MINUTES – FEBRUARY 15, 2024
PINE HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

The Pine Hills Neighborhood Association met on Thursday, February 15, 2024. The meeting was held in the Thomson City Council Meeting Room which is located on the first-floor level of the Thomson-McDuffie County Government Center, Thomson, Georgia.

The following Pine Hills residents in attendance to wit: Mitch Sivas, Chuck Burks, Chuck Barnes, W. David Hall, and Patsy Hall.

The following officials with the City of Thomson in attendance to wit: Benji Cranford, Mayor; Lucretia Ferguson, City Clerk; Keryl Corley, City Council member; and Dan Carrier, Chief of Police.

Other special invited guest in attendance: Ms. Gail Fulbright (rental housing landlord and property owner in Pine Hills Subdivision).

Each attendee received a printed copy of the meeting agenda.

President Sivas called the meeting to order promptly at 6:00 p.m. and expressed a warm welcome to everyone.

President Sivas moved to the first item on the agenda to open the meeting.
He asked if anyone from the audience would like to give the Invocation.

The Invocation was given by Mitch Sivas.

President Sivas moved to the next item on the agenda: Review of Last Meeting’s Minutes.
“Looking at the website, currently down; working on it. By next week, go to the website to review the Minutes”, President Sivas reported.

President Sivas moved to the next item on the agenda: Treasurer Financial & Membership Status:
In addition to his role as President of Pine Hills Neighborhood Association, President Sivas also serves as Treasurer (effective since October 8, 2022) to replace the vacated Treasurer position previously held by Mrs. Marjorie Cole when she requested permission to step aside due to age.
President-Treasurer Sivas reported as follows:
Current Balance (Savings Account/Cadence Bank): $1,942.00
All deposits current.

President Sivas moved to the next item on the agenda: Discussion – Items of Interest.
“We do not have that many meetings; we used to have the meetings every 30-90 days; now once a year”, he said. He continued his report by saying, “The City has been very responsive to us; good support from the City.”

Item of Discussion #1 – Leaning and Loose sign/posts. They need to be put in concrete, President Sivas suggested.
Mayor Benji Cranford reported, “The State will not allow concrete to be used to brace the signs.”

The leaning signs are located on Shiloh Drive at Salem Road, Carroll Street, Pine Lane (off Wrens Road) and Manassas Drive – Speed Hump signs leaning.
Audience/attendee asked “Which Speed Hump signs?”
President Sivas clarified the question as follows: “These leaning Speed Hump signs were installed by the City”.

Item #2 for Discussion – Loud music from cars/vehicles:
President Sivas referenced the law enforcement requirement regarding loud music from cars/vehicles – “must catch them”.
Chief of Police, Dan Carrier cited 100 ft.

President Sivas referred to discussions of our previous Pine Hills Neighborhood Association’s meetings with the City. These discussions have been and continue to be requests for “more police presence in the neighborhood”.
He continued with these following comments, as examples.
“Cable went out. Thought he was being set up for a robbery. Ring Camera cable broken. The police came.”
“Speeding cars: Speed Humps are like Police Presence, he said.”
“Two (2) Speed Humps on Michael Street; we still want five (5) more Speed Humps. These should be all over town”, he said.

Item of Discussion #3 – Abandoned trailer on Pine Lane/Manassas – certain level of repair cited.
The trailer does not have a current 2024 tag posted.
Keryl Corley, City Council member referenced Jerry Pittman, Code Enforcement.
She stated, “First he has heard of this” – located at northwest side of street, near the Triangle.
Keryl Corley will follow-up on this.
Mayor Benji Cranford will look at Planning and Zoning.
Discussions included the following:
“If they [trailers] were here, we cannot do anything about it.”
“Singlewides – do not allow them at all”, Lucretia Ferguson, City Clerk stated.

Item #4 of Discussion – Trash Bags (New supply/replenishment needed).
Lucretia Ferguson referenced Chris. Chuck Cason has retired.
President Sivas requested thirty (30) gallon size ‘with ties’.
“Ties are important”, he said.
[This is because the ties prevent dogs/animals from scattering the collected trash inside the bags (dropped off at the special designated location each month on second Saturday during ‘neighborhood cleanup day’) while awaiting the sanitation truck/crew to load and transport the garbage to the landfill on Monday morning.]
For re-supply, go to Ace, President Sivas suggested.
Acknowledgement of prisoners picking up trash: “We can really see the difference.”
“With the help from the prisoners, we [the Pine Hills Neighborhood Association volunteers] can finish in an hour instead of 3 hours”, President Sivas reported.

Item of Discussion #5 – Status of Animal Control:
Mayor Benji Cranford talked with Charley a few days ago.
“Up and running.”
Keryl Corley reported, “New lady there.” Spay and Neuter Program. Scan Program mentioned.
Her name is Bohler; working really hard.
Issues with the first one; had to close.

Mayor Benji Cranford stated, “Look for traps”.
Chuck Barnes reported an incident of recent damage to his vehicle when Pit bulls (breed of dogs) “ate his Corvette” – attacked/clawed/scratched/biting the paint from his Corvette rendering $6,500.00 in damage.
“If this happens again to his property, he intends to shoot the dogs,” he said.
Dan Carrier, Police Chief, “Looking for a person to assist with it”.

Chuck Burks, “Welcome all our visitors”.

President Sivas moved to the final items on the meeting agenda: Open the Meeting to New Mayor & New Police Chief

• Visions for the future of Thomson – Mayor Benji Cranford:
“My vision to keep growing is a grocery store.”
Call me: 706-825-9034 (Cell)
“As to the grocery store, we [Pine Hills Neighborhood Association] were told is based on rooftops in a 10-mile radius,” President Sivas said.
Mayor Benji Cranford stated, “We have made contact with Kroger, Aldi Store near Wal-Mart.”
Mayor Cranford talked with Charley today.
“Grocery store is main focus now”, Mayor Benji Cranford said.

Keryl Corley stated, “Businesses coming to the City and County. Coming, permitting, she said, and Holiday Inn; and another chain restaurant like (similar to) Zaxby’s on Dallas Drive.
She reported of business and industry in the County (article in today’s newspaper)”, she said.

• Visions for the future of Thomson – Dan Carrier, Chief of Police:
Dan Carrier stated he has 28 years in law enforcement.
In the military, and fireman before;
Great career in Richmond County;
Bringing experience;
Looking to do good things;
Getting to know everybody;
Referenced organizations of FBI, GBI, DEA – from the Eastern Seaboard to the West Coast.
Reduce gang presence; Gangs in Thomson?
Neighborhood-type – 68 active members; teenagers, age 13 and up; until they hit 17.
How many Officers right now? Hired some; nine (9) short right now;
Is it a budget issue?
“Salary; we cannot compete in salary with other counties such as Richmond”.
“PBA” [Police Benevolent Association] – individual retirement plan; $25.00 monthly into next 30 years/$910 – Dan Carrier explained as an example.
Mayor Benji Cranford stated, “We will find the money”.

Gail Fulbright referenced “Emergency Protocols”, stating “Columbia and Richmond County do not do as we do with fire equipment”.
Dan Carrier, Police Chief stated, “It is really not an issue. We are a ‘protect and serve’ he said.
EMT’s must be protected.
Gail Fulbright said “We do not need the fire truck. If the ambulance is available, we do not need the fire truck”.
Lucretia Ferguson cited her personal experience of fires/firemen, then the ambulance arrived, then the fire truck left.
“Run through the County” [a comment made within the discussion].

President Sivas asked, “How can we help?”
Dan Carrier, Police Chief replied as follows:
Lock your doors on the vehicle;
Call Dispatch and let them know you will be away during vacation.
Targets of opportunity if the car is open in plain site;
Call Dispatch – check with McDuffie – House Watch. If not available, set this up.
Dispatch: 706-595-2145 – Non-emergency.

President Sivas referenced Ring Camera; battery went down and the Police showed up.
Dan Carrier said, “Hired to Protect & Serve the citizens of Thomson”.
“Ring Cameras help”, President Sivas said.

“30 minutes of meeting”, President Sivas remarked.

Final item of business listed on the meeting agenda: Set next meeting date.
Pine Hills Neighborhood Association will meet next with City of Thomson on Thursday, February 20, 2025.

There being no further business to conduct, the meeting was adjourned by President Sivas at 6:27 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Patsy Hall, Secretary, Pine Hills Neighborhood Association