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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2018
Jefferson City Council to vote on
noise ordinance changes Monday
the issue.
By Ben Munro
The Jefferson City Council will vote this Monday on
a proposed noise ordinance amendment supported by
industrial park representatives, but criticized sharply by
some citizens.
The council spent a large portion of a two and a half
hour meeting this past Monday discussing the changes,
which would remove a 55-decibel limit during quiet
hours from the ordinance and establish a noise nuisance
ordinance instead.
City staff drafted the change after reviewing a six-page
legal opinion from the law firm, Carothers and Mitchell,
that said violations based on decibel levels may be hard to
enforce as sound meters do not indicate a source.
There were also concerns that readings over the 55-deci-
bel limit might be the result of ambient noise.
Under the proposed ordinance change, the city would
identify offending noises (such as alarms, gunshots, fire
works. party noise, construction and industrial operations
including loading and unpackaging) and prohibit them
during quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Under the
change, sound readings can be taken, but are not required
for enforcement.
“We think we have a better chance of enforcing the
ordinance if we identify the specific sources that are
out there rather than use the current maximum decibel
level.” city planner Jerry Weitz said. “We say that these
are prohibited and that we are able to identify those and
better enforce it and the current decibel-level code doesn't
accomplish those objectives.”
Representatives from Pattillo Industrial Real Estate —
the developers of McClure Industrial Park — supported
the proposed changes.
“We actually think this is a better answer than where we
are with the current ordinance in large part because there
is so much about the decibel numbers that can lead to lots
of battles that are difficult for anybody to win,” said Larry
Callahan, Pattillo’s chief executive officer.
Noise from McClure Industrial Park, specifically back
up beepers from trucks, generated complaints from cit
izens last year that led to noise ordinance amendments.
Callahan said the problem was solved when smart alarms
were installed to mitigate that sound.
“The real problem, as soon as it was identified, took
about 100 bucks to solve,” he said.
Callahan contended that the continued discussion of
noise ordinances has raised concerns from industries
interested in locating in Jefferson.
“Question No. 1 is ‘Have they solved the noise ordi
nance issue in Jefferson?’” Callahan said. “That is becom
ing the reputation of industrial in Jefferson is that it’s got
tremendous opposition and that opposition is being fed by
noise ordinances.”
However, several citizens, some of whom came to the
meeting wearing red shirts, voiced opposition to removing
the decibel-level limit.
“I do feel the decibel limits in our code, it gives the
city a backbone to actually take some sort of motion,”
said Keith Jenkins, who has spoken multiple times over
By Ron Bridgeman
Cybersecurity jobs are plentiful for those who are
qualified, the director of the Center of Innovation for
Information Technology, told a chamber breakfast last
week.
“You can find a job almost instantly - if you have
the training.” Glen Whitley, director of the center, told
the audience.
He said nationally the need in the cybersecurity
field is to fill six-million jobs. About 4.5-million “are
in the pipeline,” he said.
In Georgia, Whitley said the key areas for informa
tion technology are health care, financial and cyber
security.
He emphasized that Georgia is one of the few states
to develop a cyber training center. Georgia has one in
Augusta. He said $50 million has been spent on it and
that much more is committed to it.
That center provides training for state employees
and others. Its website says it is the largest investment
in a cybersecurity facility by a state government.
Whitley said the state has eight universities that
have certification from centers of excellence.
In Augusta, the Arcyber, or Army cyber, and NSA
have established commands at Fort Gordon.
Cyber security is protecting data, he said, a far sim-
Jenkins also said that Pattillo has threatened to sue the
city if ordinances weren’t changed. He said the latest noise
ordinance amendments were written with bias toward
industrial interests. Callahan denied Jenkins’ claim that
Pattillo has threatened the city with a lawsuit.
“That simply is not true,” Callahan said. “I have nothing
else to say.”
Jeremy Grindle said citizens bought homes with protec
tions in place with the ordinances, including decibel-level
restrictions. He feared the consequences of removing
those restrictions if industrial development moves closer
to residential property lines and noise grows louder.
“What we want to bring up is now we’re thinking,
‘Man, this warehouse will be 200 feet away versus 3,000
feet,”’ Grindle said. “If we don’t fight for this now, and
you take away our decibels, how on earth are we going to
be able to handle 200 feet away versus 3,000 feet?”
Grindle feared that if the decibel restriction is removed,
it will never be reinstated.
“We’re trying to take away something that’s been there
since the 90s,” he said. “If we take away this, is there ever
a chance in a million years that we "re going to have it
(back)? No. We’re never going to say let’s put the ordi
nance back once a $50 million business is there.”
One of the criticisms of the noise nuisance ordinance is
that it relies too much on subjectivity to determine a noise
nuisance. Mayor Steve Quinn had reservations about
removing decibel-level limits, saying disruptive noises
need to be measured objectively. One alternative dis
cussed was setting a noise-level limit a certain a number
of decibels above the ambient noise level.
“I would like the council to think about the idea that we
leave a measurement in and try to figure out how best to
do that.” he said.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the council:
•heard a request from IDI Logistics Services Group
LLC to rezone 6.86 acres on Hwy. 82 and Logistics Cen
ter Parkway from light industrial to highway commercial
for a gas station and retail.
•were presented with requests from the city to rezone
two parking lots at Old Jefferson Cotton Mill. If approved,
a lot on Lynn Avenue and Cobb Street would switch to a
highway commercial zoning and a lot on Lynn Avenue
and Hoschton Street would carry an office-institutional
zoning.
•were presented a request to expand the Jefferson His
toric Preservation Commission from five members to six
members. During discussion, however, it was suggested
the board be expanded to seven members as it was origi
nally during its inception in the late 1980s.
•reviewed a resolution amending the city’s urban rede
velopment plan.
•were presented with an amendment to the city’s land
use management plan that would require traffic studies for
developments of regional impact or projects that might be
high traffic generators.
•met in closed session to discuss property acquisition.
pier task to explain than to do.
More than 115 companies in the state are in the
cybersecurity business, Whitley said. He added it is a
$4.7 billion business in Georgia. It is 13 percent of the
state’s gross domestic product, he said.
He added the average wage in the state for cyber
security jobs is $94,915, compared to the average of
all jobs of $50,100.
The cyber threats “are going to grow,” he said.
Common threats are phishing, ransomware, denial of
service and advanced persistent threats.
Ransomware increased by about 250 percent in
2017, he said. “It’ll be an ever-evolving battle.”
The advanced persistent threats software that crim
inals use to get into a system that just stay inside a
computer network and collect data from all the com
puters on the network.
Whitley said hacking will become more of a threat
because of the Internet of Things - more and more
gadgets that are connected to the internet become
ways to attack networks. Controls on household items
such as temperature, robots and more applications for
software on phones are entryways into computers, he
said.
“The difficulty with this kind of activity,” Whitley
said “is the criminals are well hidden.”
Nicholson approves
public alert system
BY CHARLES PHELPS
The Nicholson City Council unanimously approved a pub
lic alert system for the city at a recent city council meeting.
The public alert system will cost the city $275 for the
year. Alerts for citizens can include information on the city’s
activities such as the Daisy Festival, fireworks for the Fourth
of July, weather alerts, trash pick-up and more. Citizens can
be alerted via text messages, landline and e-mail. The system
will also send out mailers to citizens.
“Any emergency, any information we want to get out to the
public quick, we can do it with this,” mayor Jan Webster said.
“Any events, activities, anything.”
In other action last week night:
• the council unanimously adopted a fee schedule for the
city’s planning and development. The city currently didn’t
have a fee schedule prior to the vote. City planner Jerry Weitz
helped the city come up with the schedule.
• the city has officially moved into its new location at the
former Benton Elementary School.
Roxy continued from 1A
website reads. “I can sit, stay, come and lay down. I’m
pretty strong, so I’d do best in a house without small
kids. My handler says I wake him up every day with the
sweetest Roxy smile.”
McDaniel added Roxy can whisper, speak, play “peek-
a-boo,” wave, shake and rollover.
Roxy is good with humans, but would do best as an
only dog, according to the website.
McDaniel added Roxy is house-broken, has “strong”
maternal instincts and won’t jump on people.
“Roxy is very calm, no hyperactivity whatsoever. She’s
a big cuddler and she can’t wait to lay on the front porch
and guard the house,” McDaniel said.
He added that if he ever got to speak to Roxy’s new
family, he’d want them to know she is low-maintenance,
“one of a kind,” and a loyal dog.
Those interested in adopting Roxy can get more
information at https://www.jaildogs.org or by emailing
jaildogs @ gmail.com.
MORE ABOUT JAIL DOGS PROGRAM
Gwinnett County’s Operation Second Chance, also
known as the Jail Dogs program, was started in 2010 as
a partnership between Gwinnett Sheriff Conway Butch,
the Gwinnett County Animal Shelter and the Society of
Humane Friends of Georgia.
Walker said since it began, over 425 dogs have been
adopted into homes. The program also houses cats.
Those wishing to donate may do so at the Gwinnett
County Detention Center or through JailDogs.org.
Monetary donations are accepted, along with items
(leashes, treats, etc.).
Information on adoptable dogs and cats can also be
found at JailDogs.org.
ROXY
Cyber security ‘ever-evolving, ’ growing field
GREEN SWORN IN AS MAGISTRATE JUDGE
Ben Green was sworn in the new Chief Magistrate Judge of Jackson County
on June 1. He was appointed by the Superior Court to finish the term of
the late Judge Sherri Smith who died this spring. Green lives in Commerce
with his wife Annette and their twin daughters Sloane and Sullivan. Green,
a former Army Aviation company commander and UH-60 Blackhawk pilot,
began his legal career as an assistant district attorney in the Jackson
County District Attorney’s Office before becoming a partner in the law firm
of Bradford, Primm & Green in Jefferson. Most recently, Green worked as
an assistant district attorney in the Mountain Judicial Circuit focusing mostly
on the prosecution of large scale drug trafficking organizations in both state
and federal court.
Headmaster’s
Corner
by
Steve Cummings
CELEBRATING
DAY - I have been unusually
blessed in this life to have a re
markable man as my father. He
is uniquely gifted, having been
a missionary, a Navy veteran,
a pastor, a successful business
man, an author, a coach, and
the founder of Athens Christian
School.
He was also a truly amazing
dad. He always made me feel
like what I was doing was im
portant. He modeled the life
of a servant leader. He always
encouraged, and was full of op
timism.
But most importantly, he
taught me the eternal value of a
relationship with my Father in
Heaven. And that is what I’m
most thankful for. Happy Fa
ther’s Day, dad. Look forward to
sharing many more with you.
ATHENS
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
“Affordable Quality Education Since 1970”
K3-12TH CALL (706) 549-7586
www.athenschristian.com
FATHER’S
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Jackson Herald
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