Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2A
THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2010
Recreation complex plans on hold
Republican ballot
BOC fails to approve request for temporary license
BYANGELA GARY
A DEVELOPER seeking a
temporary business license to
operate a recreation complex
on Hwy. 441 until rezoning
and variances requests are
approved later this year was
not approved by the board of
commissioners Monday night.
Dennis Sikes presented the
request from Cecil Van Dyke of
Pro Swing on plans to reopen
the business, which originally
included a putt putt course and
go carts. Plans are now to also
offer a driving range, laser tag
and paint ball.
The original business closed
in 2003 and there has not been
a business license for the site
since then. When the own
ers applied for a new license,
county officials pointed out
that rezoning is now necessary,
as well as two special use per
mits and a variance to the new
code that requires a 200-foot
buffer from residential areas.
The rezoning and variance
requests will go the county
planning commission in August
and then on to the BOC in
September. The variance on the
buffer would go to the board of
adjustment in October.
Sikes said the owners want
to go ahead and the open rec
reation center on a temporary
business license. If they don’t
get the zoning approved later
this year, they would close, he
added.
Commissioner Chas Hardy
said he is opposed to a tempo
rary license.
“We have spent a lot of time
this part year on the UDC (uni
fied develoment code),” Hardy
said. “One of the things I heard
with a resounding voice is how
they can be assured that we
were going to follow those
rules. The only answer is we
are or we aren't. I feel for your
client. I wish there had been
better communication from the
beginning. I’m not comfortable
with making exception to the
rules that we and our citizens
have worked so hard to imple
ment. I am not going to make
a motion to grant a temporary
business license.”
Sikes pointed out that the
unified development code does
not address whether tempo
rary business licenses should
be permitted. He said that the
BOC has the authority to grant
a temporary license.
BOC chairman Hunter
Bicknell said: “We understand
the situation you are in but to
me it’s not good business for
this commission to try to go
around our policies in order to
provide you with a temporary
business license knowing the
hurdles you have to overcome
in order to continue to operate
as a business down the road.”
Commissioner Bruce Yates
said: “I believe government
moves slowly by design so that
we can be cautious in our deci
sions... At the present time, I
feel very strongly in following
the UDC.”
Sikes responded: “Were
not circumventing the UDC
because it is not mentioned in
the UDC...I was hoping that
we could at least go ahead
and get started even if, come
December, we have to shut
down.”
JACKSON COUNTY
OFFICIAL ABSENTEE/PROVISIONAL/CHALLENGED BALLOT STUB
OFFICIAL REPUBLICAN PARTY PRIMARY RUNOFF ELECTION BALLOT
OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA - AUGUST 10, 2010
ABS0C01
0011
JACKSON COUNTY
OFFICIAL ABSENTEE/PROVISIONAL/CHALLENGED BALLOT
OFFICIAL REPUBLICAN PARTY PRIMARY RUNOFF ELECTION BALLOT
OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA . ""
AUGUST 10, 2010
fo vote, blacken the Oval (m) next to the candidate of your choice. To vote for a person whose name r$ not civ the bafct manually WRITE his or her name
n the write-in section and blacken the Oval m next to the write-in section. If you desire to vote YES or NO fdriRR&POSED QUESTION, blacken the
responding Oval (V). Use only Wue or black pen or pencil.
>o not vote (or more candidates than the number allowed tor each specific office. Do not crosS/Out or erase. If you erase'©* make other marks on the ballot
>r tear the ballot, your vote may not count. '■>’
.
I you change your mind or make a mistake, you may return the ballot by writing *Spofle<f 'ac/oss the face of the baJkSf and return envelope. You may then
naif the spoiled ballot back to your county board of registrars, and you will be issued another official absentee ballot. Alternatively, you may surrender the
ttllo! to the po3 manager of an early voting site within your county or the prednefto which you are assigned. You will then be permitted to vote a regular
»lk)t. / r
7 understand tfrsf fte eftor or acceptance cfrr>oney & sny a.’Vi' object of So rote tir'tnypadia.-tir cendkbta, ttsf of candidates. issue, or tst of issues Muded in this cfecbon constitutes
is taw. ’{pC&A2tdb£84(o) and2t>2*382{a)]
For Governor
(Vote for One)
O NATHAN DEAL
o KAREN HANDEL
v "
%
• For Public Service Commissioner
v : v (To Succeed Robert B. Baker, Jr.)
(Vote for One)
O JOHN DOUGLAS
OTIM ECHOLS
O SAM OLENS
O PRESTON W. SMITH
For Attorney General
(Vote for One)
For Slate Senator From
47th District
(Vote tor One)
For Commissioner of Insurance
(Vote lor One)
O SHANE COLEY
o FRANK GINN
O RALPH T. HUDGENS
Emergency notification system approved
o MARIA SHEFFIELD
BOC agrees to purchase
BY ANGELA GARY
AN EMERGENCY notification system that
will send phone messages to all residents in the
county within 27 minutes of an emergency was
approved for purchase Monday night by the
Jackson County Board of Commissioners.
The new system will be funded over the next
three years with grant money. After that, the
yearly fee to the county will be $12,800.
“It has tremendous improvement over what
we had in the past,” Jackson County EMS
director Steve Nichols said.
The current notification system was pur
chased in the late 1970s or 1980s, Nichols
added.
The new system will send notifications to all
phone numbers in the county. It will also allow
anyone interested to sign up online to have
notifications sent to cell phones, by email or
text messages.
“We have numerous ways of reaching our
citizens.” Nichols said.
It will take 30 days for the new system to be
installed.
DISCUSSION HELD
In other business at the BOC Monday night
several items were discussed that will be on the
agenda for a vote at the meeting to be held at
6 p.m. on Aug. 16 at the courthouse, including
the following:
•a resolution to allow for the pre-tax treat
ment of the employee paid retirement contribu
tions to the Judicial Retirement System through
the implementation of employer “pick up” con
tributions as allowed by the Internal Revenue
Service. State Court Judge Jerry Gray and State
Court solicitor Don Moore both spoke on their
concerns about this. Moore also asked about
earlier discussions to move to a full-time State
Court. BOC chairman Hunter Bicknell said this
would be addressed during the budget discus
sions for 2011, which are under way.
•a recommendation to approve lease purchase
documents with SunTrust Equipment Finance
and Leasing Corporation for vehicles approved
by the board in the 2010 budget, including 20
cars for the sheriffs office, a dump truck and
mowing equipment.
•authorization of a memorandum of support to
the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission to
apply for a “Sustainable Communities Grant.”
•approval of a county-wide road plan,
•approval of the “community agenda” portion
of the county’s comprehensive plan.
•approval of a contract with InterAct Public
Safety Systems for the installation of upgrades
to the 911 CAD system to allow for data trans
fer to law enforcement, mapping upgrades and
criminal history information. A grant will fund
a portion of this.
•approval of an agreement with the City of
Talmo to provide animal control services.
•extending a lease agreement with Advantage
Behavioral Systems for one year at a rate of
$100 per month.
•approval of an agreement with Windstream
Communications to increase the Internet con
nection from 10MB to 50MB.
Democratic ballot
JACKSON COUNTY ABS0002
OFFICIAL ABSENTEE/PROVISIONAL/CHALLENGED BALLOT STUB
OFFICIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRIMARY RUNOFF ELECTION BALLOT
OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA - AUGUST 10. 2010 0011
i
JACKSON COUNTY
OFFICIAL ABSENTEE/PROVISIONAL/CHALLENGED BALLOT
OFFICIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRIMARY RUNOFF ELECTION BALLOT
OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA • > ..
AUGUST 10, 2010
;; , jk-.
o vote, blacken the Oval (•) next to the candidate of your choice. To vole lor a person whoso name is not oo.the baitot. manually WRITE his or her name
i the write-in section and blacken the Oval (•) next to the write-in section. If you desire to vote YES or NO for a PROPOSED QUESTION, blacken the
orrespontfng Oval (•). Use only blue or black pen or pencil.
K> not vote lor more candidates than the number aiiowod for each specific office. Do not crossout or erase. If you erase or make other marks on the ballot
r tear the ballot, your vote may not count. Y v ]>
you change your mind or make a mistake, you may return the baBot by writing "SpoSetTacross the face of fte taOot and return envelope. You may then
vail the spoiled ballot back to your county board of registrars, and you will be issded another official absentee baflot. Alternatively, you may surrender the
aDot to the poll manager of an early voting site within your county or the precinct to which you are assigned. You will then be permitted to vote a regular
allot.
7 understand that the c/tec or acceptance of money Of any otto object of eatue to vote tor any particular a
an octet votat fraud and d a tafony under Qwsia taw,'Ji
ife Sst of candidates, issue, or tst cf issues nctudedn tfus atectcr constitutes
Wd2t-2-3W*fJ
For Secretary of State
(Vote for One)
O GAIL BUCKNER
O GEORGANNA SINKFIELD
Jackson County’s DFCS client numbers increase during summer months
BY SHARON HOGAN
WITH SCHOOL out for the
summer, the Jackson County
Department of Family and Children
Services saw an increase in the
number of clients coming into its
office.
At last Wednesday’s monthly
board meeting, DFCS director,
Jacqueline Franklin, said she attrib
uted the higher number of clients
during June to the children being
out of school.
A total of 863 clients came in to
the DFCS office in Jefferson during
the June, compared to 762 in May
and 736 in April.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the monthly
meeting:
•Franklin reported $1,916 in
county expenses for the month of
June.
•Franklin presented the June
social services report that included:
69 active foster care cases, seven
investigations, 32 ongoing child
protective services cases, 39 diver
sion cases, four other state ICPC
cases, 13 child protective services
safety resources cases and 18 OTI-
secondary assignments cases.
•Terri Heliums. OFI supervisor,
presented the July OFI report that
included: 270 food stamp applica
tions, 210 family Medicaid appli
cations. 20 temporary assistance
for needy families (TANF) appli
cations and 168 adult Medicaid
applications. A total of 3,601 food
stamp cases, 2.723 family Medicaid
cases and 78 TANF cases and 1,337
active adult Medicaid cases were
reported in July.
•Franklin advised the board that
Christopher Watkins has been trans
ferred to Jackson County DFCS
from Bibb County to serve as a
placement unit supervisor.
•Franklin also reported that
Rhonda Floyd from Clarke County
DFCS is helping out in the absence
of office manager, Jacklyn Jones.
“I have her (Floyd) getting three
prices on an outside storage unit
and on outside furniture,” Franklin
said. These items will be on the
August meeting calendar, Franklin
stated. Franklin advised the board
that outside storage is needed in
order to get stuff out of the hall
ways in the DFCS building and the
outside patio furniture is needed for
the outside employee break area.
•Franklin announced that the
DFCS office would observe Friday.
Aug. 20, and Friday, Sept. 3, as fur
lough days. The DFCS office will
be closed on these two days and
clients needs to plan accordingly,
Franklin stated.
The monthly board meeting
in August is set for 10 a.m. on
Wednesday, Aug. 25, at the DFCS
office, Athens Street, Jefferson.
The Jackson County Board of Commissioners is
proud to aiTirounce the expairsioir of services at the
Veteran's Information and Referral Office (VIRO)
Who is eligible for to be served? All veterans who have served in United
States Armed Forces.
What services will be provided? The VIRO will assist Veterans with learning
about eligible benefits, applying for benefits, assist with setting up
appointments, and helping resolve problems by providing feedback to the
Veteran's Administration.
Where will the VIRO be located? The new VIRO will be located in the bottom
floor of the Jackson County Administration Building, 67 Athens Street,
Jefferson, Georgia. Parking is available between the Administration Building
and the EMS Center.
When will the office be open? The VIRO will be open on the 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd
Tuesdays of each Month from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Volunteers will be ready
to assist any veteran that walks into the office. No appointment is necessary.
How can I get more information? Please call Len Bernat, Jackson County
Purchasing Manager if you need more information on how to obtain assistance
or if you wish to volunteer to work with our veterans. Len can be contacted by
calling (706) 367-1816 or by email at lbernat@jacksoncountygov.com.
The Jackson County Veteran's Information and Referral Office works with the
Veteran's Administration to help them fulfill their mission statement: Our
promise to serve those who have served.