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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 20, 2008 - PAGE 3A
Jefferson Backs Out Of
Water Purchase Proposal
By Mark Beardsley
A week after Jefferson City
Manager John Ward asked the
Jackson County Water and Sew
erage Authority to enter a water
sales contract with Jefferson, the
city backed out.
'Things change,” explained Eric
Klerk, manager of the authority.
Ward had sought the contract to
secure water supply for Jefferson
as the city’s reservoir level drops
and the city contemplates an over
haul of its plant that will require it
to shut down.
The city has a contract with the
authority to buy up to 300,000 gal
lons per day at $3.79 per 1,000 gal
lons. At the authority’s Aug. 7 work
session, Ward had offered a mini
mum daily purchase of 250,000
gallons per day (gpd) in exchange
for the $3.01/1,000 gpd price the
authority charges Braselton.
Things changed drastically this
afternoon,” Klerk said. They don’t
want the contract.”
Klerk said Jefferson officials cal
culated that they’d end up paying
about $80,000 more under the new
contract through March, mostly
because historically the city does
not need to buy water from No
vember through March.
“It’s their math. If that’s what
they want to do, that’s fine,” Klerk
said. “They wanted a contract that
mirrored Braselton. We gave them
what they wanted, and I guess
they didn’t want it.”
Jefferson could wind up saving
even more money. At the request
of Chairman Hunter Bicknell, the
staff will reconsider the $3.79 rate
to see if it should be lowered.
That “temporary rate” was de
vised last fall when Jefferson’s res
ervoir ran dry and the city turned
to the authority, which bought
water from Commerce and resold
it to Jefferson, and it reflects the
authority’s higher cost in buying
from Commerce.
“We calculated it as a blended
rate,” said Klerk. “We can revisit
that.”
CABA Giving Away Tickets
To GA-AL Football Game
Looking for an inexpensive way
to get into the Georgia Bulldog vs.
Alabama game Sept. 27 in Ath
ens? The Commerce Area Busi
ness Association may be able to
help you out.
The CABA will give away two
tickets to the Southeastern Con
ference football showdown at its
Sept. 10 meeting. Tickets are avail
able at $10 apiece from members.
On a more local level, the CABA
will also give away four sets of two
tickets to Commerce High School
home football games at the Tigers
on the Town Pep Rally Thursday,
Aug. 28.
There is no charge to enter that
drawing, and tickets are available
at participating businesses.
Those items made up the bulk of
the business session at the Aug. 13
meeting of CABA
Treasurer Stephanie Brooks re
ported that the group has $8,400
in its bank account and that be
cause the UGA tickets were do
nated, virtually all of the ticket
give-away proceeds will be profit
to the group.
She also announced that Van
Yath, Brad Johnson and herself
comprise a nominating commit
tee to fill vacancies on the group’s
board of directors.
“If you are nominated, please
say yes,”' she urged.
In other business, Hasco Craver,
executive director of the Com
merce Area Business Association,
reminded members that the DDA
will host a “back-to-school Movie
in the Park event” this Friday.
“Shrek the Third” will be project
ed on an inflatable screen at Spen
cer Park downtown at about dusk.
There is no admission charge, and
free refreshments will be offered.
— School Budget Struggles
Cont. from Page 1A
Eighty-seven percent of the
Commerce School System’s bud
get goes to personnel. Add fuel
and utilities, and it’s hard to cut an
amount equal to two percent of the
entire budget out of what’s left.
“We told our staff that this is
a need year, not a want year,”
McCoy commented. “We are real
ly taking a look at everything that
comes across. You’ve got to look
at your field trips. We’ve talked
about other things we can cut.
We’re cutting professional devel
opment trips. We’re doing every
thing we can to cut back. We’re
nickel and diming it, but when 87
percent is personnel...”
Among the cuts was the second
School Resource Officer.
School systems sign contracts
in winter and spring, based on
allotment sheets given by the
state Board of Education. The
state also mandates classroom
size and programs.
“They pretty much told us to
look at our allotment sheet and
cut two percent off every line
item,” McCoy complained.
The Commerce system spends
$5,000 to $8,000 to bus children
to school, and McCoy notes that
transportation reimbursement
from the state has not been raised
in a decade.
By law, school systems cannot
operate in a deficit, so the ques
tion begging is what happens to
school systems where reserves
are depleted and the tax rates
have maxed out?
“I don’t know the answer,”
McCoy said. “If we have two
years of this, I think there’s going
to be a lot of school systems in
that ‘if’ category.”
Community Calendar
To place events on the Community Calendar, call 706-387-5406 or e-mail mark@mainstreetnews.com
Thursday, Aug. 21
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.
Friday, Aug. 22
Movie in the Park: 8:30 p.m.,
Spencer Park, downtown Com
merce. The Commerce Down
town Development Authority
will present "Shrek the Third"
for free. Concessions will also
be offered
Monday, Aug. 25
City planning meeting: 7:00
p.m., Peach Room, Commerce
Civic Center. The Commerce
Planning Commission makes
recommendations to the city
council on zoning requests and
land use matters.
Tuesday, Aug. 26
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, Aug. 28
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quitters: 6:00
p.m., Commerce Public Library.
Tigers on the Town: 7:30
p.m., Spencer Park, Downtown
Commerce. The Downtown
Development Authority's annual
pep rally kicks off the 2008-09
high school athletic season.
The Commerce Tiger football
team(s), the band and cheer
leaders will be present and last
ear's teachers of the year will
e recognized.
Monday, Sept. 1
Labor Day holiday. All
government offices and some
businesses closed.
Tuesday, Sept. 2
JCCO meets: 6:00 p.m., BJC
Hospital conference room.
Jackson County Community
Outreach is a grassroots com
munity 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, Sept. 3
Chamber breakfast: 7:30
a.m., Jefferson Civic Center.
Open to all members of the
E
Jackson County Area Chamber
of Commerce. Members $5,
guests $10. Dr. Michael Ad
ams, president of the University
of Georgia, will speak.
Thursday, Sept. 4
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
School board meets: 7:00
p.m., Commerce Middle School
media center. The work session
prepares the Commerce Board
of Education for its regular
meeting the following Monday.
Saturday, Sept. 6
Farmers' market: 7 a.m.
to 11 a.m., South Elm Street,
Commerce (across from Spen
cer Park). Locally grown fresh
produce will be offered. The
market is open the first and
third Saturday of each month.
Monday, Sept. 8
Commerce Councif 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 independent school
system.
Tuesday, Sept. 9
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, Sept. 11
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quitters: 1:00
p.m., Commerce Public Library.
Monday, Sept. 15
Hospital authority meets:
1:30 p.m., conference room,
BJC Hospital. 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.
Tuesday, Sept. 16
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, Sept. 18
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, Sept. 20
Farmers' market: 7 a.m.
to 11 a.m., South Elm Street,
Commerce (across from Spen
cer Park). Locally grown fresh
produce will be offered. The
market is open the first and
third Saturday of each month.
Art In The Park: 10-6, Hur
ricane Shoals Park, Hwy. 82
Spur, Maysville. Arts, crafts,
games, music and more, spon
sored by the Tumbling Waters
Society. Admission is free.
Sunday, Sept. 21
Art In The Park: 12:30-5
p.m., Hurricane Shoals Park,
Hwy. 82 Spur, Maysville. Arts,
crafts, games, music and more,
sponsored by the Tumbling Wa
ters Society. Admission is free.
Monday, Sept. 22
City planning meeting: 7:00
p.m., Peach Room, Commerce
Civic Center. The Commerce
Planning Commission makes
recommendations to the city
council on zoning requests and
land use matters.
Tuesday, Sept. 23
TOPS meeting: 6:00 p.m.,
BJC Medical Center cafeteria.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a
weight loss group.
Lions Club meets: 7:00 p.m.,
Ryan's Steakhouse, Banks
Crossing.
Thursday, Sept. 25
Cold Sassy Quitters: 6:00
p.m., Commerce Public Library.
Friday, Sept. 26
Kiwanis Sporting Clays
tournament: 9:00 a.m., Brush
Creek Sporting Club, Colbert.
In lieu of regular Kiwanis Club
meeting that week.
Tuesday, Sept. 30
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, Oct. 1
Chamber breakfast: 7:30
a.m., Jefferson Civic Center.
Open to all members of the
Jackson County Area Chamber
of Commerce. Members $5,
guests $10.
Thursday, Oct. 2
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Monday, Oct. 6
Commerce Council meets:
6:30 p.m., City Hall. This work
session prepares the city council
for its regular meeting the fol
lowing Monday.
Maysville Council meets:
7:00 p.m., Maysville Public
Library.
Nicholson Council meets:
7:00, Nicholson City Hall.
Tuesday, Oct. 7
JCCO meets: 6:00 p.m., BJC
Hospital conference room.
Jackson County Community
Outreach is a grassroots com
munity 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.
Thursday, Oct. 9
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quitters: 1:00
p.m., Commerce Public Library.
School board meets: 7:00
p.m., Commerce Primary
School media center. This work
session prepares the Commerce
Board of Education for its
regular meeting the following
Monday.
Monday, Oct. 13
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 independent school
system.
Tuesday, Oct. 14
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, Oct. 16
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, Oct. 20
Hospital authority meets:
1:30 p.m., conference room,
BJC Hospital. The BJC Medical
Center Authority manages BJC
Hospital and Nursing Home.
Tuesday, Oct. 21
TOPS meeting: 6:00 p.m.,
BJC Medical Center cafeteria.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a
weight loss group.
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