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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 27, 2008 - PAGE 3A
Pat Bell Won't Run
For A Second Term
Jackson County
Board of Commission
ers Chairman Pat Bell
confirmed this week
that she will not seek re-
election.
“Four years ago, when
you elected me as com
mission chairman, I ran
on the platform of who
I am, the former county
extension agent, county com
missioner and state representa
tive who had a desire to instill
honesty, integrity and openness
in our county government,"
Bell said. “I believe together we
have accomplished this while
performing the duties of this of
fice. The county’s business will
never be finished. A great and
growing county like
ours will always pres
ent challenges and op
portunities for leaders
to address. I encour
age anyone who has a
passion to serve their
fellow man and desire
to shape the direction
of our county to come
forward and serve."
“My chairmanship will con
clude in December of this year
and I pledge to transition my
knowledge of this office to the
new chairman for the betterment
of the county," Bell said. “Thank
you for placing your confidence
in me and I look forward to hav
ing the opportunity to serve you
in the future."
Pat Bell
Elrod To Seek Re-Election
Long-time Jackson County tax commissioner Don Elrod will be
seeking his sixth term in the upcoming election in November.
Elrod has been a resident of Jackson County for 50 years, having
moved to the county at the age of nine from North Carolina. He is a
graduate of Jefferson High School and attended Gainesville College,
before serving with the U.S. Navy Seabees from 1969-1972.
Elrod is married to Janice Nabors Elrod and they have a daughter,
Amy Phillips, and a son, James. They have three grandchildren with
another due in May.
He retired from the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department in Janu
ary 2006, after 27 years of service, having last served as chief. He is
a member of the retired Georgia Firefighter’s Association, the Consti
tutional Officer’s Association and the Georgia Tax Officials Associa
tion, where is currently serving as second vice president in charge of
training. Elrod started his political career in 1985, after being elected
Jackson County coroner. He served one term before running for tax
commissioner in 1988.
“As the population continues to grow, so do the digest values," Elrod
said in a statement. “The 1989 digest (taxable value) was 290,668,448,
while the 2007 digest net taxable was 1,821,801,784. We sold approxi
mately 32,000 tags and had approximately 13,250 tax bills in 1989.
At that time, the office had a full-time staff of four with two part-time
employees working from October through April tag deadlines.
“In 2007, the office sold 57,950 tags and mailed 34,500 property tax
bills and 3,300 mobile home bills with a full time staff of nine. Over
the last few years, the office has also started collecting taxes for the
City of Commerce, Commerce City Schools and the City of Pender
grass. Last year, we also added the City of Jefferson and Jefferson
City Schools to the collection," he added.
— City Planners Say 'No'
Cont. from Page 1A
two outbuildings on R-l and R-1E
lots, but only one on smaller lots
in zones R-2 through R-5.
Seabolt asked that the plan
ning commission consider some
kind of regulation of “portable
carports they’re throwing up all
over town." Currently considered
“portable buildings," they are not
defined or regulated in the city’s
ordinance.
Budget Request
The planning commission also
voted unanimously to seek a
$20,000 line item in the next
city budget to cover an updating
of the entire zoning ordinance,
subdivision ordinance and imple
mentation of architectural stan
dards, and the purchase of the
“Rathkopf Planning and Zoning
Treatise," which Perry says is the
definitive legal guide to zoning
matters.
Zellner also got the panel’s
blessing to re-write part of the
ordinance dealing with fences in
front yards — to raise the maxi
mum height of such fences to
four feet. The current maximum
is three feet.
Community Calendar
To place events on the Community Calendar, call 706-387-5406 or e-mail mark@mainstreetnews.com
Thursday, Feb. 28
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quilters: 6:00
.m., Commerce Public Li
ra ry.
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.,
First United Methodist Church
of Commerce. The Pilot Club of
Commerce meets on the third
Thursday of each month.
Saturday, March 22
Plant Swap and Sale: Time
TBA, Commerce Public Library.
The public is invited to bring
bulbs, seeds or plants to swap
for others.
Garden seminar: Time TBA,
Commerce Public Library. Local
gardeners Ron and Jacque
Craven will present informa
tion on How To Garden in a
Drought. Free.
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 Nursing
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.,
First United Methodist Church
of Commerce. 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 man
ages 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.
Public Service Commissioner Pays Official Visit
The City of Commerce wel
comed Public Service Commis
sioner Angela Speir for a brief vis
it recently. Speir met with Mayor
Charles L. Hardy Jr„ Councilman
Bob Sosebee, City Manager Clar
ence Bryant, and Jim Eubanks,
gas superintendent.
Speir, who resides in the Fourth
District, which includes Com
merce and most of the northern
one-fourth of Georgia, visited the
city to meet the leadership and
learn more about one of the pre
mier municipal natural gas systems
in Georgia. Speir, who took office
in 2003, is the first woman elected
to the Public Service Commission.
Commissioners are elected at
large through statewide elections,
not by district. A Georgia native,
Speir grew up in Dekalb County
and graduated from Agnes Scott
College.
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706-335-7458 706-367-5095
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POSITION AVAILABLE
City of Commerce
The City of Commerce is accepting applications for a
Cashier in the Finance Department. The position is
fulltime and is a Grade 9 position (ranging from $l l .75
to $17.71 per hour ($24,440 to $36,837 annually).
Depending upon qualifications and experience, the
starting pay will be between $11.75 and $12.98.
Applicants must have a high school diploma or
equivalent, experience in cashiering, experience with
computer applications, good typing skills, and must be
excellent in customer service.
An application is available at City Hall or online at
www.commercega.org until Monday, March 10, 2008
or until filled. Please direct your inquires to
payroll@commercega.org. The City of Commerce is an
Equal Opportunity Employer.
Tracy Hall, Payroll & Benefits Coordinator
City of Commerce
J
In Loving Memory
BOBBY CRUMLEY, SR.
Sept. 22,1936 - Feb. 25, 2007
God looked around His garden and
He found an empty place.
He then looked down upon this earth,
and saw your tired face.
He put His arms around you and lifted
you to rest.
God’s garden must be beautiful.
He always takes the best.
He knew you were suffering,
He knew you were in pain.
He knew that you would never get well on earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough
and the hills were hard to climb.
So He closed your weary eyelids
and whispered, ‘Peace be thine.’
It broke our hearts to lose you but you didn’t go alone.
For part of us went with you the day...
that God called you home.
We all love and miss you so very, very much.
Jean, Children, Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren
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