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PAGE 2A
THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2009
Maysville council speaks out on
proposed beer/wine ordinance
BYANGELA GARY
ALL BUT one of the four
members of the Maysville City
Council declared Thursday
night that they will listen to
the majority of the people in
their district when voting on
whether beer and wine will be
allowed to be sold in the small
town that sits in both Jackson
and Banks counties. But the
mayor said he is opposed to
the issue and, if it was up to
him, the matter would not
move forward.
“If I had the choice to stop
it, it would stop tonight,”
Mayor Jerry Baker told the
crowd who attended a council
meeting Thursday night.
The Maysville City Council
is considering an ordinance
that would allow beer and
wine to be sold at restaurants
in the town. The council is
reportedly considering the
ordinance because a restau
rant owner requested it earlier
this year. Another resident of
the town is reportedly reno
vating a building to locate a
sports tavern and wants to be
able to offer beer and wine.
Last week's meeting was
held to discuss items on the
agenda for the upcoming Sept.
14 meeting. A town
resident, Melanie
Stancil, asked each
council member to
tell the crowd their
stand on the issue.
Mayor Baker spoke
first and said he
believes the majority
of the people in the
town are opposed to the pour
ing license.
“I think the majority of
people have said 'no' and I
would say ‘no,’” he said.
Councilman Clay Dorsey
said, “I listen to my con-
stituents...The majority are
against it.”
Councilman Rebecca
McNeely said, “If the majori
ty of my ward came to me and
said ‘no,' I would vote no.”
Councilman Stephen Lewis
said he “knows that the major
ity” of his ward is against the
issue, but he believes a public
hearing should be held by the
council.
Councilman Lynn Villyard
addressed questions about
whether she made comments
at her district hearing that she
supports the ordinance.
“I didn’t say I was in favor
of it,” she said. “I said I'm
not opposed to it...I
don’t know and
I’m not going to
make a decision just
because...”
A first reading on
the proposed beer
and wine ordinance
will be held when the
council meets at 7
p.m. on Monday, Sept. 14,
at the fire station. A work
session will be held at 6 p.m.
on Thursday, Sept. 10, at the
public library.
At the work session on Sept.
3, several people spoke in
opposition to the ordinance.
None of the approximately
40 citizens present spoke in
favor of the issue.
Councilman Villyard
brought up several issues that
she wants resolved before
a vote is taken, including
the additional costs the city
would incur if the ordinance
is approved, who would be
in charge in overseeing that
the regulations are being met;
and the percentage of alco
hol sales vs. food that would
be required. She agreed to
gather some of this informa
tion for the council’s review
before a vote is taken.
£
BAKER
Art in the Park coming up Sept. 19-20
THE 19TH annual Art in
the Park festival will be held
at Hurricane Shoals Park Sept.
19-20.
The booths will be open from
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday,
Sept. 19, and from 12:30 p.m.
to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept.
20. Entertainment, conces
sions and youth activities will
also be offered both days.
The 5-K Mill Race will be
held at 3 p.m. on Sunday. A
one-mile fun run or walk will
take place at 2:30 p.m. For
more information on either
race, call Keith Ariail at 706-
335-5519.
For more information, go
to www.hurricaneshoalspark.
org.
PcndcrgmSS continued from 1A
“In a letter dated August
26, 2009, (I) asked the
Administrative Office of the
Courts of Georgia to conduct
an audit/investigation into
the procedures and actions
of the Municipal Court of
Pendergrass in order to restore
public confidence in the Courts
and to bring closure to this
issue,” said Smith in the news
release Friday.
The release also said that
allegations concerning the mis
use of SPLOST money “would
not be a violation of Georgia
law that is subject to criminal
sanctions.”
“It could not be investigated
or prosecuted by the GBI or
District Attorney's Office,”
Smith said. “The legal rem
edy for any alleged misuse of
SPLOST revenue would be a
civil lawsuit, which the District
Attorney's Office would not
have standing to execute.”
The release also said the
GBI investigation into the pos
sible misuse of city funds is
ongoing.
“It is unclear at this time
how long this investigation
will take,” said Smith. “Due
to legal and ethical require
ments, the GBI and District
Attorney’s Office cannot com
ment on an ongoing criminal
investigation; however, the
results of this investigation
will be revealed at the appro
priate legal and ethical time.”
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9j
Veterans monument planned in Nicholson
VETERANS MEMORIAL PLANNED
The Nicholson City Council and residents turned out
on Thursday to hear a presentation by Joe Bennett
(second from left), architect, Elberton, on the proposed
granite Veterans monument. The monument will be
placed in front of the community center. Bennett will
have the proposal ready for the council to consider at a
meeting set for 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 14, at the com
munity center. Photo by Sharon Hogan
BY SHARON HOGAN
NICHOLSON leaders are
planning to locate a veter
an’s monument in the town.
The Nicholson City
Council held a called meet
ing on Thursday, Sept. 3,
to meet with architect Joe
Bennett, Elberton, on the
planned monument.
The council is considering
a granite monument with an
eagle on top. The monument
will be placed in front of the
community center.
Bennett brought samples
of the granite for the council
to choose the base.
Bennett will present the
cost to the council for con
sideration at a meeting set
for 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept.
14, at the community cen
ter.
Nicholson Mayor Ronnie
Maxwell nominated a com
mittee to help with the mon
ument construction. Walter
Barnett, Margaret Ward,
Gail Moore, Brenda Fouche
and Doug Luthi will serve
on this committee.
Barnett said, “I will vol
unteer all my time on this
and maybe Chuck (Wheeler)
and some others might want
to volunteer their time.”
Maxwell stated Fouche
proposed the idea of a mon
ument in front of Benton
Elementary School aboul
four years ago.
“It was moved to the from
of the community center,’
Maxwell said.
Lawsuit continued from lA
other city officials do not
intend to follow the law regard
ing open meetings or open
records. The Mayor said as
much last week when he said
he’d do ‘what the hell I want
to do’ regarding Pendergrass’
government. In light of such
open defiance of the law, we
have no choice but to pursue a
legal remedy in the courts.”
The suit is filed against the
city and against the mayor and
individual city council mem
bers.
According to Georgia law,
all government meetings
at which a quorum will be
present must be announced
in advance. No announcement
was given for last week’s
meeting and Mayor Tolbert
repeatedly denied the meeting
was illegal.
“All we’re asking the court
to do here is to instruct City
of Pendergrass officials to just
follow the law on open govern
ment and do what they’re sup
posed to do,” said Buffington.
The Herald is represented by
the Mike Bowers lawfirm of
Balch & Bingham of Atlanta.
Election continued from JA
Richardson Jr.): Bill Greene,
Peggy B. Slappey and Jeremy
Kenneth Britt qualified.
As for the Council District
4 seat, incumbent Dudley Ray
was the only one to qualify.
HOSCHTON
In the Council Post 1 seat
(currently held by Richard
Green), Sandie Romer was
the only one to qualify.
In the Council Post 2 seat
(currently held by Jim Jester),
Jim Higginbottom was the
only one to qualify.
In the Council Post 3
seat (currently held by John
Schulte), Jim Cleveland was
the only one to qualify.
COMMERCE
In Commerce, Keith
Burchett and Sammy
Thomason qualified for
mayor pro tern.
Ward 1 incubment Archie
D. Chaney was the only one
to qualify for his seat.
In Ward 2, Darren Owensby
and incumbent Donald
Wilson, qualified.
In the District 1 school
board race, incumbent Arthur
Lee Pattman and Keelan
Cashanna Rucker qualified.
In the District 2 school
board seat, incumbent Mary
Seabolt and Robbie Barnett
qualified.
TALMO
In Talmo, the incumbents
were the only ones to quali
fy for the three positions up
for re-election. Larry Wood
currently serves as mayor
and Jill Miller and Michael
“Trapper” Brissey currently
hold the two at-large council
positions.
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