The Troup County Commission on Tuesday narrowly approved a day-care business at a residence in Young Acres subdivision off West Point Road.

In a 3-2 vote, Sandy Wright received a special-use permit to keep up to six children at 420 Ginger Circle. She currently cares for twins and two special-needs children, and wants to add two children.

Commissioners Richard English and Ken Smith voted in favor of the permit, and Buck Davis and Morris Jones were opposed. Chairman Ricky Wolfe broke the tie in favor of the day-care center.

“I don’t understand why anybody would be opposed to this if they’ve got the love of God in their heart,” said Wright’s mother-in-law, Bevalene Torbush of Blairsville, who owns the house, but plans to give it to her son.

Angela Hendrix, an emergency room nurse at West Georgia Medical Center, said her special-needs child has always been “clean and happy” in Wright’s care for more than two years.

“If you didn’t know there was a day-care center there, you wouldn’t know it,” Hendrix said.

But Frankie Hadden of 418 Ginger Circle and eight others from the neighborhood appeared at Tuesday’s meeting to express their opposition, saying the day-care business harms “the character and tranquility of the neighborhood.”

“The streets are very narrow and curvy, and it could be dangerous if the parent is in a hurry to drop kids off or pick them up in the afternoon,” Hadden said.

Wright apparently does a good job, “but it’s not the right place for this business,” she said.

Luke Adams of the Gray Hill community said Wright and her husband, both of whom lost their jobs, are “trying to survive in a culture that’s not very kind.”

“It seems like (the neighbors) ought to bake cookies and go love and hold these kids sometimes,” he said. “These people ought to take another look at what they’re doing and saying. … To me, it’s pretty pitiful.”

Danny Curtis of 615 Ginger Circle expressed resentment about someone from Gray Hill telling residents of Young Acres what they ought to think. He said he has nothing against children, but allowing a business in a residential neighborhood “opens up a can of worms for anyone in our community to have a business license.”

He noted that the Wrights have had Alabama license plates on their vehicles for years when they’re supposed to have them changed within 30 days of moving to Georgia.

“There’s an issue here of honesty and breaking the law,” he said.

Wright said she hadn’t realized she needed a business license for her day-care center and didn’t know she needed authorization to put a sign on West Point Road advertising the business.

In another matter Tuesday, the commission voted to spend $105,338 for 62 sets of protective clothing for the county Fire Department.

Joel Martin can be reached at jmartin@ lagrangenews. com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 235.