Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2009
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 5A
And everybody said, “Don’t quit!”
WHEN YOU think about
quitting, giving up, throw
ing in the towel, have you
noticed that somebody, for
some reason, comes along
with encouragement and
advice? It takes many forms,
but usually - when all is said
and done - it boils down to
this: “Don’t quit!”
Back in April, when I dis
covered I had a malignant
kidney and was facing major
surgery, I wasn't sure I'd
ever write another column.
I shared those feelings with
you on April 22. That's the
day I turned off the word
processor. For 66 days,
until July 29, I typed nary
a word. I didn’t do anything
- nothing, zilch. I didn’t
eat, lost 20 pounds, and just
lay around feeling sorry for
myself. I was miserable and
made everyone around me
miserable.
On April 29, Mike was
kind enough to run a short
note in which I expressed
my down-in-the-dumps feel
ings at the time: “I may
or may not resume writing
stuff in the future. Doesn’t
matter - there is plenty of
other stuff out there. Read
it. Watch it. Listen to it.
Discuss it. Be prepared to
make your contribution...”
One thing bothered me:
That was not my stuff out
there, and I wasn’t making
a contribution to anything
or anybody. I was helpless,
hopeless and worthless.
I couldn’t
remember a time
when I was not
writing something.
Thanks to my
Mama, I was play
ing around with
words even before I
entered first grade.
And so on July
29,1 decided to set
foot on the jour
ney again. Still, I
was not quite comfortable,
and the following week, on
August 5, I expressed some
doubt. I asked, “Why do I
do this? Why, at age 86, do I
keep on writing this stuff?”
I remembered what my
young friend, Jim Bryan,
told me many years ago.
While painting my por
trait, making me look a lot
like Ernest Hemingway,
he remarked, “I cannot not
paint.”
Whether I felt like it or
not, and even if the inspi
ration was not upon me, I
knew I had to write. Or, at
least, try. And so, here I am,
on September 9, still trying.
You, dear friend, are the
main reason I’m back. You
are reading this. That’s the
greatest reward and the best
encouragement this old
would-be-writer - any writ
er - could ever hope for.
Several of you said you
missed me. Two or three
even put their concerns in
writing. There was this from
John McDuffie, a faithful
reader who lives on
Kings Bridge Road:
“Dear Mr. Adams.
“You have an
acute awareness
of your surround
ings and are blessed
with the ability to
express and share it
with others in such a
way that we feel we
are there with you. I
just know your mind
is racing to put all of your
experiences on paper. I can
hardly wait to hear from you
again...
“I pray your recovery is
going well. The Creator still
has things for you to do.”
Some of you may think
my sharing Mr. McDuffie’s
letter shows complete lack
of humbleness on my part.
So be it.
I’ve never met the man.
But I’ll tell you one thing:
He’s my friend...and is
one of the reasons this old
columnist has been resur
rected.
“Don’t quit!”
An old friend whom I
have met, but haven’t seen
in more than 30 years, said
the same thing - just in a
little different way:
“What are you talking
about, hon, hanging it up at
86? You could - and can -
write circles around younger
and questionably smarter
writers. They aren't.
“I am 89 and love writ
ing as you do. I do four
columns, an editorial; cover
the BOC, water, appraisals
code, etc, etc.
“Like hamburger, I can
grind it out - pretty fair,
very good!
“So can you.
“I always read your column
among the many exchang
es. I write an ‘Around the
Region’ piece - and have
been fascinated with your
sheriff and tax appraisers.
“Under separate cover,
I'll send you a copy of my
paper.
“You needn't write regard
ing this letter. I've lived
in fame and plan on going
down in flames like a Flying
Fortress.”
The letter was signed
“Your sister in Arms, Vinnie
Williams, owner/publisher
of The Oconee Enterprise.’'
That's my old friend
Vinnie, all right; still going
strong at 89. She's one of
the reasons I'm still trying
at 86.
“Don’t quit!”
Somebody, somewhere, is
telling someone out there
the same thing. “Don’t
quit!” Here's hoping they
are listening. Believe me, it
is better than doing nothing.
During 66 days from April
22 to July 29, I learned
that doing nothing is the
worst, most boring job in
the world.
Virgil Adams is the former
owner/editor of The Jackson
Herald.
Jefferson BOE approves personnel items in August
BY SHARON HOGAN
THE JEFFERSON Board
of Education approved the
following list of personnel
items at its August meeting;
•release from contracts:
Katie Bradshaw, Jefferson
Elementary School (JES)
teacher; and Ron Hopkins
Jr., Jefferson Middle School
(JMS) teacher.
•transfer: Becky Cook from
.5 JES teacher to full time
JES teacher.
•employment: Jenny
Grogan, .5 JES teacher; Stacy
Anderson, JMS teacher; Susie
Bryan, central office clerical;
Stacey Phillips, .5 Jefferson
Academy (JA) paraprofes-
sional; and Bob Stites, cross
ing guard.
•JES student plus workers:
Carly Chandler and Amelia
Blair.
•substitute crossing guard:
Shirley Jamison.
•community coaches: Brian
Holcomb, JMS football;
Keith Ramey, JMS football;
Montrae Riley, JMS football;
Kyle Sexton, Jefferson High
School (JHS) baseball; and
Sara Mixon, JMS volleyball.
•substitute teachers: Tricia
Bartoletta, Sarah Bell,
Kelly Branson, Jennifer
Gibson, Lori Gunter, Amy
Hill, Camilla Moore, Apryl
Patterson, Dawn Parks,
Barbara Paul, Kelli Porter,
Savannah Porter, Judith
Reynolds, John W. Rieken,
Carol Ann Scavetto, Cheri
Singleton, Amy Wells, Susan
Whitfield, Jerome Ahern, Julie
Ballman, Stefanie Berger,
Connie Bohanan, Zeb Bost,
Darryl Bradley, John Cofer,
Robert Conner, Jeri Cook,
Richard Crosby, Jose Cruz,
David Esary, Bill Gibson,
Keith Gilbert, Jeff Gregory,
Glynis Habeck, Kristen Hill,
Heather Hoch, Mike Hudman,
Michele Malone, John Moak,
Wayne Moncrief, Daniel
Mygrant, Eric Nicholas,
Beth Pendleton, Kelli Poff,
Thomas Schuman, Richard
Torrey, Stephen Tully,
Shannon Webster, James
Wheeler, Lydia Wright,
Marcia Allen, Lori Bartek,
Selena Bowles, Tina Coco,
Amy DelToro, Barry Gardner,
Michael Guillemette, Cecilia
Johnson, Cindy Johnson,
Jennifer Johnson, Ja'Nina
Jones, Liddell Kirk, Barbara
Kobe, Allison McEver, Carol
Moon, Marlene Murphy,
Heather Parker, Shelsey
Potts, Jeffery Riley, Rusty
Wood, Robert Yates, Daphne
Aponte, Wanda Arnold, Gina
Bragg, Krista Bruce, Sandra
Caldwell, Paul Ceparano,
Yvonne Ceparano, Jane
Crabb, Julie Delaney, Amber
Digby, Melissa Dooley, Dusty
Edmisten, Amy England,
Shirley Finch, Stacey Forrest,
Laura Fuller, Mary King,
Sarah Lee, Jacque Marlowe,
Tammy McKinney, Courtney
Nix, Windy Patrick, Shannon
Petering, Amy Phaturos, Jeff
Philabaum, Kayla Pressley,
Jamie Pruitt, Elizabeth
Radford, Karen Roberts,
Betty Shelton, Brenda
Swaim, Shirley Billman,
Christy Brarford, Samantha
Loggins, Patricia Mack and
Ronda Pelham.
•substitute cafeteria work
ers: Maritza Torres, Christy
Mize, Dawn Lewis, Laura
Carter, Gail Martin, Cheryl
Kitchens, Daphne Aponte,
Ginger Shumake, Gera
Fordham, Aimee Rogers,
Carrie Kimsey, Gladys
Thomas, Linda Ward,
Rebekah Cannafax, Dorothy
Turner, Midge Sexton, Kim
Barber and Kathy Cowart.
Water/sewerage authority
considers issuing refunds
By Mark Beardsley
WHETHER IT’S a
$500,000 reimbursement
sewer tap fees for a fore
closed subdivision or a dis
pute over a $272 water bill,
the Jackson County Water
and Sewerage Authority
does not appear in the mood
to grant any refunds.
Three requests for money
back will be on the agenda
when the authority meets
Thursday night, but if last
Thursday's work session is
an indication, the supplicants
might as well stay home.
The biggest request actu
ally comes under “old busi
ness.” It’s from Pendergrass
Development LLC. Michael
Safari, the managing partner
made the request in August
for the refund of $500,000
in sewer tap fees since the
300-lot subdivision went
belly-up.
At that time, the author
ity turned the matter over
to its attorney, Paul Smart.
Smart and staff learned that
the property was pledged to
Alpha Bank & Trust, which
has since been taken over
by FDIC, which asked that
the authority not refund the
money.
“They made it abundantly
clear . . . they have a secu
rity interest on those taps
and they were opposed to
us releasing those funds,”
Smart said.
Besides that, the devel
oper’s contract specifically
points out that the tap fees
are non-refundable, and the
authority indicated it will
stick to the contract.
Two other requests involve
much less money, but last
Thursday’s indications are
that they too will be denied.
A Hoschton couple can't
believe their rental property
used 11,900 gallons of water
in June, when they say it
had no tenants. They seek an
adjustment on a $92.62 bill.
A Jefferson couple feels the
same way about a $274.62
bill for July.
In both instances, the
meters were re-read, staff
checked for obvious leaks
and the meters were checked
for accuracy.
“There is really no way
to speculate as to where the
water went, but we do know
it went through the meter,”
said Judy Davis, finance
director, who sits on the
authority’s Billing Dispute
Committee. Both meters
proved to be accurate.
The committee recom
mended that both requests
be denied.
Also on the agenda for
Thursday’s 6 p.m. meeting
are:
•a presentation from
Erma Denney, who is run
ning for mayor in Hoschton,
apparently on the topic of
Hoschton's sewerage system.
Hoschton is saddled with $6
million in sewerage debt
and Denney has reportedly
discussed selling the system
to the authority. “We can't
respond to her as an interest
ed citizen or as a candidate
for mayor,” said Chairman
Randall Pugh, noting that
such negotiations could only
be held with elected officials.
Nonetheless, he proposed
that the authority “let her
come and hear what she has
to say.” However, Pugh also
indicated that the authority is
not in any position to assume
any more debt.
•a proposal to refinance
some $3.5 million in bonds
sold in 1999, a move that will
save the authority approxi
mately $180,000.
•action on a recommenda
tion to repair a 50 by 50 sec
tion of the authority build
ing’s leaking steel roof.
Visit www.JacksonHeraldToday.com.
PUBLIC HEARING
The Jackson County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 6:00 p.m. on
Thursday, September 24, 2009, at the Jackson County Administrative Auditorium, 67
Athens Street, Jefferson, Georgia, to consider the following matters:
Old Business
None
New Business
1. RZ-09-09 - John C. Buchanan requests a rezone on approximately 12.62 acres
located at 198 Deer Ridge from Agricultural Rural Farm District (A-2) to
Community Retail Commercial (CRC) for commercial development. (Map 105
Parcels 003F & 003G)
2. Also, the purpose of the public hearing is to brief the community on the
contents of the Comprehensive Plan Community Participation Program and
Community Assessment, obtain additional input, and notify the community of
when these documents will be transmitted to the Northeast Georgia Regional
Commission for regional and state review. A copy of these documents will be
available for public inspection no later than September 11, 2009, in the
Department of Public Development, in the Administrative Building at 67 Athens
St, Jefferson, 30549. All interested persons are invited to attend the public
hearings and to review the draft document. These documents will also be
posted on the Jackson County Government website at http://
www.jacksoncountygov.com. Comments and remarks on the drafts will be
accepted by the Department of Public Development in writing at 67 Athens St,
Jefferson, 30549, or via e-mail to: tsmith@jacksoncountygov.com until 5:00
p.m., October 31,2009. For more information, call 706-367-5908.
The Jackson County Board of Commissioners will address the recommendations of
the Planning Commission at a public hearing on October 19, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at
the Jackson County Courthouse at 5000 Jackson Parkway.
Complete applications, plats, texts, maps, and public hearing procedures are
available for review in the Planning Division Office, of the Department of Public
Development during regular office hours. All interested persons are invited to
attend.
Anyone desiring to speak in opposition to one of the above cases shall file a
Campaign Contribution Disclosure form at least 2 business days prior to the
September 24, 2009 Public Hearing.
Plan The Future Of OUR
Community Together!
Comprehensive Plan Town
Hall Meetings
Jefferson Civic Center
Tuesday, September 15
7:00 p.m.
Nicholson Community Center
Monday, September 28
7:00 p.m.
Commerce Civic Center
Tuesday, September 29
7:00 p.m.
Come and have yonr voice heard!
Jackson fCounty p or questions call 706.367.5908 or
visit JacksonCountyGov.com
fc
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