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Page 2A The Braselton News Wednesday, October 24, 2007 Area N e ws Jackson County Water and Sewerage Authority Local providers taking steps to save water Higher water rates, the banning of non-essential water use and additional connections between area water sys tems are all steps local water providers are taking to help manage the current water shortage. Next week, those receiving water through the Jackson County Water and Sewerage Authority will begin paying a rate of $5.75 per thousand gallons up to 6,000 gallons per month and $8.75 per thousand gallons for usage over that amount. Some area towns, including Jefferson, have also insti tuted higher water rates to encourage more conservation. Last week, the JCWSA removed all exemptions to the outdoor watering ban, in effect banned all personal and commercial use of water outdoors. Hearings are sched uled Thursday to hear appeals from business affected by the rule. In addition, county officials hope to establish an emer gency connection with the City of Gainesville to draw from should the reservoirs serving Jackson County become unusable. Currently, the JCWSA is feeding water to Jefferson and Hoschton in addition to its own customers. The authority is still getting water from the Bear Creek Reservoir and is also buying water from Commerce. Commerce is supplying its customers and is supple menting the county system, Jefferson, Maysville and Banks County water systems. The JCWSA has also established a connection with the City of Braselton for emergency use should pressure in the county system drop too low. Braselton gets water from both Gwinnett and Barrow counties. The City of Hoschton has also reopened some old wells to supplement the water it purchases from the county system. Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber concerned about state tax plan It wasn’t on the agenda, but a proposed constitutional amendment to eliminate property taxes is raising eyebrows among members of the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce. Scott Martin, chairman of the Jackson County industrial Development Authority, brought up House Resolution 900 at last Friday’s chamber board meeting. Martin warned that approval of SR 900 by the General Assembly and, subsequently by the voters, would result in the loss “of all local control over your tax dollars.” The resolution would eliminate virtually all taxes collected by school boards and city and county govern ments, replacing them with a 5.75 percent sales tax and a 5.75 percent income tax. The sales tax would apply not just to products, but to services as well. “Lots of our representatives are signing on to this,” warned Jefferson Mayor Jim Joyner. Shannon Adams, superintendent of schools, joined the chorus, saying that from an educational standpoint, the intent of the change is to bring all school systems into parity - in terms of dollars spent per student. Since Jackson County spends $12,000 per child and the state average is $7,800, local education dollars stand to be cut, he suggested. Braselton Mayor Pat Graham, who said the so-called “fair tax” is “not the way to go,” and said the proposal continues to change day by day. She also said that a study revealed that the tax change would result in $3.7 billion fewer dollars being gen erated than are currently raised with property taxes. To cover that, she said, the bill’s author, Rep. Glenn Richardson, proposes taxing busi ness transactions — such as the purchase of raw materials. “State representatives are having a hard time not supporting this,” said Graham, because property own ers like the idea of eliminating that annual bill. The tradeoff, she said, is that Georgia citizens would begin pay ing a state sales tax of 5.75 percent on groceries, which are now exempt, on prescription drugs, doctor’s visits and countless other services that currently are not taxed. They would avoid the annual property tax bill, but would find the cost of every other purchase increased. “The people who can least afford this tax will be paying the brunt of it,” Graham stated. “If he (Richardson) gets 120 votes in the House, it goes to the Senate. I’ve had senators tell me if it goes to the Senate, it won’t be stopped.” “It’s being passed off as a tax relief bill,” Martin noted. “It’s not a tax relief bill. It’s a tax transfer bill.” In other business, the chamber: •heard Chairman Jim Yarborough appoint a nominating committee comprising Steve Schingler, Jeff Blair, Roy Stowe, Keith Johnson and Angela McKinney to come up with a slate of 10 nominees for the upcoming board election •got a report from Howard Ledford on the Certified Work Ready pro gram, both at the county level and at a regional level. The county has received a grant to promote profiling for certain jobs, including testing to certify employees or prospec tive employees as “work ready.” Jackson and several other counties have applied for a $500,000 grant to target companies requiring “life sciences” skills. Commerce Banks Crossing Pottery to close its doors Nov. 12 It’s official. The business that put Banks Crossing on the map 24 years ago is closing. “Nov. 12 will be the final day,” said Gilbert Martin, general manager of The Pottery. There will be an auc tion of any remaining inventory and assets on Dec. 12, at 10:30 a.m., on the site. It was back in 1983 when Gillsville’s Joe Craven opened the first phase of what would eventually grow to 378,000 square feet, raising eyebrows among doubt ers who couldn’t imagine his plan working. “If I remember correctly, there was nothing else here but a McDonald’s, the Holiday Inn and a truck stop,” said Martin of what is now the area’s retail center. “The Pottery definitely was the start of Banks Crossing.” The closing of The Pottery is by no means the end of the story. A developer, who has yet to be named, and Craven plan to redevelop the approximately 140 acres that comprise The Pottery and a campground. And, said Martin, Craven plans to open another store as part of the development. “I think his goal is to buy back some of it as kind of an investment,” Martin said. “He plans to open a new store, either in the fall of 2008 or spring of 2009. It’ll be a new concept — he’s still working on that - but it’ll sell pottery, home decor and lawn and garden items.” The details, said Martin, continue to evolve. Meanwhile, the remaining 70 employees of a busi ness that at one time had 170, will be out of work. Martin said he plans to ask the Department of Labor to meet with employees in regard to career training. Martin said he had “no idea” of what is planned for the pottery, but Commerce officials said a developer has made inquiries about utility services for hotel, res taurant and retail development on the site. The Gillsville Manufacturing Company, part of The Pottery family, will remain open. It manufactures and sells, mostly wholesale, concrete, plaster, fiberglass and red clay pottery. 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Greater Results. www.beverly williams 1 .com Jackson County Tax Rates 200 City Tax 7 Millagi JJountyTax* 3 Rates LSchool Tax LSchool Bond State Total Incorporated Towns Maysville** 3.1 & 10.57 13.9 3.10 .25 36.01 Pendergrass 3.00 10.32 13.9 3.10 .25 35.57 Jefferson S.4& 9.59 13.24 3.3 .25 32.37 Braselton 11.20 13.9 3.10 .25 33.53 Hoschton 11.20 13.9 3.10 .25 33.53 Arcade 10.75 13.9 3.10 .25 33.00 Talmo 10.32 13.9 3.10 .25 32.57 Nicholson 10.30 13.9 3.10 .25 32.55 Commerce 1.06 9.59 17.75 0 .25 20.65 Unincorporated Areas Arcade Area 10.75 13.9 3.10 .25 32.14 East Jackson Area 10.33 13.9 3.10 .25 32.58 Jackson Trail Area 9.60 13.9 3.10 .25 31.93 Maysville Area 9.71 13.9 3.10 .25 31.96 South Jackson Area 10.23 13.9 3.10 .25 32.49 West Jackson Area 10.42 13.9 3.10 .25 32.67 Nicholson Area 9.44 13.9 3.10 .25 31.ee Harrisburg Area 10.2 13.9 3.10 .25 32.45 Plainview Area 10.39 13.9 3.10 .25 32.64 North Jackson Area 9.46 13.9 3.10 .25 31.71 *County tax tidadee fife district taxes. "Meysviiie has not yet approved its city tax rate; tfie rata shown is last year's rata. Maysville again tops tax list in Jackson Co. If you live in the City of Maysville, the tax bill you receive in the mail this week may seem a little heavy. Maysville again has the dubious distinction of having the highest combined property tax rate of any location in Jackson County. With a combined millage rate of 36.01 mills, Maysville was the only tax area over 36 mills this year. Still, Maysville’s rate was lower than last year’s combined rate. Overall, tax rates across the county were down about one-half a mill. Jackson County has one of the most complex tax structures in the state with a plethora of tax districts, including a number of independent county fire districts that set their own rates. In addi tion, there are three school sys tems which set their own rates and four towns which have city tax rates. Meanwhile, officials said Jefferson property owners would see all their city and county taxes on one bill this year rather than two bills. The county is now doing the billing for Jefferson. Jackson Co. manager candidates narrowed to three The Jackson County Board of Commissioners has narrowed its search for a new county manager to the top three candidates. The BOC met Monday to interview the three before it makes a final deci sion. The top three candidates for the position are: Stan Brown, currently the city manager at Oakwood; Richard Hampton, county administrator for Stephens County; and Robert Zellner, county manager of Upson County. iior m flwgy TtigiFr m Christian Outreach Thrift St ore k)£W AND usev Fuewiru(2.£, viArreesses, dord;w<s, Houseuocp aoovB, Ere... CNoah's Ark 335-6084 2183 N. Elm St Commerce, GA Your patronage helps provide for those in need. Come see DON HIX New And Used Car Sales Rep. at the Presidential Award Winning Jefferson Motor Co., Inc. Jefferson Motor Co*, Inc* “Since 1922 ” FORD 141 Lee Street Jefferson, GA 30549 Jefferson: 367-5217 Braselton: 706-654-1128 Atlanta: 404-523-5738 E-mail: JeffersonMotorCo.com \s