During a last Tuesday (September 2nd) evening Jasper City Council meeting, the council celebrated an award given to Jack Dunn, owner of Jasper Drug Store located on Main Street in Jasper. The National Community Pharmacy Association has awarded Dunn with their “Pharmacist of the Year” title. Dunn will receive the award during the organization’s 116thn annual convention in Austin, Texas.

The award describes the recipient as one “whose leadership and commitment to independent pharmacy are exemplary. “

Jasper Drug Store opened in 1952.

‘Master Storyteller’, Mayor John Weaver told attendees at the meeting about how Dunn was known to field late night calls from customers asking for advice for their ailments.

A second generation resident of Jasper born within in the city limits, Dunn graduated from the Southern School of Pharmacy (which is now named Mercer University) in 1979.

Dunn was also past president of the Georgia Pharmacy Association. He told attendees:

“I am overwhelmed, I just can’t believe it.”

In other city business:

The Mayor gave Butch Roberts of the Jasper Youth Sports Association a $6,000.00 check donation which represents the proceeds of a July golf tournament conducted by the mayor benefiting the organization.

The council approved a motion to continue to offer homestead exemptions as offered in previous years. These include a $3,000.00 homestead exemption and a $4,000.00 exemption to residents aged over 65 years.

The city accepted a check from Pickens County in the amount of $71,224.00 (which represents 20 percent of the county’s portion) for SPLOST monies acquired within the month of July.

The mayor informed the council that two police cars (already budgeted for this year) were likely going to be purchased within the month of September.

The Animal Control Department received 16 calls within the month of July. The Police Department received eight-hundred and eighty- eight ‘911’ calls.