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The True Citizen
P.O.Box 948
Waynesboro, GA 30830
(706) 554-2111
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1/30/02

True Citizen To
Salute Guardians
PORTERFIELD
COURSEY
ALLEN
Guardians debuts this week in The True Citizen. The special advertisement is to honor our guardians … police, fire and emergency personnel in Burke County. Bonnie Taylor, True Citizen general manager, said, "The ad is designed to introduce each member of the Burke County Sheriff's Office, Waynesboro Police Department, Burke County Emergency Management Agency, Sardis Police Department and Midville Police Department to our readers. "Since the Sept. 11 attack on the United States communities have become even more aware of the important job our guardians provide. These men and women serve 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Yes, it's their job, but I believe it is time that we recognized them and what better way than to get to know them." The ad provides information about the guardian including his or her favorite food, books, music and more. "Maybe someone from the Burke community will present a guardian with a chocolate cake because it's his or her favorite for a job well done or just to say 'thank you.'" The first week will feature the heads of the departments, Sheriff Greg Coursey, Waynesboro Police Chief Carl Allen and Burke County EMA Director Earl Porterfield. The ad will feature a guardian from Sardis and Midville alternately in place of the Waynesboro police that will run every other week.
Dixon, Lodge Earn Extra $100
By Jimmy Ezzell
The True Citizen Editor
All Burke County employees received a 2 percent salary increase in the county's 2002 budget. Actually, they received the increase in their first check for the new year. While the employees were getting the 2 percent raise, two of the county's five commissioners received a 20 percent and 16.7
percent increase as of Jan. 1. Because of a new state law, mandating that any commissioner who goes to "school" and becomes certified, as of Jan. 1, is entitled to a $100 a month increase in their salary. Burke County has two commissioners who qualified and received the increase. Commissioner Herman Lodge's salary went from $500 a month to $600 a month, a 20 percent increase, while chairman Jimmy Dixon's salary of $600 went up to $700, a 16.7 percent increase. Commissioners Frank Williams, Woodrow Har-vey and Wayne Crockett continue to receive their $500 a month. The last raise that the county commission received was in 1991 when they went from $300 to the present $500 with the chairman receiving an additional $100 a month. City council members in Waynesboro voted at their Dec. 17 meeting to give themselves a raise. A dollar amount was not
finalized, but councilman Neal Leonard Sr. suggested raising council pay from the present $300 a month to $500 and the mayor from $350 to $550 a month. Leonard noted that the $500 figure is what the county commissioners now receive with their chairman getting an extra $100. When the matter came up at council's Jan. 7 council meeting it was postponed indefinitely. Four council members favor Leonard's suggestion. Two do not. One councilman, Dick Byne, opposed the raise saying, "We're here as volunteers."
3000 Acres At Di-Lane To Be Cut To
Improve Animal Habitat
By Jimmy Ezzell
True Citizen Editor
Editor More than 3,000 of the 8,110-acre Di-Lane Wildlife Management Area in Burke County will be cut to improve the wildlife habitat of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division (WRD). John Bearden, WRD's wildlife tech who oversees the operations at Di-Lane, said the cutting is controlled to assure only the areas that need to be cut will be done. Recently, rumors have floated about that all of Di-Lane would be clear-cut, which Bearden termed "all wrong." According to the WRD, many forested stands at Di-Lane are so thick and shady that very little plant growth occurs near the forest floor. As a result, the abundance of wildlife species that prefer this habitat has declined. WRD has identified the 3,000 acres that must be cut. Over 200 acres of old fields that were planted in dense young line plantations will be reclaimed as wildlife openings or fields. Most of these fields will be in small openings ranging from 3 to 15 acres. As much as 700 acres of dense plantations will be thinned to allow an abundance of sunlight to reach the ground. Another 700 acres of mixed pine/hardwood stands and bedgerows will be thinned. Additionally, a 200-foot corridor around field edges and pine stands will be trimmed. This corridor covers nearly 1,500 acres and will greatly enhance edge habitat that is important to quail, rabbits, deer and many other wildlife species. According to the cutting schedule, the smallest and poorest quality trees will be removed first, while the most important wildlife trees and best quality trees will be preserved. (See rest of story in The True Citizen)
Legal Organ of Burke County, Waynesboro, Sardis, Midville, Keysville, and Girard