Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2007
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 3A
Drought continued from page 1A
CAPENTER EXPLAINS DROUGHT SCENARIO
Jackson County Public Development Director Scott Carpenter lays out a drought disaster scenario
for local officials during last Wednesday’s drought disaster exercise.
“The key is to have people who
can act at the table,” he repeated.
He also encouraged officials to
carefully document every expendi
ture related to the drought. Every
penny you spend, you need to docu
ment, and you need to have a log to
show the outcome, he said. If you
want to be reimbursed, you've got
to document where that dollar was
spent.”
DROUGHT FORECAST
David Stooksbury, the state clima
tologist, and Pam Knox, the assis
tant climatologist, presented a fore
cast speculating that local rivers and
reservoirs will recover somewhat
during the winter or spring, but are
likely to run dry next summer.
“Streams will come up this win
ter. Your reservoirs will have some
water. Where we're going to be next
July, August and September is the
problem,” Stooksbury said.
He also warned that the public
will get drought-weary, during the
winter months as they see a little
rain, and warned those in the room
to be very careful about water use
during those times. There is a high
probability, he said, that the area
is in for a dry, warm winter with
rainfall that is probably not enough
to recharge local systems. The prob
lem is not getting us to March. The
problem is getting us to July, August
and September.
Carpenter presented the disaster
scenarios moving the current drought
forward in two-month increments
up to May 14 with worsening condi
tions. Among the issues raised:
•well-drilling companies arriving
from other areas, some acting fraud
ulently. The solution? Requiring all
vendors to be certified by the county
government.
•changes in fire-fighting strategies
may be warranted
•Water may be (allocated,) or
rationed. The enforcement would
be extremely punitive rates for all
usage over the allocated amount.
•the need to establish emergency
distribution centers. It is anticipated
that drinking water will always be
available as bottled water can be
moved in from out of state, but dis
tribution may be a challenge.
•Public health could be compro
mised if water supply is insufficient
to flush or to maintain water pres
sure or when the water quality (in
the very bottoms of reservoirs) is
very difficult to treat.
•Prisoners in the county jail might
have to be moved out of state, unem
ployment could swell if businesses
are forced to cut hours, and crime
could increase, taxing law enforce
ment capabilities.
•In the worst-case scenario,
there could be needs for shelters.
“Locations have been pre-deter-
minedsaid Nichols.
For every scenario, officials
were encouraged to be thinking of
responses.
You also need to be thinking of
the triggers for these (responses),
noted Kevin Farrell, assistant branch
chief for the EPD. He suggested
that officials determine in advance
when various actions and responses
should take place.
Carpenter pointed out that, unlike
hurricanes or tornadoes, droughts
are slow-moving and not likely to
produce mass casualties. But, he
also noted that lit is really hard to
imagine the effect and what it will
take in terms of providing resourc
es.
QCPC meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 20
A Quad Cities Planning Commission was sched
uled for Tuesday, Nov. 20, at the Jefferson Civic
Center. The results of this meeting will be in next
week’s issue.
Items to be discussed included:
•Kathy and Betty Federico request a variance to
allow two or more horses on their farm.
•Kathy and Betty Federico request a conditional use
on property located at 36 White Oak Trail containing
3.35 acres, to allow animal quarters for horses in an
RR-2 zoning district
•Gwinnett Industries Inc. to rezone 71.98 ± acres
and 86.44 ± acres located at 90 W G Legg Road and
Raford Wilson Road from A-2 (Jackson County) to LI
(City) for the purpose of a light industrial park.
•an Ordinance amending The Quad Cities Land Use
Management Code, Article 17, “Sign Regulations,”
for the purpose of changing procedures for variances,
providing for signs on vacant lots, providing for cor
ner signs in specified locations, changing provisions
for special event sign permits within Jefferson’s his
toric districts and for other purposes.
Complete applications, plats and texts are avail
able for review in the Planning and Development
Office (at Jefferson City Hall) at 147 Athens Street,
Jefferson, during regular office hours.
Arcade releases results of Chief Bell investigation
BY ALLEN LUTON
The results of an internal investigation into allegations
of misconduct by former Arcade Police Chief Dennis
Bell were released last week.
According to the report, officers indicated that in the
past there were tickets that were reduced to warnings
at the request of Bell without their authority or knowl
edge.
“In some cases, there were tickets which chief Bell
asked the prosecuting officer to reduce the ticket to a
warning and the officer declined the request only to dis
cover the tickets had been reduced anyway,” the report
states. “Both the municipal judge and the solicitors said
they understood these tickets were reduced under a plea
agreement at the request of the prosecuting officer or the
solicitor. Both parties also stated this was their under
standing at the direction of chief Bell.”
Allegations of ticket fixing, gambling, corruption, and
falsification of work hours were made in anonymous
letters sent to the city and state attorney general's office
in October. Weeks later, Bell resigned following more
than 11 years as police chief after reaching a $25,701
settlement with the city.
There was no corroborating evidence regarding the
gambling allegation leveled against Bell, according to
the report.
As for the allegation that the former chief falsified
his work hours, investigators are still looking into that
matter.
“After speaking with employees of the City of Arcade,
this allegation may merit further review by the mayor
and city council for procedural modification and/or
review,” the report states.
Further allegations of criminal culpability against Bell
may be referred to the district attorney’s office. Sgt.
Greg Maddox signed the report, which was released last
week following an open records request by The Jackson
Herald.
BOC approves zoning for shopping center
BY ANGELA GARY
A rezoning for a shopping center in West Jackson
was approved by the Jackson County Board of
Commissioners Tuesday night.
The BOC approved the request from Mike Malerba
to rezone three acres on Skelton Road from A-2 to
NRC to develop a strip commercial shopping cen
ter.
In other action at Monday night’s two-hour meet
ing, the BOC:
•postponed action on an agreement with Dorfman
Consulting for $12,500 to conduct a community
services study for the county. There was some dis
cussion as to whether this was put on the agenda in
time for the commissioners to review it and where
the money would come from.
•approved a contract with the Georgia Department
of Transportation for the resurfacing of Ridgeway
Church Road and Sanford Road and the base and
paving of Mary Collier Road.
•approved a contract with Emergency Billing
Inc. for medical transportation services for Jackson
County EMS. Emergency Billing will provide ser
vices for a percentage of 7.5 percent minus any
refund amount of money collected during the billing
cycle.
•approved a $69,301 contract with Ross &
Associates to do a study of impact fees.
•agreed to reduce the speed limit on Harold Phillips
Road from 55 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour.
Planning director Scott Carpenter said the road has
19 driveways, two hills and one steep curve. Before
the change was approved, BOC Chairman Pat Bell
questioned why this matter was not discussed with
road superintendent Larry Guthrie and public works
director Don Clerici before it was presented to the
BOC for action. “The procedure was not followed,”
she said. “This board relies heavily on Mr. Clerici
and Mr. Guthrie on roads.”
•postponed a recommendation to abandon a por
tion of Bill Wright Road. This must be advertised
and a public hearing held before any action is
taken.
•approved a request from Jane Murray to change
the conditions on the zoning of her property on
Skelton Road so that fences no longer are required
along the development.
•Chairman Bell introduced newly-appointed
County Manager Darrell Hampton. “He was chosen
unanimously and that’s hard to do with this board,”
Bell said.
•Don Segraves spoke on his concerns about
transfer of development rights (TDR). The county
recently held an meeting about TDRs.
Area volunteer opportunities available
The following are volunteer opportunities in
Jackson County and the surrounding area:
•BJC Medical Center Auxiliary needs volunteers.
For more information, call 706-335-1199.
•Civil Air Patrol: cadets, ages sixth grade through
18 years old participate in search and rescue mis
sions and learn how to fly airplanes, senior mem
bers teach cadets and students at middle and high
schools and can also work with emergency services,
contact Maj. Michael Howington, 706-367-1319.
•Foster homes for animals: to serve as a foster home
for animals up for adoption, call 706-654-5412.
•Community Food Bank: Sardis and Jefferson
Presbyterian churches, 706-367-3974.
•Humane Society of Jackson County: meetings
held the fourth Monday of each month at the
Jefferson Public Library.
•Jackson County Habitat for Humanity:
706-335-4083.
•Jackson County Health Department: assis
tance with special events and youth assistance
for the department’s youth advisory program,
706-367-5204.
•The Ark of Jackson County: A mission designed
to help Jackson County residents who have had an
emergency loss of income with utilities, housing
and medications with $40 to $50 and by contact
ing other agencies. Open Monday, Wednesday and
Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. Contact 706-367-8365
for help or to volunteer. Volunteers have two days of
training and then interview “neighbors.”
•Yellow Ribbon Suicide Awareness and Prevention:
assistance with special events at local schools
and distributing informative materials throughout
the county, Patricia Brown, 706-335-9387 or pat-
tiB7355@aol.com.
•Adult learning center at Lanier Technical College
satellite campus, 706-335-1931.
•Gordon Street Center, Mother’s morning out,
706-367-2341.
•Hope Resource Center: crisis pregnancy support
center, 706-367-5304.
•Action: help package and distribute food to low-
income families and the elderly, 706-367-9599.
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