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Page 2A The Braselton News Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Area N e ws Jackson County Board of Commissioners Verbal smoke and fire traded at meeting BY ANGELA GARY A discussion on the county’s planned fire training center got hot Monday night when Jackson County Board of Commissioners chairman Pat Bell and commis sioner Jody Thompson argued over whether the matter should be dis cussed further. Thompson has questioned the cost of the facility and whether voters should be allowed to made a deci sion on funding the project. Bell has contended that voters approved the project in an earlier special purpose local option sales tax vote. “Once the decision is made, it is made,” Bell said. Thompson quickly responded: “I don’t believe the motion is dead because you say it is dead.” Bell said, “It is dead.” Thompson was upset with her for interrupting his comments. “I still have the floor,” he said. Bell told him: “Not if I don’t say so.” Thompson told her to “check the parliamentary procedure.” Thompson asked for the matter to be on the agenda at the BOC meet ing Monday night. He pointed out that $1 million for a bum building was approved in 1997, but that the project is now estimated to cost $6 million. Commissioner Tom Crow said plans for a $4.8 million building were approved by the BOC in 2004. He added that costs of materials for the building have increased since that time. $45.9 million in road bonds approved by BOC BY ANGELA GARY Jackson County leaders approved $45.9 million in road bonds Monday night in an effort to boost the county’s long-term economic outlook. The Jackson County Board of Commissioners unani mously approved the bonds for nine economic devel opment road projects. County leaders point out that the cost of the projects could be less than $45.9 million, depending on donated right of way, developer partici pation and DOT funds. Scott Martin, chairman of the county industrial development authority, and Dr. Shannon Adams, coun ty school superintendent, were at the meeting to offer support for the projects. The IDA recently held a day-long retreat with the BOC to discuss possible projects to be funded. “We have worked on this for quite some time,” Martin said. “Our goal has been to be on a fact-finding mission.” Martin pointed out that the 2004 road bond package for development had been bringing money back into the county. “These projects are bringing back more money than it costs to build them,” he said. “These projects are paying for themselves and they are good for Jackson County.” BOC chairman Pat Bell said she supports the proj ects, but added that the county should be “very, very careful” as it moves forward. “I am concerned about long-term debt as it is money we may need for water,” she said. TIER 1 PROJECTS The projects have been divided into two “tiers.” The “tier 1” projects are: •Transportation/rail corridor study and water and sewer planning, $500,000. •John B. Brooks Road, $3.8 million. •1-85 interchange study, $250,000. •State Route 53 engineering, $300,000. •Hospital Road Connection to 441, $600,000. TIER 2 PROJECTS “Tier 2” projects are: •Commerce Retail Blvd., $10 million. •Zion Church Road construction, $22.9 million. •Bana Road, $5.4 million. •Oversight (of tier 1 and tier 1), $1.4 million. The total price of tier 1 and tier 2 does not total $45.9, the amount of the bonds. County leaders point out that the additional money will be for the underwriter fees, bond counsel fees and interest for two years. Special election still ‘on track’ for Feb. 5 BY ANGELA GARY Everything is “on track” for a special election on Feb. 5 in Jackson County despite efforts by some countians to get a vote for liquor by the drink on Sundays taken off the ballot. A large crowd attended a recent meeting of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners to ask that the referendum be called off. No action was taken at that meeting. At a meeting this week, county offi cials reported that everything is “on track” for holding the election. County attorney Julius Hulsey gave a brief update at the meeting on the Feb. 5 special election on liquor by the drink on Sundays and $50 million in bonds for recreation projects. He said both issues have already been forwarded to the jus tice department for approval and the absentee ballots have been printed. OTHER BUSINESS In other business at the BOC meeting: •Ray Bauerband was reappointed to the county airport authority. •Tim Comelison was reappointed to the county planning commis sion. •Shirley Turner was reappointed to the county board of adjustment. •Robert Schwalbe was reappoint ed to the dangerous dog commit tee. •Helen Gunnels, Roger Brock and Jimmy Peck were reappointed to the parks and recreation com mittee. •agreed to a contract with Alien- Smith Consulting for the servic es of grant-writing to apply for a Community Development Block Grant. •agreed to approve the annual federal contract for the transporta tion program. •approved a contract with American Pest Control for county buildings. •established a special revenue fund for federal shared forfeited assets. •agreed to a lease purchase agree ment with ACCG-Wachovia to finance new sheriff’s vehicles. •agreed to a $358,215 contract with the Georgia Department of Transportation for the resurfacing of Ridgeway Church Road and Sanford Road. The DOT contri bution will be $214,929 and the county’s portion will be $143,286. •approved the Raco Parkway Road Agreement. •adopted a partial update to the comprehensive plan. •approved a right-of-way mow ing and maintenance agreement between the DOT and the county for State Route 403 and 1-85. •approved a lease agreement with Mountain Stream Saddle Club for 25 acres on Wheeler Cemetery Road, adjacent to Hurricane Shoals Park, for a riding arena and buffer. •agreed to create a citizen’s advi sory committee to investigate methods and means to restore the historic courthouse. •agreed to create a special tax district for street lights on Kendall Creek Subdivision, Berry’s Fanding Subdivision and Rivers Edge Estates. Christmas Greetings What better time to thank all our friends and customers for their valued business during the past year? Happy holidays! Commerce Vision Center tmflton MfH Eye FW Cam Cmicr’ 1937 Homer Road Commerce, GA 30529 ,706-335-7552 3300 Hamilton Mill Road, Suite 150 Buford. GA 30517 V^ (In the Kroger Shopping Center) (770) 271-3500 "See Our New Location' Jackson County Area Chamber ol Commerce Nechvatal selected as vice president for chamber Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce leaders announced this week that Gerry Nechvatal is the new vice president of economic development for the organization. The newly-created position will focus on marketing and retention of businesses, as well as workforce development for Jackson County. “Gerry is an excellent choice for Jackson County,” said Shane Short, president and chief executive offi cer of the chamber. “The chamber has made a commitment to move our community to a new level of involvement and recruitment in the economic development arena. Gerry is going to be an integral part of that movement. At the rate Jackson County has grown over the past 10 years, it is important to have an experienced professional who is dedicated solely to market ing our community and working with existing businesses.” Since 2002, Nechvatal has served as regional director of CSX Transportation in Atlanta. He was directly responsible for all industrial development activities in Georgia, including recruitment, project man agement, incentive formulation, site development, and marketing. Nechvatal routinely participated in confidential recruitment projects led by the Georgia Department of Economic Development including Kia Motors, Toyo Tire, and Del Monte Foods. He also functioned as a team leader on numerous new business placements, such as The Middlesex Company, Columbia Farms, and Global Green Technologies. The chamber’s board of directors has been planning for a change in organizational struc ture since May of this year. The increased demand on the presi dent’s time with eco nomic development spurred the board to split the responsibilities into two posts. “The business and government groups here in Jackson County have made it clear they want to be known as the leader in economic develop ment in the southeast,” according to Roy Stowe, vice president for marketing and member relations for Jackson EMC and chair of the chamber’s Economic Development Council. “Gerry’s knowledge of the economic development process and network of brokers and others in the business is extremely impressive. I am totally committed to making this a successful endeavor for Jackson County by working through the Economic Development Council of the chamber.” Nechvatal’s position with CSX kept him actively involved in Jackson County projects and others along the Interstate 85 corridor. “I am very excited about the opportunity to work with the busi ness and government entities in Jackson County,” Nechvatal said. Nechvatal’s first day at the chamber will be January 2. He and his wife Ann cur rently live in Canton with their two chil dren. Nechvatal holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Georgia with a major in marketing. Other members of the profes sional staff rounding out the cham ber team include Linda Foster, manager of member services, and Hilda Love, executive assistant. Members of the search com mittee for the vice president of economic development included Stowe as chair; Short as president of the chamber; Yarborough as chamber chair; Hunter Bicknell, Jackson County Water and Sewer Authority; Jeff Blair, First Commerce Bank; John Drake, Patillo Construction Company; Mayor Pat Graham, Braselton; Mayor Buzzie Hardy, Commerce; Ronnie Hopkins, Jefferson City Board of Education; Mayor Jim Joiner, Jefferson; Scott Martin, Jackson EMC and Jackson County Development Authority; Dan Patillo, JohnRookerandAssociates; Kathy Wilbanks, Jackson County Board of Education; and Bruce Yates, Jackson County Board of Commissioners. NECHVATAL FOR THE BEST BUYS, READ THE CLASSIFIED ADS // T r , n Gerard "Pepe" Cummings VP Business Development Hamilton State Bank 1596 Washington Street Jefferson, GA 30549 (706) 367-1860 ext: 222 (706) 654-1083 (Cell) We Would Lik-o . lkc To Welcome Gerard "Pepe" Cummings has joined Hamilton State Bank as a Vice President focusing on Business Development. Cummings will be based at Hamilton State Bank's Jefferson branch and will be focusing primarily on the Jackson County market. Cummings served as the President and CEO of the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce for seven years. His direction resulted in over $700 million in new investments and the creation of over 4,000 new jobs for Northeast Georgia. Cummings was a charter member of the Braselton Rotary and is currently on the Board of Directors for Jackson County Boys and Girls Club. He is an active member of the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce, serving on the Education committee. Hamilton State Bank is proud to welcome Gerard "Pepe" Cummings. IftHAMILTON State Bank 1FDIC