Newspaper Page Text
THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2007 -- PAGE 3A
Sparks Fly Over Co.
Fire Training Facility
Thompson, Bell At Odds
By Angela Gary
A discussion on the fire training
center/burn building got heated
Monday night when Jackson
County Board of Commissioners
Chairman Pat Bell and Commis
sioner Jody Thompson argued
over whether the matter should
be discussed further.
Thompson has questioned the
cost of the facility and whether
voters should be allowed to
made a decision on funding the
project. Bell has contended that
voters approved the project in an
earlier special purpose local op
tion sales tax vote.
“Once the decision is made, it
is made,” Bell said.
Thompson quickly responded,
“I don’t believe the motion is dead
because you say it is dead."
— New Chamber
Cont. from Page 1A
from the University of Georgia
with a major in marketing.
Other members of the profes
sional staff rounding out the
chamber team include Linda
Foster, manager of member ser
vices, and Hilda Love, executive
assistant.
Members of the search com
mittee for the vice president of
economic development included
Stowe as chair; Short as president
of the chamber; Jim Yarborough
as chamber chair; Hunter Bicknell,
Jackson County Water and
Bell said, It is dead, and
Thompson was upset with her
for interrupting his comments.
“I still have the floor," he said.
Bell told him, “Not if I don’t say
so."
Thompson told her to “check
the parliamentary procedure."
Thompson asked for the mat
ter to be on the agenda at the
BOC meeting Monday night.
He pointed out that $1 mil
lion for a burn building was
approved in 1997 but that the
project is now estimated to
cost $6 million.
Commissioner Tom Crow said
plans for a $4.8 million build
ing were approved by the BOC
in 2004. He added that costs of
materials for the building have
increased since that time.
Vice President
Sewer Authority; Jeff Blair, First
Commerce Bank; John Drake,
Pattillo Construction Company;
Mayor Pat Graham, Braselton;
Mayor Charles L. Hardy Jr.,
Commerce; Ronnie Hopkins,
Jefferson City Board of Education;
Mayor Jim Joiner, Jefferson;
Scott Martin, Jackson EMC and
Jackson County Development
Authority; Dan Pattillo, John
Rooker and Associates; Kathy
Wilbanks, Jackson County Board
of Education; and Commissioner
Bruce Yates, Jackson County
Board of Commissioners.
— Drought Contingency
Cont. from Page 1A
from Commerce, whose reservoir
is actually above full pool.
When it began the project, the
authority budgeted $10,000 for
engineering, but the connection
is made more complex by the
fact that it comes in the lowest
water pressure zone in the sys
tem. Engineer Rob MacPherson
told the authority that the project
will require a number of “spe
cialty valves and control systems,"
along with “multiple meter vaults
and multiple valve vaults."
The connection is expected to
cost $100,000 for labor and mate
rials and will be funded with spe
cial purpose local option sales tax
(SpLoST) revenue.
In a related matter, the author
ity learned that staff is preparing
to buy the emergency chlorina-
tors that will be installed in the
Galilee Church Road and South
Apple Valley Road pump stations
to reduce the amount of water
wasted by frequent flushing of
major transmission lines when
chlorine levels fall.
In other matters, the authority:
• approved a $5.9 million budget
for 2008. The budget projects $5.7
million in operating revenue and
on paper would result in a $1.88
million loss, but after non-cash
expenses including amortization
of the Jackson County portion
of the water plant at Bear Creek,
which the authority does not own,
and depreciation — the budget
projects sufficient cash flow to
fund all operations.
•approved a $5,356 contract
with Power & Energy Services
Inc., Powder Springs, to maintain
all of its generators.
•learned that the ongoing “pri
ority one" water projects will be
done by the end of the month, and
that bids will be open on the “pri
ority two east” project Jan. 8, with
a completion date of October.
•learned that four bids were
received on phase one of the
wastewater plant expansion. The
authority’s engineering consult
ing firm will make a recommen
dation in the near future on the
low bid.
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Community Calendar
To place events on the Community Calendar, call 706-387-5406 or e-mail mark@mainstreetnews.com
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
overnment offices and most
usinesses closed.
Thursday, Dec. 27
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quilters: 6:00
p.m., Commerce Public Library.
Beginning and experienced
quilters are invited.
Monday, Dec. 31
New Year's Dance: 8:30
p.m., Commerce Civic Center.
Ages 21 -up only, featuring The
Jesters. Advance tickets are
$25, and a dinner package is
available. For tickets, call the
Downtown Development Au
thority office at 706-335-2954.
Tuesday, Jan. 1
New Year's Day: Most
businesses and all government
offices closed
Wednesday, Jan. 2
Chamber breakfast: 7:30
a.m., location TBA. Open to all
Jackson County Area Chamber
of Commerce members and
their guests.
Thursday, Jan. 3
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Monday, Jan. 7
Commerce Council meets:
6:00 p.m., City Hall. This "work
session" prepares the city coun
cil 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, Jan. 8
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, Jan. 10
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quilters: 1:00
.m., Commerce Public Li-
rary.
School board meets: 7:00
p.m., Commerce Elementary
School media center. This "work
session" of the Commerce
Board of Education is used to
prepare for the regular meeting
the following Monday.
Monday, Jan. 14
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, Jan. 15
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, Jan. 17
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, Jan. 21
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 at the
same time and place.
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, Jan. 22
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, Jan. 24
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quilters: 6:00
p.m., Commerce Public Library.
Beginning and experienced
quilters are invited.
Monday, Jan. 28
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, Jan. 29
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, Jan. 31
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Monday, Feb. 4
Commerce Council meets:
6:00 p.m., City Hall. This "work
session" prepares the city coun
cil 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, Feb. 5
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 Ad
ministrative Building, Jefferson.
Thursday, Feb. 7
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
School board meets: 7:00
p.m., Commerce Elementary
School media center. This "work
session" of the Commerce
Board of Education is used to
prepare for the regular meeting
the following Monday.
Monday, Feb. 11
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, Feb. 12
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, Feb. 14
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quilters: 1:00
.m., Commerce Public Li-
rary.
Monday, Feb. 18
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
.m., Commerce Public Li-
rary. 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, Feb. 19
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, Feb. 21
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, Feb. 25
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, Feb. 26
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, Feb. 28
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
—Three Commerce Area Roads To Be Part Of Bond Project
Cont. from Page 1A
careful" as it moves forward.
“I am concerned about long
term debt as it is money we may
need for water," she said.
The Projects
The projects have been divided
into two “tiers." The “Tier 1" proj
ects are:
•Transportation/rail corridor
study and water and sewer plan
ning, $500,000.
•John B. Brooks Road, $3.8 mil-
lion.
• I-85 interchange study,
$250,000.
•State Route 53 engineering,
$300,000.
•Hospital Road Connection to
U.S. 441, $600,000.
“Tier 2" projects are:
•Commerce Retail Boulevard,
$10 million.
•Zion Church Road construc
tion, $22.9 million.
•Bana Road, $5.4 million.
What’s being called Commerce
Retail Boulevard is a proposed
new road that runs from U.S . 441
to Ridgeway Church Road, start-
ing from near Zaxby’s at Banks
Crossing. It is intended to serve
the re-development of The Pottery
site at Banks Crossing.
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