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PAGE 2A
THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2010
School system collects more taxes than initially thought County officials may seek
F\ictiri/~t /innrniwp moving target, but district offi- Until a final budget is adopted. The adjusted calendar will StilUlllUS IHOI10y
District approves
2011 budget and
calendar changes
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
THE AMOUNT of local prop
erty taxes that county officials
have collected is slightly higher
than initially expected, according
to one superintendent.
Shannon Adams said Monday
that the Jackson County School
System has collected 90 percent
of the local property tax revenue
that the district had planned for
the 2010 fiscal year, which ends
June 30.
“We were a little afraid that it
wouldn't get above 88 percent,”
he told the board of education on
Monday.
But, that 90 percent — col
lected through the end of May
— represents $30.8 million of
the school system's $71.4 million
budget for FY 2010.
Overall, however, the school
system has received only 80 per
cent of its anticipated revenue
for the fiscal year. Meanwhile,
expenses have been held at a
tight 77 percent with 92 percent
of the fiscal year completed.
As for the projected ending
fund balance — that remains a
moving target, but district offi
cials expect that the Jackson
County School System will fin
ish the fiscal year with a surplus.
That estimate ranges from
$765,670 in the tentative 2011
fiscal year budget to $3.2 million
in the district's monthly financial
report through the end of May.
Board chairperson Kathy
Wilbanks said the estimated
ending fund balance hinges on
expenses for the final month of
the fiscal year and the tax collec
tion rate.
She estimates that the 2010
fund balance will end below the
$765,000 projected in the 2011
budget, but still positive and
without a deficit.
Last year, the district ended the
2009 fiscal year with a $908,600
shortfall and was required to sub
mit a deficit elimination plan to
the state.
Adams said district officials
initially thought the school sys
tem would end the 2010 fiscal
year with another deficit.
On Monday, the board adopt
ed its tentative 2011 fiscal year
budget, which starts on July 1. A
finalized budget may be adopt
ed in late September or early
October, after the school system
receives an estimated tax digest
from the county.
Until a final budget is adopted,
the board approved a move on
Monday to seek proposals from
banks to finance a short-term
loan for $14.5 million. That Tax
Anticipation Note (TAN) would
have to be repaid by Dec. 31.
The Jackson County School
System anticipates that revenue
will reach $86.2 million next
fiscal year, while expenses are
budgeted for $83.3 million. A
projected fund balance is esti
mated at $3 million.
The district isn’t planning to
change the property tax millage
rate — which will remain at 18.9
mills next fiscal year.
Wilbanks said the school sys
tem has trimmed more than $6
million in expenses from its 2010
budget to its tentative 2011 bud
get.
“A lot of hard work has been
done on this budget,” she said.
“We’ve trimmed a lot and I feel
really good about the numbers.”
CHANGES TO CALENDAR
In a budget-cutting move on
Monday, the board amended its
2010-2011 school calendar by
reducing the school year by four
days for students and eight days
for teachers.
The change is expected to save
the school system a total of $1.8
million.
The adjusted calendar will
shift four student days to vacation
days: Monday, Nov. 22; Tuesday,
Nov. 23; Monday. May 23; and
Tuesday, May 24.
And, four teacher work days
will also be changed to vaca
tion days: Friday, Oct. 8; Friday,
Dec. 17; Tuesday, March 15; and
Wednesday, May 25.
The eight-day reduction for
certified and classified employ
ees won't affect bus drivers,
paraprofessionals or food service
workers.
Those employees will have
their schedules reduced by four
days. Parapros already had their
workload reduced by eight days
in a previous budget cut.
The move, however, still
leaves three days for teacher pre
planning at the start of the school
year and two days of post-plan
ning after students leave for the
summer.
The school system had initial
ly proposed having six furlough
days in the 2010-2011 school
year and trimming its share of the
two percent local salary supple
ment.
Instead, teachers will have
their calendar year reduced by
eight days — but the two per
cent salary supplement has been
restored.
More stop
signs planned
for Arcade
ARCADE WILL add stop
signs along old Hwy. 82 to
deter speeders along that
road.
The Arcade City Council
voted Monday night to cre
ate the three-way stops at
the intersections of old Hwy.
82 and Williamson Street
and old. Hwy. 32 and Swan
Road.
“That would at least provide
two stopping points where
people should be stopping at
that would help keep traffic
speed down,” said councilman
Tom Hays, who proposed the
idea.
Last month, the coun
cil tabled a request to turn
old Hwy. 82 into a one-way
street.
Hays also suggested that
Arcade reinforce the shoul
ders of old Hwy. 82 to provide
more room for automobiles.
“That would allow two cars,
when they meet, to at least
pull over and not drag the bot
tom of their cars,” Hays said.
Councilwoman Cindy Bone
agreed that more room on the
road would help. She said
she's heard that windows of
some larger cars have rubbed
against each other when they
meet on that narrow stretch.
But Bone also noted that
slower speeds will also reduce
the chances of these brush-
ups.
“Speed is the issue,” Bone
said. “If you're going slow
enough, you're not going to
hit somebody or you’re not
going to rub them.”
Reports given at Jefferson meeting
Nine DUI arrests made during ‘100 days of summer’ kickoff
BY ANGELA GARY
RECENT TRAFFIC stops
in Jefferson to kick off the
state-wide “100 days of
summer heat” effort led to
nine driving under the influ
ence of intoxicants arrests.
The Jefferson Police
Department, as well as
officers from several dif
ferent agencies, state and
local, conducted roadside
checks at various loca
tions throughout the city.
The effort was coordinated
by the Northeast Traffic
Enforcement Network
through the Governor’s
Office of Highway Safety.
Police chief Joe Wirthman
reported to the city coun
cil Monday night that nine
DUI arrests were made, 44
citations were issued and
numerous other tickets were
given out.
“It was a very fruitful
evening,” the chief said.
“We got nine drunks off the
streets.”
Officers conducted stops
from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
OTHER REPORTS
GIVEN
The following reports
were given at the meeting
Monday night.
•finance director Amie
Vaughan reported that she
has completed a review of
the preliminary financial
statements for the 2009
audit. Her comments also
included that all of the
property taxes that were
budgeted to have been col
lected by this point have
already been paid. Vaughan
said there is approximate
ly $123,983 of the 2009
taxes that have not been
paid yet.
•Mainstreet manager Beth
Laughinghouse reported
that work has begun on
the streetscape project.
The sidewalk in front of
Wachovia Bank and sev
eral residences has been
removed. The project will
be completed in six to nine
months.
•Connie Head reported on
the tree project in the city,
which has included planting
176 trees with the majority
having been paid for with
a grant.
•public works direc
tor Jeff Killip reported on
road projects, including
that design work is con
tinuing on the MLK Road
improvement project and
grading is under way on
Hog Mountain Road.
•Killip also reported
on the speed limit study
which recommended lower
ing the speed limit on Old
Swimming Pool Road and
on a portion of the bypass.
Councilman Bosie Griffith
also recommended that the
speed limit be reduced near
the recreation center.
•engineering consul
tant Jerry Hood reported
on plans to seek funds
through the federal “Area
Development Grant” pro
gram offered through the
Economic Development
Administration. Hood said
the funds could be used to
expand the water supply
system.
•Hood also reported on
the possibility of seeking
a Community Development
Grant to locate sidewalks
on MLK Jr. Drive. “You
have a great need for side
walks there,” Hood said.
“There are also drainage
issues.”
TO BE ON AGENDA
The following items were
discussed that will be on
the agenda for a vote at 6
p.m. on Monday, June 21,
at the civic center:
•appointing Joel Harbin to
the Downtown Development
Authority.
•a lease agreement with
the Georgia Municipal
Association for patrol cars
for the police department.
•reappointing Bill Ives to
the Jackson County Library
Board.
•a resolution to support
the effort by Thomas Ward
to develop Maple Square
Apartments. Plans are to
locate 56 units for senior
citizens on Hwy. 129.
BYANGELA GARY
JACKSON COUNTY leaders
met Monday morning to discuss
the possibility of designating the
county as a “recovery zone” and
seeking federal stimulus money
for an electronics firm planning
to locate in Jefferson.
Attorney Dan McRay present
ed information on the federal
recovery zone provisions and
allocations. No action was taken
but the matter could be on the
board of commissioners' agenda
for a vote within the next month.
“The door is open to do things
you couldn't do before,” McRay
said. “If you can offer this to a
company, it is an incentive.”
Congress allows areas to be
designated as a recovery zone
if they meet poverty guidelines,
which include information on
the unemployment rate and
number of foreclosures.
“It’s a shame to have that con
dition in the county but you do
get something for it,” McRay
said. “It’s not a stigma. It’s an
incentive.”
Attending the meeting were:
Dwain Smith, Chas Hardy
and Bruce Yates, members of
the board of commissioners;
Ronnie Hopkins, Jefferson
Board of Education chairman
and City of Jefferson attorney;
Jim Joiner. Jefferson mayor;
Kathy Wilbanks, county board
of education chairman; Scott
Martin, industrial development
authority chairman; Shane Short,
chamber president; Courtney
Bemardi, chamber director of
economic development; Roy
Stowe, chamber board member;
Sam McDuffie, chamber chair
man; Darrell Hampton, county
manager; and Ericka Johnson,
county clerk.
Arcade approves retail site
AFTER A DETAILED dis
cussion of zoning procedures
Monday night, Arcade city lead
ers approved the rezoning of
nearly 1.2 acres at the comer
of Hwy. 82 and old Hwy. 129
to highway commercial, for a
stand-alone retail building.
The space could potentially
house a Dollar General.
But the passage didn’t come
without alterations.
The council waived a condi
tion that the developers would
be required to construct a six-
foot masonry wall around the
building since the fence would
have to cover 600 feet worth
of property. Instead, they’d be
allowed to build an eight-foot
privacy or wrought iron fence. It
also granted a variance to setback
and natural buffer requirements,
allowing a 15-foot landscap
ing buffer within the building
setback along the rear and side
property lines.
The only change the coun
cil made to the variance was to
allow the eight-foot wooden box
privacy fence or wrought iron
fence with vegetation screening
to be constructed on the rear and
side property line instead of the
six-foot masonry wall.
Arcade, however, wouldn’t
grant a variance to allow the
developers — Mink Creek
Investments — relief from
a requirement that the 9,100
square foot building have four
brick walls.
The tract previously carried
two separate zonings. Part was
designated as rural residential
and the other was neighborhood
commercial.
The city held a public hear
ing over the rezone prior to the
regular business meeting, when
it was revealed by a representa
tive of Mink Creek Investments
that it had plans to bring a Dollar
General to the space.
In other business, the council:
•heard that it’s $52,000 in the
black at this point in this year’s
budget, according to council
man Dean Bentley who gave the
council the financial report.
•heard from police chief
Randy Williams that his depart
ment patrolled 5,459 miles of
road last month, using 408 gal
lons and $1,127 worth of gaso
line. It made seven misdemeanor
arrests and one DUI arrest while
responding to 30 calls and writ
ing 29 incident reports. No auto
mobile accidents were report
ed in May. The Arcade Police
Department has also raised $439
for the Georgia Special Olympics
torch run so far this year.
•was told by councilman
Tom Hays that several streets
in Arcade have been fixed and
patched with the assistance of
the Jackson County road depart
ment. He said that he’ll sub
mit both Lakeview Court and
Carlton Court to be resurfaced
under the LARP program.
•voted to update its ethics
recertification resolution.
•tabled a vote on the SPLOST
5 intergovernmental agreement.
As of Monday night, Jackson
County had yet to provide Arcade
with that document.
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