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While there won’t be many local decisions on Tuesday’s ballot, there will be plenty of statewide offices in the hands of voters for the general election.

In Jackson County, voters will decide if they want another round of Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), which could potentially collect $47.5 million over six years. If approved by voters, the penny sales tax would give Jackson County an estimated $33.7 million, with its nine cities splitting a total of $13.7 million.

Also on the ballot will be unopposed fire district seats for Jackson Trail, South Jackson, Plainview, West Jackson and Nicholson.
A called election for contested races in the Arcade and Harrisburg fire districts, whose ballots inadvertently listed the wrong candidates, will be Nov. 30, a judge decided on Tuesday. [Full Story »] 

An investigation into the cause of a Jackson County Sheriff’s Office propane-fueled car explosion was caused by “manual tampering” of a safety device on the vehicle and an improper manipulation of a fitting during maintenance, officials said Thursday. The department will continue to use the propane vehicles, they said.

Deputy Gary Cox was injured Oct. 25 when he lit a cigarette while driving down the road. Propane had leaked from the car’s unique fuel system and the vehicle burst into flames. Cox jumped from the vehicle while it was still in motion and suffered some burns from the incident.

An investigation after the incident said the problem was an isolated incident.

“This is definitely an isolated incident,” said John Franklin, senior engineer for equipment provider American Alternative Fuel (AAF). “The disengagement of the system’s safety features is something that all safety training moving forward will address emphatically. The good news is that the operator of the vehicle sustained only minor injuries, that the problem doesn't lie with the equipment or installation and that this problem is easily avoidable moving forward.”

AAF and Force 911 are working closely with the Jackson County Sheriff’s department to ensure all safety procedures are understood by deputies and mechanics alike to avoid accidents in the future.

"We appreciate the many benefits that these propane vehicles bring to our department and community," says Jackson County Sheriff Stan Evans. "We will continue to expand our fleet of clean propane vehicles, and will be putting in place more aggressive operator training and detailed safety precautions. We're so thankful that this incident caused no serious injuries. Propane is a safe, clean fuel - but it's got be respected, just like gasoline."

Officials said the accident was avoidable.

"Propane is a vehicle fuel that is just as safe to use as gasoline if the proper safety training is provided and followed," says AAF President Matt Sgambettera. "This is an example of a completely avoidable accident, and we are sincerely thankful that the vehicle operator had only minor injuries."

A Jackson County sheriff's deputy was injured Monday after his propane-fueled vehicle exploded while he was responding to a call.

Around 6:30 a.m. JCSO Deputy Gary Cox was responding to a call at Hwy. 82 North of Jefferson. As he lit a cigarette, the vehicle burst into flames. He jumped from the vehicle while it was traveling around 50 miles per hour, officials said.

The deputy had some first-degree burns on his face and was treated and released at Athens Regional Medical Center.

All other propane-fueled deputy cars have been grounded pending the results of an investigation.

Officials from New York firm that markets propane-fueled vehicles will inspect the car in the coming days, JCSD leaders said.