Newspaper Page Text
THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY. TUNE 3, 2009 - PAGE 3A
— Commerce Budget
Cont. from Page 1A
local budget, because the
$23,000 annual payments
for 15 years would start
in the next budget year.
In addition, the proposed
truck would require a spe
cial driver’s license, while a
smaller one could be driven
by all firemen.
A more pressing concern
was in the city’s retirement
program, where documents
from the Georgia Municipal
Employee Benefit Program
suggest that in spite of a
$778,888 contribution
the city made last year to
increase employee benefits,
the city’s fund lost 28 per
cent.
McKown and Bryant indi
cated they thought GMEBS
figures did not give the city
“credit” for its payment last
year.
If the numbers prove cor
rect, it will be a major hit for
the city because its premi
ums will increase by more
than $226,000.
McKown planned to
get the question resolved
Tuesday in a conference
call with GMEBA officials.
“I want everyone to go
home and say their prayers,”
said McKown. “This
$200,000 scares me.”
On The Agenda
Also on the agenda for
Monday night are:
•a vote on whether to
enter a contract to buy a
small tract for use as a park
ing lot
•a request from Mr. and
Mrs. Alan Kelly to rezone
property at 5746 Mt. Olive
Road from A-R to C-2 for a
day care center
•acceptance of the new
city zoning map
• approval of a memo
randum of understanding
from the Department of
Transportation regarding
the location of utility poles
• the reappointment of
Mary Wood to another five-
year term on the Commerce
Library Board and to anoth
er three-year term on the
Jackson County Library
Trustee Board.
• a presentation by
Annette Raymond of
Piedmont CASA to speak
about the benefits of the
Court Appointed Special
Advocates program she
directs
• activity reports from city
departments
•an update on the city’s
financial condition
—In The Black At BJC
Cont. from Page 1A
are working on legal lan
guage receptive to the
authority and the two coun
ty governments.
In a related matter,
Leadbetter predicted that
the audit for the previous
fiscal year will be completed
by the authority’s July meet
ing. In addition, the facility’s
budget for the upcoming
fiscal year will be ready for
board action at the same
meeting.
In other business,
Leadbetter reported that
the consultant hired to
recruit a new general sur
geon is expected to have
candidates ready to inter
view in 30 to 60 days. The
hospital has not had a sur
geon in a year, one result of
which is a sharp decline in
revenue.
—Jackson Suit May Proceed
Cont. from Page 1A
tion by a third, “neutral”
party.
The authority refused.
Jackson County hired Mike
Bowers and filed suit based
on wording in the intergov
ernmental agreement under
which the reservoir is man
aged, the gist of which is a
demand to determine the
true capacity of the reser
voir.
The authority fired back
with the motion to dismiss,
the major claim of which
was that the authority had
sovereign immunity from
the lawsuit. The authority
also argued that the suit pro
vided no means by which
Jackson County might gain
relief.
Jackson County argued
that the intergovernmen
tal agreement forming the
authority gives each mem
ber the right to sue over
violations of the agreement
— and declared that the
authority had violated the
agreement by not recalcu
lating the reservoir yield
after the drought of 2007.
Booth’s rejection of the
motion to dismiss clears
the way for the suit to go
to court. As of press time,
In Loving Memory of
OTIS "PAPA"
KING
April 16, 1941 - June 3, 2008
You will always be our special
clown.
We love and miss you
Mandy, Lynn, Randy
Grandkids and Great-Grandkids
Booth had not published
the written version of his
findings, his reasoning
for the decision remains
unclear.
“I haven’t seen it,” said
Eric Klerk, manager of the
Jackson County Water and
Sewerage Authority. “I just
got an e-mail saying 'Great
news, Judge Booth is deny
ing the motion to dismiss’
and that we should have a
copy of the order soon.”
The crux of the suit now
is whether the intergovern
mental contract obligates
the authority to recal
culate the yield after the
recent drought — the worst
drought since records
have been kept. Jackson
County’s position is that
the language of the agree
ment clearly requires that
recalculation.
Jackson’s consultant
places the yield of the res
ervoir at 24 mgd — 41 per
cent of the amount upon
which daily withdrawals are
allocated. Should Jackson
prove its case in court, there
will be huge ramifications,
particularly for Oconee
and Athens-Clarke, which
often use all or more than
their current allocations.
Call Us For Your
Spring and Summer
Landscaping Needs
• Mulch
• Top Soil
• Good Fill Dirt
• Bermuda Hay
• Gravel -t'iMr
Spreader Truck
Available
770-536-4731
Community Calendar
To place events on the Community Calendar, call 706-387-5406 or e-mail mark@mainstreetnews.com
Thursday, June 4
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Com
merce Civic Center.
Needles & Hooks: 6-8 p.m., First
United Methodist Church of Com
merce. Open to knitters of all age
and skill levels, as well as those
who crochet.
Lodge meets: 6:30 p.m. Hudson
Lodge #294 F&AM meets at its
Hospital Road facility.
School board meets: 7 p.m.,
Commerce Middle School media
center. This work session prepares
the Commerce Board of Education
for its regular meeting the following
Monday.
Friday, June 5
Beach party: 6 p.m., Spencer
Park, downtown Commerce. This
free event is part of the Downtown
Development Authority's Fridays
After Five series.
Monday, June 8
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.
Tuesday, June 9
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 p.m.,
Ryan's Steakhouse, Banks Crossing.
Thursday, June 11
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Com
merce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quitters: 1:00 p.m.,
Commerce Public Library.
Needles & Hooks: 6-8 p.m., First
United Methodist Church of Com
merce. Open to knitters of all age
and skill levels, as well as those
who crochet.
Monday, June 15
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, June 16
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, June 18
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon, Com
merce Civic Center.
Needles & Hooks: 6-8 p.m., First
United Methodist Church of Com
merce. Open to knitters of all age
and skill levels, as well as those
who crochet.
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.
Monday, June 22
Hospital authority meets: 1:30
p.m., conference room, BJC
Hospital. The BJC Medical Center
Authority manages BJC Hospital
and Nursing Home.
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.
Tuesday, June 23
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 p.m., Ryan's
Steakhouse, Banks Crossing.
Thursday, June 25
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Needles & Hooks: 6-8 p.m., First
United Methodist Church of Com
merce. Open to knitters of all age
and skill levels, as well as those
who crochet.
Saturday, June 27
City Lights Festival: Spencer
Park, downtown Commerce,
featuring music, a car show, food
and crafts. Starts with a 5K race
at 8:00 a.m., music begins at 11
and the event concludes with a
fireworks display.
Tuesday, June 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, July 1
Chamber breakfast: 7:30 a.m.,
Jackson EMC, Jefferson. Open to
all members of the Jackson County
Area Chamber of Commerce ancf
guests. $5.
Thursday, July 2
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Needles & Hooks: 6-8 p.m., First
United Methodist Church of Com
merce. Open to knitters of all age
and skill levels, as well as those
who crochet.
Lodge meets: 6:30 p.m. Hudson
Lodge #294 F&AM meets at its
Hospital Road facility.
Saturday, July 4
Farmers' market: 7 a.m. S. Elm
Street, in front of Spencer Park,
Commerce. Local farmers will sell
fresh produce until 11 or as long
as supplies last.
Monday, July 6
Commerce Council meets: 6:30
p.m., City Hall. This work ses
sion prepares the Commerce City
Council for its regular meeting,
which will be held the following
Monday night.
Maysville Council meets: 7:00
p.m., Maysville Public Library.
Nicholson Council meets: 7:00,
Nicholson City Hall.
Tuesday, July 7
JCCO meets: 6:00 p.m., BJC
Hospital conference room. Jack-
son County Community Outreach
defines itself as a grassroots com
munity organization.
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, July 9
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Cold Sassy Quilters: 1:00 p.m.,
Commerce Public Library.
Needles & Hooks: 6-8 p.m., First
United Methodist Church of Com
merce. Open to knitters of all age
and skill levels, as well as those
who crochet.
Saturday, July 11
Farmers' market: 7 a.m. S. Elm
Street, in front of Spencer Park,
Commerce. Local farmers will sell
fresh produce until 11 or as long
as supplies last.
Monday, July 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, July 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 Crossing
Thursday, July 16
Kiwanis Club meets: Noon,
Commerce Civic Center.
Needles & Hooks: 6-8 p.m., First
United Methodist Church of Com
merce. Open to knitters of all age
and skill levels, as well as those
who crochet.
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.
Saturday, July 18
Farmers' market: 7 a.m. S. Elm
Street, in front of Spencer Park,
Commerce. Local farmers will sell
fresh produce until 11 or as long
as supplies last.
Monday, July 20
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, July 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.
Founder’s
Corner
Buhl Cummings
COM MEN CEMENT... Athens
Christian School’s High School
Graduation was held Friday
evening, May 22, in beautiful
Eagle Stadium. Hundreds of
parents, grandparents, relatives
and friends were on hand for
the happy occasion.
ACS has worked with the
parents of these fine graduates
to train them academically,
culturally, and spiritually. Our
goal for these young people
was not only to sharpen their
God-given tools to help them
make a living, but it was also to
help train them how to live.
Knowing the Lord and living
for Him is Life with a capital “L”.
What can ACS do to help you?
ATHENS
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
“Affordable Quality Education Since 1970”
K3-12TH CALL (706) 549-7586
www.athenschristian.com
NEED
PRINTING?
CALL
706-367-5233
20% OFF
All Bedding Plants, Trees & Shrubs.
SHIRLEY FEED
& SEED INC.
Your Lawn & Garden
Specialist For 52 Years!
Country Vet Fly Spray
^ //
{FRONTLINE 1
Frontline & Advantage
Flea & Tick Treatment.
(Dog & Cat Vaccines)
Selling A Variety Of
Purina & Godfey’s
Livestock & Pet Food.
Round-Up
& Hi-Yield
Hi-yfeld
Herbicides
Prepare for the
oncoming fire
ants with
Over’n Out Fire
Ant Treatment
2439 North Elm Street
Commerce, Ga 30529
706-335-2162