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In January 1980, it was announced that he city had enough money to pay for the new $68,000 fire station on Holley Street behind the existing fire station. "The building we’re using now just doesn’t suit our needs," said Fire Chief Cotton Vaughn. "It’s too compact and uncomfortable." The existing station could only house two of the four trucks the city and county had at the time.

"We’ve outgrown our present facilities," said Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. "We don’t have room for the firetrucks or the firemen. Often they have to sleep in the jail."

The proposed station would have a radio room, a dormitory for six to 10 people, a kitchen and two restrooms.

Plans were announced in January 1980 to build a new public library for Butts County. The existing Hawkes Library, built in 1925, was only 1,450 square feet serving a population of 12,500. The plan for the new library was to build an 11,000 square foot facility and have the state pay for two-thirds of the cost. The county and city were being asked to pay the remaining $117,000. Richard Watkins, chairman of the board of trustees for the library, said this was the first time the state had allowed a two-for-one match in funds.

On February 6, 1980, the city and county were covered with one to three inches of snow. It remained on the ground and in trees for a day before melting away, and no accidents or outages were reported.

During Mayor C. B Brown, Jr.’s State of the City address to the Kiwanis Club on February 19, 1980, he outlined several plans for the future, including installing new lights along Third Street to brighten the road, and build a new fire station on Holly Street.

He said 1979 was a "rough year" financially due to the temporary loss of the local option sales tax and cutbacks in the CETA program. The mayor described the city as a $2,000,000-a-year business. "I am especially proud that with the inflation rate up nearly 50 percent in the last four years, that Jackson has not had to levy a property tax during that time," said Brown.

At the annual STAR Student banquet on February 19, 1980, Marie Ross was named STAR Student of Jackson High School. She chose Nancy Houghtaling as her STAR Teacher.

According to a survey conducted by the Georgia Public Service Commission, the City of Jackson had the fourth lowest electric rate of any municipally-owned electric provider in the state. The results of the survey, released in March 1980, found that residents of Jackson could buy 1,000 kilowatt-hours for $28.81.

Jackson patrolman Rankin Cook broad-sided another vehicle with his patrol while in pursuit of another car on March 29, 1980. He was pursuing a car for following a sheriff’s car, which was traveling at a high rate of speed to answer a call. The suspect ran a stop sign at the intersection of Highway 42 and Highway 16, and Cook’s car hit a van that was pulling out from Harkness Street. Cook was found to be at fault for the accident. His patrol car could not be repaired, so a 1979 Chrysler was purchased for $5,757 from Carter Motor Company.

On April 3, 1980, Police Chief Watson Vaughn suspended three night duty police officers for one week without pay. The action came, according to Vaughn, because the men "neglected their duties" on April 2 when several break ins occurred in town. Vaughn added that the officers "failed to check doors and the break-ins and things like that." The officers names were not released.

In late April 1980, the girls’ track team from Jackson High School won its second sub-region championship. It was only the second year the team had existed. A week later, the boys’ team won the sub-region track title as well. And on May 7, 1980 the boys’ team won the overall region track title. Ernest Lawrence set the Georgia state record in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:53.09. That record stood for six years.

In May 1980 came word that the state’s electric chair was being relocated to the Georgia Diagnostic Center, and that the state might carry out its first execution since 1964.

"It will have some long term effects on the county," said Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. of the relocation of the electric chair to the county. "Back in 1958, we were losing 98.5 percent of our high school graduates. Back then, young people had very few places to work so they were leaving."

The mayor was concerned that the presence of the electric chair in "Jackson" would deter future industries from locating in the area. Specifically, he was concerned because reporters from outside the county always signed off their reports from the prison and executions as being from "Jackson."

"The diagnostic center is not in Jackson," said Brown. "And some of them refer to it as the Jackson Diagnostic Center. It’s the Georgia Diagnostic Center.

"I’m against the fact that the chair was relocated here without one public official ever being consulted," he continued. "I was in office when the Diagnostic Center was built and they told us a few years back that it was going to be simply a facility to bring inmates in and then ship them right back out. Then, later, they said it was going to be a maximum security prison. No one mentioned anything about a chair, and now they’ve put it here."

Brown also said that he felt the death penalty was needed. Attorney Richard Milam, who had been in Jackson since 1974, disagreed with the death penalty, but agreed that the presence of the electric chair would not bode well for the city.

"It hangs above our head like a grotesque cloud. It’s going to keep people from moving here," he said. "That prison is like a tick on the side of the county. It doesn’t pay taxes. It is stifling us. No one wants to build next to a prison."

Pete Malone, president of McIntosh State Bank, was in agreement with many other citizens that the prison is located in the community of Bucksnort and should be referred to that way by the media.

"It’s my personal pride," said Malone. "I’m proud of the city and county and I just don’t want them to be thought of in a negative way."

On June 1, 1980, 136 seniors graduated from Jackson High School. The class Valedictorian was Marie Ross, and the Salutatorian was Susan Henry.

On July 2, 1980, Butts County School Superintendent J.M.L. Comer resigned for "personal reasons." He appointed M. C. Paget, Jr. to fill the remainder of his term.

In early July 1980 came word that the county’s jail failed to meet minimum health standards established by the American Medical Association.

In July 1980, members of the Jackson High School athletic staff and community volunteers took it upon themselves to renovate Red Devil Hill. They painted the field house tan with a brown stripe (as opposed to the red and blue colors it had been), and installed aluminum bleachers on the homeside. The older bleachers were moved to the visitors side where 600 could be seated., and with the help of inmate labor permanent bleachers were also added to the visitors’ side. When they were done the stadium seated 1,215 people.　

Just down the street, the high school’s gym was in bad shape.

It had a fire permit signed off on in 1948, and with only one accessible exit the 9,477-suare-foot wooden facility was a potential death trap, according to some local residents. Other exits were boarded up or located down narrow corridors in the back, and there was only one fire extinguisher visible from the court. Live electric wires were visible inside and out, and light fixtures were unprotected.

The grand jury that convened in August 1980 found the gym "inadequate, unsafe, and unsanitary," and recommended the Board of Education take action to improve the school’s physical education facility.

"There’s no question we need a new P.E. facility, for a number of reasons," said State Representative and former School Superintendent Bill Jones. "It’s 40 years old, it’s a fire trap, and it’s located away from the main campus so it causes problems during inclement weather."

According to Buck Stewart, water superintendent for the City of Jackson, the city’s Towaliga water plant had about 1,500 customers in the city and county who used about 800,000 gallons of water per day in July 1980. The plant had been in operation since 1974 when it replaced the Yellow Water Creek waterworks as the city’s main source of drinking water.

Eighteen-year-old Michele Donna Young died on August 5, 1980 from injuries she sustained when she stepped in front of a Southern Railway train on Railroad Avenue. According to Coroner John Sherrell, she was walking with a group of friends when the accident occurred.　

On August 4, 1980, the city council voted to make Harkness Street north of Brookwood Avenue a one-way street going north. The action came at the request of the Department of Transportation, which referred to the intersection of Harkness and West Third Street as a very serious traffic hazard.

In the August 5, 1980 primary, Sheriff Billy Leverette won re-election over former sheriff Barney Wilder by 185 votes, 2,048 votes to 1,865 votes.

Despite a rain shower that struck just before the parade was to begin, the Fall Festival was well-attended and enjoyed by many citizens in early September 1980. The celebration also included a dance, arts and crafts vendors, and another installment of Butts County’s Gong Show.

A fire broke out on September 10, 1980 in the cutting room at Fashion Pillows. No one was injured in the blaze, but firemen were treated for smoke inhalation and plant workers worked well into the next day cleaning up the debris.

When qualifying ended on September 19, 1980, no one had announced to run against the three incumbents so Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. and councilmen Allen T. Byars and Roy Goff were automatically re-elected.

According to the 1980 Bureau of the Census report released in October 1980, the city had a population of 4,043. The city had contested an earlier, lower count by the Bureau. The 1980 report listed a total of 1,499 housing units in the city. In 1970, the Census counted 3,774 people in the city.

In the month of October 1980, three building permits were issued in the city for single family homes totaling $138,800. In addition, a permit was issued for a new fire house totaling $85,000.

JACKSON – 16, Henry County – 6

JACKSON – 22, Bass – 19

Jackson – 7, JONES COUNTY – 15

Jackson – 6, JOHNSON COUNTY – 22

JACKSON – 7, Lamar County – 6

Jackson – 7, PIKE COUNTY – 20

Jackson – 9, ROBERT E LEE – 31

JACKSON – 13, Upson County – 12

Jackson – 0, MARY PERSONS – 34

For the year 1980, the city received $153, 528 from the one-percent local option sales tax.

In January 1981 came word that Seitzinger’s would not build a lead smelting plant in Jackson. The news came after a three-year courtship of the company by the Butts County Development Authority. Company officials cited "economic conditions" as a reason for not coming to Jackson.

Effective February 1, 1981, the monthly fee for residential garbage collection increased to $4. While inflation played a role in the move, the price of gasoline had quadrupled since the last increase in the fee in 1971. Industries and businesses felt a small increase in the fee in 1980.

Shortly after midnight on February 2, 1981, the old frame gymnasium at Jackson High School burned to the ground in a matter of half an hour. Lt. Fireman Mark Cook said the structure, built in 1941, caught fire due to faulty wiring connecting the scoreboard with the main breaker.

On March 17, 1981, Grace Farrell shot Kenneth Griffin at Benny’s convenience store on East Third Street. Farrell, a clerk at the store, had confronted Griffin, a customer, about a previous shoplifting of crackers. Griffin leaned over the counter and called Farrell obscene names when she pulled a gun a shot him. She was found not guilty of assault charges three months later.　

In April 1981, city officials and Butts County Jaycees undertook an effort to number all houses and businesses in the city. City Manager Lewis Freeman said the project would help "the postman or the police, fire and EMS personnel locate the source of an emergency call." The city’s growth made such designation almost mandatory. "In former days," said Freeman, "everyone knew where everybody else lived but that is not the case today and those having to answer emergency calls are often confused by the directions given."

In early April 1981, voters approved a bond referendum to build a new physical education and music building for Jackson High School. The bonds totaled $475,000.　 School Superintendent Loy Hutcheson called it "one of the best investment opportunities for the county." At the same time, voters denied bonds for a new county library.

In the first week of April 1981, the Indian Springs Plant of Avondale Mills deeded its water storage tank to the city. Superintendent Bob Betts made the official presentation to Jackson Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. The tank had a 60,000-gallon capacity and was built for the Pepperton Cotton Mills in 1947. The tank and tower reach a height of 75 feet, and was once filled by an artesian well.

In the first quarter of 1981, the city received $33,713 from the local option sales tax.

Shield’s Jewelry was robbed at gunpoint on April 10, 1981. Police Chief Watson Vaughn reported that the thief demanded money from the safe and also took several pieces of jewelry before he left.

One week later on April 17, 1981, the Jones Food Market on Macon Avenue was robbed at gunpoint. The robber demanded money from a store attendant, and fled after he got some.

According to Police Chief Watson Vaughn in April 1981, a law prohibiting the use of alcoholic beverages at Avondale Park was to be strictly enforced. Recreation Director Ernest Biles said his department had received numerous complaints about drinking at the park.

The annual meeting of the industrial leaders of the city was held on April 22, 1981.

On May 1, 1981, the Red Devils of Jackson High clinched the sub region baseball championship with a perfect 11-0 sub region record. The team won the 3AA region championship on May 13, 1981 with two wins over Bleckley County in a best of three series.

A sidewalk on College Street was completed in May, 1981.

The largest class in Jackson High School’s history – 152 seniors – graduated on June 2, 1981. Lisa Clark was named Valedictorian, and Dennis Hart named Salutatorian.

In June 1981 came news that the Jackson Shopping Center on East Third Street would expand. Included in the expansion: Giant Mart grew by 4,400 square feet, Service Discount Drugs also grew its floor space, Hodges rearranged its display and warehouse areas, an electronic service center moved in, another new business was added, and over 80 new parking spaces appeared.

Butts County’s local one cent sales tax brought in $267,712 during the first six months of 1981. Jackson share, 30 percent of the total, was $80,313.

Al Reaves became the new head coach of Jackson High School’s football team in July 1981. "There is a lot of potential for a good season this year," he said. "But we still have a lot of work to do."

At its July 6, 1981 meeting, the Jackson City Council approved an ordinance forbidding parking on Holly Street between Third Street and Byars Street.

Due to prolonged drought in the Summer of 1981, the city was keeping a close eye on its water supply. For the month of June, the average amount of water pumped per day was 1,017,000 gallons, up from 799,000 gallons in June of 1980. Water Superintendent Buck Stewart said the Towaliga River, the city’s main source of drinking water, was "way down." The city was also using its Yellow Water Creek water plant several hours a day to meet demand caused by watering of lawns, washing of cars and extra showers citizens were taking to deal with the heat and humidity.　

By the end of July 1981, the city had declared a water emergency and prohibited the watering of lawns and gardens and the washing of cars. Violators were warned the first time and fined for any subsequent offense. City officials also asked major industries in the city to conserve water. The two biggest industries in Jackson used approximately 200,000 gallons of water per day.

"Use common sense because we’re all in this together and it is now a very serious situation," said Mayor C. B. Brown.

According to Mayor Brown the Towaliga River had dried up so much that only 500,000 to 700,000 gallons could be pumped there daily, whereas the city was pumping 1,000,000 gallons a day just the week before. Temperatures in town had hit the 106-degree mark.

The lack of rainfall also played havoc with the power-generating ability of S.E.P.A., from whom the city purchased its electricity. As a result, the city’s wholesale purchase price for power was going to increase on October 1, 1981.

At is August 3, 1981 meeting, the Jackson City Council voted to apply for $6,000 in emergency funds from the state to improve the raw water intake at the Towaliga River Plant. Recent rains though had helped ease the emergency water supply situation.

On August 30, 1981 an open house was held at the city’s new fire station. The 3,200-square-foot building was constructed at a cost of $85,000.

On the night of September 5, 1981, professional burglars entered the Jackson Drug Company through a boarded-up window on the second floor, bored several holes in the floor there to gain access to the main floor, and proceeded to clean the store of all its narcotics.

On September 9, 1981, it was announced that the City of Jackson would not levy an ad valorem tax, marking the fifth consecutive tax-free year in the city. Its share of the one-cent local sales tax made the difference, according to city officials, with $153,528 coming in during 1980.

"A great deal of credit for the city’s excellent financial condition is due to the dedication of a hard-working Council and to the cooperation of all city employees," said Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. "I am delighted that we are able to forgo the levying of ad valorem taxes this year."

In September 1981, three members of the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People filed a federal lawsuit against the city for alleged violations committed in annexing property and carrying out elections. The basis of the suit alleged that the city failed to obtain pre-clearance from the Department of Justice before annexing certain areas into the city limits in 1966 and 1975. In addition, the suit claimed that this annexation increased the number of members on the City Council and that the city made changes in voting standards, practices or procedures without obtaining pre-clearance from the DOJ.

The plaintiffs, Rev. W. T. Brown, Jr., Prentice W. Henderson and Sandra W. McCrary, also filed a motion for the removal of John Robert Pulliam from the Council seat in Ward 5, one of the two contested areas that were annexed, and that elections be held for all five Council seats and the position of mayor. One of the areas annexed that was contested by the suit was the Pepperton community.

The city’s October 6 primary was cancelled by a judge’s order, and entrance fees for the three incumbents who had qualified were returned.

In late September 1981, the city’s Democratic Executive Committee, which conducted primaries for many years, was dissolved. The decision was unanimous and recommended by its member-attorney Hugh W. Glidewell, Jr. The Butts County Democratic Executive Committee was legally in charge of conducting primaries in the city.

At the September 1981 meeting of the Jackson City Council, a truck for the Sanitary and Street Departments was purchased from Collins Chevrolet for $115,308. The Council also voted to replace the old Christmas decorations the city hangs from light poles in December.

On October 16, 1981, U.S. District Judge Wilbur G. Owens ordered the city to hold its election on December 2 to name members to three City Council seats. The judge ruled that a plurality of votes would be sufficient to elect a candidate and that voting for the three posts should be carried out citywide. Candidates for a particular seat had to reside in that ward, and voters throughout the city could cast only one vote for any candidate in any of the three races. The plaintiffs, it was determined, had no sufficient evidence that the Department of Justice would object to any previous annexation. The city was also required to present the DOJ the 1975 act that annexed Pepperton into the city and all documents relating to annexations in the city since the November 1, 1964.

When qualifying ended for the December 2 election, two incumbents – John L. Coleman and John Robert Pulliam – had qualified with no opposition. Dawson Bryant, the incumbent in the first ward, had an opponent in Johnny Lee Smith, Jr., a Jackson businessman seeking his first elected office.

Bryant won the election 393 votes to 98 for Smith.

During his State of the City speech to the Kiwanis Club on October 20, 1981, Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. focused much of the group’s attention on the water crisis. "The recent rains have helped some and if we can locate some pipe for emergency use and if our people will continue to conserve water, we can lick this problem together," he said.

"Your city now spends about $2,000,000 a year of your money," Mayor Brown continued. "And I would encourage each of you to take a very active interest in seeing that you get the best value for your dollar."

Citing the cost of operating a city government, he said a police car purchased recently cost $10,000; a garbage truck $20,000; the fire station $100,000; installing new streetlights and rebuilding electric lines $300,000; and 12 more hydrants and improvement in the water system cost $32,000.

JACKSON – 26, Henry County – 6

JACKSON – 24, Bass High School – 0

Jackson – 0, JONES COUNTY – 14

JACKSON – 34, Johnson County – 7

JACKSON – 28, Lamar County – 12

Jackson – 0, MANCHESTER – 20

JACKSON – 17, Pike County – 0

Jackson – 19, ROBERT E. LEE – 42

Jackson – 6, UPSON COUNTY – 31

Jackson – 6, MARY PERSONS - 28

In January 1982, the city adopted a resolution creating a Downtown Development Authority.　 Roy Goff was named chairman of the seven-member board, which including Pete Malone, Richard Milam, Jerry McLaurin, Grover Arline, James McCormick and Benny Dover. The authority’s mission was to promote and further develop trade, commerce, industry and employment opportunities," and had the power to issue tax-exempt revenue bonds and notes.　

What was reported as the coldest weather of the Twentieth Century gripped the city in early January 1982. Johnny Smolka, the weatherman for the Progress-Argus who had been reporting weather from Hickory Hills Golf Course since February 1968, said his thermometer hit zero. The previous lowest reading was one degree. Fortunately, the frigid air was not mixed with precipitation and no problems – besides broken water pipes – were reported.

Then the snow came. Over the course of three days – January 12, 13, and 14, 1982 – five inches accumulated around the city and county. Most retails stores, banks and county offices were closed for two days, and schools closed for three days. No mail was delivered on January 13. In the city, residents experienced power outages lasting up to two hours at one time or another throughout the storm, but in the McCaskill neighborhood the power was out for 36 hours, according to Ves Lunsford, supervisor of the city’s electric department. There were no major accidents reported, as most people stayed off the roads.

At the annual STAR Student banquet on February 16, 1982, Jon Ross was named STAR Student of Jackson High School. He named Nancy Houghtaling, chairperson of the school’s English department, as his STAR Teacher.

On April 4, 1982, approximately 300 visitors came out for the opening of the new intensive care unit at Sylvan Grove Hospital. The ICU, built at a cost of $55,000 was outfitted with four beds designed to meet the needs of patients suffering from heart attack or stroke, post operation, or respiratory difficulties.

"This is the first time this level of service has been available at Sylvan Grove, and we are delighted and encouraged by the interest the public has shown," said Roger Bolton, hospital administrator.

In May 1982, it was reported that conditions were so deplorable at the county’s four-cell jail on North Oak Street that Sheriff Billy Leverette and the county commissioners were considering asking the voters to approve a bond referendum to build a new jail. The jail was built in 1937 and in 1982 had many problems. "The plumbing is shot, the wiring is shot; and because of cuts in federal and state grants, we’ve no place to go for money to build a new one," said Sheriff Leverette. In addition, many of the lock mechanisms on the cell doors did not work, forcing the county to house dangerous offenders in the city jail or in neighboring counties.

On May 14, 1982, two inmates at the county jail filed suit in federal court in Macon against the county claiming that conditions in the jail were "cruel, unusual, uncivilized and unlawful" and violated rights guaranteed under the Constitution. The suit asked the court to give the county 60 days to submit plans for improvements to the jail.

Among the problems cited by the plaintiffs were: small cells that allowed for very little movement by inmates, malfunctioning commodes, a shower stall covered in mold and mildew in which trash cans were also cleaned, no blankets were provided to inmates, there was no outdoor recreation or indoor recreation programs so inmates spent virtually all day and night in their cells, there was no cleaning of cells except by inmates and no cleaning supplies were provided, the jail had its fair share of rats, mice, cockroaches, mosquitoes and spiders.

In May 1982, the Butts County Board of Education received word that all schools in the county system had received "accreditation with quality" status from the Georgia Accrediting Commission, the first time the schools had received the honor. The system was on of 27 out of 189 systems across the state to be so honored.

The Jackson High School Red Devil baseball team won the Region 3AA championship by sweeping two games from Wilkinson County in May 1982. It was the sixth straight year the team won the title.

One hundred forty-five seniors graduated from Jackson High School on May 30, 1982. Esther O’Dell was named Valedictorian, and Jon Ross was named Salutatorian.

An audit released by the city in June 1982 showed that the city had revenues of $2,125,525 in 1981 and expenses of $2,071,820. "For a number of years, the City of Jackson has operated without an ad valorem tax and it is our hope that this policy can be continued but there is no assurance this will be the case," said Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. "Our experience last year shows just how close we are coming in balancing expenditures against revenues."

On June 3, 1982, Charlie Barber died instantly when his car and a truck collided on McDonough Road. The driver of the truck was charged in the incident because witnesses reported he was speeding and weaving.

Following the drought of the Summer if 1981 – when the city "came within one day of having to shut people off," according to Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. – the city took action in the Summer of 1982 to protect its water supply. Mayor Brown said that Cawthon’s Lake, from which water is pumped to the old water treatment plant, was enlarged as was the reservoir on Valley Road. In addition, a water line connecting Butts and Henry counties was being laid at a cost of $32,000 to provide 225,000 gallons of water a day in an extreme emergency. The city paid for half that cost of the line in cash, and the other half came from a state grant.

The city was also planning a five-acre reservoir at the main water treatment plant off the Barnesville Highway. The projected cost was $35,000.

In July 1982, plans were announced to build a training center for the mentally retarded to be located near the Avondale Recreation Park.

At its July 19, 1982 meeting, the Jackson City Council was asked to consider allowing beer-pouring permits for businesses in the city. The Council, however, declined to allow such permits.

In August 1982, work was underway on a 1,400-square-foot expansion of the Hawkes Library. The Library Association and city and county governments funded the project.

In September 1982, the United States Justice Department sent election examiners to the county in an effort to increase the registration of Black voters. Officials charged the county with declining to expand Black voter registration opportunities. The charges claimed the county maintained no regular hours for voting registration, provided limited registration locations, and refused to appoint deputy registrars.

Rev. W. T. Brown, president of the Jackson chapter of the NAACP, said the investigation came about as a result of a "drastic drop in the number of Blacks on the voting list of Butts County." The county’s population was 40 percent Black at the time, and only 25 percent of eligible Black voters were registered to vote, compared with 73 percent of the White population in the county.

In the end, 15 voters were added to the voters’ list.

The new physical education-music-art building at Jackson High School opened on September 26, 1982. The cost of the facility was $679,000.

In early October 1982, a U. S. District Judge signed a consent order brought about by a lawsuit filed by two former inmates against the Butts County Sheriff and the county jail. According to the order, the county had 60 days to put all plumbing and sanitary facilities in working order; provide clean drinking water for inmates; provide personal hygiene items to inmates; provide coveralls to inmates serving time; remove a steel plate covering a window to allow light and ventilation; provide a locked complaint box for inmates’ suggestions and problems; provide sanitation supplies to inmates so they could keep the jail area clean; begin inspecting the jail area at least every four hours; correct fire hazards as reported by the Fire Marshal; post rules governing inmate conduct and an evacuation plan; install fire extinguishers; and a recreation area must be provided for the inmates.

For the sixth consecutive year, city residents paid no property taxes thanks to a vote by the city council. "It is a splendid tribute to the type of leadership the council and every city employee have rendered that we have been able to operate for another year without placing any further burden on the taxpayers," said Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr.

During the filming of "A Murder in Coweta County in Butts County on October 20, 1982, the movie’s stars Johnny Cash, June Carter-Cash and Andy Griffith came to the county for several scenes.

Due to a recession, the Indian Springs Plant of Avondale Mills was operating on a three-shift, five-day basis. Although there had been layoffs, the plant still employed 235 people.

On November 3, 1982, Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. was reelected without opposition. Councilman Roy Goff won reelection over Jesse Duffey, 430 votes to 210. And Bill Fletcher won the Council’s Ward 2 seat left vacant by Allen Byars.

Jackson Police Officer Robyn Patton was injured on November 4, 1982 when she was struck by a car while directing traffic as new signals were being installed. Patton was treated and released from Sylvan Grove Hospital.

In the middle of November 1982 came the announcement that Toga Manufacturing, Inc., a national fabricator of stainless steel food service equipment, would build a plant on Highway 42 South. The 20,000-square-foot facility was scheduled to open at the start of 1983 and employee 15 people initially. The Butts County Development Authority and Butts County Chamber of Commerce worked together to bring the company to Jackson.

JACKSON – 41, Henry County – 7

JACKSON – 25, Jones County – 6

JACKSON – 28, Lamar County – 21

JACKSON – 12, Pike County – 7

Jackson – 7, ROBERT E. LEE – 48

Jackson – 7, MARY PERSONS – 24

Jackson – 7, MANCHESTER – 28

JACKSON – 34, Taylor County – 18

Jackson – 27, HAWKINSVILLE – 28

JACKSON – 28, Bleckley County – 14

Jackson – 7, ROBERT E. LEE – 42

On December 15, 1982 the announcement was made that the Avondale Mills plant would close, leaving 220 employees without jobs and removing a $2 million annual payroll from the local economy. John Loving, company president, said the closing was "due primarily to lack of demand in the marketplace for the company’s products. The outdated processes have kept the plant in a continuing unprofitable position."

Bob Betts, manager of the plant in Jackson since 1975, said full-time employees would receive severance pay and be offered employment at other Avondale plants as positions became available. In addition, employees were placed on "no work available" status enabling them to continue their insurance coverage.

Local leaders held a strategy session to "set up a game plan for dealing with the situation," according to Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. "Losing Avondale was terrible, but we’re going to do our best to fill the vacuum as soon as possible."

"We were simply running out of land, and this is a step to conserve," explained Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. The crypt housed 80 spaces, but only took up the square footage of 15 to 20 ordinary graves sites.

At the end of 1982, the police department was installing a Burroughs TC 5100 – the latest in computer technology. The machine was linked to the Georgia Crime Information Center in Atlanta by telephone lines and allowed the department to access any previous records of people they arrest. It could also be used to check the status of vehicles by typing in tag numbers.

During 1982, Butts County collected a total of $578,506 from the local option sales tax. Of that amount, Jackson’s portion was $173,552. Under a new distribution plan to take effect in 1983, Jackson’s share would be 30.25 percent of the total, a reduction of one-quarter of a percent. The 1980 Census showed the city’s population at 4,133.

The city also collected $74,388 in beer taxes.

As 1983 began, a traffic light went into operation at the intersection of West Third and Peachtree streets. The intersection had long been congested and the scene of many accidents.

At the January 3, 1983, Councilman John L. Coleman was elected Mayor Pro Tem.

On January 20, 1983 a snowstorm blew through Jackson, depositing one to three inches of snow, sleet and ice. Schools and stores were closed for two days. The city experienced four or five brief power outages, according to Ves Lunsford, superintendent of the city’s electric department.

During his annual State of the City address to the Kiwanis Club on January 25, 1983, Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. said the city was in excellent financial condition during its seventh year without property taxes.

"Although many feel that Jackson’s share of the one-cent local sales tax has brought this about, it goes much deeper than that," said Brown. "For while Jackson obtained $173,551 from the sales tax in 1982, it also required $108,000 just to operate garbage trucks for the same period."

Add to that the loss of federal funds in CETA and other programs, plus federal revenue-sharing funds and a cumulative inflation rate of 35-to-50 percent in the past seven years and Mayor Brown termed the city’s ability to operate without property taxes as bordering on a miracle.

Brown cited the addition of new traffic lights, purchase of a new computer, new equipment for testing the intoxication level of drinking drivers, a new mausoleum and extensions to the city cemetery as recent improvements in the city.

Following the closing of the Avondale Mill, the county’s unemployment rate jumped 5.7 percent from 9.8 percent in December 1982 to 15.5 percent in January 1983. In January, 6,347 residents were employed, while 1,167 were jobless. In January 1982, the county had an unemployment rate of 13 percent with 919 people jobless.

On February 1, 1983, a burglar broke into Service Discount Drugs through a skylight and lowered himself into the pharmacy with a rope. He then made off with "everything as far as the drugs [were] concerned," according to pharmacist Sam Standard. A month later, the pharmacy was again burglarized and again the thief entered through the roof.

On February 7, 1983, the mayor and Council were informed that the city’s wastewater treatment plant was able to process an additional 100,000 gallons of water per day. The Council also adopted a 1983 budget totaling $2,114,822.

Lora Lee Cheves was named STAR Student of Jackson High School on February 15, 1983 at the annual STAR Student Banquet, sponsored by the Exchange Club. Cheves named her English teacher, Nancy Houghtaling, as her STAR Teacher.

On February 19, 1983, police officer observed that of the 200 or so young people attending what was billed as a fundraising party for the Jackson High School golf team at the National Guard Armory "the majority of them were drunk." JHS Principal Donny James said he had no knowledge of the event, and that it was not sanctioned by the school. Only one arrest was made when a 17-year-old was charged with DUI and spinning his tires in the parking lot of the Armory.

At the February 21, 1983 meeting of the Jackson City Council, prices for crypts at the new 80-crypt mausoleum were set at $1,600 for a ground-level, second or third level spot and $1,500 for spots on the fourth or top level. Non-city residents would be charged $2,400 and $2,250 respectively for the same crypts. Cemetery plots in the new section of the city cemetery were set at $200 for residents of the city and $300 for residents outside the city.

At the March 7, 1983 meeting of the Jackson City Council it was decided to extend a six-inch water line on Highway 36 to a new truckstop being built at the I-75 interchange.

A Spring snowstorm brought some accumulation to the city on March 24, 1983. Schools were closed for a day, but there were no power outages or serious accidents in town.

The per capita income for Butts County in March 1983 was $6,117, making it the 78^th highest in the state. In 1969, the per capita income in the county was $2,346.

Jackson City Administrator Lewis Freeman retired on April 15, 1983 after almost seven years in the position. "The mayor and council have certainly enjoyed working with him," said Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. of Freeman’s retirement.

In April 1983, the Office of Planning and Budget predicted that Butts County would have a population of 19,000 by the year 2000 and would be ranked 84^th among the 159 counties in the state as far as population was concerned.

In April 1983, the city pumped 19,666,100 gallons of water, with a maximum daily output of 917,000 gallons.

Watson Vaughn, who served almost 30 years with the Jackson Police Department, retired on June 19, 1983. "I think I’ve been here long enough," he said.

Vaughn began working for the city as a street foreman and joined the police department in 1954. In 1958, he was named police chief and held that title for 25 years.

"I’m proud to have worked for the city of Jackson for this long," said Vaughn. "You may not understand what a nerve-racking job it is until you’re in it, but everyone in the city limits has been nice to me. I especially thank my wife for putting up with me and the job."

Twenty-seven applications were received for the chief’s position. On June 6, 1983, the City Council hired Hugh Dorsey Evans, Jr. of Barnesville as the new police chief of Jackson.

Wanda Sims of Jackson High School qualified to run the hurdles at the state track meet in May 1983. Her qualifying time was 16.31 seconds, set at the region meet.

The Red Devils of Jackson High School won their seventh consecutive region baseball title on May 10, 1983 with a win over Pike County. Pitcher Joey Maddox drove in the winning run in the seventh inning with a hit to center field tat scored T. Byrd O’Neal from third base and Stan Maddox from second.

At its May 16, 1983 meeting, the City Council hired Rita Durrett as City Clerk and Judy Kelly as Assistant Clerk. It was also reported that spraying for mosquitoes would begin soon.

Mary Lynn Palmer was named Valedictorian of the Jackson High School Class of 1983, and gave a speech during commencement on May 31, 1983. Linda Ann Parrish was named Salutatorian of the class. One hundred twenty-eight seniors graduated.

On June 15, 1983, the Butts County Metal Retardation Service Center moved into its permanent home on Kennedy Drive. The building was the project of the Butts County Developmental Disabilities Boosters, a volunteer organization. The center had been located on Third Street.

The street in front of the new mausoleum was paved on July 11, 1983, and the Council approved a bid from Barnes Fence Company to put up a fence around the cemetery.

Sylvan Grove Hospital held a health fair for all city employees at the fire station on July 27, 1983.

Dorsey Evans, the new police chief of Jackson, spoke to the Kiwanis Club on July 19, 1983 and outlined plans for the department. At the time, he had 10 officers on patrol, four radio operators and three patrol cars. He said 320 calls came into the department on the night shift during the month of June.

Evans also planned to introduce new jail procedures, install a more responsible bonding system and publish new rules and regulations for all personnel.

Facing a lengthening drought at the end of July 1983, the city asked its citizens to voluntarily conserve their water usage.

The city was also contacting landowners about securing rights of way for an emergency water line to High Falls Lake. The project was estimated to cost $295,000 to $325,000. A grant in the amount of $166,046 was approved for the city by the state.

The received a sales tax check from the state in the amount of $18,111 for the month of June 1983.

In the final week of August 1983, Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. and the City Council asked residents "to curtail the unnecessary use of water." The city was using an average of almost 2 million gallons of water per day, and schools were about to open for the year. The schools used approximately 23,000 gallons of water per day.

Mayor Brown said both the Towaliga River and Yellow Water Creek were low, but not as low as they were in the drought of 1981.

Since that drought, the city had enlarged two reservoirs – at Towaliga River water plant and the Yellow Water Creek plant – and Cawthon’s Lake, from which water was pumped to the Yellow Water Creek plant, was also enlarged. A reverse water line had also been installed connecting the city to a Henry County water line and could be used for drinking water only if the city ran completely out of water.

At its August 15, 1983 meeting, the City Council decided recently enacted pricing for mausoleum crypts for residents living in the county were too high and lowered them. The new prices adopted were: $1,600 and $1,500 for city residents, and $2,000 and $1,875 for county residents. For residents living outside the county, the rates were $2,400 and $2,250.

At the end of August 1983, clients and staff moved into the new Butts County Training Center for the Mentally Retarded off Alabama Boulevard. "Everyone is proud of the building," said Hugh Fanin, director of the facility. The building resembled other industrial buildings in the area. "Clients feel like they’re going to work instead of to the center," said Fanin. "Some of the MR stigma has been taken away." The center served 41 clients at the time.

In September 1983 came word that two men purchased the recently closed Avondale Mills plant and planned to reopen it as a carpet yarn production business. Bishop F. Smith, Jr. and Hoyt L. Grace, both of South Carolina, said they would employ 200 people when the plant was at full operation. It was to be known as the Indian Springs Spinning Plant.

Smith and Grace said they would invest about $3 million in the facility, and were independent with no parent company. It was to manufacture nylon carpet yarn, basically the same product Avondale had been turning out at the plant before it closed.

The plant was up and running in February 1984 with three shifts a day turning out nylon yarn.

The City Council annexed 64.53 acres around Hickory Ridge Road into the city on September 6, 1983.

At its September 19, 1983 meeting, the City Council learned that the permitting of parades and solicitors had been moved from city hall to the police department since that was where most complaints were received.

On October 20, 1983 the Lady Devils’ softball team of Jackson High School won the State AA championship with a 10-0 win over Oconee County. "I feel honored to be a coach here at Jackson and work with these girls," said second-year coach Jenny Vogt. "They’re great athletes as well as young citizens."

The team earned a season record of 26 wins and one loss – to former state champions, Pike County. In the final game, Christy Rutledge and Linda Sims led off the game with back-to-back homeruns. Brenda Sims hit a homerun later in the game. On defense, the Lady Devils turned five double plays.

Former Jackson assistant police chief Glenn Usry filed suit against the city in the U.S. District Court in Macon in early November 1983. In it, Usry, who was fired due to comments he made in the Jackson Progress-Argus, claims the firing violated his right to free speech guaranteed in the First and Fourteenth amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

In an interview with the Progress-Argus, Usry said that the city police department did not have enough officers to adequately enforce DUI laws. Usry received a letter of reprimand from Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr., Police Chief Dorsey Evans and Police Committee Chairman John L. Coleman. He was fired following a meeting of the Police Committee, which Usry had requested and then refused to attend.

The suit was settled out of court in February 1984. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

In the election of November 2, 1983, First Ward Councilman Dawson Bryant defeated Lewis Sims 385 votes to 347. In the Fifth Ward race, Councilman John R. Pulliam was reelected by 395 by 271 over R. E. Mitchell. Fourth Ward Councilman John L. Coleman had no opposition and was reelected for another term.

Sims asked for a recount of the votes in the First Ward race, but since the margin of victory was over two percent, state law stipulated that no recount was required.

JACKSON 14, Henry County – 7

JACKSON 20, Jones County – 12

Jackson – 6, LAMAR COUNTY – 14

Jackson – 7, PIKE COUNTY – 21

Jackson – 8, ROBERT E. LEE – 41

Jackson – 7, MARY PERSONS – 44

Jackson – 0, MANCHESTER – 35

Jackson – 7, TAYLOR COUNTY – 13

JACKSON – 14, Hawkinsville – 7

Jackson – 0, BLECKLEY COUNTY – 41

A lawsuit against the city for alleged violation of voting rights was dismissed in November 1983 by a federal judge. According to one of the plaintiffs, Rev. W. T. Brown, Jr., the dismissal was requested by lawyers for the plaintiffs "due to information not previously known to us" and that a new suit would be filed. The suit was first filed in September 1981, alleging that the city failed to obtain pre-clearance from the Justice Department before annexing Pepperton and the Baker Subdivision into the city.

In November 1983, the Public Service Commission granted Greyhound Bus Line’s request to cancel service to the City of Jackson. But two weeks later, on November 21, Gray Line of Atlanta announced that it would begin serving the city with bus service to and from Atlanta on weekdays. The bus would leave Jackson at 6:30 a.m. and arrive in Atlanta after stops Locust Grove, McDonough and Stockbridge. The afternoon bus was to leave Atlanta at 5:30 p.m. and return to Jackson by 6:55 p.m.

A fire on December 23, 1982 heavily damaged a house on Nelson Street and killed its owner, Imogene Fears, age 60. The house burned for 30 to 45 minutes before a neighbor saw it and notified the fire department. Fire Chief Cotton Vaughn said Fears died of smoke inhalation, and the cause of the fire was either a cigarette or gas heater.

On December 24, 1983, a frigid blast of Winter descended on Butts County bringing record subfreezing temperatures as the artic-like winds produced wind chill factors of 20 to 50 degrees below zero. The major casualties were water pipes, ill-prepared for such cold weather in middle Georgia.

It was the coldest Christmas on record, as temperatures remained in the teens during the day, and dropped to zero at night. Sleet and snow began falling on December 27, causing hazardous driving conditions. No deaths or serious injuries were reported though.

Charles James was fired from his job as a radio dispatcher for the Jackson Police Department on January 3, 1984for allegedly sleeping while on duty. Police Chief Dorsey Evans allegedly found James asleep at his post at 4 a.m. on December 31. James was allowed to work the remainder of his shift and two more days, and claimed he was only "nodding."

James said he planned to file a lawsuit against the city.

At its January 3, 1984 meeting, the Jackson City Council elected John L. Coleman as mayor pro tem. Franklin Freeman was reappointed as court recorder. The Council also voted to continue giving $100 per month in support of the National Guard Armory in the city, and $516 a month in support of the Hawkes Library. The Council also agreed to continue sending $2,000 a month to the Butts County Recreation Department.

Furthermore, the Council voted to donate $1,000 to the operation of the McIntosh Trail Early Childhood Development　 Council, another $1,000 to the Butts County Developmental Disabilities Boosters, Inc., and $375 per quarter to the Jackson-Butts County Child Development Foundation.

The city also donated $20 per month off the utility bill at the CAR clubhouse.

The Council also charged off $5,008 in past due utility accounts for 1983.

In January 1984, Joe Louis Bland of Jackson filed suit against the city seeking $350,000 in damages for an incident that allegedly took place on April 3, 1983. On that date, Bland alleged, he was "severely beaten by (police officer) Jimmy Spence and another individual who was not and is not a city of Jackson police officer."

Bland was arrested on April 3, 1983 for DUI and operating a motor vehicle after being declared a habitual violator. Bland was taken to the city jail and was later removed from his cell. It is then that the alleged beating took place.　

The city and county were awarded a $199,000 grant from the state Community Development Block Grant program in January 1984. The money was used to run a sewer line from the city to the industrial park located between Highway 16 and Highway 87 east of town. It was hoped the line would attract new industry.

In January 1984, the Hospital Authority began looking into leasing Sylvan Grove Hospital to a private investor. The hospital was well-equipped and well-staffed, but was in bad shape financially. Its biggest problem was a low patient count. In 1983, the average was 11 patients per day, and it required 15 per day to break even.　

The hospital had 26 beds and five general practitioners on staff and five specialists who could be called in.

"We do not want to sell the hospital, but we have to do something to make operating it economically feasible," said Rufus Adams, chairman of the Authority, adding that if the facility was leased that some local supervision would be retained.

A man was robbed in broad daylight in the parking lot of the Red & White store on January 27, 1984. John Maddox had just emerged from the store with a bag of groceries when he was pushed into his car by a White man who demanded money. Maddox said the assailant explained that he was out of work and needed to buy food for his family. Maddox tried to give the man money, but the robber wanted all his money – about $40. Maddox was not injured, and the assailant ran away.

In February 1984 came news that the U.S. Justice Department had cleared the annexation of 14 acres into the city, which encompassed the Fox Hollow neighborhood.

The Indian Springs Spinning Corporation reduced its workforce from 235 to 160 in February 1984. Owner Bishop Smith said the reduction was due to "softness in the carpet industry caused by a higher than normal yarn inventory and a reduced business climate."

In March 1984, the city raised its rates for garbage collection. The fee for city residential pick up increased to $6 from $4 a month, and the rate for rural residential increased from $8 to $12 a month.

At a meeting on February 28, 1984, the Butts County Hospital Authority approved steps to be taken for the leasing of the hospital. Leasing the facility, said Rufus Adams, chairman of the Authority, would relieve taxpayers while making it more possible to expand services at the hospital. No lessee was named at the meeting.

Later that month, the Authority agreed to lease the hospital to Healthcare Management Group, Inc. of Birmingham, Alabama. Under the agreement, Healthcare would pay the Authority an annual rental fee, assume complete responsibility for indigent care, and assumed all existing liabilities.

At the annual STAR Student Banquet on March 6, 198, Chris Howell was named STAR Student of Jackson High School. He chose Finley McLaurin as his STAR Teacher. The event, sponsored by the Exchange Club, was held at the Mason Jar Restaurant.

At its March 5, 1984 meeting the City Council voted to increase its monthly support of the Hawkes Library from $516 to $770, provided that the county matched the increase when its new fiscal year began in July.

Following weeks of illness, Joe Brown, Sr. died on March 20, 1984. He was co-owner of Brown’s Furniture for 31 years, a charter member of the Butts County Jaycees, was selected as Butts County’s Young Man of the Year in 1960, was a founder of the Jackson Softball League, served on the board of the Van Deventer Foundation, was a volunteer fireman with the city for 25 years, and was instrumental in bringing the Avondale Recreation Park to the city.

Figures released by the Georgia Press Association in April 1984 showed that Butts County’s population was 14,500, there were 4,540 households, and 7,030 motor vehicles here. The average household in the county took in income of $17,881 annually, compared with $14,699 per household in 1982.

On April 18, 1984 the announcement was made that American Woodmark would build an 88,000-square-foot assembly and warehousing plant in Jackson’s industrial park east of the city. The plant, which was scheduled to begin operation by November, was to employ 23 supervisory and clerical employees and 146 production employees. The company’s products included wood kitchen and bath cabinets.

The decision ended months of negotiations between company executives, members of the Development Authority of Butts County and city and county officials. Key factors in Woodmark’s decision making process, according to William F. Brandt, president of the company, was the city’s proximity to Atlanta and the major interstate connecting with Florida, the recent passage of a Freeport Tax Option by the county, and "the positive attitude exhibited by members of the Development Authority and city and county officials toward location of a woodworking facility in Jackson."

At the time, American Woodmark was the third largest manufacturer of wood kitchen and bath products in the United States.

"We are extremely pleased to have this fine company become an industrial citizen of Butts County," said Vincent Jones, chairman of the Development Authority. "It is a dynamic company with young, aggressive leadership that was interested in a community in which it could grow and that would grow with it. We believe this blending of company and community will be mutually beneficial."

In April 1984, the mayor and Council revisited the city’s zoning ordinance, which was adopted in 1960. Officials felt many aspects of the document were outdated and needed updating. Attention was paid to definitions of lot, boarding or rooming house, and mobile homes. The Council also reworked the section governing requests for variances.

"Zoning laws are necessary," said Councilman Roy Goff, "because they are enacted under the police power of a community to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people."

The Jackson Fire Department fought an intense fire at Dudley’s Restaurant on Macon Avenue on May 8, 1984. The fire was discovered at 4 a.m. by a Jackson police officer, and 12 firemen worked the flames for almost three hours in order to save the building. It was determined that the fire started in a trash can and arson as well as burglary were suspected. The owner, Dudley McEachin, had no insurance to cover his losses.

In May 1984, three residents of Jackson and Butts County filed suit in federal court against the city and county for alleged violations of the constitutional rights of Black voters. The plaintiffs, Rev. William T. Brown, Jesse Duffey and Lewis Sims, argued that the city and county’s process of holding elections at-large for county commission and city council diluted the voting strength of Black citizens. In addition, the suit claimed that the use of numbered posts, majority vote requirements, and the failure to require ward or district residence for candidates for county commission "further dilutes the voting strength of Black electors and enhances the opportunity for discrimination against Blacks."

The Valedictorian of the Jackson High School Class of 1984 was Holly Brown, and the Salutatorian was Chris Howell. Graduation was held on June 4, 1984.

Since the drought of 1981, the city had taken several steps by the middle of 1984 to insure water for its residents and businesses. It had added a 2 million gallon reservoir next to the water plant, built a line connecting Jackson with Henry County’s water supply, and dredged the Towaliga River.

Jackson’s withdrawal permit from the state allowed it to draw 1.5 milion gallons a day from the Towaliga River, but a large percentage of that was lost due to holes in old lines reducing the amount that actually made it to homes and businesses to about 1.2 million gallons per day.　

In all, the city’s two water plants could provide 1.6 million gallons per day, which was more than enough at the time. The average amount used per day was 1 million gallons.　

A plan to build a line to High Falls Lake stopped when the city could not secure all the easements needed from landowners.

On July 24, 1984, Dorsey Evans resigned as police chief of Jackson, a position he held for 13 months. Evans said he "enjoyed his tour in Jackson and the people have been great." Neither he nor the mayor and Council made any comment as to the motivation or reason behind the resignation. Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. said simply that the city was "going to take our time finding a replacement."

In August 1984, Indian Springs Spinning Corporation’s plant manager Skip Rykard said the facility was not closing, but that the company was "just in a period of curtailment." He said a slow down in the carpet industry was to blame, which was blamed on a slow down in the home building industry.

At its August 20, 1984 meeting, the City Council voted to impose no property taxes for the eighth consecutive year. "We are very proud of the fact that Jackson is one of the few cities in Georgia or in the United States without property taxes," said Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr.　

On the night of August 21, 1984, 34-year-old Memphis Watts drowned in the pond on College Street belonging to T. A. Carmichael, Sr. Watts had been employed by the Carmichaels, and was found to be very drunk when the drowning occurred. No evidence of foul play was found or expected.

In a runoff held on September 4, 1984, Billy Leverette won a third term as Sheriff of Butts County with a 1,979 to 1,693 win over challenger Gene Pope.

Charlie Frank White of Jackson was charged with the September 20, 1984 shooting of two women at the Econ-O-Way Laundry on South Mulberry Street. According to Sheriff Leverette, the women, Essie Mae Johnson and her daughter, Janet Johnson, were shot following an argument with White. Both women were treated in Atlanta and released, though the daughter was 12 weeks pregnant at the time of the shooting and lost the child. White was on parole for a murder committed in the mid-1970s in Butts County.

The qualifying fee to run for Mayor of Jackson in the Fall of 1984 was $180, and $100 to run for a seat on the Council.

At its October 15, 1984 meeting, the Jackson City Council appointed Gerald Davis as the city’s new police chief. Davis, an investigator with the Butts County Sheriff’s Office, had been in law enforcement for eight years.

On October 26, 1984, the Lady Devils of Jackson High School won their second state softball championship in a row. The team beat Turner High and then took two games from Northwest High School. The Lady Devils played well on defense, but it was their bats that got the job done in the end – 21-0 in the final game.　

"The difference in an average and a great athlete is the willingness to burn the body and endure pain," said Head Coach Jenny Vogt. "There was a great deal of pressure on the girls to win again. They handled it well and I’m proud of them."

Team members included Linda Sims, Paula Wise, Christy Rutledge, Jennifer McLendon, Tijuana Usher, Sonya Wise, Brenda Sims, Audrey Dodson and Kim Jones.

Jackson – 14, HENRY COUNTY – 21

JACKSON – 16, Monticello – 13

Jackson – 7, JONES COUNTY – 20

Jackson – 0, MANCHESTER – 41

Jackson – 0, ROBERT E. LEE – 21

Jackson – 7, LAMAR COUNTY – 28

JACKSON – 35, Harris County – 6

Jackson – 11, PIKE COUNTY – 25

Jackson – 3, MARY PERSONS – 35

Jackson – 9, CRAWFORD COUNTY – 13

The American Woodmark plant in Jackson opened on November 14, 1984. Ken Darnell, the plant manager, acted as emcee for the event. The facility was 87,500 square feet, and was making 120 cabinets a day at first. A reception at the Mason Jar Restaurant followed the ribbon cutting ceremony.

According to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs in 1986, Jackson had a population of 4,133, ranking the city 98th out of 556 municipalities in the state. There were 16,200 people in all of Butts County at that time.　

On January 13, 1986, an agreement was file din U.S. District Court in Macon settling the lawsuit filed in 1984 contesting the method of electing city council representatives in Jackson. The plaintiffs were: William T. Brown, Jr., Jesse L. Duffey, and Lewis Sims. The defnedants were the mayor and Council of Jackson. Under the agreement: an election system utilizing five single-member districts　 was adopted, and all candidates for the five district positions must reside in the district from which they are elected. In addition, Dawson Bryant from District 1 agreed to resign if necessary to avoid further legal action and submit to a special election to fill his seat, and a special election was called in District 2 to fill the seat vacated by Bill Fletcher, who had moved out of the district in 1985.

At its January 20, 1986 meeting, the Jackson City Council adopted a budget of $2.7 million.

At the annual STAR Student Banquet on February 13, 1986, David O’Dell was named STAR Student of Jackson High School. O’Dell named science teacher Charles Fells as his STAR Teacher.

The Butts County Et Al Water and Sewer Authority was created by an act of legislation during the General Assembly in 1986.

In the Spring of 1986, the area was feeling the effects of a drought. Gerald Stewart with the Jackson Water Department said the Towaliga River, which provided the city’s water, was about 50 percent lower than normal. The city pumped an average of 1.5 million gallons of water a day out of the Towaliga River to serve about 1,750 customers.　

At its meeting on May 5, 1986, the City Council adopted an ordinance that stated the city cemetery opened at 8 a.m. And closed at sundown. Violators of this ordinance could be fined $100 or 30 days in jail.

On May 6, 1986, the Jackson High School Red Devil baseball team won the Region 3-AA title with two straight wins over the Robert E. Lee Rebels. Students were released from school to watch the game, and the stands at Wallace Field were packed. Kenny Sims was on the mound that day striking out 12 batters and allowing just four hits. The team made it to the state semi-finals on May 20, where it lost the South Georgia championship to Harlem. After graduation, Sims signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds and played for the organization;s rookie team in Sarasota, Florida. Sims batted .405 and hit 14 home runs during his senior year.

The Butts County Board of Education approved a new high school and a general reorganization of grades at its May 1986 meeting. Under the new grade system, schools will be divided into K-5 elementary, 6-8 middle and 9-12 high school. "The Quality Basic Education Act requires that schools follow certain organizational patterns in order to be eligible for new capital outlay funds," said School Superintendent Loy Hutcheson. The new high school was set to be completed by 1989. The total cost of the new school and the renovation of existing facilities was projected to be $4.5 million.

After discussing several recent complaints about the subject, the Jackson City Council adopted two ordinances on May 20, 1986 that prohibited the riding of bicycles or horses on city sidewalks. Violators could be fined $50 or $100 respectively, or serve 30 days in jail.

Commencement exercises for Jackson High School’s Class of 1986 were held on June 2. Felicia Adele Mitchell was named Valedictorian, and Laura Kaye Mangham was named Salutatorian.

On June 10, 1986, fire destroyed the home of Eugene McLeod on Joy Street.

On June 23, 1986, Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr. asked residents of Jackson to use water sparingly, and only water outdoors in the morning. Citizens were also asked to check for and repair any water leaks. A prolonged drought had reduced the available water supply to the city and the county.

Stray dogs were a nuisance in Jackson in 1986, but Mayor C. B. Brown. Jr. said that to build and operate a dog pound in the city would cost $150,000. The city once had a gas chamber for nuisance dogs, the mayor recalled, and strays were not much of a problem then. But state and federal laws enacted since then required that strays dogs be put in a pound.

At its July 7, 1986 meeting, the City Council adopted a resolution requesting that Butts County political party committees conduct all city primaries beginning in the Fall of 1986.

The water crisis in Butts County was upgraded to critical status in late July 1986. "Due to the severe drought the city has declared a water emergency," said Mayor C. B. Brown Jr. All outside watering was banned, including lawns, gardens and car washing. The restrictions applied to all city and county users on the city’s water system.First time violators were to be fined $100. A ban was also enforced on outside burning in Jackson.

Prior to the drought, the city pumped 1.2 million gallons of water per day out of the Yellow Water Creek and Towaliga River. When the water emergency was declared, the city was pumping between 400,000 and 500,000 gallons per day. Henry County had a reservoir on the upper Towaliga River it was not using, and allowed Butts County to tap into it as a source of water.

A month later, Mayor Brown was able to temporarily lift the ban on outdoor watering following recent rains.

In a special election held on July 29, 2986, Theodore Patterson won the District 1 seat on the City Council with 82 votes over 27 votes for incumbent Dawson Bryant. As a newcomer to politics, Patterson described himself as a person who has "always enjoyed helping people in the community, which is essential when running for a political office." Bryant had served on the Council for 17 years.

Lewis Sims was unopposed in the District 2 race. Both men became the first Blacks to serve on the Jackson City Council.The special election was the result of a redistricting plan that established five one-councilmember districts, which was brought about by a lawsuit filed against the city.

One of the first actions Patterson and Sims undertook was getting 300 households in one area of Jackson to sign a petition asking for a federal block grant for a new sewer system in the area.

On August 26, 1986, Piggly Wiggly Southern opened its 87th store at 625 West Third Street in Jackson. The 24,719-squre-foot building housed a deli-bakery and seafood market. McIntosh State Bank also opened a branch office inside the store. A Big B Drugstore also opened in the new shopping center.

"We’re not going to have any city property taxes this year," said Mayor C. B Brown, Jr. in September 1986. "This is the tenth year we were able not to have taxes." The City Council had voted unanimously at its first meeting that month not to levy ad valorem taxes.

In an effort to combat a worsening traffic situation in Jackson in September 1986, State Representative Larry Smith and Councilman Wayne Phillips floated the idea of building a truck by-pass around the city. Three major highways converge in downtown Jackson, and that resulted in almost non-stop tractor trailer truck traffic that often held up other traffic while the long trucks made close turns. Smith made a formal request to the Georgia Department of Transportation for consideration of such a by-pass.

In December, the DOT responded to the request saying it could not recommend or justify a truck by-pass to ease the traffic problem in Jackson. It said the number of vehicles on Highway 23 through the city each day averaged 10,000 to 12,000, and that the truck traffic was not unusually high for a town the size of Jackson.

In an election on September 17, 1986, Lewis Sims retained the District 2 seat he had won earlier in the year with 86 votes to William Henry Freeman’s 61 votes. "I feel good about the election," said Sims. "It was a good, clean race, but tough. I knew it was going to be close." Sims’ victory in a special election in July allowed him to serve out the remaining term vacated by Bill Fletcher, who had moved out of the city. Sims was a funeral director at Jackson Funeral Services.

The Lady Devil softball team of Jackson High School won the region championship in October 1986 with wins over Upson County. Tijuana Usher hit an inside-the-ark home run in the eighth inning of the final game to break a tie and give Jackson the crown. The team went on to place second in the state tournament. It was the third consecutive year the Lady Devils finished runner-up at state.

"You probably won’t find a dry eye among them," said Coach Carol Watts after her team received the second-place trophy. "They were really hoping and wanting to win, especially my three seniors."

At its October 20, 1986 meeting, the City Council discussed the results of a Department of Transportation study that determined Third Street should be widened from two lanes to three lanes in the city. Side parking would no longer be allowed under this plan. The Council felt the recommendation made sense to combat Jackson’s traffic woes, and passed an ordinance banning side parking on Third Street.

Two weeks later, the Council asked the DOT to postpone the additional lane on Third Street until after January 1, 1987. The delay came about after several local businessmen attended the next Council meeting and protested the loss of 10 parking spaces that would be the result of the new lane. Mayor Brown encourage the businessmen to urge their counterparts and employees to park in the city parking lot on North Oak Street in order to free up more parking spaces on the square during business hours.

JACKSON - 27, Stockbridge - 7

Jackson - 0, MONTICELLO - 3

Jackson - 7, JONES COUNTY - 21

JACKSON - 6, Harris County - 0

JACKSON - 42, Pike County - 6

JACKSON - 27, Lamar County - 0

Jackson - 0, MARY PERSONS - 14

Jackson - 14, UPSON COUNTY - 26

Jackson - 7, ROBERT E. LEE - 35

Jackson - 7, MANCHESTER - 50

At its meeting on November 17, 1986, the City Council lifted its ban on outdoor watering in Jackson. "We’ve got water now," said Mayor C. B. Brown. Jr. Following several weeks of rainy weather. "That’s the only reason it was lifted."

On the first of December 1986, the city announced that electric rates would increase 8.5 percent effective January 1987. In October, the city received word from the Municipal Electric Association of Georgia that the rate it charged the city for power would be increasing. It was third such increase in a year, though previous increases had been absorbed by the city and not passed on to consumers.

Throughout 1986, the City of Jackson received $256,628 in sales tax revenue from the Georgia Department of Revenue. The city’s total income for the year amounted to $2,917,758.