Lanett citizen honored for turning 100 years old

Published 10:00 am Thursday, February 23, 2023

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LANETT — A Lanett woman was recognized by the Lanett City Council on Monday on having reached her 100th birthday. A proclamation signed by Mayor Jamie Heard and City Clerk/Treasurer Deborah Gilbert congratulated Mrs. Clemmie Terry Jones on having reached a milestone event in anyone’s life.

Mrs. Jones was born February 15, 1923 in Randolph County to the union of the late Jessie and Precious Terry. She has lived in Lanett for the past 68 years. She and her late husband Eddie B. Jones raised seven children.

“She is a loving mother, grandmother. great-grandmother and great-great grandmother,” the proclamation reads. “This classy lady still lives at home, enjoys baking and spending time with her family. It is with great pleasure, the Mayor and Lanett City Council herby expresses great wishes and congratulations on this centennial birthday of Mrs. Clemmie Terry Jones.”

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On behalf of the council, Council Member Ronnie Tucker read the proclamation aloud and gave a copy of it and a plaque to Mrs. Terry’s daughter, Gwendolyn Carter, and grandson, Perry Jones.

Mrs. Terry received a standing ovation from the council and attendees at the council meeting.

In business at Monday’s session, Mayor Heard announced a date for an open house at the Lanett Municipal Airport. It will be taking place from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. EST on on Saturday, March 25th. Everyone is invited to come out and see what’s been going on at the new airport.

Council Member Tifton Dobbs thanked Airport Manager Richard Carter for the job he has been doing during this transition to a much bigger airport. Council Member Angelia Thomas asked if planes had been landing there. “Yes,” he told her. “It’s mostly student pilots from Auburn coming here to practice landing and taking off. We are busy gearing up for the open house. We’ve been painting the hangar and securing the fencing. We have rented two tie-down spaces and have more requests for them. We have been getting a lot of calls from people interested in hangars. That’s something that can generate income for the city.”

The council held a first reading to amend an existing ordinance setting fees for permits and inspections. It can be approved following a second reading in March.

The permit fees will be based on the valuation of work. If it’s $500 or less the new fee will be $15. If it’s more than $500, it will be $21 for the first $3,000 plus seven dollars for each fraction thereof.

If it’s between $50,000 and $100,000, it will be $360 for the first $50,000 plus five dollars for each additional thousand or a fraction thereof. If it’s between $100,000 up to $1 million, the fee will be $600 of the first $100,000 plus $4 for each additional thousand or fraction thereof.

The proposed amendment also includes new fees for plumbing permits and electrical permits. These are small increases from the existing ordinance.

Council Member Thomas said that she’d gotten a call from a local resident commending a Lanett police officer Jeremy Reed on the way he had dealt with her during a traffic stop. “She said he was very nice and acted straight by the book,” she said. “It’s a good reflection on the Lanett Police Department to receive those kind of comments.”

Thomas said she keeps watch on the city’s street sweeper and for the most part likes the job being done. She said the main thing is to get dirt and debris off the city streets.

“We want to do all we can to keep Lanett beautiful,” Thomas said.

Mayor Heard said the bids had been opened for a new solid waste contract but that he wants to confirm all the details before making a recommendation to the council. “We may settle on this in a called meeting,” he said.

Mayor Heard commended Recreation Director Trent McCants and Senior Center Manager Sandra Thornton for the work they are doing for the city. He said he’d recently attended a Valentine’s Day party at the senior center and was most pleased to see a large number of seniors having good time. A Valentine’s Day king and queen were crowned that day.

He encouraged Lanett seniors to apply for their discount cards to local farmer’s markets. They will be going out in March.