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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY. TUNE 10, 2009 - PAGE 11A
Behind Schedule,
Jackson Fires,
Hires Consultant
By Angela Gary
The Jackson County
Board of Commissioners
has terminated its contract
with consultant David
Sutton and decided to
hire another consultant to
update the county’s com
prehensive plan.
At a called meeting
Tuesday morning, the
BOC unanimously agreed
to end the contract with
Sutton because the project
has “fallen behind sched
ule.’’
“What we have seen in
this calendar year ... was
not the expectations of
the commission and staff,’’
county manager Darrell
Hampton said.
The board hired Jerry
Weitz and Associates to
handle the update. The
fee will be a maximum of
$57,600. Weitz is also a
consultant for the Jefferson
and Talmo Planning
Commission (formerly
known as the Quad Cities
Planning Commission).
The comprehensive plan
update must be completed
by October 2010.
“I want to make sure we
have input from the com
munity,’’ commissioner
Bruce Yates said.
Yates also asked for a
detailed update on the sta
tus of the work that has
been done so far.
“I’d like to know where
we are so we can go for
ward,’’ he said.
Gina Mitsdarffer Is Finalist
For Public Development Director
By Angela Gary
Interim county public
development director Gina
Mitsdarffer is the top finalist
to fill the position perma
nently.
County manager Darrell
Hampton has announced
that Mitsdarffer is the final
ist for the position. He plans
to make it official within the
next two weeks.
Approximately 30 people
applied for the job and eight
were interviewed. Hampton
had two finalists but the second person withdrew from
consideration after the top two choices were named.
Mitsdarffer has served as the interim director for the
past four months. She previously served as the Jefferson
planning director and had also worked in the county
planning and development office.
Mitsdarffer serves as chairman of the Jackson County
Area Chamber of Commerce and president of the
Jefferson Rotary Club. She and her husband, Brian, have
one daughter.
Gina Mitsdarffer
Chamber Web Site
To link Volunteers
With Nonprofit Groups
A new web site is avail- organized by category and
able for people seeking
to help or be helped by
Jackson County nonprofit
groups.
The site, www.helpjack-
soncounty.com, is the proj
ect of the 2009 Leadership
Jackson class of the Jackson
County Area Chamber of
Commerce.
Class members Teddie
Lohmeier and Rick
Baldwin unveiled it to the
chamber’s directors at their
May 15 breakfast meeting.
The site provides infor
mation — purpose, con
tacts and information on
how to donate to or vol
unteer for — 73 nonprofit
groups. The groups are
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alphabetically.
“We developed a place
where if you wanted to
volunteer, you could go in
and find one that fit your
interest,’’ said Lohmeier.
Family Connection will
maintain the directory
in the future, Baldwin
explained.
The site not only provides
access for those wanting
to make donations or help,
but also for people who
need their services.
“If you’re in need of help,
you can go to their web
site to find the service you
need,’’ pointed out Shane
Short, president of the
chamber.
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Bicyclist Business Booms
Some downtown businesses made a few dollars as 1,400 bicyclists on
the Bike Ride Across Georgia pulled into Commerce for a mid-day stop
Tuesday. Among those reaping the benefits was the Common Road Bakery
on State Street. Photo by Mark Beardsley
Rain Roods Sediment Basin
The temporary stormwater/sediment basin at the front of Commerce High
School got its first test before it was completed. Last week’s rain left a foot
of water in the pond, covering up forms and steel rebar. Workers pumped
the muddy water into the storm drain where it drained to a nearby creek so
they could continue work. Photo by Mark Beardsley
Commerce
Agrees To
Relocate
Utility Poles
The Department of
Transportation wants
the city of Commerce to
move all of its utility poles
off state rights of way.
The city council had to
sign a “memorandum of
agreement’’ that, more or
less, obligates the city to
move utility poles. The
council approved the doc
ument Monday night.
The city didn’t have
much choice. Failure to
sign the document would
have led the DOT to refuse
future permits needed for
activity on rights of way
— from running electric
lines over them or water
and sewer lines under
them, for example.
The memorandum vests
all of the authority with
the DOT as to what poles
will be moved and when,
leaving the city to pay
for not just the relocation,
but also for the engineer
ing, and gives the DOT
authority to approve or
reject the city’s plans.
Assistant city manager
Steve McKown said it
appears that the DOT will
allow the city to remove
the poles as upgrades and
changes are implement
ed.
Nicholson
Water Panel
Changes
Operators
By Brandon Reed
The Nicholson Water
Authority has a new sys
tem operator.
At its June 2 meeting,
the authority voted not
to renew its contract with
Steve Shaw to act as the
licensed operator for the
system. The board then
voted to contract with
Georgia Rural Water for
that service.
The move means about
a $350 per month savings
for the authority. The vote
on both moves was unani
mous.
The authority still awaits
bids on several projects,
including the purchase of
new radio read meters,
the demolition of a water
tank, and the construc
tion of new water lines
construction.
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Founder’s
Corner
by
Buhl Cummings
SCHOOL'S OUT...ACS has just
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we are glad.” Quality academic
training and character building
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through high school.
Some of the features of the
school include excellent athletic,
music, and extra-curricular
programs. Distinctive ACS
“extras" are the historical and
cultural tours and educational
field trips.
This fine training is affordable
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the term beginning August 17 are
now being accepted. Call for
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K3-12TH CALL (706) 549-7586
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1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy. • Athens, GA