Upson BOC Retreat In Columbus

Board of Commissioners Retreat

February 3, 2022

11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

February 4, 2022 

7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 

Hotel Indigo Columbus at Riverfront Place 21 14th Street, Columbus, GA 

Thursday, February 3, 2022 11:00 - 12:30 (Working Lunch) 

• Meeting Procedures/Operations 
• Joint Project’s Agreement 12:30 – 2:45 
• Dashboard Update 
• Capital Planning 2:45 – 3:00

Break 3:00 – 4:00 

• Discussion on Lost Negotiations 4:00 – 5:00 
• Discussion on the T-SPLOST Phase 3 project 

Friday, February 4, 2022 7:30 – 1:00 (Working Breakfast) 

• Discussion with IPG & Parrish Construction Group
• Discussion on the Judicial Center 
• Discussion on the Civic Center Project 

10:00 -10:15 – Break 

10:15 - 1:00 (Working Lunch)

Power Outage Due To Tree Incident

A tree cutting incident left a large portion of western Upson county without power Sunday evening.

The cedar, at what appears to be an unoccupied mobile home on Hwy 74, fell across the lines as it was cut down. No one was injured.

The Thurston Fire Department along with Upson S.O. and the State Patrol responded to the scene to assist Upson EMC in clearing the tree and restoring power.

Weather Advisory

VERY COLD WIND CHILLS EXPECTED TONIGHT AND SATURDAY

A FEW FLURRIES POSSIBLE THIS EVENING

Very cold and blustery conditions are moving into much of north and westcentral Georgia tonight and Saturday. Even a few snow flurries will be possible this evening, however no accumulations or impacts are expected. 

Temperatures will fall into the 20s tonight with northwest winds gusting up to 35 mph, resulting in wind chill values as low as 5 above zero. The blustery conditions will persist Saturday morning before temperatures moderate in the afternoon. Even so, wind chill values will remain in the 20s all day. 

Use caution and dress appropriately if you will be outdoors tonight and Saturday. Prolonged exposure may lead to frostbite or hypothermia.

Mike Bobo Returning To UGA

A Georgia native who played quarterback for the Bulldogs from 1994-97 and was an on-field coach for the program for 14 seasons, Mike Bobo is returning to the Georgia football program as Offensive Analyst, according to an announcement from head coach Kirby Smart Friday.

A veteran coach in the Southeastern Conference, Bobo spent the 2021 season as offensive coordinator at Auburn. He worked in 2020 at South Carolina as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after his five-year stint as head coach at Colorado State.

At Colorado State, he guided the Rams to bowl games in each of his first three seasons, making him the lone coach in program history to accomplish that feat. Bobo also joined Sonny Lubick as the only two to coach the Rams in multiple bowl games in their careers.

Overall, Bobo’s teams left their marks on the offensive record book at CSU, as his squads own three of the top six marks for total offense in a season as well as the school record for most yards per game in a season (492.5, 2017). His Rams also posted three of the top seven scoring seasons in CSU history.

Bobo spent all but one of the first 22 years of his adult life at Georgia as a player or assistant coach. While in Athens as an undergraduate, he was a record-breaking starting quarterback and then spent 16 seasons working for the program.

Bobo’s 14-year stint at Georgia as a full-time coach began in January 2001 when Mark Richt hired him as quarterbacks coach. Bobo had previously worked on the football staff in an administrative role in 1998, then as a graduate assistant in 1999.

Bobo was originally hired by the Bulldogs in 2001 under Richt as quarterbacks coach and remained in that role through 2007. He took on the task of being offensive coordinator in 2008 and stayed in that spot until accepting the Colorado State head coaching position following the 2014 season.

Bobo played a pair of seasons with Smart in 1997-98 at Georgia and coached alongside him in 2005 when Smart was running backs coach for a year.

During his time at UGA, Bobo helped lead the Bulldogs to 135 victories, including two SEC championships, five SEC Eastern Division titles and eight bowl victories. The 2012 Broyles Award finalist held the offensive coordinator spot for 92 games with the Bulldogs, scoring 30-plus points 57 times, 40-plus points 29 times and more than 50 points 13 times.

In fact, four of the top five seasons for average yards per game in history for the Bulldogs came under Bobo, including the school record mark of 484.15 in 2012.

Bobo guided several talented quarterbacks at Georgia, including Aaron Murray, Matthew Stafford and David Greene, along with wide receiver A.J. Green, running back Todd Gurley and many others. In all, Bobo helped mold four first-round NFL draft choices at Georgia: Stafford (No. 1 in 2009), running back Knowshon Moreno (No. 12 in 2009), Green (No. 4 in 2011) and Gurley (No. 10 in 2015).

Prior to joining Richt’s staff at Georgia, Bobo served one year as an assistant coach at Jacksonville State.

Bobo was a quarterback for the Bulldogs from 1994-97, throwing for 6,334 yards, the seventh-most all-time by a Georgia quarterback, and set several Georgia passing records. As a senior in 1997, he threw for 2,751 yards on 199 completions in 306 attempts and had 19 TD to just eight interceptions.

Bobo, a native of Thomasville, Ga., and his wife, Lainie, have five children, a son Drew, who is a recent Bulldog signee; triplets Olivia, Jake and Ava Grace; and Kate. His father, George, was a long-time successful high school coach in Georgia.

Beyond The Bell Appoints Johnson As Coordinator

Beyond The Bell has appointed Wanda Johnson as their new Region 6 Project Coordinator in Upson County.

Johnson received her Bachelor of Science in Human Services from Mercer University and a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis in Post-Secondary and Adult Education. She began using her qualifications by training childcare professionals and student teachers at Southern Crescent Technical College in Thomaston, GA. She then transitioned into a role as a Special Education teacher at George E. Washington Elementary School in Woodbury, GA where she developed appropriate learning center and instructional materials to facilitate differentiated activities and individualized performance tasks. Her most recent role has been a Life Skills Instructor for Roosevelt Warm Springs where she provided guidance and instruction in life skills needed for individuals looking to gaining employment.

“I am beyond pleased to start working with Beyond The Bell to start developing materials and programs that will guide the youth of Upson County to avoid the pressures of abusing drugs and alcohol. I believe that my experience has equipped me to be able to provide the tools they need to combat any negative messages that might hinder them from reaching their full potential,” said Johnson. “Beyond The Bell does such amazing work in Upson County and I am ready to dive headfirst into growing and developing the organization

Beyond The Bell offers programs in the local schools and community, including the Botvin Life Skills Training, which consists of a 7-week groundbreaking substance abuse and violence prevention program designed to promote mental health and positive youth development. Beyond The Bell also implements the “Positive Social Norms” campaign, which focuses on the fact that people’s behavior often is influenced by their perceptions of what is “normal” or “typical.” The problem is that people usually severely misperceive the typical behaviors or attitudes of their peers. For example, if people believe that the majority of their peers drink, then they are more likely to drink. Using social norms marketing to inform people that most of their peers do not drink can potentially lead them to avoid drinking.

For more information about Beyond The Bell, its programs/resources and success all of the impacted communities, please visit www.beyondthebellkids.org or visit any of the BTB communities Facebook pages.

Wiggins Receives Extension Service Award

Menecia Wiggins, administrative assistant for the Upson County University of Georgia Extension Office, was recently awarded the Recognition of Excellence Larry G. Willingham Young Secretary Award by the Georgia Extension Secretary Association (GESA). She was also named a board member and Vice President of GESA for 2022.

Eligibility requirements for the award include employment with University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service as a University of Georgia Extension administrative assistant for a minimum of one year but no longer than five years, payment of GESA membership dues six months prior to applying, and submission of an application that has been completed and signed by the administrative assistant, as well as their supervisor.

Menecia Wiggins has held the position of administrative assistant for the Upson County University of Georgia Extension Office for four years and has contributed a great deal to the role. One of her many accomplishments includes implementing an Empty Stocking Fund event in 2021.

Ms. Wiggins’ supervisor, Hailey Partain noted, “This past year, Menecia saw the need for an Empty Stocking Fund in the community, so what did she do? She got the dates set up, the advertisements out, and the boxes ready for individuals in the area to drop off toys for the less fortunate in our community. She made sure to keep the program local, so that that the children of Upson County would be the ones to benefit, as there is a great need here that sometimes gets overlooked. She is already in the process of planning for the 2022 holiday season.”

Menecia Wiggins was also named as a board member and Vice President of GESA for 2022. In this role, she will assist the President, as well as collaborate with other officers to ensure everyone is doing their part to keep GESA functioning at the highest level. She will also handle planning and implementing events for GESA, including their annual meeting held at the Macon Farm Bureau.

Ms. Wiggins shared, “Receiving this award is not an honor just for me, but for my community, the people I serve, and my office. I make sure to focus on having a positive image, providing great customer service, and getting things done in a timely manner. I like to think that my work speaks for itself.”

The Recognition of Excellence Larry G. Willingham Young Secretary Award is awarded one- time only. Administrative assistants who have held their positions for longer than five years are eligible for additional awards and recognition based on tenure.

COVID-19 REPORT: Thomaston-Upson Schools

Three weeks into the second semester, COVID cases in the Thomaston-Upson Schools have inched up a little each week. There were 27 total cases the first week, 29 the second week, and 31 last week.

Staff cases have outnumbered student cases each week. The first week there was only 1 student case, but there were 26 staff cases. The second week 12 students, 17 staff. The third week 11 students and 20 staff.

A mask mandate is currently in effect until Tuesday, February 8th, when the Board of Education will meet to decide whether to extend or end the mandate.

Thomaston-Upson School System COVID-19
2021 FIRST SEMESTER
MONTH	Students	Staff	Total Cases
August	207	67	274
September	61	32	93
October	2	1	3
November	1	1	2
December	0	0	0
2022 SECOND SEMESTER
WEEK	Students	Staff	Total Cases
Jan 3 - 7	1	26	27
Jan 10 - 14	12	17	29
Jan 18 – 21	11	20	31
https://www.upson.k12.ga.us/202122_covid_information

Historical Society Donates To Archives

Each year the Upson Historical Society donates $6,000 for the Thomaston-Upson Archives budget. The donation will go toward operational needs such as preservation supplies, security, ensuring a climate-controlled environment, and more.

Since the Archives' creation in 1996, it has received support from the Upson Historical Society along with Upson County, the City of Thomaston, and the Thomaston-Upson Board of Education. 

The Archives remains a vital resource to the area and through community support it will continue to preserve and protect our heritage for generations to come.

No Waiver For Pickleball Play

PICKLEBALL PLAYERS AT THE CIVIC CENTER GOT AN O.K. FROM THE UPSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, TUESDAY, TO PLAY WITHOUT HAVING TO SIGN A WAIVER AIMED TO RELIEVE THE COUNTY OF LIABILITY RELATED TO INJURY. THE BOARD AGREED TO POST SIGNAGE TO ALERT PLAYERS THEY PLAY AT THEIR OWN RISK. THE BOARD DECIDED ONLY ORGANIZED SPORTS WILL REQUIRE A WAIVER.

GARY SELF, WHO ALONG WITH MOST PLAYERS HAD REFUSED TO SIGN THE WAIVER, ADDRESSED THE BOARD AGAIN TUESDAY, BUT THIS TIME THE ITEM WAS ON THE AGENDA AND HE BROUGHT ALONG SEVERAL OTHER PLAYERS FOR SUPPORT.

COUNTY ATTORNEY HEATH ENGLISH ADVISED THE BOARD ANYTHING LESS THAN A WAIVER REDUCES THE COUNTY'S PROTECTION AND NOTED THE WORDING OF THE WAIVER IS SOMETHING UNIFORM STATEWIDE.

MARTHA MILLS PROPERTY DEAL IS OFF

THE THOMASTON-UPSON DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS ENDED ITS PURSUIT OF THE OLD MARTHA MILLS PROPERTY AT 325 GOODRICH AVE OVER AN ACREAGE DISPUTE.

IDA DIRECTOR KYLE FLETCHER SAYS SHE SPOKE WITH VIRGINIA ATTORNEY JOHN RUSSELL WHO REPRESENTS THE PROPERTY OWNERS TUESDAY FOLLOWING MONDAY'S IDA MEETING. RUSSELL ORIGINALLY WANTED $362,000 FOR 31.57 ACRES BUT RUSSELL THEN REVISED IT TO 28.47 ACRES AS HE WANTED TO SELL 3.1 ACRES TO JIM FRANKLIN WHO OWNS A BUSINESS AT THE FAR END OF THE SITE. HOWEVER, RUSSELL REFUSED TO REDUCE THE SELLING PRICE FOR LESS ACREAGE. DIRECTOR FLETCHER SAYS HER DIRECTIVE FROM THE IDA BOARD WAS TO PAY FOR THE ORIGINAL TRACT AND CLOSE WITHIN 14 DAYS BUT RUSSELL WAS NOT WILLING TO DO THAT. RUSSELL TOLD MS. FLETCHER IN THAT CONVERSATION TUESDAY, THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY IS OVER.

CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS HAD ATTEMPTED TO PURCHASE THE SITE BUT EFFORTS FAILED--AND MS. FLETCHER MANAGED TO GET RUSSELL TO THE TABLE AGAIN BUT IT HAS NOT WORKED OUT.

District Attorney Broder Reports

New Year Brings Hope for New Positions

I hope everyone has managed to stay warm through the cold spell we’ve had over the past few weeks. My family was lucky enough to be in the mountains when some snow came through a few weekends ago. As snow days are far and few between, it was a joy to watch my daughter make snow angels.

Back at the office, I am hopeful that we will see some new faces in the courtroom over the next few months thanks to Governor Kemp’s plans to provide additional funding to District Attorneys’ Offices throughout the State. In September, Governor Kemp announced that he would collaborate with the judicial branch and law enforcement to address, among other things, case backlogs caused by the pandemic.

For some context, you will often hear me discuss the issue of “backlog,” which refers to the volume of cases in the system that have not been resolved by a trial, plea, or dismissal. The pandemic caused our backlog to increase significantly because no trials were being held. More often than not, an upcoming trial is a motivator for the case to resolve. Without that incentive in place, many cases remained in limbo. My office worked diligently during the pandemic to make sure that our office would not be the reason that any cases languished. We charged and indicted many cases to push them to the stage of a case where the matter was now in the Court’s hands and the next and final step would be a trial.

Even with those efforts, there remains a need for more prosecutors to assist in helping to resolve the cases that accumulated during the pandemic. Unfortunately, our Circuit saw an uptick in crime during the pandemic, as did most every community across the State. This increase in crime came after many years of declining violent crime in our communities. To address this issue, the Governor has allocated $110,000,000 across the State to fund, among other things, additional courtroom staff, prosecutors, and public defenders. These funds will be allocated through a grant application process.

As a refresher, the District Attorney’s Office is funded by three separate sources: the State, Fayette, Spalding, Pike, and Upson Counties, and grants through the Federal Government. The State funds the salary of the District Attorney and a limited number of positions. The Counties fund other assistant district attorney positions, as well as the majority of the administrative staff. The Federal Government, through grant programs that allocate funds to specific purposes, pay for some positions as well. For example, our office receives a grant funded through the Violence Against Women Act, whose focus is on domestic violence.

While there are no guarantees that the new grants will be awarded, I could not pass on an opportunity for additional help in serving our community. I am pleased to report that I have already applied for funding to pay three temporary prosecutors to assist my current assistant district attorneys’ in further reducing any backlog and making our community safer. If successful, we will be further poised to tackle the challenges created by the pandemic and continue my goal of bringing swift justice to those who break the law. Until next time, stay warm and please be kind to one another!

UPSON CO SUPER BOWL PARTY

 THOMASTON-UPSON  CIVIC  CENTER  FREE  SUPER  BOWL  PARTY  SUNDAY  FEB.  13, 4PM.  CONTESTS,  PRIZES,  FOOD  AND  FUN. MORE  INFO 706-647-9691. WATCH  THE  GAME  ON  OUR  BIG  SCREEN.

EVANS FOOD GROUP CLOSING TURKEY CREEK

EVANS FOOD GROUP OF CHICAGO HAS NOTIFIED THOMASTON MAYOR J.D. STALLINGS IT PLANS TO CLOSE THE TURKEY CREEK PORK SKINS PLANT MARCH 23, 2022 AND A TOTAL OF 44 EMPLOYEES WILL BE IMPACTED. ACCORDING TO THE WARN CLOSING NOTICE SENT TO THE MAYOR AND STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, THIS CLOSURE IS EXPECTED TO BE PERMANENT.

EVANS PURCHASED TURKEY CREEK IN MARCH OF 2019. THE UPSON COUNTY COMPANY WAS FOUNDED IN 1977.

MAYOR STALLINGS, A MEMBER OF THE THOMASTON-UPSON DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SAID THE IDA WILL HELP THE TERMINATED EMPLOYEES ANY WAY THEY CAN .

UPSON'S COUNTY MANAGER AND HIS HERO

COUNTY MANAGER JASON TINSLEY WAS REUNITED WITH HIS HERO COACH MIKE CAVAN AT THE TRAVON WALKER EVENT, TUESDAY.

JASON WAS A STUDENT AT EAST TENNESSEE STATE WHEN MIKE WAS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH.

JASON GIVES COACH CAVAN CREDIT FOR REVIVING THE PROGRAM.

THE 1996 TEAM FINISHED SECOND IN THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE.

Kabir Patel U-L STAR Student

Pictured l-r: Dr. Larry Derico, Doyle Allen,  
Kabir Patel, Bethany Norris, Dr. Jarvis Price.

Kabir Patel, a senior at ULHS, has been named 2022 STAR Student for the Thomaston-Upson School System. The announcement was made Tuesday, January 18, by Mr. Doyle Allen at the Thomaston Kiwanis Club meeting. Thomaston Kiwanis is the local STAR program sponsor, and Allen is the STAR program coordinator for the service club. 

Patel selected Mrs. Bethany Norris as the 2022 STAR Teacher. Norris taught Patel Honors World History in ninth grade and Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History in eleventh grade. Patel is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Swami Patel. He plans to attend Georgia Institute of Technology.

STAR Student is that student with the highest score in one sitting of the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) taken through the November test date of his or her senior year. STAR Student must also be in the top 10 percent of his or her class based on grade point average. STAR Teacher, chosen by the STAR Student, is the teacher who has made the most significant contribution to the student’s scholastic development.

The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Program was created to focus public attention on Georgia's outstanding students and the teachers who have been most instrumental in their academic development. Now in its 64th year, the STAR Program has honored more than 28,000 high school seniors who have in turn chosen their STAR teachers to share in this recognition. Upson-Lee High School and the Thomaston-Upson School System are very appreciative of the support given to the local STAR program by the Thomaston Kiwanis Club.

Congratulations to Kabir Patel, 2022 STAR Student, and to Mrs. Bethany Norris, 2022 STAR Teacher!!! #ULProud #ULSTARS #STARstudent #STARteacher

Public Works Salting Streets

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CANCELLED THE WINTER WEATHER ALERT FOR THIS PART OF GA, BUT AS A PRECAUTION, CITY OF THOMASTON PUBLIC WORKS PUT OUT 4200 POUNDS OF SALT ON MAJOR STREETS FRIDAY. 

ITS POSSIBLE SOME ICY SPOTS COULD DEVELOP ON ROADWAYS SO MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO BE AWARE OF BLACK ICE.

Camp Named Vice Chair

State Representative Beth Camp (R-Concord) was recently appointed by Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) to serve as the vice chairman of the House Juvenile Justice Committee for the remainder of the 2021-2022 legislative term.

“I am honored to serve my constituents in any capacity and humbled to be appointed to this new role,” said Rep. Camp. “Children and young people are so important to our future. As a past school board member and a current board member of the Griffin CASA, this segment of our population has always been important to me. I look forward to serving with Chairman Ballinger on the House Juvenile Justice Committee as we address legislative issues that impact children and young adults.”

The Juvenile Justice Committee was recreated during the 2013 legislative session to serve as a judiciary committee specifically for juvenile related issues. It was previously known as the House Children and Youth Committee.

For more information on the House Juvenile Justice Committee, please click here.

Representative Beth Camp represents the citizens of District 131, which includes Pike, Lamar and Upson counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2020 and currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the Juvenile Justice Committee. She also serves on the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications and State Planning & Community Affairs committees.

2ND ARREST FOR IMPRISONMENT IN GRIFFIN

 Today, the City of Griffin Police Department arrested Sophia V. SimmBankston of Griffin in connection with the investigation of the unlicensed personal care home located at 102 Valley Road. Simm-Bankston, age 56, is charged with False Imprisonment. Investigators reported that the residents in the care home were between the ages of 25 and 65, suffering from different mental and/or physical disabilities. Those that were wards of the state or willing to be moved have been placed in care homes where they will receive the proper care and attention they deserve. The Griffin Police Department is asking that anyone who may have had a family member or loved one under the care of the Bankstons, either currently or in the past, please contact Inv. Clark at 770-229-6450, ext 544 or email Investigator Clark at cclark@cityofgriffin.com.

Spalding County Bridge Closing

Spalding County Public Works will close the bridge over Indian Creek on Jenkinsburg Road on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, and will be closed until further notice. 

The bridge has been deemed unsafe by the Georgia Department of Transportation, and during its closure, the Spalding County Board of Commissioners will explore options for repair or replacement. There will be no detour route, so please plan travel accordingly. For more information, call Tim Crane at (770) 467-4774

TRAVON WALKER VIDEO

 

Mid-January COVID-19 Upson Update

 January 15, 2022

 

·       For Upson County, the first half of January brought record highs for COVID cases, test positivity, and hospitalizations, breaking the records set during the summer surge of 2021.

·       580 new confirmed cases far surpassed the record high of 331 the last half of August.

·       Average two-week test positivity was at an all-time high of 26% the first half of September, and that record was shattered by a 40% positivity rate the first half of January.

·       The record for new hospitalizations moved up from 18 the last half of August to 19 the first half of January. 

·       On a bright note, there has not been a single new death recorded for Upson County since November 3, 2021. 

 

https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker

2021 Upson County	New Cases	New Deaths	New Hosp	Avg 2-wk Test Pos	% Fully Vaccinated
2021
May 16 – 31	11	4	0 (lo)	3.4%	24%
June 1 – 15	2 (lo)	1	3	1.7%	25%
June 16 – 30	4	0 (lo)	3	1.9%	26%
July 1 – 15	4	0 (lo)	3	1.1% (lo)	27%
July 16 – 31	33	0 (lo)	3	3.2%	28%
Aug 1 – 15	142	0 (lo)	10	15.3%	28%
Aug 16 – 31	331	1	18	22.6%	29%
Sept 1 – 15	219	1	6	26.3%	31%
Sept 16 – 30	105	11	9	20.3%	34%
Oct 1 – 15	32	7	5	8.9%	36%
Oct 16 – 31	17	5	7	5.1%	37%
Nov 1 – 15	17	4	1	2.6%	37%
Nov 16 – 30	11	0 (lo)	4	3.1%	38%
Dec 1 – 15	11	0 (lo)	6	2.2%	38%
Dec 16 – 31	208	0 (lo)	2	11.9%	38%
2022
Jan 1 – 15	580 (hi)	0 (lo)	19 (hi)	40.2% (hi)	39%
Sources: GA Dept of Public Health Daily Reports, and CDC Data Tracker