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About The Commerce news. (Commerce, Ga.) 1???-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2007)
PAGE 12A -- THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2007 Chamber: Jackson Not Yet In Crisis From Drought It is the chamber of Commerce, of course, but its position appears to be that people are overreact ing to the severity of Georgia’s historic drought. That was the opinion put forth when the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors met last Friday. “We’re not in a crisis mode,” Chairman Jim Yarborough said, “not in a mode where we’re shut ting down businesses.” Yarborough told his board of directors of concerns that new business or industry might “cross us off” their list of potential sites because of the current drought and that people are overreacting to media reports of the drought’s severity. Yarborough explained that locally there is “no reason to worry” and pointed to the “long term availability” of water in Jackson County. While he said the chamber encourages employ ers to ask their employees to conserve water, Yarborough said the chamber “shouldn’t be wor ried” about the economic devel opment business suffering from what is now the most severe drought in state history. The matter first came up as Roy Stowe, chairman of the cham ber’s Economic Development Committee, discussed a recent committee meeting and its members’ thoughts on the drought. Stowe said the chamber should get the message out that, relative to other areas, “we’re in good shape waterwise” and “proactive” about dealing with the drought. He said all of the media reports of the drought “are beginning to resonate with the people looking at this area.” Pat Bell, chair of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, didn’t take such a glass-half-full approach to the drought, but she did suggest that Jackson County is handling it well. “This is one thing that has real ly drawn us together,” she told the chamber board. “The water authority has done a tremendous job. This county was way ahead of everyone else.” Bell noted that the county has already conducted an analysis of its future water needs, and that it went into Level 3 water restric tions before anyone else. “We take care of ourselves,” Bell said. “When this drought is over with, we’re going to be in tremendous shape, as far as water goes.” The interim, however, is anoth er story. “The biggest problem is going to be June, July, August and September of next year,” she said. Adding that she’d been told how many inches of rain it would take to fill the reservoir, she said, “It can’t be one in the next year.” Bell’s comments echoed those made two days earlier by David Stooksbury, the state’s climatolo gist (see separate story), who told a group at a drought disaster exercise that the real worry is the status of local water sources next July, August and September should Georgia go through the expected dry spring and winter. In other business: •President Shane Short report ed that the search for a vice president of economic develop ment has been narrowed to four “very viable candidates” who will be interviewed Dec. 6. •The board discussed shorten ing its annual banquet by hold ing a separate ceremony to mark the graduation of its Leadership Jackson class, which usually takes place at the banquet. The matter was tabled pending discussion of the idea of holding two separate functions with members of the current class. •agreed with a suggestion by member Keith Ariail to hold a retreat once the new vice presi dent for economic development is hired. That would come in the first half of next year. •heard Short report that a slate of nominees will soon be announced for filling three one- A Google search for “save water” will produce over 100 million pos sibilities. Here are a few web sites offer tips on saving water: • www.wateruseitwisely offers water conservation tips by region. Find 100 water-saving tips for the Southeast. • www.eartheasy.com •ww.savewater.com.au - down under tips for saving water in the house, garden, business, with agricultural activities and even in school from Australia •wwwhouse.org - a site of the California Urban Water Conservation Council, which includes a “water budget calcula tor,” a “home tour” to find ways to save water in various areas and a gardening guide • www.epa.gov/watersense - the Environmental Protection Agencys site •www.monolake.org - anoth er California web site from a community seeking to protect its lake, in part through wise use of water •www.savingwater.org - the web page of the Seattle area water district contains information on saving water in the home, in yards and landscaping and in business. It also has an education and resource section for case studies, year and two three-year terms on the board of directors. In a related matter, Yarborough announced that he would appoint Roy Stowe, a current board member who chairs the chamber’s Economic Development Council, to a one- year term. • received for its consideration at a future meeting a draft copy of an “endorsement policy” to govern what the chamber will or will not endorse. tools, resources and links. •www.environment-agency. gov.uk - see what the folks across the pond in England and Wales know about saving water • www.savedallaswater.com - Texas may have plenty of water now, but residents of Dallas are encouraged to use it wisely as its population grows rapidly •americanwater.com - 49 ways to save water — indoors (21), out doors (17) and in the community (11) — from “the American Water and Energy Savers.” Check out the new Niagara Flapperless Toilet that uses 1.6 gallons per flush and con tains no flapper to leak. FOR INFORMATION ABOUT CANCER, INFORMATION ON SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, CALLTHE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY 24 HOURS A DAY 1-800-227-2345 OR ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.CANCER.ORG OReillys Marks Opening The O’Reilly’s Auto Supply store, located on U.S. 441 north, Randall Rowland, Bobby Ledford, Vick Bates, Shane Short, Shanna marked its grand opening last week with a ribbon-cutting ceremo- James, Keith Johnson and Shade Storey. ny. Left to right are Marshall Acree, Dana Stewart, Dora Shepherd, Web Sites Devoted To Water Conservation Measures W ^d WA ENTIRE PURCHASE Friday, Nov. 23 7am - 1 pm You are invited to Badcock’s Day After Thanksgiving 6-Hour Sale! We’re breaking our own rules for six hours only by giving you 10% off our already low priced merchandise, everything you buy from 7AM until 1 PM, even if it’s already on sale - you can take 10% off regular priced, safe priced or even clearance priced merchandise!
