slideshow

Larry Stanford

Editor

2012 was a busy year in Upson County, filled with many notable events. We have chosen to highlight the top news story (in our opinion) for each of past 12 months and present them to you as our look back at 2012. Below each of the stories are some of the other noteworthy headlines for that month. We are presenting our look back at 2012 in two parts. This first part, from January through June, ran in the Jan. 4, 2013 edition of The Thomaston Times. We now present the second part, from July through December.

July

Chairman predicts no tax increase

Upson County Commission Chairman Maurice Raines went on record at a recent Board of Commissioners meeting to assure the members of the community that there will be no tax increase this year. While real estate property values have been declining, the tax digest did not shrink as much as had been originally estimated.

n LOST negotiations based on service delivery duties

n Lynn Vickers honored on her retirement

n Adoption Day event is Saturday at Animal Shelter

n West County Road detour begins Wednesday

n City of Yatesville seeks ways to preserve records

n Thomaston-Upson African American Museum dedicated

n State’s first solar farm opens in Upson

n VFD’s present list of needs to BOC

August

‘A pig in a poke’ may send LOST negotiations to mediation or arbitration

What appeared to be a meeting in which the LOST negotiations would be concluded with an agreement suddenly ended Tuesday night with the agreement being called “a pig in a poke” by Commissioner Steve Hudson, and with questions of whether an agreement can be reached at all without outside assistance. Thomaston and Upson County had appeared to reach an agreement to leave the LOST percentages the same as they have been for the past 31 years, but at the last minute, Commissioner Hudson expressed doubt that the Board of Commissioners would approve such an agreement, leaving the issue undecided. · Winners grateful for voter turnout · Thomaston electric rates among lowest in state · Animal Shelter getting new visiting area · Several warning sirens out of service · BOC approves $3.9 million rollback · Man arrested following drive-by shooting · Kya Haywood honored at Thomaston premiere of ‘The Campaign’ · Yatesville installing signs to keep vehicles off of walking track

September

LOST negotiations headed toward mediation meetings

Upson County Commission Chairman Maurice Raines, Thomaston Mayor Hays Arnold and Yatesville Mayor Cecil Moncrief signed a ‘Notice of Mediation’ before the last LOST meeting. The three governments will begin mediation with an independent mediator on the split of the one percent LOST. If the three sides cannot come to an agreement within the next 60 days, the issue could go to ‘baseball arbitration,’ with each side presenting its case to a Superior Court Judge located outside the Griffin Judicial Circuit, and the judge making the final decision. · ULHS NJROTC presents colors at AMS · BOC, BOE, cities set millage rates · Animal Director proposing leash law for county · Kyle Hood reportedly leaving Upson County · State may deed armory to Thomaston · Thomaston agrees LOST should be used for property tax rollback · ULHS evacuated Wednesday after bomb threat

October

LOST headed to court

After many months of disagreements, negotiations and mediation between Upson County and the City of Thomaston, the issue of the LOST percentages will be settled in a court of law. The court system will select a judge from outside the judicial circuit to make the decision. The appointed judge will also decide if there will be a hearing or written submissions of the two proposals. The final decision should be made within the next 60-90 days, but no specific date is known at this time. · Upson gets grant for Early Warning System · County must release records to Thomaston · Upson County issues press release on consent order · Upson receiving many applications for county manager · Second bomb threat at Upson-Lee High School · Thomaston-Upson Archives among winners of Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities · Raines apologizes to residents for turmoil of LOST · The Ritz Theatre sets closing date

November

Blackson wins Chair; Kilgore wins Sheriff; Harper wins Clerk

When Upson County voters went to the polls Tuesday, they knew they would be electing a new Sheriff. But after the votes were counted, they not only had a new Sheriff, but a new County Commission Chairman as well. Former District 3 County Commissioner Rusty Blackston defeated incumbent Commission Chairman Maurice Raines by 407 votes to claim the post. Chief Deputy Dan Kilgore defeated Thomaston Police Officer Jeffery Little to become the next Upson County Sheriff. In the only other locally contested race on the ballot, incumbent Superior Court Clerk Teresa Harper defeated challenger Russ Bridges to retain her pos. · BOC approves sale of Logtown land · Cross Country teams qualify for state, make history · Billy ‘The Calm During the Storm’ Mitcham retires after 53 years as Upson EMA Director · ‘I’m tired of this penny ante crap,’ Yatesville Mayor vents frustration over LOST negotiations failure · Melody Gaskins is Teacher of the Year · Leash laws hampered by victims not testifying · PAC on schedule for May opening · Thomaston issues LOST statement

December

Wheeless is new Upson County Manager

Upson County has a new County Manager, with the Board of Commissioners selecting Jim Wheeless to fill the position that has been vacant for the last two months. Wheeless, an Upson County native, currently serves as Vice President of Academic Affairs for Savannah Technical College. Wheeless is no stranger to local government, having served on the Upson County Board of Commissioners, as well as the Thomaston-Upson County Board of Education after the two school systems merged. · Challenge made to help save Ritz Theatre · BOC sets budget of $13.6 million · James Searcy of URMC named ‘Hospital Hero’ · ‘Red Out’ Night at game Saturday honors Flowers · URMC named a top small hospital in Georgia · Accident sends car tumbling, two injured · Dan Kilgore is sworn in as Upson County Sheriff · Martha Anne McCarty named EMA Director