Newspaper Page Text
THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2007 -- PAGE 3A
— Commerce Water Moves
Cont. from Page 1A
moves to $100 on the second,
$200 on the third and on sub
sequent violations, both a $200
fine and a locking of the water
meter with a $300 reconnect
fee. Those penalties would still
be the lowest among area water
suppliers.
Harbin and Bryant also warned
that the city will be ordered to
implement some kind of “conser
vation” rates, a structure where
the more water is used, the higher
the rate. The city is beginning to
talk to its computer consultants
about how to manage such a sys
tem in a structure based only on
residential and out-of-city rates,
Bryant reported.
Contingency-
Plan
The city is working on a pair of
plans to supplement the city res
ervoir if the need arises. One calls
for releasing water from a water
shed lake upstream of the city
lake, which has been approved
by the Soil Conservation Service,
which owns the lake. The other
involves utilizing a well that once
provided water for Montgomery
Shores Subdivision, which could
deliver an additional 200,000 gal-
lons per day to the city.
Mayor Charles L Hardy Jr.
pointed out that all of the restric
tions were ordered by the state.
“All summer long, we’ve been
selling water to Jefferson and
Jackson County, and now we’ve
got to ask our customers to cut
back severely,” he complained.
“They need to know it’s not our
doing; it’s the governor’s.”
Other Items
On The Agenda
Otherwise, the agenda for
Monday night’s meeting is rela
tively light. It includes the follow
ing;
•recommendations from the
Commerce Planning Commission
to approve a sign variance for
the Commerce-85 Industrial Park
and to annex and rezone a lot
on Oconee Lane for Gary and
Melanie Brown. Both items were
recommended for approval.
•approval of the city’s compre
hensive plan update.
•a report on the city audit —
another “clean opinion,” accord
ing to Finance Director Steve
McKown.
•a financial report.
•certification of the Nov. 6 elec
tion results.
—County Closes Water Use Loopholes
Cont. from Page 1A
the authority for its action.
“I think you’re right on the
money,” she said. “We’ve got to
prepare, in my opinion, for July,
August, September of next year,
and we’ve got to start now.”
Bicknell said he did not think
the board’s action would prevent
any of the companies who asked
for exceptions from completing
their contracts, but conceded
some would have to “go to greater
lengths” to get water.
Those seeking exceptions
included a number of firms work
ing under contracts to pave roads,
hydro-seed roads, grade pads for
buildings and erect buildings.
Representatives of 10 firms out of
18 that had filed appeals attended
the Oct. 25 meeting. None attend
ed the Nov. 1 follow-up.
In other business, following a
closed session, the board motion
to proposed $25,000 settlement
to Scott Kimball in exchange for
cooperation in a friendly con
demnation. The land is being
acquired for access to and the
location of a lift station already
on the property. The developer
of an adjacent subdivision will
pay $44,000 for an easement
and access to the lift station,
which handles 90 percent of all
of the authority’s waste materi
als.
— EPD Likely To Allow Continued Pumping
Cont. from Page 1A
“We’ve had days when it’s been
as low as 620,000 gallons, and
it’s been up to 1.2 million gallons
per day (gpd) from Bear Creek,”
he said. “We’re probably averag
ing 800,000 to 900,000 gpd from
Bear Creek.”
The authority is also buying
about 600,000 gallons per day
from Commerce, about 500,000
gallons of which is going to
Jefferson.
June through October, Klerk
said, the authority’s sales are down
45 percent. According to Klerk,
the authority does not expect to
have any difficulty meeting Gov.
Sonny Perdue’s order of a 10 per
cent reduction in sales over the
winter months.
Jeff Killip, Jefferson’s pub
lic works director, reports that
Jefferson can now pump approxi
mately 500,000 gpd from its res
ervoir, which is down four feet.
That is a significant increase over
late summer, when the lake was
deemed virtually dry.
“The level is holding,” he said.
In response to the severe restric
tions, Jefferson’s usage fell from
44 million gallons pumped in
October of 2006 to 27 million gal
lons pumped this past October,
according to Killip.
Fareha Rahim, MD
Internal Medicine
We are now located at our new office
613 Hospital Road
Commerce, Georgia 30529
Commerce Medical Center'
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Community Calendar
To place events on the Community Calendar, call 706-387-5406 or e-mail mark@mainstreetnews.com
Thursday, Nov. 8
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quilters: 1:00
p.m., Commerce Public Library.
School board meets: 7:00
p.m., Commerce Primary
School Media Center. The Com
merce Board of Education uses
this "work session" to prepare
for its regular meeting the fol
lowing Monday.
"A Lumpkin Family Re
union": 8:00 p.m., Commerce
Cultural Center. An original
comedy written by ana for the
Cold Sassy Play ers. Tickets
are ' for adults and $8 for
senior citizens and children 10
and under at City Tire & Auto.
Friday, Nov. 9
"A Lumpkin Family Re
union": 8:00 p.m., Commerce
Cultural Center. An original
comedy written by andror the
Cold Sassy Play
are $10 for adults and $8 for
senior citizens and children
10 and under at City Tire &
Auto.
Saturday, Nov. 10
"A Lumpkin Family Re
union": 2:00 and 8:00 p.m.,
Commerce Cultural Center.
An original comedy written by
and for the Cold Sassy Play
ers. Tickets are $10 for adults
and $8 for senior citizens and
children 10 and under at City
Tire & Auto.
Monday, Nov. 12
Commerce Council meets:
6:30 p.m., Commerce Room,
Commerce Civic Center.
School board meets: 7:00
p.m., Commerce High School
media center. The Commerce
Board of Education operates
the city's school system.
Tuesday, Nov. 13
TOPS meeting: 6:00 p.m.,
BJC Medical Center cafeteria.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a
weight loss group. Weigh-in is
from 5:00 to 5:50.
Lions Club meets: 7:00 p.m.,
Ryan's Steakhouse, Banks
Crossing.
Airport Authority meets:
5:30 p.m., Jackson County
Administrative Building, Jeffer
son. The authority manages the
county airport.
Thursday, Nov. 15
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Pilot Club meets: 7:00 p.m.,
Parham's Restaurant. The Pilot
Club of Commerce meets on the
third Thursday of each month at
the same time and place.
Monday, Nov. 19
Hospital authority meets:
1:30 p.m., conference room,
BJC Medical Center. The BJC
Medical Center Authority man
ages BJC Hospital and Nursing
Home. It meets on the third
Monday of each month.
Library board meets: 5:00
p.m., Commerce Public Library.
The Commerce Library Board
oversees the city library.
Mended Hearts meets: 7:00
p.m., conference room, BJC
Hospital. Mended Hearts is a
support group for heart patients
and their families.
Tuesday, Nov. 20
TOPS meeting: 6:00 p.m.,
BJC Medical Center cafeteria.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a
weight loss group. Weigh-in is
from 5:00 to 5:50.
Thursday, Nov. 22
Thanksgiving Holiday: Most
businesses closed. Christmas
lights to be turned on in down
town Commerce.
Monday, Nov. 26
City planning meeting: 7:00
p.m., Peach Room, Commerce
Civic Center. The Commerce
Planning Commission makes
recommendations on zoning
requests and land use matters.
Tuesday, Nov. 27
Garden club meets: 1:30
p.m., Commerce Public Library.
The Harmony Grove Garden
Club will meet to decorate the
library's Christmas tree.
TOPS meeting: 6:00 p.m.,
BJC Medical Center cafeteria.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a
weight loss group. Weigh-in is
from 5:00 to 5:50.
Wednesday, Nov. 28
DDA meeting; 8:00 a.m.,
12 Pine Street. The Commerce
Downtown Development Au
thority oversees the preserva
tion and revitalization of the
historic downtown district.
Thursday, Nov. 29
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Lions pancake supper: 5:30
7:30 p.m., First United Meth
odist Church of Commerce.
The Lions Club event, featurin
all-you-can eat
benefit Habitat
Tickets are avai
ng
pancakes, will
or Humanity,
able from club
members, $5 for adults, $2 for
children.
Saturday, Dec. 1
Breakfast with Santa: 11
a.m., location to be an
nounced. Commerce. Chil
dren can enjoy breakfast and
have their picture taken with
Santa.
Hometown Holiday Cruise-
in: Noon-3 p.m., downtown
Commerce. It's a hot rod and
antique car show.
Secret Santa Workshop:
Noon-3 p.m., 12 Pine Street,
Commerce. This is a children's
only Christmas shopping
event. All gifts are under $10.
Pilot Club members will assist
children in selecting gifts and
managing their money.
Business & loft open house:
3:00-6:00, downtown Com
merce. Newly-renovated build
ings and upper-floor residen
tial units will be open.
Sunday, Dec. 2
Christmas parade: 3:00
p.m., downtown Commerce.
The theme wi ll be "Rockin'
Around the Christmas Tree."
Holiday concert: 5:00 p.m.,
Spencer Park, downtown Com
merce. The Downtown Devel
opment Authority will present a
free concert of holiday classics
by one of the southeast's most
colorful bands.
Monday, Dec. 3
Commerce Council meets:
6:00 p.m., City Hall. This
"work session" prepares the
city council for its regular
meeting the following Monday.
Nicholson Council meets:
7:00 p.m., City Hall.
Maysville Council meets:
7:00 p.m., City Hall.
Tuesday, Dec. 4
TOPS meeting: 6:00 p.m.,
BJC Medical Center cafeteria.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a
weight loss group. Weigh-in is
from 5:00 to 5:50.
JCCO meets: 6:30 p.m.,
BJC Medical Center Confer
ence Room. Jackson County
Community Outreach is a
grassroots community organi
zation.
NWA meeting: 6:00 p.m.,
Nicholson City Hall. The Nich
olson Water Authority man
ages the city's water system.
Wednesday, Dec. 5
Chamber breakfast: 7:30
a.m., Jefferson Civic Center.
Open to all Jackson County
Area Chamber of Commerce
members and their guests.
Thursday, Dec. 6
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Monday, Dec. 10
Commerce Council meets:
6:30 p.m., Commerce Room,
Commerce Civic Center.
School board meets: 7:00
p.m., Commerce High School
media center. The Commerce
Board of Education operates
the city's school system.
Tuesday, Dec. 11
TOPS meeting: 6:00 p.m.,
BJC Medical Center cafeteria.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a
weight loss group. Weigh-in is
from 5:00 to 5:50.
Lions Club meets: 7:00 p.m.,
Ryan's Steakhouse, Banks
Crossing.
Airport Authority meets:
5:30 p.m., Jackson County
Administrative Building, Jef
ferson. The authority manages
the county airport.
Thursday, Dec. 13
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quilters: 1:00
p.m., Commerce Public Li
brary.
Monday, Dec. 17
Hospital authority meets:
1:30 p.m., conference room,
BJC Medical Center. The BJC
Medical Center Authority man
ages BJC Hospital and Nurs
ing Home. It meets on the third
Monday of each month at the
same time and place.
Library board meets: 5:00
p.m., Commerce Public Li
brary. The Commerce Library
Board oversees the city library.
Mended Hearts meets: 7:00
p.m., conference room, BJC
Hospital. Mended Hearts is a
support group for heart pa
tients and their families.
Tuesday, Dec. 18
TOPS meeting: 6:00 p.m.,
BJC Medical Center cafeteria.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a
weight loss group. Weigh-in is
from 5:00 to 5:50.
Thursday, Dec. 20
Pilot Club meets: 7:00 p.m.,
Parham's Restaurant. The Pilot
Club of Commerce meets on
the third Thursday of each
month at the same time and
place.
Monday, Dec. 24
Christmas Eve: Many busi
nesses and some government
offices will close early.
Tuesday, Dec. 25
Christmas holiday: All
government offices and most
businesses closed.
Thursday, Dec. 27
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quilters: 6:00
p.m., Commerce Public
Library. Beginning and experi
enced quilters are invited.
Monday, Dec. 31
New Year's Dance: 8:30
p.m., Commerce Civic Center.
Ages 21-up only, featuring
The Jesters. Ticket info to be
announced by the Commerce
Area Business Association.
Advance tickets are $25, and
there will be a dinner package
available.
$5 00 OFF
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