Jones draws large crowd at Dawson County Republican Party meeting

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Republican Candidate for governor Vernon Jones delivered a rousing speech to Dawson County Republicans Monday that was frequently interrupted by loud applause.

DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. – In addressing a standing-room-only crowd of Dawson County Republicans Monday, Georgia Republican Gubernatorial candidate Vernon Jones’ speech sounded like it had been written by President Donald J Trump’s speech writers. It offered plenty red meat and was interrupted frequently by loud applause.

In echoing Trump, Jones attacked the liberal media, claimed the 2020 election was stolen, and blamed Gov. Brian Kemp for bringing the Dominion voting system to Georgia, which many Republicans say switched votes in the 2020 presidential election.

Kemp drew Jones’ harshest criticism. “We lost two United States Senate seats and we lost the presidential election and the tip of that spear is Brian Kemp. He is directly responsible for that happening. He was so afraid of Stacey Abrams running against him that he caved into her.” He was referring to a last-minute agreement that has come to be known in Georgia as Stacey’s law which changed signature verification and added drop boxes just before the election.

He also blamed Kemp for not calling a special session of the Georgia General Assembly after the 2020 election to change the state’s process for selecting electors to the Electoral College. Kemp claimed he did not have the authority. Jones said, “He’s a liar, no more no less.”

About Stacey Abrams, who he referred to as the “Wicked Witch of the South and who many believe will be the Democrat nominee for governor, Jones said, “Stacey Abrams is dangerous. She is a Marxist, a socialist and a communist.”

As Trump often did, Jones also attacked the liberal media. “The Atlanta Journal Constitution has recently become the Kemp campaign manager,” he said. “They are doing everything to help him defeat me.”

He even promised to drain the swamp. “There is a swamp in Georgia,” he said.

Jones has attracted attacks by opponents for being a lifelong Democrat who only recently joined to the Republican Party.

He responded by pointing out that “Ronald Reagan was a Democrat who became a Republican, a governor and president, one of the best we’ve ever had. Sonny Perdue was a Democrat then became a Republican and governor. Nathan Deal was a Democrat who became governor. Donald J. Trump, who we all love, was a Democrat and became president.”

He said when he is elected he will be tough on crime, ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory in public schools, and make sure that every child is in a public school that starts every day by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

 

 

 

Commission Chairman Thurmond said County in good financial shape in state of the county address

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DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. – County Commission Chairman Billy Thurmond focused on COVID-19, county finances, and roads when he delivered the State of the County address to members of the Dawson County Republican Party at beautiful Cold Creek Farm Tuesday.

“The county is continuing to work with all our partners to get our citizens vaccinated as rapidly as possible,” he said. So far about 6,000 Dawson County citizens have been vaccinated and the Health Department is administering the vaccine to about 300 people a day at Veterans Park. There have been 2,693 cases if the virus in the county with 39 deaths.

Dawson GOP Chairwoman Seannie Zappendorf and Commission Chairman Billy Thurmond at State of the County address

Addressing the county’s financial situation, the Chairman said, “The County is in good, sound financial shape.  Even during COVID, all through 2020, we saw an increase in sales tax revenue. We never thought in 2020 we would see $9.8 million brought in from the one-penny sales tax during the year of COVID, but we did.”

Thurmond credited the county staff and elected officials for their effort to reduce, or at least, hold the line on spending. “They did an excellent job of managing their budgets,” he said. “Each and every department came in under budget.”

With regard to roads the County will pave and/or repave 9.93 miles of roads with funding from a the state-funded Local Maintenance Improvement Grant (LMIG) or special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST). The LMIG grant is a 70-30 match with the County providing its 30 percent by doing the work.

“We have an excellent (Public Works) staff,” he said. “I’ll put them up against some of the finest companies you will see.”

Roads that will be funded under the LMIG grant include Browns Point, Antioch Church, and Goshen Church. Roads to be improved using SPLOST funding include Dan Fowler, Lake Circle, Amicalola Forest and Elliott Road.

New businesses that will call Dawson County home soon include Miller’s Ale House, Bruster’s Ice Cream, and Discount Tires. Thurmond said there has been some talk recently that Wild Wings might move into the old Ruby Tuesday’s location.

He also noted the County has been working hard to update some very old ordinances and pointe with pride to the County’s latest jewel, the Pauline Stevens Ivey Senior Center that opened this month.

“There is a lot going on in the County and we look forward to continuing to work for the betterment of our citizens and do what we can to provide you with the services you need.”

 

 

 

Dawson County GOP elects delegates to district, state conventions

News

“It was a wild time,” Convention Chairman Mike Berg said. “We sent out an email in advance telling folks not to come.” The caucus usually attracts between 30 and 40 attendees. “Eight people showed up,” Berg said. “We really only expected three of four.”

Those who helped work through the election process included Republican Party Chairwoman Seannie Zappendorf, Linda Clary, Clint Smith and Nathan Umberger. Zappendorf thanked Executive Committee members Dan Pichon, Dale Smart, Greg Hicks and Scott Yochum for dropping off caucus materials early.

Those who were elected will be notified this week.

Zappendorf is anxious to resume regular Republican Party meetings during this election year. “As soon as we get reports it is safe to meet we’ll get meetings going again,” she said.

She is also looking for ways to hold a forum for the 9th district House of Representative candidates.

“This may not happen in person but with all the technology available, we may can make something happen,” she said. “We have a request for local position forums as well. Thinking for our voters, there really has not been that much time to get to know the candidates. We may be able to do something for the Congressional candidates as well. “We have to do the responsible thing and be compliant to what our government sends out as recommendations.”

 

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

 

 

Challengers attack sheriff’s budget, wasteful spending during debate

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Sheriff Jeff Johnson

DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. — Challengers Jeff Perry and Marcus Sewell wasted little time attacking what they perceive to be Sheriff Jeff Johnson’s poor budget management and wasteful spending during his first term in office when the Republican Party held the first candidate forum of the political season Monday.

In his first year in office, Johnson sued the Board of Commissioners who, he claimed, failed to provide an adequate budget for him to perform his duties adequately. The lawsuit, which cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars, failed.

Perry, a veteran parole officer with 30 years’ experience in law enforcement, did not take direct aim at Johnson, but clearly his remarks referred to the sheriff.

Jeff Perry

“When times are bad you have to look at how you can cut,” he said. “Sometimes you might be faced with furloughs, layoffs. You have to manage that and be able to handle that budget. The difference in my money and your money is I can blow my money. But if I’m dealing with taxpayer money, I have to be accountable. If we’re going to run on Republican ideology of less government, smaller government and less taxes, we’ve got to start with the intergovernmental agencies like the sheriff’s office and road department. We can’t keep raising funds.”

Sewell, is a Captain and Commander of Investigations in the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office said Dawson County taxpayers are not getting the level of service they deserve from the Sheriff’s Office.

He pointed out that the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office budget is only $5.8 million to serve 32,000 residents the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office budget is $9.8 million to serve a much smaller population. “That is a $3.4 million difference,” he said. “So where is that money going?

Johnson bristled at the comparison to Lumpkin County. “I’m not worried about Lumpkin County,” he said. “I’m worried about Dawson County. You are my priority.”

Sewell said he would cut spending by eliminating the purchasing manager and human resources position in the sheriff’s office. The Board of Commissioners has offered to provide those services to the sheriff at no cost but he has declined.

“Over the last three years, we have seen the sheriff spend a lot of money on things that do not benefit us,” Sewell said “I would take the money the sheriff spends on toys and put that into the deputies’ pockets.”

Perry said he would offer his deputies an educational incentive. “That gives you a better-trained and better-educated officer,” he said.

Asked about the most important challenges the sheriff’s office will face in the future, Perry said the growth in population and how to increase the number of patrol officers on the street.

“One thing I want to do is have an auxiliary police force made up of volunteers in the community,” he said. “We send you to training. You work side-by-side with the police officer or deputy and wear the same uniform. What that does is it puts more people on the street at no cost to taxpayers except for the training.”

He also suggested creating a promotion board within the sheriff’s office. “When you run a company and have somebody that has been working with you a long time and has worked hard suddenly you have a promotion come up and they have no chance because you brought in somebody from the outside. at’s going to affect morale. I would propose we have the promotion board fill those positions from within.”

Johnson a veteran of 30 years of law enforcement shrugged off the attacks, calling it “political rhetoric.”

Johnson declared his first three years in office a success. “It obvious we’ve achieved success,” he said. “After three years, we’re enjoying the best retention rate and best recruitment we have seen in years.”

Asked how the sheriff’s office would work together with other county entities like the Board of Commissioners, Johnson said. “Will there be friction? Sure there will be friction. But at the end of the day, we will continue to discuss. We will continue to provide facts and figures to show we have a county in need.”

In closing, Johnson said, “Obviously my opponents don’t have a record to run on. They haven’t been your sheriff. It’s been my honor and privilege to be your sheriff. I’m proud of what we have been able to achieve and accomplish.”

 

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

 

 

 

Dawson County Sheriff candidates debate Monday

News

DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. The Dawson County Republican Party will host a debate featuring the three candidates for Dawson County Sheriff — incumbent Jeff Johnson and challengers Marcus Sewell and Jeff Perry — Monday at 7 p.m. at Fire Station 2, 145 Liberty Road in Dawsonville.

Fetch Your News will have more details as they become available.

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