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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 13, 2008 - PAGE 3A —Commerce Council Cont. from Page 1A two trees for every tree removed. City Manager Clarence Bryant said the plan calls for the plant ing of 87 trees. “If they’re going to do the deal, they’re going to remove the trees,’’ Bryant told the council. Hardy and Bryant also explained that the city was able to get Walgreens to relocate the state- required runoff retention pond from right next to the sidewalk on Homer Road further into the prop erty — and to screen it from view. The city had hoped that Walgreens would place the pond underground, which is how CVS handled a similar problem, but Bryant said the company refused that option due to the cost. Hardy said the company has also agreed to build a stone wall and a wooden fence, and to install plants, all so the pond will not be easily seen from the sidewalk or road. 'That’s the best we can do if we’re going to have the pond on the site,’’ the mayor said. The pond is designed to handle 28 inches of runoff, according to Bryant. All of the buildings on the site will be demolished, except the Pittman House, which is slated to be removed, Hardy said. Other Business The council also: • accepted the recommenda tion of the Commerce Planning Commission and granted a vari ance to Steven Sears, 193 Willow Street, on the size of a utility build ing. The approval comes with con ditions relating to building mate rial and design. •agreed to allow the planning commission to hire a consultant to re-write its sign ordinance, which has been made virtually void by all the variances approved by the city council. • approved a budget amendment of $10,596 to buy a new truck for the Meter Department to replace one that was wrecked. •approved a demolition ordi nance covering only the part of the downtown governed by the DDA •learned from finance director Steve McKown that the city is $1.1 million in the black through January for its fiscal year, which started July 1. • heard councilman Donald Wilson request that a metal detec tor be installed at the civic center in light of the Missouri case where a disgruntled citizen killed six people at a city council meeting, but Hardy pointed out that the man killed two policemen to get into the council chambers and would likely “have shot the police man operating the metal detec tor.’’ •approved a package license for the sale of beer and wine for SKSK LLC, which is the new owner of a convenience store at 517 South Elm Street. —Water Restrictions To Ease Cont. from Page 1A man Randall Pugh, a reminder that what the governor gives today he may take back tomorrow. Assuming that it followed the course set at the work session, the authority planned to immediately remove the level four exemptions, but to wait until April 1 to permit the filling of pools and the water ing of landscapes. The reason for that delay is that the governor still requires water suppliers to main tain a 10 percent reduction, but on April 1, that figure will be based on average summer sales — which are much higher than the average winter sales which are the base of the current 10 percent mandate. Removing the exemptions is not seen as a threat to Jackson failing to meet its winter reduction goal. “Since we’ve been running close to 30 percent, there is no way we’re going to jeopardize going under the 10 percent,’’ said Hunter Bicknell, chairman. “We will allow (outdoor water use) as long as the conditions warrant it,’’ Bicknell added. “One of the real keys is that we monitor this on a weekly basis — the level of the reservoir.’’ No Watering Yet As for the governor’s suggestion that limited outdoor watering of landscapes can be permitted and swimming pools can be filled, the authority decided to wait. “I wouldn’t touch that until April 1,’’ commented Rob Jordan. “With all the rain, who’s water ing anyway?’’ Bicknell wondered, but authority staff members say that following the governor’s state ment last Thursday, they’ve had numerous calls from people want ing to resume the irrigation of yards and landscapes. The authority would like to sell more water. The drought restric tions are hurting its cash flow, but members are also cautious about attracting penalties should the authority fail to meet the gov ernor’s 10 percent reduction man date. As of April 1, that thresh old will be based upon average summer sales, which would allow the authority to sell a lot more water and still meet the 10 percent reduction. — Commerce Wants Out Cont. from Page 1A Harbin. It the city had to rely on its retail customers, it would find its cash flow barely able to cover the city’s water-related debt, he added. “If we didn’t have our wholesale customers, we’d be barely scrap ing by, but we haven’t missed a debt service payment yet,’’ said Harbin. “We built our rate struc ture just on our city customers to meet our debt service. If we had to cut back and we didn’t have our wholesale customers, we’d meet it, but it would be by the skin of our teeth.’’ The all-new, all-in-one iMacs (with Leopard) Your local source for all things Apple PeachMac is the only store in the Athens area dedicated to the fine products from Apple, Inc. We carry everything you could ever want or need for your Mac, iPod, iPhone, or AppleTV; a far wider selection than you will find in any other local retail store. peachmac 1850 Epps Bridge Parkway (across from Lowe’s) 706-208-9990 • peachmac.com Apple Specialist Community Calendar To place events on the Community Calendar, call 706-387-5406 or e-mail mark@mainstreetnews.com Thursday, Feb. 14 Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Commerce Civic Center. Cold Sassy Quilters: 1:00 p.m., Commerce Public Library. Monday, Feb. 18 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, 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. Monday, Feb. 25 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 normally meets on the third Monday of each month but was moved back a week due to the Presidents' Day holiday. City planning meeting: 7:00 p.m., Peach Room, Commerce Civic Center. The Commerce Planning Commis sion makes recommendations on zoning requests and land use matters. Tuesday, Feb. 26 JCCO Meets: 6:30 p.m., conference room, BJC Medical Center. Jackson County Com munity Outreach is a grassroots organization. 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. Thursday, Feb. 28 Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Commerce Civic Center. Cold Sassy Quilters: 6:00 p.m., Commerce Public Library. Monday, March 3 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, March 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., conference room, BJC Medical Center. Jackson County Com munity Outreach is a grassroots organization. Wednesday, March 5 Chamber breakfast: 7:30 a.m., Jefferson Civic Center. All members of the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce are invited. Thursday, March 6 Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Commerce Civic Center. School board meets: 7:00 p.m., Commerce Primary School media center. This "work session" of the Commerce Board of Education is used to prepare for the regular meeting the following Monday. Monday, March 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, March 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. Wednesday, March 12 CABA meeting: Noon, Com merce Civic Center. All Com merce Area Business Associa tion members are invited. Thursday, March 13 Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Commerce Civic Center. Cold Sassy Quilters: 1:00 p.m., Commerce Public Library. Monday, March 17 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, March 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, March 20 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. Monday, March 24 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 normally meets the third Monday of each month but was moved back a week. City planning meeting: 7:00 p.m., Peach Room, Commerce Civic Center. The Commerce Planninq Commission makes recommendations on zoning requests and land use matters. Tuesday, March 25 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. Thursday, March 27 Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Commerce Civic Center. Cold Sassy Quilters: 6:00 p.m., Commerce Public Library Tuesday, April 1 JCCO Meets: 6:30 p.m., conference room, BJC Medical Center. Jackson County Com munity Outreach is a grassroots organization. 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, April 2 Chamber breakfast: 7:30 a.m., Jefferson Civic Center. All chamber members and guests are welcome. Thursday, April 3 Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Commerce Civic Center. Monday, April 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, April 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. Thursday, April 10 Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Commerce Civic Center. Cold Sassy Quilters: 1:00 p.m., Commerce Public Library. Monday, April 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, April 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, April 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. Monday, April 21 Hospital authority meets: 1:30 p.m., conference room, BJC Medical Center. The BJC Medical Center Authority manages BJC Hospital and Nursing Home. 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, April 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. Lions Club meets: 7:00 p.m., Ryan's Steakhouse, Banks Crossing. Thursday, April 24 Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Commerce Civic Center. Cold Sassy Quilters: 6:00 p.m., Commerce Public Library Monday, April 28 City planning meeting: 7:00 p.m., Peach Room, Commerce Civic Center. The Commerce Planninq Commission makes recommendations on zoning requests and land use matters. Tuesday, April 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. On average, drivers who switched to Allstate saved $338 a year. Call me today. JOEL A HARBIN. CIC (706) 387-5030 38 SYCAMORE ST JEFFERSON JoelHarbin@allstate.com /instate You’re in good hands. Based on information reported by 5,291 new customers who purchased directly from an Allstate Customer Information Center. Actual savings will vary, insurance ottered only with select companies and subject to availability and qualifications Allstate Insurance Company and Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company Northbrook. IL. © 200/ Allstate Insurance Company. Enviro-Grind Mulching SeitVice Have Underbrush & Hedge Taken Over? 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