The Braselton news. (Jefferson, Ga) 2006-current, August 30, 2023, Image 1

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The Braselton news., August 30, 2023, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Texto o Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson $1.00 copy Wednesday, August 30, 2023 Vol. 16 No. 38 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 12 pages NGHS announces leadership moves Northeast Georgia Health System recently expanded its leadership team with multiple hires PAGE6A Panthers hosting high-scoring Central Gwinnett Jackson County will host a Central Gwinnett team that's put up 106 points in two games PAGE11A Summer market Hunter Holland plays his clarinet Saturday (Aug. 26) on the front porch of the Joy Company Market as part of the Braselton Art-Tiques Summer Vintage Market held over the weekend. Art-Tiques Summer Vintage Mar ket patrons donning decorative hats browse a booth on Saturday (Aug. 26) in Braselton. ]CHS softball team enjoys big week PAGE12A INDEX News 1A-3A, 6A Opinion 4A Public safety 5A Classifieds 7A Ob tuaries... 8A, 9A Social/School 1CA Sports,,, 11,A,ISA Public safety Land purchase approved for West Jackson fire station Photo: West Jackson Fire Department By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com Land is being seemed for the site of a future West Jackson fire sta tion. The West Jack- son Fire Board voted unanimously Tues day (Aug. 22) to pur chase up to seven acres on Sam Freeman Rd. from Hoschton Baptist Chmch at $50,000 per acre. The West Jackson Fire Department, which services a rapidly grow ing area within Jackson County, is buying a por tion of a 30-acre tract owned by the church to construct its third fire station. West Jackson Fire Chief Ben Stephens es timated the department is at least five years away from building the facility. Though the exact square footage is not yet determined, the sta tion will be larger than the department’s Sta tion No. 2 on Ednaville See Purchase, page 6A Hoschton Appointment for Martin’s council seat to be made Thursday By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com With the Hoschton City Council down to three mem bers, city leaders will meet Thursday (Aug. 31) to select a representative to fill the re cently vacated seat of Debbie Martin. Martin resigned her seat last week to mn for the city’s open mayoral post. The Hoschton City Council has called a 3 p.m. meeting to appoint a new councilmem- ber to fill the remainder of Martin’s unexpired term, which mns to 2024. During the council’s Aug. 21 meeting, Martin nominat ed Christina Brown to fill the open spot. Brown ran against Martin and Tammy Sweat in a November 2022 special Debbie Martin election for the vacated coun cil seat of Shantwon Astin. Martin becomes the fourth Hoschton elected official to resign this year, following Adam Ledbetter (council), Scott Mims (council) and Lauren O’Leary (mayor). She made her decision offi cial in an Aug. 25 resignation letter. “Because I am running for mayor, I sadly must re- See Council ,page 6A Elections li qualify in Hoschton By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com Qualifying week for the City of Hoschton proved to be a busy one with five council seats — including the mayor’s — up for grabs this fall. Eleven candidates emerged during the week for the city’s Nov. 7 elections. Michael Beck, Debbie Martin and Nick Sutton qualified for the mayor’s race. Martin recently re signed her council seat to pursue the open mayoral post, having served on the council since November 2022. The mayor’s race is being held to fill the remaining term of former mayor Lau ren O’Leary, who resigned in July when her family moved from Hoschton. The term runs until 2026. James Lawson is serving as acting mayor. Meanwhile, David Brown, Monti Robinson and Tammy Sweat qualified for a special election to fill the final two years of former councilman Scott Mims’ term. Mims re signed in March. Additionally, three coun cil seats with full four-year terms are up for election, with five candidates qualify ing. The top three vote-get ters out of candidates Chris tina Brown, Scott Courier, Melba Moss, J.J. Jackson and former mayor Shannon Sell will occupy those three seats. BRASELTON The Town of Braselton will have two contested No vember races. Incumbent Becky Rich ardson and Joshua Spear man qualified for the Dis trict 1 race. Incumbent Jim Joedecke Jr. and Tom Lo gan, who’d served on the Braselton Planning Com mission, qualified for the District 3 election. Due to requirements stip ulated by the town’s char ter, Logan left the planning commission once he quali fied. MAILING LABEL Braselton Braselton planners recommend approval of hotel near I-85 South Hall South Hall wedding venue denied byBOC By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews. com By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews. com A proposed Hilton hotel in Braselton near 1-85 has earned the town planning commission’s recommen dation of approval and will be considered by the town council in early Septem ber. The Braselton Planning Commission voted unani mously Monday (Aug. 28) to recommend conditional use approval for the hotel on a 4.24-acre site along Hwy. 53 behind Cracker Barrel. The property abuts 1-85. Alex Mitchem, rep resenting the applicant, JVBraselton Hospitality, LLC, said the proposed COMING UP •Braselton Town Council, public hearing, Sept. 7, 4:30 p.m. hotel requires condition al-use approval as an ex tended-stay hotel due to some of the room accom modations offered. But he said extended stays are not the project’s concept or in tent. “(The accommodations) make it feel more ‘homey’ and that sort of thing — it’s not the intent for it to be an extended-period (stay),” Mitchem said. “We have the connotations in our head of what we’re talking about. That’s not a Hilton product, nor would we want to be representing one that would do so.” Conditions attached to the planning com mission’s approval vote include town planning staff recommendations prohibiting the hotel from offering and advertising weekly or monthly rates. Only per-day rates would be permitted. Mitchem, who said Hilton does not offer dis counts for extended stays, said the applicant agrees with the conditions. Plans call for a four-story building with 147 rooms. See Hotel, page 3A Hall County leaders have re jected a proposed South Hall wedding venue following a coun ty planning commission recom mendation of denial earlier this month. The Hall County Board of Commissioners (BOC) voted 5-0 Thursday (Aug. 24) to deny an agri-entertainment venue request for an approximate seven-acre tract at 3555 North Bogan Rd. from applicant John A. Moore Sr. The BOC also unanimously See Venue, page 3A