There’s been a change in how Walker County plans to pay for a new fire truck—after one was totaled during a test drive earlier this summer. In a special meeting Tuesday afternoon that lasted just six minutes, Walker County Commission Chairwoman Angela Teems told board members the county’s original plan to finance the $1.5 million ladder truck through the Bank of LaFayette…won’t fly under Georgia law. Teems said the county attorney reviewed the financing plan and found that any long-term debt stretching beyond a calendar year would require a public vote. Instead, Teems proposed using existing SPLOST funds—money from the county’s special purpose local option sales tax. The board agreed, passing the motion with no opposition. The need for a new fire truck stems from a June 24th crash, when a firetruck overturned and caught fire during a mechanic’s test drive on Old LaFayette Road. Since then, the county has fired both the mechanic, John Pendergrass, and his supervisor, fleet manager Ricky Carr. Officials have also adopted a new vehicle use policy and reviewed insurance coverage for all county vehicles. Teems says it was during that review that they discovered the previous administration had cut full insurance coverage to save money—a decision that came to light only after the wreck. A Georgia State Patrol report later found that Pendergrass wasn’t properly licensed to drive the fire truck. He blamed the crash on the truck’s anti-braking system. The next regular meeting of the Walker County Board of Commissioners is scheduled for September 7th.
A Chattooga County jury has convicted 64-year-old Thomas Nelson Tucker Jr. of Menlo for firing multiple shots into a mobile home after a domestic dispute in December 2022. Three people were inside the Reece Street home, but no one was hurt. Tucker was found guilty of aggravated assault and weapons charges, including possession by a convicted felon. He was arrested after a search uncovered a 9mm handgun and casing. Tucker was sentenced to 25 years in prison, with parole possible after 17.
The LaFayette City Council meets in a special called session today at 5 p.m., with a key item on the agenda—approval of a SPLOST Intergovernmental Agreement. The deal would allow LaFayette to take part in the next round of the local sales tax program, which funds major city projects.
Heads up for drivers on I-75 today. The Georgia DOT is closing the right northbound lane between mile markers 352 and 354—that’s the stretch between the welcome center and the Tennessee state line. The closure is for roadway repairs and will last today from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Expect delays and use caution in the work zone. For real-time updates, call 511 or visit 511ga.org.