Crews will be striping the parallel parking spaces along Washington Street in Clarkesville tonight. They’ll be working between 10-11pm. Please use caution when driving through the area.
Sosebee named Demorest City Clerk
Marlena Sosebee has been named Demorest’s new city clerk. She succeeds Juanita Crumley who resigned from the job last night.
Sosebee is the city’s newest employee and was hired from within. Demorest Mayor Rick Austin says she was the logical choice. “Marlena is the one that has experience in note taking and in minute keeping and in record keeping and in those types of things. She’ll be a new fresh face for us. She’s up for the task.”
Sosebee takes over the job immediately. “We’re going to get her trained really quickly and I think she’s going to make us a dynamite city clerk.”
Crumley served as the Demorest City Manager, Clerk and Treasurer for 39 years. She held onto the clerk’s position after she was removed as manager and treasurer in December. The Demorest City Council unanimously approved her resignation/retirement Tuesday night during a called council meeting at Piedmont College.
Crock Pot Style
I like making smoothies, a few chunks of mango, banana, strawberries, a few almonds, vitamins, and presto! breakfast. My husband bought me a fancy blender just for this purpose. I jokingly remark, “I think I’ll blend something,” and with a push of a button, blending couldn’t be easier.
At times we find ourselves in uncharted waters, trying to make sense of the chaos around us: financial distress, heartache, loss of a loved one, an empty nest, misunderstanding with a friend, misguided children, addiction, or divorce. No matter how we try, we can’t seem to make it right. We feel disheveled and out of sorts, unable to tie it all together. Unable to push a button and blend it all together.
I’ve always enjoyed cooking with a crock pot. Slow and steady, with the right ingredients, spices, occasional stirring, and patience, a meal emerges. Each individual part: potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, chunks of beef, salt and pepper gives an enjoyable taste; but, it takes time.
Many times in life’s situations we want an answer that will put it all back together, blend it, make it fit. The last eight years of my life have seen tremendous heartache and loss. Darkness. Uncertainty. Despair. There were times that I could not understand how it all fit; how God could possibly turn it for good; how I could have reached this point. Very much like Job, I stood wondering what God had against me. What could I have done to displease Him? Other times, I knew that although the waters were rough, and my ship tossed out-of-control, God was at the helm.
But when I take the heartache, the pain, the kind words of friends, the scriptures that came in the middle of the night, the loyalty of loved ones, the prayers of those around me, the constant hand of God on me, and the love of a wonderful man, I found, in time, an enjoyable life – crock pot style.
John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Life in Motion
“Yay!” ~ Katie Long, Cornelia
Tallulah Falls School 8th grader Katie Long celebrates a successful run during the school’s annual ski trip to Cataloochee Ski Resort in Maggie Valley, North Carolina on Jan. 21.
Lady Lions down Covenant
Demorest, GA – The Piedmont College women’s basketball team picked up its 6th win by 20 points or more this season with an 81-60 win over visiting Covenant College earlier tonight in Cave Arena.
The win was the 15th overall for PC and 8th in USA South play as the Lady Lions scored 80 or more for the 10th time in 17 games. Piedmont continues to put up offensive numbers with some of the nation’s best ranking 8th amongst all Division III institutions in scoring offense.
Four Lady Lions were in double figures on the evening led by a pair of 17-point scorers in freshman DAKOTA SULLENS and sophomore JULIANNE BAYER. Each connected on seven field goals as Bayer was a perfect 2-for-2 from 3-point land. Sullens came up one rebound shy of a double-double on the evening while Bayer pulled down seven boards herself.
The turning point in the contest came with 11:18 remaining in the first half and Piedmont nursing a 2-point lead (14-12). For the next 7-plus minutes, Piedmont did not allow Covenant to tally a single point scoring 24 unanswered to blow the game wide open with still a few minutes to go before the intermission.
That 24-0 run came as part of a first half that saw PC force 14 turnovers scoring 19 of its 41 1st half points off those takeaways. Covenant committed 20 turnovers on the evening while Piedmont only gave up possession a season-low five times. Tonight was the first time Piedmont has had single-digit turnovers on the season.
Juniors MARY KATE RUSHTON and TAYLOR SWOSZOWSKI each had 11 points as the remaining two in double figures for PC. Rushton scored nine of Piedmont’s first 11 points including two tries from 3-point land as the sharp shooter was red hot to start the evening.
Four straight points for Covenant tied the ball game at 11 after Rushton’s early flurry, but it was all downhill from there for the Scots whose 7-minute scoreless drought saw seven different Lady Lions score capped by a CHANDLER ALVERSON fastbreak lay-in. Piedmont scored 14 on the break for the game and tallied 28 total points off turnovers for the night.
After Piedmont held an 18-point lead at the break following two Covenant free throws with a second left in the first, the Lady Lions put it in cruise control for the night. The closest the Scots came in the second half was on a jumper 13 seconds in that cut the margin down to 16, but a Sullens layup eight seconds later pushed the lead back up to 18 and started a 6-0 run for PC.
The Lady Lions led by as many as 27 in the second half after a layup from JULIANNE BAYER put the score at 58-31 with just over 14 minutes left to play.
Six-of-13 shooting from 3-point land (46%) helped Covenant keep the margin manageable, but the story for the night was written with the 24-0 first half run by PC as Piedmont went on to win by 21, 81-60 improving to 5-0 at home since the calendar turned to 2015.
Piedmont moves to 15-2 overall with the win while improving to now 8-1 in USA South play setting up a clash of the titans on Saturday as undefeated Maryville College comes to town with a #18 national ranking and a perfect 8-0 USA South record intact.
The Scots will come to Cave Arena for the January 31 contest set to tip off at 4:00 pm with live coverage provided on WCON radio and the Mane Event Broadcasting Network. Pre-game festivities are set to start on WCON radio approximately 30 minutes before tip off.
Turnovers sink Lions
Demorest, GA – After beginning the season matching the best start at home in the NCAA era, the Piedmont College men’s basketball team was unable to keep pace with Covenant College after giving up 22 turnovers to the Scots in a 69-61 defeat. The Scots scored 21 points off those turnovers and had twice as many steals as the Lions.
The Lions were led by Chris Meeks and Chase England who both tallied double-doubles in the game. Meeks notched his third double-double of the season with 10 points and a team-high 12 rebounds while England had his second double-double of the season with a team-high 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Piedmont started hot from the floor as they took a 15-5 lead with 14:34 remaining in the first half, their largest lead of the night, but the Scots went on an 8-2 run to begin cutting into the lead. The Scots took their first lead of the game with just over 5:00 to go till the half on a layup by Robby Bell to put the Scots ahead 27-26.
Trae Gaines was key to the Lions keeping it close in the first half as he scored all 11 of his points in the first half. Gaines scored 7 of those points in the final four and a half minutes of the first half and the Lions went in to the break down 36-33.
Out of the break, neither team scored over the first two minutes of play, but Chris Meeks ended that with a layup to make it a one point game at 36-35. Justin Vallejo hit one to give the Lions the lead 37-36 with 17:00 to play, and increased that to a three point lead after hitting two free throws with 15:39 on the clock.
The Scots then went on a 10-1 run to regain the lead and never let up. Jessie Jenkins cut it to a four point game at 57-53 with 5:23 to go after nailing one from deep but that was the only basket the Lions would make outside of free throws until there was 0:14 left in the game when Chase England connected from deep.
The Scots had the hot hand in the game as T.J. Cox had a game-high 21 points in 25 minutes. Covenant also saw 31 points, nearly half its total, come from their bench players.
Piedmont returns to the court inside Cave Arena taking on Maryville on Saturday as part of a doubleheader with the Lady Lions. Tipoff Saturday is scheduled for 2 p.m. with the broadcast available on the Mane Event Broadcasting Network and WCON Radio.
Crumley resigns; FBI may join Demorest probe
Demorest Mayor Rick Austin says a special FBI prosecutor may be assigned to handle the case of the missing money in Demorest. More than $600,000 in city funds disappeared between 2009-2013. Austin says investigators continue to look into the possibility even more money is missing after the discovery of a previously unknown cash drawer at City Hall. “During the length of time that the investigator was interviewing, no one ever mentioned an additional cash drawer that was unlocked and available for money to missing in and we do have evidence that money is missing.” He says that discovery, plus the unavailablity of several people to be interviewed, have held up the investigation. “We expect that availability to not be an issue anymore and, hopefully, we can move forward.”
Austin assured Demorest residents that the case will be prosecuted once the investigation is complete. “A month ago I had a conversation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A week ago I got a phone call back from the FBI and they have indicated that if the GBI does not prosecute this case when the investigation is done that the FBI, as cleared through the U.S. Attorney General’s office, is going to prosecute this case.” He says he expects the investigation to be completed within the next two weeks.
Austin made the announcement during a called City Council meeting Tuesday night in Demorest.
The city released a scathing 54-page investigative report during the meeting that outlines gross financial mismanagement practices and alleged illegal activity by city officials. Former Demorest City Manager Juanita Crumley and former city bookkeeper Altea Muller are both named in the report.
The report states, among other things, that financial ledgers were changed in order to balance the books and SPLOST funds were intermingled with other funds. The report also states that the City of Demorest bounced 370 checks between 2011 and 2014, accruing $13,650 in insufficient fund fees.
The council formally accepted Crumley’s resignation Tuesday night. She had been with the City of Demorest for 39 years. Crumley served as City Manager, Treasurer and Clerk most of that time. She was removed as manager and treasurer in December but retained the city clerk’s job until last night. She will receive her retirement benefits.
Crumley was not at last night’s meeting but many of her family and supporters were. They left the meeting hall quietly after Council voted to accept her resignation.
Tensions have been running high in Demorest ever since Crumley was demoted in December. Four police officers and deputies stood guard inside the meeting hall throughout Tuesday’s proceedings. They escorted Mayor Austin and his wife to their car after the meeting ended.
Following the money trail
It’s been two years since money was first discovered missing in Demorest. It began as an inquiry into the disappearance of $5,000 from a cash drawer in city hall and ballooned into a major investigation that revealed $601,867.70 somehow disappeared, most of it from the city’s water department fund. The money went missing over four and a half years. The exact amounts are as follows:
2009 – $64,103.84
2010 – $87,027.78
2011 – $174,521.50
2012 – $222,553.37
2013 – $53,661.21
According to Mayor Rick Austin, all city water revenue has been accounted for since May 17, 2013.
There have been two forensic audits and two separate investigations, one by the GBI. While the investigation results have determined the money did not disappear due to human or computer error – that a person, or persons, took it – no suspects have been named and no arrests have been made.
Where’s the money?
That’s the question people have been asking since the discovery was first made.
It’s been a long, arduous climb for those trying to determine where the money went and for residents of Demorest who are now embroiled in speculation and tense disagreement over who’s to blame and what action should be taken.
While there is still much that remains unknown, here’s what has been revealed publicly so far.
Timeline of events
Jan. 25-Feb. 12, 2013
Approximately $5,000 in cash disappears from the city’s utility payments. The missing money is reported by a city employee. Demorest Chief of Police Greg Ellingson is put in charge of the investigation.
July 11, 2013:
The city of Demorest issues a press release about the missing money, more than five months after it was first reported.
Inmate work crews from Lee Arrendale State Prison are, at one point, accused of stealing the $5,000 from a cash drawer. Nothing ever came of that allegation.
July 29, 2013:
Then Demorest Councilwoman Florence Wikle demands the city conduct a forensic audit into the missing funds. The Alpharetta-based accounting firm of Frazier and Deeter is hired to conduct the audit.
November 2013
Initial audit results are released, indicating some $212,000 is missing from the City of Demorest.
March 2014
The Demorest City Council ratifies the findings of the forensic audit by Frazier and Deeter which revealed $222,000 missing.
September 23, 2014
Demorest reveals more money is missing. The total reaches $275,000. With no GBI report forthcoming, the Demorest City Council launches its own internal investigation. Council passes a resolution stating:
“…the City of Demorest has concluded that the loss of city money in the years 2012 and 2013 is not due to computer or human error…the City of Demorest has evidence that fraudulent activity by one or more persons is the only explanation of the missing city money.”
September 24, 2014
The City of Demorest fires its bookkeeper Altea Muller less than 24 hours after launching an internal probe into the disappearance of more than $275,000 in city funds.
Muller, owner of the Duluth-based accounting firm, Muller & Partners, CPA, is terminated effective immediately. Demorest Mayor, Rick Austin, issues a press release saying, “The termination is immediate and is based upon the learning that the accounting/bookkeeping services provided to the City of Demorest did not meet accepted standards and delayed the City’s discovery of fraud.”
October 7, 2014
Demorest hires Eason Investigative Services of Cumming, GA, to spearhead the city’s internal investigation.
November 4, 2014
Audit results from Duncan and Kitchens reveal over $598,000 is missing in Demorest.
November 21, 2014
Eason Investigative Services releases a report outlining a series of discoveries and concerns about the financial management of the city including:
- The handling of funds received in the front office of City Hall was loosely controlled and lacked a basic check and balance system.
- No daily collection report was generated or used to determine the amount of funds collected eaach business day.
- The funds were stored in a file drawer with little security and a key was maintained in a common location accessible to anyone in the office 24/7.
- There was no deposit schedule used for transferring funds from City hall to the bank to ensure the safety of the city funds and secure any accruable interest on the account.
- Deposits were made by Mrs. Crumley, however occasionally city employees were asked to carry deposits to the bank for her. These included Mr. Charles E. Stockton, Mr. Brian Popham and various Police officers.
- Handling of the funds when removed from the drawer to compile deposit was done in a open area of the office most of the time with large piles of cash and checks stacked on a desk in view of the office staff, city employees and the public entering City Hall to transact business.
- Deposits that were not completed at the end of the business day were placed in an unsecured desk drawer overnight by Mrs. Crumley.
- Employees were allowed to cash checks in the cash batches on a regular basis.
- The batches of water payments placed in the drawer were not logged or inventoried to ensure that all were accounted for in order to prepare the deposit.
- Sometimes the number of batches in the drawer exceeded the capacity of the drawer.
December 17, 2014
Long time Demorest City Manager, Clerk and Treasurer Juanita Crumley is demoted to City Clerk. The Council removes her from her duties as manager and treasurer.
December 29, 2014
Crumley supporters continue to question the reason for her demotion and why auditors who missed past accounting mistakes are not being held accountable.
Those questions are addressed by Demorest Mayor Rick Austin during a work session on Dec. 29, 2014. He points out that auditors did not pick up on the mistakes prior to the investigative audits because they did not have access to complete figures.
“There was a billing computer and a general ledger computer. For years the billing computer was not communicating with the general ledger,” Austin explained. “The money that came in the billing computer went into a filing cabinet drawer and then went to a different location to be logged in manually into a green bar and then was put into the billing system. We fixed all of this,” he said. Austin said the two computer systems now communicate and all city water revenue has been accounted for since May 17, 2013.
January 27, 2015
Crumley resigns and accepts a negotiated retirement package. The Demorest City Council releases a 54-page investigative report. Mayor Austin reveals the discovery of a previously unknown cash drawer in Demorest City Hall. He says more money is missing from it. The investigation into the missing money continues. Austin says he expects the investigation to be completed by early February 2015. The total amount of the missing money in Demorest currently stands at $601,867.70.
A Puppy Tale
On Friday, January 23, 2015, Habersham County Animal Control, the Clarkesville Fire Department, Clarkesville Public Works/Water crew, Clarkesville Police and Habersham County firefighters teamed up in a big way to help a small puppy.
This is their puppy tale.
To read more about it visit Puppy rescued from drain pipe.
Dancing with the Stars -Habersham Style
Mark your calendars for March 28, 2015. No need to wait for the newest season of ABC’s hit “Dancing with the Stars.” Habersham folks can make their way over to the auditorium at Habersham High and see our local “Star” cutting a rug with the professionals. Produced by the Habersham Rotary Club and the Circle of Hope as a fundraiser, the show promises to show a new side of our celebrities, be a rollicking night of fun, and provide needed funds for the Circle of Hope and the Rotary Club.
Plans for the show began back in November when the local stars were introduced to their professionals. Practice began immediately and will continue right up until curtain time in March. NowHabersham will be showcasing each of these 10 couples weekly right up until the premiere. Profiles and pictures followed by video of the practices will highlight the talents of each couple.
In order to raise funds, tickets are available for the event at $20.00 per ticket and can be purchased via the website https://www.dancingwiththestarsforhope.org/ In addition, to vote for your favorite couple, gather your dollars. The couple with the most votes or dollars will be crowned the “People’s Choice.” In a few weeks, locations will be announced where you can cast your vote, or place your dollars in support of your favorite couple. In the meantime, “votes” can be cast on the event’s website. The night of the show, the lobby will have “ballot” boxes where your dollars can help vault your team to the top.
All proceeds from the event go the Circle of Hope founded in 1987. The non-profit agency serves Habersham, Stephens and White county with a mission “to support, empower and bring hope to those affected by domestic violence through advocacy, awareness, education and community partnerships.” The agency provides shelters and a hotline for those suffering from domestic violence.
Watch NowHabersham.com for weekly profiles and updates on each couple. NowHabersham is a proud sponsor of the event.
Students hit the slopes
TFS students Sebastian Herrera of Cumming, Ashley Crosby of Clayton, and Ella Cantrell of Sautee enjoy their chili lunch in the ski lodge at Cataloochee. (photo by E. Lane Gresham)
One of Tallulah Falls School’s most exciting traditions takes place each January. The occasion is the annual trip to Cataloochee Ski Resort in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. This year the middle school ski trip was held on Wednesday, January 21. For the students, faculty, and staff who made the trip the skiing conditions were outstanding, and for many of the students it was their first time to hit the slopes. TFS dining hall staff head north as well, preparing a traditional Cataloochee ski day lunch featuring a hearty bowl of delicious chili. The TFS upper school students will get their turn on the slopes as well with a trip scheduled for January 29.
Week 2 Legislative Update: Rep. Dan Gasaway
Rep. Dan Gasaway (R-Homer) represents the 28th GA House District. His district includes Stephens and Banks Counties and the southern end of Habersham.
The State Budget, School Bus Driver Insurance, and Medical Marijuana
Week Two of the Georgia General Assembly had highs and lows. The Governor released his proposed budget, and Appropriations hearings began. The good news is the mid-year checkup on the Fiscal Year 2015 budget (ending June 30, 2015) shows that state revenue is $276 million over what the General Assembly projected at this time last year. Hopefully, some of this additional money will flow to public education for the current budget year. All school systems in the 28th District are under significant financial pressure and relief is needed.
One of the lows of the week came from a line item in the Governor’s proposed 2016 budget. The proposed budget mandates that all non-certified public school employees who work less than 30 hours per week be removed from the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP). This group would include school bus drivers and lunch room personnel. I have heard from many of you regarding this proposal. Many have said that insurance is the reason they chose to drive a school bus. The loss of this benefit would likely lead to the loss of drivers and/or create a higher wage requirement to retain drivers. The SHBP is facing real and significant financial challenges, as are all health plans in our country. However, I am hopeful the General Assembly will find a better solution to the health plans budget problems. I will update you on this issue as the session progresses.
In last week’s column I mentioned the Medical Cannabis issue which many in the community are following. This week I want to discuss in more detail where we are as a state, in this public policy debate. First, to answer a question I received last week, “Are y’all legalizing the smoking of marijuana?” The answer is NO.
Though many people have become more informed regarding this issue, misinformation still abounds. Oils extracted from cannabis plants have been found to provide significant relief to some patients suffering from various medical conditions. Most notably in our community, children suffering from medical conditions resulting in severe and regular seizures are finding relief from this experimental oil when other medications prove ineffective. Many of these families are being forced to move to Colorado because the oil is legal and available there. This brings us to House Bill 1 of this session of the General Assembly.
What is HB 1 proposing for Georgia? The current legislation includes decriminalization of possession of cannabis oil with less than 5% THC of the finished product for individuals who have a qualifying medical condition. (THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol is the mind altering chemical found in some cannabis plants) The legislation also includes the creation of a commission that is mandated to provide to the General Assembly by December 2015 a recommendation for the best regulatory structure for in-state cultivation, processing, and distribution of medical cannabis.
Anyone with questions about this issue or any other issues before the General Assembly may reach me at 404-656-0325 or [email protected].