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Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson $1.00 copy Wednesday, December 18, 2019 Vol. 13 No. 2 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 16 pages Shake-up in Hoschton Mayor, councilman and city administrator gone By Alex Buffington alex@mainstreetnews. com Two embattled Hoschton leaders are out of office following months of controversy in the small West Jackson town. Mayor Pro Tem Jim Cleveland resigned last week, just days before Mayor There sa Kenerly tendered her resignation. The Hoschton City Council held two special meetings on Dec. 11 and Dec. 14. accepting their resignations and to call for a March 24 election to fill the vacated seats. The resignations leave in a three-mem ber council, which cannot operate under the city's charter. That forced the council to pursue a court decision to allow its contin ued functioning until the two vacant seats are filled. Meanwhile, the council also voted to fire its current city administrator Dale Hall for cause instead of accepting his resignation. That move — on top of the two city council resignations — leaves the town with essen tially no experienced executive leadership in city hall. BACKGROUND ON RESIGNATIONS Kenerly came under fire in May after a fellow council member said she did not include the resume of a candidate for city administrator because he is black and she didn’t know if the city was “ready for that.” In a news article, Cleveland defended Ken erly and added his views against interracial relationships. The backlash was swift, with citizens calling on the two council members to re sign. When that didn't happen, a group formed and pushed for a recall election. After months of working through that pro cess, gathering signatures from citizens in the town and going through court hearings, the recall hearing was set for Jan. 14. By re signing, Cleveland and Kenerly will avoid See Hoschton, page 3A Only three members of the Hoschton City Council were present at its Dec. 11 called meeting. Council member Jim Cleveland resigned, Mayor Theresa Ken erly was absent, as was city administrator Dale Hall. Only council members Shantwon Astin (left), Hope Weeks (center) and Adam Ledbetter (right) were present, along with city attorney Thomas Mitchell (center left). Ledbetter was named mayor pro tem at the meeting to replace Cleveland in that position. Jason Wester (center) celebrated his selection as principal of Jackson County Comprehensive High School with April Howard, left, superintendent of Jackson County Schools, and Chanda Palmer, prin cipal of East Jackson Comprehensive High School. Wester named principal of JCCHS Jason Wester was named principal of Jackson Coun ty Comprehensive High School when the Jackson County Board of Education met Dec. 9 for its month ly meeting at East Jackson Middle School. Wester has served as in terim principal since July 11, when Dr. Pete Jones left for a position at the Gwin nett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology, and he has done “an out standing job,” said Dr. April Howard, superintendent of schools. She pointed out that the process to select the school's new principal included par ents. students and staff. “Mr. Wester has a passion for his work and bringing the Panthers to new levels,” she said. “He wants to do what’s best for kids.” Wester and Chanda Palm er, principal at East Jack- son Comprehensive High School, shared information about a design team's work on high school planning and schedules at the BOE meet ing. “We are blessed to have two outstanding high school leaders,” she said, noting that Wester and Palmer have been “working diligently” on the plans that will incor porate the new Empower College & Career Center into the curriculum. Wester joined the JCCHS administrative staff in 2018 as an assistant principal. He served three years be fore that as a member of the Social Studies department, teaching AP U.S. History, U.S. History and Econom ics. He was a member of the Panther football coaching staff and helped coach the Panther tennis team. Wester has worked as a social studies teacher and an administrator in sever al different states and dis tricts during his 21-year See BOE, page 3A Contact Us • News: news@mainstreet- news.com, call 706-395-2752 or fax to 706-367-8056 •Ads: ads@mainstreetnews. com or call 706-367-5233 Online Like us on Facebook: The Braselton News www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com Photo by Wesleigh Sagon SHERIFF COMPETES IN WRESTLING MATCH Jackson County Sheriff, Janis Mangum, smacks Bronson Garrett as Silas Dooley keeps his arms pinned behind him during the wrestling match benefitting the Jackson County Explorers program. Here, they are shown at the Historic Braselton Gym. See more on page 3. School tax break to be on March ballot Mini golf, batting cages on planners ’ agenda Braselton planners will consider a request for a special attraction at its up coming meeting. The Braselton Planning Commission will consider a conditional use to allow an outdoor amusement or recreational attraction at its Dec. 23 meeting. Joanne Liu is requesting the conditional use for a little over 2 acres at 7304 and 7310 Spout Springs Rd. Liu plans a miniature golf course and batting cages on the property. The Braselton Town Council will hold a second hearing on the request at its Jan. 9 meeting. BUFFER CHANGE In other business, the planning commission will also consider a zoning condition change for 3705 Village Way in Liberty Village. Lensned, LLC. is re questing a change to the planned unit develop ment's conditions, reduc ing the required 40-foot development buffer on Hwy. 211 to a 20-foot buf fer. Town council could vote on HECE project Dec. 18 Some older proper ty taxpayers could get a break if local voters ap prove making a change in the local school homestead tax provisions during the March elections. In addition to the pres idential preference prima ry being held on March 24, 2020. voters in all three school districts in Jackson County will vote on whether or not to raise the income provisions to qualify for a school home stead tax break. Currently, property tax payers age 62 and older can qualify for a school homestead tax break if they have less than $ 18,000 per year of earned income (which excludes retirement income.) The election in March propos es to raise the earned in come limit to $25,000 per year. Theoretically, that would allow more taxpay ers to qualify for the tax break. That break takes $10,000 off of the 40 per cent assessed value of the home, thereby reducing the overall tax bill. According to Jefferson Board of Education chair man Ronnie Hopkins, the measure has to be ap proved in all three school districts — Jefferson. Commerce and Jackson County — for it to be come law. Jackson County School System superintendent April Howard said that it would be difficult to esti mate the financial impact the measure would have on the system's finances, but she didn’t expect it would affect a substantial number of taxpayers. The call for the election was made Dec. 16 for the county school system by the Jackson County Board of Elections. Both Jeffer son and Commerce will also have to call for the election in those districts. Braselton leaders may take action on a contro versial and legally conten tious rezoning proposed for property across from Chateau Elan on Hwy. 211 at a called meeting on Dec. 18 at 5 p.m. The plan for a massive housing and commercial development on 230 acres around the Publix shop ping center was turned down by the council in August. A subsequent lawsuit against the town remanded the case back to the council for another hearing, which was held Dec. 9.