Tifton City Council on Tuesday approved a $16.2 million general fund budget for the 2023 fiscal year, representing a 5.2% increase. The city's total budget with enterprise and capital items is $54 million.

"We were very aggressive this year. Overall, it is a great budget with no millage increase," said City Manager Pete Pyrzenski.

During an earlier public hearing on the budget, Pyrzenski noted that the local-option sales tax is projected to have a year-over-year increase of $455,000, based on the sale of items in Tifton. He said the beer tax is also up by $42,000 – "What does that tell you? More beer is being sold."

Property values have also increased by 2.8% in the city, resulting in a $172,000 increase in property tax collections. But on the flip side, costs have also risen for the city, particularly fuel costs.

Council on Tuesday also approved a one-time cost-of-living increase for all city employees with the use of American Rescue Plan Act pandemic relief funds.

All full-time city employees who have worked at least one year receive a $1,732 supplement. Employees with shorter service or working part-time will receive a lesser amount.

Council noted that the new city budget does not include a pay increase for employees.

Tift County's total COVID-19 cases have risen by 122 in the past two weeks, according to the state Department of Public Health (DPH).

That number includes rapid tests and confirmed PCR tests. It represents only those results reported to the health department and do not include at-home testing.

Confirmed PCR tests during the two-week period totaled 27. There have been no additional related deaths reported in Tift County.

Tift County’s total positive cases represent 299 cases per 100,000 population, the measure used across the country to compare case rates among communities and states. Tift's testing positivity rate for the period was 9.6%, the DPH reported.

Tift has seen a total of 6,366 cases with 164 related deaths, the DPH said.

The state has recorded a total of 2,035,187 confirmed cases and 31,995 related deaths, the DPH said. The state reports COVID-19 data once a week.

The Tift County DUI Drug Court program, begun in 2017 when Georgia started funding accountability courts, saves more than $22,000 per participant in state funds, Judge Herbie Benson told the Tifton Rotary Club on Wednesday.  

The year-long program offers participants, who are convicted of DUIs or drug charges, an opportunity to participate rather than go to state prison. Also, the program gives them credit for community service hours and a reduction in fines.

In the first year, 2017, a total of 1,729 people completed the program. 

“Our goal is to make those individuals better people,” Benson said. “It’s not revenue generating, but it is revenue saving.”  

More than more than $22,000 in state taxes is saved for each individual not being in jail. More savings come from them working and paying $1.2 million in state income tax as employees. 

The cost of Drug Court is 72-82% less than state felony court, said Michelle Calhoun, the drug court coordinator and director of OASIS Recovery Community Organization. 

“We have $11.6 million saved in recidivism cost, in people not being rearrested,” Calhoun said. “There’s $8.1 million in health care costs to the state avoided, and $8.1 million in adjudication and incarceration savings.” 

She said only 7% of Drug Court graduates are convicted again of another charge within two years after graduation, compared with the 29% rate of people who go to state prison.   

Dan Pate a participant in the DUI/Drug Court program said it changed his life. “I wouldn’t be alive today if not for this program,” Pate said. Benson announced Pate’s completion of the program at the meeting. 

Oasis Recovery Community Organization is marking three years as a support program for recovering addicts, providing them activities and career training. 

For the fourth consecutive year, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College produced more graduates with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education than any other college or university east of the Mississippi River, ABAC says.

Thirty-four agricultural education students graduated from ABAC at its recent commencement ceremony.

“These graduates will help with the severe nationwide shortage of agricultural education teachers that has existed for over 40 years,” said Dr. Andrew Thoron, head of the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at the Tifton-based college.

To prepare students for the classroom, ABAC faculty work to instill effective pedagogy, technical knowledge, and leadership skills. Graduates are prepared to teach both middle and high school ag education courses.

The ABAC program continues to see increased enrollment, currently at 226 students, which makes ABAC one of the largest producers of ag ed graduates in the nation.

In 2021, ABAC established an elementary agricultural education teacher program, the first of its kind in the U.S. ABAC also established a partnership with Murray State University to encourage graduates to continue their education in a master’s degree program.

Kimberly J. Cutchins of Tifton received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Peanut Council on June 16 at its 26th annual USA Peanut Congress in Charleston, S.C.

Cutchins has served as president of the council, successfully leading the peanut industry through several challenging issues, and founded the Peanut Foundation, which helps fund research on peanut quality, production, harvesting and storage. 

For the past decade, she has served as executive director of the American Peanut Research and Education Society (APRES), headquartered in Tifton.

Under her leadership, APRES membership and graduate student participation grew, and its scientific publication "Peanut Science" transitioned to an in-house publication. 

The Peanut Council said that Cutchins is a "dedicated, thoughtful, and friendly professional with boundless energy and ideas to help all aspects of the industry improve and prosper."

Jesse Story of Story Ag Consulting in Ashburn recently won first place in the Adama US Cultivate Community program.

Adama, a global crop protection company, said its program involves growers voting for their favorite ag retailers, crop consultants, or pest control advisors who work with local growers. 

"We at Adama understand that farming is tough, and success is dependent on having a great partner. Rural communities are the backbone of America, and we want to help keep these communities strong," the company said.

"Through this program, Adama is giving back to these communities through those partners who play such an essential role in supporting growers and connecting communities. We want to honor their hard work."

Adama donated $8,000 to a local non-profit of the winner's choice, and Story chose LIFEhouse Family Enrichment Program in Tifton.

LIFEhouse is a mentoring program serving the Tift community since 2011 and offering parenting and other educational classes to the community at no cost. It equips, empowers, and encourages individuals to make positive life choices and take steps toward goals.

“Time Has Chosen Us,” a community event to help promote family health and COVID-19 vaccinations, will be held 1-4 p.m. June 30 at the Tift County Recreation Department.

The national initiative involves Out of Hand Theater, in collaboration with the CDC Foundation, using art to bring communities and families together to overcome vaccine hesitancy.

The event features the film "Comfort," which follows a middle-class school teacher who faces insecurities and her family’s individual trials and tribulations when bringing them together for their first gathering since the start of the pandemic. In a comedy, influenced by ABC TV's "Black-ish," viewers can empathize with the family as they face concerns reflected in society today. 

The film is followed by an educational video dispelling myths about the COVID-19 vaccines and providing accurate information about COVID-19. Out of Hand collaborated with professionals from the Georgia Department of Public Health, Tift County, City of Tifton, as well as health and faith leaders in Tift County to facilitate this event. 

“Through their chosen art forms, these organizations will be able to create accessible and inspiring work that communicates essential health information about the safety and importance of vaccination in protecting communities from COVID-19 and influenza.” said Dr. Judy Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation.

The term “Time Has Chosen Us” reflects a comment by the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis, who once said, "We may not have chosen the time, but the time has chosen us."

The Ga. Department of Public Health (DPH) conducts inspections of food-service establishments and issues food-service scores based upon compliance with health regulations.

If a food-service establishment receives a grade of “C” and or “U” during a routine

During the past month, the following food-service establishments were inspected in Tift County:

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Saturday, June 25, is Global Beatles Day, celebrating the music of the Fab Four and the impact they had on pop culture. Nearly 60 years later, their music and popularity continues. June 25 marks 55 years since the Beatles performed "All You Need Is Love" live to 400 million people via the first global live TV link on June 25, 1967. By the way, Paul McCartney just turned 80 last weekend – news that makes us all feel old!

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"Myles," a male pooch, is ready for a forever home. Myles is available for adoption at the Tift County Animal Shelter on Highway 125 South between 1-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For additional information, call 229-382-PETS (7387).

205 Belmont Ave., Tifton, 229-382-6055  

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