(9/8) A standing room-only crowd filled the county commission meeting room last night. Public comments took over an hour as a number of citizens expressed opposition to the proposed coal-fired power plant. Several called for a public referendum on the plant while acknowledging it would have no legal standing. County Attorney Toni Sawyer informed the commission that it had no authority to approve or deny the power plant beyond granting a business license and zoning approval, which if valid and legal would have to be granted.
(9/2) Fitzgerald City Council set 2010 millage at 10 mills, unchanged from 2009. Expect tax bills soon.
(8/20) Georgia High School Association Executive Dir. Dr. Ralph Swearingin levied fines against GHS and Wilcox Co. High School for an altercation after an August 13 scrimmage at Jaycee Stadium. Both schools will not be allowed to hold a pre-season scrimmage in 2011.
(8/17) Fitzgerald City Council met last night and proposed to set millage at 10 mills, unchanged from last year.
(8/17) School officials met with GHSA yesterday and the fight after Friday night's scrimmage was discussed and reviewed. Officials don't expect any sanctions from GSBA at this time.
(8/11) With 99% of precincts reporting, Nathan Deal has edged out Karen Handel for the Republican slot for governor, taking 50.2% of the vote. Deal will face Democrat Roy Barnes in November. For more information on statewide results, visit the Secretary of State's website at http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/election_results/2010_0810/swfed.htm
(8/11) Board of Education set to advertise 2010-11 budget that is down 15% from 2009. Formally announces ELOST projects, the first of which is debt retirement on new elementary school bonds.
(8/10) The Fitzgerald City Council called for a liquor by the drink referendum to be offered on the November 2 ballot. Advance voting on the city referendum only will be held at City Hall. On Election Day, November 2, voting on the City referendum only will be held at the Fitzgerald Fire Dept. at 315 E. Pine St. All other voting for other referendums local and statewide races will be at County polling places.
(8/4) The Ben Hill County Commission voted last night to call for a liquor by the drink referendum on the November 2 ballot.
(7/30) The Ben Hill County Board of Education and County Commission both met last night to set 2010 property tax. Ben Hill County's remains unchanged from 2009 at 13.66 mills. The BOE took a slight increase from 15.45 to 15.496 mills for 2010.
(7/27) An administrative law judge questioned two portions of the permit yesterday for coal-fired Plant Washington near Sandersville. A company spokesman said these are procedural issues that will be addressed. A dupicate plant is proposed for Ben Hill County.
(7/21) The Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) passed by a nearly 2-to-1 margin. Voters said "yes" 1,033 times and "no" 571 times.
(7/21) The candidate fields narrowed considerably after election results came in last night. Roy Barnes won the Democrat nomination for governor outright with 65% of the vote. It appears Karen Handel will face Nathan Deal in a run-off for the Republican nomination for governor on August 10. Austin Scott won the Republican race for District 8 Congressman and will face incumbent Jim Marshall in November. All state and federal race results can be viewed on the Secretary of State's website at http://sos.georgia.gov/.
(7/20) Voting in the General Primary has been light. About 400 Ben Hill County voters cast early votes. Polls close today at 7 p.m.
(7/14) The Ben Hill County Commission voted unanimously last night to place a referendum on the November 2 ballot allowing for the sale of alcohol by the drink in Ben Hill County.
(7/14) Using careful financial management the Ben Hill County School district finished the fiscal year on June 30 with a $1.9 million fund balance, school board members were told last night. As final accounting is done over the next couple of months, that figure could change, noted Finance Director Thomas Rachels.
(7/6) In a called meeting last night, the Ben Hill County Board of Education passed a resolution calling for a referendum on renewal of the Education Local Option Sales Tax (ELOST) on the November 2 ballot. Debt retirement, renovating Lynnwood School and adding a new wing to the primary school are among the top projects.
(7/3) Qualifying closed yesterday for four seats on the Ben Hill County Board of Education. District 7 member Jesse Dyess decided not to seek re-election. Two qualified for that seat. In the other three races, all incumbent are being challenged.
(6/22) The Wiregrass Energy Network, a citizens group with environmental concerns, is meeting Wednesday, June 30 at 6:30 p.m. at eh Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County Library, located at 123 N. Main St. The group has been expressing health and safety concerns about a proposed coal-fired power plant in eastern Ben Hill County.
(6/15) A thunderstorm brought powerful wind shear to the southern part of the city last night and some seven to nine utility poles had to be replaced on Benjamin Hill Drive and four transformers blew, according to Larry Moore, head of the electrical department at Fitzgerald Utilities. Workers were out all night working to restore power to families and businesses on that side of town.
(6/9) During last night's meeting of the Ben Hill County Commission, Commission Chairman Philip Jay called for more dialogue from both sides of the proposed coal plant issue. Commissioners generally said they could not make a decision on the good or evil of the plant without more information.
(6/3) Early voting for the July 20 General Primary begins Monday. Registered voters may cast ballots at the Board of Elections off, located at 324 E. Pine St.. The office is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.
(5/31) The re-opening of Pilgrim's Pride in Douglas is expected to bring 1,400 jobs to the region and have a much wider economic impact on supporting businesses and industries.