Monroe County Commissioners presented their annual Service Awards on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Each commissioner chose one Monroe County citizen to be honored for his/her contributions to the county in 2022.
Monroe County District 1 Commissioner Lamarcus Davis presented on Tuesday, Jan. 3 a Citizen Service Award to T.G. Scott Elementary teacher Yvonne Stroud.
Stroud, who expressed surprise at receiving the honor, was given a plaque for her work in the local community.
Stroud has been an elementary school educator for more than 22 years, teaching every grade from 1st through 6th. Stroud was named the T.G. Scott Teacher of the Year in 2020. In addition, Stroud has taught science camp at the Monroe County Recreation Department for nearly a decade.
Davis said to Stroud: “I’d like to thank you for the work you do in the summer with the kids and also the work you do at school with the kids.”
Stroud is married to husband Julius, a City of Forsyth Councilman. They have three adult sons, Julius IV, Jhan, and Jordan.
Monroe County District 2 Commissioner Eddie Rowland presented on Tuesday, Jan. 3 a Citizen Service Award to local cattle farmer Phil Ham.
Ham, who was accompanied by wife Dana and son Cody, was given a plaque for his work in the local community.
Among his many achievements, Ham owns and operates Sleepy Creek Farms. He is also a current member of the Central Georgia EMC Board of Directors, the Development Authority of Monroe County, and has been active for years as a local boy scout leader and as a member of Forsyth United Methodist Church. He also formerly served as a City of Forsyth Councilman. While a member of the EMC Board, Ham has helped to keep power costs among the lowest in the state and has been instrumental in obtaining state and local funding for the expansion of rural broadband. Ham also recently helped the Board of Commissioners identify the location and acquire property from Oglethorpe Power for the upcoming new Smarr fire station.
Monroe County District 3 Commissioner John Ambrose presented on Tuesday, Jan. 3 a Citizen Service Award to longtime law enforcement officer Greggory Phillips.
Phillips, who was accompanied by wife Michelle and eight-year-old daughter Catie, was given a plaque for his work in the local community.
Phillips began as a local volunteer firefighter in 1996 before transitioning into paid work as a firefighter/EMT and then moving into law enforcement with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and now as a special agent with the State of Georgia attached to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In addition to his law enforcement work, Phillips is the Co-President of the Bolingbroke Community Club, recently assisting in the planning for the Bolingbroke Christmas Parade as well as organizing regular trash pick-up days. He is also an administrator of the Pea Ridge Posse Neighborhood Watch Facebook group that keeps South Monroe County residents informed about the happenings in their community.
Commissioner Ambrose said of Phillips and the Pea Ridge Posse Facebook page: “You don’t know how many people that has helped in safety, losing their animals, warning people what’s going on the in the county. . . It’s helped everybody out there. And we do appreciate what you do. And he’s a helluva family man too. We appreciate that.”
Monroe County District 4 Commissioner George Emami presented on Tuesday, Jan. 3 a Citizen Service Award to High Falls community leader Bronwen Morgan.
Morgan, who was accompanied by her son Brick and husband Nick Sagnibene, was given a plaque for her work in the local community.
Morgan provided necessary input and helped to refine the county’s upcoming zoning ordinance by steadfastly supporting making recreational vehicles a residential option. Morgan also helped organize the first annual Fall Back Folk Festival in High Falls in November 2022 and is working to set up a community garden in High Falls.
Commissioner Emami said he and Morgan often see the world from different worldviews but said he values her opinion and ability to see issues from a different perspective than his. Commissioner Emami said he respects Morgan’s willingness to put herself at the forefront of an issue even if she doesn’t benefit personally from it.
Emami said to Morgan: “I thank you for your resiliency. I thank you for your determination. I thank you for your grit and your toughness, and the fact that you have set an example of how to deal with political figures in my opinion in a way that is positive and actually brings about positive change.”
Monroe County Commission Chairman Greg Tapley presented on Tuesday, Jan. 3 a Citizen Service Award to Forsyth Walmart store manager Dennis Kent.
Kent, who was accompanied by his daughter McKinzley, was given a plaque for his work in the local community.
Kent, a Laurens County native, has worked for Walmart since 2005, moving up the chain to Forsyth location store manager in November 2016. Kent has become well-known in the community for consistently rendering aid to those in need. Among the many ways Kent and his store have served the local community are by passing out food boxes at the Monroe County Fine Arts Center, donating water to Mary Persons sports teams, donating air mattresses and food during recent cold weather, feeding hurricane evacuees frozen pizza from his store, donating school supplies and hundreds of backpacks to local schools, and making contributions to local service organizations such as the Monroe County C.A.R.E. Cottage and the Monroe County Pregnancy Center.
Chairman Tapley said to Kent: “Dennis, every day you accomplish the task of working to bring people together and making life better for all involved. And this is why you are my 2022 Chairman’s Community Service Award Recipient. Thank you for all you do to bring this community together and serve the people of Monroe County.”
