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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2010
Wilbanks, Elliott honored for service on BOE
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS RECOGNIZED
Jackson County Board of Education members Kathy
Wilbanks (left) and Jill McEver Elliott (right) were
honored on Monday for each serving 12 years on the
board. Photo by Kerri Testement
Change in state policy to affect
Talmo’s monthly tax deposits
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
COME JANUARY, the
Jackson County Board of
Education will have new
members to replace two. long
time officials.
Kathy Wilbanks, chairper
son, and Jill McEver Elliott,
vice chairperson, have both
served on the Jackson County
Board of Education for 12
years. Neither one sought
another elected term.
On Monday, the school sys
tem honored Wilbanks and
Elliott for their service to the
board of education, which has
included 11 years as chair
man and vice chairman of the
board.
Superintendent Shannon
Adams, who spoke at a recep
tion honoring Wilbanks and
Elliott, said the district has
come a “long, long way”
while they have served on the
board of education.
“Y’all have guided us.
supported us, encouraged us
and challenged us — and we
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
THE JACKSON County
Board of Education will take
a closer look at the continued
employment of superinten
dent Shannon Adams during a
called meeting on Thursday.
On Monday, the board met
for two hours and 10 min
utes behind closed doors to
discuss the superintendent’s
evaluation. Of that time,
Adams was not in the meet
ing for about an hour and a
half before going into the
THE THREE school sys
tems in Jackson County have
called for a referendum on
March 15, 2011, to approve
the next round of Education
SPLOST (E-SPLOST) fund
ing. Overall, the sales tax
funds could bring in up to
$100 million to be split
among the districts. The fol
lowing is the language that
voters will decide on at the
ballot box.
JACKSON COUNTY
SCHOOL SYSTEM
•paying all or a portion
of the debt service on out
standing Series 2005 General
Obligation Bonds previously
issued by the Jackson County
School District with the max
imum amount of debt service
to be paid with sales tax pro
ceeds to be $30 million.
•acquiring, construction,
equipping and furnishing
new school buildings and
other buildings or facilities
useful or desirable in con
nection therewith, including
a new middle school.
•acquiring new technol
ogy equipment, safety and
security equipment and other
school equipment.
•adding to, renovating,
repairing, improving, equip-
appreciate that,” Adams said.
“We’re a better school sys
tem because y’all served on
the board of education. And I
thank you very much.”
Wilbanks, who is retired
from the banking industry, said
she plans to continue serving
on the board and various com
mittees of the Jackson County
Area Chamber of Commerce.
She also serves on the board
of directors for St. Mary’s
hospital in Athens.
Wilbanks said she will con
tinue to serve Jackson County
and hopes to get involved in
additional community-orient
ed projects.
Other than serving on
the BOE, Elliott is also an
office manager at Shannon
Veterinary Services, Jefferson,
and accounting manager at
Pilgrim’s Pride, Commerce.
Monday’s board meeting
marked the final regular meet
ing for Wilbanks and Elliott,
who were thanked by a num
ber of employees during a
closed-door meeting to meet
with the board.
When the meeting was
opened to the public, the BOE
took no action, but called for
a meeting on Thursday, at
9 a.m.. at the central office
to finish discussing Adams’
contract.
However, board chairper
son Kathy Wilbanks said
Adams received a “satisfac
tory” evaluation.
After the meeting, Wilbanks
said the board wants to con-
ping and furnishing existing
school buildings or other
buildings or facilities useful
or desirable in connection
therewith.
•acquiring a portion of a
psychoeducational facility,
•acquiring land
•purchasing textbooks and
band instruments
•purchasing school buses
and school vehicles
•acquiring new property
necessary or desirable there
fore, both real and personal
Total estimated amount
for the Jackson County
School System: $62.6 mil
lion
COMMERCE CITY
SCHOOL SYSTEM
•paying a portion of the
debt service on the outstand
ing Series 2007 and 2009
General Obligation Bonds
previously issued by the City
of Commerce, the maximum
amount of debt service to be
paid with sales tax proceeds
to be $7.2 million
•adding to, renovating,
repairing, improving, equip
ping and furnishing existing
school buildings or other
buildings or facilities useful
or desirable in connection
therewith, including, but not
reception for their service to
the district.
Wilbanks will be replaced
by Celinda Wilson and
Elliott’s seat will be filled by
Steve Bryant, who won a pri
mary election in July. They’ll
be sworn into office during a
tinue discussion of Adams’
contract and address several
personnel issues as part of the
superintendent’s evaluation.
The board has not, at this
time, extended his contract,
she said.
In December 2009, Adams
also received a “satisfactory”
rating for his annual evalu
ation. The board, however,
didn’t extend his contract
beyond the existing term and
didn’t give him a pay raise.
Adams currently has a year
limited to. HVAC and ele
mentary gymnasium.
•acquiring a portion of a
psychoeducational facility
•acquiring school buses,
school vehicles, maintenance
vehicles and transportation
and maintenance equipment.
•acquiring textbooks and
band instruments
•acquiring new technology,
safety and security equipment
and other school equipment
•acquiring land
•acquiring any property
necessary or desirable there
fore, both real and personal
Total estimated amount
for the Commerce City
School System: $12.7 mil
lion
JEFFERSON CITY
SCHOOL SYSTEM
•paying a portion of the
debt service on the outstand
ing Series 2004 General
Obligation Bonds, Series
2005A and Series 2005B
General Obligation Bonds,
and Series 2011 General
Obligation Bonds issued by
the Jefferson City School
District with the maximum
amount of debt service to be
paid with sales tax proceeds
to be $16.3 million
•acquiring, constructing
ceremony with other elected
officials in Jackson County
during a ceremony on New
Year’s Day.
The Jackson County Board
of Education will decide on a
new chairman and vice chair
man at its meeting in January.
remaining on a three-year
contract with the Jackson
County School System. He
has been superintendent for
four years.
Before becoming superin
tendent of the Jackson County
School System. Adams
worked in the district’s cen
tral office for several years,
served as superintendent for
the Oconee County School
System and was a principal
of the former Jackson County
Middle School.
and equipping new school
buildings and other buildings
or facilities useful or desir
able in connection therewith,
including, but not limited to,
a new gymnasium
•acquiring new technology,
safety and security equip
ment and band instruments
•acquiring school buses,
school vehicles and trans
portation and maintenance
equipment
•acquiring land and any
improvements thereon, and
modifying those improve
ments as desired
•demolishing, adding
to, renovating, repairing,
improving, equipment and
furnishing existing school
buildings or other buildings
or facilities useful or desir
able in connection there
with, including, but not
limited to new classrooms,
kitchens, and physical edu
cation/athletic facilities
•acquiring any proper
ty necessary or desirable
therefore, both real and
personal
•acquiring a portion of a
psychoeducational facility
•acquiring textbooks
Total estimated amount
for the Jefferson City School
System: $24.5 million
BY KATIE HUSTON
THE Georgia Department of
Revenue lowered its threshold
for withholding taxes recently,
affecting smaller cities, includ
ing the City of Talmo.
The change lowers the
threshold from $1,000 to $500,
making it necessary for cities
to register with the GDOR for
monthly tax deposits, accord
ing to a report given at the
Dec. 7 city council meeting.
The tax deposits will begin in
January.
Previously, smaller cities
were able to make quarterly
payments.
In other business from
Talmo, construction remains
The preliminary September
rate of 10 percent reported
last month has been revised
downward by one-tenth of
a percentage point. The rate
was 10.2 percent in October
2009. This is the 37th con
secutive month Georgia has
exceeded the national unem
ployment rate, which is cur
rently 9.6 percent.
Other area counties and
the nomination, and we’re all
keeping our fingers crossed. I
think they’re as excited about
it as I am. They’ll be on the
road, so they can’t attend the
celebration, but they’ll be with
us in spirit.”
Keane said he’ll be attend
ing the Grammys with his wife
and a few friends, including
his previous manager. Greg
Spotts.
The 53rd Grammy Awards
will be held on Sunday,
February 13, in Los Angeles,
Calif. In his category, Keane is
up against the following engi
neers: Michael H. Brauer, Joe
Ferla, Chad Franscoviak and
Manny Marroquin, for their
work on John Mayer’s “Battle
Studies;” Steve Lipson, for
his work on Jeff Beck’s
delayed on completion of the
city’s new pavilion. Work first
began back in October, and
should be complete as soon as
weather permits.
J&K Utilities is involved
with construction on the 20 x
20 structure and it will be paid
for with SPLOST (Special
Purpose Local Option Sales
Tax) funds. The estimated cosl
is $8,325.
Also, it was reported thal
the connections for the surveil
lance cameras at city hall and
the library are being modi
fied and adjusted for remote
observation. City clerk Debbie
Fontaine said it should be com
pleted in the coming months.
their October unemployment
rates include:
•Barrow, 9.8 percent, down
from 10.1.
•Clarke, 7.3 percent, down
from 7.4.
•Madison, 7.9 percent,
down from 8.1.
•Banks. 6.9 percent, up
from 6.8.
•Hall. 8.8 percent,
unchanged from September.
“Emotion and Commotion;”
Ryan Freeland, for his work
on Ray LaMontagne and The
Pariah Dogs’ “God Willin’ &
the Creek Don’t Rise;” and
Seth Presant and Leon F.
Sylvers III, for their work on
N’dambi’s “Pink Elephant.”
Keane recognizes the stiff
competition he’s up against
and said that whatever the
outcome, he’ll enjoy visiting
L.A. and attending the cel
ebration.
“We joke about it in the
studio all the time. ‘We’re
going to the Grammys with
this one," but I never thought
I’d be nominated for one,”
Keane said. “I’ve got a spot
on the mantelpiece already
picked out for it right next to
my lava lamp.”
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Jobless cont’d from JA
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