Entries by Roy L. Grenade

The Rhine city council voted unanimously to have the missing water funds investigated by the local authorities at their regularly scheduled city council meeting held this past Thursday, December 29, 2011.

City attorney Joey Marchant addressed the issue of the missing water funds and told the city council that he felt the city had been more than fair in giving an opportunity to settle this matter in the best interest of the city and June Sheffield, a former city employee. Marchant advised the council that the next step would be to file a police report and allow the authorities to begin an investigation. City councilman Wayne Hilliard made a motion to have Marchant contact the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department to begin an investigation. Councilperson Kay Spires seconded the motion with all city council members in favor. [Full Story »] 

The Dodge County Board of Commissioners approved an $8,080,471.00 budget at their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, December 20, 2011. The 2012 budget is printed in this edition of The Dodge County News on page 7A. The 2012 budget reflects an estimated $530,000.00 reduction from the prior 2011 approved budget. The reduction was taken from all departments with the exception of the district attorney, public defender, elections and general government departments. These four departmental budgets saw an increase in funding for 2012. [Full Story »] 

Dodge County High School (DCHS) students will experience a schedule change in the upcoming 2012-2013 school year. At their December 8, 2011 regularly scheduled school board meeting, the Dodge County Board of Education governing board voted unanimously to accept the schedule change recommended by high school principal Dr. Susan Long. [Full Story »] 

In a special called meeting on Monday, December 12, 2011, the Dodge County commissioners voted to pay holiday pay for the year 2011 to the employees of the 24-hour departments including the sheriff’s department, the E911 department and the emergency medical services department. [Full Story »] 

The Dodge County School District and the Dodge County Board of Education filed a notice of intent on December 8, 2011 to introduce local legislation at the 2012 Georgia General Assembly. This bill will amend its voting districts in order to provide for reapportionment in accordance with the 2010 Census and in accordance with law and for other purposes. [Full Story »] 

The Rhine City Council agreed to accept an agreement prepared by city attorney Joey Marchant for former employee June Sheffield to pay restitution of $300.00 per month with a final payment of $100.00 over a period of 23 months. Marchant informed council that Sheffield agreed to the restitution and agreed to signing the agreement with the first payment due on January 15, 2012. [Full Story »] 

The Dodge County Board of Commissioners acted on recommendations from county manager Kelly Bowen that will save the county money and cut costs from the 2012 budget. Dodge County is currently in a financial crisis and the board of commissioners has been evaluating the current budget to financially improve the operating costs of the county.

In their regularly scheduled meeting held on Monday, November 20, Bowen presented information to the board in an email dated November 4, 2011. The information included health insurance costs of all county employees, proposed furlough days for all county employees, overtime savings specifically in the EMS and E911 departments, monthly expense allowances of county elected officials and proposed changes to recurring monthly expenses such as phones, copiers and utility bills. [Full Story »] 

Water bill payments in the form of cash are missing for from the City of Rhine’s bank accounts.

In a city council meeting on Thursday, November 3, Rhine’s city attorney Joey Marchant addressed Mayor Carter Clements and the city council members regarding missing water bill deposits. From January 2010 to June 2010, the total cash deposited was approximately $7,593.78. From January 2011 to June 2011, the total cash deposited was approximately $251.00. [Full Story »] 

The best football game of this year’s football season happened this past Friday night between the Dodge County Indians and the Bleckley County Royals. The Indians hosted the Royals in Eastman at Memorial Stadium, and what a game!

Bleckley County won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half. Dodge County received the opening kickoff and the first drive began on the 20-yard line.

D’Eric McNair (#11) and Marlek Lamb (#8) would carry the ball once each but were quickly shut down by the Royal defense as the Indians had to punt on fourth and six on the 24-yard line. Walt Turner’s (#86) kicked a short punt and the Royals took over on their 43-yard line. [Full Story »]