Judge Bishop rejects sheriff’s claim that Dawson County Commissioners abused their discretion
News March 16, 2018
Sheriff Jeff Johnson
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Senior Superior Court Judge Fred A. Bishop has ruled against Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson in his petition for mandamus against the Dawson County Board of Commissioners.
In ruling against the sheriff, Bishop wrote, “(Commissioners) exercised their discretion in a reasonable fashion. They have honored their obligation to do so giving all due consideration to the needs of the sheriff and to the entire fiscal picture of Dawson County and its citizens, of which the sheriff’s duties are a key part – but not the only part. I conclude there has been no abuse of the Board of Commissioners’ discretion and petitioner has not shown good cause for making mandamus absolute in this case.”
Johnson stated, “Obviously, we are disappointed in the ruling and continue to be concerned for the safety of our community. Our primary argument was and continues to be for additional staff to perform the duties and responsibilities required of this office. Very little in the ruling addressed this primary concern. Ultimately, the court found that the BOC properly exercised their discretion in setting the budget. Regardless of this outcome, we will continue to serve the citizens of Dawson County at our highest level.”
Bishop rejected several of Johnson’s claims. For example, the sheriff testified that he sought to have staff paid for accrued leave lost at the end of 2016. However, when asked on cross examination if he had sufficient funds in the budget to do so, he testified that he did. In fact, it was recently disclosed that at the end of the budget year, Johnson had more than $397,000 left in his budget that he did not spend.
Bishop rejected Johnson’s claim that his request for additional funding was justified by the county’s increased population. Bishop found the best indicator of population trends shows the county has grown by less than 1 percent per year.
While Johnson claimed that crime and arrest figures have increased sharply, the judge noted that the sheriff’s own indicators demonstrate that is not the case. Crime, arrest and activity figures are up and down year by year the judge wrote and the Georgia State Patrol has helped lighten the sheriff’s load considerably by its activity.
In ruling for the county, Bishop wrote, “The Board of Commissioners is charged with management, control and use of all county property, funds and assets in such a manner as to balance a budget, which reasonably provides for all county operations within available funding.”
He added, “The board has assigned the highest priority to public safety, which gets roughly 47 percent of the Dawson County General Fund appropriations, and specifically to the Sheriff’s Office, which was allocated about 29 percent of that budget for 2018.”
Bishop likewise rejected Johnson’s claim that his budget had been cut from the previous year. “The 2018 budget allocation to the sheriff from SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) has increased by $100,000.00, from $500,000 to $600,000.00, and the Capital Fund budget appropriation included $40,000 for an HVAC system upgrade as well as the $260,000 set aside to cover half of what the sheriff requested for a 911 dispatch CAD system,” Bishop wrote.
Finally, the judge found Johnson’s claim that the county refused to meet with him not to be factual.
“The record clearly shows that the Board of Commissioners met with the sheriff on a number of occasions to hear his comments and requests and to hear his attorney speak on his behalf at several meetings,” Bishop explained.
Upon hearing the decision, County Commissioner Chris Gaines said, “I am proud of our team and especially our attorney, Lynn Frey, for his hard work and efforts to properly defend a decision that was made in the best interest of the community. As we have always said, as revenue increases, we look forward to working on meeting the needs of every department.”
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
Sheriff, attorney threaten reporter, demand retraction
News July 8, 2019
Sheriff Jeff Johnson
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — In complete disregard of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and in an effort to silence a news reporter, Sheriff Jeff Johnson and his attorney have demanded retraction of an editorial published by Fetch Your News last month regarding a deputy’s refusal to report to a single-vehicle accident on Nimblewill Gap for more than six hours.
On June 18, 2019, Joey Homans wrote: “I have been retained by Sheriff Jeff Johnson and Sgt. Larry Busher as a result of the libelous article you published on June 14, 2019 at dawson.fetchyournews.com. Your effort to camouflage and cover your malicious, hateful and libelous obloquy by posting under the “opinion” designation fails.”
Joey Homans
Homans is the former Dawson County Attorney. The Board of Commissioners declined to renew his contract in 2017. He subsequently sued the Board of Commissioners on behalf of Sheriff Johnson in a failed lawsuit that cost taxpayers thousands of dollars.
He concludes his attack on this reporter by stating: “Your article lacks actual, unvarnished truth and was published solely to damage Sheriff Johnson and Sgt. Busher. Therefore, on their behalf, I hereby demand that your June 14 publication be retracted within five (5) days of the date of this letter, that the retraction be clearly stated as such, that the retraction be published in the same manner that the libelous article was published and that no further publication or dissemination of the false statements set forth within your article occur.”
It has been three weeks since the threat was received and there has been no retraction. There will be no retraction. Not in five days, five weeks, five months or five years. What has failed is Sheriff Johnson’s attempt to ignore the First Amendment and frighten this reporter into writing a retraction.
Fetch Your News will have additional articles that focus on the Nimblewill fiasco, including Johnson’s false claim that the accident did not occur in Dawson County. Gilmer County officials are not pleased that Johnson attempted to scapegoat Gilmer County to cover up his sergeant’s failure to respond.
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 Jr. High student charged with making terroristic threats
News August 10, 2018
Dr. Damon Gibbs
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – An unidentified 15-year-old student at Dawson County Junior High School was taken into custody Friday (Aug. 10) morning, charged with making terroristic threats and one count of transmitting a public alarm.
Dawson County School System Superintendent Dr. Damon Gibbs said via email today the threat was reported Thursday afternoon and the student was immediately removed from the school
Following an investigation by the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office the student was arrested.
Gibbs issued the following statement, “The Dawson County School System takes all threats seriously and, as always, the safety of our students is our top priority. I want to thank Sheriff (Jeff) Johnson and his staff for acting quickly and handling the situation professionally. The school system will deal with the student per the Code of Conduct to ensure the ongoing safety of our student body.”
Fetch Your News will have more information as this story develops.
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 to hold departmental budget hearings next two weeks
News August 3, 2018
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – A process that often goes unnoticed by the public, but which plays a key role in how tax dollars get spent will play out over the next two weeks when Dawson County’s department heads appear before the Board of Commissioners to request funding for their departments.
The hearings begin Monday and will be held Monday through Thursday for the next two weeks in the Dawson County Administration Building starting at 9 a.m.
The process can be tedious and, at times contentious, as department heads defend their requests and commissioners attempt to ensure the county provides the services citizens pay for at a price they can afford. Every dollar is questioned and must be justified to survive the process.
The first to come under Board of Commissioners’ scrutiny Monday will be the Superior and Drug Court, followed at half-hour to 45-minute intervals by Tax Commissioner, Development Authority and Finance.
On Tuesday, commissioners will hear budget requests from the Public Defender, Elections Superintendent, Extension Service, Probate Judge and Public Works/Transfer Station.
Magistrate Court, Family Connection, Good Shepherd Clinic and Sheriff’s Office will bring their spending plans to commissioners on Wednesday.
The Sheriff’s Office budget is expected to get very close scrutiny. Sheriff Jeff Johnson sued the county last year when commissioners approved a $900,000 increase in the previous year’s budget. But Johnson maintained it wasn’t enough so he went to court.
The sheriff lost the lawsuit and the good will of the commissioners in the process. Commissioners believe the sheriff wastes too much money by not utilizing the county’s Purchasing Department more and by not submitting purchases to a competitive bidding process.
Week one closes out with budget requests from the coroner, facilities department, IT, clerk of court/board of equalization, and county manager/county government.
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
Commissioners approve 52-acre senior-living campus-style development
News April 8, 2018
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — A major mixed-use, senior-living campus-style development at Hwy. 400 and Castleberry Road moved one step closer to reality Thursday when the Dawson County Board of Commissioners agreed to amend the existing zoning of the 52.42-acre site from Commercial Planned Comprehensive Development.
The request was made by Richmond Honan Development and Acquisitions, LLC. The county Planning Commission recommended approval.
Plans for the development include 130,000 square feet of medical/office space, 31,500 square feet of retail, 141,000 square feet of assisted living space and 70,000 square feet for a 128-room hotel. Stipulations approved by commissioners include a maximum of 200 independent living units, 40 loft dwelling units above the retail space and 60 senior-living duplexes.
County commissioners approved a request by the Sheriff’s Office for two additional school resource officers (SRO) and additional funding for off-duty officers to handle traffic control at the schools for July 1 through Dec. 31.
The board also granted Sheriff Jeff Johnson’s request for a permit to hold a 51-mile motorcycle ride for Relay for Live April 14 from 9 a.m. until noon. The event will begin and end at Dawsonville’s Georgia Racing Hall of Fame.
Following a public hearing, the board voted 4-0 to approve a draft Capital Improvements Element as part of the county’s consideration of an impact fee program.
Under new business, the board also approved:
⦁ A request to upgrade a part-time clerk position in the Magistrate Court to full time;
⦁ An increase in pay for a clerk in the Magistrate Court who has achieved Georgia Information Crime Center Certification;
⦁ An annual salary increase of $5,000 for the county attorney;
⦁ The purchase of emergency medical supplies for Emergency Services;
⦁ Ratification of FY 2018 Homeland Security Grant Program application in the amount of $14,400 with no county match required;
⦁ Writing off old debt for ambulance service deemed uncollectable;
⦁ The appointment of Jo Ann Overstreet Hause to the Tax Assessor Board; and
⦁ The appointment of George Lyons, Bob Speight and Judy Baer to the Tree Preservation Committee. Commissioners took no action on five requests from residents of Gold Creek to be annexed into the city of Dawsonville.
Chairman Billy Thurmond read a proclamation declaring April National Donate Life Month that was adopted unanimously by the board. LifeLink is Georgia’s non-profit organ and tissue recovery organization. More than 5,000 people in Georgia are awaiting a transplant. One donor can save 75 lives. Each day, 22 people die because an organ does not become available. To sign up for organ or tissue donation, visit www.donatelifegeorgia.org.
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
Sheriff asks county to reallocate $397,318.58 remaining in his 2017 budget to 2018
News March 21, 2018
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson has asked the Board of Commissioners to reallocate $397,318.58 that was left unspent in his 2017 budget to his 2018 budget. County policy dictates that an overage in any departmental budget must be returned to the General Fund.
Johnson sent an email to the Board of Commissioners Tuesday which states: “Lately, there has been much discussion about excessive funds remaining in the S.O. (Sheriff’s Office) 2017 Budget. It has been asserted that these funds may have been applied to a CAD System or other needs. I ask you to simply reallocate those remaining funds to this 2018 budget. Although I cannot say with all certainty that this amount would completely cover the cost of a new CAD System, I believe it would. Remaining funds could be applied to other needs such as SWAT equipment, etc.”
FetchYourNews (FYN) obtained a copy of that email via an open records request. Johnson himself confirms what FYN reported last week: “That he could have purchased the CAD system and had money left over.”
County officials have repeatedly recommended that he allow the county Finance Department and Purchasing Department to assist him. It is a free resource that, to this point, the sheriff has declined to utilize.
Several county officials have questioned whether Johnson knew he had money left in the 2017 budget.
County Manager David Headley said, “We are at a loss to understand why he would not address more of his needs if he did know. It could have been used. He could have used it to fund whatever he wanted. He could have gotten the CAD system and the SWAT equipment.”
Several sources who were present when Johnson addressed a Leadership Dawson class recently said when he was asked how much money remained in his budget his answer was: about $100,000.
On the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, Johnson advises, “Always consider the source” in reference to a recent FetchYourNews article. That is excellent advice.
The source of the following information is Johnson himself. The sheriff has claimed that a significant population increase has led to an increase in law enforcement activity. However, he provided a report to the county recently that contradicts that claim.
His report shows a decline in citations, traffic stops and arrests over a 10-year period, and more importantly, during his first year in office.
Between 2007 and 2017, citations declined from 2,323 to 914. Traffic stops dropped from 9,254 to 4,473 and arrests declined from 2,273 to 1,494.
Looking only at Johnson’s first year in office, citations dropped significantly from 1,727 in 2016, to 914 last year. Arrests fell from 1,665 to 1,494. Only traffic stops showed an increase from 4,170 in 2016 to 4,473 last year.
Johnson’s claim that the county population has increased significantly, likewise, is not accurate. In rejecting the sheriff’s lawsuit against the county, Senior Superior Court Judge Fred A. Bishop said research shows that Dawson County’s population has only increased by an average of 1 percent per year for the last 10 years.
The first quarter of 2018 will end soon. Hopefully, it is the year in which the sheriff and Board of Commissioners can work out his differences for the sake of all county taxpayers.
Judge rules against sheriff’s lawsuit against county
News March 16, 2018
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Senior Superior Court Judge Fred A. Bishop has ruled against Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson in his lawsuit against the Dawson County Board of Commissioners.
Johnson claimed the $8,273,080 budget approved by the commissioners for 2018 is inadequate for him to perform the duties of his office. He requested his budget be set at $8,961,406.
FetchYourNews 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
Former Dawson County jailer is behind bars
News September 5, 2018
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – One day after Fetch Your News published an article alleging that a former Dawson County Sheriff’s Office detention officer carried on a romantic relationship with a female prisoner, Luciano Pablo Betancourt was arrested and charged with violation of his oath of office.
Betancourt, who resigned in lieu of termination on Aug. 14, has been placed in the same Dawson County Detention Center where he once guarded prisoners. He could face up to five years behind bars.
In an exclusive interview with Fetch Your News, April Finnegan, 31, said last week that during her incarceration in the detention center, Betancourt “kissed her, put his hand inside her shirt and asked her to send him nude photos of herself.”
Finnegan, who was serving a three-month sentence on probation violation and drug possession was released on July 3. She said she did not report the incident because she had become attracted to the guard.
“I’m not trying to get him into trouble, even now,” she told Fetch Your News. “Everybody in my dorm could tell. Everybody knew what was going on. One of the girls in my dorm even asked him jokingly, ‘Hey Betancourt can you two get married while she’s incarcerated.’”
Georgia law doesn’t take into account whether sex acts between a prison guard and an inmate are consensual, because guards have inherent authority over prisoners. Congress in 2003 passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act, which calls for corrections systems to have a zero-tolerance policy on prison rape.
Sheriff Jeff Johnson told the local newspaper Tuesday that Betancourt’s arrest follows an internal affairs investigation. But Finnegan said she was never questioned by anyone from internal affairs.
According to his personnel file, Betancourt received a written reprimand in July 2017 for another policy violation. The policy states: “Employees shall not fraternize with or engage the personal services of any person in custody; shall not become socially or emotionally involved with prisoners; shall not borrow money or any type of property; or shall not lend money or any property to any person in custody.”
The reprimand states, “Officer Betancourt had spent time with 2 females in (cell) E-4 every shift he had worked between the dates of June 29 and July15. Betancourt would stop and spend two minutes talking with the 2 females, had the females out cleaning the showers in their whites (shirt and underwear) and remained in the pod while they were off camera in the shower. Betancourt remained at the table nearest the shower where he had full visual contact with the inmates. Thus far, there has been no allegation made by the inmates and Betancourt expresses he does understand the potential for accusations from these behaviors.”
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
Sheriff’s lawsuit against the county heads to court
News December 27, 2017
County Manager David Headley
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The dispute between Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson and the Board of Commissioners over the 2018 budget will move to Senior Superior Court Judge Fred A. Bishop’s courtroom Friday, Jan. 12, at 9:30 a.m.
On Dec. 18, Bishop ordered county commissioners to appear before him to show cause why Johnson’s petition for mandamus “should not be issued as requested and such other relief be granted as the facts of the case may warrant.”
Johnson filed the petition for mandamus claiming the $8,273,080 budget approved by the commissioners for 2018 is inadequate for him to perform the duties of his office. Johnson requested his budget be set at $8,961,406.
Commissioners argue the budget represents a one-year increase of close to $1 million and is the largest increase awarded to any county office in 2018.
In fact, figures released by the county show that the sheriff’s office budget has increased by $2.3 million since 2014. County Manager David Headley said the sheriff’s budget grew by $525,381 in 2015, $348,648 in 2016, $457,632 in 2017 and $985,277 in 2018.
Moreover, a Georgia Department of Community Affairs survey reveals that Dawson County citizens pay more per capita to operate the sheriff’s office and jail than any other county in north Georgia. The survey of 26 counties shows Dawson County citizens pay $273 each, followed by Rabun County where citizens pay $210.
Several county officials have complained the sheriff wastes taxpayer dollars by not following the county’s purchasing policy of awarding bids to the lowest, most competent and qualified bidder.
Headley said the county has repeatedly reached out to the sheriff to offer assistance in matters such as human resources, finance and purchasing, and grants and maintenance.
“We have a well-trained staff and policies in place, which can help with compliance with the law and doing things in the most efficient and economical way,” Headley said. “Our offers have frequently been ignored or declined.”
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
Sheriff Prepared to Sue County Over 2018 Budget
News October 24, 2017
Sheriff Jeff Johnson
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — First-year Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson wants a bigger slice of the 2018 county budget than commissioners approved last month and he is prepared to take them to court to get it.
Johnson’s attorney Joseph Homans sent County Attorney Lynn Frey an email requesting additional legal fees for the sheriff regarding the petition for mandamus he intends to file in Superior Court should the county not approve the budget submitted by the sheriff in July.
According to the petition, that request was for $8,961,406. In September county commissioners approved a budget of $8,273,080.
The petition states, “The budget approved by Respondents constitutes abuse of discretion as Respondents failed to fulfill their duty to adopt a budget making reasonable and adequate provisions for personnel and equipment necessary to enable the Sheriff to perform his duties.”
Commission Chairman Billy Thurmond
As of Tuesday (Oct. 24), Homans said he had nothad a response from the county.
Commission Chairman Billy Thurmond said, “We are looking at it with our attorney right now. We will discuss it in executive session on Thursday and I will be able to say more about it then.”
The sheriff’s budgeting process is unlike any in state government. Commissioners control the budget, but sheriffs are constitutional officers, elected by the citizens. Their budgets cannot be cut unless the sheriff agrees.
Commissioners contend the budget they approved reflects an increase over the 2017 budget.
BREAKING NEWS: Shooting in Dawson County
News December 5, 2017
Sheriff Jeff Johnson
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson said authorities are investigating a shooting that took place this afternoon at the Chevron station at Georgia 400 and Dawsonville Highway.
Johnson said one of his deputies was giving a man a courtesy ride to the store and had planned to give the man some money to buy a few things when the man started striking the deputy in the face.
According to Johnson, a woman who witnessed the incident pulled a handgun and shot the suspect who then fled across state Route 400 to the McDonald’s restaurant where he assaulted a woman.
Johnson said the deputy, the woman who was assaulted and the suspect have been taken to an area hospital.
No names have been released at this time.
Fetch Your News will have more details as they become available
Sheriff, County Remain at Odds Over Budget
News August 25, 2017
Sheriff Jeff Johnson
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – After the second of three scheduled public hearings Thursday, the Dawson County Board of Commissioners and first-term Sheriff Jeff Johnson remain at odds over the sheriff’s 2018 budget request.
Johnson’s request to provide services that include the jail, K-9, school resource officers, 911 and court is $8,130,477. The sheriff’s budget in 2017 is $6,822,566. Commissioners have proposed $7,344,486, an increase of about half a million dollars but nowhere near what is being requested.
Johnson says, “That amount is inadequate. The amount budgeted last year wasn’t insufficient then. We’re just trying to increase it by a reasonable amount and not be excessive in order to meet what the needs are.”
Comm. Julie Hughes-Nix
He also points to the tremendous growth in retail and residential, especially along the Ga. 400 corridor that will place greater demands on his office. “We’re anticipating a 28 percent increase in the amount of calls we will respond to in 2018,” he said.
The sheriff’s request includes the unfreezing of seven employee positions, one new criminal investigator and a 2 percent cost of living increase for sheriff’s office employees.
Johnson and attorney Joey Homans have asked to meet with commissioners again before the budget is scheduled to be adopted on Sept. 21 to plead their case. As of Friday morning, Johnson said commissioners had not responded to that request.
County officials will point to a Georgia Department of Community Affairs survey that shows Dawson County citizens already pay more to operate the sheriff’s office and jail than any other county in north Georgia. In the 26 counties surveyed, Dawson County citizens pay $273 each, followed by Rabun County where citizens pay $210 each. Nowhere else do citizens pay as much as $200 each.
Johnson says that is an apples to oranges comparison.
“We’re the only law enforcement provider here,” he said. “There is no city police. No other law enforcement entity whatsoever. In all those other counties there is some sort of jurisdiction to help them out.”
But commissioners say that a $1.3 million increase is more than citizens should have to bear.
While next year’s millage will remain the same, homeowners will still see a 4.4 percent increase in their taxes next year.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for the sheriff and the men and women of our sheriff’s office,” Commissioner Julie Hughes-Nix said. ”It gave me great pleasure to vote for the wage and salary study that provided a well-deserved pay increase for them this year. But we have to be fair to our citizens and do our best to hold the line on spending. The sheriff is asking for an increase of more than $1 million in last year’s budget. I just don’t think we can spend that much more and be fair to the taxpayers.”
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
Lt. Governor Casey Cagle Visits Dawsonville
News August 16, 2017
From left Sen. Steve Gooch, Bill Elliott and Lt. Governor Casey Cagle
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Former NASCAR great Bill Elliott — better known as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville — and a large contingent of community leaders welcomed Lt. Governor Casey Cagle to Dawsonville Wednesday morning. Cagle is in the midst of a 17-stop bus tour of north Georgia to promote his campaign for governor.
You have to wonder if Elliott gave the Hall County Republican some inside tips on how to make a quick pit stop because after spending a little quality time with Dawson County community leaders and a quick stump speech, Cagle sped off to Pickens, Gilmer, Gordon, and Whitfield counties.
Before getting back on the road, Cagle visited with Commission Chairman Billy Thurmond, Commissioners Jimmy Hamby and Chris Gaines, Mayor James Grogan, County Manager David Headley, Sherriff Jeff Johnson and Chamber President Christie Hayes.
Former Commission Chairman Mike Berg introduced the lieutenant governor who didn’t need much of an introduction since he once represented the county as State Senator and has been lieutenant governor for eight years.
Cagle’s said he would focus on transportation, jobs, education and providing broadband to rural areas of Georgia
Cagle said, Georgia needs a transportation plan to accommodate a population growth of about 4.5 million people in the next 15 years.
“We have to get busy with a two-year strategic plan built around transportation that is able to go under, go over, go around, whatever is required to prepared ourselves for the kind of growth that is coming.”
On jobs, Cagle said he wants to build a world-class workforce second to none. “As I woke up this morning there were 150,000 jobs available today and out of that 150,000, 25 percent need four-year degrees but 75 percent need industry certification or a two-year degree. So, I want to make sure we are aligning education with what industry needs.”
On education he said, “The college and career education network I created reshapes the way we deliver education, giving our kids more options.”
Cagle also repeated his pledge of 500,000 new jobs during his first term in office and $100 million in tax cuts in the first 100 days.
Cagle said he understands how important broadband access is to education and to attracting business to Georgia and he fired a salvo over the heads of broadband internet providers.
“We’re going to have best in class as it pertains to rural broadband,” he said. “I’m going to set a standard that I expect every single provider in this state to reach. I know we have a problem with last mile so we’ll be looking at technology that will allow us to provide that. But I’m not going to accept any excuses. The providers are going to get in gear to make this a reality or we’re going to find someone that can. It’s just that simple.
Asked if the state school board members should be elected or appointed, he said, “Many people believe that the superintendent should be appointed almost like a cabinet position. I don’t believe that having an elected state school board is going to fundamentally improve education.”
On what has been a highly controversial religious freedom bill, Cagle said, “I and the other candidates have signed a pledge that if there is a federal mirror Xerox copy of what is already federal law that comes to my desk, I will sign it. There are a lot of social issues out there that are very divisive. As a born-again Christian, with a strong belief in religious freedom, I don’t want anyone trampling on that. As governor, I am also not for discrimination. So we’re not using this in a way that will cloak ourselves in a way that allows us to discriminate. So, these are balancing acts. We’ll do it in a way that doesn’t cost us business.”
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
Sheriff’s Office Employee Charged with Forgery
News June 28, 2017
Katie Ann Moore worked at the Dawson County Detention Center
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – A Dawson County Sheriff’s Office employee was arrested Tuesday and charged with forgery in the first degree, a felony charge.
Moore, who has worked at the sheriff’s office since May 2015, was a detention officer at the Dawson County Detention Center.
A resident of Murrayville and member of the Georgia National Guard, Moore is accused of presenting a false document regarding the date she was to report for duty with the National Guard.
After an investigation, it was determined the document was fictitious.
Multiple messages left on Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson’s office and cell phone have not been returned.
Second Budget Hearing is Set for Thursday
News August 23, 2017
Dawson County Board of Commissioners
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Those who would like a chance to voice their concerns about the proposed fiscal year 2018 budget will have that opportunity when the Dawson County Board of Commissioners holds a called meeting and the second public hearing on the $37.3 million spending bill Thursday at 4 p.m.
The budget proposal represents a 3.7 percent increase over last year’s $36 million budget. If it is adopted in its present form, it will require the use of $1.38 million from the fund balance (reserves.)
Among the goals set by commissioners in drafting the budget was creation of a realistic, revenue-based budget that would require no increase in the millage rate and at the same time provide improved funding for all departments that would allow them to an improved level of service.
Sheriff Jeff Johnson
Some of the challenges the board faced this year included the $1.08 million cost to implement staff salary increases recommended by last year’s wage and salary study an 18 percent increase in the cost of employee health insurance and increased operational needs of multiple departments.
The Sheriff’s Office is seeking the largest budgetary increase of about $500,000 from $6.82 million last year to $7.3 million this year. Sheriff Johnson has said growth in commerce along the Ga. 400 corridor and the addition of several major residential developments requires additional staff and funding.
Walmart Evacuated After Bomb Threat Sunday
News February 13, 2017
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson confirmed Monday afternoon that it was a bomb threat that led to the evacuation of Walmart off Ga. 400 Sunday.
In an email, Johnson said the Sheriff’s Office received a bomb threat at approximately 6:29 p.m. Sunday. Deputies responded and a three-hour search was conducted utilizing Explosive Detection K9s and handlers from both the Cherokee and Forsyth County Sheriff’s Offices.
Johnson said that after a thorough search, the scene was cleared and the store reopened.