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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2010
Wheeler calls for illegal closed session in Nicholson
BY SHARON HOGAN
NICHOLSON city council
man Chuck Wheeler attempt
ed to close Thursday night’s
council meeting to discuss an
item that is not allowed under
the Georgia Open Meetings
Law.
Wheeler told the council he
wanted to talk
about “finan
cials” and to
review the
city's charter.
“I would
really like to
ask that we go
into closed ses
sion to discuss some of the
financials,” Wheeler said.
After being advised by a
newspaper reporter that a
meeting can only be closed
for three reasons - personnel,
litigation and real estate -
Wheeler said, “This is sort of
a personnel matter.”
Wheeler indicated he had
paperwork to support closing
the meeting to discuss the
city’s finances.
Mayor Ronnie Maxwell
told Wheeler that the coun
cil couldn’t go into closed
session to discuss the city’s
finances. Maxwell also
advised Wheeler that when he
asked to be put on the agenda
for Thursday’s meeting, he
did not indicate he wanted
to go into closed session and
therefore the city clerk did not
bring the paperwork for the
council to sign for a closed
session to be held.
After it was determined
that the meeting could not be
closed. Wheeler said the issue
he wanted to discuss was
because of reports last week
from a town near Atlanta of
misuse of funds.
“We had the same thing
years ago,” Wheeler said.
“I would like for us to take
into consideration having
our checks not pre-signed or
stamped, but signed by the
mayor and one council mem
ber.”
Wheeler reported the may
or’s signature is stamped on
the checks and sometimes
several checks are stamped
ahead of time.
Maxwell said there would
not be a problem having two
people, plus the clerk, sign
checks as long as everyone is
available when needed.
Wheeler also reportedly
had questions he wanted to
address in the closed session
about some missing check
numbers on a June print-out of
the city’s checking account.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at
Thursday’s meeting:
•Wheeler requested a meet
ing be set to discuss the city’s
charter. The meeting is planned
for 2 p.m. on Monday, August
9, at the community center.
•Cindy Minish asked the
council to approve giving
Carol Beauchamp and herself
an additional 18-24 months
to pave the parking lot at the
new restaurant they are locat
ing at the corner of Highway
441 and Mulberry Street.
•Bobby Garrett asked the
council to rezone his property
from R-l to R-2 to allow his
grandson to be able to place
a mobile home behind his
house. Garrett was instructed
to come in to city hall and fill
out the rezoning application
to get the process started.
•Maxwell said that he plans
to ask the council to approve
an amendment to the city’s
ethics ordinance at the August
2 council meeting. Maxwell
said, “We need to strike out
the sentence about an attor
ney living in the city of
Nicholson serving on the eth
ics committee.” Maxwell also
advised, after consulting with
the city’s attorney, that the
council cannot place an attor
ney on the committee and pay
them at the same time. “They
are not there to represent the
city,” he said. “They are there
to represent the committee.
This is not a paying posi
tion. It is only volunteer.”
Wheeler said the city’s char
ter says the city can pay the
attorney for compensation for
serving on this committee.
Wheeler said Lamar Watkins
and himself met with attorney
Dylan Wilbanks. Commerce,
on this matter and he said
the city could pay for this
service. Maxwell questioned
Wheeler about who approved
the meeting with Wilbanks
and who was going to pay the
bill for this meeting. Wheeler
said, “We voted at the meet
ing the other night to put him
on this committee.” Maxwell
said he would not approve
this bill and he would not
sign a check to pay for the
bill. Maxwell said, “Chuck,
you are responsible for this
bill.” Watkins stated on June
10 the O.K. was given to pay
$225 to go see either Dylan
Wilbanks, A1 Stone or Greg
Perry.
•Maxwell said he would
call for a vote at the August
meeting on forming a plan
ning and zoning board for the
city. The board will consist
of five voting members and
will be voluntary. Council
member Howard Wilbanks
said, “I don’t think we need
one. I think the council
can handle this.” Wheeler
and Watkins agreed with
Wilbanks. Nicholson resident
Jimmy Ford, a member of
the Jackson County Planning
Commission, advised the
planning and zoning board is
a screening committee. “You,
the council, would still be
responsible for the final deci
sion.” Ford said. Jan Webster,
Nicholson, advised on the
first things consultant Jerry
Weitz recommended was a
planning and zoning board.
“The planning and zoning
board would be familiar with
all of Nicholson’s ordinances
and would be able to help the
individuals have everything
in order when they came
before the council.” Webster
said. Citizens Mark Palmer
and John Ring both spoke in
favor of a planning and zon
ing board.
•Maxwell mentioned the
possibility of the city taking
special purpose local option
sales tax (SPLOST) revenue
to do paving on either Peach
Street or James Maxwell
Road. Wheeler said, “This is
not on the agenda, we can’t
talk about this.” Maxwell
said, “That’s fine, this will
give me more time to get
some figures together.”
The monthly council
meeting is set for 7 p.m. on
Monday, August 2, in the
community center.
WHEELER
NWA awarded
$700,000 for
water system
THE Nicholson Water
Authority has received a
$700,000 loan from the
Georgia Environmental Finance
Authority’s Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund (DWSRF).
The loan will be used to finan
ce new wells and well rehabili
tation; replace a water main;
storage improvements; install
new meters, including reading
and billing software; and for
training.
“Infrastructure improve
ments increase quality of life for
Georgia citizens, and they help
cities and counties create jobs
and promote economic develo
pment,” said Governor Sonny
Perdue. “I’m pleased this inves
tment is being made in water
system infrastructure.”
“The Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund assists local
governments with their efforts
to provide safe drinking water”
said Phil Foil.
“In addition to the public’s
health and safety, these projects
are critical to a community’s
ability to prosper economically,”
he said.
GEFA helps communities
prepare for economic growth
and development by providing
low-interest loans and grants.
The federal loan program is
administered by GEFA for
drinking water infrastructure
projects. The Nicholson Water
Authority will pay three-percent
interest on a 20-year loan for
$700,000. The total project cost
is $1 million with the authority
receiving $300,000 in principal
forgiveness.
CASA seeks
volunteers
VOLUNTEERS forthe Court
Appointed Special Advocate
(CASA) program are needed.
Classes begin in Jackson
County Tuesday. August 17, at 6
p.m. and continue each Tuesday
through the end of September.
After training, volunteers are
assigned to a child in foster care
who needs someone to be their
voice in Juvenile Court.
For information and to sign up,
call Annette at 706-387-6375.
STORMWATER DISCUSSION HELD IN JEFFERSON
Leaders from several communities throughout Northeast Georgia attended a
Stormwater Roundtable Discussion in Jefferson last week, which was sponsored
by the Jefferson Heritage Tree Council and the City of Jefferson. The group was
comprised of community planners, public works engineers and managers, arborists
and landscape architects. Liz Kramer, Director of NARSAL with the University of
Georgia, discussed the importance of trees in managing stormwater and ways to
improve the way cities collect and direct rain water to improve the quantity and qual
ity of drinking water for everyone.
Coley, Ginn invited to broadcast debate
STATE SENATE 47 candi
dates Shane Coley and Frank
Ginn have been invited to
participate in two radio broad
cast interviews in advance of
the August 10 Republican
runoff.
The first set of interviews,
scheduled to air on WJJC’s
Straight Talk with Ron
Johnson, will be held August
3 at 8 a.m. WJJC broadcasts
on 1270 AM. Coley has con
firmed that he will participate,
Ginn has not yet committed
to appear, Johnson said.
The interview will also be
broadcast live online at www.
WJJC.net. Listeners may
email or call with questions
during the show.
The second radio show,
scheduled for August 7. will
be broadcast on Winder’s
WIMO 1300 AM from 11
a.m. to 1 p.m. Ginn and Coley
COLEY GINN
will be the guests on Views
with Gregory Howard. The
show will also be broadcast
on the station’s web site,
www.WIMORadio.com.
Districtwide, Ginn carried
44.5 percent of the vote to
Coley’s 26.7 percent in the
July 20 Republican primary.
In Barrow County. Coley led
with 37.5 percent of the vote
over Ginn’s 35 percent.
Last week, Coley picked up
endorsements from two of his
former rivals, Doug Bower
and Kelley Gary.
The winner of the Coley-
Ginn runoff will face
Democrat Tim Riley in
November.
The 47th State Senate
District includes all of Barrow,
Madison and Oglethorpe
counties, most of Jackson
County, and half of Clarke
and Elbert counties.
CVS, Applebees look
at Jefferson location
Council approves variances
BY ANGELA GARY
THE JEFFERSON City
Council approved several
rezoning requests Monday
night for a proposed retail
development in Jefferson.
The three requests from
Gipson/Loggins II LLC are
for a retail development at
the intersection ofHwy. 129
and the Old Pendergrass
Road near the Kroger shop
ping center.
Developer Jay Gipson
said at an earlier meeting
that CVS and Applebees,
as well as a coffee shop
and an ice cream parlor,
are considering locating at
the site.
The variances are to
allow for additional park
ing spaces; to reduce the
minimum 30-foot wide nat
ural buffer abutting a resi
dential zoning district to
a five-foot wide landscape
strip; to reduce or eliminate
required landscaping along
Old Pendergrass Road; and
to permit a lot to be created
on Hwy. 129 with its only
frontage on the bypass.
The approval for the vari
ances came with a condi
tion that a traffic study be
completed and the final site
plan must be approved by
the council.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the
meeting Monday night, the
council:
•approved a proposal
from Waste Pro to increase
the cost for residential gar
bage pick up by 80 cents
per month. This will be
effective as of Sept. 1.
•approved a resolution
outlining the Northeast
Georgia Regional Solid
Waste Management Plan.
•postponed action on a
proposed alcohol ordinance
for caterers and special
events. Councilman Bosie
Griffeth recommended
this be postponed until the
September meeting in order
to address his concerns over
the definition of “personal
property” in the ordinance
and to add that the owner of
an establishment be liable
for violations instead of
individual employees of the
business.
Jefferson budget talks continue
Civic center, recreation department
administration proposals presented
BY ANGELA GARY
REPAIRS AND landscap
ing at the civic center, secu
rity cameras and playground
equipment and laptop com
puters are among the items
on the proposed budgets
presented to the Jefferson
City Council Monday night.
Civic center director
Michelle Head, recreation
director Colton Green and
city manager John Ward pre
sented proposed budgets to
the council Monday night.
Last month, budgets for the
library, police department
and fire department were
presented.
CIVIC CENTER
The proposed civic center
budget for 2011 is $190,442,
compared to the current
budget of $178,004. New
projects include repairing
exterior doors at the club
house; repainting ballrooms
at the civic center; repair
ing walkways at the back
parking lot at the civic cen
ter and landscaping at the
civic center. Head also pro
posed an increase in rental
fees, which could bring in
as much as an additional
$90,000 in revenue. She also
suggested finishing another
room in the civic center to
offer for rental. Head also
recommended that a com
mittee meet to create a five
to 10 year master plan for
finishing all of the space in
the civic center and deciding
how to utilize it.
PARKS AND
RECREATION
The proposed parks and
recreation budget for 2011 is
$1.22 million, compared to the
current budget of $1,182 mil
lion.
Green’s budget includes an
increase in revenue of $40,000,
which would offset the cost
of some of the additional
expenses. New budget items
he suggested including more
part-time employees, security
cameras, additions at the pool
and playground equipment.
ADMINISTRATION
Ward presented a $693,972
budget for 2011, compared to
the current budget of $630,527.
He said the main increase will
be in insurance costs.
Ward also proposed $ 15,000
to purchase laptops for the
council members. He said this
would cut down on the cost
of preparing paper files each
month for the council mem
bers on items on the agenda.
Instead of these packets, the
information could be on the
council member’s laptops.
Ward pointed out that it
usually takes a staff member
one day before each meet
ing to prepare the packets
for each council member.
Another cost of preparing
these packets is the amount
of paper used.
All of the budgets also
include a three percent raise,
but the council has not decid
ed yet whether to approve
this.
We Pay Top Dollar
on all gold, silver, diamonds,
paper money and sports memorabilia.
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706-548-1632
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