Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2010
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 3A
CLEANUP DAY
A cleanup day was scheduled April 22 at Curry Creek Park where demonstrations
on pruning techniques were given to attendees. During the cleanup day, attendees
mulched trees, pulled weeds, pruned deadwood from small trees and cleaned park
benches. Shown above are Barbara Johnson, vice chair of the Jefferson Heritage
Tree Council; Connie Head, certified arborist and forester; and Susan Russell,
certified arborist and tree council leader. The event was sponsored by the City of
Jefferson, the Jefferson Heritage Tree Council, Main Street Jefferson and Keep
Jackson County Beautiful. Photos by Katie Huston
TAGGING TREES
Barbara Johnson,
vice chair of the
Jefferson Heritage
Tree Council, is
shown display
ing one of the tags
placed on trees in
Curry Creek Park,
Jefferson. Tags were
temporarily placed
on trees around
the park document
ing their monetary
value.
-foies
( 1,0*21 -fnees'j
Airport Drive name change considered
BY SHARON HOGAN
THE JACKSON County
Airport Authority unanimously
agreed at a meeting last week
to change the name of Airport
Drive, pending approval by
the Jackson County Board of
Commissioners.
Airport manager Bob
Stapleton presented the name of
Sky Harbor Drive to the author
ity for consideration. Stapleton
said the name change has been
approved by the Jackson County
911 center.
Stapleton told the author
ity that every day at least one
tractor-trailer comes up Airport
Drive and then has trouble turn
ing around.
“This is a safety issue, some
times we have a plane on the
runway when they are trying to
get turned around,” Stapleton
said.
The issue comes in having
Airport Road, with all the busi
nesses, located nearby.
County manager Darrell
Hampton advised the author
ity that traffic directions signs
could be erected to help with
the problem in the interim.
The authority discussed
installing either a no thru traffic
or dead end no outlet sign at
the entrance to Airport Drive to
help with the problem.
“This would be good even
after the name change,” author
ity member John Buchanan
said.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business:
•authority chairman Shannon
Sell asked Stapleton to get the
county’s help in removing the
posts at the comer of Highway
82 Spur and Airport Drive
where the old Emory Flight
sign was installed.
•Stapleton announced plans
for the annual aviation fly-in at
the airport on November 13.
•the authority elected a two-
member committee comprised
of Sell and Don Lohmeier to
review the one request received
from a potential fixed base
operator.
•the authority unanimously
approved changing the name
on the lease agreement with
the Georgia Forestry Service to
Georgia Aviation Authority at
the request of the state.
•Brian Salyers, Talbert &
Bright Engineering, presented
a report on the capital proj
ects at the airport. The power
line survey for the east side
hangar development is under
way. After some revisions, the
plans for the east side hangar
development project will be
ready to submit to the Georgia
Department of Transportation
(GaDOT). The east side devel
opment will include 60 feet by
60 feet boxed hangars.
•Stapleton reported the
county has approved a con
tract in the amount of $7,060
with J.M. Smith Engineering
to develop plans on spill pre
vention, control and counter
measure (SPCC) mandated
by the Federal Environmental
Protection Agency.
•Stapleton advised the re
opening of runway 10-28 is
delayed pending an airspace
inspection.
•Stapleton said the bonding
company is in the process of tak
ing bids to complete the close
out of the Runway Extension
Project. Work is expected to be
complete in mid summer.
•Stapleton reported that the
Airport Development Ordinance
and the GaDOT Grant Offer for
power line removal and the 405
obstacle survey were approved
by the Jackson County Board of
Commissioners.
•Stapleton reported the two
excavators acquired by the air
port through surplus property
were declared excess and sold
for $21,100.
•Stapleton said acquisition
of furniture and equipment,
through the federal surplus
property system, to operate the
terminal building, continues.
•Stapleton reported the proj
ect to put the 12,000 AvGas
system into operation has been
initiated.
•Stapleton told the authority
the 5,000 gallon Jet A truck is
being returned to service after
painting by the county crew.
•Sell told the authority that he
would like to see more people
rent space in the offices located
in the doublewide trailer on the
airport property.
•after a brief discussion
Buchanan said he would con
tinue to work on getting air
port signs along Interstate 85.
GaDOT erected some airport
signs at the off end of the off
ramps.
•the authority met in closed
session for 20 minutes to dis
cuss pending acquisition of
the Virginia Allen property. No
action was taken.
BJC Medical Center Authority to continue to meet despite hospital’s sale
By Mark Beardsley
THE BJC Medical Center
Authority doesn’t have a hos
pital or nursing home to run
or personnel to manage, but
that doesn’t mean it can just
disappear.
Members appeared to be a
little surprised Monday morn
ing to learn that they may have
to continue regular meetings
for up to five more years.
“We are still a legal entity,”
observed chairman Charles
Blair. “We can’t just go
away.”
The authority sold all
of its assets to Restoration
Healthcare late last month. It
no longer has any manage
ment role in the medical center
nor any employees.
It has distributed most of
the $7.1 million it received for
the medical center, including
paying off some $2.5 million
in bonds owed by Jackson and
Banks counties. It has also
repaid its bank loans or lines
of credit to the tune of about
$1.6 million, explained Rick
Massey, finance chairman.
WHAT’S LEFT TO DO?
Attorney DaveBurchexplained
to the authority Monday morning
that must resolve any outstanding
lawsuits or claims, administer the
escrow funds being set up for
such purposes and it still has
administrative functions, includ
ing meetings, annual audits and
various reports to state or federal
agencies.
But since it no longer has a
hospital or nursing home, Burch
presented the authority with a
draft copy of a new set of bylaws
that more closely reflect the
authority’s diminished role. The
main points of those changes,
said Burch, was to delete refer
ences to administration of health
care facilities, to change the prin
cipal office from BJC Medical
Center to Blair’s residence and
to change its meeting schedule
from monthly to quarterly. Most
of its committees will also be
abolished.
Most of the remaining
duties will fall to the Executive
Committee
“You’re not going to have an
administrator like you did to run
a hospital,” Burch pointed out.
“You’re on your own.”
The authority will meet on
the fourth Monday in May to
vote on the proposed new set of
bylaws. After that, it will meet
quarterly - in January, April, July
and October. Meetings will be
held at Northeast Georgia Bank.
The authority can cease to
exist only when it has allocated
all of the money from the sale,
according to Blair.
“We cannot go away as long
as the escrow funds are there,”
Blair said.
“That could be five years,”
Massey stated.
“The maximum is five years,”
said Burch.
Blair also pointed out that “the
lawsuits didn’t go to Restoration.
They stayed with us.”
In addition, the medical center
has yet to clear out all of its ven
dor debts - although officials said
they constitute relatively little
money - and the authority is still
waiting on the state settlement
of its disproportionate share and
upper payment limit reimburse
ments.
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Y
RELAY
FOR LIFE
Are you a Cancer Survivor?
or do you know someone who is? if so...
We Need You!!
On June 4, 2010, at 7:00 p.m
Relay For Life Survivor Activities will Kick Off!!!
The Jackson County Relay For Life presented by Wayne and Heather Abbs. Wavne-Neal Chevrolet will be
held on June 4 & 5 at East Jackson County High School. Opening ceremonies will begin at 7:00 p.m. and the
Survivor's lap shortly thereafter. Please meet at the track between 5:30-6:30 p.m. to receive your free T-shirt
and survivor packet. The survivor’s lap and survivor activities are sponsored by The Pendergrass Flea
Market. After your lap, you are invited back to the hospitality tent to visit with other survivors and to enjoy the
relay in comfort. Your participation costs nothing...we are there to honor you! Help us show our community
that people do survive Cancer. You can make a difference. Your presence as a survivor will give others hope.
Please join us and let us honor your courage, strength and victory. Invite your family and friends. The Relay
is open to the public.
Please complete the form and return to the address below so that we can have your correct T-shirt size.
Look forward to seeing you on Victory Lap. For more information, call Denise @ 706-654-7934.
YES, I would like to participate in the survivor’s reception and survivor’s lap at the Relay For Life.
This is the name of a cancer survivor. (Please contact)
Name T-shirt size (please circle)-. Y S M L XL XXL XXXL
Address Telephone
City, State, Zip
Please complete and mail to:
Denise Doss, Relay For Life, 74 Eagle View Dr., Jefferson, GA 30549
Survivor Lap and survivor activities sponsored by The Pendergrass Flea Market
Keep Jackson County Beautiful's
Annual Spring Event
Saturday, May 8, 8 a. m. - 1:30 p. m.
Location: Jackson County Landfill/Transfer Station
DOCUMENT SHREDDING
Everyone worries about Identity Theft. DON’T! Start cleaning out those files of unwanted paper
trails, place them in the truck or car and bring them to the the Jackson County Transfer Station to
have them shredded. Items people may want to bring include bank information, cancelled or blank
checks, credit card offers/information, financial statements, personal bills, income tax records,
insurance coverage, investment information, legal papers and medical records.
I E-WASTE
HELP OTHERS 1
Computers, Monitors or Mice, Printers, Copiers,
CD Players, Stereos, Microwaves, Scanners, Disk
and Floppy Drives, Fax Machines & More.
Televisions - $10.
Donate your Good Used Clothing,
Eyeglasses, Cell Phones and Canned Goods
For Local Charities.
Flourescent light bulbs, ink cartridges, household batteries, oil and latex paint (6 gallons from each
household - More? We’ll take them, but it will be $1 per gallon), aluminum, small metals, news and
office paper. We’ve added Auto Oil and Auto Batteries.
REMEMBER TO HELP YOUR NEIGHBOR IF THEY ARE OLDER OR DISABLED!
A Keep Jackson
County Beautiful
For More Information Call
706-708-7198