter application for non-citizens. Of course, this was for local elections in D.C., and similar voting actions are in San Fran, Oakland, some cities in Maryland, and Vermont. But this is the future for the Left.
Mike Lee (Utah senator) has introduced the Save Act (H.R.8281) to put legislation behind legal participation in the voting process. Most of it is common sense (and already on the books) but leaves a door open with the option to register with a picture I.D. (ex., driver’s license) and a valid secondary document. This action gets almost anyone on the rolls. Perjury is the punishment for dishonesty, but puts the burden of proof on local officials to verify the status or prosecute.
A common sense election integrity bill will never get by a left-leaning Senate even though most polls show Americans’ desire for a voter
Austin Witt, requested a drilled well. As I am the beneficiary of her decision, I’ll always be grateful to Wanda for her kindness which often dressed itself as pragmatism. The drillers went down 350 feet to find water in the aquifer below the cabin. Today, our well issues 12 gallons per minute, more than enough for our daily needs. Remarkably, my nearest neighbor’s well brings up 30 gallons per minute.
But just in case you thought it was safe to drink your well water, I did wonder what threats, if any, exist these days to Carroll County’s drinking water? Much as we pride ourselves on – and endeavor to preserve – the county’s rich agricultural heritage, runoff infused with fertilizers and manure is still a leading contender for water pollution, hauling harmful nitrates into the river, causing toxic algae blooms in watersheds in Georgia and around the world.
As I write this Ramble, the clanging from nearby Plant Yates is an audible reminder that fossil-fuel waste-products (think: coal-burning for electricity) can taint our water. I fret about the capped but still-unlined coal ash ponds at Plant Yates and the steady drip-drip of contamination
workforce immediately following high school graduation. The financial return on investment for a college degree remains strong. While the cost of tuition is a concern for many, the longterm earnings potential often outweighs the initial expense. For instance, individuals with a bachelor’s degree typically earn significantly more over their lifetime compared to those without one. This income disparity underscores the value of higher education as a tool for economic mobility and stability.
While traditional fouryear degrees are valuable, industry-specific pathways such as trade schools and apprenticeships also offer promising career prospects. Skilled trades, including plumbing, electrical work, and welding, are in high demand, with many sectors facing significant labor shortages.
Students can enter the workforce more quickly, equipped with practical, hands-on skills that are immediately applicable in their chosen fields. This expedited entry into the job market allows individuals to start earning and gaining experience while avoiding the substantial debt associated with a four-year degree.
. . . the job market is becoming increasingly competitive and specialized, continuing education after high school is more important than ever . . . the U.S. is experiencing a critical shortage of skilled tradespeople, with projections indicating a growing gap in the coming years. This shortage has led to increased wages and job stability for those who pursue vocational training.
According to a 2022 Newsweek article, the U.S. is experiencing a critical shortage of skilled tradespeople, with projections indicating a growing gap in the coming years. This shortage has led to increased wages and job stability for those who pursue vocational training.
Trade schools provide a cost-effective alternative to traditional college education, often requiring less time and money to complete.
I.D. is above 80%. Our elites are hesitant to make this happen.
Polls have shown that most people agree that the highest probability of an honest election would be everyone voting on election day. This action will not happen in our tech-savvy populace and would take years to get all states on board.
Eight states plus D.C. already mail out ballots to all registered voters.
Thirty-four states have “no excuse” absentee voting.
For those already in the workforce, continuing education is a vital component of career development. As industries evolve and new technologies emerge, staying updated through additional courses or certifications can give professionals a competitive edge. Continuing education demonstrates a commitment to professional growth, which can lead to promotions, salary increases, and job security.
According to Columbia Southern University, including continuing education on a resume signals to employers a dedication to staying current and improving one’s skill set, which is highly valued in many fields.
Additionally, continuing education can facilitate career changes without the need for a second degree. Many professionals use certificate programs or specialized courses to pivot into new industries or roles, making it
Even today, more than 200 lawsuits are still in progress. Many judgments are being overturned this year where states have tried to reign in liberal voting rules invented during Covid.
The chain of custody for ballots has continued to be suspect in any deep dive into election results.. . . Currently, records are to be kept for two years after an election. . . My estimate is that Trump would have to get 55% of the true vote to win this election.
This election will probably have many lawsuits about election integrity. After the 2020 fiasco, some major news organizations (like Fox News) may have learned their lesson with their monstrous payouts, and lawyers will be reluctant to join in after several being sued for making false statements.
into the soil. When the rain pours down, I fret even more about coal ash leaching into the groundwater, poisoning our water supply.
Then there’s sewage. The Chattahoochee River provides metro Atlanta with 70% of its drinking water. Lately, sewage has been released into the river more frequently, due to intense rainstorms that cause pipes to burst or spill. We experienced this firsthand when the recent R.M. Clayton treatment facility fiasco polluted our stretch of the Middle Chattahoochee River.
This month, a ruling was overturned, and absentee votes were permitted to be counted after the legislated deadline. Too little, too late - eight states have recently sued the Federal Government on the current administration’s executive order to make every agency an advocate for voter registration.
After the upcoming election, court filings will be numerous and have no significance for any conservative causes. If Trump wins, watching our current justice system in action will be interesting. Currently, the RNC has election-
a flexible option for those looking to adapt to changing job markets.
Beyond the tangible benefits of higher earnings and job opportunities, continuing education fosters personal growth and development. Engaging in lifelong learning helps individuals adapt to new challenges, develop critical thinking skills, and stay intellectually engaged. This continuous learning process not only enhances professional capabilities but also contributes to a more fulfilling and enriched life. Education builds confidence by expanding knowledge and skill sets. This confidence can translate into better communication, leadership abilities, and the capacity to navigate complex workplace dynamics. As noted by Seminole State College, the holistic benefits of education extend beyond the classroom, influencing personal development in meaningful ways.
In a world where the job market is becoming increasingly competitive and specialized, continuing education after high school is more important than ever. Whether through a traditional college degree or a specialized trade program, furthering one’s education opens doors to better job opportunities, higher earnings, and personal growth. A
s industries continue to evolve, those who invest in their education will be better equipped to adapt and thrive in their careers. For high school graduates, the decision to continue education is not just about securing a job; it’s about building a foundation for a successful and rewarding future.
related lawsuits in almost all of the blue states. Was the voting machine and software problem ever resolved? I have read many accusations, denials, and court judgments, but never any real solutions. My experience makes me believe a simple flash drive can change any system, and when you believe that “the end justifies the means,” this is not over.
The chain of custody for ballots has continued to be suspect in any deep dive into election results. I would need another 800 words here today to give the examples. Currently, records are to be kept for two years after an election. Corruption and influence peddling by (fill in the blank) in the United States is a multi-billiondollar enterprise that includes ties to American education, business, lobbyists, the military, and, of course, politics.
My estimate is that Trump would have to get 55% of the true vote to win this election. I fear that little has changed in the process, and it will continue to be corrupt for many years.
I fret about the capped but still-unlined coal ash ponds at Plant Yates and the steady drip-drip of contamination into the soil. When the rain pours down, I fret even more about coal ash leaching into the groundwater, poisoning our water supply.
Additionally, urban and rural development has caused a 40% rise in sediments in all the nation’s freshwater, as monitored by the National Academy of Sciences from 1900 to 2005 (think: our new rock quarry’s recent disturbance of the riverside ecosystem). When land previously covered by native vegetation is clearcut, the devastation makes for more runoff, since the soil is no longer bound by root systems. Deforestation and wildfires also contribute to sediment build-up in our waterways.
All these concerns are exacerbated by warming air temperatures that bring about a longer fire season and more rainfall. Hotter rivers simmer the fertilizer runoff, cooking up those stultifying algae blooms that threaten the animals and plants breathing life into our water. A dire situation to be sure. And not to add to the gloom, but you may have heard that recently the U.S. Supreme Court rolled back regulations on power plants, not to mention in-place protections for wetlands, which predictably can affect the health of our water and not in a good way. So, what is to be done?
Luckily, I remain an optimist, so I’m happy to report several turns of literal good fortune for Carroll County. The bipartian Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law in 2021 by President Joe Biden, brought $36,477,706 to our county. Nationally, the law allocated $125 million in federal funds for better access to clean drinking water, the improvement of waste-and-
stormwater infrastructure upgrades, and for general sanitation. These monies replaced toxic lead pipes in homes and businesses, and oversaw the removal of harmful chemical PFAs (longlasting per-and-polyfluoroalkyls) from our water supply. It should also be noted that the American Rescue Plan Act, signed by President Biden in 2021 as a balm for a COVID-worn country, invested $23,287,039 in Carroll County alone.
In February 2022, Senators Jon Ossof (DGA) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (DGA) co-sponsored legislation to protect the Chattachoochee. The Chattahoochee River Act will go a long way to preserving the viability of our drinking water not only in G,eorgia but also in neighboring Alabama and Florida. In Carroll County, the Act will facilitate the upgrade of necessary public works like water treatment facilities and the restoration of battered ecosystems along the river – all essential to the health of our water supply, also serving the needs of our agriculture industry and power-producing plants.
All this to keep that thin sliver of apple from disappearing down the gullets of apathy, denial, and greed!
RIVER RAMBLES from page 19
It’s the political season: Are we defending innocent children or defending politicians?
DUANE HACK
West Georgia Right to Life PRESIDENT
“The Heartbeat of Georgia” 470-370-2452
Duanehack46@gmail.com
Recent poll numbers on TV and online present the top issues of interest in America during this political presidential season of 2024 and were listed in order of significance to voters:
1. Inflation
2. Illegal Immigration Border Protection
3. Healthcare Needs
4. Jobs Economy
5. Abortion
6. Climate Control.
Being a member of the board of Georgia Right to Life (GTR) and president of West Georgia Right to Life (WGRTL), I consider myself a true Pro-Life individual. I align with a “no exception” doctrine, a benchmark of both GRTL and WGRTL.
Watching the recent political ads on TV and internet, it’s easy to see the “life-stance” of those running for political offices. Some candidates and organizations are more pro-life than others. Some don’t value pre-born children based on how they were conceived. The Pro-Life stance cannot be an area that falls into a gray matter category. Either you are or you aren’t Pro-Life.
The prefix “pro” is defined as “for, on behalf of, to promote”. When political talking points state “vote for me, I’m Pro-Life” that should include all life, from fertilization to natural death. Adding any exception, changes the word meaning of pro-life.
If you are for an exception, then you are not pro-life. If you’re for exceptions, that maybe you should run with the tag line of partial-life or “sorta’” for life, or say “I’m for life, but...”
The State of Georgia has never had a rape and incest exception until the “Heartbeat-Life Bill” became law. Up to that point, Georgia had
passed some of the best pro-life laws in America.
Georgia Right to Life is an uncompromising organization that bases our beliefs on Biblical teachings. Imago Dei is the basis and cornerstone to what we Biblically believe and can be found in Genesis 1:27. Imago Deitranslates to “made in the image of God” in Latin. It is a theological term in Christianity and Judaism teachings and describes the relationship between God and humans.
Candidates with exceptions don’t receive our GRTL PAC endorsement. Those who receive our endorsement are those who do not approve of rape-incest exceptions in legislation.
By adding these exception clauses in. . . “pro-life” legislation”, we’ve created a subclass of human . . . we have determined because of the process in which you were conceived, you do not have a right to lifethe right guaranteed by our 14th Amendment of the Constitution. Rape and incest exceptions violate the 14th Amendment.
At one time, Georgia was one of the worst in the nation concerning pro-life legislation. When GRTL implemented this uncompromising model years ago, they became ranked 4th in the nation by Americans United for Life - with no rape exceptions.
Despite seeing failures in Congress and Senate races, somehow National Right to Life (NRLC) and others still think their compromise strategy is effective, saying, “It’s the burning building - save the 99 in exchange for the one, while working to save all.”
But they are not working to save all. Instead, they shut the water off, sent the fire trucks home, and let the building burn with the one left inside. The compromisers have never gone back to save the one. They’ve established that the child conceived in rape and incest is an expendable casualty not worth defending.
Let me pause for a moment to put this into perspective: What if you who are reading this, or I, were the one conceived in rape or incest, and our life was terminated via abortion?
By adding these exception clauses in so-called “pro-life” legislation”, we’ve created a subclass of human. That, as a nation, we have determined because of the process in which you were conceived, you do not have a right to life - the right guaranteed by our 14th Amendment of the
Constitution. Rape and incest exceptions violate the 14th Amendment. You cannot legitimately support the 14th Amendment right to life while denying its equal protection for all human beings. Since the current heartbeat - or life bill - was instituted in Georgia in 2022, abortions are now on the rise! Individuals seeking abortions from neighboring states with tougher abortions laws than GeorgiaAL, MS, TN, SC, TX - are flocking here to have their abortions performed.
In a recent article in LifeSite News, abortions in Texas are at nearly zero, according to new data from the state. The Health and Human Services Commission report shows abortions “have consistently dropped from thousands per month to zero,” according to an analysis by Texas Alliance for Life. The report covers “the first 21 months following the United States Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs case - from July 2022 through March 2024.” Texas is considered a “most restrictive” state by the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute. “Abortion is completely banned with limited exceptions,” the think tank reported. The Human
Life Protection Act prohibits abortion except when there is “a serious risk of substantial impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant female.”
“Additionally, during this period, doctors reported performing 102 medically necessary abortions, with five reported in March, all in hospitals,” Texas Alliance for Life reported.
Whenever I hear “Save the 99 in exchange for the one,” I can’t help but think of the Parable of the Lost Sheep, found in both the books of Matthew and Luke. Jesus was all about saving the one!
Luke 15: 4-7 Jesus speaks about leaving the 99 to find the lost one. Verse 6 states “And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.” Jesus is concerned about his whole flock, not just 99% of the flock!
There is a superior strategy that is not only morally superior but practically superior because being 100% pro-life is the litmus test for how passionate a candidate is about protecting life. Being 100% pro-life means protecting the life of the pre-born and aged100% of the time…all of the time.
Georgia Right to Life and West Georgia Right to Life are proof of organizations that have unwavering convictions based upon Biblical standards - Imago Dei - which cannot and will not be compromised.
So, let’s punish rapists, not babies, and protect babies, not politicians.
and looking up at the ceiling above. The ceiling is pitched, following the roof that is above. The sensation I get, as I’m remembering my swimming in the bay of Heaven’s City is like an inversion of my lying in bed: I’m floating and looking DOWN at our ceiling, just as I’d done while swimming, so long ago. But in my imagination I see the white sandy bottom of that sea, and details of sea-life. And, one thing more. . .As the water gets deeper, the white-sandy bottom slowly goes to blue, and details of sea-life begin to disappear, and further out, the bottom is so far away you just can’t see it. It seemed that blackness ruled. This change could be sudden and fearful, especially when you realized you were alone out there. I’d noticed all that, the very first day I swam there.
Just before arriving at Heaven’s City I had been given my very first snorkel-and-mask set for my birthday. So ,while I was learning to use them, I was being careful for I’d never really seen the sea before, and as I’ve learned, never since! Each day I’d venture a bit further in the direction where the water got deeper, and darker. About day five, I felt I’d gone far enough and turned around with the intention to swim to shore, which was about a quarter-mile away. Sort of nearby there was a row-boat bobbing up and down, in the direction of the shore. “PLEASE. MISTER! THE BALL!! PLEASE, GET IT FOR MY BABY SON!!” And then there was a stream of explanation-babble. Then more begging.
I could see the big beach ball getting blown along on the water. It was very near. A few strokes and I had it. Then, it slipped from my hands and a gust made it skip a few feet away, and when I got near to it, again, a breezy gust made it lift and fly a bit. This time I realized that I had been swimming away from the shore, and there was a faint hint of exhaustion in my legs.
In the next part of the “chase”, that feeling turned real and was in my breathing.
Other than “after the ball”, there was no way to go! That’s how fixated my mind had become. When I grabbed it this time, I must have held on for dear life, and very soon there was a sound of oars’ groan-squeeks, and the damned ball was tipped into the boat. I hung on, trying to get a breath, suddenly realizing that my arms and shoulders were not obeying. “Get in.”
I don’t know how. Maybe with help, but all I was aware of was how difficult it was to get my first leg in over the side. Then, I think the rest of me must have followed, like a table-rag falling to the floor.
Here’s what I do remember, and I will not forget. I was sitting in the back. The boy, who shunned that - d#@! - ball, wanted his mother’s lap! But she must row and that made him crouch behind the prow, as if he’d caused everything to happen and he should be ashamed. (Maybe she was right. Maybe not.)
athletes, those kids we’re so proud of and want to keep safe. Marching band, I’m looking at you too out there in uniforms!
With summer conditions often extending later into the year, extreme heat is also a rising problem among the elderly, those who don’t have air conditioning, and people with sickle cell trait. If you or your organization has cool space and room to spare, consider opening a safe sheltered area for those who may be at risk when the heat index or air quality (pollution level) is higher than normal.
It’s not always obvious how serious overheating (whether indoors or out) is, so coaches, teachers, parents, leaders of congregations, and civil servants all need to know the signs of heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke and be prepared to respond appropriately.
Heat cramps: painful cramps, especially in the
Suddenly, as she’s rowing for shore, she says, “Are you the American nephew who is staying at the Bouris house?”
I say, “Yes.”
“Your mother’s name is Fanny?”
“Yes. Do you know her?”
At this point I was going to ask her name so that I could tell my mother all about this adventure, a kind of ‘Mama, guess who I also met?!’
But the woman says “No, I don’t know her.”
And she looks at me in a way that might have a touch of embarrassment, and in response to my new confusion, she adds “... the last time I saw her, she was dancing on the steps that went into the water. She was with her cousins and they were all dancing.” She names a few, and I recognize two, for they also came to America. They were my aunties!
“Your mother took her shoes off, to save them. She was dancing in her silk stockings, and I was a little girl, just looking.”
This woman, whose name I never learned, finished her memory of my mama with, “She was going to America. Her husband had sent for her. She was expecting their first baby.”
That baby would become my half-sister, baptized “Aphrodite”. So, mama and her cousins were dancing on the steps that went down into the water. It was the last time they were together in Greece.
Can you imagine? Sightseeing the beautiful depths alongside the Holy Mountain. Then almost drowning in the chase of a beach-ball, and ending up in a rowboat with a strange woman who is saying, though she never knew my mother, she remembers the last time she saw her, which was just before mama came to America (1926). All in a space that hadn’t lasted half an hour!
When I got back to the house, I told Uncle George of what had just happened. He asked about the woman in the rowboat, and as I added more details to her description, my uncle became agitated and mumbled curse words under his breath.
I had no idea what caused all this, and as Uncle George began to realize he was contributing to my distress and my confusion, he tried to explain, “and your mother and father, from the goodness of their hearts, who were in New York, buying a world of goods and packed them in boxes, hundreds of boxes! And would send them to any relative here because we were all in need!... One time, we were starving...”
Yes, I knew all that. It was World War II. But Uncle George was leading up to what happened immediately after the war in 1945. Greece went into its Civil War. Unlike our own Civil War, with its Mason-Dixon Line, the Greek Civil War took place in each city and village. In Heaven’s City, where my parents had sent hundreds of care-packages to relatives, those relatives had taken sides against each other!
legs, moist, flushed skin—move to a cool area, drink liquids with salt and sugar.
Heat exhaustion: muscle cramps, hot, flushed skin, temp over 100.4, nausea, vomiting, weakness, headache, fatigue—move to a cool area, drink liquids as above; if unable to keep liquids down, go to ER for IV rehydration
Heat stroke: warm and dry skin, temp over 103, rapid heart rate, fatigue, confusion, seizures, coma, and death are possible—call 911 without delay, cool cloths or ice packs to armpits and groin.
I DO enjoy the outdoors, and I hope you do too. Let’s all stay safe year ‘round and watch out for each other while we’re having fun. And if you ever stop to wonder, “What makes this spot so beautiful?“ or “Why is it so darn hot?” or “Why do I have so many new rules to keep up with?” well, you just might be an environmentalist.
Imagine, in this remote town, Heaven’s City, where parts of my mother’s family and of my father’s family had chosen to settle together because they’d been neighbors, for centuries, on islands in the now-dead Ottoman Empire. In Greece, the new land to which they had migrated in 1923, they acculturated and soon inherited its problems. After a few years they had became political enemies of each other! (In general, my mother’s family sided with the Royalists and my father’s sided with the Republicans.)
So, Uncle George was saying, “while your parents sent clothes and food to all relatives, some would turn around and inform on us to the King’s secret agents.” Turns out, that’s why George was cursing the woman of the row-boat! Uncle George actually believed that her baby didn’t throw the ball into the water. She threw it, and almost caused my drowning. (More cursing.)
That Greek civil war involved the biggest
players, Harry Truman and Joseph Stalin, and nowhere could you call their exchanges “diplomatic”. For a while, northern Greece was the pawn of the major powers.
So, you can understand, over the years, that half-hour, during which I almost drowned, has finally served to provide insight about how one’s personal story relates to greater history.
After that trip, I visited my parents in New York City. I reported every detail, including the woman in the rowboat. Mama’s reaction was, “She’s lying! When I danced on the steps with my cousins, that was not in Thessalonika. She’s lying!”
I then told her that I had guessed the city, because I’d forgotten that detail from what the rowboat lady had said. Mama nodded.
Later that day, after my parents and I had been conversing, for hours, Mama turns to me and says, “You know, I remember a little girl being there.”
Shepherd’s Corner
Succeeding on your terms takes more than ambition, talent, and hard work. It takes a partner that’s committed to helping you overcome all the complexities and challenges life throws at you. At Marsh McLennan Agency, we’re built to help you meet the future without limits.
CAROL BOYD from page 19
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Shirley F. Alexander, age 71, born November 27, 1947, died Sunday, July 14, 2019
Jerry Scott Shedd, age 53, died Monday, July 8, 2019
W Thomas Richard Barry, age 74, born October 22, 1949, died August 2, 2024
Shirley F. Alexander, age 71, born November 27, 1947, died Sunday, July 14, 2019
Tiffanee Dawne “Tiff” Cook, age 45, born October 12, 1973, died Friday, July 12, 2019
Robert Rae Craft, age 81, born November 13, 1942, died August 8, 2024
Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, born September 28, 1956, died Tuesday, July 9, 2019
David Ronald Simpson, age 70, born July 21, 1948, died July 09, 2019
Huey Wayne Conner, age 73, born September 16, 1950, died September 3, 2024
Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, born September 28, 1956, died Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Tiffanee Dawne “Tiff” Cook, age 45, born October 12, 1973, died Friday, July 12, 2019
Master Danny Joe Jones, Jr.,
Linda Nell Robinson Maple, born December 4, 1946, died August 6, 2024
James B. Dean, age 92, born September 02, 1926, died Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Shirley F. Alexander, age 71, born November 27, 1947, died Sunday, July 14, 2019
age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, died Thursday, July 4, 2019
James B. Dean, age 92, born September 02, 1926, died Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Zachary Van Buren McBrayer, age 25, born May 27, 1999, died August 29, 2024
Master Danny Joe Jones, Jr., age 2 months, born May 16, 2019, died Thursday, July 4, 2019
Hayleigh Curtis Salgado, age 23, born September 2, 2000, died August 28, 2024
Jerry Scott Shedd, age 53, died Monday, July 8, 2019
Tiffanee Dawne “Tiff” Cook, age 45, born October 12, 1973, died Friday, July 12, 2019
Jerry Scott Shedd, age 53, died Monday, July 8, 2019
Dwight Bishop, Jr., age 62, born September 28, 1956, died Tuesday, July 9, 2019
“Marjorie” Nell Lovvorn, age 86, born August 3, 1932, died Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Betty Jean Skinner, age 88, born October 29, 1935, died August 25, 2024
David Ronald Simpson, age 70, born July 21, 1948, died July 09, 2019
“Marjorie” Nell Lovvorn, age 86, born August 3, 1932, died Wednesday, July 10, 2019
David Ronald Simpson, age 70, born July 21, 1948, died July 09, 2019
James B. Dean, age 92, born September 02, 1926, died Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Zellie Fred Sprewell, age 94, born February 28, 1925, died Saturday, July 27, 2019
Eugenia “Genie” Culberson, age 83, born November 14, 1940, died August 4, 2024
Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, age 76, born June 05, 1943, died Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, age 76, born June 05, 1943, died Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Barry Bushon Dickerson, age 68, born September 7, 1950, died Friday, July 19, 2019
Barry Bushon Dickerson, age 68, born September 7, 1950, died Friday, July 19, 2019
Baby Faye De’Shae Nelson, born August 22, 2024, died August 22, 2024
Robert “Bob” Melvin Parr, age 83, born November 11, 1940, died August 3, 2024
Andra Dixon McGill, age 76, born October 18, 1941, died Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Rickey Lynn Sluder, age 63, born July 27, 1961, died August 29, 2024
Donald Brasseal “Don” Bonner, age 76, born June 05, 1943, died Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Zellie Fred Sprewell, age 94, born February 28, 1925, died Saturday, July 27, 2019
Zellie Fred Sprewell, age 94, born February 28, 1925, died Saturday, July 27, 2019
Evelyn Elaine Smallwood, age 76, born February 1, 1948, died August 19, 2024
Andra Dixon McGill, age 76, born October 18, 1941, died Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Barry Bushon Dickerson, age 68, born September 7, 1950, died Friday, July 19, 2019
Cora Yearty Holloman, age 83, born November 9, 1940, died August 22, 2024
Daniel Lance Walker, age 40, born September 18, 1978, died Sunday, July 21, 2019
John D. Brown, Jr., age 53, born August 18, 1965, died July 22, 2019
John D. Brown, Jr., age 53, born August 18, 1965, died July 22, 2019
Bobbie Jean Dodderer, age 84, born July 9, 1935, died Monday, July 22, 2019
Altameze Victoria Pendleton, age 66, born November 1, 1957, died August 2, 2024
Douglas Howell Ivester, age 75, born December 4, 1948, died August 10, 2024
Bobbie Jean Dodderer, age 84, born July 9, 1935, died Monday, July 22, 2019
Eugene Parker Mullis, Jr., age 70, born December 31, 1948, died Monday, July 8, 2019
Deborah “Debbie” Ann West, age 58, died July 22, 2019
John D. Brown, Jr., age 53, born August 18, 1965, died July 22, 2019
Eugene Parker Mullis, Jr., age 70, born December 31, 1948, died Monday, July 8, 2019
Marie Elizabeth Phillips Bryce, age 89, born September 14, 1929, died Saturday, July 20, 2019
Wallace Allen Worthan, age 56, died Monday, July 15, 2019
Doris Jean Jackson, age 93, born April 11, 1931, died August 23, 2024
Marie Elizabeth Phillips Bryce, age 89, born September 14, 1929, died Saturday, July 20, 2019
Anna Marsella Fazio, age 85, born on Jan 1, 1934, died Monday, July 8, 2019
Roy Lindsey Pitts, age 79, born February 20, 1945, died September 5, 2024
Anna Marsella Fazio, age 85, born on Jan 1, 1934, died Monday, July 8, 2019
Wade Pugh, age 69, born August 23, 1954, died August 8, 2024
George Lewis Turner, age 89, born February 28, 1935, died August 6, 2024
Daniel Lance Walker, age 40, born September 18, 1978, died Sunday, July 21, 2019
Daniel Lance Walker, age 40, born September 18, 1978, died Sunday, July 21, 2019
Bobbie Jean Dodderer, age 84, born July 9, 1935, died Monday, July 22, 2019
Earl Wayne Carden, age 80, born October 29, 1938, died Friday, June 28, 2019
Carol Judith Chapman, age 55, born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, July 7, 2019
Earl Wayne Carden, age 80, born October 29, 1938, died Friday, June 28, 2019
Robert Francis Lang, age 72, born June 28, 1952, died August 28, 2024
Harris Nell Griffin Jennings, age 83, died Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Oliver Charles Lucia, age 92, born July 18, 1932, died August 12, 2024
Marie Elizabeth Phillips Bryce, age 89, born September 14, 1929, died Saturday, July 20, 2019
Randy Lee Nichols, age 66, born June 24, 1953, died Friday, July 26, 2019
Harris Nell Griffin Jennings, age 83, died Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Randy Lee Nichols, age 66, born June 24, 1953, died Friday, July 26, 2019
Robert “Bob” Lee Rhodes, age 89, born April 20, 1935, died September 5, 2024
Deborah “Debbie” Ann West, age 58, died July 22, 2019
Deborah “Debbie” Ann West, age 58, died July 22, 2019
Dianna Morris Turner, age 82, born January 1, 1942, died September 4, 2024
Wallace Allen Worthan, age 56, died Monday, July 15, 2019
Anna Marsella Fazio, age 85, born on Jan 1, 1934, died Monday, July 8, 2019
Wallace Allen Worthan, age 56, died Monday, July 15, 2019
Elouise Ingram Weaver, age 84, born April 7, 1940, died August 19, 2024
Ara Bell D. Sanders, age 79, born August 06, 1939, died July 24, 2019
Earl Wayne Carden, age 80, born October 29, 1938, died Friday, June 28, 2019
Ara Bell D. Sanders, age 79, born August 06, 1939, died July 24, 2019
Carol Judith Chapman, age 55, born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, July 7, 2019
James Henry Wix, age 81, born September 28, 1942, died August 20, 2024
Harris Nell Griffin Jennings, age 83, died Tuesday, July 2, 2019 Master age 2 months, died Thursday, “Marjorie” 86, born Wednesday, Andra born October Wednesday, Eugene 70, born December Monday, Randy born June July 26, 2019 Ara Bell born August 24, 2019
Carol Judith Chapman, age 55, born June 24, 1964, died Sunday, July 7, 2019
Dear Editor,
You often hear the saying that “charity begins at home”. The quote is one that I’m very passionate about. The Bible has many verses that address this concept. The notion that a man’s family should be foremost concern is expressed in 1 Timothy 5:8 (KJV, 1611) “But if any provide not for his owne, and specially for those of his owne house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse then an infidel.”
My name is Denise Etienne Shackelford and I am the CEO of Giving Hearts Client Choice Pantry. A Client Choice Pantry module allows the customer to come into a grocery store atmosphere and select what they and their family would like to eat. (Not something we hand them in a box). Our customers are allowed to shop every 30 days, and meat is included in their selection of food items.
Giving Client Choice Pantry provides many services in our community and surrounding area. In addition to our Client Choice Pantry, we provide the following services:
• Bimonthly Mobile Pantry
• Senior Supplemental Food Program
• Children’s Backpack Program
• Emergency Food Boxes (for Agencies with clients)
• Provide a Satellite Pantry out of Mt. Calvary
CANDIDATE
State Representative DISTRICT 72 Democrat rodneymore1988@gmail.com
Hello to the great people of West Georgia.
My name is Rodney Moore. I am running for State House Representative 72. I would make an excellent choice as your representative because I know what it is like to work 13 hours a day 5 days a week to make ends meet. We need average Georgia people in office. I know what it is like to work in the gardens
Church in Whitesburg, GA
Our 2024-25 Projects:
• Satellite Pantry- First Baptist Church (Pastor Duncan)
• Satellite Pantry- Mt. Zion, GA
• Hispanic Outreach- Trailer Community
• Emergency Food Packs (homeless, displaced, hotel population)
As you can see, Giving Hearts Client Choice Pantry has grown tremendously over the last 14 months. In our Client Choice Pantry alone, we went from supporting 63 families (Feb. 2023); to over 1000 (Feb. 2024).
We have been blessed to find local retail support, other food bank sources, company, and church-specific food donations. We have been blessed this year to have been given a box truck, two new refrigerators from Whirlpool, and a $35,000 Equipment Grant from the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
The Equipment Grant funds (specific to equipment only) allowed us to do the following:
• do all Box Truck Repairs
• purchase much-needed shelving
• purchase Bags & Supplies
• purchase and install a walk-in refrigerated/ freezer ($28K)
The blessings bestowed upon us have been phenomenal. We have grown and expanded
so much that we have outgrown our current location. We are in the process of looking for a new home. Our must-move date is approaching. As nonprofits, we often seek missions work supporting those outside our own neighbors and community. I never understood this concept when we have equal if not more need in our own backdoor.
The purpose of this communication is to reach out to those of you who are active participants of our community and ask you one thing: to give your support.
We need your support to continue providing services funding is needed - this is where you come in! I am asking each of you to look deep inside your hearts and ask that you sincerely consider giving from the heart to Giving Hearts.
I am not asking you to come to a casino night, a ball, a gala, or participate in a silent auction or a raffle. There is nothing wrong with any type of fundraiser. I just feel that money spent to host
one of those events is money that can help feed hundreds of people in need of food.
We are asking each of you to commit to donating to our cause as a monetary donation. We would love to be considered a recurring donation, but appreciate anything you provide. Please help us support our cause as it relates to eliminating food insecurity. The need is real, and the cause is real. We are an all volunteer staff! Our passion and dedication are very real. We need you, and your support to continue our mission.
digging up potatoes by hand. My mother even has a bad knee from picking butter beans.
The reason I am running is to protect senior citizens. Not one senior citizen who is strictly on Social Security should ever pay for Medicare.
You have paid all your life. A Senior Citizen should receive $200 a month in Snap Benefits (Food Stamps) not $23 a month.
A senior citizen should pay a max $250 a year on property tax. We need to go down on single family home property tax. And charge the investors three times as much because they can right [sic] it off on their taxes, not us.
I would present these ideas to the state legislative committee to try to make them laws to help all of us. We must protect our weakest.
Vote Rodney Moore November 5th. www.rodneyforgeorgia .org rodneymoore1988@gmail.com
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Publisher- Susan M. Horn, P.O. Box 680 • Carrollton, GA 30112
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September is “Life Insurance Awareness” month
DERICK NEWTON FINANCIAL ADVISOR
It’s probably not on your calendar, but September is “Life Insurance Awareness” month. And it’s indeed a pretty good idea to be
aware of what life insurance can do for you.
Life insurance can help you in two main ways. First, life insurance policies offer a death benefit that can assist your family if you’re no longer around. And second, some types of life insurance offer the chance to build cash value, which can work for you during your lifetime.
Let’s look at the death benefit first. If something were to happen to you, your life insurance proceeds could help your family meet at least three major needs:
Paying a mortgage: The biggest expense many families face is their monthly mortgage. If you weren’t around, could your family continue paying the mortgage? Or would they have to move? With a sufficient life insurance death benefit, they could remain in their home, meeting the monthly mortgage payments, or perhaps pay off the loan entirely (although this might not be in their best financial interest).
Paying for education: If you have young children, you may already be saving for their
college education — because you know college is expensive. Without your income, would college, or some other form of post-secondary education or training, still be realistic? Again, the proceeds from an insurance policy could make the difference.
Paying off debts:You might have a car loan, credit card debt or other financial obligations. If your surviving spouse is a joint account holder for these debts, they could still be liable for paying them off. But insurance proceeds could be used to retire the debts immediately, or over time.
All life insurance policies offer a death benefit. But permanent insurance, unlike term insurance, also offers the chance to build cash value — which can be a valuable supplement to your IRA and 401(k) or other retirement accounts.
A cash value policy such as whole life also can povide flexibility for changing financial needs or emergencies in retirement. And here’s another key advantage: Because this type of policy provides fixed, guaranteed returns, it is not dependent on the performance of the financial markets and is thus insulated from the market downturns that can happen while you’re retired. So, taking money from the cash value of your whole life policy may help you avoid selling investments that have temporarily declined in value.
Keep in mind, though, that the premiums for a cash value policy will generally be substantially higher than those for term insurance. That’s why some people choose to “buy term and invest the difference” rather than purchase a permanent life policy with cash value. Whether this strategy is right for you depends on a few different factors, perhaps the most important of which is your ability and willingness to consistently invest the money you would have otherwise placed in a cash value policy.
In any case, should you choose cash value insurance, you generally have three ways to get at the money: withdrawals, loans or surrender of the policy. You’ll want to weigh all the factors involved — including taxes and the effect on the policy’s death benefit — when deciding on how to access the cash value.
Derick Newton is a financial advisor. 937B Maple Street, Carrollton, Ga 770-832-9515. Article was written by Edward Jones for use by local Edward Jones Financial Advisors.
Carroll County
PISTOL PERMIT APPLICATIONS
Number of Weapons Carry Permits applied for during the month of AUG. 2024 131
PRISON POPULATION
The Carroll County Correctional Institute is a separate entity from the Carroll County Jail (Detention Center). The jail houses males and females on a temporary basis.
Total population as of SEPT, 1, 2024: Carroll County
Carroll County
JAIL POPULATION
246
Jack T. Bell Detention Center
1000 Newnan Road, Carrollton
Total population as of SEPT 1, 2024: Males: 369 Females: 83
Carroll County BIRTHS
AUGUST 2024
Tanner Medical Center CARROLLTON: FEMALES: 45 MALES: 54
Tanner Medical Center VILLA RICA: FEMALES: 36 MALES: 46
Carroll County CATTLE RECEIPTS
August 12, 2024: 593
August 19, 2024: 830
August 26, 2024: 747
September 2, 2024: 946
Carroll County MARRIAGE LICENSES AUGUST 1-31, 2024
NEWS RECAP -
from stories on StarNews Online www.starnewsgaonline.com
Georgia Department of Public Health confirms 5th reported case of measles August19, 2024: The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has confirmed a measles case in a metro Atlanta resident who was not fully vaccinated. The individual was exposed to measles while traveling out of the country. DPH is working to identify anyone who may have had contact with the individual while they were contagious.
Measles is very contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Measles virus can stay in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has left the room. Measles symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus, typically including high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes. Then, a rash of tiny, red spots breaks out. It starts at the head and spreads to the rest of the body.
The MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine can prevent measles and rubella. The vaccine is safe and effective. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children receive their first dose of MMR vaccine between 12-15 months of age and a second dose between 4-6 years old. More than 95% of the people who receive a single dose of MMR will develop immunity to all three viruses. A second dose boosts immunity, typically enhancing protection to 98%.
People with symptoms of measles should contact their healthcare provider immediately. DO NOT go to the doctor’s office, the hospital, or a public health clinic without first calling to let them know about your symptoms. Healthcare providers who suspect measles in a patient should notify public health immediately.
This is the fifth reported measles case in Georgia in 2024.
For more information about measles, log on to https://dph.georgia.gov/epidemiology/acutedisease-epidemiology/vaccine-preventablediseases/measles or https://www.cdc.gov/ measles/index.html.
Secretary of State announces prosecution of cross-doubling voting in 2022 General Election
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced the prosecution of an alleged case of double-voting in the 2022 General Election. Following the 2022 election, the Secretary of State’s Investigations Division launched a probe following complaints of double-voting in that election. Using information obtained from Georgia’s membership in the Electronic Registration Information Center’s (ERIC) Cross State Voter Participation Project, the state identified potential instances of double-voting.
“Any illegal vote undermines a citizen’s legal vote,” said Secretary Raffensperger. “One citizen, one vote – anyone who tries to run up the scoreboard will be prosecuted.”
As a result of this investigation, the Secretary of State’s office referred a case of double-voting to the Forsyth County District Attorney’s office that successfully pursued an indictment against an individual who allegedly cast ballots in both Georgia and Arizona. The individual is alleged to have voted in-person during the Advance Voting period on November 1st, 2022 in Georgia, and then cast an absentee ballot by mail in Maricopa County, Arizona on November 5th, 2022. Maricopa County provided a copy of the individual’s oath envelope on which they swore to be an eligible voter residing in that jurisdiction.
Information gleaned from this investigation may also indicate that the individual has cast ballots in both Georgia and Arizona during multiple elections.
Carroll EMC offices closed for employee training Wednesday, September 18th
Carroll EMC offices will be closed Wednesday, September 18, for employee training. During this time, make payments at the kiosks, through the automated phone payment system (770-8323552), online at carrollemc.com or via the free Carroll EMC mobile app.
To report a power outage, call 770-832-3552 (Option 1) or report it online at carrollemc.com or on the Outage Pal app.
Carrollton Half Marathon: September 21
Carrollton Council Member Jacqulene Bridges completes 8 month course on equity and inclusion of all diversities
by Janice Daniel
The Mayor & City Council of the City of Carrollton met on Monday, August 3 2024 at 6:00 p.m. for their regular monthly meeting. All council members and mayor were present.
Mayor Betty Cason expressed condolences to the family of Taylor Woody, a Carroll County sanitation worker who was killed in a motorcycle accident, and asked everyone to remember his family in prayer.
Mayor Betty Cason expressed condolences to the family of Taylor Woody, a Carroll County sanitation worker who was killed in a motorcycle accident, and asked everyone to remember his family in prayer.
The Mayor also said that the Governor of Georgia Brian Kemp spoke last week at the Carrollton City Schools, and that the First Lady Marty Kemp spoke to the Carrollton Kiwanis Club meeting about the reality of human trafficking and how important it is to be aware of how children behave for indications of this crime, especially those children who seem reluctant to go home or are fearful of adults nearby.
Recognition was made to Council Member Jacqulene Bridges for completion of an eightmonth program of the GMA Municipal’s program for municipal leaders investing in equity and inclusion of all the diversities among the citizens they represent. GMA’s Freddy Broom was there to present the plaque and Certificate to Bridges, whose family was also there to show their support for her efforts.
Council considered a rezoning request for the property at 430 College Street from R-20 to RM-10 (Residential Multifamily 10 units
The Carrollton Half Marathon will take place Saturday, September 21st and will feature a few updates for the race’s fifth running.
“The 2024 Carrollton Half Marathon is almost here and none of this would be possible without the full support from the City of Carrollton,” said Race Director and SoleRoots Running Co. owner, Tyler Woodard. “This year’s race offers a new route, a new participant tracking feature that will enhance the runner and spectator experience and a new runner expo where participants can pick up their race number and visit with local vendors. With more than 600 runners, this year’s race is our first ever sell-out and we could not be more excited!”
The half marathon’s start time is 7:15 a.m. and will be held rain or shine. The 13.1-mile course starts at Adamson Square, then takes runners through the city and along the shaded, rolling hills of the GreenBelt. This year’s course includes a new section that is intended to make the course slightly easier and showcase more of Carrollton’s scenery.
Organizers also removed some turns near the end of the route and moved the finish line down the hill on Bradley Street by more than 100 feet. Runners will enjoy music and food at the Amp after crossing the finish line.
“Tanner Health is excited to sponsor this premier event for the fifth year,” said Tonya Fulks, outreach operations manager for Tanner Health’s Get Healthy, Live Well. “The City of Carrollton and the West Georgia Track Club do a wonderful job hosting and organizing this event year after year. We’re grateful to work alongside them to make our region thrive as a happy, healthy community.”
The new packet pickup expo will be held at the Depot on Bradley the day before the race, September 20, from 12 – 6pm.
energy, interactive entertainment, and a diverse, customized song list. Renowned as the ultimate party band, they deliver excellence from the first note to the final encore.
This year’s event features a special collaboration with Celebrity Chef Pat Neely, who will work alongside WGTC students to create a unique cocktail hour experience. Chef Neely is a nationally recognized television host, author, restaurateur, endorser, speaker, and entrepreneur, best known for his hit Food Network shows “Down Home with The Neelys” and “Road Tasted with The Neelys.”
“We are thrilled to offer a fresh and exciting twist to our annual fundraiser and excited to have the Platinum Band and Chef Neely help us create an unforgettable night of music and entertainment,” said WGTC Foundation Executive Director Brittney Wells.
Black Tie & Boots, the Foundation’s annual signature event, allows guests to support WGTC while enjoying dinner, drinks, and dancing. All proceeds benefit the Foundation’s mission, including its gap funding program, need-based student scholarships, and general institutional needs of the College.
“WGTC is fortunate to have the support of our community and industry partners, and we work tirelessly to ensure we are providing them with the skilled workforce they need,” said Wells. “Black Tie & Boots is not only a fundraiser but also an expression of gratitude to those partners who champion our college and mission. With food, music, and fellowship, it’s a fun time for everyone.”
For more information about this year’s event or partnership opportunities visit www.westgatech. edu/black-tie-boots or contact Brittney Wells at brittney.wells@westgatech.edu.
per acre). The applicant, Brian Hartley of Atlanta, representing TGC Acquisitions, said the property was at the intersection of Brown Street and College Street. TGC wants to improve the property by tearing down a dilapidated garage and building a carriage house with a onebedroom apartment above it. They will spoke of their plans to build two duplexes on the property, both with two-bedrooms. The Planning Commission recommended approval with the following conditions:
1. Construction should be architecturally compatible with the existing historic Victorian duplex on the site.
2. Due to the proximity of the lot to the intersection, onstreet parking is not permitted.
3. A waiver of the front setback not to exceed the existing setback of the duplex shall be granted for Brown Street.
4. Construction of the carriage house is contingent on the demolition of the existing dilapidated carport.
The rezoning was approved by council 5-0.
The Special Use Permit Request on the agenda was tabled at the request of the applicant.
After an Executive Session, the council voted to return to regular session. City Manager David Brooks requested a motion to deed property on Chalfont Circle, parcel ID C0203 70106 to the Redevelopment Authority for redevelopment and charitable purposes. The motion was made and approved by the council 5-0.
Individual or relay team registration includes a Carrollton Half Marathon t-shirt, finisher’s medal and free food and drink tickets for the post-race festivities. The West Georgia Track Club will award cash prizes to the first, second and third place overall male and female runners, who will also receive a commemorative gift. First place male and female in the Masters category will be presented with a commemorative gift and plaque. The top three in each age group and top three teams in the relay categories will receive a commemorative gift. All finishers will be given a finisher’s medal. Also new in 2024, participants this year who ran the first four races will receive a one-of-a-kind fifth year pin.
Athletes with a disability interested in participating in the race should email info@solerootsracing.com to discuss what accommodations can be made based on the runner’s specific needs.
Go to runsignup.com/Race/GA/Carrollton/ CarrolltonHalfMarathon.to register and for more information. All race proceeds benefit the Carrollton GreenBelt.
Race hosts are West Georgia Track Club and the City of Carrollton. The presenting sponsor for the 2024 Carrollton Half Marathon is Tanner Health System. SoleRoots Running Co., Ozier Apparel, Ra-Lin, Printer’s Ale, and Superior Mountain Water are also sponsors of the race.
For questions concerning this event, please contact the race director at info@solerootsracing. com or Erica Studdard, Community Development Director, at (770) 830-2000.
WGTC annual fundraiser: Black Tie & Boots to be held Friday, September 20th
The West Georgia Technical College Foundation has announced Platinum Southeast Premier Dance Band as its musical act for the 22nd annual Black Tie & Boots fundraiser. The event will be held on Friday, September 20, 2024, at West Georgia Technical College’s Callaway Conference Center in LaGrange.
The Platinum Southeast Premier Dance Band promises an unforgettable experience with high-
West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, and Troup counties and class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers more than 120 associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is one of the largest of the state’s 22 technical colleges. For more information, please visit www.westgatech.edu. New three story patient tower atop Tanner’s emergency department
Crews with Carrollton-based RaLin Construction are now swinging steel and building up the “skeleton” for the new three-story patient tower atop the hospital’s emergency department. The project will make it easier for the hospital to admit patients who need inpatient care, improving access for residents throughout the region.
“Our campus expansions are part of a master plan we developed to make sure we had the capacity for clinical growth and to serve our community for years to come,” said Loy Howard, president and CEO of Tanner Health. “When we built the emergency department in 2012, it was designed to support floors above it.”
The expansion will add almost 97,000 square feet to the hospital, allowing for 50 new inpatient beds and space for further expansion as needed.
Along with the new patient tower, the project is also expanding the campus’ central energy plant, providing more backup generators, boilers and other systems to support the massive facility expansion.
During the 24-month project, thru traffic on Ambulance Drive will be closed. Emergency department drop-off is available on Clinic Avenue, with free, 24-hour valet at the emergency entrance to facilitate traffic flow and make it easier for patients and their loved ones to access emergency care.
Access to emergency department parking is available in the Clinic Avenue Parking Deck by approaching Ambulance Drive from Dixie Street or Professional Place.
For more information on the project, visit tanner.org/construction.
Commissioners: discussion on Stewardship Fees for conservation easements gets testy
by Janice Daniel and Sue Horn
The Carroll County Board of Commissioners met on Thursday, August 1, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. for their monthly work session. All were present except District 4 Commissioner Steve Fuller.
An unexpected lengthy and somewhat testy discussion followed a request from Dee Perry, executive director for the Georgia Agricultural Land Trust (GALT). She requested an ACEP Stewardship Fee collection proposal of a 2.5% fee to be paid by future landowners who receive the conservation easement.
This easement requires a fee to cover the cost of the once a year every year in perpetuity monitoring of the farm (to verify that the recipient continuing to follow the conservation agreement). Currently, a flat fee of $750 for each farm each year is paid for this monitoring out of the Carroll County General Fund Community Development Budget which is taxpayer dollars.
several minutes asking what was not getting done now [with the $750 fee]. He said, “. . . we’re padding our pockets with a 2.5% advisory fee.” Perry responded, “It was pointed out [to us]that Carroll County should be doing this fee because you want to match what everybody else is doing.” District 3 Commissioner Tommy Lee said, “I feel that the 2.5% is extreme. That’s just my personal feeling.” Reynolds, “It sounds like it, but I don’t have any data. . . ” District 2 Commissioner Clint Chance agreed there was a lack of data, “should it be 2.5% or 7.5%?” . . .
Reynolds then said the Stewardship Fee should be based on the actual costs of the annual monitoring, and that “we already have a good idea of what those costs are.”
Perry responded, “I’m sorry this doesn’t fit in your logic.”
Reynolds said, “It doesn’t fit in anybody’s logic. . .
Perry’s request to the commission was for the fee to be paid by the conservation easement recipients and at a rate of 2.5% based on the value of the farm. For example, the conservation easement applicant of a farm in Carroll County currently listed for sale at $306,000 would pay $7,650 that would go into county’s Community Development Budget funds.
District 5 Commissioner Ernie Reynolds strongly objected to the increase stating, “I don’t like government to take any more away from people than they should.” Reynolds spoke for
Commission
by Janice Daniel
The Carroll County Board of Commissioners held regular monthly meeting Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. All were present with the exception of District 4 Commissioner Steve Fuller. Commission’s main discussion concerned an issue carried over from the work session where there was some disagreement about the ACEP Stewardship Fee Collection Proposal (see story this page.)
Stewardship fees are a normal course of business in the conservation easement world. These funds are usually paid by the landowner to the conservation easement holder (either a qualified land trust or a municipality), and are used to pay for required monitoring services, whose reports are due on an annual basis. These reports consist of a visit with each landowner, a tour of the property, photos, general descriptions and other information to assure that the landowner is still in compliance with the requirements of the conservation easement, and it has to be someone who is qualified to perform this monitoring and complete the associated reports that are required.
An additional part of this service is to answer questions from landowners throughout the year regarding their conservation easement deed terms and to assist new owners when a property is sold.
Carroll County did not collect stewardship fees on the first twelve farms that have entered into the county’s Farmland Preservation Program. The government took the fees out of the Community Development Budget (tax money collected from county taxpayers). Taxpayers funded twelve Stewardship Fees for twelve farms at $750 each, for a total of $9,000.
Stewardship duties have been performed by the Georgia Agricultural Land Trust (GALT). There is no one in the Carroll County Community Development Department currently qualified to perform the monitoring and associated reporting.
“the idea is behind this is that this is in perpetuity, and it’s a one time deal . . all the money happens on the front end . . so you either get it then or you don’t . . but a 100 years from now. . on the 100th year, there’s gonna be an evaluation [monitoring] done that year, too, whether it costs $750 still then or $7500 then,. . .so I think that’s where the roll of the dice and the gamble that Commissioner Reynolds was wanting some more clear data as to where did this 2.5% come from?”
Chance also made the point that taxpayer dollars should not be used - as it is now - to pay for the fees for the private landowners participation in the conservation easements.
Reynolds then said the Stewardship Fee should be based on the actual costs of the annual monitoring, and that “we already have a good idea of what those costs are”.
Perry responded, “I’m sorry this doesn’t fit in your logic.”
The stewardship fees do not benefit the county taxpayers, but only the landowners of the conservation easements. In just about every other county in Georgia and nationwide, the fees are paid by the landowners as a one-time upfront fee of their application approval. Industry standards range from 2% to 5% and would be in addition to the other fees incurred by the landowner, such as CE appraisal, legal fees, closings costs, baseline documentation expense, surveys, etc.
At the work session, Dee Perry, executive director for the Georgia Agricultural Land Trust (GALT), presented an ACEP Stewardship fee collection proposal of a 2.5% fee to be paid by future landowners who receive the conservation easement, to which District 5 Commissioner Ernie Reynolds strongly objected (see story this page).
District 2 Commissioner Clint Chance reported that he and Commissioner Reynolds had met with Dee Perry, Ben Skipper, and members of the AG Committee to better understand the proposal of 2.5% for the conservation easement participants.
As a result of this meeting, Commissioner Chance said they now understand that, since there are now around 20 easements that have been approved - which cannot be retroactively charged for the stewardship fee and will cost the county taxpayers approximately $15,000 at this point - with more applications in the approval process, they realize that the stewardship fee is becoming more substantial for county taxpayers to absorb, and also that the stewardship fund is in perpetuity.
The monitoring is required in perpetuity, and the money to pay for it has to be available from somewhere.
Commissioner Chance said the county should not have to absorb the cost forever, as it is going up due to the approval of new easements, and the benefits go only to the landowners involved
Reynolds said, “It doesn’t fit in anybody’s logic. . . this is taxpayer money and farmer’s money, so you should charge what it costs, you don’t bank money and save it in somebody’s bank account . . .oh, my word, so we’re gonna collect money and hold on to it for fifty years if by chance the fee goes up?! . . . this is ridiculous.”
Chairman Michelle Morgan said this item would not be included on Consent Agenda because she believed that Reynolds would vote “no” or “change the number [percentage]” at the following Tuesday meeting, to which Reynolds said, “I may be a lame duck [his term expires December 31st] but I can still quack!” She said whoever wanted to discuss this matter further before the Tuesday meeting to do so.
Consent Agenda was prepared for the following Tuesday regular meeting:
1. Major Craig Dodson, sheriff’s office, advised that the county board of education voted to fully fund two additional School Resource Officers (SROs) for the school district with cost at $174,900. One officer is already at Central Elementary and other at Temple Middle. Dodson said the school board is partially reimbursing for eight SROs, and they have added a $6,000 stipend for each. Goal is to get an SRO in each of the 24 county schools; other incentives have been offered to officers by the board.
helping inmates who are there from magistrate, state or superior courts for crimes related to substance abuse issues. He requested to use money the county has received from the ClassAction Opioid Settlement to support the new position, and after two years, they will reevaluate as to how well this position is helping achieve these goals.
3. Consideration of a Resolution to begin the process of abandonment of a portion of Arnold Road lying in land lot 292, the 7th Section of Carroll County, approximately 1,641 feet. The application for abandonment was presented by Betty L. Arnold, who stated that portion of the road is being used for all kinds of illegal dumping and other unsavory purposes, and the Resolution will allow notice to be issued to property owners located thereon, publication of the proposed abandonment in county’s legal organ as required by law, and hold a public hearing on the issue.
Chairman Michelle Morgan said this item would not be included on the Consent Agenda because she believed Reynolds would vote “no” or “change the number [percentage]” at the following Tuesday meeting, to which Reynolds said, “I may be a lame duck [his term expires December 31st] but I can still quack!”
4. Public Works Director Danny Yates presented a request to hire Tidwell Traffic Solutions to perform the striping of 207.72 miles of Carroll County roads at a cost of $2,069,236.38 which is the amount the county received from GDOT for this project. 5. Yates also presented a request to purchase two new mowing tractors: Kubota M7060 from Mason Tractor for a total of $89,800.
2. Major Dodson requested a position for a Substance Abuse Support position to focus on
and they should be the ones to absorb the costs. However, Commissioners Chance and Reynolds did recommend to the commission (agreed to by Commissioner Fuller via a telephone call) that Carroll County’s stewardship fee be set at 2% rather than the 2.5%.
The motion was made for a 2% stewardship fee for all newly approved conservation easement applicants going forward, with Carroll County named as the steward of these fees, which will be held separately in an interest-bearing account, and the motion was approved 6-0.
The amount of the fee can be changed by the commission, and can only be used for annual monitoring fees, associated paperwork, and any future legal fees to represent the conservation easement (if any) which should arise out of these processes. Motion was approved 6-0.
Consent Agenda was then approved 6-0.
Ben Skipper, Director of Community Development, presented a Rezoning and Conditional Use Request for 2650 Rockmart Road/Hwy.101, Z-24-07-01 and C-24-07-01, applicant Denise Hicks, Jane Sauls/Ronney McLarty, Commission District 3.
The applicant asked for rezoning from Residential to Commercial to build storage warehouses and storage space for RVs and boats on Parcel #144-0040 and #144-0258, Land Lot 262 of the 6th District. No semi-trucks will be allowed.
6. Commission requested for the legal organ dvertisement of a full rollback for the 2024 Carroll County Property Taxes.
Staff reported that previous use of the property was a commercial car wash, which a dilapidated structure remains on the property. In reference to a question from Commissioner Chance about a deceleration lane to the entrance, the applicant stated that they will comply with GDOT mandates.
Staff gave the following requirements: if approved, property must adhere to the County’s Corridor Development Plan Ordinance, and parcels must be combined.
There was no opposition and it was approved by the board 6-0.
The Carroll County engineer states that parcels are located within a Groundwater Recharge Area District, and any development there must comply with Chapter 38-Environment, Article IV-Post Development Stormwater Management for New Development and Redevelopment in MS4 Urbanized Area, section 38-63 Groundwater Recharge Area Protection.
Commission went into executive session, came out and returned to regular session to consider the following: motion to purchase 69.21+/- acres located at 2358 and 2365 Carrollton/Villa Rica Highway (Highway 61) for the amount of $2,664,585 to come from the Capital Projects Fund, to build a Carroll County Event Center for such purposes as concerts, trade shows, rodeos, etc.
Motion was made and approved 6-0.
30 StarNews September 15, 2024 www.starnewsgaonline.
VILLA RICA FULL ROLLBACK from front page on its millage rate adoption. Council voted unanimously to adopt a full rollback millage rate of 5.588 despite the recommendation from the finance director to keep the current millage rate. Property taxes in the City of Villa Rica will not increase.
City had also held a Special Called Meeting on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 for the purposes of holding the first and second public hearings. The first hearing was held at 10:00 a.m. and no one spoke. The second hearing was held at 6:00 p.m. where two citizens spoke:
Christy Chastain of Berkeley Drive said the legal advertisement in the paper said that keeping the same millage rate is still a tax increase, be-cause it is a tax increase, that that’s why the state of Georgia implement-ed this rule. In years when property values are not going up, the city will only have new growth and improvements to work with in calculating the rollback rate.
Joshua Evans of Clearview Street said the city is seeing new growth, so why not adopt the rollback millage rate? He also said that tax dollars should be put back into the community and infrastructure instead of buying “stuff we don’t need.” Evans expressed the money would be well spent investing in employees and their continuing education in their jobs.
The the second hearing was then closed as there was no one else who wished to speak. However, Mayor Leslie McPherson said there are other ways to bring in revenue, such as new businesses, economic development to bring businesses into empty buildings, $500,000 from Southwire may come in, and “maybe we need to cut back government spending.” She thinks the city never should have bought the Historic Methodist Church which requires upgrades.
Council Member Matthew Momtahan said the city’s digest has almost doubled in the five years since 2019 and he thinks the new develop-ments
that are needed to pay the TAD interest payment will come onto the digest in time to generate the money needed. Council Member Anna McCoy agreed the city needs more economic development while trying to not put more burden on the citizens. She said she looks at the historic church as a venue that will bring in revenue. “We could face hard times in the next few years, and a millage increase is bad if you have to do it then.”
Council Member Stephanie Warmoth said the majority of the work needed for the church will be done in-house and it is an investment for the city. “We could sell it for much more than we have in it.”
Finance Director Jennifer Hallman gave a presentation of the millage rate process which begins with the Tax Assessor’s Office where the Fair Market Value of property is assessed. Property includes real property, personal property, motor vehicles, mobile homes, timber, and heavy-duty equip-ment. The Tax Assessor’s Office then mails out the Assessment Notifications to notify taxpayers of value changes, and handles the appeals process.
Cities, county and school district establish their annual budgets and adopt, or levy, millage rates to fund each respective budget. Tax Commissioner’s Office then bills taxpayers, collects the money, and distributes back to each entity.
Tax Digest, the total value of all the property assessed in the City of Villa Rica for 2024 is $1.3 Billion gross, an 8% increase over last year, consisting of:
52.45% Residential Properties
25.99% Industrial Properties
19.84% Commercial Properties
1.72% Other Properties
Exemptions were calculated from $195 Million last year to $95 Million this year, causing the Net Tax Digest to come in at $1.2 Billion, made up of 56% Carroll County properties and 44% Douglas County properties.
Net Tax Digest consists of two types of
growth:
1. Reassessment/Inflationary Growth in the Fair Market Value of Property, which is 4.79% representing revenue of $285,000, and 2. New growth and improvements that add value to Property of 14.63% representing $870,000 of revenue.
In Villa Rica, the Total Digest Growth was 19.42%, resulting in an inflationary rollback number of .234. Subtracted from the 2023 millage rate of 5.822, the rollback millage rate comes to 5.588, the amount that has been advertised according to the strict rules of the State of Georgia.
Keeping the current millage rate of 5.822 would generate $285,000 revenue for Villa Rica.
Hallman reported that a possible error or oversight on the part of Southwire, who failed to file a Freeport Exemption for 2024, and has already passed the deadline for appeal, would result in an additional $500,000 revenue for Villa Rica, but that amount is not being put into the FY25 Budget due to the fact that Southwire may have a legitimate reason for failure to file the Freeport Exemption, such as it being lost in the mail, or some other reason acceptable to tax assessor.
Hallman said that staff is recommending to the council that the current millage rate should stay in place due to a large TAD fund repayment which is scheduled for January 1, 2026, and she believes the city will not have enough money in the TAD fund to make this payment without taking money from the General Fund.
This is due to several reasons, one of which is the TAD was established when the millage rate was 6.25, so a shortfall was experienced when the millage rate was rolled back last year. Another reason is that developments are not being completed and added to the digest as fast as had been projected. It is hoped that, as developments are completed and put onto the digest, this deficit will be reduced, but that depends on when new developments hit the digest in reference to when the large payment is due on 1/1/26.
Hallman also advised that the Homestead grant from the state last year, a result of money the state received due to the COVID pandemic, and which save taxpayers a measure of relief from inflationary assessments, would not be available this year. Hallman explained where the majority of property taxes are spent: majority goes to the school systems, a portion goes to the county government, and the rest is distributed to the various cities in the county.
Final adoption of the FY24-25 Budget of $56.9 Million with Revenues and Expenditures as follows:
TOTAL USES OF FUNDS $56,896,368
The City of Villa Rica has four major funds: General Fund, Water/Sewer Fund, Solid Waste Fund, and Stormwater Fund. Balance of the funds are listed under Other Funds, and the following shows the breakdown of classification of funds that make up the FY24/25 Budget:
See VR FY2024-2025 BUDGET page 29
HARRY L. PITTS, JR. from page 20
hope for ourselves and share it with others. Our hope in Christ is a beacon of light in a world filled with despair and uncertainty. It is a message of good news that the world desperately needs to hear.
Because of our hope in Christ, we can offer encouragement to those who are struggling, comfort to those who are grieving, and strength to those who are weary . . . Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans”
Because of our hope in Christ, we can offer encouragement to those who are struggling, comfort to those who are grieving, and strength to those who are weary.
Conclusion: A Future Filled with Hope: The
BEGIN NOVEMBER from page 4
will be a great benefit to any new person taking on the job of managing the city government.”
Reese said he was hired by Villa Rica as interim city manager for six months with a provision that either could terminate the contract. The position was never intended on his part to be permanent. He said he “came out of retirement to help”. Reese then said, “Bowdon presented an opportunity for me to continue to do what I love, which is to serve a community. I’ve been a public servant for 42 years and it’s what I do. I love people. My vision for Bowdon is to assess the city’s current situation and chart a course for improvement in the present and in the future. Bowdon is a beautiful community and I look forward to offering my services.”
Bowdon City Mayor Randy Saxon said, “We are excited to announce that we have hired Jeff Reese to be the City Manager for the City of Bowdon. Mr. Reese is currently serving as Interim City Manager for the City of Villa Rica. Therefore, his start date at Bowdon is TBD. He brings with him many years of expertise in city administration, including work in Parks/ Recreation and Downtown Development. He also served as mayor of Villa Rica at one time. We believe his many years of work in municipal government, as well as his demonstrated interest and knowledge of the unique challenges faced by small towns, will provide tremendous leadership as we work to move Bowdon forward.”
As far as his vision for his new position, Reese says, “Bowdon offers the rare opportunity for a community plan-ner to be proactive rather than reactive as it relates to smart growth. The rural community ‘feel’ and ‘friendly’ community atmosphere should be maintained. My main focus will be addressing the city’s water infrastructure, making the downtown more viable and pedestrian friendly and improving the city’s parks and recreation facilities. Bowdon is known as ‘the friendly city’ and it’s my goal to keep it that way.”
Per an Open Records Request with the City of Villa Rica to view the work contract between Reese and the city states that on June 26, 2024
The City of Villa Rica entered into a contract for Reese to be the temporary city manag-er for a term of 6 months beginning June 17, 2024. Either side can terminate the agreement at any time. The salary is $15,000 per month.
When asked if Reese was considered for the full-time position in Villa Rica, McPherson replied, “No, he was not considered for the job full-time. Neither did he want it. No comparison with the time demands and stress involved with Villa Rica compared to Bowdon which he can do with one hand. Yes, he informed us that he would be going. He called me personally weeks ago. “
Reese stated in conclusion, “The City of Villa Rica will always be my hometown and I love the people there. Over 22 years, I was a resident, employee, and mayor. I have offered to make myself available to help the city in the future as they deem necessary. I appreciate the support from the elected officials and the community and will contin-ue to keep the city, its people and the elected officials in my prayers.”
power of hope in difficult times is undeniable. The thread ties us to God’s promises, the light that guides us through the darkness, and the anchor that keeps us steady when everything else is in flux. Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 15:13 remind us that this hope is not fleeting or fragile; it is rooted in the unchanging character of God and His faithful love for us.
In a constantly changing and often uncertain world, we can rest in the knowledge that our future is secure in Christ. His plans for us are good, His promises are sure, and His hope will never fail.
Let us cling to this hope, fill us with joy and peace, and overflow into those around us, bringing light and life to a world in need.
