Council recognizes the retirement of Police Chief Greg Lovell
Business, City Council, Community October 6, 2021
PICKENS, Ga. — During the October Jasper City Council meeting, the council noticed the retirement of Police Chief Greg Lovell, and announced the renaming of Dixie Street to GG Lovell Street. A motion to appoint Matt Dawkins to Interim Police Chief was also approved.
Mayor Lawrence of Jasper read a motion that noted Lovell’s career achievements, and started the process for the renaming of Dixie Street saying, “The Mayor and city council would like to recognize Chief Lovell for his valuable contribution that he has made to his department and to this community.”
GG Lovell Street will replace Dixie Street
Chief Lovell has been serving his community for decades. First, as a member of the United States Armed Forces. Chief Lovell then worked with the Atlanta Police Department before moving to Jasper in 1996. Starting as a patrol officer for the Jasper Police Department, Lovell worked his way through the ranks and became Chief of Police in October of 2011.
Mayor Lawrence congratulated Lovell on his 25 years of service to the area, “I also want to give my personal thank you to Greg Lovell, who has done such a magnificent job for our city. It’s been a pleasure to work with Greg.”
During the meeting, Chief Lovell also gave his last police report to the council. Chief Lovell will officially retire on October 26, 2021.
Other Business
Jasper City Council also renewed an Intergovernmental Agreement between Jasper and the Pickens County Board of Elections. This agreement lets the Pickens County Board of Elections assist with running the city elections.
The council also entertained the consideration and approval of a repair project on Gennet Drive. Lonnie Waters explained the proposed repairs, and gave the council bids they’ve received for the project. The council agreed unanimously to table the motion for 30 days. The delay, the council says, will give them time to make a responsible decision regarding the finances of the project.
BOE updates Distance Learning and Calendar Survey
News December 4, 2020
JASPER, Ga. – With focused consideration for students “not on track” in classwork, the Pickens County Board of Education heard an update on Distance Learning from Curriculum Director Anita Walker.
Pickens is returning as many students as possible to in-person learning rather than virtual learning. Walker noted that they have had students “not-on-track” returning to in-person for multiple reasons varying from a dislike or disconnection with the Pearson program, including some technical issues the school overcame in the first part of the semester, to issue with difficulty of use and focus to scheduling conflicts with younger children who need parental help with the programs while the parents might be working full-time.
While the schools have some experiencing difficulties, many others are succeeding and progressing in the virtual learning. More success was seen in lower grades, Kindergarten to 4th Grade.
Walker did note, however, that she felt that in-person is usually going to provide better educational experiences for the majority of students.
During her presentation, Walker pointed out some details that may be contributing to those not on track with the program including time spent with the program. She broke down data specifically focused on those in that category based on grade levels and compared them to the number of students spending more or less that 30 hours a week on the program.
Touching on support for the program and changes to bolster their efforts to support students and families choosing virtual learning, Walker noted the teachers efforts such as a tutoring program that virtual and in-person students can take advantage of. They are also putting extensions on some class work to aid in students needing that.
On the other side, with about 60 students moving from in-person to virtual learning for various reasons, Walker said the school encouraged students and families to come in a go over the program so that they would no and understand all of the requirements and needs involved with the program before fully committing to virtual learning.
Distance learning was not the only discussion for the day, however, as the board looked closer at results from a survey over the school calendar for 2021-2022.
Nearing the mid-point of the school year, early discussion is already coming in for the next school year as Pickens County is going through the lengthy process of adopting a school year calendar.
According to Superintendent Dr. Rick Townsend, a survey was taken with input from students, parents, employees, and residents/business owners.
Of the 1209 replies to the survey, the boards report indicated that 500 were parents, 298 employees, 60 students, and 39 residents/business owners.
The vast majority emphasized a great importance on Thanksgiving and Christmas and not changing those breaks.
Additionally, 70% of the response said they would prefer a digital learning day for snow days or inclement weather rather than making those days up during winter break.
Many comments supported moving back the start date of school into mid to late August, but the board was told that hey would have to do away with several breaks to incorporate that change.
While the recommendation is set to be the same calendar as previously recommended, the board will be voting on the calendar next Thursday, December 10, 2020.
Jasper considers 2.125 mill increase in early budgeting process
News September 28, 2020
JASPER, Ga. – The City of Jasper is holding meetings with citizens to discuss plans to move forward with a major increase of its Millage Rate.
The increase being considered is a 45.6 percent increase over the 4.655 mills that the city has held for three years now. In 2017, the rate was set at 4.655 mills from 2016’s 4.683 mills.
The proposed Millage Rate for 2020 is 6.78 mills. An increase of 2.125 mills.
A comparison sheet shown by City Manager Brandon Douglas in the September 24, 2020, public hearing for the millage rate.
The last time the rate was raised was 2001 when it went from 4.630 mills to 4.710 mills. The last time the millage rate was over 6 mills was 1996 when it was set at 6.850 mills.
According to City Manager Brandon Douglas, he met with the finance department and department heads, they found that normal operating costs produced a preliminary 2021 budget held a deficit of roughly $551,000. He also noted that indications pointed to a two to two-and-half percent increase in revenues while expenditures increase at three to five-and-a-half percent per year.
Douglas said, “That is not a sustainable financial model.”
He went on to say that the city needs corrective action for the finances. The gap between revenue and expenditures that the city is seeing has come from not correcting these issues sooner.
Douglas also noted the importance of property taxes as they make up 30 percent of the total revenue budget for the city. Many of the sources of revenue that make up the other 70 percent are unknown or not directly controlled by officials and the city. This puts the point of the property tax as something directly controlled by these elected officials.
There will be another meeting of the city at 5:30 p.m. on October 5, 2020, to hear more from the public on the proposed millage rate as Douglas stated, “It is staff’s goal to work with the elected officials through this public hearing process to recommend and adopt a millage rate that is reflective of providing a balanced budget. It is not our goal to just simply adopt a 6.78 millage rate.”
He noted that by the October 5 meeting of the Jasper City Council, he hopes to have gotten with officials through their committees to identify “ways to reduce certain preliminary department budgets.”
As a part of the budget process, the millage rate is adopted before the budget is adopted. The plan for the 2021 budget, according to Douglas, is adoption on December 7, 2020. Working towards that goal. This process is way to see what the budget could look like in order to have the budget in mind while adopting the millage rate which must be adopted first before the actual budget is adopted.
Black Lives Matter rally comes to Jasper
News June 8, 2020
JASPER, Ga. – Protesting continues across many North Georgia counties as demonstrators rally in the wake of media reports on the death of George Floyd and other protests.
Tonight saw another of these rallies in the city of Jasper, Georgia, as police blocked off parking spaces and sections of side streets around the Pickens County Courthouse downtown. While some showed early and stood on the sidewalk with signs, it appeared like it would be a small turnout even after 4:00 p.m. passed.
However, less than twenty minutes later, a large group marched onto the lawn of the courthouse from the east, on Court Street. The march rallied into those already present swelling the numbers over a hundred strong.
Chants rang out of “Black Lives Matter,” “I Can’t Breathe,” and “No Justice No Peace” repeatedly as demonstrators held signs and cheered on as supporters would drive by honking.
Calling attention to a central point, protesters took a knee as they said it was to respect those present and to fight the “injustice” they were opposing. One of the first to speak, Jeff Samuel said, “What matters today is those of us standing here for equal rights and justice for all.”
Samuel said he was proud of Jasper and of those present at the protest standing for their beliefs.
Samuel led the push for more people to speak saying that all voices need to be heard. One by one, protesters stepped forward, taking the megaphone to speak to those gathered. Some spoke to counterprotesters as well.
Black Lives Matter protesters rally in Jasper, Georgia, on June 7, 2020.
Most of those speaking spoke specifically about the Black Lives Matter movement, George Floyd, and racism in America. Others spoke about race in general and the importance of equality in the nation. Some spoke thanks to officers present that were protecting them and their right to gather and speak. Nearly an hour and a half continued with speakers stepping forward.
Eventually, the protest heard from the three organizers of the event, Mack Thomas, Kat Phillips, and Maxie Woodall.
Offerings thanks for those attending, Thomas said it was everyone’s support that helped make the day what it was. He pointed out Kat Phillips saying that she was the one who went to Sherrif Craig to make sure the protest was safe.
Woodall spoke saying that she expected a handful of people to show up and to have a small group of mostly teenagers present for the protest, but never could have expected the number and variety of people saying it was “awesome.” She spoke about the names of victims, the names of black people who have died from police brutality.
Phillips offered one statement saying, “We are going to make a change.”
Black Lives Matter protesters rally in Jasper, Georgia, on June 7, 2020.
Some protesters split into a separate group playing music and dancing on Depot Street and offering more chants for the rally, moving to another end of the courthouse lawn.
Counter-protesters also came to the event, chanting and waving American Flags, Trump Flags, and one man playing the bugle in opposition to those speaking. However, the few that remained after the rally declined to speak directly on camera to address the counter-protests and their message.
Speaking after the rally, organizers Mack Thomas, Kat Phillips, and Maxie Woodall offered a few extra words to FYN about organizing the event and their interactions with police leading up to it.
Phillips said her experience with organizing with the police was a positive one saying, “They were so nice about it and the way he organized everything as our right was really nice. Craig actually did a wonderful job helping me with this.”
A sentiment echoed by Sheriff Donnie Craig who said he was pleased with the crowd and the way things unfolded at the event. Addressing online comments about needing permission, Craig said that the county and the city do not have a permit process, but that the opportunity to touch base with protesters about the event and their desires allowed him to better coordinate and work with demonstrators and their rally.
From left to right, Mack Thomas, Kat Phillips, and Maxie Woodall speak about organizing the protest and the turnout in Jasper, Georgia.
When asked about protesters thanking local law enforcement during the rally, Craig said, “That was a strong message to our local law enforcement.”
Handing out fliers and continuing along, the final moments of the protest were spent dancing with music played from one protester’s truck before dispersing peacefully for the night.
However, organizers said this would not be the end. Thomas said that the next step is continued talks with Craig and with officers, “We can’t do anything about racism unless something happens with the law.”
Thomas said that speaking to those with hiring abilities in these departments will express the people’s desires in their police force.
All three agreed that more protests could come until they are heard and a change comes.