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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS. WEDNESDAY. TUNE 25. 2008 - PAGE 7 A
Manufacturers Still Eying Jackson
Chamber President
Addresses Business Group
By Mark Beardsley
Representatives of large and
small manufacturing concerns
continue to flirt with Jackson
County.
The companies would invest
from $3 million to $150 million if
they choose to locate here, advised
Gerry Nechvatal, vice president
of Economic Development of the
Jackson County Area Chamber
of Commerce.
Nechvatal reported on indus
trial prospects at the chamber’s
board of directors meeting last
Friday. He gave a similar report
earlier that day to the Jackson
County Industrial Development
Authority.
At the small end, there’s a com
pany seeking 20,000 square feet
that would invest $3 million and
provide 15 to 20 jobs, Nechvatal
said.
“The company is focusing on
Commerce,’’ Nechvatal said. “I
think it’s a good fit for Commerce.’’
Other manufacturing prospects
include:
By Sharon Hogan
Three judges serving Jackson
County met with the board of com
missioners last week to request
funds for additional employees.
Superior Court Judge David
Motes, Probate Court Judge
Margaret Deadwyler and Jackson
County Juvenile Court Judge
Kevin Guidry met with the BOC,
which took no action on their
requests.
Motes asked for money to help
fund a judicial court administra
tor and a secretary to be shared
throughout the Piedmont Judicial
Circuit.
“The position should be housed
in Jackson County since the coun
ty is centrally located between the
other two counties,’’ Motes said.
Finance Director John Hulsey
said the salaries would be split
among the three counties. Barrow
County would pay 45 percent,
•a company seeking 50 acres,
that would invest $35 million and
would require 75-150 employees.
Nechvatal described an on-again,
off-again courtship with the com
pany, which appears to be leaning
toward Clarke County because it
has other facilities there. “We’re
certainly not out of it,’’ he told the
board.
• a company looking for 200,000
square feet, willing to invest $35
million and which would hire 200
workers. Representatives were
due to visit Jackson County last
week but had to reschedule the
visit.
•a large manufacturing com
pany seeking 300,000 square feet
and 30 acres that would invest
$150 million and provide 175 or
more jobs. The company is looking
at sites throughout the Southeast,
according to Nechvatal.
Nechvatal also announced that
an existing company is expand
ing its Jefferson site, adding 25
jobs and investing $20 million on
new equipment.
Jackson County 41 percent
and Banks County 14 percent.
Jackson’s share would amount to
$55,097, which would increase the
county’s total share of Superior
Court costs to $268,292 annually.
The court administrator would
handle scheduling, including state
court, and would help make deci
sions about superior court and
magistrate court, Motes said.
Motes said a committee would
be formed to write the job descrip
tion and conduct the interview
process for this position.
BOC Chairman Pat Bell said
she felt like all of clerks of court
should be involved in this process
since they would all work with
this person on scheduling and
other issues.
Probate Court
Deadwyler asked the commis
sioners to fund a full-time deputy
clerk position at a cost of $43,876
On a related matter, Nechvatal
reported receiving feedback from
a new industry that had just hired
25 “skilled’’ workers.
“They were very pleased,’’ he
said. “We tend to focus on the
negative side, but we do have
avenues we can use to reach out
and grab those employees.’’
New among those resources is
the WorkReady program in which
employees, whether already
employed or currently unem
ployed, take a test to become
“certified’’ at various skill levels
for various jobs. The program
links skilled workers with compa
nies needing employees, helping
the former find better jobs and
the latter in shortening the time it
takes to find qualified workers.
Testing, which is free to the
workers, is offered twice each
Tuesday at the Commerce cam
pus of Fanier Technical College,
located on South Elm Street.
The chamber has distributed a
number of posters to encourage
people to take the tests.
annually.
“The probate court is over
whelmed and three people can
not do this anymore,’’ Deadwyler
said.
Deadwyler noted that the
number of firearms license has
jumped considerably. In 2007,
586 licenses were issues, and, as
of June 17, the county had issued
484 this year. Deadwyler said as
of July 1, the law demands that in
10 days the firearms license either
be issued or a hearing be held on
the reason it cannot be issued.
She also told the commissioners
that new rules regarding how birth
and death certificates are handled
require more staff time.
Deadwyler said the probate
court is 15 years behind in scan
ning records.
Thompson suggested hiring a
student to work part-time to help
with this issue.
Forum Feedback
In other business, the cham
ber discussed the political forum
it had hosted the night before,
and while most members seemed
pleased with the results, some
had ideas for improvements.
Scott Martin told the board that
he’d heard inaccurate information
presented by some candidates
and lamented the fact that the for
mat did not encourage rebuttals.
“Then you get into a debate,’’
countered Jefferson Mayor Jim
Joiner. “That’s a different matter
altogether.’’
Some board members expressed
concern that such a format would
promote intensely personal, inap
propriate questions.
HoschtonMayor Bill Copenhaver
pointed out that the Hoschton
Women’s Club has hosted “totally
open’’ forums for several years.
“Each candidate can question
the others,’’ he said. “It works
very well. They very seldom get
into a situation of people asking
personal questions.’’
Juvenile Court
Guidry asked the BOC to fund
three positions in juvenile court.
He wants to hire a deputy pro
gram coordinator, an associate
guardian and a legal secretary.
Jackson County’s cost to fund the
three positions would be $70,000
annually.
“Fast year, we asked for a dep
uty program coordinator and the
funding was not there,’’ Guidry
said.
Two Jackson County compa
nies will soon announce expan
sions “that will create hundreds
of new jobs,’’ according to
Shane Short.
Short, president of the
Jackson County Area Chamber
of Commerce, spoke to the
Commerce Area Business
Association June IF
He did not indicate the com
panies involved, but brought
them up as he spoke about the
“changed focus’’ on economic
development being made by the
chamber.
Among the new emphasizes
of the chamber will be nation
wide promotions, expansion of
the organization’s web site and
business expansion and reten
tion, Short explained.
“Very soon we will announce
two major expansions of local
businesses that will create hun
dreds of new jobs,’’ he said.
Other new initiatives include
the creation of a “small business
development group” that will
focus on “lunch and learn” edu
cational programs for its mem
bers, a restaurant guide and an
antiques guide.
“We want people to come to
Jackson County and spend their
money,” Short declared.
The chamber has estab
lished a Tourism Council to be
chaired by Hasco Craver, execu
tive director of the Commerce
Downtown Development
Authority, Short said, and a
“newcomers program” that will
provide bags “full of resources
and promotional items” to new
residents.
Community ‘Visioning’
Short also promoted a cham
ber plan for a “visioning pro
cess” to decide what residents
want Jackson County to look
like in 20 years. Such a pro
gram in Hall County led to 13
“Big Ideas,” one of which was
to become the “healthiest com
munity in the world,” according
to Short.
The process will require numer
ous meetings to gather ideas
from across the community.
“We hear a lot from our elect
ed officials,” Short noted, “but
we want to hear from our ordi
nary people.”
The end result, he added, is
that Jackson County residents
— not future outside interests —
will control the county’s future.
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Historical Society To Meet In Talmo
The Jackson County Historical Society will hold its annual picnic
and a program at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 17, at Talmo. Members are
asked to bring chairs for a picnic on the grounds of city hall.
At 6:45, Carol Murphy Holzhalb will present a program on “How
Trains Have Affected Fife in Jackson County.” Several men who
worked on the Gainesville Midland Railroad will talk and answer
questions. Jim Baughman will display his collection of railroad
memorabilia. For information, call Tina Harris at 706-757-3750.
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706-367-9700 706-423-9660
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r 'n
TO: The Citizens of Commerce, Banks, Jackson and
Franklin Counties, and those Citizens from
the surrounding areas whom I have served:
This is to inform you that I have made a personal decision to resign my
privileges at BJC Medical Center. Because of the demanding work schedule
I have been contemplating this decision for some time. My decision was
made before I had any knowledge of a lawsuit. (The issues in the lawsuit
will be addressed in due course.)
I treasure the time I have spent with you as your surgeon, and have enjoyed
getting to know so many special families that make this area their home.
I appreciate the support I have received from the BJC Medical Center, their
medical support staff, and the community at large. It has been my honor
and privilege to serve this community. I appreciate your patronage and
kindness, and I will continue to be available to you on an outpatient basis
for the next few months. Please contact my office as you normally would
and I look forward to hearing from each and every one of you.
With Deepest Regards,
Keith Ash, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Editor: Mark Beardsley,
During the World War II, in the early 1940s, a woman called Tokyo Rose
broadcast propaganda daily to demoralize the American Troops. Likewise, one
Editor Mark Beardsley published his propaganda weekly through the Commerce
News to demoralize anyone have opposing views with the city council and city
manager.
When I read your article entitled “Group Leader Suggest Council to Blame for
Drought” in the June 11, 2008 edition of the Commerce News, I knew
immediately I had no alternative but to respond.
I also was at the council meeting on June 9, 2008, as you indicated. I didn’t see or
hear anything to support your claim.
Let’s face facts. This is only one of your pot shots at the Commerce Concerned
Citizens, akin to the cave people remarks. People get tired of such junk. No, you
are not up there in an elitists superior hierarchy and we are not Neanderthal.
There is much question about your journalistic ability. It seems to consist
mostly of sarcasm and insults. How are you able to keep your “position” with the
newspaper?
One would think back on your personal crisis of yesteryear and say he has
matured now and can serve Commerce unbiased. Look upon the surface, what
do you see?
I do not serve Concerned Citizens as Vice Chairman and never have. I am an
active member by choice.
The Concerned Citizens did not field a slate of candidates in the last election. We
did support some of those who chose to run.
The Commerce Concerned Citizens organization is approximately five years old.
We have taken on a number of needed and worthy projects and we have been
highly successful.
In closing, I wonder why you attack Clifford Slater? What has he done to you?
Nothing! It is just your way of trying to look smart at someone else’s expense.
He has done more for the community than you could ever do, and I would say
that he is a lot more respected than you will ever be.
Yes, I used the word “judgment” at the council meeting. I included myself. We all
will appear at the Judgment. At that time you will need to know the REAL
Gospel of Mark. Selah
Paid for by Rev. John Webber, 706-335-6095