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±L”fr Region Roundup Jefferson Seeks Land To Build A New Library The Jefferson Public Library is one of the busi est libraries in the region and it has already outgrown its space. Leaders are seek ing the donation of land to locate a larger facility. “We have used up the available area that we have for shelves and computers," library director Amy Carlan said. “It is a constant battle when we receive new books to make shelf and display space. We are continuously weeding out old titles to make room for new and moving things around, but we are still short on space. We are also lacking room for ‘bodies.’ The library can be a very uncomfortable and crowded place when we are busy — which is fre quently." The multi-purpose room is also not big enough to handle the programs that are offered. “We have been forced to limit our story time atten dance to 25 persons," Carlan said. “This can be very frustrating because we sometimes have to turn kids and parents away." The Jefferson Public Library consistently checks out more books and mate rials than any other library in Jackson County. It also offers more childrens’ pro gramming than any other library in the county. For the months of October, November and December 2008, the library checked out 24,046 adult and chil dren’s books, 4,253 DVDs and books on CD, and offered 54 childrens’ pro grams with an attendance of 1,329 adults and chil dren. “For these reasons the library needs new space," Carlan said. “The facility cannot expand in its exist ing location. We need a min imum of 11,425 square feet plus parking and the current location cannot accommo date this need. Therefore, we are seeking at least two acres of land on which to build a new facility." The library board cannot proceed with the Georgia Public Library Service Grant Application until it has a site and architectur al plans. If anyone in the community has land to donate for this purpose, they are asked to contact the library at 706-367-8012 or any library board mem ber: the Rev. Roger Cooper (Chair), Mildred Gray, Beth Laughinghouse, Bill Ives, Vernell Hix, Sara Allen, Jane Kinney, Carol Goodwin or Tom Elliott. A ARP, IRS To Offer Free Income Tax Help Taxpayers will be assisted in preparation and filing of federal and state income tax returns at the Jefferson Clubhouse from 1 to 5 p.m. Thursdays from Feb. 5 though April 9. The free service is pro vided by volunteer counsel ors under the sponsorship of the IRS and AARP. The service is intended for tax payers of low to moderate income, with preference to, but not restricted to, senior citizens. Membership in AARP is not a requirement, however certain complex details of the tax code may be con sidered to be beyond the scope of this service. Taxpayers are asked to sign up in person or by representative at the site Thursdays. Taxpayers will be served in the order of their appearance on a sign up list. Typically, Tax-Aide is able to take care of at least 15 taxpayers in one session. For more informa tion please visit www.aarp. org. Area Counties Part Of Drought Disaster Ruling The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted Gov. Sonny Perdue’s request for a primary disaster designa tion for 158 counties based on production losses due to drought and excessive temperatures. The designation was sent in response to Governor Perdue’s request submitted in November. “Drought conditions are devastating to farmers and farming communities," Perdue said in a statement. “Georgia’s farmers have sustained significant eco nomic losses due to the dry conditions in Georgia, and I’m pleased that financial relief will now be available to them." USDA declared 146 of Georgia’s 159 counties as primary natural disaster areas and 12 more as con tiguous disaster areas. The only one of Georgia’s coun ties not covered by the pri mary or contiguous desig nation is McIntosh. The 12 counties not Banks-Jackson Risk Reduction DUI SCHOOL 706-336-6777 DEFENSIVE DRIVING 1728 North Broad Street, Commerce, State Certified 5010 and 2007 Next DUI Class begins on January 24,2009 Next Defensive Driving Class will be held on January 17,2009 We offer personal loans from $150.00 to $500.00/ Telephone Applications Welcome. Call or Come Visit Us Today! SECURITY FINANCE 1816 N. Broad Street Commerce, GA 30529 (706)335-3551 'More if you qualify. All loans are subject to our liberal credit policy and credit limitations, if any. included in the primary des ignation will continue to be evaluated as more assess ment reports and determi nations of losses are com pleted by the USDA. The 12 counties are Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Bulloch, Camden, Coffee, Glynn, Liberty, Long, Terrell, Ware and Wayne. Jackson Tax Maps Now Available Online Jackson County govern ment has launched an online mapping service through Qpublic’s Quick Access Network. This mapping service allows citizens and land owners to view online maps of their tax parcels. This service includes parcel boundaries, aerial photog raphy and visual mapping of the last three years of property sales. “This is the first time this service has ever been avail able for Jackson County," said county GIS manager Joel Logan. “Though we have used Qpublic for regu lar parcel records for many years, we have never had an online mapping service that showed the parcels." Online mapping data will be updated once a month by the GIS department. The values and tax roll data are maintained and updated by the tax assessor’s property. “If you find a property has not been mapped out online it is probably with in the mapping cycle and will be mapped in a future update," Logan said. The website is www.qpub- lic.net/ga/jackson. Franklin Is New Jackson DFACS Director Jacqueline Franklin has been named the new coun ty director for the Jackson County Department of Family and Children Services. Franklin will take over her position Friday, Jan. 16. Franklin has 18 years experience in child welfare. She has been employed with Georgia DFACS since April 2007. She most recently served as the social services supervi sor at the Forsyth County DFACS office. Prior to that, she worked with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services in Brooklyn, NY. Girl Scouts Need Volunteers In Jackson Co. The Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, which serves Jackson County, is seeking volunteers. Those interested in volun teering for the Girl Scouts may call Terri Bear at 800- 300-4475. Housing Slump Taking Toll In Braselton While Braselton’s finances seem to be in good shape, a slumping housing market in the once booming town is taking a hit. Halfway through its FYE 2009 budget — which began July 1, 2008, and ends June 30, 2009, — Braselton has collected $1.2 million in rev enue. The town budgeted $2.9 million in revenue for the fiscal year. The town expects to receive a one-time payment of $440,000 in franchise fees in April, according to town manager Jennifer Dees. So far, the town has received $47,731 in franchise fees, which was budgeted for $502,000. As for expenses, Braselton budgeted $2.6 million in costs in FYE 2009. To date, the town has spent 46 per cent — or $1.2 million — of its budgeted expenses. But with fewer houses under construction in Braselton, the town’s cof fers are feeling the effect. One of the largest drops in revenue comes from income tied to new devel opments in Braselton. The town estimated that permitting fees would gen erate $590,000 in the 2009 fiscal year budget. Six months into the budget year, Braselton has earned only $90,148 in permitting fees. Impact fees from new developments are also far below projections. Board To Give Powers Back To Its Chairman DANIELSVILLE - The Madison County commis sioners plan to give new county chairman Anthony 'Ben Vo Benefit Si Vote: 01124-109 dime: 7-9 ptti 66s nging featuring: Crosswalk The (joss (Brothers (Baptist Church and Cleveland, Qa. The fCat^ins family finy questions: 706-335-9185. I)na6k to attend, please make donations § (Barrett funeral J&me. TfjanlfYbu! Dove personnel powers that they stripped from previous chairman Wesley Nash. “I think the people sound ly spoke for a leader in this county when they went to the polls," said Commissioner Stanley Thomas, who proposed restoring hiring and firing powers to the chairman’s position. Madison County voters favored Dove by a 72-19 margin over Nash in the July Republican primary. County commissioners tookhiringand firingpower away from Nash after he said he reprimanded coun ty clerk Morris Fortson for a budgeting error, then Fortson said that Nash had not reprimanded him. Thomas said the past fric tions between Nash and the commissioners were unfor tunate, but that there was no other course of action than to strip the chairman of his personnel powers, since the BOC felt Nash was not willing to carry out his duties. Other commissioners supported Thomas’ recom mendation. Thomas also proposed that three posi tions in the BOC office — the county clerk, deputy clerk and possibly and administrative assistant — serve as “at will" employ ees under Dove. An “at will" employee is different than other workers in that he or she does not have any rights to appeal fol lowing a dismissal. Thomas said that those employees in the BOC office repre sent the chairman in his absence and that he needs control over that staff, simi lar to the power the sheriff has over his staff. Thomas’ proposals came during talk of renewing Madison County policies for 2009. Youngblood also had a suggestion — that the BOC not allow a minute- taker, such as the county clerk, into closed sessions. He said the county attorney can take minutes if neces sary. County attorney Mike Pruett noted that Georgia law does not require the recording of minutes dur ing closed meetings. Officials Say Tax Bills To Be On Time DANIELSVILLE Madison County’s new board of assessor chair man David Ragland stood before the board of com missioners last week, tell ing them they can count on having a timely tax digest this year. “Gentleman, your digest will be on time this year, I promise," Ragland stated. The statement came during a special meeting called Wednesday, primar ily to hear the BOA’s rec ommendation for a chief appraiser to replace James Flynt, whose contract expired Dec. 31. But the BOA failed to have such a recommen dation for commission ers, voting 3-2 during their own meeting the previous Monday to deny the rec ommendation of their lead candidate, Carey Lamb, of Swainsboro, for the posi tion. The BOA meeting also resulted in the resignation of two of the five assessor board members - Larry Stewart, the former vice chair and three-and-a- half year veteran of the board, resigned at the end of the Monday meeting, while Bob Fowler, who had served on the board since last March, official ly resigned Wednesday. Stewart has said he will stay on the board until Feb. 1; Fowler made his own resignation effective immediately. Both Stewart and Fowler had supported the recommendation of Lamb. During that same meeting, Ragland, the new est member of the board, was voted, also 3-2, as the new BOA chairman, while former chairman Samantha Garland took the vice-chairman position from Stewart. But Ragland said despite these difficulties, the county’s tax apprais al office will work hard to get the digest out on time. PAIN PILL PROBLEM? Medication - assisted detoxification program Subutex® • Suboxone® • Methadone® Robert W. Dail Memorial Treatment Center Commerce • 706-335-5180 CALL for information 5:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC City Of Commerce The City of Commerce will hold a General Election on Tuesday, November 3, 2009. The offices to be filled for election are Councilman Ward I and Councilman Ward II. The qualifying fee for the elected positions will be $81.00. The School Board Districts to be filled for election are District I and District II. The qualifying fee for the elected districts will be $72.00. The last day a person may register and be eligible to vote in the General Election will be October 5, 2009. January 12, 2009 8:30 a.m. v ✓