Towns County Herald Legal Organ of Towns County www.townscountyherald.net Your Hometown Newspaper Since 1928 50 Cents Publication Number 635540 Volume 87 Number 12 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 BRMEMC to host Town Hall meetings in Clay, Union counties By Shawn Jarrard Taylor & Taylor Construction, Towns County Herals Inc. debt is not public record, Staff Writer according to BRMEMC Interim General Counsel Larry Former Blue Ridge Ford, who stated that it was Mountain EMC Board against general EMC policy President Terry Taylor’s to discuss individual member company, Taylor & Taylor accounts. Construction, Inc., no longer Furthermore, since exists. Taylor & Taylor Construction, Conducting a business Inc. no longer exists as a legal search on the Georgia Secretary entity, the fate of the debt has of State’s website shows that been thrown into question. Taylor & Taylor Construction, “Based on that new Inc. dissolved on Dec. 31, information, I will have to 2015. research what legal effect the According to the most dissolution has on the situation recent public financial records under discussion, report to made available by the Blue the board my findings, and Ridge Mountain EMC, dating then the board will consider to Dec. 9, 2014, Taylor & what should be done in the Taylor Construction, Inc. owed best interest of the EMC and $37,343 toward the debt of members,” said Ford in an The Blue Ridge Mountain EMC Board of Directors entertain the media in a Question and Answer session before commencing $47,643.53 awarded in May email to the North Georgia the first meeting of the New Year in the BRMEMC boardroom of 2014 to the Blue Ridge News. Mountain EMC following a On Tuesday, Jan. of directors, just before the start after BRMEMC Board Vice to ask questions directly of Hall Meetings to be held civil suit the EMC brought 12, members of the news of the first board meeting of the President Mickey Cummings the board. periodically throughout the against Taylor & Taylor media were invited into the New Year. announced two upcoming “I guess it was last year,” said Cummings in the Construction, Inc. BRMEMC boardroom to ask This latest move Town Hall Meetings in which month, we passed a new Q&A. “And the first two of The current balance of the direct questions of the board toward transparency comes the membership will be able policy that requires Town See BRMEMC, Page 10 New Tennis Courts Open at Foster Park Board of Education Staff Reports are when tournaments or Towns County Herald special events are approved SPLOST referendum [email protected] and scheduled by the By Mason Mitcham Towns County Recreation Towns County Herald Towns County Sole Department. Staff Writer Commissioner Bill Kendall Those using the tennis presented the keys to Recreation courts and pickleball courts The Towns County Board Director Wes Hooper opening of Education is hoping to embark must provide their own tennis on a huge maintenance project, the new tennis courts at Towns rackets, pickleball paddles and County Recreation Center and they hope the community balls and wear proper shoes will understand on May 24. located at Foster Park. that don’t mark the playing Finding that the schools David Sellers and John surface and abide by the rules are in great need of system-wide Denton played the first tennis posted at the courts. maintenance, the board recently match on the new courts. Kendall and Director voted to take action. All recreational facilities, Wes Hooper and Bill Kendall with David Sellers and John Denton Hooper both say there was In the January BOE work including the tennis courts, the some misunderstanding or session, the five-member board pickleball court, fitness center, to Towns County citizens at The only time facilities voted to approve a SPLOST Dr. Darren Berrong beach and ball fields are open no charge. are unavailable to the public See Tennis, Page 10 referendum to be sent to the Towns County Board of increasing the sales tax to 8 Elections to be included on cents on the dollar as early as Get ready for Basketball Homecoming the May 24th General Primary July of this summer. Election ballot. The biggest and most By Mason Mitcham This referendum will pressing issue currently facing Towns County Herald allow residents of Towns the school system is a badly Staff Writer County to decide whether or damaged roof of the joined not to institute another 1 cent of middle and high schools. Those feeling nostalgic sales tax per dollar countywide, over last semester’s Football See SPLOST, Page 10 Homecoming Court can look forward to next week’s Towns County High School Basketball Councilman Smith wants Homecoming Court. “It’s not as big of a deal to clean up Hiawassee as football, but it’s still a big deal for the girls and the guys,” By Mason Mitcham said Sarah Vardo, teacher and Towns County Herald Homecoming sponsor. “We do Staff Writer five seniors, four juniors, three For Hiawassee City sophomores and two freshmen, Councilman Stephen Smith, a Towns County High School Homecoming nominees and it’s just a way for us to just like football, like we have new year means changes. get underclassmen involved, enjoy getting dressed up and them to be selected by their a lot of basketball players Although the idea to because football is only for they enjoy getting together, classmates.” clean up the city of Hiawassee is seniors, and they enjoy it. They and it’s just a great honor for “And the crazy thing is, See Homecoming, Page 10 not his alone, he’s always been one of the biggest proponents of the annual “Hiawassee City Ronnie Milsap packs Clean-Up.” Anyone up in the wee Stephen Smith hours of the morning might expand the scope of the city’s see Smith going for his daily cleaning efforts. The Hall on his 73rd birthday jog, but what he or she might “I had a couple of enthusiastic, uplifting concert not see is how often he stops thoughts. One thing I would By Shawn Jarrard performance. to pick up trash. think, we could beef up the Towns County Herald Milsap spared no “Usually what I have to Adopt-A –Street Program that Staff Writer expense, hitting a large number do is have a trash bag in my was announced about a year Country Music Crossover of his 40 No. 1 hits, including hand and I pick up that spot ago. We really haven’t had legend Ronnie Milsap “Pure Love,” “Daydreams and I wait till I get home and anybody sign up officially for celebrated his 73rd birthday About Night Things,” and of throw it in my own garbage it, so I’d like to see that done,” with more than 2,000 fans in course, “Smoky Mountain bin,” he said. Anderson Music Hall at the Rain.” Smith would like to See Hiawassee, Page 10 Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds At the start of the concert, on Saturday, Jan. 16. Milsap’s band led the audience The show featured in a heartfelt rendition of the Milsap’s one-of-a-kind piano “Happy Birthday” song for BOE approves talent backed up by his six- Milsap, and Country Music member band, all of whom came together to produce an See Milsap, Page 10 Ronnie Milsap with Towns County Deputy C.J. Worden facilities plan By Mason Mitcham “The Board has to Towns County Herald approve for the Georgia Staff Writer Department of Education to Youth Tour delegates visit BRMEMC board work with us on our Five Year By Shawn Jarrard The Towns County Facilities Plan. Our Five Year Towns County Herald Board of Education met for the Facilities plan is coming to an Staff Writer first time this year on Monday, end and that’s another reason Every June, the Blue Jan. 11, to discuss pressing why we have all the projects business. Ridge Mountain EMC sends that we have. Because we’re Towns County area high school students doing that Five Year Facility Superintendent Dr. Darren to serve as delegates in the Plan, we can see what are the Berrong had some good news Washington Youth Tour, and things coming up that we need for teachers, specifically those the three students who made to be replacing,” he said. that have several years of the trip in 2015 spoke to the He explained that the experience. BRMEMC Board of Directors plan explains what maintenance “We passed the personal on Tuesday, Jan. 12. the school should look into in leave policy for the teachers. Madeline Walker of the near future. We had to lay that on the table Union County High School, “The plan working with for a month, so that policy Shea Underwood of Towns the DOE sits down and kind did pass,” said Dr. Berrong, County High School and Collin of says, ‘Okay, here are how referring to extended personal Worley of Hayesville High old all the things are in your leave days. School were three of more than building, and what do you need L-R: Collin Worley, Madeline Walker, Shea Underwood and Byron McCombs give a report on Next, the Board approved 1,500 students from around to be replacing or looking at the Washington Youth Tour at the January meeting of the BRMEMC Board of Directors the current Five Year Facilities the country who visited the fixing?' Plan, which details potential nation’s capital last summer. has served as a chaperone the three high school seniors to meeting of the New Year. What may be about to Byron McCombs of the and photographer on many of the board of directors, just prior “One of the privileges problems with infrastructure and recommends fixes. Blue Ridge Mountain EMC these trips, and he introduced to the start of the board’s first See Youth, Page 10 See BOE, Page 10

14 Pages Inside Blue Ridge SPORTS Chamber 9 Towns County Weather Church 6 Mountain BASKETBALL Thurs: Rain Hi 45 Lo 37 Classifieds 12 Homeowners Fri: Rain/Snow Hi 41 Lo 27 EMC Sat: Cloudy Hi 39 Lo 24 Food Distribution at Tues Jan 19 @ Tallulah Falls 6 & 7:30 PM Legals 13 N. Mt. Zion Church TOWN HALL Association Obits 7 Fri Jan 22 @ Commerce 6 & 7:30 PM Sports 8 Jan. 21st MEETING meeting See page 6 See page 2 See page 7 Sat. Jan 23 vs. Providence 6 & 7:30 PM

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