Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 10A
Council attacks dangerous dogs,
insurance not available to owners
By Jerry Murtagh
The Leader-Tribune
Rottwielers and Straford
shire Terriers were well repre¬
sented at last week’s Fort Val¬
ley City Council meeting.
City Administrator Martha
Leary told council she contact¬
ed several insurance agents to
see if they would write policies
for owners of dangerous dogs.
According to Leary, the com¬
panies contacted said they
would not be willing to issue a
$50,000 liability policy to own¬
ers of Rottweillers or Staford
shire Bull Terriers.
They also said that if they
became aware that one of their
policy holders owned a danger¬
ous dog, they would write an
PCWS continues gnawing away
By Jerry Murtagh
The Leader-Tribune
The Peach County Water and
Sewer Authority is still gnawing
away on its $80,000,000 project.
Chairman Melvin Walker
opened the meeting by welcom
ing several guests. He told mem¬
bers of the authority that EPD
has provided information to Tnb
ble and Richardson specifying
the degree of treatment that
would be necessary with a point
discharge system.
T&R will use the information to
develop comparative cost esti
mates for land application and
point discharge for the county’s
proposed wastewater treatment
system.
Ken Werner, General Manager
of the Fort Valley Utility Com¬
mission addressed members of
the authority.
Werner noted that the utility
commission has a public meeting
scheduled for Thursday, Febru¬
ary 3rd at 4:00 p.m. in the city
hall chamber. The meeting is a
meeting to amend the November
13th public meeting where we
introduced our water well project
and partial pipeline project.”
Werner noted that the original
project put three wells in the
county, two on River Road and
one on Houser's Mill Road
between Lakeview and the 247
connector. It also included con
netting the Houser's Mill water
line system to the existing water
line at the Lakeview and
Houser’s Mill intersection.
The waterline goes down to
Clint Howard Road, Werner
explained, and would also contin-
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exclusion to the policy.
Leary’s comments posed a
dilemma for the council.
A dog ordinance in Fort Val¬
ley, passed earlier last year,
requires owners of dangerous
dogs to take several precau¬
tionary steps including the
purchase of $50,000 worth of
insurance to pay for any injury
their dogs might inflict.
As Mayor John Stum bo put
it, Leary’B findings left the
council with a decision to
make between what he saw as
two unacceptable alternatives:
keep an ordinance on the
books which is unenforceable
or require owners of some
breeds of dog to give them up.
Councilwoman Beth Collins
said she was concerned that it
ue to the south end of Houser’s
Mill Road.
Werner said that there are
plans to amend the original pro
ject he described to include 12"
waterline service on the 247 con
nector, coming down south on
Johnny Sullivan, coming across
on Gilcrest to connect with the
previously designed system and
then continuing the system on
Hwy 96 all the way into Fort Val
] e y
Werner added that all of the
construction would use 12”
watermain with fire hydrants
every 1000 feet,
The last section of this, Werner
sa id, would also include a line
connection for a multiple loop
system to complete Johnny Sulli
van down to Lakeview at a con
nection point.
Werner said that the project
complies with the 20 year plan
adopted by the Peach County
Water and Sewer Authority,
Frank Borah addressed the
authority,
“We want to make a request of
the commission. We have 60
acres that I want to develop. 1
need water ^ the plan doesn’t
run water across Hwy 247. I
would like you to consider some
alternative that would run water
across Hwy 247.”
Walker noted that in the ser
vice agreement signed by Peach
County, Byron and Fort Valley,
Borah’s property would fall in
the area of the county which
should be served first by Byron.
Borah noted that in order to get
water from Byron his property
wou i d have to be annexed into
the city of Byron.
might be necessary to modify
other elements of the ordi¬
nance and indicated she was
in favor of postponing a deci¬
sion.
Board Attorney Charles
Jones explained that one per¬
son so far attempted to comply
with the ordinance and found
they could not because insur¬
ance was not available.
He added, that failure to
modify the ordinance left the
one person who attempted to
comply at least technically in
jeopardy of being charged with
violating the ordinance.
Council voted five to one,
with Collins voting against the
motion, to remove the $50,000
insurance requirement from
the ordinance.
Charlie Short, director of public
works for the city of Byron, noted
that engineers who reviewed the
possibility of running water to
Borah’s section of the county said
there would not be enough water
pressure to provide fire protec¬
tion with their existing system.
Walker explained that Borah
would have to first get a response
from Byron. If they refuse, Fort
Valley could provide the service.
In other business, authority
members voted unanimously to
authorize three engineering
firms, Tribble and Richardson,
Carter & Sloop and Chasman
and Associates to work together
in developing a joint proposal for
engineering services for phase
one of the countywide water and
sewer project.
Members decided to wait to
consider the question of operat¬
ing the wastewater treatment
facility and dealing with water¬
shed assessment until the engi¬
neers have met.
Warner Robins’ effort to annex
a section of Peach County was a
topic for discussion at the meet¬
ing. Attorney Jeff Liipfert noted
that Warner Robins moved for¬
ward with the annexation in vio¬
lation of notification require¬
ments in a service delivery
strategy signed by Warner
Robins.
Liipfert would not comment on
whether or not the county has
plans to pursue the matter in
court.
Members agreed to make plans
to tour wastewater facilities.
Walter Lanter, member of the
authority agreed to co-ordinate
the tours.
I McDaniel, Frances left, A
j* :> •• addressed the
j meeting. In the
i right photo,
Frances is pre
i ■ sented a key
I chain by Ann
Giles, CV&B
president.
for CV&
An annual update. That was
the purpose of the Byron Con¬
vention and Visitors Bureau
meeting last week.
Frances McDaniel said, “In
December 1998 I was elected
President of Historic Heart¬
land Travel Association and
will serve until December
2000. During 1999 a number of
new activities were planned to
promote the Heartland. Serv¬
ing a3 President has awarded
me the opportunity to promote
Byron while working with the
Department of Industry, Trade
and Tourism, Georgia CVB,
Georgia Hospitality and Travel
Association and the other 8
regions of the state."
McDaniel had Tracy Bar¬
bour hand out a detailed list of
activities. Those listed with an
asteric were Historic Heart¬
land activities. In the Historic
Heartland there are 20 coun¬
ties, 50 mayors and 34 legisla¬
tors, McDaniel noted. She also
mentioned other activities
which were not detailed on the
list such as Tracy Barbour
being hired as an intern in
May and then full time in
August.
JANUARY
HHTA meeting held at Tanger
Mall. - presented Peach County
display
Met with new attraction/business
(Cane River Outfitters) owner Bill
Browning.
Met with Peach Blossom Trail
committee to reestablish Trail.
Prepared for and held Annual
meeting
Attended Tourism Summit in
Atlanta, meeting with Legislators.
Met with Ed Smith concerning
Antique Car Show
Met with Bill Bombrake of Gener¬
ation Gap.
Byron CVB meeting
FEBRUARY
HHTA meeting held in
Watkinsville
•Appeared on VRvtkZ TV Mary
Therese Show with Ginger Tavlor
of GDITT and
Janice Marshall of Macon CVB
GDITT representatives Sheila
Hortman, Ginger Taylor and Fay
Tripp were in
WedneadayiJaanai? 96,
Byron to look at the Welcome Cen
ter.
•HHTA sponsored a
Luncheon/Fashion Show for the
Legisladies.
Byron CVB meeting
MARCH
HHTA meeting held in
Milledgeville.
Picked up Georgia On My Mind
books at Perry Welcome Center
and distributed in
Byron.
Met with committee concerning
Antique Car Show.
Byron CVB meeting.
APRIL
HHTA meeting held in Byron
Met with Ginger Taylor and Fay
Tripp making plans for Vision
2000 .
Peach Blossom Trail Meeting
•Governor Barnes office for sign¬
ing of Tourism Week Proclamation
Clean Up at Welcome Center and
CVB office
Served on Battle of Byron Com¬
mittee
BOB Sock Hop, Antique Car Show
parade held
Byron CVB meeting
MAY
HHTA meeting held in Covington
•Georgia Tourism Week Luncheon
held in Atlanta.
Ginger Taylor of GDITT toured
Byron
Battle of Byron held
JUNE
HHTA meeting held in Jackson
Byron CVB meeting
•Mary Therese Show
Peach Festival Kick Off
J
ULY
HHTA meeting in Perry
Peach Blossom Trail meeting
Travel & Tourism Workshop in
Macon
Began work on Better Hometown
Application - Visited Monticello
Toured WRAFB
4th of July celebration
AUGUST
HHTA meeting in Monticello
Byron CVB meeting
The Artist, Mark Ballard - "Peach
es
Reach Blossom Trail meeting
Better Hometown meeting in
Americus
SEPTEMBER
HHTA meeting in Madison
Governors Conference on Toua
Columbus
2000 Classic Car Show meetini
HHTA Co-Op, meeting in Maca
of Met Depot with Gina Clark to plan j
Peach Blossom Trail Meeting
GDI1T meeting with Lobbyist
Tanner in Macon
OCTOBER
HHHTA meeting in Maco
Strategic Planning
Byron CVB meeting
•Mary Therese Show - WMAZ
Ga National Fair - 10 days
Took Better Hometown applies
to Atlanta
•Vision 2000 dinner in Social
cle
Sponsored Nightmare on Main
NOVEMBER
•Vision 2000 Dinner in Macon
•Vision 2000 Dinner
Milledgeville
Fall Festival
] Byron CVB meeting
HHTA meeting in Athens
Peach Blossom Trail meeting
DECEMBER Socij
HHTA Annual Meeting in
Circle
Christmas Parade
•HHTA Board Meeting
Milledgeville
CVB
McDaniel told the group sll
had been hesitant about beim
president of the travel associa goal
tion but that it had been
for Byron.
She also said hopefullj somj
Byron would be getting
restaurants in town after men
tioning the work at the parti
Promoting tourism had threj beej
pretty successful the last
to four years she said. “At leasl
people know where Byron is."
The following financial
statement was released to tht
group. McDaniel noted that
while the hoten/motel tax wai
3** last year, in 2000 it will b<
4 %.
Financial Statement
1 / 21/00
REVENUES
Hotel/Motel Tax 78.C63 80
GDITT 10.625 00
Promotional products 3,657 00
Fund Balance 1,418.53
Tbtal $ 93.764 33
EXPENDITURES
Salaries 6.54749
Annual meeting 435 00
Advertising (Billboards) 18,732 20
Dues (HHTAKGHTA) 230 00
Co-op 1.000 00
Advertising (Print Ads) 14.344 45
Promotional products 5.814 24
GA National Fair 726 00
Reception for Classic Cars 50.00
Rent CVB Building 2.600 00
Donations Reach Festival 500.00
Battle of Byron 1.000 00
Conference Expense 852 67
Office Equipment 734.96
Gift Basket for BOB 30 00
Miscellaneous 868 84
4th of July Celebration 236 64
Arts ft Crafts Class 760 IX)
Halloween 180 32
Christmas Lights &
Decorations 3.283 18
Tbtal $ 58.925 99
Balance in bank account 12,*29^99
$ 34.838 34
HOTEL/MOTEL 3<* TAX
December collections 5.671 48
January 6.037 00
February 6.254 26
March 8.168 27
April 7.549 58
May 5.565 54
June 6.855 35
July 6.925 94
August 6.066 12
September 6.026 05
October 6,858 45
Novemher 6.065 76
TOTAL $ 78.063 80
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