The Tri-County Journal
& Chattahoochee Chronicle
PO Box 850, 71 Webb Lane
Buena Vista, GA 31803
229-649-6397
tjournal@windstream.net
Visit the Home Page for a Complete List of Headlines from THIS WEEK'S issue of the newspaper.
By LINDA ADAMS
(From the January 24, 2007 issue)
Ellaville-Schley County Chamber of Commerce President Mickey Holloway welcomed all attending the annual dinner on Friday, January 19, at the Schley
Those recognized included Senator George Hooks, Representative Mike Cheokas and his wife Gaynor, Elaine Gillespie from Sanford Bishop's office, Dan Stone of Flint Electric, Jamie Lloyd of the Department of Labor, Debbie Pilcher from the City of Ellaville, Doug Redmond from Schley County, Sparky Reeves and Wally Sommers from South Georgia Technical College, and Larry Stubbs and William Johnson from the Schley County School System.
Holloway also thanked Jack and Shirley Graham for providing the sound system and Clint Long for the excellent steak dinner. Sharon Wall was commended for all the work she does in her position as office staff and Secretary of the Chamber.
The new President for 2007 is Deborah Poole. Milton Storey will serve as Vice President, Sharon McFather as Treasurer, and Sharon Wall as Secretary. Others on the 2007 Board are Randall Campbell, Joseph Eason, Lillian Flynt, Mickey Holloway, Sarah Wall, and Jeff Williams.
Jimmy Phillips and Renaye Robinson were thanked for their service on the Board of Directors as their terms have ended.
Reverend Ben Foxworth of Ellaville Baptist Church gave the invocation.
The Chairman of Schley County Commissioners, Danny Gattis, gave an update of what is going on in the County. He noted that of the 54 building permits issued, 31 were "stick-built" houses. Phase II of the Water System is one year behind schedule but will be bid in April and started in July. The delay will be beneficial because of lower gas and materials costs. County crews laid 7 miles of water line and added 97 new customers, most of them in Sumter County. This increased revenue allows for expansion of the line into the northern, less populated areas of the County. The County is applying for a USDA grant to build two new fire stations with matching funding to come from the new SPLOST funding, upon approval of the voters on March 20th. A new Post Office building is in the works with two locations having been presented to the Postal Service for consideration. One location is beside the County office on N. Pecan and the other is on the South side of Central Bank of Georgia. The landfill is showing levels of contamination which are going to be costly to remedy. The County is leasing land for a Florida firm to erect an antenna for an FM radio station which is trying to get established in the area.
Nathaniel Thornton, Mayor Pro-tem of the City of Ellaville, said that the goal of the City Council was to promote communication between the City and its citizens. Thornton will serve as Mayor pro-tem until the election on March 20.
William Johnson, Superintendent of Schley County Schools, related that he had spent some 36 years in the system, but that when he was Principal of the K-7th grade school, the student count dropped to 385. Now there are 1344 students in the system, 85 more than last year. Of the 160 employees, 96 are certified staff members.
"Our teachers are dynamic," Johnson bragged. "Beth Brewer, David Bond, and Joyce Owsley, got a $75,000 grant to establish a wireless classroom. They are using the laptop computers that came with the grant in the science classrooms. These students and their teachers were asked to go to Atlanta to set up a demonstration in the Rotunda of the Capital to show how they are using their computers.
Johnson said that the 2007 graduating class will be the seventh class for the new high school. He indicated that the kids are working hard in sports as well as academics.
Holloway asked for a vote to amend the Bylaws of the Chamber to make them more efficient and clarify the language. Joe Eason made the motion and it was seconded.
The incoming President, Deborah Poole, said that it had been a joy to serve under Holloway, that he had moved the Board forward She said that the Entrepreneur Friendly Designation that the County earned from the Department of Economic Development was due, in a large part, to his efforts. She pointed out that the growth from 2000 till 2005 was greater than in the past two decades.
"We want to keep the communication open between the City, the County and the School System," Poole said. "The Chamber wants to know where they can assist you, what they can do to help you. We want to be a service to the people, and to be a welcoming committee."
Don Sims, guest speaker, presented an informative yet entertaining talk on the background, importance, and use of Chambers of Commerce. He noted that the first Chamber was organized 6000 years ago and located, ironically, in what is present day Iraq! The first Chamber in this country was in Charleston, South Carolina and was started in 1773. He listed three reasons for a Chamber's existence: to promote economic development, to promote community development, and to influence the public agenda.
Sims joked that in answer to questions from those interested in locating in the area he had learned to say, "That won't be a problem." He said that he would work it out later. He said that chambers of commerce exist to impact the quality of life in the community. He also indicated that Schley County would follow the counties in the lower portion of the state in seeing people moving up from Florida because of high insurance prices and high property tax, despite the lack of state income tax.
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Below are headlines of articles that only appeared
in this week's print edition of the newspaper.
Letters to the Editor
* Welch likes the effects of Marion’s garbage system
* Yates has overall positive feeling about NSA in Cusseta
Local News
* No election to be called for Schley Clerk of Court
* Marion looking at expanding airport, moving ball fields
* Chattahoochee students correspond with President Bush
* Schley students to demonstrate technology for lawmakers
* Marion Sheriff’s Office moves toward use of radar
* Ellaville garage wins ‘Budget Bike Build Off’
* Local headquarters of Baby’s Dream adapts after fire at overseas location
* Partners Propane freshens up Ellaville Office
* Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade held in Buena Vista
* Schley ‘Baby Boomers’ mark milestone of the ‘Big 6-0’
* Preston’s Tyrer receives scholarship at SGTC
* Marion plans meeting to discuss Outdoor Rec Camp Ordinance
* Ellaville has new convenience store
* Celebrate Mardi Gras at the Marion County Library
* Marion County High School Honor Roll
* Preston stops posting minutes on website
* MCHS Eagles reel off 3 wins in a row
* Lady Eagles down Pike and Manchester
* Marion Family Connection plans Strategic Planning Meeting
* ‘ChatCo’ boys win against Brookstone and Pacelli, lose to Greenville
* CCHS Lady Panthers make strides against region foes
* Marion Middle School Honor Roll
* Gill makes Dean’s List at University of Mobile
* Schley Lady Cats continue to struggle, but improve
* Marion County receives dividend from ACCG
* L.K. Moss Primary School Honor Roll
* CCMS falls to improved Brookstone team
* Head Start to accept applications soon
* Price makes Dean’s List at Washburn University
* Webster plans Pre-K registration
* Springer to celebrate McCluller’s 90th birthday with play
* SGTC’s new sign symbolizes technical college’s mission
* Lakeview offering free GED classes
* Lowell is MCHS Student of the Week
* Treadwell is MMS Student of the Week
* Vazquez is L.K. Moss Student of the Week
* Drive back into the 1850s at Westville
* PLUS opinion columns, obituaries, church news, and advertisements!
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