Page A10
Lake Oconee News G
Friday, February 17,2017
Madison
Continued from A1
a wholesale ban on PRDs in the
historic district, the so-called
Murray-Bell-Orr (MBO) amend
ment, immediately after approv
ing a different and contradictory
process for approving PRDs in
the area. During this meeting,
Hodges voted for a two-tiered
process for obtaining approval for
PRDs that required certificates of
appropriateness from the historic
preservation commission before
voting, in her words by mistake,
for the PRD ban. Hodges then
called a meeting on Dec. 22 to
apologize for the confusion her
actions caused in the communi
ty, an action which only fueled
further controversy among resi
dents.
As previously reported in this
paper, the crux of the problem
is that due to legislative actions
taken in December, the city of
Madison now has two contradic
tory legal requirements in place,
as both the MBO amendment
and Hodges’ two-tiered approval
process were both approved by
the city council. In the meeting
on Feb. 13, Hodges suggested
holding future work sessions to
resolve these contradictions.
Mayor Fred Perriman began
by stating that it remains “up to
the Mayor and Council to decide
what makes sense for the city of
Madison.” Second district coun
cilman Bobby Crawford, whose
district includes much of historic
Madison, then stressed that the
council should aim to keep the
interests of residents in mind: “All
I’ve heard is opposition [to PRDs]
... we work for the people. Show
me where it will be an asset and
I’ll be all for it.”
Hodges then spoke of the im
portance of maintaining an open
dialogue with city residents,
expressing concern about the
public perception of the council
in light of recent developments:
“Somehow we lost trust, and we
need to rebuild it. We need consis
tency going forward.”
Some in the audience chortled
at Hodges’ words, but controversy
began in earnest when it seemed
as though the council was about to
issue a directive to staff to address
PRDs in future meetings. Local
attorney Elizabeth Bell stood up
to object, saying that any direc
tions to staff should be subject to
public comment, and that it was
unfair of the council to refuse to
hear public comments even at this
early stage. Bell pointed out that
public involvement is important
throughout the debate, as fighting
legislation becomes much more
difficult later on: “Once some
thing is drafted, then it has legs.”
She went on to criticize the
council’s attempt to revive the
subject: “It is unfair to the public
to regurgitate this over and over
again. Hundreds of people are
opposed to this and don’t want it
coming back.” When city manager
David Nunn pointed out that
council was merely proposing a
town hall or some other sort of
public forum to discuss the issue,
Bell asked, ‘Why even have a dis
cussion about things your constit
uency doesn’t even want?”
Mayor Perriman then halted
public comment on the issue,
which prompted Bell to file an
objection on the grounds that she
and her cohorts had been denied
public comment.
The council then turned its
attention to other matters, but
during the public comment
segment of the meeting, debate
reignited. Hickey stood up first to
express his discontent with coun
cil’s direction. “The motivation to
even discuss PRDs in the histor
ical district is suspect,” he said.
“The proposal is at best insulting
and at worst suggests an ulterior
motive on the part of council
members.”
Hickey’s implication provoked
the ire of third district council
man Joe Diletto, who insisted
that Hodges had simply made
a mistake at previous meetings
that council was now trying
to resolve. Hodges also denied
having dishonest intentions
and stressed that she was for a
rigorous two-step process for
PRD approval, to which Hickey
retorted, “That presupposes we
even want PRDs.”
It appeared as though the
council and audience were in for
another protracted back-and-
forth, but Mayor Perriman halted
public comment after Hickey’s
statement and called the council
to an executive work session. For
now, the future of PRDs in Mad
ison’s historic district remains
unresolved.
Katherine Klimt/Staff
Elizabeth Bell voices her opposition to renewed debate over PRDs.
Arrest
Continued from A1
When the vehicles left Greene
county, Wilson, Rutledge and
Taliaferro County deputies con
tinued the pursuit.
The truck crossed into the
median just past mile post 152
and slammed into the patrol car
driven by Deputy Rutledge.
The truck reversed course and
headed west bound with Wilson
the lead pursuit vehicle.
The suspect then struck a Tali
aferro County deputy’s patrol car
and began to lose control, crossing
the median and eastbound lanes
of traffic before striking a tree.
Wilson approached the wrecked
vehicle with his service weapon
drawn along with Rutledge.
Rutledge was able to secure the
driver’s right hand and ordered
him out of the vehicle.
The suspect was identified as
Andrew Jeremy Bryant of Walton
County. He was charged with
fleeing or attempting to elude a
police officer, felony DUI, failure
to maintain lane, improper lane
change and reckless driving.
Once Bryant was secured
in the back of Wilson’s patrol
car he thanked the deputies
“for getting me off the road. I
shouldn’t have been that stupid.”
He also said he was heading from
Good Hope to Myrtle Beach.
When asked how many alco
holic beverages he had consumed,
Bryant said “about 30 beers,”
the last one consumed just five
minutes before his arrest.
Bryant’s problems were about
to get much worse. At about
the time deputies were putting
Bryant into the back of a patrol
car, the murdered bodies of
Charles and Betty Gattis were
being discovered in a Walton
County home during a wellness
check.
Bryant told deputies the truck
he was driving belonged to his
grandfather. Deputies also found
ids belonging to Charles and
Betty Gattis.
After Bryant was cleared by St.
Mary’s Good Samaritan hospital,
Wilson learned that Bryant was
possibly a murder suspect in
Walton County.
Bryant was later turned over
to investigators from the Walton
County Sheriffs Office and
Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Walton County Sheriff Joe
Chapman told Atlanta’s WSB,
that Sheriff Joe Chapman Bryant
had lived in the basement of his
grandparents’ home for about
a year after a divorce. He said
deputies were called to the house
by the Bryants’ son after he had
a conversation with Andy, which
made the son concerned for the
grandparents.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT
REAL ESTATE AGENT
Alyce Vining
Realtor/Appraiser
Any time you buy or sell real estate, choosing
the right agent will be one of the most crucial
decisions you make through the process. As
independent contractors, each agent runs his/
her business completely differently and offers
varying levels of services and expertise. It’s
not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Here are some
things to consider when choosing the right
agent for you.
It is paramount to work with a local agent.
Your agent should have extensive, current
knowledge of the local market. An out-of-
area agent simply doesn’t have the knowledge
to ensure his/her client is making a sound
purchase. And, if you’re selling, why would
you not use a local expert who is best at selling
the area? In addition, only members have
access to the local MLS. Bet your out-of-area
agent didn’t tell you that! Some agents utilize
multiple MLSs. Some only use one. Ask
about this, too, as it will have an impact on the
exposure of your property.
What is his/her experience in the local
marketplace? Is your agent full-time and
focused on real estate? Thriving, not just
surviving, speaks volumes to the success he/she
will have in reaching your goals. Experience
doesn’t only involve time; the number of
transactions is important for real situational
experience. Negotiating is an essential skill in
real estate sales and is developed through being
involved in multiple and varying situations.
The agent you have in your corner can make the
difference in the sale price, the terms involved
and how long your property is on the market.
How extensive is his/hermarketing campaign
for listings? Does he/she employ a professional
photographer? Provide aerials and videos?
What print publications are used and what
are their distribution? What is your agent’s
internet presence? Today, over 90% of Buyers
search for property online. Your agent needs
to have extensive internet and social media
presence to ensure his/her listings are reaching
the most potential Buyers. Perform your own
search to see how strong your agent's present is
and how his/her listings are represented. Not
only do you want your property marketed with
the broadest reach, but in the most professional
manner. This will make a lasting impression
with Buyers and make your property stand out
among its competition.
With what type of brokerage firm is your
agent affiliated? Using a firm with global,
national, and regional recognition is important,
especially in our market, because they provide
a broader reach to find potential Buyers and
have access to an international network of
cooperating agents who are currently working
with Buyers. The independent companies
simply cannot offer that kind of exposure, nor
the abundance of marketing tools, extensive
education, and support for their agents so they
can provide the highest level of service to their
Clients.
Does the agent list and sell properties
throughout your market or is he/she tied to
a single community? This is an important
question in our marketplace and one which
is often overlooked. If you are selling your
property, you want an agent who is going to do
just that... sell YOUR specific property— not
just the community. Which do you think that
agent is more motivated to sell—yours or the
company’s? If you are buying, you may think
you want to live in a certain community, but
how can you be sure if you do not compare?
Working with an agent who can show you
properties in all communities and educate you
on the pros and cons of each, from a neutral
position, ensures you leave no stone unturned
when searching for your perfect property.
Lastly, what is your agent’s reputation?
Speak to past clients; ask people in your
community. If you are uncomfortable going
this far, look at online reviews. An agent has
no control over what their past clients say about
them online. Reviews will give you a good idea
of the experience you can expect to have with
that agent.
Selling or purchasing real estate is a big
deal. For most, it’s the largest investment
they’ll make in their lifetime. That’s why it’s
so important to carefully consider who will
represent you through the process... after all,
who you choose to work with in real estate
makes all the difference!
The Vining Group is Lake Oconee’s top real
estate team and are experts in our local market.
Call them today if you’re looking to list or buy
property in the Lake Oconee area. 706-816-
1010 www.LiveLakeOconee.com
Have you scheduled your preventive
visit to review and provide:
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CH^simpIo hearing test)
• Simple vision test
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to schedule
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screening
appointment!
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