Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The Braselton News
Page 3A
Barrow Countv Board of Commissioners
Winder mayor honored by commissioners
BY KRISTI REED
Barrow County Board of
Commissioners Chairman Doug
Garrison proclaimed December
11, 2007, as “Mayor Buddy Ouzts
Day”. The commissioners com
mended Ouzts at Tuesday night’s
board meeting for his 17 years of
service as Mayor of Winder.
Ouzts was recognized for his
contributions to several community
programs and facilities, including
the Winder-Barrow Adult Literacy
Program, the Boys & Girls Club of
Winder-Barrow, Peace Place, and
Highland House.
Garrison said Ouzts has been a
source of guidance and leadership
over the years.
“You’re one of the first ones
I sought out for advice and you
have always steered me in the right
direction,”” Garrison told Ouzts.
Mayor Ouzts said he was hon
ored by the recognition.
“I more than appreciate the com
mission having me here tonight and
recognizing me in this fashion,”
Ouzts said. “I’m very humbled.”
In other board business, com
missioners amended a proposed
host fee agreement contract with
Oak Grove Landfill. The amend
ment makes the new arrangement
applicable only to the company’s
currently proposed expansion.
Oak Grove Landfill has proposed
expanding its landfill in the area of
the old Speedway landfill.
Commissioner Bill Healan
requested the amendment after
expressing concern that the con
tract, as written, would prevent the
county from renegotiating fees in
the event of future expansions to
the landfill. As part of the compa
ny’s contract with the county, Oak
Grove pays a host fee in addition to
a state mandated surcharge. Over
the course of the new contract,
the host fee would increase from
50 cents per ton to $1.50 per ton.
These fees would be paid in addi
tion to the state mandated $1.00
per ton surcharge.
As a result of the agreement,
Barrow County will see an increase
in revenue from $90,000 a month to
approximately $120,000 a month.
Commissioners approved the
amended contract by a vote of 5-1.
Commissioner Bill Brown was the
sole dissenting vote. Brown said
he is concerned about the proposed
landfill expansion.
“The people in that area were
misled to start off with,”” Brown
said. “"’Their future is not too
bright. They have nothing to look
forward to. There are other rural
counties that could better serve
our needs and I think [the landfill]
needs to go somewhere else.”
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the meeting,
Barrow County commissioners:
•approved a resolution authoriz
ing the transmittal of the Barrow
County Comprehensive Plan to
the Northeast Georgia Regional
Development Committee and the
Georgia Department of Community
Affairs. The plan, updated every
five to 10 years, outlines issues fac
ing Barrow County and solutions
for improving the community.
After a review period, the plan will
be brought before the commission
for final adoption.
•passed a resolution opposing
House Bill 900. HB 900 as origi
nally proposed would eliminate
local property taxes along with
certain sales and use taxes. These
taxes would be replaced with a state
sales tax, the revenue from which
would be distributed as determined
by the state legislature. The reso
lution opposing HB 900 states the
belief of county and other local
government officials that the legis
lation is not in the best interests of
the citizens of Barrow County.
•approved a contract for services
with Peace Place, a women and
children’s shelter. Peace Place
provides assistance to the county
in helping victims of domestic vio
lence.
•recognized the Barrow County
Human Resource Department for
its accomplishments in maintain
ing excellent employee relations
and providing other services on
behalf of the county.
•approved 4-2 a request to allow
Carter Watkins and Associates to
design and engineer a new heat
ing and air system for the Barrow
Regional Library. District 3
Commissioner Healan and District
6 Commissioner Hendrix voted
against the proposal after express
ing concerns about the costs.
•approved the Piedmont Judicial
Circuit Alternative Resolution
Dispute Program Contract.
•reclassified the position of the
grade 11 legal secretary within
the District Attorney’s Office to a
grade 16 investigator. The change
was requested to better reflect the
responsibilities of the position.
•voted 4-2 to approve a new
health service agreement amend
ment with CorrectHealth LLC, the
company which provides medical
services to inmates at the detention
Northeast Georgia Bank to host Santa
Northeast Georgia Bank, Braselton, will be host Santa Claus in the
lobby of the bank on Thursday, Dec. 20, from 3-5 p.m.
Children and families are invited to stop by to visit. Parents are
encouraged to bring their cameras.
The bank is located at 5045 Hwy 53 in Braselton.
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WINDER MAYOR HONORED
Barrow County Board of Commissioners Chairman Doug Garrison
presents Winder Mayor Buddy Ouzts with a certificate proclaiming
December 11,2007 as “Mayor Buddy Ouzts Day.”
center. Captain Mike Katsegianes
of the Barrow County Sheriff’s
Department said the amendment
would result in more cost effective
health care. Healan and Hendrix
voted against the amendment cit
ing cost concerns. The contract
amount of $467,174 had been pre
viously approved as part of the
fiscal year 2008 budget.
•authorized the submittal of a
grant application which would pro
vide funding to bring four Barrow
County polling locations in com
pliance with the American with
Disabilities Act.
•approved a request by the finance
department to spend $21,840 to
upgrade its current payroll system
from Kronos 5.0 to version 6.0.
The upgrade is necessary in order
to process this year’s W-2 forms
and receive legislative updates.
•tabled the adoption of new food
service rules and regulations in
order to allow for a public hearing
on the ordinance.
•approved the implementation of
a new environmental health fee
schedule to bring Barrow’s fees
into alignment with surrounding
counties. The fees would result
in an additional $50,000 a year in
revenues.
•approved a request by applicant
Allison Moravec to allow a home
barber shop at 674 Rivermill Road.
The business will not be open to
the public.
•approved a request to rezone
the property located at Hwy 8 and
Midland Avenue from Ml to C2.
The property will be developed as
a convenience store with connected
office and retail space.
•approved a request by applicant
Mary Ann Prater to rezone three
acres located at 1031 Clacktown
Road from AG to AR.
•approved the appointment of
Frankie Cabe to the Keep Barrow
Beautiful Board.
•changed the rules of procedure
to require that items and informa
tion being placed on the board’s
agenda be submitted at least five
days prior to the meeting.
Drought
‘Unique’ water method used for new landscaping
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
The total outdoor watering ban in
Jackson County has prompted one
couple to resort to a unique water
conservation method.
Larry and Jean Beck were recent
ly putting the finishing touches on
their new home in Traditions of
Braselton when the outdoor water
ing ban nearly stopped the residen
tial project.
Jackson County currently doesn’t
allow new landscapes to be watered
— but the Becks didn’t want to
leave their 10,000 square-foot home
without a yard.
“It was almost done, but it was
sitting there with no landscaping
and just dirt,” said Jean Beck, who
designed the house. “It was just
sad.”
Instead, the couple opted to find
a unique way to water their new
landscape without violating water
ing restrictions.
The Becks are using their unfin
ished pool to store water trucked in
from another county that doesn’t
have an outdoor watering ban. The
water is then pumped from the pool
to the landscaping.
And just so neighbors don’t won
der how the new landscaping is
NEW HOUSE
Larry and Jean Becks’ new house in Traditions of Braselton is
using water that is trucked in from another county for the land
scaping. The couple has placed a sign in their yard about the
method.
surviving the drought conditions,
the Becks have placed a sign in the
yard that states, “Watering Done
From Pool with Trucked in Water.”
The idea to use their pool as a
holding pond for landscaping water
first came to Jean Beck as a dream.
She admits the method is one that
came out of “desperation” after
other ideas failed.
The couple asked officials in
Jackson County and the subdivi
sion about drilling a well for water
on their property on Traditions
Way. That idea was rejected by
both authorities.
Later, Jean Beck asked her land
scaper about using pool water for
the new sod. That idea worked, but
the pool remains unfinished while it
holds water trucked in from another
county.
Larry and Jean Beck, who are
both local real estate agents, hope
to finish their Traditions home in
two weeks.
Hoschton
Commercial land rezoned back to residential
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
A request to change the zoning of property from
commercial to residential was approved by the
Hoschton City Council last week.
The council approved a request from Hilliard Lott
to rezone property located on Pendergrass Road (Ga.
Hwy. 332) and Oak Street from C-l to R-l.
A portion of the vacant land was subdivided and
sold to a real estate office several years ago. When the
RDC updated the city’s zoning map, it was unaware
of the property being split and sold, and showed the
entire property as being commercially-zoned.
“This was done without the applicant’s plan or
desire,” city planner Wistar Harmon said.
Lott was asking for the rezoning of his 2.73-acre
property due to his taxes being increased with the
commercial-zoning designation.
Council member Theresa Kenerly voted in opposi
tion to the request.
OTHER REQUESTS
In other zoning and planning business, the city
council:
•approved a request from Cornel Oroian to build a
new office building at 4165 Hwy. 53 in Hoschton’s
Downtown Overlay District. The property includes
a historical house, which Oroian offered to donate
to anyone who would move the structure off the site.
The council agreed to reduce a buffer requirement to
preserve trees along Hwy. 53 and allow a sidewalk
along the state highway.
•tabled a request by Shannon Sell to rezone lot 7
on Oak Street from Office-Residential (O-R) to C-2.
Sell asked the city council to table the request until
January, since he was out of town this week.
Hoschton council meets on committee assignments
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
The Hoschton City Council is
expected to stick with the may
or’s recommendations for the city’s
commissions.
The council met briefly Monday
night to discuss which members will
be assigned to one of six council
committees.
Last week, council member Jim
Jester said the city’s ordinance states
the mayor must make the recom
mendations for the council commit
tees at the beginning of each year.
However, new council members
Tom Walden and Theresa Kenerly
said last week they didn’t want city
business slowed because the council
committees are not filled.
Mayor Bill Copenhaver had rec
ommended the following chairper
sons for the council committees: Jim
Jester, public works and properties;
John Schulte, business, commerce
and economic development; Tom
Walden, fiscal resources; Theresa
Kenerly, planning and zoning;
Richard Shepherd, public safety;
and Richard Green, water, waste
and environmental services.
Hoschton council members also
serve as members to more than one
other commission.
BRASELTON — continued from page 1A
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business on Monday,
the Braselton Town Council:
•met in a closed-door meeting
for 13 minutes to discuss “pending
or potential litigation.” The coun
cil took no action when the meet
ing was opened to the public.
•approved an alcoholic beverage
license for Houndstooth Grill, for
merly the Braselton Grill on Grand
Hickory Drive.
•approved an alcoholic beverage
license for Tea Garden, located on
Ga. Hwy. 53. The restaurant plans
to serve malt beverages, wine and
offer Sunday sales of alcohol.
•approved the transmittal of a
resolution to the Northeast Georgia
Regional Development Center
for the town’s updated capital
improvement element for 2008.
•approved an amended easement
request with Georgia Transmission
to provide a greater distance
between a new power line and
the town’s reuse water lines in
Braselton’s 71 acre park, locat
ed on Ga. Hwy. 124 in Barrow
County. The difference between
the initial easement and the latest
easement is .590 acres.
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