The Dodge County News

The Dodge County Board of Commissioners had two meetings in the last two weeks– the first was a work session and on Monday, August 6, the board held its regular meeting.

Commissioner W.T. “Junior” Howell called the work session to order by stating, “This is the work session, and is only for information purposes, and no action will be taken.”

During the work session, Dale Jones, chief appraiser with the Dodge County Tax Assessor’s Office, stood before the commissioners and gave a presentation in regards to the consolidations and tax digest.

Jones delivered some news that baffled not only Jones, but also the commissioners. According to Jones, the “consolidations were down.”

According to Jones, the amount collected from vehicles was down $3,000,000.00 from 2017 and timber was down $4,000,000.00 from 2017 as well. She couldn’t explain exactly why that was or exactly how amounts were figured out, as per a question from Dodge County Interim Manager Bobby Peacock.

She said that she received those figures from Kay Graham, Dodge County Tax Commissioner. 
“So, someone sends those figures to her, and she sends to you,” Peacock asked. 
 Jones said Graham had a system in place. (Editor’s Note: Graham told The Dodge County News on the phone Tuesday that the county only receives a percentage of what is collected. The monies are divided between the state, the county and school system. Graham said, “It changes every year as per the state part.”)

In discussing the decrease in the timber collections, questions centered on why there was that much of a decline there. “I was told that it was not collected and that it was not turned in, so it was not collected,” Jones said.

Howell added, “It is on the honor system.”

Peacock stated, “So, if it is not reported, there is nothing we can do?”

Jones added, “There is really not a very good check and balance system as of right now. The same goes for when a mobile home is brought into the county...if they don’t get a permit, we don’t know about it. When we do see it, by then they have gotten by with several years not paying for it. We are spending a lot of time cleaning up the mobile home digest.”

As per the consolidations, Jones said, “We are ready to do the reconciliations...we sent out our assessments and the proper days have passed, and if you are ready to set the millage rate, then we can do this.”

Jones said she had talked with her vendor who told her to ahead and send it in, and they would figure out the errors after they did it.

The vendor that Jones uses for the digest assistance had found a very “big error” and it could be because of the data conversion from one system to the other. The errors could be either in conservation figures or in the homestead exemptions.

Peacock asked Jones, “We didn’t have any growth did we?”

She asked, “Inflationary growth?”

Peacock said yes. Jones felt like there was some. “If there was a mistake, I can’t find it.”

She said, “I am going to transfer the file, and if there is too much off or two much difference, then we will have to go back and restructure.”
[Full Story »]

The Lady Indians’ softball team expects to have a wining season this year. Pictured above are some of the senior players from this year’s team. Lady Indians ready to start playing are (front row, l-r) Abby Christian Manning, Jacey Dowdy and Jade Dowdy and (back row, l-r) Europe Brown, Amber Maxwell and Jenna Hickman. (Photo by Cissie Johns Photography)

The Eastman Police Department reported the following arrests in the previous week.

Korey Lowrey, age 19, of 5335 Manhasset Cove in Atlanta was arrested for obstructing law enforcement officers and possession/ purchase alcohol under 21.

Hannah Davis, age 26, of 279 Highway 165 in Milan was arrested for criminal trespass, business.

Melinda Long, age 48, of 1623 Belleview Road in Dublin was arrested for driving while license suspended or revoked and failure to stop at stop/ yield sign.

Leonidas De La Cruz, age 42, of 334 5th Avenue Apartment C in Eastman was arrested for driving while unlicensed or expired new resident.

John Holder, age 37, of 395 Lee Street in Milan was arrested for probation violation.

Jennifer Coons, age 22, of 2661 Dublin Highway in Eastman was arrested for driving while license suspended or revoked.

Martrell Brown, age 33, of 306 South Road in Wauchula, Florida was arrested for driving wile license suspended or revoked and speeding.

Juan Felipe Reyes, age 39, of 5918 Asbury Drive Lot 5 in Eastman was arrested for driving while unlicensed or expired new resident.

Juvenile, age 12, of 120 Holder Place in Eastman was arrested for juvenile runaway.

Prophet Thomas, age 51, of 525 Plaza Avenue Apartment F28 in Eastman was arrested for terrorizing threats and acts.

Laurie Ethridge, age 64, of 5239 Smith Avenue in Eastman was arrested for failure to yield while turning left and driving under the influence of alcohol. [Full Story »]

Dear editor,
Failure of this nation begin with the young generation. Their first school is no longer an institution of morality.
Americans have turn away from the words of our creator. A home with biological parents has become a thing of the past. Public schools have made a change from the belief of the founding fathers. America has turn in another direction from its beginning.
This nation is crying without tears. What the founding fathers believe has become obsolete. President George Washington stated two things that will make politic work are religion and morality. In main students was required to take a test twice a year on the constitution, declaration of independent, first prayer in congressand Washington Farwell Address.
Washington gave twelve warnings that America must do to keep America on track. All have been brought back accept the four religious warnings.
President Woodrow Wilson stated that any nation that doesn’t remember who she was yesterday will not know who she is today in what she is seeking to do. America has become so good in compromising that she is accepting wrong over right, punishing the richious.
Today’s politicians will say or do anything just to get into office. There was a time when one had to swear they believe in God before they could run for public office. God is not on the side of the republicans or democrats but the side of right. America must live through all the times; we are wrapped in a single garment of togetherness, we all can live as friends or die as fools through suicide.
In 1961, the supreme court rule that students could not pray in classroom unless they did it quietly without moving their lips. We pledge allegiance to the American flag while ignoring the pledge to the Christian flag and the Holy Bible.
America must realize that freedom is not free and is not worth having if we don’t have the freedom to make mistakes. Freedom is costly and the price can be found in the graves.
This nation seems to have forgotten that God’s justice will not sleep forever. Any nation that is not punished in this world will be punished in the next.
For sure there will come a day when night will never come again.
Johnny L. Black, MSG(R)

Age: 66

Deceased: July 31, 2018
Arrangements: Lowe's Funeral Home of McRae was in charge of arrangements.