Wilkes Board of Commissioners pass resolutions, hear from youth
By SPARKY NEWSOME

The Wilkes County Board of Commissioners took official action on only two matters while discussing several others and listening to various reports during its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, February 8, 2007, at 2 p.m. in the Wilkes County courthouse.

A resolution supporting the submission of a "Preserve America" funding request was approved in order to lend the county's support to efforts to secure grant funding for an archeological study at the Kettle Creek battleground. The grant would amount to about $40,000 and would be matched by in-kind services provided by the county at the site.

The resolution calls Kettle Creek "the site of one of the most important Revolutionary War battles fought in Georgia ... instrumental in keeping the British from taking over up-country Georgia."

In supporting the grant request, the resolution points out that the battle site is "the obvious location to commemorate the battle and serve as an educational location where the lessons of the Battle of Kettle Creek and the Revolutionary War can be taught." Results of the archeological study would be used to support "educational enhancements and heritage tourism enhancements associated with the battleground."

The resolution also provides that approval will be granted for property access and land disturbance associated with the study.

The other action taken by the board was the appointment of Sparky Newsome to the unexpired term of Ross Maynard on the Airport Commission. Maynard resigned a few weeks ago for personal reasons.

Though not a pilot himself, Newsome commented that he had done a small amount of flying and that because of his father's involvement in aviation, he had maintained a "special interest" in the airport. He thanked the commissioners for their confidence.

Commission Chairman Sam Moore commented that the airport "has been making some progress and we hope that will continue in the future."

All of the commissioners; Divenski Lee, Donna Hardy, John Howard, Jerry Stover, and Moore; were in attendance at the meeting as were County Administrator David Tyler, County Attorney Charles LeGette, and secretary Jenna Bunch. There was also a small number of visitors present.

In other business:

.. A group of teenagers representing the Youth Leadership Wilkes program spoke before the commissioners and outlined the objectives and activities of the group. "We are trying to do what we can to get young people to be less sexually active, to stop using drugs, and to become more physically active, and to eat balanced meals," said Ashley Kearney, a junior at Washington- Wilkes Comprehensive High School. "We are also visiting with our local governments to see how they can help with this," she said.

Of the 15 members currently involved in the Youth Leadership Wilkes program, six appeared before the commissioners including Kearney, Thomas Booker, Chantel Huff, Beunka Stephens, Melacia Cullars, and Michael Edwards. Dot Jordan, project director, escorted the group.

Moore pointed out that there had been some money available in the past for drug abuse education and that he thought that had come out of the court system. "But I'm not sure where that stands now," he said.

Tyler suggested that the group develop an application to seek grant money and offered his assistance.

Kearney reported that members of the group regularly go to WXKT, the local radio station, to make commercials promoting their ideals. "We try to get everyone involved in something," she said.

"We want our young people to be active in churches and civic organizations and government," Jordan said. "If we can keep them active, they will stay out of trouble."

.. LeGette said that the sheriff's department had reported a request from the City of Rayle that its incorporated area be included in the scope of the sheriff's jurisdiction. It was noted that some type of formal action from the City of Rayle is needed in order for the county to adopt anything official. "I'm working on that," LeGette said.

.. LeGette also mentioned that his office is continuing its research on a request for a tax refund on a claimed excess paid in past years. The matter involves a house that burned and the house that was subsequently constructed over its remaining basement and foundation.

.. Tyler reported that Local Option Sales Tax received for the month of November amounted to $55,491.71 and that Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax was $84,870.96 for the same month.

.. Wilkes County EMS Director Blake Thompson reported that his department is preparing for a big event at Aonia Pass which will host as many as 5,000 people. He said that he also has neighboring counties ready for backup if needed. As a matter of interest, Thompson noted that he had seen more people thrown from vehicles lately than he had seen in the past several years, and he encouraged the use of seat belts.

.. Ashley Barnett, tourism director, reported that "Tourism is going wonderfully." She outlined state meetings which she has attended and others that are coming up. "It's important that we be at these conferences," she said, "the impact is tremendous."

.. Moore reported that the Local Assistance Road Program (LARP) will help this year with work on Scull Shoals Road, Flat Rock Road, and Quaker Springs Road. He said that while LARP funds have increased slightly, increasing expenses have caused the effectiveness of the program to drop.

"We appreciate all that the DOT gives us but it's getting harder to get much done," he said.

The next regular meeting of the commissioners will be on Thursday, March 8, at 7 p.m.

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