Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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. W & W METAL ROOFING “We Got You Covered” Residential • Commercial • Agricultural • Ship Anywhere In The USA • We Stock Your Metal Needs • Visit Our Showroom www.wwmetalroofmg.com 706-654-5836 EEZO 30 Year Paint "4 Hwy. 60 / Candler Hwy. • Pendergrass, Ga. Warranty Sales Service Installation Fareha Rahim, MD Internal Medicine We are now located at our new office at 613 Hospital Road Commerce, Georgia 30529 Commerce Medical Center 1 706-335-9411 \^CR^CD^C^BS^IGN^HMO/PPO^MERIGROURAARa^H^I $ 5 00 OFF Ticket Of s 2Cr o Or More. Valid with coupon Mon.-Thurs. only. La Hacienda Commerce La Hacienda Jefferson 173 Steven B. Tanger Blvd. 605 Athens Street 706-335-7458 706-367-5095 | The Original Mexican Restaurant! Not affiliated with any other restaurant. | 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 The only local GM dealer offering Saturday Service TRANSMISSION SERVICE • Replace Pan Gasket • Replace Filter • New Fluid • Oil Change, Lube & Filter $ 129 95 For Most Vehicles Home of the $14.95 Oil Change Wednesday Only Senior Citizen $12.95 Oil Change 10 % Off All Other Repairs Hwy. 441 in Commerce 706-335-3196 800-798-7435 www.wayneneal.com SERVICE HOURS: M-F 7:30-6:00 • Sat. 8:00-4:00