Newspaper Page Text
THE
ACKSON
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H Wednesday, July 8, 2009
ERALD
www.JacksonHeraldTODAY.com
VOL. 133 NO. 47 46 PACES 4 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 50« COPY
•Olympic hopeful
can't practice at Bear
Creek page 2A
Joiner to seek re-election
JIM JOINER has announced
that he plans to seek re-election
as mayor of Jefferson.
“I feel that I offer the leader
ship Jefferson needs at this point
because of the many projects that
we have working,” he said. ‘Two
examples are the streetscape proj
ect and the Parks Creek Reservoir.
Also, I am continually working
with the chamber of commerce
on economic development as we
have commercial and industrial prospects
interested in locating in Jefferson. Working
JOINER
with these prospects is one of the
things that I really enjoy. It's a
great feeling to get new industry
here not only because of the tax
base, but also the job creation.
Jefferson will continue to grow.
It will grow whether we want it
to or not.
“Therefore, we have to be
prepared to accommodate this
growth by providing adequate
infrastructure, such as water,
sewer and roads. Since I have been mayor,
we have established our own planning
department to give the city the control that
is needed to ensure that we have quality
growth. I have the vision to lead Jefferson
into the future to ensure that we have a
city that all of us can be proud of.”
Joiner also said he has the time needed
to devote to the job.
“I have a great working relationship
with the chamber, the county officials
and other city officials,” he said. “Being
retired, I have the time to devote my full
energy to the City of Jefferson - a city
that I have loved since we moved here 30
years ago. I want Jefferson to be a place
where people live and have the quality
of life that we can all say this is a great
place to live, work and play. The City of
Jefferson has a school system that is one
of the top-rated in the state of Georgia.
Since I have been mayor, we have estab
lished a recreation department that is the
envy of any city in the state of Georgia.
Also, we have developed a civic center
that was much needed by our community
and this is evidenced by the amount of
use we have there on a weekly basis.
continued on page 3A
•Nicholson is county's
fastest growing town
page 2A
Op/Ed:
•'County should hold
off on airport hirings'
page 4A
Sports:
•Sea Dragons net sev
eral firsts page IB
Features:
•Jefferson farmers'
market in full swing
page 1C
Other News:
•School News
pages 3B, 8 B
•Public Safety
pages 6-8A
•Legals
pages 8-28C
•Church News
page 9A
•Obituaries
pages 4-5B
READY FOR THE FIREWORKS
Mason Cade, 3, was ready for the fireworks Saturday night in Nicholson. He had
a good viewing spot on the shoulders of his Dad, Adam. See page 8B for more
photos. Photo by Angela Gary
BOC to vote on historic
courthouse projects
Clock, interior work on agenda
BYANGELA GARY
RESTORATION of the clock
and the interior of the historic
courthouse will be on the agen
da when the Jackson County
Board of Commissioners meet
on July 20.
At a work session Monday
night, Charlotte Mealor pre
sented the requests on behalf
of the historic courthouse
committee. The clock restora
tion contract is for $47,000 to
Classic Clocks of Atlanta.
The contract for the inte
rior restoration design is for
$250,000 and is with Barker
Cunningham Barrington
Architects.
The renovations are being
funded with $2 million in
bonds approved earlier for the
project.
The committee is also asking
for approval to proceed with a
fund-raising effort to help get
additional finances for the res
toration. The committee wants
to raise an additional $1.5 mil
lion from donors. The BOC
will also vote on this request at
the July 20 meeting.
On another matter related to
the project, the BOC will vote
on a request from the commit
tee to apply for a $150,000
Appalachian Regional
Commission grant.
OTHER BUSINESS
Other items discussed at this
week's work session that will
be on the agenda at the July
20 BOC meeting include the
following:
•a request from county rec
reation director Rick Sanders
to lease 10.2 acres adjacent to
CLOCK WORK
Restoration of the clock
at the historic Jackson
County courthouse is
next on the list, along
with interior work, for
the renovation project
ongoing at the down
town Jefferson building.
West Jackson Primary School.
“The West Jackson area is
lacking in recreation facili
ties,” he said. “...We feel we
can improve this property and
improve our recreation servic
es to this part of the county...
This will be a great asset to our
department. It will be a very
cost effective way to move
forward to provide recreation
services.”
•a request from Sheila and
Darrell Jackson to move a
1994 manufactured home at
737 Antioch Church Road
to property they own on Old
Kings Bridge Road.
•a request from the City of
Pendergrass to rename a por
tion of Old Gainesville Hwy.
to Glenn Abby Lane.
•a request to create a 2010
continued on page 3A
Airport asks
for two staff
members
BYANGELA GARY
THE JACKSON County
Board of Commissioners heard
a request from airport mana
ger Bob Stapleton to create
two new staff positions at the
airport at a cost of $90,000
to the county for salaries and
benefits.
Stapleton said the expansion
at the airport will create the
need for the additional staff —
an airport program specialist
and airport lineman.
“The airport has been a one-
man operation for some time,”
he said. He added that the air
port authority considered hiring
two people, or contracting with
a fixed base operator.
“We have explored both of
those options,” he said. “The
authority is of the opinion we
would have more control if we
do it ourselves. It would also be
more economically feasible.”
He added that $15 million
planes would be coming to the
airport after the expansion pro
ject is complete.
“We are talking about some
high dollar airplanes that will
be coming into our commu
nity,” he said. “There will be
corporate pilots and CEOs. You
need someone who can antici
pate desires and have it there.
You only get one chance at that
level. If they come to your air
port and the service is not there,
they will not come back.”
Stapleton also asked for a
change order for the runway
extension project at a cost
of $55,000 to Ace Grading
Company.
Qualifying ahead
for town elections
QUALIFYING WILL be
held this summer for town
elections slated for November.
The general election for
council seats up for grabs in
Arcade, Braselton, Commerce,
Hoschton, Jefferson, Maysville,
Nicholson and Talmo will be
held on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The City of Pendergrass will
not hold an election this year.
The next election is slated for
2010.
ARCADE
In Arcade, the election will be
held to fill the seat of mayor and
five council seats. Doug Haynie
currently serves as mayor and
the council seats are now held
by Dean Bentley, Cindy Bone,
Tom Hays, Polly Davis and
Ron Smith.
The qualifying fee for the
mayor's position is $156 and
the fee for each council seat
is $36. The city council will
vote on the dates and times for
qualifying when it meets on
July 13. Qualifying will be held
at city hall.
BRASELTON
In Braselton, the election will
be held to fill the seat of mayor
and council members District
2 and District 4. The mayor's
position is currendy held by Pat
Graham. The District 2 council
member is Ralph Richardson
Jr. and Dudley Ray holds the
District 4 position.
The qualifying fee for the
mayor's position is $156 and
$36 for each council seat.
Qualifying will be held from
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily
on Monday, Aug. 31, through
Wednesday, Sept. 2, at city
hall.
COMMERCE
The City of Commerce will
hold its election to fill the seat
of mayor pro tem, council seats
for Ward 1 and Ward 2 and
school board seats for District 1
and District 2. The seats up for
election are currently held by
Dusty Slater, Archie Chaney,
Donald Wilson, Arthur Lee
Pattman and Mary Seabolt,
respectively.
The qualifying fee for mayor
pro tem is $90, each council
seat is $81 and each school
board seat is $88. Qualifying
will be held from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 31,
through Wednesday, Sept. 2, at
city hall.
The last day to register to
vote in the November election
is October 5.
HOSCHTON
The mayor's seat and three
council posts will be on the
November ballot in Hoschton.
Those currently holding the seats
are: Mayor Bill Copenhaver,
council seat Post 1 Richard
Green, council seat Post 2 Jim
Jester and council seat Post 3
held by John Schulte.
The qualifying fee for mayor
and each council seat is $11
each. Qualifying will be held
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
daily on Monday, Aug. 31,
through Wednesday, Sept. 2, at
city hall.
JEFFERSON
In Jefferson, the mayor's seat,
two council seats, the position
of school board chairman and
two school board seats will be
up for election in November.
The positions are currently held
by Jim Joiner, mayor; David
Vamadoe and Bosie Griffith,
councilmen; and Damon
Wilbanks and Derrell Crowe,
BOE members.
The qualifying fees are as
follows: mayor, $216; council
members, $75; school board
chairman, $54; and school board
members, $36. Qualifying
will be held from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 31,
through Wednesday, Sept. 2, at
city hall.
continued on page 3A
Qualifying dates set for
Commerce special election
QUALIFYING WILL be held in August for a special election
on September 15 in Commerce.
The special election will be held to fill the Ward 4 council seat
for the unexpired term of Bob Sosebee. Sosebee resigned earlier
this year. The term is set to end in 2011.
The qualifying fee for the council seat is $81. Qualifying will
be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday,
Aug. 10 and 11, and from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Aug.
12, at city hall.
The last day to register to vote in the September election is
August 17.
County issues Fi Fas
THE JACKSON County government has issued Fi Fa’s for
a little over $500,000 in back taxes. August 4 and 5 are set
as the sale dates for the county to auction off the property to
collect the past due taxes.
Most of the past due taxes are for 2007 and 2008, although
a few tracts go back as far as 2005.
The list of Fi Fa's is being published in the Public Notices
section of this week’s newspaper.