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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS. WEDNESDAY. TANUARY 16.2008 - PAGE 5A
IDA Re-Elects Officers For '08
The Jackson County Industrial
Development Authority will keep
its officers for 2008.
Meeting for the first time this
year last Friday the IDA unani
mously re-elected Scott Martin
as chairman; John Buchanan as
vice-chairman; Jim Shaw as secre
tary-treasurer; and Jon Milford as
assistant secretary-treasurer.
The only other action requiring
a vote — other than approving the
minutes of the last meeting and
the financial report — was a deci
sion to change the meeting date
from the second Friday morning
of each month to the third Friday.
Meetings will be held at 9:00 in
the offices of the Jackson County
Area Chamber of Commerce on
Athens Street in Jefferson.
Attorney Daniel Haygood
reported that the authority com
pleted the buy-back of a lot in the
Central Jackson Industrial Park at
a cost of $ 120,000. A tenant in the
park, WTI, is considering acquir
ing that site for the construction
of a 100,000-square-foot refrigera
tion building.
In other business, the IDA wel
comed Gerry Nechvatal, the
chamber’s new vice president for
economic development. He’ll be
the county’s point man for work
ing with industrial and commer
cial prospects considering locat
ing in the county.
Nechvatal expressed apprecia
tion for the welcome, and said
he was “looking forward to help
ing the community achieve its
goals’’ and followed up with sev
eral projects in process. In spite
of the economic slowdown, he
expressed optimism about con
tinued commercial and industrial
growth.
“We have so much to offer here.
The future is very bright,’’ he
promised. “If anybody can do
well in the next 12 to 18 months, I
think Jackson County can.’’
Martin promised that the IDA
will be a resource to Nechvatal.
“Any time y’all need us to do or
to participate in something, that’s
what we’re here for,’’ he stated.
The position of vice president
for economic development is
new this year and represents a
chamber decision to grow its pro
fessional staff.
Road Bonds
Martin reminded the board that
the IDA must have an intergovern
mental agreement with Jackson
County before it issues the
recently-approved $45.9 million
in bonds for the construction of
what are being called “economic
development roads.’’
The IDA will issue the bonds,
and under the agreement, Jackson
County will guarantee payment.
Martin also indicated that the IDA
will insist on “controls’’ to assure
that the project “runs smoothly.’’
The roads are expected to
spur commercial and industrial
growth; the presumption is that
the increases that result in the
county tax digest will more than
pay for the bonds.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Tree ‘Trimming’ Was Excessive
Editor:
Our family, over the years
has lost more than I care to
elaborate on — numerous fam
ily members due to cancer,
accidents and other things. But
one of the things that has hap
pened as a result is that we
have all grown close, broth
ers, sisters, aunts, uncles, great
aunts and uncles, grandparents,
nieces and nephews.
We all see each other as often
as possible and try to stay in
touch. We have been strength
ened in many ways and have a
close bond. One of the things
that we have continued to do
year after year and in spite of
adversity is get together for
family reunions. One of my
first memories as a child is
going to Uncle William's and
Aunt Louise's for the family
reunion. We ate, we played, and
I can honestly say that most of
the best times in my life took
place in their yard.
The highlight for every one
of us was to play in the giant
magnolia tree that stood in the
front yard. Over 200 years old,
you could stand up under the
branches, which hung to the
ground. We would, jump, play
and climb for hours until we
were made to come out. Now
that I have children, they have
done the same thing each year,
waiting eagerly for the next
family reunion. This has taken
place for going on six genera
tions now.
Recently, Jackson EMC came
out to "trim" the tree. In the
past they have always done a
good job. However, this year it
was absolutely mutilated. The
family was devastated by this.
They knew how much this tree
has meant to the children over
the years. There have been sto
ries and poems written about
the tree and how much it has
meant and symbolized to this
family. One of the workers
made the comment that "we
can do anything we want to on
our right of way." I'm sure they
legally can but what is so sad
about this is that people's feel
ings are not taken into consid
eration anymore, and to them,
a 200 year old magnolia is "just
a tree."
We do realize that trees
near power lines need to be
trimmed but they don't have
to be destroyed. They have
offered to send an arborist out
to try to fix what's left or "cut
it down." I'm mostly saddened
by the fact that this is what
life has come to. People just
don't care anymore and as long
as they feel like restitution is
made everything is okay as
far as they are concerned. The
important things in life are
just not that important to some
people.
As far as our family is con
cerned we will not be discour
aged, but will in some way
make the best of this and con
tinue to make memories for
our children and their children
and the generations to come.
Donna Garrison
Maysville
Thanks To All
For Father’s Care
Editor:
I want to thank the staff and
everyone at BJC Nursing Home
for the excellent care, kindness
and consideration to my dad,
Andrew Strickland, during his
illness and passing away.
I shall always be grateful to
each of you.
Thanks so much.
Trent Strickland
Commerce
— Trying To End The Playoff Dilemma
Cont. from Page 4A
the current format, the power
lies with the commissioners
of the major conferences. If
the NCAA ran the event, the
money would flow through
the NCAA before it went to
the members (individual uni
versities)." Just for fun, let's
all make a list of the people
we know who would willingly
give up millions of dollars.
Major conference commis
sioners are not going to give
up control of the multi-mil
lion dollar purses they cur
rently receive.
I applaud Michael Adams for
promoting this much needed
change, but he is going to
need to organize and execute
some much needed consen
sus building before bring
ing this issue to the NCAA
Convention for a vote. At least
someone's trying to fix it
and hopefully by 2010 when
the BCS contract expires, we
won't be subjected to the dull
and uninspiring BCS schedule
we slept through this year.
Hasco Craver is the execu
tive director of the Commerce
Downtown Development
Authority. He lives in Commerce.
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—Cooper Farm Rd. Residents To Get Water
Cont. from Page 1A
jected.
‘That is under $35 a linear
foot,’’ observed engineer Rob
MacPherson. “That’s the best
price I’ve seen since I’ve been
up here.’’
Eight companies submitted
bids.
The project includes 12-inch
ductile iron water mains along
Ed Bennett Road from the inter
section with Brooks Drive to
Cooper Farm Road and lines
along Brooks Road and Cooper
Farm Road. The project crosses
Sandy Creek twice, which is why
the authority added additional
funds for rock.
Vulnerability Assessment
In other business at last
Thursday’s meeting, Klerk report
ed that a “vulnerability assess
ment’’ ordered by the state in
2002 but never completed is
under way and has identified a
couple of issues with the author
ity’s offices in Central Jackson
Industrial Park.
The authority authorized Klerk
to install an estimated $11,000
in fencing — including a gate —
around the office.
“The money will be spent to
protect what we already have,’’
Klerk said, adding that funds
would come from the sale of
surplus or scrap materials and
equipment. The key pad gate
is similar to what has been
installed at the authority’s waste
treatment plant, which officials
say has prevented at least one
burglary.
Also last Thursday, the author
ity:
• voted to move work sessions
forward to 5:30 p.m. on the first
Thursday of each month. They
had been scheduled at 6:00.
• heard appeals from three peo
ple of $250 fines that had been
levied for using irrigation meters
during the ban on outdoor water
usage. The authority agreed to let
staff resolve the matters.
•re-elected officers for 2008,
including Hunter Bicknell as
chairman, Randall Pugh as vice
chairman. The authority also
named staff member Denise
Nation as secretary. She suc
ceeds Judy Davis in that role.
— County Begins Comprehensive Plan Update
Cont. from Page 1A
tion and recommending “charac
ter’’ areas.
To involve the public, the plan
is to identify all of the “stake
holders,’’ the methods of getting
them to participate, and to plan
a schedule for completing the
community agenda.
That third step—the community
agenda - requires the creation of
what Yates called “a community
vision’’ of what the consensus of
stakeholders says the community
wants to become. It will include a
“vision statement,’’ future devel
opment maps and a “defining
narrative.’’ The agenda will also
include a list of those agreed-
upon issues and opportunities,
a strategy for implementing the
program and policies to provide
ongoing guidance.
All five county commissioners
took to the podium for com
ments at the chamber breakfast.
Chairman Pat Bell opened the
program, pointing out that the
county remains in good finan
cial condition and has built a 20
percent budget reserve. Noting
the talk of a recession, she told
her audience, “This is the reason
you build a reserve — for bad
times.’’
Major issues of the year, said
Bell, will be water and economic
development. She reported that
county and city officials were
due to meet the next day to
talk about water, and will meet
monthly.
“Collectively, we’ve got to keep
our eye on the state capitol,”
she warned. “We’ve spent a lot
(developing water resources)
and we’ve got to protect our
own interests.’’
She praised local leaders for
their efforts, saying, “We are
out there on the cutting edge
because of our leadership.’’
District 1 Commissioner Tom
Crow pointed out that the coun
ty approved $42 million in bonds
for the first half of a second
round of “economic develop
ment’’ roads and is working with
agreements from developers to
help pay off the bonds. He also
cited the need to develop more
reservoirs, to conserve water
and to “set a realistic goal in the
amount of uninterruptible water
we can sell.’’
District 2 Commissioner Jody
Thompson stressed the impor
tance of shopping locally to
generate sales tax revenues
and promised that major retail
developments now in process
will bring “more shops, theaters
and big box stores — names
you never thought you’d see in
Jackson County.’’
“Keep your dollars here. You’ll
get your roads built quicker and
your schools taken care of bet
ter,’’ Thompson added.
District 4 Commissioner
Dwain Smith addressed eco
nomic development as well, say
ing he’d like to see industrial
development account for 30 to
35 percent of the county tax
digest — up from its 18 percent
current level.
“Bear with us and help us any
way you can,’’ he urged. “The big
gest problem is we can’t satisfy
everybody.’’
Like Yates, Bell stressed coop
eration. “We’ve got to come
together on the big issues. We’ve
got plenty to fight about that’s
little,’’ she said. “We have got to
work on the issues that affect the
most people.’’ Later, she added,
“If we all have our hidden issues
and are going in different direc
tions, the outside interests are
going to be the ones that win.’’
New Year's Party Turns A Profit
The 2007 New Year’s Dance
produced a $2,800 profit for the
Commerce Business Association,
the group’s board of directors
reported last week.
Abbie Lawler called the turn
out of more than 300 people
to dance to music from The
Jesters “fabulous’’ and reported
that 64 availed themselves of
the buffet dinner her Common
Road Bakery offered before the
dance.
“We had groups from Jefferson,
Winder and Braselton,’’ she
noted, in addition to people from
the Commerce area.
President Brad Johnson asked
members to invite nonmembers
to next month’s CABA meet
ing to hear Mayor Charles L.
Hardy Jr. give a “state of the city
address’’ about Commerce.
The organization will stress
building its membership during
2008, Johnson said, and encour
aged each member to help grow
the group. Letters will be sent
to nonmembers, Johnson indi
cated, but he also stressed the
importance of a personal invita
tion.
“If you invite them, it means a
whole lot more to them than a
letter,’’ Johnson told the group.
That meeting will be Wednesday,
Feb. 13, in the Commerce Room
of the Commerce Civic Center.
In other business at last
Wednesday’s meeting, Kay
Remar of the Small Business
Development Center presented
a program on “marketing on a
tight budget.’’
City Issues Few Building Permits In December
Construction permits issued
in 2007 fell by more than two-
thirds — in estimated value at
least — from 2006, according
to year-end figures released by
the Commerce Department of
Building Inspection.
The city issued building permits
for $10.7 million in construction
last year, compared to permits
for $33.4 million in construction
during 2006.
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