Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for August 9, 2023

On August 10, 1774, a group calling itself the “Sons of Liberty” met at Tondee’s Tavern in Savannah, the first move in Georgia toward what would become the Revolutionary War. The Sons of Liberty adopted eight resolutions, among those one that reads,

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That we apprehend the Parliament of Great Britain hath not, nor ever had, any right to tax his Majesty’s American subjects; for it is evident beyond contradiction, the constitution admits of no taxation without representation; that they are coeval and inseparable; and every demand for the support of government should be by requisition made to the several houses of representatives.

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That we concur with our sister colonies in every constitutional measure to obtain redress of American grievances, and will by every lawful means in our power, maintain those inestimable blessings for which we are indebted to God and the Constitution of our country–a Constitution founded upon reason and justice, and the indelible rights of mankind.

The first copy in Georgia of the Declaration of Independence was read publicly in Savannah on August 10, 1776.

On August 10, 1787, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completed “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.”

Missouri was admitted as the 24th State, and the first entirely west of the Mississippi River, on August 10, 1821.

On August 10, 1864, the bombardment of Atlanta by Union force continued, with Sherman writing, “Let us destroy Atlanta and make it a desolation.”

Herman E. Talmadge was born on August 9, 1913, son of Eugene Talmadge, who later served as Governor. Herman Talmadge himself served as Governor and United States Senator from Georgia.

The first Georgia state Motor Fuel Tax was enacted on August 10, 1921, when Governor Thomas Hardwick signed legislation imposing a one-cent per gallon tax.

Japan accepted unconditional surrender on August 10, 1945, one day after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.

On August 9, 1974, Gerald Ford was sworn in as President of the United States after the resignation of President Richard Nixon.

Ford, the first president who came to the office through appointment rather than election, had replaced Spiro Agnew as vice president only eight months before. In a political scandal independent of the Nixon administration’s wrongdoings in the Watergate affair, Agnew had been forced to resign in disgrace after he was charged with income tax evasion and political corruption.

In September 1974, Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes he may have committed while in office, explaining that he wanted to end the national divisions created by the Watergate scandal.

Red Dawn, the first movie rated PG-13 was released on August 10, 1984.

Wolverines!

On August 9, 1988, President Ronald Reagan announced his nomination of Dr. Lauro Cavazos as Secretary of Education, succeeding William Bennett. Cavazos was the first Hispanic to serve in a Presidential Cabinet position. Interestingly, he was born on the King Ranch.

On August 9, 1990, voters in the City of Athens and Clarke County chose to unify the two governments into Athens-Clarke County government.

On August 9, 1995, Jerry Garcia died of a heart attack while at a residential drug treatment facility. I remember where I was when I heard.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Governor Brian Kemp announced that Georgia broke its own records for economic development, according to a Press Release.

Governor Brian P. Kemp, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), today announced that for the third year in a row the state broke records for economic development during Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23). Between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, total investments in facility expansions and new locations totaled more than $24 billion, resulting in 38,400 new jobs through 426 projects supported by GDEcD’s Global Commerce team. When excluding the two largest projects in state history – Rivian and Hyundai Motor Group – from the previous year’s job creation figures, total jobs as a result of FY23 projects exceeded the previous record by more than 2,800 new positions. Annual investment totals have also increased by 131 percent over the last three years.

“The FY23 numbers are just the latest confirmation that what we’re doing on the state and local level in Georgia works,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Thanks to our partnership approach with community and economic development leaders and our pro-business approach, we’re seeing unprecedented opportunity come to communities all across Georgia. I want to congratulate the hardworking men and women of the Department of Economic Development and all those on the local level who made these record-breaking numbers possible. As the top state for business, we’ll continue to work together and build on the historic growth we’ve seen in the Peach State, especially in our rural areas.”

Eighty-two percent of new jobs created and more than $20 billion in investments are on their way to communities outside the 10-county Atlanta region. A magnet for industries like financial technology and life sciences, Metro Atlanta also continues to play a critical role in the state’s overall economy, attracting $3.6 billion in investment last fiscal year. Expansions account for 71 percent of total projects, and new locations for 65 percent of new jobs announced across the state.

“Economic development across Georgia is critical if we wish to remain the No. 1 state in which to do business and the best state to live, work, and raise a family,” said Lt. Governor Burt Jones. “The upward momentum over the last few years is part of a larger trend where Georgia has secured its role as an economic and business hub of the Southeast. We look forward to continuing to support cooperation and solutions-oriented initiatives.”

“Georgia’s continued success is no accident – it is the result of on-going public-private partnerships and our commitment to expanding opportunity for all Georgians,” said Speaker of the House Jon Burns. “Our state works with emerging and long-established industries alike on critical topics like workforce development and tax reform to maintain a pro-business environment. I want to thank Governor Brian Kemp and our Department of Economic Development for their efforts to ensure Georgia remains the envy of the nation.”

Under Governor Kemp’s leadership, Georgia has remained on the cutting-edge of the future of mobility. Between July of 2018 and July of 2023, at least 40 e-mobility projects have been announced, committing more than 30,000 jobs and over $25 billion in investment to the state. This past fiscal year, job creation in the automotive industry increased by 324 percent when compared to FY21, and suppliers attracted by Georgia’s mobility original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) resulted in over $2 billion in investment across the state in FY23. Mobility and cleantech projects alone delivered three investments of $1 billion or more and six of the largest projects by job creation – a result of fostering innovation in the state with the support of organizations like the Georgia Center of Innovation, which connects public and private partners in strategic ecosystems.

“Innovation drives a sustainable economy, whether that’s developing new techniques for existing industries like aerospace and agriculture or building an emerging ecosystem to support cleantech and mobility of the future,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “The Department’s mission is to identify opportunities, synergies, and solutions that will keep Georgia’s economy moving forward. By housing anything from film and the arts to trade and investment under one roof, we provide partners with a complete picture of what it takes to reach new heights.”

Another industry experiencing significant growth under Governor Kemp is aerospace, with investments in related projects increasing by more than 1,000 percent since FY21. The industry ecosystem, which overlaps with e-mobility through companies like Archer, includes top regional employers like Gulfstream. Georgia is also proud to be home to a large military presence, offering opportunities for defense contractors and a workforce that includes the fifth-largest population of active and retired service members in the country.

Furthermore, partnerships with community and state partners on speed-to-market and workforce solutions like the “Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development” (GRAD) certification and Georgia Quick Start programs spurred a 112 percent growth in advanced manufacturing investments since FY21.

“We are proud to work alongside our local communities to fulfill their unique long-term strategies, and without their diligent efforts our broad success would not be possible,” said GDEcD Deputy Commissioner for Global Commerce Kristi Brigman. “We are also grateful for the many partners who support the state’s superior logistics and infrastructure, education opportunities, high quality of life, and other assets. By continuing to work together, we continue to deliver positive results for individual Georgians and Georgia businesses large and small, alike.”

As a result of unparalleled assets like Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the busiest and most efficient airport in the world; the Port of Savannah, the single largest and fastest-growing container terminal in America; and the Port of Brunswick, one of the most utilized port terminals in the U.S. for roll-on, roll-off cargo; Georgia welcomed household name brands like Walmart-subsidiary Sam’s Club, work clothing retailer Duluth Trading Company, and another expansion by professional food service supplier WebstaurantStore.

Georgia also benefits from a reliable logistics industry that extends throughout the state along a robust network of top-ranked highways and accessible railways. With ample cold storage space, key sectors like agriculture – the state’s number one industry – and food processing are able to safely transport products to local groceries and markets across the U.S. and abroad. Agribusiness-related job creation grew by 29 percent compared to FY21.

Georgia’s position as a global gateway and partnership approach also led to greater direct foreign investments in FY23. The top international sources of job creation were South Korea, Finland, Norway, Japan, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. FY23 also marked the return of important international economic development missions led by Governor and First Lady Kemp, following a pause on such travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These crucial, work-filled engagements result in short- and long-term economic opportunities.

In FY23, Governor and First Lady Kemp traveled to Switzerland, Germany, Israel, the country of Georgia, and France. These missions included meetings with major companies, official diplomatic visits, and participation in the Paris Air Show. As a result of these and other engagements, international investments were responsible for 47 percent of expected jobs and 65 percent of the total investment this past fiscal year. Additional state missions focused on strengthening relationships were led by GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson as well as Deputy Commissioner for International Trade Mary Waters and Deputy Commissioner Kristi Brigman.

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce hosted its Congressional Luncheon in Athens on Tuesday, according to the Athens Banner Herald.

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce held its Congressional Luncheon on Tuesday for the first time in Athens in an event that included U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, Gov. Brian Kemp and three U.S. congressmen.

Kemp, who grew up in Clarke County, received a loud round of applause when he referenced the University of Georgia football team by commenting that, “Georgia starts playing in 25 days.”

Georgia Chamber President and CEO Chris Clark also spoke on Georgia’s strong economic growth and the issues it will face in the future, not only with competition from China but the need to restore the value of work in the emerging workforce.

U.S. congressmen sharing their views on economic issues were Rick W. Allen of Augusta, Rich McCormick of Suwanee, and Drew Ferguson of Newnan.

McCormick, who is a medical doctor, noted how healthcare is a major issue facing the country. He said that 26% of the national budget is consumed by healthcare and he never realized how big the problem was until he was elected to congress.

While he was there, Governor Kemp shared some thoughts on tort reform, according to the Associated Press via WSAV.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Tuesday that he wants to make it harder for people to file lawsuits and win big legal judgments, arguing that suits are driving up insurance and business costs.

“The laws on our books make it too easy to bring frivolous lawsuits against Georgia business owners which drive up the price of insurance and stop new, good-paying jobs from ever coming to communities that need them the most,” Kemp told the Georgia of Chamber of Commerce during a speech in Athens.

He argued that the state’s high auto insurance rates were among the harms.

The chamber has long supported limits on lawsuits, but their efforts have stalled in the legislature in recent years. Kemp’s speech signals that he will back the chamber, which endorsed his 2022 reelection.

Georgia lawmakers capped noneconomic damages including pain and suffering in a 2005 tort reform law, but the state Supreme Court overturned such caps as unconstitutional in 2010.

“Local trucking companies either can’t afford the insurance they’re offered, or can’t find a carrier altogether, and business owners live in fear of being sued for ridiculous claims on their property,” Kemp said.

Kemp said his call to “level the playing field in our courtrooms” will cut insurance premiums and help create more jobs.

From the Capitol Beat News Service:

“Our business environment should help businesses start, operate, and grow – not incentivize higher prices, smaller payrolls, and more red tape.”

Opponents, including the trial lawyers lobby and legislative Democrats, say the various bills that have been introduced have favored insurers and would have made it harder for victims of car crashes and medical malpractice to get their day in court.

While the governor argued tort reform would help businesses’ bottom lines in Georgia going forward, he also touted record successes in economic development in the Peach State during the last fiscal year. He said Georgia saw $24 billion in investment during fiscal 2023 in 426 individual projects.

More than $20 billion of that investment and 82% of the new jobs created were outside of metro Atlanta, Kemp said.

Georgia Chamber President and CEO Chris Clark called on Congress to strengthen federal research and development tax credits so the U.S. can head off China’s goal to dominate the development of artificial intelligence technology.

“China has made it a point in the last 20 years to be a leader in that space,” he said. “It’s vitally important that we have a vital R&D tax credit.”

Some patients seeking medical cannabis complain of supply shortages, according to the AJC.

Patients dealing with severe seizures and other illnesses have waited months in several cases to receive physician-approved ID cards that they need to legally purchase the medicine.

In help clear the backlog, the Georgia Department of Public Health recently added a call center, expanded the number of locations where patients can pick up their ID cards and started shipping the cards for overnight delivery.

Since Georgia’s first dispensaries opened in April, the number of registered patients and caregivers has increased by about 6,000 to a total of nearly 52,000, according to state figures. That number could grow substantially in the coming years.

Leslie Johns, who gives medical marijuana to her 21-year-old son Darrell to treat his epilepsy, said she’s still waiting for the ID card that she renewed for $25 in April. He used to have seizures daily, but since he started taking cannabis oil, he only has a seizure once every two or three months.

The call center has helped, and the number of weekly calls has decreased to about 200 from a peak of 1,000, said Dr. Chris Rustin, interim director of health protection in the Department of Public Health. As of Friday, there were 558 pending applications for low THC oil cards, many of which were awaiting patient verification of their IDs and addresses.

In addition, the government has increased the number of county health department offices where patients can pick up their cards, from 18 to 42 sites.

A new federal program could result in more immigrants being resettled in Metro Atlanta, according t0 the AJC.

Some Latin American and Caribbean migrants currently living in Mexico will be able to enter the U.S. through the refugee resettlement process, the White House announced late last month.

Part of the Biden administration’s broader campaign to reduce illegal border crossings, the move could bring a migrant influx in Georgia, given the state’s outsized role helping welcome refugees. Over the last 10 years, roughly 17,200 refugees resettled in Georgia, more than in all but six other states, according to State Department data compiled by the Immigration Research Initiative, a nonpartisan think tank.

Most Georgia refugees settle in Atlanta, a leading metro area for refugee placements nationwide, with many being drawn to the refugee haven of Clarkston in DeKalb County. Refugees have a path to U.S. citizenship, and they are eligible for government benefits not available to other migrants.

Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner Jim Beck (R)appealed his conviction to a federal court that rejected his arguments, according to the AJC.

A jury convicted Beck of 37 counts of fraud and money laundering, finding him guilty of orchestrating a scheme to embezzle more than $2 million from the Georgia Underwriting Association, his former employer. Prosecutors said the money helped finance his successful campaign for office in 2018.

The appeals court ruled that Beck’s arguments to overturn the conviction did “not have merit.” But the court agreed with Beck’s attorneys and prosecutors who said the lower court erred in requiring immediate restitution of $358,000 in back taxes, although the federal government will eventually be due the money.

Beck, a onetime head of the Georgia Christian Coalition, was indicted four months after taking office in 1999. He was suspended by Gov. Brian Kemp and drew about $200,000 in salary and benefits a year while awaiting trial. When Beck was indicted, Kemp appointed John King to replace him, so taxpayers were paying the salaries of two commissioners. Once Beck was convicted, the state stopped paying his salary, and King won election to a full term in 2022.

Under a constitutional amendment that easily passed in 2022, key state officials and members of the General Assembly will no longer collect their pay if they are indicted on a felony charge related to their performance in office. Officials who are exonerated of felony charges will return to their jobs and receive back pay. Since Beck was indicted and later convicted on charges for things he did before taking office, the change wouldn’t have applied to his case.

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Extreme Northwest Georgia) said she’s working on federal funds for sewer improvements in Whitfield County, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen News.

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, says she and other members of Georgia’s delegation to Congress are working on securing funds for Whitfield County for sewer expansion.

“Nothing is final yet (concerning the appropriations bill),” she said. “So I don’t want to promise anything before I’m certain. But there is one thing I’ve requested for Whitfield County that I feel very good about because (Georgia Democratic U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock) are on the same page and we are working together. It deals with wastewater expansion for all of the development that is expected.”

Whitfield County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jevin Jensen said county officials have been working with Greene and Ossoff to get sewer funding in both the Senate and House of Representatives versions of the appropriations bill. The bills must be reconciled into one bill before final passage.

“There is a plan to use these potential federal funds to build upon our current sewer expansion strategy that’s already in process today,” Jensen said. “The amounts are different (in each version of the bill), so I, too, am a little hesitant to say where it will go as it depends on the final amount — once it goes to conference. It’s been great working with Republicans, Democrats, Dalton Utilities and our staff for the common good of Whitfield. We are hopeful to have good news to share this fall when (the) federal budget is set.”

State Senator Billy Hickman (R-Statesboro) spoke about the drive to create Georgia’s Council on Literacy, according to the Statesboro Herald.

State Sen. Billy Hickman, R-Statesboro, lead sponsor of Senate Bill 211, which formally established the council, said visits he made to children in area schools, such as one in Metter last December with Candler County Schools Superintendent Bubba Longgrear, convinced him of the need.

Hickman had asked to meet a top student, a middle student and a lower-performing student in fourth grade, without regard to race or “what type of car their mama drives,” he said, and wanted them to read their favorite book to him.

“And let me tell you, people, if you believe our children can read, you need to go listen to three children at these levels,” Hickman said Monday. “You’ll learn very fast that two-thirds of our children in these grades are not reading on grade level.”

Senate Bill 211 called for Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and state Speaker of the House Jon Burns each to appoint Council on Literacy members fitting certain descriptions. Kemp designated Scott Johnson to chair the council. Johnson previously served 10 years as a State Board of Education member, through 2022, including a two-year term as its chair.

“Folks, we’re about to tackle Georgia’s most solvable problem,” Johnson told the council members Monday.

Senate Bill 211 is a companion piece to House Bill 538, the Georgia Early Literacy Act, which Kemp also signed into law earlier this year. House Bill 538 mandates training in “appropriate evidence-based literacy instruction” for some early child care providers, training on “the science of reading” for all public school kindergarten through third-grade teachers, and the use of “universal reading screeners” – in other words, standard assessments – to check the reading ability of students in those grades multiple times each year.

The legislation’s stated goals are “that all students read on grade level by the end of third grade” and “to create a literate workforce and ready citizenry.”

“It matters for their future. It matters for our state’s future,” Johnson said. “It’s an education issue, but it’s also an economic development issue, it’s a national defense issue, for our children to be proficient in reading when they leave the third grade. We know when we fail to do that that illiteracy leads to crime, arrests, prison and social dependency.”

State Rep. Rick Townsend (R-Brunswick) announced he will now work as Executive Director of the STAR Foundation, according to The Brunswick News.

“I am excited to announce that I’ll be joining the STAR Foundation of Coastal Georgia as the new executive director,” Townsend said. “We teach employability skills, financial literacy, soft skills, computer literacy and life skills to all ages.”

Townsend is well-suited for the job given his background. His experiences in the field of education include classroom teacher, school principal, education superintendent and coach. His career has included both rural and urban settings,and working with economically disadvantaged students as well as with those in wealthier sectors.

Townsend is the former CEO of the Golden Isles College and Career Academy, having retired after 10 years of service.

Elected to the state House in 2022, Townsend serves on the Education, Special Rules, and the Natural Resources & Environment committees. He was appointed to a legislative summer committee assigned to study technical education and the workforce in the state.

Legislation announced by Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R-Paulding County) and Lt. Governor Burt Jones (R-Jackson) would require minors to obtain parental permission before joining social media, according to the Associated Press via the Savannah Morning News.

“It’s important that we empower parents,” Anavitarte said. “A lot of parents don’t know how to restrict content.”

Anavitarte said Georgia’s rules would be modeled on a law Louisiana passed this year. That measure, which takes effect in 2024, says social media services must verify an account holder’s age and can’t let someone younger than 18 join without parental consent.

Arkansas, Texas and Utah also passed laws this year requiring parental consent for children to use social media. Some in Congress are also proposing parental consent for minors.

Anavitarte said he has briefly been in contact with Meta Platforms, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram. He and Jones said they would discuss plans with the social media giant.

The move comes after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned in May that social media hasn’t been proven to be safe for young people. Murthy called on tech companies, parents and caregivers to take “immediate action to protect kids now.” He asked tech companies to share data and increase transparency and for policymakers to regulate social media for safety the way they do car seats and baby formula.

Anavitarte also said he wants to strengthen Georgia’s law on cyberbullying. Existing law requires any student found to have engaged in bullying three times be sent to an alternative school. Anavitarte said he wants to revive his 2022 proposal requiring schools to warn students and parents that some acts of bullying could lead to criminal stalking penalties.

Gwinnett County has a program to help COVID-affected small businesses, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.

The county will begin accepting applications for its Gwinnett Small Business Grant program next month. The program is funded by a $6 million portion of the $181 million that the county received from the American Rescue Plan Act. Businesses that lost income or faced increased costs while continuing to operate during the pandemic can apply for grants that will range from $3,000 to $15,000.

“The Board of Commissioners recognizes the importance of supporting local small businesses that provide critical services, products and employment opportunities for residents in Gwinnett,” Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson said. “The County further acknowledges the adverse impact the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had on our community’s businesses and these investments will be a vital step toward revitalizing our local economy and ensuring our small businesses thrive.”

The size of the grant that a business could receive will depend on the number of employees it has, its total COVID impact and gross revenues as well as the number of applications that are received by the county and the funding available.

The Glynn County Board of Education voted for a partial rollback of the millage rate, which will still yield higher revenues and it thus considered a tax increase, according to The Brunswick News.

The Glynn County Board of Education voted Tuesday to reduce its millage rate by a quarter-point.

Even with the cut, the school tax for property owners will go up by about 5%.

The 15.650 millage rate will be reduced to 15.400 if the measure passes following public input opportunities.

Glynn County Schools saw an 11.77% increase this year in the tax digest.

Decreasing the rate by .25 mils will still provide the school district with around a $1.5 million increase. The school system will be required by law to advertise a 4.93% tax increase.

If the board had chosen to maintain its millage rate, the school district would have seen a more than $3 million increase in its budget. The board voted unanimously 7-0 to tentatively decrease the rate.

Even with the budget increase, [Superintendent Scott] Spence noted the costs of running the district will continue to go up.

“Food costs more, paper towels cost more. We provided raises to our employees,” he said. “So it does cost more money to operate.”

Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller proposed a significant rollback of the property tax millage rate, according to 13WMAZ.

In a news release, Miller says he’ll recommend a rate of about $10.7 for every $1,000 in property value. That’s more than $7 less than the current rate.

Most of that will happen due to Bibb County voters passing a special sales tax.

Miller promised a 5-mill rollback if that happened. The rest is possible due to rising property values.

If the County Commission approves Miller’s proposed rate next week, tax bills for most Macon-Bibb property owners will be lower.

Miller’s proposal comes after the Bibb School Board voted to roll back their millage rate last month.

Richmond County Board of Education will raise the property tax millage rate, according to WRDW.

The board announced Monday its intention to increase the 2023 property taxes it will levy by 10.67 percent over the rollback millage rate.

“When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia law requires a rollback millage rate must be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year’s digest that last year’s millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred,” the board said in the release.

The budget adopted by the board requires a millage rate higher than the rollback millage rate. Before the final millage rate is set, Georgia law requires three public hearings to be held.

From WJBF:

The Board wants to raise property taxes more than 10 percent above the current rollback millage rate in order to meet its revenue goals.

That means that, although the millage rate would increase, homeowners would pay $63.64 less in property taxes.

The math doesn’t seem to work on WJBF’s statement.

The Columbia County Board of Education plans to lower their property tax millage rate, according to WJBF.

Columbia County school leaders are lowering their tax rate for the third straight year.

Officials say this will result in property owners paying less school tax than the estimate they recently received from the Tax Commissioner.

The new rate will save the owner of a $100-thousand-dollar home about $15 dollars on their school tax bill.

Burke County Commissioners will consider whether to accept $22,000 in GoFundMe proceeds to help pay for raises for law enforcement officers, according to WRDW.

This all comes on the heels of county commissioners telling him his agency would run out of money in August, before the end of the fiscal year.

Private citizens donated the money to cover the pay raises. A few weeks ago, Williams developed a restructuring plan that included the retirement of some employees and consolidation of positions, while promoting other employees who gained responsibilities.

On Tuesday, Sheriff Williams wrote in an email to County Manager Merv Waldrop that his office was approached by a group of concerned citizens about promotions not being paid to deputies.

The problem with that is there are certain Georgia laws that limit any money going to a law enforcement officer from a private entity, according to the county attorney.

After several legal questions were exposed the sheriff quickly moved to saying he would disclose the names and amounts of the donors to the county commission.

“We’ll be as transparent as the law requires,” said Sheriff Williams.

From WJBF:

Commissioners say they are still concerned with how Sheriff Williams is using the agency’s funds.

The county attorney says there are protocols for approving money from different entities.

“That limit any money going to law enforcement officers from private entities and one of the things I was going try and get from tonight’s meeting was exactly who was going to give this money how it was going to be convey to the county,” said Berry Fleming, County Attorney.

Sheriff’s Williams says he’s choosing not to name the citizens and where the money came from, but it is legal.

“The money is going to be certified from what I read and studied I don’t see how it’s any different then somebody gave us a grant” said Sheriff Alfonzo Williams.

Sheriff Williams has also announce his candidacy for re-election in 2024.

Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams announced he will run for reelection, according to WRDW.

“It is with great enthusiasm and energy that I ask for your support for my candidacy for re-election to the Office of Sheriff in Burke County,” he wrote in a letter Tuesday. “Since January 2017, I have had the distinct honor of serving a grateful and supportive citizenry with an amazing team of men and women who are dedicated to servanthood, safety, and solutions. It is quite an honor and privilege and I desire to continue serving. These are the reasons I announce my candidacy for re-election in the upcoming 2024 election.”

“Namely, fear of crime and crime itself is down well below the state and national averages. We strengthened our community engagement through high-quality crime prevention and community-policing efforts. We leveraged our partnerships and relationships with community stakeholders to create greater public trust and citizen satisfaction with local law enforcement.”

The letter was sent to the media a few hours before county commissioners decide whether to accept money donated by private citizens to cover pay raises for employees he promoted in recent weeks. He developed a restructuring plan that includes the retirement of some employees and consolidation of positions, while promoting other employees who gained responsibilities.

Williams is also facing scrutiny by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. In April, News 12 asked the GBI about the nature of its investigation, and the agency replied: “The GBI handles criminal investigations which is consistent with this preliminary inquiry.”

The re-election letter was sent via email by the Burke County Sheriff’s Office public information officer from the same email domain used in official correspondence. It’s unclear where Georgia law stands on that matter.

Dougherty County officials say pandemic-era release policies lead to better outcomes, according to the Albany Herald.

Obviously, those deemed flight risks or charged in violent cases couldn’t be released, but the jail staff and Superior Court judges made it easier for inmates considered low-risk to be released to reduce the chances of infection.

“We did try to encourage other alternatives: for judges to give low bond amounts or just to (release) and tell them their court date,” Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office Col. Jon Ostrander, who oversees jail operations, said. “I think the county is trying to impose citations instead of taking them to jail.”

That practice is still being followed to some extent, a policy that has shown some benefits. Again, alternative penalties does not apply to violent offenders and those accused of serious crimes.

Today, the average daily jail population is about the same as before COVID struck, at about 750, but that includes inmates who are being held for Worth County, which had to close its jail, Ostrander said. The maximum capacity for the facility is 1,230. The jail charges other jurisdictions $54 per day per inmate for housing.

“Seventy-five percent of the jail population is pre-trial,” Ostrander said. “Here’s the hope for the future: If we have learned during COVID that jails are not for housing some people who are not flight risks or violent offenders, after COVID came down we could see jail numbers come down to historic levels.”

“The jail is walking away the county’s highest-cost item,” he said. “It’s labor intensive. There’s great liability. It makes sense to reduce the population.”

“When we get upwards to about 1,000 (inmates), it becomes difficult to maintain people in the proper classification. We call that our operational capacity, which is about 80% of our capacity.”

Former Savannah-Chatham County School Superintendent Dr. Ann Levett was sworn in to the Board of the Housing Authority of Savannah, according to WTOC.

Perry Police Chief Alan Everidge discussed how co-responder teams pairing mental health professionals with law enforcement can lead to better outcomes, according to 13WMAZ.

Mental health is one of the greatest challenges law enforcement deals with today, according to Perry Police Chief Alan Everidge.

During a meeting with Middle Flint Behavioral Healthcare Monday morning, the chief discussed how to oversee the crisis response team they’ve had plans to launch.

In the middle of that conversation, Everidge got a phone call about a “highly-agitated person” who barricaded themselves in a unit at Houston Lake Apartments.

“As the conversation with 911 continued, the party made some statements about harming other people,” Chief Everidge said. “So our officers were dispatched.”

[Chief Clinical Officer Willie] Green[e] said they were able to execute a 1013, which is the signal meant to help those in need of receiving mental health treatment during an emergency.

The timing of the incident allowed the mental health professionals to advise Perry Police officers and deputies from the Houston County Sheriff’s Office on how to deal with mental health issues as first responders.

Instead of criminalizing a crisis, mental health professionals say that if you treat people’s mental health issues, they can get better.

Chief Everidge said the biggest issue in these crises is the available resources, which are limited for both law enforcement and mental health professionals.

South Georgia Republican politico Keith Stone opened a meat market in Sparks, according to WALB.

Sparks Meat and More is the first locally owned and operated meat store in Sparks. Owner Keith Stone says that he loves to support local farmers and have fresh meat to provide to the public.

“People were begging us to come up to the Sparks-Lenox area, because it’s a food dessert. We looked at the area and found that Sparks needed somewhere to get good quality food,” Stone said.

“We purchase beef locally, so it’s farm fresh local grown meat. Dan Forth and ACE, they also do their own processing that’s also processed here locally, either it’s in Pitts, Georgia or over near Thomasville,” Stone said.

Not only does this store sell locally grown meat, but they also sell locally made honey, too.

“People that have bad allergies, you take a little bit of honey and eat it, but if you get local honey, it helps you fight local allergies,” Stone said.

Pembroke City Council member Tiffany Ziegler announced she is running for Mayor, according to the Savannah Morning News.

She has served on the city council for 16 years and is the current mayor pro tem.

Zeigler wants to stay ahead of the game in terms of growth. According to the U.S. Census, Bryan County experienced a 7% increase in its population from 2020-2022, rising to nearly 50,000 residents.

“We need to plan properly and dive into these scenarios that we’re facing with transportation, housing and infrastructure,” said Zeigler. “I’ve always pushed planned growth. We’ve got to get input from our citizens, business owners, staff and others. We want to keep our sense of place but also foster this growth that’s coming in.”

Lehman Franklin, who represents House District 160, echoes that support on her Facebook page. “I have spoken to [Zeigler] numerous times regarding Pembroke, its history, present projects and its future and each time, not only is she clear of what needs to be done, you can see her deep love of the community and her passion to do what is best for Pembroke.”

“We are working on trying to apply for another low-income housing tax credit grant, for a similar project like that for workforce housing,” said Zeigler. “My grandparents ended up getting a federal grant to help build their house, so grants like that change their quality of life. Hearing my grandmother’s stories about how it changed their life ― I want that for everybody here. So, that’s really where my heart for affordable housing comes from.”

The issue of housing affordability hits even closer to home for Zeigler. “I have a 19-year-old that just graduated from high school and just got on at Gulfstream as a direct hire, but he can’t afford anything here,” she explained. “I want to make sure our kids have something when they graduate from high school. They can live here and they can live in a quality home. I want that for anybody that moves here.”