Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2009
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 3A
Turning off computers could save lots of cash for schools
By Kerri Testement
THINK YOUR electric bill
is high? Then consider what
it takes to keep the lights
turned on at a typical school.
Among its 14 schools
and central office, the July
electric bill for the Jackson
County School System was
$97,220, according to super
intendent Shannon Adams.
And that was during a
month when school wasn’t
in session.
A representative with
Georgia Power recently told
district officials about a key
step that could save lots of
cash for the school system,
Adams said.
That simple step is just
turning off all computers at
the district's schools at the
end of each day.
The move could save the
Jackson County School
System an estimated $210,000
to $215,000 a year.
So, the district is now out
lining a number of energy
saving moves that could help
the school system’s financial
bottom line.
“This is just to see if we
can make a difference, and I
believe we can,” Adams said
on Monday.
At the end of the school
day, all copy machines, com
puters, monitors, printers
and any unnecessary interior
lights should be turned off,
according to the energy man
agement plan. Schools should
make a daily announcement
after students leave to remind
staff about turning off electri
cal devices.
Teachers will also be asked
to turn off the lights in their
classrooms, if they leave the
room for more than five min
utes.
And refrigerators, micro-
waves, coffee makers, con
vection ovens and space heat
ers in classrooms should be
removed, too.
The air conditioning units
in mobile classrooms will
be turned off completely at
night, and maintenance staff
will look at how to minimize
outdoor lighting at schools
without compromising safety
and security.
Each month, the Jackson
County Board of Education
will also get a list of elec
tric bills from each school to
review if the energy manage
ment plan is working, Adams
said.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the
Jackson County School
System:
•heard from superintendent
Adams about the school sys
tem’s effort to reduce the
number of students with
“flu-like” symptoms. Each
week, school nurses report
to Adams on the number of
students experiencing “flu
like” symptoms — including
those students that are being
treated for the flu or those
being sent home with “flu
like” symptoms. The num
ber of students in the district
affected by the flu has ranged
from the low 50s to the low
150s on some weeks, Adams
said. The school system is
encouraging any student with
“flu-like” symptoms to stay
home.
•agreed that a revision to
a policy about non-resident
students be considered at the
October board meeting. The
policy change would affect
students whose properties
were forcibly annexed into
a city.
•agreed that a revision to
a policy about use of school
facilities be considered at the
October board meeting. The
policy change would elimi
nate the term “for private
gain,” which would allow pri
vate instructors, such as voice
instructors, to teach students
after school hours.
•approved the expenditure
of $2,800 in sales tax revenue
for repair and upgrades of the
PA system at West Jackson
Middle School.
•adopted a resolution
asking for assistance from
the Georgia Department of
Education Facilities Section
in the preparation of a new
five-year local facilities plan.
•heard from Wanda Oliver,
director of food services,
about the new Breakfast in
the Classrooms and “Grab
and Go” breakfast programs
in the district. Both programs
were implemented beginning
in spring 2009, and were
rolled out over several months
to various schools. Since the
programs started, the number
of elementary school students
eating breakfast at school has
increased by 42 percent, and
the number of middle school
students eating breakfast at
school has risen by 23 per
cent, she said.
•heard from teachers at the
county’s two high schools
about new programs that target
at-risk students who risk not
completing their high school
education. Jackson County
Comprehensive High School
is offering the Lighthouse
Academy to improve the
school’s graduation rate and
is serving 24 students. At East
Jackson Comprehensive High
School, the EJCHS Academy
helps students transition into
ninth grade, while the Eagle
Express program helps stu
dents graduate. The EJCHS
Academy is serving 70 stu
dents and the Eagle Express
is serving 30 students. The
programs are funded with
federal stimulus money.
•recognized third grade
student Mary Hollis for being
named a regional winner in
the Georgia Young Author’s
contest.
Water authority denies appeals for refund
By Mark Beardsley
THE JACKSON County
Water and Sewerage Authority
has absolute faith in the accu
racy of its water meters.
Relying on its meters, the
authority declined two appeals
for refunds for inexplicably
high water bills last Thursday
night.
Scott and Barbara Desing,
Reece Drive, Hoschton, tried
to convince the authority that
a June bill for 11,900 gallons
— $92.62 — had to be an
error because no one was liv
ing in the rental house during
the billing period.
They argued their case for
more than 30 minutes, to no
avail; in the end, chairman
Randall Pugh explained that
the authority had no other
option.
When the Desings chal
lenged the bill, the authority
removed and tested the meter,
finding it more than 99 per
cent accurate. In fact, staff
says water meters are never
inaccurate on the fast side; if
there’s a problem with accu
racy, it invariably favors the
customer.
“That water went through
the meter,” declared member
Andy Goodman.
“When the meter is tested
accurate, we have no justifica
tion to adjust the bill,” advised
Randall Pugh, chairman.
Mrs. Desing, in particular,
was not happy with the deci
sion.
“I hate to pursue it for
$92, but I’m inclined to,” she
advised.
Having witnessed the long
discussion with the Desings,
Stasy Kligys, Blue Grass
Drive, Jefferson, was more
philosophical.
“I get the feeling I should
have left with them,” she joked
after the Desings left.
She quuestioned a July bill
for 32,700 gallons ($256.62),
but authority members noted
that her next bill, for August,
was also high.
“It looks like a leak to me,”
Pugh said.
The authority agreed to read
her meter the next day and
advised her to use food color
ing to check for intermittent
Dr. Jeff Gilliland
Veterinarian! Owner
(formerly of Commerce Veterinary Hospital
and Jefferson Animal Hospital)
706-614-5266
fetch-a-vet@att.net
• At Home Veterinarian Care
• Small Animal Practice
• By Appointment Only
For online prescriptions, visit
www.fetch-a-vet.com
Serving Clarke, Oconee, Madison, Jackson and Oglethorpe Counties
commode leaks and, if she
does not find one, to consult a
plumber. Her meter was also
checked for accuracy.
Should she find a leak, Mrs.
Kligys could qualify for a one
time bill adjustment, accord
ing to the authority’s policy.
NO SEWER REFUND
Mike Safari, manag
ing partner of Pendergrass
Development LLC didn’t show
up to get the official word on
his request for a refund of
$500,000 paid in 2007 for 100
water taps at his Pendergrass
II development.
It’s just as well. Acting on
the advice of staff and legal
counsel, the authority voted to
deny the request.
Not only does the sewer
tap contract specifically note
that tap fees are nonrefund-
able, but the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corp. (FDIC),
which took over the now-
defunct bank that financed the
equally defunct development,
told the authority that it has
a security interest in the tap
fees and does not want them
refunded.
The authority passed a reso
lution stating its decision to
abide by the contract. The con
tract also requires the property
owner to buy another 300 taps
($1.5 million) in May.
Meanwhile, the develop
ment stalled and the property
has been advertised for a tax
sale.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other matters, the author
ity switched its workers
compensation insurance pol
icy from Association County
Commissioners of Georgia
to BB&T Insurance Services
Inc. and voted to refinance
$3.5 million in bonds issued
in 1999 for water line con
struction. The net saving to
the authority is expected to be
around $160,000.
The authority tabled discus
sion on a proposed repair proj
ect on part of its roof pending
the receipt of bids.
We offer personal loans
from $150.00 to $500.00.*
Telephone Applications Welcome.
Call or Come Visit Us Today!
1816 N. Broad Street
Commerce, GA 30529
(706)335-3551
'More if you qualify. All loans are subject to our
liberal credit policy and credit limitations, if any.
JEFFERSON TIRE
& BATTERY
367-9210
Has Complete Car Care
• Oil Change • Tune-ups
• Brake Work • A/C Service Repair
• Complete Tire Service
• Replace CV Joints
• Front-end Alignment
HOURS:
Mon.-Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sat. & Sun. Closed
We Custom Build on Your Land!
Tomorrow’s
Homes, Inc.
New Location:
1960 Main Street (Just off Hivy. 72)
Comer, GA 30629
tomorrowshomes.com
Nicholson hires city
attorney in split vote
By Sharon Hogan
A NEW city attorney was
hired in Nicholson Monday
night in a split vote of the
city council.
The council voted 2-1,
after a 30-minute closed
session, to hire Patricia
Leeman, Clayton, as the city
attorney.
Council member Faye
Seagraves voted against
the motion to hire Leeman.
Council members Howard
Wilbanks and Paul Cartledge
voted in favor of the motion.
Council member Lamar
Watkins was absent from
Monday’s council meeting.
Leeman will replace Rob
Russell as the city’s legal
counsel. Russell resigned in
early August.
Mayor Ronnie Maxwell
said, “We have been with
out legal representation for
a couple of months. We
are pleased to have you
(Leeman) come on board
with us.”
Leeman and Jefferson
attorney Donna Sikes were
in attendance at Monday’s
meeting.
The council inter
viewed Leeman, Sikes and
Lawrenceville attorney Jody
Campbell.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at
Monday’s meeting;
•the council unanimously
approved the purchase of
a movie projector for the
Harold S. Swindle Public
Library at a cost of $899.
•the council approved
NICHOLSON CITY
ATTORNEY
Patricia Leeman, Clayton,
was hired as the new city
attorney for Nicholson on
Monday night. Leeman
replaces Rob Russell who
resigned in early August.
Photo by Sharon Hogan
a donation of $500 to the
Jackson County Senior
Citizens Center.
•Walter Barnett reported
that architect Joe Bennett sub
mitted a cost on the Veterans
Monument of $7,300 for the
granite, ditching and piping.
“He will give us the cost
of the engraving once we
get the information to be
engraved to him,” Barnett
said. The eagle going on
the monument and the flag
pole have been ordered and
work on the footers will start
on Tuesday, Barnett advised.
The council unanimously
approved the construction of
the monument.
The next regularly sched
uled monthly council meet
ing will be held at 7 p.m.
on Monday, Oct.5, at the
community center. A work
session will be held at 7 p.m.
on Thursday, Oct. 1.
BOE names new assistant principal
KIMRA JOHNSON an
eighth grade teacher at West
Jackson Middle School, has
been named an assistant princi
pal at the school.
The Jackson County Board
of Education named Johnson
an assistant principal, along
with a few other personnel
changes during its meeting on
Sept. 14.
Those personnel changes
include:
•New hires: Tracy McKinley,
bus driver, SJES; and Andreea
Oprea, Bookkeeper, JCCHS.
•Resignations/terminations:
Julia Reynolds, bus driver,
SJES; Betty Jean Smith, cus
todian, EJES; Dianna Tatum,
kindergarten paraprofessional,
EJES; and Peggy Whisnant,
food service assistant, NJES.
•Transfers: Wade DeHart,
special education teacher,
KBMS to WJMS; Debbie
Murphy, food service assistant,
WJPS to NJES; and Angela
Reaves, custodian, KBMS to
EJES.
Submit your social or school news by e-mail-
ing news@mainstreetnews.com, faxing items
to 706-387-5421 or calling 706-367-5986.
Gus & Pat Johnson
Celebrate Their
50th Wedding Anniversary
September 13, 2009
They have one son, Jody Johnson and one grandson Joseph
Johnson. They were married in Jackson County. They
reside in Jefferson.
... /8/ct(djdianumd
■ /Tfuiirer'kiry
... /<%tQfiiamond
^naaaemenl
JEWELERS
allrii; i’h/r-J jr/i'r/rr . '.JaUi-Jir// / O / /
Mon-Fri 10-5:30pm
Sat 10-4:00 pm
Next to Academy Sports
706-543-9751