Newspaper Page Text
THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 4, 2009 - PAGE 3A
— Proposed Electric Rates
Cont. from Page 1A
rent schedule; and using the
same amount in the summer
months would pay $74.50,
compared to $72.25 current
ly. Residents who use 500 or
less kwh per month would
see no changes.
The adjustment is the city’s
first in four years, accord
ing to Lansing, who noted
that one of the goals was to
relate profit rates in each
class of customers to the
cost of providing service.
“Georgia Power has raised
its rates 40 percent over the
past four years," he added.
Lansing used a PowerPoint
presentation to demonstrate
that under the new structure,
the rates for city customers
remain below both Georgia
Power and Jackson EMC in
virtually all classes — except
residential customers in the
3,000 kwh range.
If the rates are approved,
the costs for some classes
of customers will fall, while
others will be increased.
Overall, Commerce man
ages a profit margin of 13.27
percent on power sales. The
profit under the proposed
new rates would range from
nine percent on residential
customers (it is currently
7.42 percent) to 44 per
cent on small businesses.
The profit margin on larger
businesses — the city has
very few — would actually
decline.
More than 50 percent of
the city’s customer base is
residential.
Lansing predicted that the
gap between the city’s rates
and those of Georgia Power
and Jackson EMC will con
tinue to grow as those com
panies’ cost for electricity
increase.
Other Business
Other items on the agenda
for Monday night include:
•an amendment to the
city’s game room/pool
room ordinance that elimi
nates all fees associated
with “gaming machines"
from the ordinance.
• approval of a list of sur
plus items to be put up for
sale.
• two budget amendments
dealing with insurance cov
erage. They do not change
the dollar amounts, but real
locate the costs in the bud
get.
— Nicholson Approves Charter
Cont. from Page 1A
mously approved the Local
Emergency Operation Plan
with Jackson County. This
plan spells out the role each
of the cities in the county
will play in the event of a
natural or man-made disas
ter county wide. The plan
is updated every two years,
Russell said.
•The council tabled any
action on a request from
David Ramsey to move the
historic old school building
located at Highway 441 and
Cedar Drive. Ramsey said
he would like to see the city
preserve a building that can
be placed on the National
Register of Historic Places.
The cost would be $7,500
to place the building on the
register.
•Maxwell announced the
town hall meeting set for 7
p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, host
ed by Commissioner Dwain
Smith. Several county offi
cials are expected to be on
hand to answer questions
from the public.
Curtail Displays At Library
Cont. from Page 1A
of lawsuits filed at two
Georgia libraries over mate
rials on display.
One was at the Ohoopee
Regional Library in Vidalia,
which was sued by “The
Gay Guardian," a newspa
per carrying material of
interest to the gay and les
bian community, after the
library removed a table of
“free to the public" materi
als over complaints about
the newspaper. The library’s
position was vindicated by
the Eleventh District Court
of Appeals, but only after
it spent a considerable
amount of money defend
ing the suit.
“If you don’t have a
strong policy, it (displays)
becomes protected speech,"
explained Alan Harkness,
director of the Piedmont
Regional Policy.
That means, the library
board realized, that postings
promoting blood drives,
the recovery of lost pets
or upcoming community
fund-raisers are no longer
allowed.
And the collecting of
eyeglasses on behalf of the
Commerce Lions Club?
“That is currently not
allowed under board policy,"
Harkness explained.
‘ROOF DOCTOR
Roofing & Repair
- Metal
- Shingles
- Flat Roofs
- Flashing
- Maintenance
- Inspections
HOMER CARVER
R Apple Specialist
iPhoto. iMovie. GarageBand. iWeb.
All part of every new Mac.
peachmac
macs • ipods • software • service • peachteach
1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy (across from Lowe's) • Athens • 706-208-9990
visit peachmac.com • also in Augusta!
Community Calendar
To place events on the Community Calendar, call 706-387-5406 or e-mail mark@mainstreetnews.com
Thursday, Feb. 5
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Com
merce Civic Center.
Mentor training: 5:30-6:30
p.m., Jackson EMC Auditorium, Jef
ferson. Lindsay's Legacy mentoring
program will hold an "idea swap"
for its 200 mentors. RSVP at 706-
4105525.
Ledge meets: 6:30 p.m. Hudson
Lodge #294 F&AM meets at its
Hospital Road facility.
School board meets: 7:00 pm,
Commerce Middle School media
center. This work session prepares
the Commerce Board of Education
for its regular meeting the following
Monday.
Friday, Feb. 6
Blood drive: 8:30 a.m.-l :30
p.m., Eastjackson Comprehensive
High School. This is an American
Rea Cross event.
Sunday, Feb. 8
Prayer for our Times: 4 p.m.,
Commerce Presbyterian Church. An
ecumenical service featuring prayer
for the nation in a time of recession,
government transition and war.
Monday, Feb. 9
Commerce Council meets: 6:30
p.m., Commerce Room, Commerce
Civic Center.
School board meets: 7:00 p.m.,
Commerce High School media cen
ter. The Commerce Board of Educa
tion operates the city's independent
school system.
Auditions: 7-9 p.m., Commerce
Cultural Center. The Cold Sassy
Players will fill 31 roles in "Southern
Exposure," which the group will
perform March 26-28.
Tuesday, Feb. 10
TOPS meeting: 6:00 p.m., BJC
Medical Center cafeteria. Take Off
Pounds Sensibly is a weight loss
group. Weigh-in is 5:00 to 5:50.
Lions Club meets: 7:00 pm,
Ryan's Steakhouse, Banks Crossing.
Auditions: 7-9 p.m., Commerce
Cultural Center. The Cold Sassy
Players will fill 31 roles in "Southern
Exposure," which the group will
perform March 26-28.
Thursday, Feb. 12
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Com
merce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quitters: 1 00 pm,
Commerce Public Library.
Monday, Feb. 16
Hospital authority meets: 1 30
p.m., conference room, BJC
Hospital. The BJC Medical Center
Authority manages BJC Hospital
and Nursing Home.
Mended Hearts meets: 7:00
p.m., conference room, BJC Medi
cal Center. Mended Hearts is a
support group for heart patients and
their families.
Tuesday, Feb. 17
TOPS meeting: 6:00 p.m., BJC
Medical Center cafeteria. Take Off
Pounds Sensibly is a weight loss
group. Weigh-in is 5:00 to 5:50.
Thursday, Feb. 19
Mentor training: 9-10:15 a m.,
Commerce Middle School. Lind
say's Legacy provides mentoring for
children in all local school systems.
RSVP at 706-410-5525 or at jack-
sonmentors@yahoo.com.
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Com
merce Civic Center.
Town Hall Meeting: 6:00 pm,
Commerce Civic Center. Hosted by
the Downtown Development Author
ity for public input on the future of
the downtown.
Pilot Club meets: 7:00 p.m., First
United Methodist Church of Com
merce. The Pilot Club of Commerce
meets on the third Thursday of each
month.
Friday, Feb. 20
The Service At Rocky Bluff: 7:30
p.m., Commerce Cultural Center. A
musical comedy by Savannah River
Productions Inc. Call 706-376-
7397 for tickets. $17 adults, $15
seniors and students and $ 1 2 for
groups of eight or more.
Saturday, Feb. 21
The Service At Rocky Bluff: 7:30
p.m., Commerce Cultural Center. A
musical comedy by Savannah River
Productions Inc. Call 706-376-
7397 for tickets. $ 17 adults, $ 15
seniors and students and $ 1 2 for
groups of eight or more.
Monday, Feb. 23
Cooking Against Cancer: 10:30
a.m., Commerce Health Clinic,
623 S. Elm St. This free course for
women will show how to prepare
food to lower the risk of cancer and
other diseases. Pre-register at 706-
335-3895.
City planning meeting: 7:00
p.m., Peach Room, Commerce
Civic Center. The Commerce Plan
ning Commission makes recom
mendations to the Commerce City
Council on zoning and other land
use matters.
— Displaced Workers Seek Edge At Lanier Tech
Cont. from Page 1A
It’s hit them harder first.”
Lanier Tech offers a cou
ple of programs to improve
job-seekers’ chances.
Its WorkReady program
provides the WorkKeys
exams — math, locating
information, and reading
for information — that can
give workers a leg up when
industries do hire.
“They want to use that as
part of their portfolio in
looking for a job,” Ledford
says. “The 15-20-30-year
professionals want some
fresh training to put on
their resume, and they
want to take WorkKeys so
they can put that in their
portfolios."
WorkKeys provides cer
tification to industries that
potential employees are
adequately trained in areas
important to the industry.
The school’s certificate
programs give a potential
worker a chance to enhance
existing skills.
Ledford says he encour
ages the newly unemployed
to contact the Department
of Labor and the Workforce
Investment Board to “get on
their lists" for programs and
benefits.
“We never know what
kind of funding will come
from the stimulus bill for
unemployment and other
benefits," he said. “We
encourage them to get on
whatever list as soon as pos
sible so they’ll be at the top
of the list when funding is
let loose."
The most important
advice, says Ledford, is for
the jobless people to avail
themselves immediately of
all the opportunities and
benefits “instead of sitting
there waiting for a job to
open up."
The Hope Grant covers
Georgia residents’ tuition,
and there are other resourc
es that can sometimes help
pay for the $35 technology
fee and books not covered
by the Hope Grant (which
has a $50-$ 100 allowance).
There is federal money
for those laid off, and for
those being retrained the
Department of Labor and
Workforce Investment Act
provide some funds.
“That is another important
reason to get on the list,"
Ledford insists.
Time To Apply
Now is the time to apply
for the Spring Semester,
which starts March 30.
According to Ledford,
technology and health care
are the two fields seen as
most likely to continue to
offer jobs, but he cautions
people to do their home
work when they seek new
fields for careers.
“Some places are laying
off long-term employees
and hiring new workers, so
people need to make sure
there is long-term advance
ment," he advises. “There
are labor laws, but people
are finding ways around
them."
The Commerce campus,
located in the old Bi-Lo
shopping center on South
Elm Street, also serves as a
feeder to the main campus
in Oakwood.
“We’re finding a lot of
students coming in, take
some of our math and
English courses here, then
transfer to Oakwood for
their main courses or go
online," Ledford said. He
adds that a third of Lanier
Tech’s students take online
courses.
Lanier Tech also offers
GED courses.
Fareha Rahim, MD
Internal Medicine
We are now located at our new office at
613 Hospital Road
Commerce, Georgia 30529
Commerce Medical Center
706-335-9411
MCR^COBOBS^IGNA(HMO/PPO)AMERIGROU^AR^H^n
Knitting Group Starting!
Want to
learn to knit?
improve your skills?
orjust enjoy your hobby with
newfriends?
AMI
Call Chris at 706-335-9088!
ChrisandKenh@windstream.net
Simply Serene Day Spa
32 Pine Street • Commerce, GA
706-713-1771
Valentine’d Day Special
Couples Massage
$100
A treat for both. ($120 value)
Customized Facial
60 minutes - $50
($75 value)
Just for Him
120 minutes - $100
Even a Real Man needs a little TLC. A relaxing,
pampering MAN facial. A stress releasing massage.
Mommy & Me
90 minutes - $160
Includes 30 minute massage, 30 minute petite facial and a 30
minute treat for your feet. 12 years and under. ($210 value)
Hot Stone Massage
90 minutes - $85
($120 value)
Exfoliating Body Scrub
60 minutes - $40
Your choice of salt or sugar scrub. ($85 value)
Microdermabrasion
Series of 6 - $400
($550 value)
Termaqlow Smile Machine Teeth Whitening
Full 20 minute session - $75
($150 value)
Red, Hot, Swollen
Have you been diagnosed with gout?
If so, you know the pain can be so intense
words alone aren't enough to describe it.
A research study is being conducted to evaluate
whether an investigational medication can con
trol gout pain and reduce recurrences safely and
effectively. Volunteers are needed.
Study participants will receive all study-related
care and study medication at no cost. Health
insurance is not needed to participate.
For more information, call
Center for Advanced Research & Education
at (770) 534-5154
or visit www.goutresearchstudy.com.