About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 17, 2024)
LOCAL The Times, Gainesville, Georgia I gainesvilletimes.com Midweek Edition-July 17-18, 2024 3A Gainesville Schools adopts ’24-25 tax rate, budget BY BEN ANDERSON banderson@gainesvilletimes.com The Gainesville City school board unanimously approved the 2024-25 fiscal year tax rate and budget at Monday's meeting. The tax rate was kept flat at 6.195 mills, which represents a 6.2% increase in property taxes given the rise in property values. Assessed home values increased by an average of 6.6% over last year, according to the Hall County Tax Assessor's Office. That's a significant jump, but far less than the 24.5% increase last year or the 16.6% increase in 2022. In Gainesville, homes are assessed at 100% of their value. That means a home valued at $400,000 would yield a tax bill of $2,478. ‘As taxpayers, the board and I, we feel what the community feels, and so we never take these hear ings or just the budget itself lightly,” Superintendent Jeremy Williams told The Times after the meeting. “We always want to make sure that we're being good stewards of the funds, and so we feel the pinch that everybody else is feeling, and we hope that over the next couple years we can remedy some of these increased costs.” The district says costs have increased significantly over last year, largely due to teacher raises and a state-mandated increase in health insurance premiums. Here are some of the cost increases: • Health insurance increase: $2.8 million • $2,500 teacher pay raises: $2 million • Teacher step increases: $1.8 million • Special education: $1.1 million Keeping employees that were hired with COVID-19 relief funds: $1.1 million • 2.5% pay increase for classified staff: $300,000 Williams said at a public hear ing Monday morning that the dis trict will use about $1.74 million of its $20 million reserve fund in the 2024-25 fiscal year. The school board has sought to keep a robust reserve fund since the 2007-09 Great Recession. To avoid further depleting the district's reserve fund in the com ing years, Williams said the district will likely “absorb” some employee positions. As employees leave or retire, he explained, the district will opt not to fill some of those positions. Salaries and benefits make up the vast majority of the district's costs. New Danny’s Donuts store open in Flowery Branch Scott Rogers The Times Inflated Imagination owner Jessica Macphee drops off balloon decorations at Danny’s Donuts Tuesday, July 16, for the shop’s newest location off Spout Springs Road next to the Publix shopping center. BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com Andy Nuon wants to dot the Hall County area with Danny's Donuts stores. Since opening his first store in Gaines ville in 2016, new locations have opened in Gainesville and Oakwood. And just outside of Hall in Buford, another store has opened off Buford Highway. “I don't want other doughnut shops to come in,” he said with a laugh. His newest store opens Wednesday, July 17, at 5866 Spout Springs Road, Flowery Branch, just off Interstate 985 and next to a Publix-anchored shopping center. Customers can expect the same menu as at other Danny's locations, including the popular apple fritters. In addition to a variety of “regular” and “fancy” doughnuts, such as maple bacon and strawberry cheese, Danny's will offer croissants, bagels and biscuits - all baked fresh in Nuon's kitchen. The restaurant also will offer breakfast burritos, coffee, cappuccinos, lattes and smoothies. Nuon had scouted the Flowery Branch area for possible locations but couldn't find a suitable location until a customer told him that Little Caesar's had closed its Spout Springs Road pizza shop. The restaurant, with its drive-thru win dow and access to busy Spout Springs and 1-985, was ideal for the owner/baker. “I love Flowery Branch,” Nuon said. Danny's customers will notice some changes to the former pizza shop. Nuon created more room by moving a bath room to the back of the store, removing a wall and even raising the ceiling. The restaurant will be open 5 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 5 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. But the hours may change, possibly closing later, depending on the flow of customers. “Publix, during the evening, is busy,” Nuon said. Brenau names Goss VP of enrollment Proposal pulled for hotel, homes, eateries in Buford BY BEN ANDERSON banderson@gainesvilletimes.com Brenau University, a private women's college based in Gaines ville, has named Nathan Goss as vice president of marketing and enrollment management. Goss had held the interim posi tion until now, university spokes woman Edie Rogers said in a news release Monday. As vice president, Goss will oversee undergraduate and gradu ate admissions for Brenau's four campuses and online programs. “He performed well as interim and his hard work during this time shows that he is the person best suited for this role,” said Brenau President David Barnett. Goss has served in various enrollment roles at Brenau since March 2005 and has more than 24 years of experience in enrollment management. Before serving as interim vice president, he was executive direc tor for enrollment partnerships and assistant vice president of enrollment management. “After two decades at Brenau, Nathan understands the character istics of students who will be suc cessful here, from the traditional Women's College student to the online graduate student,” Barnett said. Goss said he was “deeply hon ored and humbled” to be named to the position. “The opportunity to continue to collaborate with my university and division colleagues in helping to provide transformative educational experiences for the disparate stu dents we serve is exhilarating and a welcomed significant responsibil ity,” Goss said. The university said Goss recently helped to develop key recruiting measures designed to reach inter national students and traveled glob ally to meet with those students. Goss also has successfully nego tiated multiple agreements with the Technical College System of Georgia and local private schools to create new academic pathways to Brenau. Before joining Brenau, Goss was an admissions representative for DeVry University in Alpharetta. A native of Georgia, he earned his bachelor's degree in marketing from Oklahoma City University. He also earned his master's in busi ness administration and post-grad uate certification in marketing from Brenau. A developer is seeking to with draw plans for a 110-room hotel, four restaurants and more than 500 homes off Friendship Road/Ga. 347 near Buford in South Hall. The Hall County Planning Com- mision voted Monday, July 15, to recommend granting Buford-based Scott Puckett Inc.'s request con cerning 74 acres at 4435 Ridge Road, just off Ga. 347 and about a mile from Interstate 985. No reason was given at the meet ing for the withdrawal, which now goes before the Hall County Board of Commissioners for action on Aug. 22. “I'm sure we'll probably see it in some form at a future date,” Plan ning Board Chairman Chris Bras well said. Puckett officials couldn't be reached for comment. No hotel or restaurant tenants had been named in Hall County planning documents. The hotel would have been off Ridge and Friendship roads and the restaurant buildings would have had “rooftop space, patios, outdoor seating and a central plaza,” the documents say. Otherwise, the development would have featured a 275-unit apartment complex, 212 four- story townhomes and an amenities area with swimming pools, tennis courts, pickleball courts, parks, mulched walking trails and a com munity building. Puckett was looking to rezone the property from planned resi dential development and suburban shopping to planned commercial development. Jeff Gill Teen killed in wreck on 1-85 near 1-985 split BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com A 17-year-old was killed in a wreck Sun day, July 14, on Interstate 85 near the Inter state 985 split, though police have still not released many details. The Gwinnett County Medical Examiner's Office identified the teenager as Gustavo Parra-Villalobos, of Tucker. Parra-Villalobos was killed in the area of Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road and the 1-985 split. Gwinnett County Police said two vehicles were involved in the crash. Two people were transported with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. No other details have been released by police, as they said investigators are still working the case. FROM 1A Brownies Nov. 15, 2022, holiday meal, according to the lawsuit. Ken Lewis, the attorney for A Helping Hand Home Care and 13 others named in the lawsuit, filed a notice of dismissal July 3 in Hall County State Court. The notice stated the claims in the lawsuit are “settled, sat isfied and dismissed with prejudice.” The lawsuit was filed against Broxton's compa nies — Easy B’s Kitchen and East B’s Market and Cafe — and the Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County, where the holiday party took place. “These THC brownies were so poisonous, many who ingested just a couple (W x 3 / 4 ”) THC brown ies ended up at Northeast Georgia Medical Center suffering from acute THC poisoning,” the complaint stated. “Studies have shown that acute THC poisoning often produces severe psy chological reactions such as panic, fear and ‘can lead to acute psychosis in many individuals.’” Lewis told The Times the case was settled with all parties for a confidential amount. “I think a settlement indicates that certainly there were some valid claims, and in order to resolve those valid claims, an amount was agreed upon to compensate the plaintiffs,” Lewis said. “I think settlements are a part of the litigation process, and I’m glad that my cli ents were able to obtain some recovery.” Regarding his clients' health following the inci dent, Lewis said, “I can only say that some clients are doing really well. Some are still struggling.” A Helping Hand Home Care contracted with Brox- ton to cater a holiday meal for its employees, a spread including salad, lasagna, bread, lemon bars, brownie bites, tea and water. Broxton prepared the meal at the Junior League building on Riverside Drive and served it there Nov. 15, 2022, according to the lawsuit. Attorney Maren Cave, who represented Broxton and Easy B's Cafe, said the lawsuit “has amicably and confidentially resolved.” The Times reached out to attorney William Holling sworth, who is represent ing Broxton and his other business, as well as Junior League's attorneys, but no statements about the settle ment have been received as of Monday, July 15. In its prior court filings, Junior League argued that it is in “no way liable” to the plaintiffs. It included a copy of its rental agree ment and its indemnifica tion clause, showing that the home health care com pany agreed to hold Junior League harmless from cer tain claims. PUBLIC NOTICE DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS The Hall County School District Department of Special Education announces the intent to destroy specific special education records. Records will be destroyed that were collected, maintained or used in providing a free appropriate public education for disabled and/or exceptional students in the Hall County School District. This notice is in compliance with the district’s comprehensive plan for special education as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Special Education Records for students who were born between August 1,2001 and July 31,2002, and those who have graduated with general education diplomas are no longer needed for educational purposes. These records might, however, be needed by the student or parent for Social Security or other reasons. If a student or parent would like copies of a student’s special education records, he or she should contact Arianna Alvarado in the Special Education Office at 770-534-1080. The Hall County School District plans to destroy the above referenced Special Education Records on August 31,2024. Start earning today with BankOZK! <5.40%> 7-MONTH CD OR IRA CD** SPECIAL <5.00?°> 13-MONTH CD OR IRA CD** SPECIAL Visit our Oakwood location or open an account online at ozk.com** <> Bank OZK Greater awaits ozk.com I Member FDIC ‘Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective as of the publication date. Offer applies to new CDs only. $1,000 minimum deposit to open and is required to earn stated APY. Penalty for early withdrawal. IRA CD is subject to eligibility requirements. Offer not available to Public Funds, brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. Fees could reduce earnings. Offer subject to change without notice. Offer good at locations in Oakwood. 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