Newspaper Page Text
THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 15, 2008 - PAGE 5A
Program Helps
Parents Track
Kids' Progress
By Ben Munro
Students will never be
beyond their parents’ grasp
with the latest surveillance
technology implemented
in the Commerce School
System.
The student information
database, Infinite Campus,
offers parents the ability to
monitor their child’s school
work at all times. By logging
on to the “parent portal,’’
a parent could determine
whether their son or daugh
ter is currently in class and
view their grades and home
work assignments for each
course.
‘This is something that real
ly started at the high school,
that they were wanting on
the school council five years
ago,’’ Superintendent James
E. “Mac’’ McCoy said.
Monday was the first day
parents could obtain a key
code to log into the parent
portal. McCoy said the new
software has received favor
able reviews so far.
Board member Arthur
Lee Pattman said parents
can no longer claim they
were unaware that their child
wasn’t attending class.
Bricks Salvaged
During the demolition of
the concession stand area
at Tiger Stadium, workers
retained the brick from a
ticket booth because it was
said to be brick from the old
CHS building.
“It was a different looking
brick from the regular build
ing, so we took that brick
and moved some of it to the
side... just in case somebody
wants to clean them up and
do something with them at a
later date,’’ McCoy said.
Renovation Grant
Local bankers participating in the Downtown
Development Authority’s facade grant program
presented Mark McCannon, third from left,
with a check for $1,826 to help defray costs
of his Edward Jones Investments office at
15 Central Avenue. Left to right are Debbie
Williams, United Community Bank; Brad
Johnson, Northeast Georgia Bank; McCannon;
Jud Trapnell, Community Bank and Trust; Larry
Cole, First Commerce Bank; Teresa Minish,
Freedom Bank; and Tina Irvin, First Georgia
Bank.
Former POW Leon Ellis
To Speak At McCain Rally
Former prisoner of war
Leon F. Ellis Jr. will be
the featured speaker at
a McCain-Palin rally in
Spencer Park Thursday.
The event will take
place from 5:00 to 7:00 in
Spencer Park, located on
South Elm Street.
Ellis, a Commerce native
and graduate of Commerce
High School, will talk about
his first-hand experiences
with McCain, rally organiz
ers say.
Both were prisoners of
war in North Vietnam,
having been shot down
- In The Year 2025
Cont. from Page 4A
go," Harold said. "It hurts
my feet."
"Look Harold, if there
were any shoes available I
would get you some. And
on your way, check the
rabbit traps if you want
anything to eat tonight."
City of Commerce
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
The City of Commerce Planning
Commission will hold a public hearing on
Monday, October 27, 2008 at 7:00 P.M. in
the Commerce Civic Center Peach Room,
110 State Street.
The purpose of the hearing is for:
1) Perry Faison, 173 Coles Court,
Variance for fence size in front yard;
2) Habitat for Humanity, 216 Pine
Avenue, variance on home size.
The public is invited to attend.
David Zellner
City Planner
City of Commerce
POSITION AVAILABLE
The City of Commerce is accepting applications for
an Apprentice Lineman in the Electric Department.
The position is full-time and is a Grade 14 position
(ranging from $15.37 to $23.16 per hour
($31,969.60 to $48,172.80 annually). Depending
upon qualifications and experience, the starting pay
will be between $15.37 and $17.19 per hour.
Applicants must have a high school diploma or
equivalent, have a Commercial Driver’s License
(CDL), and pass a pre-employment drug screen.
Any experience working with high voltage, climbing
poles, or operating a bucket truck is a definite plus.
An application is available at City Hall or online at
www.commercega.org until Monday, October 29,
2008 or until filled. Please direct your inquiries to
payroll@commercega.org.
The City of Commerce is an Equal Opportunity
Employer.
Tracy Hall, Payroll & Benefits Coordinator
City of Commerce
during the war.
McCain was among
the veterans and for
mer POWs attend
ing the Republican
National Convention
in Minneapolis to sup
port McCain as McCain
accepted his party’s nom
ination for president.
The event will include a
poster contest with a $100
award, music, refresh
ments and remarks from
state and local leaders.
Black Appointed
In related news, Gary
Black of Commerce has
been named chair of
the “Farm and Ranch
Coalition for McCain-
Palin.’’
Welcome News: City
Schools End Year In Black
By Ben Munro
In the midst of a struggling
economy, Commerce City
Schools actually received
some refreshing financial
news as the system closed
out the books for the 2007-
2008 school year with a sur
plus.
“The year is closed, and
I think we did achieve our
goal of as far as not spend
ing more than we brought in
which was great,’’ said direc
tor of finance Ann Stokey.
Commerce closed the fis
cal year over budget in most
revenue areas and collected
25 percent more than antici
pated in state equalization
grants at year’s end.
Overall, total revenue —
$12,687 million — exceeded
projected budget figures
by nearly seven percent.
Though year-end expendi
tures were four percent over
budget, the extra expense
was absorbed by the surplus
in income.
“We were OK,’’ Stokey
said. “Our goal was not to
spend more than we took in
and we did achieve that.’’
Stokey noted that by end
ing with surplus income, the
school system did not have
to dip into its fund equity.
“Which is good because
we’re going to need it this
year,’’ she said.
The system finished with
$1.7 million in reserves,
excluding money generated
in the “City Lights’’ fund.
“So I think we did really
well,’’ Stokey said. “I appreci
ate everybody who worked
hard to keep the expendi
tures down.’’
In other financial news,
the school system collected
$117,000 in SPLOST receipts
for September, but the sys
tem is off track from what
it took in during September
of 2007 by about $20,000.
“I still feel very positive
that we’re over $100,000 for
the month of September
... As long as we can stay
above $100,000 a month
in SPLOST we are good
with our bound payback,’’
Superintendent James E.
“Mac’’ McCoy said.
City Schools Drop Out Of Legal Fight
By Ben Munro
Citing limited funds in
the budget, the Commerce
School System ended its
membership with the
Consortium for Adequate
School Funding last month.
Commerce pulled out
right before the consortium
withdrew its lawsuit Sept.
16.
Superintendent James E.
“Mac’’ McCoy said paying
the consortium dues proved
too costly.
“I could not justify the
Correction
Willis Cook is a retired
electrical engineer who was
born in New Orleans and
grew up in the Mississippi
Delta. He lives on Varner
Road in Franklin County.
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• The Jackson Herald • The Commerce News • The Braselton News
• The Banks County News • The Madison County Journal
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
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
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
JEFFERSON
'AMERICAN LEGION
Albert Gordon Post 56
Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Harvie Lance, Commander
Phone (706) 654-1274 no
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
Pd.02/09
White Plains Baptist Church
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
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 paii/os
BANKS COUNTY
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
expense when I saw no end
in sight,’’ McCoy wrote in a
Tuesday email. “The board
agreed
But the school board is
certainly keeping abreast
of the latest legal jockey
ing between the governor
and the schools fighting the
funding battle.
The consortium withdrew
its lawsuit as a strategic
move in response to Gov.
Sonny Perdue’s replace
ment of the judge on the
case. The governor is now
seeking an opinion from
the state attorney general
over the legality of schools
using state and local funds
to pay dues to the consor
tium. State Superintendent
of Schools Kathy Cox has
sent a letter to schools ask
ing systems to take caution
before making any such
payments before this deci
sion is rendered.
The page 1 story about
the Nov. 4 special election
contained two errors.
The headline should have
noted that the election was
for the Ward 1 council seat.
Candidate Aretha Hill has
two children, a son, Joshua,
and a daughter, Raven.
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