Newspaper Page Text
THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS. WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 24. 2008 - PAGE 3A
—Water Battle Brewing
Cont. from Page 1A
ers voted this week to file
suit if the authority excludes
Jackson County from the
meeting.
“In view of Jackson
County’s position in this
matter, I request that you
ask your client to absent
itself from any executive
session discussionswrote
Kirby Atkinson.
To which Bowers replied,
“Jackson County will not
absent itself from any ses
sions of the authority, execu
tive or otherwise.’’
The implication of
Gurnsey’s findings are
critical. Jackson County is
entitled to 25 percent of
the water in the lake. That
would be 14.5 mgd accord
ing to the revised original
estimate but 6 mgd accord
ing to Gurnsey. Jackson
County currently uses less
than 2 mgd.
But Athens-Clarke, with
a 44 percent stake in the
water, would see its alloca
tion dip from 25 mgd under
the revised original estimate
to 10.56 mgd. Since it uses
about 18 mgd a day during
the summer, Gurnsey’s esti
mate suggests that Athens-
Clarke is exceeding its
entitlement at the expense
of the other reservoir part
ners — primarily Jackson
County.
According to the intergov
ernmental agreement for
the creation of the reser
voir, new capacity estimates
were to be made based on
“the worst historic drought
for which applicable stream
flow records are available.’’
Thus, Bowers advised, the
estimate should have been
recalculated last year. Most
likely, it should also be recal
culated this year as stream
flows are at historic lows.
Parks Creek
Although capacity and
allocations are huge issues,
Jackson County is also
sparring with the authority
over the authority’s opposi
tion to Jefferson’s request
for withdrawal permits for
its proposed Parks Creek
Reservoir.
The authority peti
tioned the Environmental
Protection Division over
the objection of Jackson
County to give it an extra
30 days to post “comments’’
in regard to the proposed
permits.
Jackson County’s posi
tion is that because the pro
posed reservoir relates to
the North Oconee River,
whereas the Bear Creek
Reservoir is on the Middle
Oconee River, the issue is
of no concern to the basin
authority. Athens-Clarke,
on the other hand, does
withdraw water from the
North Oconee. A letter
from Bowers to the author
ity on behalf of Jackson
County suggests that the
basin authority is being
used “as a tool for Athens-
Clarke’s own individual
Community Calendar
To place events on the Community Calendar, call 706-387-5406 or e-mail mark@mainstreetnews.com
Thursday, Sept. 25
Cold Sassy Quilters: 6:00 p.m.,
Commerce Public Library.
Friday, Sept. 26
Kiwanis Sporting Clays tourna
ment: 9:00 a.m., Brush Creek
Sporting Club, Colbert. In lieu of
reqular Kiwanis Club meetinq 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 ses
sion prepares the city council for
its regular meeting the following
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 community organiza
tion.
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.
Kiwanis Club banquet: 7:00
p.m., Commerce Civic Center.
Wednesday, Oct. 8
CABA meets: Noon, Commerce
Civic Center. The Commerce Area
Business Association exists to sup
port business in the town. Visitors
and new members are welcome.
Thursday, Oct. 9
Cold Sassy Quilters: 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 follow
ing Monday.
Monday, Oct. 13
Commerce Council meets: 6:30
p.m., Commerce Room, Com
merce Civic Center.
School board meets: 7:00 p.m.,
Commerce High School media
center. The Commerce Board of
Education operates the city's inde
pendent 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 Cross
ing.
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 Com
merce 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. Weigh-in is from 5:00 to
5:50.
Thursday, Oct. 23
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quilters: 6:00 p.m.,
Commerce Public Library. Open to
the public.
Monday, Oct. 27
City planning meeting: 7:00
p.m., Peach Room, Commerce
Civic Center. The Commerce Plan
ning Commission makes recom
mendations to the city council
on zoning requests and land use
matters.
Tuesday, Oct. 28
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. 30
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
—Sporadic Gas Shortages Afflict Area
Cont. from Page 1A
gas.
Jackson Food Mart, 517
South Elm Street, ran out
of regular Friday but got a
load in Sunday night. The
Shell Station further out
ran out of regular Friday
and hadn’t had any diesel
for 11 days, Mark Whitlock
said Monday morning.
Kangaroo, as of Monday
morning, was out of every
thing but diesel and was
hoping for a quick re-sup-
piy
“I was told it would be
today,’’ said a clerk, “but I’m
not so sure about that.’’
The BP station at Banks
Crossing ran out Sunday
night.
“Fve no idea when I’ll get
some,’’ a clerk said Monday
morning. At that time, she
said, the Race Trac sta
tion across the street had
only regular unleaded, and
the Citgo station had fuel.
Murphy Oil — Walmart —
was out Sunday afternoon.
No one answered a call
to the fuel station Monday
morning.
Things were better at the
Flying J Travel Plaza, said
Cheryl Appleby, a relief
manager.
“We’ve got gasoline. We’re
fine,’’ she said.
However, Flying J asked
that customers observe
a 10-gallon limit for gaso
line.
Fuel Mart, located across
the street, also had gasoline
to serve customers coming
in off Interstate 85, as did
the Citgo station and Cody
Fuels, all at the same inter
change.
Harden Oil Company,
Maysville Road, owns five
stores, including Presto’s
on North Broad Street and
the Banks Crossing BP.
“We are out of fuel,’’ said
Wanda Wilson, general
manager.
She explained that the
company is limited to
5,000 gallons per day at
the Athens and Duluth BP
terminals — but could get
more if it can get a driver to
the Macon terminal.
“It’s a bad situation we’re
in,’’ she said, adding that
she’s been told that sup
ply difficulties could last a
couple of weeks.
But she also noted that
no local stores appear to
be trying to profit from the
supply dilemma. Prices are
all in the $3.93-$4.04 range
for regular unleaded.
Sporadicc outages were
also reported at individual
stations in Braselton and
Jefferson.
There is good news on
the horizon. Oil prices are
down and a number of
oil companies report that
their supplies from the Gulf
Coast are at about 80 per
cent of normal — compared
to about 30 percent a week
ago.
Time To Moke A Change...
Change Your Outlook And Your Future With
6ED Preparation Classes
Lanier Technical College
Adult Education Classes Now Offered In Jefferson
Tuesday and Thursday 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m - 4 p.m.
Jefferson First Baptist Church Annex
76 Institute Street (behind the church)
This class supported by a grant from Jackson EMC
CLASSES ALSO OFFERED AT:
Commerce Lanier Tech Campus
631 S. Elm Street • Commerce, GA
Monday and Wednesday • 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday • Noon - 8 p.m.
Citizenship Evening Classes:
Wednesday • 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
For information on all classes call
706-335-9549
— Smokers, Get Your Butts Off The Sidewalks, Streets
Cont. from Page 1A
Italy Pizzeria, City Tire and
Auto and the Hood Building.
The locations were not
random.
“We did an informal scan
of the area,’’ said Craver.
“We went out over a two-
week period and literally
counted the number of butts
on the sidewalks, curbs and
gutters, planters, tree wells
and around storm drains.
Well leave them up for a
couple of months and do
another survey to see if it’s
helped.’’
The grant also provides
“pocket ash trays’’ that will
be available to local smok
ers.
1
GET OFF THE BENCH
AND HELP THE TEAM!
Be a part of history!
Find out how when you visit the
JACKSON COUNTY
REPUBLICAN PARTY
booth at:
Hoschton Fall Festival
September 26 - 27
or
Maysville Autumn Leaf Festival
October 3-5
Jackson Co. Students K-12
enter our essay contest on
‘Why You Should Vote! 5
$1000 in awards!
For details, visit our website
www. gopj acksonc ounty. c om
Meet us for breakfast,
Saturday, October 11*8 a.m.
at the Jefferson House Restaurant
for discussion of the upcoming
election and referendums.
Come join us, all are welcome.
GET INVOLVED!
Be A Part of a Winning Team!
For more information, call David at
706-652-2967.