2020 Dawson County sheriff’s race beginning to take shape
News July 10, 2019
Captain Marcus Sewell
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Two potential challengers for Dawson County Sheriff in 2020 have emerged. Jeff Perry, a veteran parole officer, officially tossed his hat into the ring last week and Capt. Marcus Sewell, Chief of the Investigations Division in Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, is expected to announce his campaign next week.
Perry ran against Johnson in the 2016 election and finished third in a four-candidate race. He, of course, hopes to do better this time around.
In making his announcement last week, Perry said, “I am running for Sheriff to serve the citizens of Dawson County because there is nothing more important to me than keeping our families safe, and bringing capable leadership to the top law enforcement position in the county.”
Jeff Perry
Sewell has not made an official announcement but there are campaign-style signs appearing on social media that indicate he soon will. He is a veteran law enforcement officer widely known in Dawson County. He is a graduate of Dawson County High School and served as a deputy for longtime Dawson County Sheriff Billy Carlisle.
Johnson has had a troubled first term as sheriff. In his first year he sued the Board of Commissioners in an effort to get more money for his 2018 budget. He lost the lawsuit and alienated county commissioners and other county officials in the process. Most of them have said privately they want to see Johnson defeated.
Commissioners have also been angered by Johnson’s insistence on hiring someone to handle sheriff’s office finances, a service the county could provide at no additional cost to taxpayers.
The new candidates are almost certain to attack Johnson on his wasteful spending. The unsuccessful lawsuit cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. Embarrassingly, Johnson learned at the end of that budget year, he had nearly $500,000 remaining that he failed to spend. That money could have been used to give deputies a well-deserved pay raise. Instead, it went back into the county’s general fund.
Johnson has also attracted a great deal of negative publicity for personnel issues within the sheriff’s office. For example, in 2018 three detention officers were arrested – two for domestic violence issues and another for unlawful sexual relationship with a female prisoner. That same year, an entire night patrol of on-duty officers was discovered playing badminton and leaving the county unprotected. And, in May 2019, a computer aided dispatch report showed that one sergeant refused to report to the scene of an accident for more than six hours.
The election is still a year away, but the campaign is right around the corner.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Marcus Sewell enters race for Dawson County Sheriff
News July 17, 2019
PRESS RELEASE
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Marcus Sewell, a veteran law enforcement officer and current member of the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office Command Staff where he serves as head of Criminal Investigations, today announced he is a candidate for Sheriff of Dawson County.
“For two and a half years, I have witnessed the fiscal and professional mismanagement within the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office,” Sewell said. “This has to change. With my leadership, integrity, experience and my passion for Dawson County, I am confident that I can give our citizens a Sheriff’s Office they can depend on and be proud of.”
A graduate of Dawson County High School and longtime resident of Dawson County, he launched his law enforcement career in 2004 working in the Lee Arrendale State Prison in Alto.
In 2005, he transitioned to Dawson County where he worked under Sheriff Billy Carlisle. He started as jail deputy then was promoted to sergeant while working in the jail. Sewell then transferred to the patrol division. In 2009, he accepted a position in the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office as assistant Jail Commander and once again his law enforcement abilities propelled him upward.
After a stint as Assistant Jail Commander, he rose to Jail Commander, Special Services Commander (drug investigations, K9 deputies, school resource deputies, victims advocate and animal control) and today commands Criminal Investigations. His experience also includes a three-year stint as Georgia Sheriff’s Association region 3 representative for the Jail Management Advisory Committee. The committee does jail management and operations while coming up with safe, efficient solutions for jails.
Marcus has been very involved in the community. He was a collegiate wrestler at Anderson College and he has coached many Dawson County youth in wrestling and football. In 2003-2004 he assisted in coaching the Dawson County High School wrestling team to a third state title. He is also a Leadership Lumpkin graduate, and a member of the Rotary Club of Dawson County.
Marcus’ wife Amber is a nurse at Mount Sinai Wellness Center. They have two children, Tristan, age 8, and Alena, age 4. They attend Harvest Baptist Church where Marcus is also a home preacher.
“I ask for your vote, your support but most of all your prayers as I undertake the challenge of serving as Dawson County Sheriff,” he said.
Please visit Marcus Sewell’ s Facebook page at Marcus Sewell for Sheriff.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Billy Carlisle announces run for county commission
News January 25, 2018
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Former Dawson County Sheriff Billy Carlisle, who retired just one year ago, announced today that he will run for the District 3 seat on the Board of Commissioners. The seat is currently held by Jimmy Hamby, who announced recently he will not run for reelection when his second term ends in December.
Carlisle said, “I still have the desire to serve the community and our citizens. I’ve always enjoyed helping people.”
Fetch Your News will have more details as they become available.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Billy Carlisle to run for county commission
News January 25, 2018
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Veteran law enforcement officer Billy Carlisle announced today that he will run for the Dawson County Board of Commissioners this summer.
He will run for the District 3 seat. Dist. 3 Commissioner Jimmy Hamby has announced he will not seek a third term next year.
Carlisle, 56, began his law enforcement career as a patrol officer in 1987. During his time as sheriff, he was able to grow the department from 30 employees to 115. He was also instrumental in helping to bring several programs into the county, working with children. Through his leadership, many programs were developed for the senior citizens as well as the adults of Dawson County. He retired in December 2016 after 20 years as sheriff.
Asked why he wanted to get back into government after just one year in retirement, he said, “I still have a desire to serve the community and our citizens. I’ve always enjoyed helping people.”
Carlisle said the county is in good shape right now.
“I would like to help us grow in the right direction,” he said. “We need to attract more industry and more jobs. We have plenty of retail right now. I would like to see us stay up to date on technologically and attract more high tech jobs.”
Carlisle said the relationship between the sheriff’s office and county government is not good right now.
“Both sides need to understand it is a give and take relationship, and they need to work together for the benefit of the citizens,” Carlisle added.
The dispute between Dawson County and Sheriff Jeff Johnson heads to Superior Court on Tuesday, Jan. 30. Johnson claims the $8,273,080 budget approved by the Board of Commissioners is not adequate for him to perform his duties.
However, Carlisle said it is more expensive to run the sheriff’s office without using the county’s Purchasing Department. “The county has a very experienced purchasing office already in place. If the sheriff won’t use that department, he has to hire his own people to do that job and that is just an added expense.”
Carlisle said during his term as sheriff, he relied on the county’s Purchasing Department and procedures.
Qualifying for elected offices will take place in March with the election set for July.
Carlisle and his wife, Cathy, are members of Lighthouse Baptist Church where he is a member of the church’s security team and she serves in the children’s nursery.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Board Denies Request for Change in Pay Grade
News July 21, 2017
Commissioner Chris Gaines
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The Dawson County Board of Commissioners unanimously rejected a request to reclassify the Administrative Assistant position in Dawson County Emergency Services to Executive Secretary.
The Administrative Assistant is a 15-year employee and the sole support staff of the administrative team, responsible for processing of all personnel paperwork, approximately 110 positions, accounts payable, ongoing budget management, quality assurance for all fire and EMS reporting (over 3000 calls per year), state reporting of fire reports, customer service and front desk functions.
EMS Director Lanier Swafford
EMS Director Lanier Swafford said the position has performed the duties of two administrative positions since the other was frozen in 2010. Following the recently-completed wage and salary study, the administrative assistant appealed her pay grade and title to County Manager David Headley who indicated the position may have been wrongly classified. If approved, the change in grade would have cost taxpayers $7,577 annually, which the department indicated could be covered without increasing the budget.
But Commissioner Chris Gaines, who made the motion to deny, pointed the wage and salary study had come at significant cost and he felt the county should follow it’s recommendation.
By a 4-0 vote, Commissioners approved a request by Robert and Brittany Goss for a conditional use permit to allow a mobile home on property that is currently zoned Residential Agriculture (RA) on less than five acres.
Commissioners also approved a request by former Sheriff Billy Carlisle to amend a stipulation of zoning requiring a manufactured building he owns to be removed. The property is currently zoned Commercial Highway Business (CHB).
Headley received the board’s unanimous support for appointment to the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission for a one-year term.
Advanced Voting Begins Monday in Dawson County
News, Politics May 1, 2016
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. — After months of political campaigns, voters will have a chance to vote for their favorite federal, state and local candidates when advanced voting begins Monday (May 2) in Dawson County in the May 24 General Primary.
Advance voting runs through May 20 (Mon. – Fri.). All advanced voting takes place at the Dawson County Board of Elections Office, 96 Academy Avenue, Dawsonville.
At stake at the federal level is the Ninth District Congressional seat where incumbent Republican Congressman Doug Collins has come under fire from conservatives for his support of President Obama’s Omnibus bill and former House Speaker John Boehner. The challengers are former 10th District Congressman Paul Broun, Lanier Tea Party Patriots founder Mike Scupin, White County educator Roger Fitzpatrick and retired Army and National Guard Brigadier General Bernie Fontaine.
At the state level, District 51 State Senator Steve Gooch of Dahlonega faces a strong challenge from John Williamson, co-founder of the Gilmer County Tea Party.
Locally, voters must fill two vacant seats on the Board of Commissioners after Chairman Mike Berg and District 2 Commissioner James Swafford decided not to run again. Bill Thurmond and Peter J. Hill will compete for the Chairman’s seat and Chris Gaines and Tim Davis are the candidates in District 2. In District 4, incumbent Julie Nix has drawn a challenge from Heather Hulsebus, former Chairwoman of the Dawson County Republican Party.
There is also a four-way race to replace retiring Sheriff Billy Carlisle and all four candidates have many years of experience in law enforcement. The candidates are Frank Sosebee, Jeff Johnson, Jeff Perry and Tony Wooten.
The Tax Commissioner race also features four candidates, Andi Henson Juliette, Karin McKee, Johnny Glass and Nicole Stewart.
No Democrats have qualified in any of the races, so the winner of the General Primary will take office in January.
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Sheriff’s Candidates Debate in Dawson Co.
News, Politics March 17, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Dawson County will lose a wealth of crime fighting experience when highly respected Sheriff Billy Carlisle retires after 18 years as the county’s top cop at the end of the year. But residents can take comfort in the fact that four outstanding and highly experienced officers have stepped forward to campaign to become Carlisle’s replacement.
The four, Jeff Johnson, Jeff Perry, Frank Sosebee and Tony Wooten, presented their credentials and laid out their vision for the future during Thursday’s candidate forum sponsored by the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce.
Major Johnson, has 23 years of law enforcement experience with supervisory experience in internal affairs, detention, patrol and courts.
Perry is a graduate of Georgia Southern University and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Criminal Justice at the University of North Georgia. He retired January 1, 2015 with 30 years service. The last 18 years of his career he was a Chief Parole Officer in charge of seven counties in northwest Georgia.
Frank Sosebee has worked in law enforcement for 32 years including stints at Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office and the Hall County Correctional Institute where he is currently the chief of security. His responsibilities include training, hiring, background checks and internal affairs investigations.
Captain Tony Wooten has worked in the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office for 17 years. His experience includes managing the patrol division, investigations, public information, 911 communication, community policing, school resource officers, warrants and court services divisions.
All four were asked a series of questions, including what experience they had in managing a budget as large as the Sheriff’s Office $7.2 million budget.
Sosebee said he helped to manage a $4.9 million detention center budget in Hall County and that he would focus extensively on the budget if he is elected. But, he added, the county will need more officers and investigators. Crime, he said, is coming in from outside the county and we’ve got to reduce crime. “We need to have more community involvement. We need to involve our business owners and we all need to walk hand in hand.”
Wooten said he is a conservative. “I’m not going to ask you for your money until I spend all my money,” he said. “Until I’m sure I have utilized all our resources, I’m not going to ask for more. It may get to the point where I have to go to the commissioners but not until I’m sure I’ve done everything I can.”
Johnson said he has managed the detention center budget. “It’s the single largest budgetary component of the sheriff’s budget. Every day we’re finding ways to save the county money. When I took over in 2007, we were paid roughly $400,000 a year. Today it’s about $305,000. We’ve saved the county about $100,000 a year. If we get to the point we need to have an increase, I believe the people should have a say so.”
Perry said he would implement results based budgeting. “If we don’t get results from something we’re funding then we won’t fund it anymore,” he said. He added that he once managed three offices and had to make a tough decision to close the offices and let people work from home and take their cars home. “We were able to return $2 million to the general fuund,” he said.