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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2008
Chamber of commerce names 2009 officers
Mitsdarffer to serve as chair
By Mark Beardsley
STARTING JAN.
1, the 535-member
Jackson County Area
Chamber of Commerce
will be under new man
agement.
The chamber’s board
of directors affirmed the
election of new officers
and a host of new direc
tors for 2009 last Friday.
Gina Mitsdarffer, owner of
the Coffee Philter in Jefferson,
will succeed Jackson EMC's
Roy Stowe as chairman. Sam
McDuffie of First Georgia
Banking Co. will be first vice
chairman, Shade Story of
Community Bank & Trust will
be second vice-chairman and
secretary; and Keith Johnson
of Jackson EMC will serve as
treasurer.
Directors elected by members
and confirmed Friday include
Larry Cole, Mark Valentine,
Vic Abbott, Ronnie Hopkins,
Roxane Rose, Jim Shaw, Emily
Howell, Matt Benson, Keith
Ariail, Steve Schingler, John
Buchanan, David
Lathem, Sean Childres
and Cindy Phillips.
The board also con
firmed the appoint
ment by Mitsdarffer
of Brad Williams,
Howard Ledford and
Jim Yarborough to the
board.
The number of direc
tors elected was higher than nor
mal this year due to a decision
earlier to expand the board by
six persons.
TIGHT BUDGET
The new officials will oper
ate in a tough economy on a
slimmed-down budget.
President Shane Short gave
the board its first look at the
proposed budget for the upcom
ing year.
The document, which will be
approved (or changed) at the
December meeting, projects
almost $467,000 of income and
$432,000 in expenses, result
ing in net income for the year
of almost $35,000. Projected
income is down $53,566 from
MITSDARFFER
the current budget and expenses
are projected be cut by $88,580.
The income figure is subject to
change.
“At the end of January, we are
going to have a pretty good idea
of where revenue is going to
be,” said Short, referring to the
large percentage of membership
fees that are billed in January.
“If we are off significantly in
membership, you’ll see this bud
get again in February and we’ll
make adjustments.”
Asked if she found the bud
get appropriate, Mitsdarffer. the
incoming chairman, confirmed
that she did.
“The first quarter or second
quarter, if we need to revise the
budget, we’ll do that,” she said.
Major changes in the budget
include “freezing” the position
of vice president for economic
development, cutting a recep
tionist’s position from full-time
to part-time, a $16,000 reduction
in Economic Development Fund
money and a $2,947 increase in
property taxes.
Short will assume the duties
that an economic development
vice president would have han
dled.
“The economy is not going
to pick up and run in ’09,” he
explained. “Projects are down; I
don’t see that changing in ’09.”
Nonetheless, Short promised,
“When we get a project in, it
takes top priority.”
On that subject, Short
announced that three new pros
pects are considering locating
in Jackson County. The largest
would invest $15 to $20 million
and employ 90-140 people. A
second project requires 250,000
to 500,000 square feet of space
and rail access, while the third is
a distribution center that would
employ 20-35 people, pay $20
per hour, require 450,000 to
600,000 square feet and involve
a lot of heavy truck traffic.
Short pointed out that while
the chamber gets inquiries from
and responds to prospects, often
that’s the last they hear.
“Once we respond, the com
panies aren’t doing anything,” he
complained.
Several larger industrial proj
ects remain “active” in that they
have put off decisions until 2009,
Short said.
Nicholson Water Authority to seek grant, loan
By Brandon Reed
THE NICHOLSON Water Authority
is hoping to soon be approved for a
$500,000 grant, as well as a zero-interest
$500,000 loan to finish projects and take
care of other items in the system.
The authority members voted last
Tuesday night to approve the beginning
of paperwork on the grant and loan from
GEFA. According to NWA office man-
Runoff election
ahead Dec. 2
THREE STATE seats will be
on the ballot in the special elec
tion on Tuesday, Dec. 2. Voters
will have three seats to decide:
•United States Senate: Saxby
Chambliss (R) and Jim Martin
(D).
•Public Service Commission:
Lauren “Bubba” McDonald (R)
and Jim Powell (D).
•Court of Appeals Judge: Sara
Doyle and Mike Sheffield, both
non-partisan.
Polls will be open on Dec. 2
from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
ager Ginger Dempsey, the funds would
be used to finish upgrading the two-inch
water pipes in the city, as well as to
loop some dead end lines. The author
ity is also looking into using the funds
to either demolish or refurbish their
75-thousand gallon water tank, drilling
a new well for the system, and installing
radio meters throughout the system.
Also at last week’s meeting, the
authority;
•approved closing two bank accounts
and to add board chairman Tully
Westmoreland to all the accounts.
•approved a change on the mileage
rate for the NWA, making it contiguous
with the state rate.
•approved putting a blow-off valve on
one of the dead end lines on Cabin Creek
Road to prevent air in the lines.
No one attends Nicholson public hearing
BY SHARON HOGAN
IF THE number of Nicholson residents
attending a public hearing on Thursday night
indicates the number of questions about the
town’s new rezoning and appeals procedures,
it would indicate there is little concern.
There were no city residents at the hearing
to speak on the matter.
The Nicholson City Council held its month
ly work session meeting immediately follow
ing the public hearing, but Mayor Ronnie
Maxwell said there were no items on the
agenda for the work session.
Maxwell said the monthly council meet
ing at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1, should be
short. The council will have its second reading
to codify city ordinances into chapters and
codes, the rezoning and appeals procedures to
be used and the naming of the street going to
the new East Jackson Park as Park Avenue at
the meeting.
Maxwell announced the city’s annual tree
lighting event set for 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec.
6, and the employee Christmas dinner set for
6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11, at the Nicholson
Community Center.
www.JacksonHeralclTODAY.com
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Closed bank not affiliated
with firm with similar name
THE COMMUNITY B ank
in Loganville closed last
week by the state and taken
over by the FDIC was not
affiliated with Community
Bank & Trust of Cornelia,
which has branches in
Jackson, Barrow, Banks,
Habersham and other North
Georgia communities.
According to a recent
news release from
Community Bank & Trust,
the firm continues to be
strong during the current
economic downturn.
“Community Bank &
Trust is 108 years old. It
continues to be well capi
talized, has substantial
reserves for any loan losses
that may occur,” said the
release.
“In recent months there
has been some confusion
about Community Bank &
Trust and The Community
Bank of Loganville,” said
Elton Collins, Jackson
County Division President
of CB&T. “It’s important
for everyone to understand
that The Community Bank
of Loganville is not part of
our family of companies;
however, we certainly hate
to see any bank fail.
“In these difficult eco
nomic times all financial
institutions are affected
when one suffers.”
The failed Community
Bank in Loganville had
its deposit accounts trans
ferred to Bank of Essex
out of Virginia. It is report
edly the 20th bank in the
nation taken over this year
by the FDIC and the third
in Georgia.
The failed bank had a
low single-star rating by
Bankrate.com which tracks
banking performance.
Community Bank & Trust
of Cornelia has a three-star
rating by Bankrate.com.
• ••
Habersham Bankcorp,
owner of Habersham
Bank headquartered in
Clarkesville, announced
last week it would be sus
pending its regular dividend
to shareholders to conserve
cash. The bank has branch
es in Braselton, Baldwin,
Flowery Branch and other
towns in North Georgia.
The firm has a single-star
rating by Bankrate.com.
• ••
Independence Bank of
Georgia opened last week
in Braselton. The bank is
located in the Mulberry Park
business center on Hwy.
211. The bank received its
charter notification on Oct.
15.
Christmas party planned
set at Maysville library
A COMMUNITY Christmas party will be held at the next
Maysville Friends of the Library meeting.
It will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at the Maysville
Public Library.
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