Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 132 NO. 34 46 PAGES 5 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 50« COPY
— Inside —
Area news:
•District
attorney to
clear backlog
of more than
900 cases
page 2A
•Supreme Court rules for
Agri-Cycle to remain closed
page 2A
Op/Ed:
•'Rec bond OK would help
plan for growth'
page 4A
Sports:
•Jackson County takes win
at Redskin Rumble
page 1B
Features:
•Plans in the works for
CWL Museum overhaul
page 1C
•Q&A with Jackson
County's top teachers
pages 10A 8tl2B
Other News:
•School News
pages 8-12B
•Public Safety
pages 7-8A
•Legals
pages 8-2 OC
•Church News
pages 6-7B
•Obituaries
page 9A
Sunday pouring, recreation on ballot
Presidential primary also on Tuesday’s ballot
What would a $15 million
recreation bond fund?
— see page 3A for more details
WHILE THE rest of the nation
is focusing on next week’s “Super
Tuesday” voting impact on the presi
dential races, Jackson County voters
are also looking at two key local ref-
erendums.
On Tuesday, Jackson County voters
will decide the fate of a $15 million
bond referendum to expand the coun
ty’s recreation facilities and voters will
also determine if alcoholic beverages
can be poured on Sundays in unincor
porated areas of Jackson County.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m.
to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Advance voting
will continue through Friday of this
week. Advance voting will be in the
Administrative Building in Jefferson.
Hours are from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
RECREATION BONDS
Among the projects to be funded
from the proposed recreation bonds
would be a county-wide recreation cen
ter, land for more parks and improve
ments at current facilities. Recreation
director Rick Sanders said the facility
plans were developed by a citizens’
committee.
“If we can get this done, that will get
us in good shape for the next 15 to 20
years,” Sanders said.
The projects would start soon after
the bond approval and would be com
pleted in 24 to 36 months. If the bonds
are approved, recreation staff estimates
that the average cost to a property
owner with a home valued at $150,000
continued on page 3A
More election news
• Presidential candidates listed
• Photo ID required for
advance voting
— see page 3A
Williams set to be Arcade s new police chief
ARCADE ACTING police chief Randy Williams will be named
as the town’s new police chief, according to a news release from
the city.
Williams, who has been acting chief following the departure of
Dennis Bell, was one of over a dozen candidates for the job. Mayor
Doug Haynie said the city council would act on his nomination of
Williams for chief at the council’s Feb. 11 meeting.
According to the news release, all the other candidates for the job
have withdrawn their names and no information about the candi
dates would be released.
An old rival defeated
ONE MORE TIME
Jefferson’s Tab Martin (L) defends against a Commerce drive during Friday night’s contest between the
Dragons and the Tigers. Jefferson defeated Commerce 56-41. Photo by Brandon Reed
Jefferson tables church rezoning
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
AN ANSWER FOR a Jefferson church’s
proposed zoning change will come another
day, the city council decided on Monday
night.
The Jefferson City Council voted to table
three linking zoning requests from First
Baptist Church of Jefferson until next month.
Council member Bosie Griffith made the
motion to table the requests for a month,
which was seconded by C.D. Kidd HI. Mayor
Jim Joiner said postponing a vote on the
requests would allow the applicant and the
church to reach an agreement.
Cary Hilliard, pastor of First Baptist
Church, said it’s possible for those favoring
and opposing the zoning requests to find com-
Council member
Bosie Griffith
moved to table a
rezoning request
for Jefferson First
Baptist Church.
mon ground on the proposals.
“I think it’s important for a church, such as ours, and its neigh
bors to strive to have a dialog, even when the issues are not simple
to deal with,” he said.
The zoning requests center on the church’s food bank, which is
operated in a house on College Street, located behind the church.
Jefferson’s zoning regulations prohibit the use in a residential zon
ing district.
First Baptist Church is asking to rezone 0.40 acres from R-4
(Medium-High Density Residential) to O-I (Office-Institutional).
The church is also asking for a variance to reduce the minimum site
acre to rezone to the O-I from 0.5 acre to 0.4 acre. A third request
from the church is for a conditional use permit to allow a food
bank (crisis center) in the O-I district. Nick Bledsoe has presented
the requests on behalf of the church. In December, the Quad Cities
Planning Commission recommended approval of the church’s
requests. continued on page 3A
Commissioners
meet in Macon
BY ANGELA GARY
THE POSSIBILITY of Jet Blue locating a maintenance facil
ity at the Jackson County airport, improvements in operation
of the emergency services department and a planned employee
evaluation were among the reports
given by county manager Darrell
Hampton Monday night during the
first day of a Jackson County Board
of Commissioners retreat in Macon.
The BOC met all day Tuesday and
was slated to meet for three hours on
Wednesday.
During the two-hour meeting on
Monday afternoon, Hampton gave an
update on several county departments
since he took over as county manager
several months ago.
As for the county airport, Hampton
said several plans have been discussed
for the facility after the 5,000 foot run
way expansion is completed. He said
this includes the possibility of Jet Blue
locating a maintenance facility at the
airport and a major corporation housing
a jet at the airport.
Hampton also reported on the building and grounds depart
ment, which he said has become more “self-reliant” in the past
few months. He said a heating and air conditioning tech position
has been added.
“The staff is doing a lot of work in-house,” he said. “We are
being more proactive. We are also working on maintaining our
buildings in a more cost effective way.”
continued on page 2A
More from the BOC retreat
Transfer station, recycling
moved to ‘front burner ’
BY ANGELA GARY
PLANS FOR A county recycling center and development of the
transfer station will move forward following support for the proj
ects by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners Tuesday.
During its three-day retreat in Macon, the BOC heard from staff
members how there had been discussion for several years about
conditions at the transfer station, but no action had been taken. The
BOC agreed to move the project to the “front burner.”
County manager Darrell Hampton and finance director John
Hulsey plan to meet with solid waste manager Tom Page to develop
a plan for a recycling center and the transfer station. Their recom
mendation will be presented to the BOC in April.
Hampton said the recycling center would be a benefit to the
county.
“It may not make money, but it keeps those items out of the
landfill and it is beneficial,” he said.
The board had looked into opening a C&D landfill to handle
debris from construction sites, but those plans are no longer in the
works.
Retreat results: More meetings
BY ANGELA GARY
IS JACKSON COUNTY ready to move
forward on implementing impact fees? Is the
county ready for the impending update of the
county comprehensive plan?
These were among the major topics men
tioned at a three-day board of commissioners'
retreat in Macon this week. However, no deci
sions or specific plans were made on impact
fees, or the comprehensive plan update.
But the BOC did agree to hold more meetings to discuss these
issues again. Another retreat will be set up, likely in March, to
discuss the comprehensive plan update. A “work session” meeting
continued on page 3A
First BOC
meeting each
month to be
for a “work
session.”
—see page 3 A
County manager
Darrell Hampton
provided project
updates Monday.