Floodings of First Christian Church complaint co-opts otherwise brief Watkinsville City meeting

Despite a full house and agenda, the brief July meeting of the Watkinsville City Council was considerably dampened by the declaration of the 70 year old Trustee Roy "Doc" Crawford of the Watkinsville First Christian Church going off on the three City Council members present and Mayor Charles Ivie about the storm water run off ostensibly caused by the Town Center development and the lack of water run off planning by this and the former municipal administration of Joe Walter.

Civil War re-enactors address the city council with Stephen Simpson watching

"Six and a half hours of soaking up water with shop vacs two days in a row," complained Crawford about the second flooding of the basement in the longtime Watkinsville landmark located at 4 North Main Street.

He pointed toward the impervious asphalt surface run off of the neighboiring Town Center development and the lack of proper sewage engineering as the reasons why his place of worship was threatened with water, mold and mildew. Also the county maintained status of Simonton Bridge Road remained an obstacle for his sanctuary's sanctity to remain dry during these wet and rainy times.

At times he said the flooding was an inch and a half to four inches deep during his emotional and understandable rant. No action or reaction was registered by a docile and compliant council and Mayor. "We've got to get something done!" exclaimed the enraged Trustee of the Disciples of Christ church, "It's getting out of hand."

Mayor Charles Ivie

Absent from the discussion were firefighter Mike Link and immediate past chair of the Athens Chamber of Commerce in Jackson Spalding partner Brian Brodrick, who is in Spain. Brodrick's spot is up for election with qualifying in August for a November election, along with new member Connie Massey. Mayor Ivie indicated he will seek re-election.

Colonel Stephen K. Simpson of Milledgeville

Choosing to eschew the traditional lectern stance was Congressional candidate Colonel Stephen Simpson, who is looking to replace Paul Broun as the 10th District Republican nominee with his headquarters at 27 Water Street for the Milledgeville man whose wife of 40 years wants to retire here. Friends of Stephen K. Simpson, Inc. is the first political campaign I can recall receiving a business license to operate in Watkinsville.

Derek Chitwood received approval for his Peach State Pride clothing store that has been open for several weeks at 2 South Main Street Suite 108 in Town Center. Jennifer Zeigler received permission to continue her Raindrops...Massage by Jennifer at Suite 209 in the same Town Center location despite having sold coupons through the Athens Banner-Herald newspaper earlier this week. She moved here from Florida after her mother has lived here 19 years.

Council member Toby Smith and city attorney Joe Reitman, Jr.

Joyce Harness received a business license for her Bump and Beyond Consignments at 1021 Industrial Boulevard Suite A location for maternity and children shoes and accessories. Denee Heeter received approval for the Caterpillar subcontractor from Sanford, NC based Industrial Finishing Specialists, LLC at 1051 Business Boulevard.

Brian Scarborough was approved for the Highfill & Scarborough Lighting & Electrical Contracting, Inc. at 1040 Turkey Industrial Road.

Mack Guest was on hand to receive the LAD Trucking's award of Beautiful Yard Award from the Mayor who has given it to a business for a third month in a row.

Brian Scarborough addresses the Council at the onset of the meeting

The elderly computer system of the City of Watkinsville will be replaced with five new computers and a new server with three times the capacity. The Georgia Department of Transportation now has Streetscape II plans to contend with, and crape myrtles will be replacing the recently removed diseased pine trees around Rocket Field.

Captain Leland Milton and actress Atha Dalton and another Banks County re-enactor

Three professional reenactors want to stage the re-enactment of Stoneman's Raid October 4-6 in downtown Watkinsville with horses and black powder to repel the occupying Yankee hordes after receiving proper permission from the land owners to hitch their animals and unpack their knapsacks in traditional 1860 style. Captain Leland Milton of Old Salem Road was joined by two ladies from Banks County including actress Atha Dalton who want to perform the 5th Georgia Calvary Sons of Confederate Veterans production done correctly.

According to the text from the historic marker in Athens:

THE STONEMAN RAID

On July 31, 1864, at the Battle of Sunshine Church (19 miles NE

of Macon), Maj. Gen. Geo. Stoneman surrendered with 600 men

to Brig. Gen. Alfred Iverson, Jr., after covering the escape north-

ward of Adams' and Capron's brigades of his cavalry command.

Adams moved via Eatonton and Madison and Capron via Rutledge,

rejoining north of Madison late the next day.

Early on August 2nd. Adams, intending to resupply his command

and to "destroy the armory and other government works" in Athens,

reached this point. He found the planks removed from the bridge

over Middle Oconee River (on the old road) and guns emplaced on

the hill above Princeton Factory (0.3 miles N.), supported by the

"Mitchell Thunderbolts" and other Home Guards units, commanded by

Capt. Edward P. Lumpkin, son of the first Chief Justice of Georgia,

and home on convalescent leave. Unable to cross, Adams turned

west and, avoiding towns, reached the Union lines near Marietta

on August 4th, his brigade almost intact.

Capron, who had waited in reserve near Watkinsville, attempted

to follow him but found himself on the Hog Mountain road to Jug

Tavern (Winder) instead. Passing through Jug Tavern late that night,

he marched to King's Tanyard (5 miles N.W. of Winder) and halted

for two hours rest. Before dawn on August 3rd. he was surprised

by William's Kentucky Brigade. About 430 of his men were

captured, a few escaping through the woods. Capron himself, with

six men, reached Marietta four days later on foot.

029-7 GEORGIA HISTORIC MARKER 1993

[Replaces Georgia Historical Commission marker 029-7,

with identical text, erected in 1957]

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