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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY. MAY 14, 2008 - PAGE 5A
Zack Ingram
Back From Iraq
U.S. Marine Corps Lance
Corporal Zack Ingram returned to
his home base at Camp Lejeune,
NC, following a tour of duty in
Iraq.
He is the son of Keith and
Nancy Ingram and Lynn Greene,
all of Commerce. He is the grand
son of Melvin and Pat Ingram,
Commerce; and Otis and Nell
Greene, Lenoir, NC.
Aviation Group Faults Airport
Authority Over Safety Concerns
By Brandon Reed
The Jackson County Aviation
Authority, a group of 30 to 40
airport users, drafted a letter to
the Airport Authority May 13
addressing safety concerns.
Among the issues they are con
cerned with is the dirt pile at the
end of the runway, the automatic
weather observation system, and
up was safety in general.
The letter stated: “According
to many Association members,
safety is not much of a con
cern at the Jackson County
Airport. We believe safety is
paramount and request author
ity action on the following
matters.’'
Airport manager Bob Stapleton
was adamant that safety is a top
priority at the airport.
“I take umbrage and extreme
concern with that statement,’’
he said. “I do not think it’s a fair
comment. I think it sheds less
than a favorable light on the
airport and the airport author
ity. I am the airport manager.
Airport safety is my responsibil
ity. I have initiated a number of
safety programs and corrective
actions since I’ve been here. I
continue to be, and I always will
be concerned about safety at the
airport.
“It is less than credible, in my
opinion, for the people who
signed this document to say
safety is not much of a concern
at Jackson County Airport,’’ he
said.
At a recent meeting in
Commerce, Stapleton
announced that the airport will
definitely re-open its crosswinds
runway. He told the Commerce
Area Business Association it was
a matter of safety.
Authority member Don
Lohmeier told Stapleton that it
was his understanding that the
intent of the letter was not so
much to find fault, but to voice
concerns.
“I don’t regard that... as a threat
or condemnation,’’ he said.
Stapleton said the issues that
were brought up were some
long-standing issues that had
come up under former author
ity members and managers, and
will take time to resolve.
“We’re doing all that we can
with the money we’ve got and
with what we have to make the
airport as safe as we possibly
can make it,’’ he said.
Stapleton said the authority
would go over the letter and put
together a response to the issues
raised.
Letter To The Editor
Results Of CHS Meeting Not Surprising
County Hikes Fees For
Buildings, Inspections
By Angela Gary
The Jackson County Board
of Commissioners approved a
recommendation to update the
county’s building inspection
fees May 19.
The changes include the fol
lowing:
• increasing the minimum
commercial and industrial build
ing and remodeling fees from
$50 to $300.
•setting a demolition fee of
$100.
• amending the fee for mechan
ical (HVAC) systems. Under
the current requirements, the
mechanical permit costs more
than the building permit.
In other business Monday, the
BOC approved the following:
•a resolution recommended
by the county board of educa
tion to refinance its 1998 gen
eral obligation bond funds for a
savings of $450,000.
• a proposal to abandon Lam
Hardman Road, Commerce.
Holcim Inc. of Delaware owns
106 acres around the property
and plans to develop the site
for industrial use. The company
plans to build a new road in the
area to serve the development.
• a request from Maurice
Hensley to de-annex property
off of Charlie Smith Road, next
to Baker Farm Subdivision,
from Braselton and back into
the county.
• the creation of special tax dis
tricts at River Glen Subdivision,
Bear Creek Estates and Briar
Rose Subdivision to provide
street lighting.
• a recommendation to accept
a 10 foot right of way along Hog
Mountain Road.
•an intergovernmental agree
ment with the Upper Oconee
Basin Water Authority to pro
vide recreational services — pri
marily the boat ramp and park
ing lot the authority has alleg
edly been working on for years
at the regional reservoir.
• a recommendation to
extend the option agreements
the county has on three par
cels of land — 34 acres on Old
Pendergrass Road and Creek
Nation Road; 62 acres on Creek
Nation Road; and 79 acres on
Holiday Cemetery Road.
Rezoning Clears Way
For Business Expansion
Editor:
The Commerce Board of
Education meeting concerning
the construction of a new high
school was disappointing but
not unexpected. A production
as well choreographed as this
should have a name. I think
"The Dance of the Marionettes"
would be appropriate. It fea
tured a large and probably
expensive cast. The only mem
bers of the cast with nonspeak
ing parts were the elected BOE
members whose decision on
construction of the new high
school was the subject of the
production.
With the exception of Dr. Paul
Sergent, chairman of the BOE,
calling the meeting to order,
blurting out his well rehearsed
line "We are not taking ques
tions" with all the authority
he could muster and closing
the meeting by accepting a
prepared motion read by BOE
member Bill Davis, the BOE
members were not allowed to
speak or chose not to partici
pate.
Leading off the evening was
the dramatic Dr. Joy Tolbert
rambling on for 30 minutes
about several subjects having
nothing to do with school con
struction. When Dr. Tolbert
finally got to the subject she
mentioned some research
and comments by some UGA
education professors from
1998 concerning or trying to
debunk the beneficial use of
natural light in school facili
ties. Dr. Tolbert, surely you
know there are plenty of more
recent research reports and dis
cussion on this matter but of
course they don't support your
position so I must assume that
is why you chose to ignore
them. The flow of the pro
duction went very smoothly
(remember no questions)
from this point throughout
the entire two and a half hour
running.
One of the architects from
RLR, Jeff Couch, made the
statement that the Georgia
Department of Education would
not allow a two-story school to
Cont. from Page 4A
on the bottom when your spouse
is climbing the stairs behind you,
coffee in bed, finding the gas tank
filled after your spouse has used
be built until 2003. Is a half-
truth a lie or just an attempt to
mislead? Georgia has plenty of
multi-story schools predating
2003, including Dr. McCoy's
alma mater Clarke Central in
Athens. The state Department
of Education may have at some
time stopped approving con
struction of multi-story schools
before resuming approval of
such schools in 2003 but if that
is the case, why not give all the
facts? This would do wonders
for your credibility with the
citizens of Commerce if such
things matter to RLR.
Dr. McCoy followed RLR's
example in trying to sway pub
lic opinion. He cited two news
articles, one about a rape in
a school stairwell, the other
about a natural disaster hit
ting a two-story school. Was
this an attempt to suggest
there has never been a rape
or a natural disaster at a single
story school facility? If not,
then what was the point? After
a few other testimonials and
reading of letters from teachers
and other experts, Steve Perry
took the stage. Mr. Perry, who
I assume was the director and
co-producer with Dr. McCoy,
endeared himself to the BOE
groupies who clapped after
every presentation (was this a
business meeting to discuss a
$20 million building project or
a pep rally?) by attacking Steve
Savage and Wayne Wilbanks.
Mr. Perry blamed Coach Savage
for a $1.2 million increase
in the cost of the project for
recommending some logical
changes like locating the laun
dry at the same end of the gym
as the dressing rooms. Coach
Savage probably did make that
suggestion but the BOE can
not hide behind that fact. The
BOE and the BOE alone has the
vote on the final project and as
they have demonstrated during
this production they are going
to do as they please whether
the community likes it or not.
Mr. Perry attempted to slam
Mr. Wilbanks with a comment
about not wanting to end with
another courthouse, referring
the car, chocolate pie with moun
tains of real whipped cream on
top, a surprise bowl of popcorn
in the afternoon, hand-made val
entines — and hundreds of unan-
to Jackson County's court
house for which Mr. Wilbanks
was construction manager. The
performance finally ended
with a motion from Mr. Davis
and a unanimous vote by the
BOE to proceed with construc
tion. There still has been no
substantive discussion between
the BOE and the public about
this project.
Now, just a few facts. The BOE
selected RLR as architect for
this project after RLR waited
until the deadline of 27 April,
2007, to formally withdraw
from the competition, leaving
the BOE with three architects
from which to choose. After
receiving telephone calls from
Dr. McCoy and Mr. Perry, Doug
Breaux of RLR wrote the BOE
a letter saying they would like
to re-enter the competition
but under their own rules (not
being required to submit the
same plans and documenta
tion as the other three firms).
The BOE, I assume, agreed to
this since RLR was ultimately
selected.
The fact is RLR was given
preferential treatment with
the extension of the deadline
and the waiving of the require
ments placed on the other
architects. The BOE's lack of
integrity and their unethical
business practices are what lead
to Mr. Wilbanks' resignation
as construction manger (these
are my summations, not Mr.
Wilbanks' words). The action
by Dr. McCoy and Mr. Perry to
call RLR is questionable. Since
no individual can speak for the
BOE, were they authorized by
the BOE? If so, when did the
BOE meet to authorize these
actions Saturday the 28th or
Sunday the 29th? What did
they promise RLR that would
make Mr. Breaux think that
they would be allowed to re
enter the competition after it
had officially closed and with
lessened requirements that
would suit him?
All this raises several ques
tions 1) Have the other archi
tects been told the truth about
the selection process? 2) If the
ticipated surprises.
And number ten: coming home
in the evening and seeing some
one standing at the window,
watching for you.
other architects have not been
told and find out the truth,
have Dr. McCoy, Mr. Perry
and the BOE set the table for
them to file a lawsuit against
Commerce City Schools? 3)
When Mr. Hartley (BOE attor
ney) assured us during this
production that all was well
with SACS (accreditation body)
was he or SACS aware of how
this process was handled? It's
no wonder the BOE refused to
answer questions.
You, the BOE, are elected offi
cials who represent the taxpay
ers and you are spending $20
million which we authorized
you to do. So why is it that you,
the BOE, refuse to sit down and
openly discuss this with us?
You were invited to a public
meeting to discuss this project
but only Dr. Sergent chose to
attend. You, the BOE, held this
meeting to answer our written
concerns but would allow no
questions or discussion. Are
you, the BOE, not comfortable
with your decision or how you
came to that decision? Were
you lead into this decision
and can't defend your posi
tion because you don't really
believe in it? We, the taxpay
ers, deserve answers to all our
questions. The big question is
will the BOE do the right thing
or will they continue down
their chosen path of ignoring
the taxpayers and school sup
porters because they will not
simply sit down and discuss
these plans?
This project could have served
as a great platform to bring
this community together and
to have strengthened commu
nity support for our schools.
That opportunity still exists
only if you, the BOE, will hold
a bona fide open discussion on
this matter. The decision is up
to you, Dr. Sergent, Mr. Davis,
Mrs. Seabolt, Mr. Pattman and
Mr. Gary. Not Dr. McCoy and
not Mr. Perry — the five of
you on the BOE are ultimately
responsible.
Keith W. Massey,
Commerce
Willis Cook is a retired electri
cal engineer who was born in
New Orleans and grew up in the
Mississippi Delta. He lives on
Varner Road in Franklin County.
By Angela Gary
The Jackson Couty Board of
Commissioners approved a
rezoning request Monday night
that will lead to an expansion
for Athens Stonecasting.
Rick Raymond and Associates
requested a rezoning on behalf
of Athens Stonecasting to
change the zoning classification
of 145.96 acres at 191 Richmar
Road from A-2 to GI. The com
pany manufactures concrete
items.
Plans are to update and auto
mate the current facility, create
a new retail areas and office
and increase the storage area.
Other Zoning Issues
In other zoning business, the
BOC approved the following
requests:
• David Green to rezone 4.51
acres at 80 Worley Road from
A-2 to A-R for a two-lot split. His
father plans to build a home on
the second lot.
• Marie Adams to rezone
13.064 acres at 6353 Old
Pendergrass Road from A-2 to
R-l in order to mortgage a por
tion of the property.
•Eddie Butler to rezone two
acres at 7.08 acres at 150 White
Bottom Road from PCFD to
NRC to use with adjoining com
mercial property.
• Possum Creek Properties
to rezone 15.22 acres on Bill
Wright Road and 3.45 acres on
Wayne Poultry Road from A-2
DID YOU KNOW?
By Preacher Clint
DID YOU KNOW THAT
JESUS IS ALIVE TODAY
AND IS SEATED AT THE
RIGHT HAND OF GOD?
(Heb. 10:12)
JESUS finished HIS sacrificial work
and is now in heaven as our great
High Priest. (Heb. 4:14) in the O.T.
The High Priest could only go into the
Holy of Holiest once a year with the
blood of bull and goats for the sins of
the people and had to do it year after
year. But JESUS entered into heaven
once with His own blood to obtain
eternal redemption for all who would
believe. (Heb. 9:12) Any problem you
face, JESUS has already overcome and
HE knows how you feel. (Heb. 4:15).
No matter how sinful you are JESUS’
BLOOD CAN MAKE YOU CLEAN.
(Heb. 7:25). Will you trust HIM Today
as YOUR SAVIOR?
Send comments to
Clinton Sexton
116 Ashland Drive
Commerce, GA 30529
to L-I to comply with adjacent
use.
•Michael Wilson to rezone
3.513 acres at 168 Evans Road
from A-2 to R-l to comply with
setbacks.
•Jan Jones for a special use
permit for 33 acres at 1429
Deadwyler Road to operate a
bed and breakfast.
•Kristen Burdsal for a home
business permit to use a room
in her home, located at 19
Hampton Creek Road in the
Hampton Creek Subdivision, to
create custom hair bows.
•Dorsey Homes for a home
business permit to use an exist
ing 1,200 square foot workshop
to repair wood furniture and
doors. The property is located
at 2011 Maddox Road.
• a special tax district classifi
cation for Bear Creek Estates to
provide street lighting.
PAVE
THE WAY
To the expansion of the
Commerce Public Library.
Purchase an engraved
brick to honor a loved one
forever.
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