Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2A
THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2008
A Taste of Jackson County
VISITING BOOTHS
Claudius Thurmond (front), Jefferson, is shown visiting one of the booths at the
Taste of Jackson event Thursday evening in Commerce.
Reservoir within 13 feet of being full
By Mark Beardsley
THREE FEET more water
and a year's experience make a
lot of difference.
Although the area remains
mired in the worst drought in
state history, the angst about res
ervoir levels and water restric
tions is nowhere near what it was
just one year ago.
On Nov. 7, 2007, the Bear
Creek Reservoir was 12.78 feet
below full and officials spoke
in terms of the date at which the
regional reservoir would run dry.
Severe water restrictions were
in place among all four counties
and Jackson County was buying
600,000 gallons per day (gpd)
from Commerce to re-sell to
Jefferson, whose reservoir had
run dry.
On Nov. 7, 2008, the Bear
Creek Reservoir was 9.68 feet
below full, but no one is talk
ing about when the reservoir
might run dry. However, in early
October the four counties in
the Upper Oconee Basin Water
Authority all went back to the
level four water restrictions
imposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue
in 2007 but with little fanfare
compared to a year ago.
The area, if it has not accli
mated to living with a drought,
has at least quit fearing its con
sequences, thanks to a year of
experience.
“It’s having gone through this
last year,” said Eric Klerk, man
ager of the county water and
sewerage authority. “A lot of
people acclimated to it. People
are using less water. They’re
kind of in a mode of conserva
tion.”
Jackson County is withdraw
ing substantially more water
from the regional reservoir in
2008, however. A year earlier, it
was buying 600,000 gpd from
Commerce, mostly because it
was trying to conserve water
in the regional reservoir. The
authority eliminated exemptions
from the state-mandated water
restrictions, cutting off county
water used for grading, paving,
power washing or hydroseeding.
Overall use is about the same as
last year, Klerk said.
Embroiled in a dispute over its
allocation from the regional res
ervoir, this year the county water
and sewerage authority feels no
sense of urgency about water
levels at Bear Creek.
Likewise, whereas last year,
Gov. Sonny Perdue and officials
at the Environmental Protection
Division spoke frequently about
conserving water, that’s not the
case in 2008.
“It’s been very quiet with the
EPD and everybody,” confirmed
Klerk.
The regional authority sends
weekly “drought updates” to its
members, but Klerk said they
offer no projections about the
duration of water in the reservoir
and nothing about applying to
the EPD for another emergency
pumping permit.
“I haven’t gotten anything for
an Operations Committee meet
ing this month,” he added.
And while last year at this
time State Climatologist David
Stooksbury accurately predicted
the drought would continue, this
year he is not so certain. There is
even some hope that it is easing.
“We think we’re slowly com
ing out of drought, that we’re on
an upturn and slowly moving
out,” said Klerk. “We’re cau
tiously optimistic. That’s how I
see it, playing a little on the safe
side, of course.”
The authority’s projected bud
get for 2009 reflects that “safe”
approach. Its numbers are based
on the drought continuing and
possibly lower water sales—but
it does fund depreciation and
anticipate a net income.
In Commerce, the city reser
voir is full — compared to six
inches below full at this time last
year. Instead of the severe water
restrictions, city water customers
can still water their yards three
days a week.
Commerce appealed earlier
this year to be excluded from
the 61-county area subject to
Perdue’s mandated water restric
tions. The EPD consented, which
enabled the city to reinstate lawn
watering privileges.
Its reservoir has never reached
the point where the city’s drought
contingency plan would kick
in, a fact attributed to its large
drainage basin and a number of
springs in the lake that feed the
reservoir.
Sewer leaks found in downtown Jefferson
Lee St. to be closed two nights
BYANGELA GARY
TWO SEWER leaks have been discovered in
downtown Jefferson and Lee Street will be closed
two nights this week while repairs are made.
Jefferson public works director Jeff Killip said
the repairs will be made across from Jefferson Ford
and the Pendergrass House and in front of Mitchell
Hardware. Lee Street will be closed Wednesday
and Thursday nights this week at 9 p.m. The road
will reopen each morning.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at this week’s Jefferson City
Council meeting, the council:
•heard an update on the process to update the
city’s comprehensive plan.
•heard the October budget report from finance
director Amie Vaughan, who reported that all of
the departments except for recreation is operating
within budget.
•Killip gave an update on several road projects,
including Memorial Drive which has been paved
with funds from the Local Assistance Program and
Hog Mountain Road, where erosion control paper
work is being compiled by the county. Killip also
said progress is being made on the John B. Brooks
Road improvement project that is being funded
with a $500,000 grant.
•discussed filling three seats on the Jefferson
Historic Preservation Commission for Ralph
Brooks, Malcolm Campbell and Gerry Resciniti.
Action on this will be taken at the Nov. 24 meet
ing.
•discussed declaring “old, outdated computer
equipment” as surplus and selling it.
developing
leaders of
COMPETENCE
CONSCIENCE
COMPASSION
CONFIDENCE
and COURAGE
Monsignor Donovan
CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
FALL TOURS
Nov. 5th & 19th
p-in from 11:00am - 1:0(
590 Lavender Road • Athens, GA
706.433.0223 • www.mdchs.ore
Monsignor Donovan Catholic High School shall admit students of any race, color, sex. national and ethnic ungin to all the nghts. privileges, programs, and activities generally
accorded or made available to students. Monsignor Donovan Catholic High School shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality and ethnic origin in the administration
of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs. Monsagnor Donovan Catholic High School is an
independent Catholic school serving the families of northeast Georgia. MDCHS is not affiliated with the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
COMMERCE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Commerce Downtown Development Authority director Hasco Carver (left) and board
members Bob Sosebee and Tricia Massey are shown giving a City Lights totebag
with country star Bill Anderson’s photo on it to Annette Studivant of Jefferson.
i w* ■ " ! ’’i
AT COUNTY BOOTH
Commerce city manager Clarence Bryant stopped at the Jackson County booth
where county clerk Ericka Johnson (left) and Gail Saylors (center) greeted him.
No staff cuts planned for county schools
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
THE JACKSON County
School System will not be laying
off staff this school year, despite
concerns about a tight budget.
Superintendent Shannon
Adams addressed rumors
about possible staff cuts during
Thursday’s meeting of the board
of education.
“There is no possibility that
anybody in this school system
is going to be laid off this year,”
Adams said.
“The word has gotten out that
we’re going to reduce the force
this year. That is not the case.
(We) may not be able to make
the same commitment for next
year. But as far as this year is
concerned, I want to make it
very clear that there will be no
reductions in force in this school
system this year,” he added.
In other business, the Jackson
County Board of Education:
•learned that a state educa
tion committee didn’t overturn
a designation saying Jackson
County Comprehensive High
School failed to meet Adequate
Yearly Progress (AYP) due to its
graduation rate. Earlier, Adams
had said the district’s appeal of
the designation centered on the
fact that JCCHS’s graduation
rate included students from East
Jackson Comprehensive High
School, which opened in August
2007. EJCHS won’t officially
have a graduation rate until the
2010-2011 school year — when
the first freshmen complete four
years at the school.
•learned that the AdvancED
Quality Assurance Review
Team — also known as the
SACS (Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools) team
— gave its final report about
the school system following its
September visit. Adams said the
complete report is an expansion
of an initial report that was given
by the SACS team on Oct. 1.
•honored JCCHS, EJMS,
BES, MES and GSC for the high
number of students receiving
lunch at the schools during the
2005-2006 and2006-2007 school
years. The Georgia Department
of Education recently honored
the schools. Wanda Oliver, food
service director, also said the
number of students receiving
free or reduced meals at schools
has increased from 42 percent of
the district last year to 47 percent
this year. More students in the
West Jackson schools are now
applying for free and reduced
meals, while the East Jackson
schools have at least 50 percent
of their students participating in
the program, Oliver said.
BOE approves personnel changes
THE JACKSON County
Board of Education approved
the following personnel chang
es on Monday, Nov. 10:
NEW HIRES
Pam Comer, food service
assistant, KBMS; Karyn
Gunter, paraprofessional,
GSC; Linda Parsons, custodi
an, GSC; and Jamie Snelling,
custodian, JCCHS.
TRANSFERS
Rebecca Caudell, custodian,
MES (50 percent to 75 percent);
and Don Pinney, social studies
teacher, GSC (100 percent to 75
percent).
RESIGNATIONS
Michelle Hunter, gradua
tion coach, GSC (effective
11/10/08); Allison Llanos,
receptionist, EJCHS (effective
12/19/08); Dora Roberts, cus
todian, MES (75 percent); and
Freda Tiller, food service assis
tant, KBMS.
RETIREMENT
Raleigh Pastrick, health/PE
teacher, WJPS (effective end of
FY09).
www.commercechrvslerdodgeieep.com
COMMERCE
CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP
(706) 335-2800
NO HASSLE! NO HAGGLE!
' ALL REMAINING 2008 CHRYSLER DODGE ^
AND JEEP VEHICLES IN STOCK ONLY