‘Temporary’ Ga. tax aimed at $200K single filers and couples making over $400K, Tyrone legislator says

The Tyrone Town Council Thursday approved a design and engineering proposal for a Valleywood Road drainage project. Planners will have to wait for the go-ahead from Town Manager Richard Newbern since the right-of-way for the project has not been obtained.

The agenda was brief Thursday night at the Tyrone Town Council, but council members at the meeting approved a new shed for the soccer field at Handley Park, awarded a contract to repair a drainage pipe on Laurel Circle and approved several changes to the ordinance pertaining to the rental of town parks and recreational facilities.

A fire caused heavy damage to a trailer adjacent to Tyrone Tire Thursday afternoon.

Tyrone’s new town manager is on the job. Selected late last year to replace retiring town manager Chris Venice, former Glynn County grant coordinator Richard Newbern began his employment with the town on Jan. 4.

Snow in Tyrone? On New Year’s Day? Right on both counts. The temperature was certainly cold enough but it was not the skies overhead that filled Tim Braunlin’s front yard. Former New Yorkers with a penchant for turning nostalgia into reality, both the family and a number of wide-eyed neighbors benefitted from 14 year-old Gabe’s idea of constructing a snow machine. The idea worked.

Tyrone Police this year continued their tradition of making a difference at Christmas for youngsters and their families. Officers like Maj. Van Brock helped more than a dozen youngsters with Christmas shopping. The kids were treated to pizza at the Tyrone Depot after the shopping trip.

A total of 37 awards were presented Wednesday night by Tyrone Police Chief Brandon Perkins at the 3rd Annual Awards Dinner held at the Tyrone Depot. Officer Andrea Johnson was named Officer of the Year and court clerk Kathy Bright was named Employee of the Year. Other awards were presented for meritorious service, community service, chief’s commendations, civic achievement, instructor certification, service recognition, good conduct and marksmanship.

Tyrone will have a new town manager beginning in early January. The Town Council Dec. 8 approved the hire of Glynn County Community Development Department grant coordinator Richard Newbern for the position.

The Tyrone Town Council heard from representatives of the Georgia Dept. of Transportation (GDOT) Thursday night, asking them to consider reviewing a Project Framework Agreement (PFA) and signing it in early 2010 so the new railroad crossing project along Senoia Road and Valleywood/East Crestwood can proceed. An agreement by the town could mean taxpayers would be responsible for more than the $225,000 previously cited as the maximum the town would commit to the project.

Lt. Dan Berschinski recovering from severe injuries in IED explosion

1st Lt. Dan Berschinski, who lost both his legs several months ago in an explosion while his Army unit patrolled in Afghanistan, is supporting a plan to add 30,000 troops to the country to battle Taliban forces.

After a brief discussion Thursday night the Tyrone Town Council adopted a library use policy that put conditions on the use of the StoryTime room and requires that children under age 12 have adult supervision.

Increasing sedimentation in Castle Lake due to stormwater runoff along with concerns from the Castle Lake Homeowners Association relating to the health of the lake led to Dec. 3 decision by the Tyrone Town council to review a federal grant application the HOA group is seeking and to potentially partner with the association to apply for the grant.

The following arrests were made by Tyrone Police from Nov. 4 through Dec. 3. Those arrested are presumed innocen until proven guilty.

Students from Sandy Creek and McIntosh, Tyrone town staff and citizens, totaling 36 people in all, pitched in Nov. 7 to pick up discarded items in the area around Line Creek in Tyrone as part of the Environmental Institute of Georgia-sponsored Rivers Alive clean-up program.

The Town of Tyrone with the support of approximately 57 percent of voters Nov. 3 should be set to begin Sunday alcohol sales on Jan. 1.

The following arrests were made by Tyrone Police from Nov. 3-11. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The 30 employees of Osmose Utility Services on Greencastle Road in Tyrone have a reason to celebrate. Having been in operation in Tyrone for three years the company is celebrating its 75th year in business. Osmose, Inc. has also operated a facility in Griffin for the past 25 years, with a total of 60 employees.

It’s just about all over except for the voting. Tyrone’s only contested council race pitting incumbent Grace Caldwell against former planning Commissioner Ken Matthews is down to the wire with votes coming Tuesday.

Tyrone’s town clerk vacancy did not take long to fill and the person now in the position has been in municipal service for a large portion of the past two decades. But beyond experience it is her outlook on service that speaks volumes.

It was the next step in a process that is expected to impact Fairburn, southwest metro Atlanta and beyond. It was the Oct. 17 dedication of the Fairburn Nature Preserve that will be managed by the Environmental Institute of Georgia (EIOG), a local non-profit that earlier this year became the trustee of a 310-acre nature preserve on Bohannon Road owned by the city of Fairburn.

Tyrone will have pumpkins carved by Pre-K through 5th graders on display in front of town hall for the Pumpkin Walk from Oct. 28-30. Pumpkins will be judged Oct. 28 prizes will be awarded to the winner of each grade group. Pumpkins can be picked up on Oct. 30 after 5 p.m.

A solution to the question of the closure of railroad crossings in Tyrone remained in limbo Thursday night, with an impasse between the town and the Georgia Department of Transportation stemming from costs that the town says are more than it can bear.

The Men’s Ensemble at Sandy Creek High, made up of members of the Select Mixed Chorus, are $1,000 closer to funding a trip to perform with the Grammy award-winning group, Chanticleer, this spring in San Francisco.

It seems that nothing can stop Tyrone. Not even torrential rains last weekend could dampen the spirits of the participants and spectators at the Founder’s Day Parade. The addition to this year’s parade was the presence of umbrellas all along the parade route.

The Tyrone Police Criminal Investigations Division on Sept. 22 obtained five theft by deception warrants for Rob McPherson, owner of Kennesaw-based Great American Roofing. This came after the investigation of several complaints from citizens who gave McPherson deposits for work that was never performed, said Police Chief Brandon Perkins.

It is hard to sum up the accomplishments and the positive impact of a person on others in only a few words. That effort is even more difficult when the person is someone like Patsy Couch, named last week as Tyrone’s Citizen of the Year for 2009. The award process was re-instituted for 2009 after a lapse of several years.

For a town that has become famous as a political hot-bed, the qualifying process for the two council seats on the November ballot has become a relatively lonely one. As of press time at noon Friday only one challenger had qualified.

Qualifying for two town council begins Aug. 31 and ends Sept. 4. Those interested should visit town hall on Senoia Road during the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Tyrone will soon be losing Town Manager Chris Venice and Town Clerk Nancy Goedker. Venice will be leaving at the end of the year while Goedker’s resignation will take effect at the end of September.