Gilmer Parks and Recreation to continue restoration in July meetings

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ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer County’s Parks and Recreation Department is continuing along a path following a theme of restoration. The department has been undergoing a project restoring the old tennis courts into something usable for citizens, it was approved to restore its Advisory Board in a new capacity last month, and this month’s agendas sees the board once again looking at the department to help it grow.

Not only is the Board of Commissioners (BOC) returning again to the discussion of re-establishing the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board with nominations for appointments to that board, but it also looking to address an agenda item for a request to add an additional employee to the department.

During the June 2022 meeting, BOC Chairman Charlie Paris suggested the board be made up of nine people with each commissioner nominating three members to the board in order to cover the many different branches of citizens who use the park differently. With this, nine new names will be put forward this month as the commissioners build the advisory board they previously approved. Then the board will begin action on its own, adopting its bylaws and similar motions before it takes on the official role to advising the BOC.

The BOC has already established that the board will have far less authority than it previously held and will look to bring in people from a wider variety of park users. In addition, details will come in the work session on the reasoning for an additional part time employee.

Parks and Rec are not the only recreational areas that the county is dealing with this month as other agenda items include suspension of a River Outfitter’s license. The meetings will be held with the work session this Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. and the regular meeting on Thursday, July 14, 2022, at 6:00 p.m.

County approves Clear Creek baseball fields repair under FEMA Project

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Fields

EAST ELLIJAY, Ga. – Due to the increasing storms of late, weather damage has been a consistent issue for residents of Gilmer County as well as those in public service and electricity attempting to keep roads clear and power lines up. However, another of the county’s departments felt the damage out Clear Creek Road at the ball fields.

The Gilmer Recreation & Parks Department brought an agenda item to the Board of Commissioners this week during a Special Called Meeting. That agenda item hopes to deal with storm damage and washout to the Clear Creek Ball Fields. According to department director Kevan White, the infield mix has seen the biggest issue as the massive amount of rain has washed away the majority of it.

White also said that repairs would need to include laser grading and other work in addition to just refilling the mix.

However, White also noted that most of the issue stopped with the infields, and no extra work beyond normal maintenance will be needed for the grassy areas and outfield.

Additionally, the county has been offered the repairs to be covered for some reimbursement under FEMA Projects. The county will perform the repairs and cover the costs, but it is eligible for reimbursement of costs under FEMA. According to Public Works Director Jim Smith, the reimbursement will total 85 percent of the total costs of repair, the county will shoulder the extra 15 percent.

With the official motion coming in the meeting, a unanimous vote approved the expenses for repairing the fields and going under the FEMA Project for reimbursement. Rec League football is already underway, but like many places, maintenance and repairs, from the continued rain and passing hurricanes off the coasts, are continuing as they look ahead and prepare for the upcoming sports.

Fannin Co 10U boys defeat Gilmer in district championship

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Championship

Last night, Feb. 24, the Gilmer Bobcats traveled to Fannin Co. to take on the Rebels for the 10U recreation basketball district championship. Although both teams fought hard until the end, the Rebels were the ones to walk away with a 44-31 championship victory to move on to the state tournament.

Gilmer got the ball from tip off and wasted no time putting the ball into action. Chas Curtis started things off for the Bobcats as he drove to the basket for a layup to give Gilmer the early lead. Curtis finished the night with 12 points. For the Rebels, Keaton Watkins responded by drawing a foul and adding a point from the free-throw line to put Fannin Co. on the board. Watkins led the Rebels in scoring for the night as he earned 16 points overall. Kole Foster was the one to get the lead for Fannin Co. as he made an outside shot to put the score at 3-2. The Bobcats were quick to take back the lead as Preston McVey made a shot on the block to put the score at 4-3. McVey was an unstoppable force on the block for the night as he led the Bobcats in scoring for the night with 14 points. Cannon Holloway returned the favor with a made layup to give Fannin Co. the lead back and put the score at 5-4. Holloway finished the night with eight points. Holloway continued putting the ball into action as he passed up the court to Rylin Davis who drove the ball in for a layup to extend the Rebels’ lead. Davis finished with 11 points. Gilmer’s McVey made a shot on the block to put the score at 7-6 with Fannin Co. in the lead to end the first quarter. 

The game continued to go back-and-forth to start the second quarter as McVey continued to show off his moves on the block to give Gilmer an 8-7 lead. Jayden Richerson for Fannin Co. quickly responded as he made an outside shot to put the score at 9-8 with Fannin Co. in the lead. Reid Holloway added onto the score as he drew a foul and contributed a point of his own from the free-throw line. McVey was the one to tie up the ball game 10-10 for Gilmer to take the lead on the very next play as Jase McCollum made a rebound shot and contributed five points overall to the Bobcats’ score. McVey for Gilmer contributed two points of his own from the free throw line and Curtis scored another layup to advance the Bobcats’ score. Rylin Davis for Fannin Co. made a free throw to put the score at 16-13 with the Rebels trying to catch up. Fannin Co.’s Holloway received an assist from Richerson to give Fannin Co. the lead with at 17-16. The Rebels’ lead did not last long as McVey put another shot up from the block to put the score at 18-17 with Gilmer back in the lead to go into halftime.

To start off the second half, Fannin Co. found their fire. Holloway was the one to take the lead back for the Rebels as he made an outside shot followed by a layup to put the score at 21-18. Richerson had grit on defense as he took a charge to keep the Bobcats from scoring a layup. The Rebels played a solid defense as they only allowed the Bobcats to score four points the entire quarter while Fannin Co. scored 18 to run away with their lead and never looked back. The Rebels were able to close out the third quarter with a 38-22 lead against the Bobcats. 

Although Gilmer was down, they refused to give up. They kept making steals to drive to their basket while Fannin Co. did the same. Casen Bailey made his presence known in the second half of the game as he got after it and added four points on the board for Fannin Co. overall. McCollum closed out the game as he made a 3-point shot to add to the Bobcats’ score, however it was not enough to catch up to the Rebels, who won the championship 44-31. 

Gilmer head coach Patrick McVey stated, “This Gilmer team worked hard all season long but just fell short tonight.”

Fannin Co. head coach Bryan Richerson stated, “The kids played well. It’s a sight to see these kids get some success as something for us to build on.” Championship

Fannin Co. will go on to play the winner of District 2 on Friday night, March 6, at 8:45 p.m. at Hendrix Park Gym located at 3960 Wilma Edwards Road in Ellavell, Georgia.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcC4UpQ8u6M

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