About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 2020)
wrestlers claim individual state titles, sports, ib Public defenders, courts face cuts Amended 2020 state budget includes freezing vacant positions, reducing contract rates BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com In the courtroom, public defend ers are fighting for the lives of their clients. In the statehouse, they are fac ing their own battle with potential budget cuts that could impact their efficacy in fiscal year 2021. “Most of our people believe in what they’re doing, and it’s not about money per se. Most of our lawyers could make two or three times what they’re making prob ably here,” Northeastern Judicial Circuit Public Defender Brad Mor ris said. Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday, Feb. 10, that tax collec tions rose 4.5% in January com pared to the same month in 2019. Overall tax collections for the bud get year, which began July 1, are now up $133 million, or nearly 1%. He has proposed deeper cuts for the fiscal year 2021 budget begin ning July 1, seeking to reduce spending by about $300 million over what was originally planned. Kemp wants to give a $2,000 teacher pay raise next year, which would cost a projected $376 million. Rep. Matt Dubnik, R-Gainesville, said a full appropriations commit tee meeting is called for Tuesday, Feb. 18, where action may be taken to move the amended budget 2020 forward through the process. After that, attention will likely shift to the fiscal year 2021 budget. “I would think that if we make those things a priority in the amended ’20 budget that you would see an equal focus and desire to restore some of those cuts in the ’21 budget,” Dubnik said. The amended fiscal year 2020 budget includes $1.2 million in cuts for public defenders, includ ing $1.19 million in reducing funds by “freezing vacant positions” and $360,000 in a “reduction in con tract rates.” For fiscal year 2021, the total cuts proposed for public defend ers is just over $3 million, with $618,465 in “identifying opera tional savings.” Morris said there are five attor neys, an investigator and an office manager that are considered state employees and would likely face furloughs if the cuts go into place. ■ Please see DEFENDER, 4A SCOTT ROGERS I The Times Public Defender for the Northeastern Judicial Circuit Brad Morris said there are five attorneys, an investigator and an office manager that are considered state employees and could be affected by proposed state cuts. EXPENSIVE WASTE As landfill stops taking sludge, cities look for solution BY MEGAN REED mreed@gainesvilletimes.com Sludge, a byproduct of the waste- water treatment process, has to go somewhere. But the process to dispose of it is costing Hall County quite a lot. For years, Gainesville, Flowery Branch, Lula and Hall County have been sending their sludge to the Hall County Landfill. The county has been charging the municipalities $20 to take each load of sludge, and each load is about 15 to 18 tons, Srikanth Yamala, Hall County Public Works Director, said. The process costs about $200 to $400 per ton of sludge, and the county has been taking in about 3,000 tons of sludge per year, Yamala said. But starting July 1, the county land fill will no longer be accepting sludge, leaving the local governments with a decision about where their sludge should go. When wastewater is treated, the solids and the water need to be separated. “Sludge can be defined as your semi-solid material, which is a byproduct that is produced during sewage treatment of wastewater. Anything that is flushed from the bathroom, that water ... before it is released to the streams, it needs to get processed,” Yamala said. "... The solids that resulted as a process of the sewage treatment is called the sludge.” The sludge is transported in ■ Please see SLUDGE, 4A SCOTT ROGERS I The Times Spout Springs Wastewater Facility operations specialist Matt Collins walks past a container as it fills with sludge Thursday, Feb. 13. Starting July 1, the Hall County Landfill will no longer accept sludge, a byproduct of the wastewater treatment process. Exit 14 is open for business BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com Passing motorists may see huge, empty fields soaked from winter rains, but developers and real estate agents see a potential boomtown at the newly opened Exit 14. “The economic development aspects of a new interchange on 1-985 can’t be understated,” said Alex Wayne of Radial Property Group, developers of Tanners Creek Business Park on Thurmon Tanner Parkway. Wayne has a “for sale” sign of his own off H.F. Reed Industrial Parkway, which crosses Exit 14 in South Hall, connecting with Martin Road at Falcon Parkway/Ga. 13. That’s the only prop erty apparently for sale off H.F. Reed between Falcon Parkway and Thurmon Tanner. Still, with mostly undeveloped land surround ing the diamond interchange, commercial and industrial growth is considered inevitable. “There’s no question it will develop,” said Tim Evans, the Greater Hall Chamber of Com merce’s vice president for economic devel opment. “The infrastructure and the city influences ... hopefully will encourage it to be the best quality development that it can be.” Sitting at the Flowery Branch-Oakwood bor der, some 135 acres at the exit flank H.F. Reed between Thurmon Tanner Parkway and Fal con Parkway, most of it zoned agricultural. A small chunk — about 3 acres — is designated as commercial. ■ Please see EXIT, 5A SCOTT ROGERS I The Times A parcel of land at the intersection of HF Reed Industrial Parkway and Thurmon Tanner Parkway at the newly opened Exit 14 is for sale. INSIDE 0 901 06825 Advice 1E Business 4D Calendar 2A Classified 6C Comics Inside Fun+Games 1E Kitchen 3D Life 1D Lottery 2A Opinion 6A Our Region 1C Sports 1B WEATHER 2A Lake Lanier level: 1,076.34 feet Full pool 1,070. Up 0.14 feet in 24 hours DEATHS 2C Jill Alderman, 41 Eugene Bingham, 80 Dorothy Clack, 80 Homer Day, 81 William Ingram, 84 Merrie Jackson, 52 Johnny Jones, 68 Daniel Locke, 75 Irving Levine, 93 Windell Parker, 83 let this be the year of you — attend Bariatrics 101 — This year, take the next step toward a new and healthier you by attending a free Bariatrics class. Just one session will teach you all you need to know about bariatric surgery and the nationally recognized, accredited program at NGMC. Learn more and register at www.nghs.com/newyou. Northeast Georgia Medical Center BARIATRIC WEIGHT LOSS CENTER
