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The Braselton News Page 2A Wednesday, December 25, 2019 BOC split on ag center paving By Cindy Edge The cost of the new coun ty agricultural facility went up a little more Dec. 16 after the Jackson County Board of Commissioners approved a $715,000 paving contract for the facility's parking lot. The vote was split 3-2 on the issue. The contract calls for heavy-duty, reinforced con crete paving so that the area can be used by the coun ty fire training facility as a driving course for fire trucks and other heavy-duty vehi cles. Allied Paving Contrac tors was awarded the bid. The board further approved using SPLOST-6 funds to finance the additional cost. Commissioner Ralph Richardson expressed con cern regarding the rising ex pense to complete construc tion of the facility, noting the cost has already exceed ed $5 million. Richardson and commis sioner Chas Hardy voted against the plan and against using SPLOST funds to pay for it. NEW PLANNING BOARD MEMBER In other action, the BOC made a number of coun ty committee and agency appointments, including appointing Harold Mull to replace David Ayers on the Jackson County Planning Commission. The board re appointed Steve Wittry to the planning board for an other term. Other re-appointments were: James Scott, Steve Wittry and Shirley Turn er to the Board of Adjust ment; Charles Harrington and Larry Marchinton to the Dangerous Dog Com mittee; Clarence Bryant to the Industrial Development Authority; Elizabeth French and Melody Herrington to the Keep Jackson County Beautiful Board of Direc tors; and Roger Brock. Josh Huskins, Jay Phillips and Jimmy Peck to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. OTHER ACTION In other business, the BOC approved: • adding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a paid hol iday for county employees. • purchasing two am bulances through a three- year lease agreement in the amount of $480,000. • an agreement between the board, the Sheriff and Correct Health to provide inmate medical service during FY2020. • a professional service agreement with Southeast Corrections, LLC to provide probation services. • adoption of a resolution to support locally estab lished building design stan dards for residential dwell ings. • a statewide mutual aid and assistance agreement. • adoption of the Hazard Mitigation Plan update for 2018-2023. • a proposal from the Georgia Power Company to acquire an easement for in stallation of an underground fiber optic line. • benefits change for pub lic safety employees to in clude payment of the $20 monthly contribution to the Georgia Peace Officers An nuity and Benefit Fund. • accepting Hardin Ter race Circle. The approval was contingent upon agree ment by the developer to provide a maintenance sure ty as required through coun ty regulations. In addition, maintenance of the road will be the responsibility of the developer for a period of two years from acceptance of the road by the county and prior to acceptance by the county, the road must meet county standards and be free of any failures. • a quit claim deed to accept roads and rights-of- way within The Meadows subdivision. Although this subdivision has homes in it, the development fell into non-compliance during a downturn of the economy a few years ago. The quit claim deed is needed in or der to be removed from the county non-compliance list and to allow builders to con tinue to build houses within the development. Accord ing to public development director Gina Roy, the road department has inspected the roads within the devel opment and they were found to comply with county re quirements. The BOC also: • heard from Bill Curtis, Shepherds Crossing resi dent, who expressed con cern regarding a proposal from Comcast Cable to in stall cable and equipment along county rights-of-way to deliver 5G cellular ser vice within his community. Curtis said his research in dicates the service would be harmful to public health. No action was taken by the board. • heard from Pam Stud- dard, a property tax con sultant representing Hansen Technologies, who came before the board to request consideration regarding a tax issue. According to Studdard, Hansen Technol ogies failed to file documen tation with the tax asses sor’s office for the county’s freeport exemption prior to the deadline. According to Studdard, the company paid $7,900 for taxes last year, but this year the company received a bill for $177,000. “You can image what a toll this takes on a company,” Studdard said. Studdard said the company has been operating in the county for 10 years and has been grant ed freeport exemption every year except this year. But the county attorney said the BOC does not have the au thority to waive taxes and the taxes are due if freeport exemption was not filed in a timely manner. County Manager Kevin Poe said the tax commissioner’s office is agreeable to setting up a payment plan for the com pany. No action was taken by the BOC. Subdivision poised to move forward By Cindy Edge A large subdivision off of Old Pendergrass Rd. got approval Dec. 16 for a minor change in an old condition that will open the way for the project to move forward. The Jackson County Board of Commissioners approved re moving a requirement that the developers add an extra 10 feet of right of way along P. J. Roberts Rd. The project calls for 200 homes and was rezoned over a de cade ago. The recession held back work on the project until now. A number of area citizens were opposed to the project at a recent planning commission meeting, but the rezoning had already been approved. In other zoning action, the BOC approved: • a request from Keith Hayes to change the character area map from Rural to Suburban and Future Land Use Map classi fication from Commercial to Residential for two parcels total ing approximately five acres located along Hwy. 330. • Samuel and Ellen Kuntz to rezone 8.82 acres located at 100 Crooked Creek Road from A-2 to CRC for the purpose of operating an auto repair service. • InvestNLand, LLC’s request to change the Future Land Use Map classification from Commercial to Residential for 3.41 acres located at 7840 Hwy. 124. • Bobby and Marcey Parker’s request to change the Char acter Area Map classification from Rural to Suburban for 2.32 acres located at 3696 Hwy. 60. • Trinity Capital. LLC’s request to rezone approximately 5.5 acres located at 108 and 294 Hwy. 60 from A-2 to R-l. County elementary schools closed early last week Elementary schools in the Jackson County School Sys tem closed one day early last week due to a large outbreak of the flu. The schools closed for the Christmas break starting on Thursday, Dec. 19. The system sent out a mes sage Dec. 18 announcing the closure, saying the flu “has affected a significant number of students and staff.” Super intendent April Howard said the flu had hit over 14 percent of students and staff. An epi demic is considered to be 10 percent and above. The system's middle and high schools went ahead and held class Dec. 19, but on a previously-set early release schedule. Those schools had not been as adversely affected by the flu as the elementary schools, officials said. Two Northeast Georgia Health System employees receive awards Two long-time employ ees of Northeast Georgia Health System are among six healthcare workers in the state officially recog nized as “heroes.” Jason Grady and Jeff Thompson received their awards from the Georgia Hospital As sociation during its annual Hospital Heroes Awards luncheon November 1. “I’m thrilled GHA has chosen to recognize these two outstanding employ ees,” says Carol Burrell, president and CEO of NGHS. “While Jason and Jeff have long been heroes in our eyes, it's wonder ful to see just how many they've impacted - not only in our community, but in our state.” Grady, who serves as the coordinator of the Northeast Georgia Re gional STEMI System, was recognized for his work to improve care for cardiac patients through out the region. He coordi nates emergency care and communication between Emergency Medical Ser vices (EMS) personnel from 17 counties; Emer gency Departments (ED) of 12 regional hospitals; and interventional cardiol ogy teams with The Heart Center of Northeast Geor gia Medical Center. To gether. these groups syn chronize efforts to provide fast and efficient treatment to patients suffering se vere heart attacks known as STEMI (S-T Segment Elevation Myocardial In farction). “Thanks to Grady's leadership, life-saving care is provided to these patients, on average, in 42 minutes, according to a news release. “With an industry standard average of 90 minutes, the STEMI System's coordinated care is literally making history, by the second.” Grady also worked with The Medical Center Foun dation to ensure that all EMS trucks in NGMC's 17-county service area were outfitted with spe cial EKG machines that can transmit data directly from the truck to the ED, streamlining the care pro cess for patients. Addi tionally, paramedics can call the hospital dispatch center with a STEMI di agnosis, allowing these patients to bypass the ED and go straight to the cath lab. “With Grady’s guidance, this STEMI program has become a national mod el,” adds Burrell. “It’s incredible to see cardiac teams from all over the country traveling to us to learn about our program and how to implement it in their facilities.” Jeff Thompson, director of Pastoral Care at NGMC, was also recognized for his “deep-rooted compas sion for both patients and co-workers and his dedica tion to help introduce new programs at NGHS.” “During his tenure at NGHS. Jeff has had an indelible impact on - and is a true advocate for - patients and employees alike,” says Burrell. “He has comforted families in the emergency room, helped bolster our Em ployee Assistance Pro gram, presided over mar riages and has even spoken at funerals. He is the epit ome of strength, support and serenity, with a sin cere acceptance and love for everyone.” Thompson championed NGMC’s Ethics Program, which helps address eth ical issues at the bedside and gives clinical staff a safe place to raise ques tions and have discussions. Additionally, he worked °' s m -mm r \ i \ I V « \ s* V * rf" ~ w ■ ■ W " ' M 4 L i u M ■ M\ / ■ Jason Grady (center), coordinator of the Northeast Georgia Regional STEMI System, accepts his award from GHA chair Kevin Bierschenk (left) and GHA president and CEO Earl Rogers (right). Jeff Thompson (center), director of Pastoral Care at Northeast Georgia Med ical Center, is shown accepting his award with GHA chair Kevin Bierschenk (left) and GHA president and CEO Earl Rogers (right). to introduce NGMC’s Re- they make decisions about this program. He also spends specting Choices program, advanced care planning, time mentoring and teaching which promotes advance With Thompson’s direction, current and future chaplains directives and honors the NGMC became the first by NGMC's clinical pastoral wishes of patients when hospital in the state to offer education program. Whether you are looking for the perfect 770.568.2298 piece of furniture, want to accessorize your home, need to liquidate an entire www.houseofboykin.com home or sell a single item, House of 64 Brassie Lane Boykin is the perfect place. Give us a call! Braselton, GA 30517