Newspaper Page Text
Department heads bring
budget requests to board
By Bill Johnson
Staff Writer
Forsyth County Engineer John Cunard and
Assistant Engineer Tim Allen brought only
modest budget requests to the budget talks that
got under way Wednesday. But it is a sign of
just how tight the FY 2002 budget will be that
even a significant portion of their requests may
be cut back.
Cunard asked the board of commissioners
to approve a budget increase of just more than
$488,000 for all of the departments under his
control roads and bridges, stormwater man
agement, traffic, public transportation and solid
waste.
But, like most department heads who parad
ed through the daylong number crunch, he
came away unsure of just how much of his $7.2
million budget request he would actually get.
“Most of the increase is due primarily to
wages and benefits,” he said after his meeting
with the commissioners.
Allen, who heads up roads and bridges,
for an increase from last year’s
$4,898,307 to $5,010,927. He told the commis
sioners his department needs to purchase just
more than $1 million in vehicles and equip
ment, including a milling machine for deep
patching potholes in the county’s roads.
The commissioners also discussed what to
do about public transportation such as Dial-A-
Ride. The public bus system cost about
$149,000 to operate last year and is not self
sustaining. Cunard asked to increase that budg-
Grocery store plan to come
before county commission
By Phillip Hermann
News Editor
The intersection at Hwy.
20 and Samples Road could be
the new site for a large gro
cery store anchoring a shop
ping center with several
restaurants should the Forsyth
County Board of Commiss
ioners approve the necessary
rezoning on Monday night.
North American Properties
Atlanta is making its second
attempt to gain the commis
sioners’ approval, the first
encounter resulting in a two
week delay to give time for
District 5 Commissioner
Eddie Taylor to talk with some
residents who have voiced
opposition to the plan.
One of those residents,
Patricia Knowlton, raised con
cerns at a July 31 public hear
ing before the planning com
mission that the traffic gener
ated by the new development
would cause significant prob
lems for nearby neighbor
hoods, adding the trucks that
enter and leave the shopping
center will pose a safety threat
to school buses that must have
access to Mashburn Elemen
tary.
The planning commission
has recommended approval of
the rezoning.
The commission, however,
included in that recommenda
tion 32 conditions ranging
from limitations on the archi-
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et to $ 172,563 this year,
Commissioners appeared determined to
continue the bus service because of its value,
particularly to low-income and elderly resi
dents. It also is supported by bus fares and state
subsidies.
One casualty of the budget cuts is expected
to be two new gafbage transfer stations planned
for the north end of Forsyth County.
“That was also requested in last year’s
budget and got cut, and it looks like it’s going
to get cut again,” Cunard said after the meeting.
Basically, we just wanted to be able to provide
facilities in the north end of the county where
people could drop off their garbage and recy
clables.”
Cunard said the county plans to close the
transfer station on Old Federal Road when the
new landfill opens.
County Administrator Stevie Mills said the
new landfill is expected to open sometime after
the first of the year.
Forsyth County Finance Director Dick
Russell said county department heads have sub
mitted more than $62 million in budget
requests for FY 2002, an increase of about $lO
million over last year.
Russell said there is no way the board of
commissioners will approve $62 million in
spending, and he voiced strong concerns about
the strength of the economy last week.
“We are very nervous abort the economy
next year,” he said. “It could impact our sales
tax revenue as well as revenue from our permits
and inspections.”
tectural styles for the buildings
to taking steps to make sure
delivery truck traffic doesn’t
intrude on nearby residential
areas. In addition, new turn
lanes will be installed on Hwy.
20 and Samples Road to
access the site.
Other conditions include a
mandate to seek sewerage
service from the county when
it becomes available, although
a septic system could be used
until that time, and to plant a
screen of evergreen trees at the
rear of the property line
between the project and a
nearby subdivision.
Regarding the outparcel
sites fronting Hwy. 20, busi
nesses prohibiting from com
ing there would include a
Hooter’s restaurant, cocktail
lounges, night clubs or day
care centers.
NAPA officials say they'll
comply with the conditions
and want to be “good neigh
bors” with the surrounding
community.
Despite the continued poc
kets of opposition, the Forsyth
County Federation of Home
owners has publicly stated it
supports the rezoning, with
officials noting the company’s
“comprehensive” approach to
developing the nearly 18-acre
site.
The site would be home to
a 54,376-square-foot grocery
store (Publix is considering
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retail businesses.
There are also five out
parcels, ranging from one to
I. acres, fronting Hwy. 20
that would be marketed to
restaurants or other clients.
Phase II would include devel
opment of an additional
11, square feat of retail
space.
Other zoning-related mat
ters scheduled to come before
the board of commissioners
Monday night include:
• The application by
McDonald’s Corp, for a Con
ditional Use Permit for a
drive-through window for a
proposed fast-food restaurant
at Hwys. 9 and 141. Tire plan
ning commission recommends
approval.
• The application by 400
North Realty Group LLC of
Woodstock to rezone 68.78
acres on the west side of
Hopewell Road near Freeman
Drive for a 73-lot subdivision.
The planning commission rec
ommends approval.
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Photos/Submitted
American Legion installs new officers
Cumming American Legion Post 307 and the Auxiliary installed officers for the
year 2001-2002 at the August meeting. The new officers for the American Legion
are: Commander William L. Rogers, Senior Vice Commander Phillip F. Germinario,
2nd Vice Commander John S. Whedbee, 3rd Vice Commander Louis A.
Rosswaag, Finance Officer Robert N. Iseli, Judge Advocate Dennis D. McKinny
Jfgh MSB
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Decatur man arrested on drug charges
By Colby Jones
Staff Writer
Local detectives are att
empting to understand why a
27-year-pld Decatur man was
in possession Tuesday of
about 240 store receipts, some
from local businesses.
David Craig Neuhart was
arrested for heroin possession,
leading to discovery of about
40 receipts in his possession.
Another 200 receipts were
found in the car he was driv
ing, according to a Forsyth
County Sheriff’s Office report.
The arrest stemmed from a
suspicious vehicle parked at
the Kmart in Lakeland Plaza
FORSYTH county NEWS Sunday, August 26,2001 I
at about 1 :45 p.m.
Patrol deputies reported
the driver’s Side door on the
1999 Chevrolet Cavalier stood
wide open for 15 minutes.
When Neuhart walked out
of Kmart, deputies asked him
if he had a receipt for the mer
chandise he purchased.
Unable to find one,
deputies reported he acted
nervously and gave deputies
permission to search the car.
The vehicle is registered to
another person.
An officer reported finding
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Sunday, August 26th
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Service Times Monday through Wednesday - 7:00 p.m.
Everyone is welcome! Nursery provided for all services.
The church is located at 610 Canton Highway
in Cumming, GA just north of downtown Cumming.
CaH 770-889-9287 for infonnation.
“74e 4><mw ‘BtUfaUtty .. .
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and the directors are L.
Lamar Sneed, William J.
Cowan and William T.
Sedenger. At left,
William L. Rogers was
recently installed as
commander of
Cumming American
Legion Post 307 by
Leonard McClure, 9th
District commander of
the American Legion.
Above, Pat Hardy, presi
dent of the 9th District
American Legion
Auxiliary, is shown
swearing in Jean Islee
as the president of the
Cumming American
Legion Post 307
Auxiliary.
40 store receipts in Neuhart’s
pocket and a small bag inside
the car containing suspected
heroin, according to the sher
iff’s report.
About 200 more receipts
were located in the car.
Ten plastic bags in the
trunk also contained an inor
dinate amount of women’s
underwear and heartburn
medication.
Neuhart was being held
without bond in the county
jail as of Wednesday after
noon.
PAGE 3A