Newspaper Page Text
O
O
THE
ACKSON
L-iT
mW.
H Wednesday, September 14, 2011
ERALD
www.JacksonHeraldTODAY.com
VOL. 137 NO. 14 52 PACES 4 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 75c COPY
— Inside —
Area news:
ri
•JHS students mark
9/11 pagelOA
Op/Ed:
•'BOE digging a new
hole; JPD coming under
fire; ban corporate wel
fare' page 4A
Sports:
•Intra-county rivals
clash Friday ... page 1B
Features:
•Views from Heritage
Village page 1C
Other News:
•Public Safety
pages 6-7A
•Legals
pages 10-24C
•Church News
page 7B
•Obituaries
page 8B
•School News
. . . . pages 9-1 OB, 12B
o -S
School board to re-hire positions
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
WITH MORE money in the bank,
the Jackson County School System will
restore funding to some areas that it previ
ously slashed during budget cuts.
The Jackson County Board of Education
agreed Monday to a restoration plan that
includes up to a potential $624,350 in
spending for hiring additional staff, and
paying more for athletic and fine arts
transportation to events.
“We came up with a list that we think
benefits a lot of different people and
groups in the school system,” said super
intendent Shannon Adams on Thursday.
“We tried to restore (funding) in as many
places as we could; obviously, we couldn’t
do them all. But we think the ones that we
did do make sense.”
The spending plan comes after the
school system ended the 2011 fiscal year
in June with a $9.3 million surplus. The
tentative 2012 fiscal year budget adopted
by the board in August shows an anticipat
ed ending fund balance of $6.1 million.
After a number of budget cuts in recent
years — including layoffs and closing its
Regional Evening School — the restora
tion plan spans diverse needs in the school
system, according to Adams.
However, the board initially questioned
the restoration proposal during Thursday’s
work session and asked the district’s bud
get committee to consider a financially
trimmer plan.
“I’d love us to be able to restore every
thing,” said chairperson Lynne Massey-
Wheeler. “But my only concern is that
economists are still telling us that (the
nation is) in trouble and that we may be
headed for another recession.”
The revised restoration plan approved
by the board on Monday outlines that
two positions — one system-wide sup
port specialist and a job in the district’s
technology department — be phased in
January 2012. The other changes may be
filled immediately.
Overall, the total price tag for the resto
ration plan approved by the board ranges
from $383,555 to $624.357—largely due
to the level of experience of those hired for
the jobs. It also doesn’t include benefits
for some of the lower-paying positions,
such as media paraprofessionals, and an
employee to keep track of student records
and informational technology.
The plan was adopted on the same
night that the board also revised the school
system’s 2011-2012 calendar to eliminate
four of 10 employee furlough days that
will cost an estimated $1.1 million in sala
ries and benefits (see story on 10A).
Adams said the school system will
maintain a fund balance of more than $5
million with the changes.
continued on page 9A
REMEMBERING THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES ON 9/11
Gene Bennett, vice commander of the Albert Gordon Post 56 of the American
Legion in Jefferson, takes a moment to remember those who lost their lives in
the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, during a memorial service on Sunday at the
Jefferson Civic Center. Members of the Jefferson High School JROTC Color Guard
(shown in the background) helped dedicate a new American flag, which was low
ered to half-mast for the service. Photos by Kerri Testement
Remembering those killed on 9/11
Jefferson holds
memorial service
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
JEFFERSON MAYOR Jim
Joiner said he’s thankful for
those emergency responders
who risk their lives every day
to protect others in their com
munities.
And thanking those work
ers — including police officers,
firefighters and medical per
sonnel — is something that all
Americans can do any day, not
just on notable days, such as the
anniversary of 9/11.
“I hope that when you see
your first responders that you tell
them how much you appreciate
what they do for you in keep
ing the world around you safe,”
Joiner said.
Joiner was one of the speak
ers at a memorial service at the
continued on page 9A
LEADING IN PRAYER
Michael Helms (at podium), pastor of First Baptist
Church of Jefferson, leads a prayer for the victims
and first responders who lost their lives in the terrorist
attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The Rotary Club of Jefferson
held a memorial service on Sunday — the 10th anni
versary of the attacks — at the Jefferson Civic Center.
Also shown (L-R) are: Harvie Lance, commander of
the American Legion Post in Jefferson; Jefferson
police chief Joe Wirthman; and mayor Jim Joiner.
Top county manager
candidates named
JACKSON COUNTY may
soon have a new county man
ager. The top three candidates
for the position were named this
week by the Jackson County
Board of Commissioners.
The BOC interviewed the top
three candidates in called meet
ings this week. The candidates
are: Kevin Poe, county manager
of Floyd County; Bob Thomas;
county government administra
tor for Elbert County; and Roy
Eckert, city manager of Powder
Springs.
The BOC will select the new
manager within the next two
weeks.
POE
Poe has served as county
manager of Floyd County
since 1995. Prior to that, he
was assistant city manager of
LaGrange, public works direc
tor for Floyd County and proj
ect manager/engineer with
Evans Construction Company
in Silver Creek. He has a bache
lor’s degree in civil engineering
from the University of Alabama
and a master’s of public admin
istration from the University of
West Georgia.
THOMAS
Thomas has served as county
government administrator in
Elbert County since 2006. His
experience also includes serv
ing on the Elbert County Board
of Education, working as plan
ning director for the Southeast
Georgia Regional Commission
and serving as director of plan
ning for cities and counties
of Henderson, Ky„ Daytona
Beach, Fla., and Albany, Ga.
He has a bachelor’s degree in
political science from Georgia
Southwestern College and a
master’s degree in city planning
from Georgia Tech.
ECKERT
Eckert has been city manager
of Powder Springs since June
2010. Prior to that, he worked
for CH2M Hill Engineering
Company, where he directed
and wrote the city governance
continued on page 9A
Attorney asked AG’s
office to force school
to turn over records
ATTORNEYS for the East
Jackson Comprehensive High
School teacher who accused
school leaders of various eth
ical violations have now filed
a complaint with the office of
Georgia’s Attorney General
claiming the Jackson County
School System has refused to
turn over records.
Attorney Michael Daniel
wrote the AG’s office last
week on behalf of teacher
Jennifer Phiel saying that the
school system had refused to
comply with an open records
request. Daniel claimed
in the complaint that the
school system is “attempt
ing to obstruct the applica
tion of the (open records) Act
through an exorbitant charge
of $1,500.”
The letter asks the AG’s
office to intervene and force
the school system to turn
over the documents.
Phiel had filed a complaint
with the Georgia Professional
Standards commission last
spring against several EJCHS
officials claiming that school
leaders had created bogus
rosters and other records.
Parent concerned about athletic costs
Zoller launches campaign
for 9th Congressional District
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
THE USE OF assistant ath
letic directors at two area high
schools is being questioned by
some parents, according to a
man that addressed the Jackson
County Board of Education
Monday night.
Redd Howe, former presi
dent of the Jackson County
Comprehensive High School
Touchdown Club, asked the
board how it can justify spending
$8,500 for each assistant athletic
director (AD) at the district’s two
high schools when other high
schools in the 8-AA region don’t
have such an expense.
Both East Jackson
Comprehensive High School and
Jackson County Comprehensive
High School have assistant ath
letic directors, who also serve as
assistant principals. The assistant
AD positions cost the school sys
tem a total of $17,000, according
to Howe.
However, board member
Michael Cronic said after the
meeting that the school system
is paying only a $2,500 supple
ment for those assistant athletic
directors.
At Monday’s board meeting,
Howe read portions of a pre
pared statement that he gave to
elected officials and the media.
“Parents are already being
asked to provide markers, copy
paper and many other associated
items to their schools,” according
to his statement. “Will parents
understand our school system
does not have enough money to
buy copy paper, but it condones
$17,000 being spent on two (2)
frivolous Asst. AD positions?
Will parents continue to under
stand when they are asked to
crack open their wallets and help
fund their booster clubs more
and more because we have to
pay our Asst. AD’s?”
Howe’s complaint with the
assistant AD expenses stems
from a former assistant athletic
director, Roger Powers, who
was frilly retired, but was being
paid $2,500 for the position,
according to his letter.
That pay was funded by
continued on page 10A
MARTHA ZOLLER, a radio
talk show host from Gainesville,
has announced her plans to
run for the newly-created 9th
Congressional District covering
northeast Georgia.
A temporary campaign web
site has been launched at www.
MarthaForCongress.com.
“I have been involved in radio
for 15 years now, not just giving
my opinion, but helping my lis
teners analyze the critical issues
of the day,” Zoller said. “Most
importantly, I have given people
a chance to be heard. Talk radio
has given me incredible oppor
tunities to see the greatness
of America. I have broadcast
everywhere from Georgia to
Washington, D.C., to Iraq, talk
ing with people from all walks
of life. Everywhere I go, I hear
the same thing — people are
fed up with the political games
in Washington and the profes
sional politicians who pay lip
service to their constituents.
“I know the games the politi
cians in both parties are play
ing. The games that have us
$14 trillion in debt, with nine
percent unemployment and our
country threatened all around.
continued on page 9A