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Commerce News C^PYOfl RofiflClfiO PAGE 2A • SEPTEMBER 10,2008 Conservation Use Status An Issue For BOC DANIELSVILLE Madison County Chief Appraiser James Flynt urged county commissioners Monday to consider setting a minimum acreage require ment for those applying for conservation use status for their land. “I’m in favor of it (the con servation use law),’’ said Flynt. “It benefits the farm ers in our community. But it has become hard to admin ister and there are a lot of abuses across the state." Conservation status allows landowners to be taxed at a much lower rate than other property owners if their land is used for agri cultural purposes. But tax officials have often noted that many small tract owners who have conser vation status don’t do any actual farming. Flynt said the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation this year that allows counties to set a min imum acreage requirement for conservation status; that requirement cannot exceed 25 acres. “What the state has done is put the ball back in your court," Flynt told the com missioners. The chief appraiser said the board of assessors has recommended a minimum of 15 acres for conserva tion use status in Madison County. He said the requirement would not take effect on new conservation applica tions until next year and would not affect conserva tion renewals until 2012. Flynt said there are 168 parcels of five acres or less in Madison County with conservation status. He said the fair market value of those properties is $5 mil lion, but the taxable value of that land is $300,000. He said some conserva tion properties in the coun ty are less than an acre, including one as low as .34 acres. Mayfield Dairy To Lay Off 7% Of Force Mayfield Dairy is trim ming its workforce by seven percent — which could mean layoffs at the com pany’s Braselton facility. Mayfield Dairy — which is based in Athens, TN — has more than 1,700 employees at 27 locations that serve products in nine Southeastern states. The company is not tar geting any particular facil ity with layoffs, but instead is spreading the cutbacks across its company, said public relations manager Bridgett Raper. Mayfield Dairy will lay off about 100 employees across its company. A downturn in the econo my and the push to become more competitive forced Mayfield Dairy to decide to make layoffs, Raper said. Mayfield Dairy is offering severance packages, assis tance finding new jobs and determining if there are any opportunities for affected employees in Mayfield Dairy’s parent company, Dean Foods Corporation. Mayfield Dairy opened its Braselton facility on Broadway Avenue (Ga. Hwy. 124) in 1997. It pro duces milks and features a visitor’s center. 'Fly-In' Set At Airport On October 4 The Jackson County Aviation Association Inc. will hold its third annual “Autumn Fly-In and Aviation Day" Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Jackson County Airport. This is an airport open house and the public is invited to come see displays of vintage aircraft and clas sic cars, and to enjoy a barbecue cook-off. Airplane rides will be available, as well as activi ties for kids. Young Accident Victim Improves Colton Standridge, 13, who was injured in a four- wheel accident Aug. 18, con tinues to improve and has been moved from Egleston Children’s Hospital to Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta. Standridge has been walk ing some and talking to his parents, according to family members. He received serious brain injuries from the accident and underwent several sur geries at Egleston. Colton is an eighth grade student at EJMS. His mother, the former Tammy Booth, teaches at East Jackson Elementary School, and his father, Warren Standridge, is a teacher and coach at Jackson County Comprehensive High School. Vendors Sought For Art In The Park Festival Vendors are needed for the 18th annual Art in the Park festival planned for Sept. 20-21 at Hurricane Shoals Park. The festival will feature a 5K Mill Race, Duck Dash, antique automobiles, corn meal being ground, exhibits, arts, crafts and food. A new addition this year will be the miniature golf course, “Spirit of the River." All proceeds are used to maintain and improve Hurricane Shoals Park, which is located between Maysville and Jefferson. Craft and food vendors are asked to contact Marsha Baxter at 706-850-5615 or 706-202-8285. For more information, go to www.hur- ricaneshoalspark.org. $ 5 00 0FF Ticket Of s 2Cf° Or More. Valid with coupon Mon.-Thurs. only. La Hacienda Commerce La Hacienda Braselton 173 Steven B. Tanger Blvd. 5391 Highway 53 706-335-7458 706-654-0070 I The Original Mexican Restaurant! Not affiliated with any other restaurant. | Sign up for the 1 8 th Annual Art in the Park Festival 5K MILL RACE ~ FUN RUN/WALK Sunday, September 21, 2008 Presented by The Tumbling Waters Society of Jackson County 'K 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk 2:30 pm • Sept. 21 Late registration 1:00 - 2:00 pm 5K Road Race 3:00 pm • Sept. 21 Late registration 1:00 - 2:45 pm At “Art in the Park” at Hurricane Shoals www.humcaneshoalspark.orq Bray Construction, Inc. • New Homes • Remodeling • Vinyl Siding • Masonry Work • Concrete Finishing (706) 789-2313 Entry Fee: $15 pre-registered / $18 on race day Member of Run and See Georgia Grand Prix Series 2008. Race Timed by Classic Race Services, Will Chamberlin, 706-769-6593, E-Mail: gwillc@bellsouth.net Course: Fast, scenic country lanes and paved roads, splits will be called at the 1 and 2 mile marks. Fluids will be provided on the course and after the race. Benefit: All proceeds go to perserve and grow our beautiful Hurricane Shoals Park. T-shirts: Great new multi-colored T-shirts and race packets to all pre-registered runners/walkers. Available on race-day on first come, first served basis. ATTENTION: Jackson County Parks & Recreation “Park Policy” No pets allowed (leash or not). No alcoholic beverages allowed. FOR ONLY $5 PER MONTH, YOU CAN LIST YOUR GROUP'S MEETINGS! Let your members know when your group is meeting! Call (706) 367-5233 to advertise your meeting time, place and date in... • The Jackson Herald • The Commerce News • The Braselton News • The Banks County News • The Madison County Journal The Jackson Co. Republican Party Would like you to meet us for breakfast the second Sat. of each month, 8:00 at The Jefferson House. For more information, call 706-652-2967 or email fishyglass@yahoo.com Pci.ii/os BANKS COUNTY fgj AMERICAN LEGION Post 215 Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m. In Homer, GA at the American Legion Building on Historic Highway 441 Pd.06/09 f§% VETERANS OF W FOREIGN WARS Post 4872, Hurricane Shoals Convention Ctr. Each 4th Monday, 7:00 p.m. Mike Buffington, Commander Phone 706-335-6532 263 JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB Meets 2nd & 4th Monday Jefferson City Clubhouse 6:30 p.m. *(706) 387-1156 Mack Cates, President 542 A UNITY LODGE F&A.M. No. 36, Jefferson, GA 1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m. Dwight Wier • 706-367-5882 Borders St. behind Tabo’s 260 JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB Meets Tuesdays Jefferson City Clubhouse 12:30 p.m. • (706) 367-7696 Gina Mitsdarffer, President 547 BANKS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. meets first Monday each month 7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historial Courthouse at 105 U.S. Hwy. 441 North in Homer pd.-07/09 Citizens Organized for Pipeline Safety investigating the health risks to citizens from underground pipelines and booster stations in Madison Co. Meetings 6:30 p.m. at the Colbert Grove Baptist Church the 2nd Thurs. of each month. 706-783-4702. Pd.04/09 JEFFERSON AMERICAN LEGION Albert Gordon Post 56 Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Harvie Lance, Commander Phone (706) 654-1274 no White Plains Baptist Church Pd 02/09 Faith Bible Class meets every Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. It is a place where strangers become friends and friends become family. 706-367-5650 White Plains Baptist Church 3650 Hwy. 124 West, Jefferson, GA 30549 2008 Race Sponsors: • Pinnacle Bank • Northeast Georgia Bank •The Seydel Company • Apex Realty Services, Inc. • Jackson Co. Chamber of Commerce • Crawford W. Long Pharmacy • Shubert & Co., CPA • Jay’s Dept. Store •Windstream Communications • Regions Bank • Quality Foods • Runners Fit •Tommy & Karen Benton • Harvey & McCormack, Attorneys at Law • Hill Medical Group • Hamilton State Bank • McEver Livestock • Commerce Veterinary Hospital • Freedom Bank of Georgia r For more information, contact: Keith Ariail, McDonald Ace Hardware, 706/335-5519 (day), 706/335-2010 (eve.) or Henry Slocum, BJC Medical Center, 706/335-1000 (day), 706/335-4911 (eve.), hslocum@bjcmc.org Mail entry form and make check payable to: Tumbling Waters Society Mill Race, P. O. Box 164, Jefferson, Georgia 30549 Print Name Address City State Zip Sex IZIMale □Female Age (as of 09/20/08) Shirt Size nM OL OXL Event lH5k □ 1 mile □ Check if Jackson County Resident Group Affiliation Waiver: (Please read carefully) In consideration of the acceptance of this entry, I hereby, for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators and assigns or anyone entitled to act on my behalf, release and discharge Tumbling Waters Society, Art in the Park Festival, Mill Race, and all sponsors, their representatives and successors, and any other person assisting, on a voluntary basis or otherwise, in putting on the event for any liability to me or them, including any injury or illness which might result from my participation. I further state, that I am in proper physical condition to compete in the Mill Race 5k and 1 -mile Fun Run/Walk Signature Date (Parent’s signature if under 78 years old)