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±r» Nws Region Roundup
Braselton Still
In Running
For Auto Plant
Braselton remains on the
short list of potential sites
for a new automotive com
pany that could allegedly
bring 10,000 direct and indi
rect jobs to the area.
Carbon Motors
Corporation has narrowed
its search to three sites —
one in Braselton and loca
tions in Indiana and South
Carolina. The company was
originally looking at seven
cities in five states for its
new company headquar
ters.
Carbon Motors is a new
homeland security compa
ny that has developed the
Carbon E7 — the world’s
first purpose-built law
enforcement patrol vehicle.
The company — which is
temporarily headquartered
in Atlanta — stopped at
Chateau Elan earlier this
year to highlight the vehicle
during a national tour.
The company plans to
invest more than $350 mil
lion to develop and pro
duce the Carbon E7, which
is slated for production in
2012.
A projection forecast
made by Georgia Tech
shows that 10,000 direct
and indirect jobs would be
created in the region select
ed for the site, according to
the company. It is estimated
that over a 10-year period,
the area would have a $3
billion positive economic
impact.
Carbon Motors plans
to design, develop, manu
facture, distribute, service
and recycle at end-of-life,
the world’s first purpose-
built law enforcement patrol
vehicle, according to the
company.
Braselton Gets
$300,000 Grant
For Sewer Work
The Town of Braselton has
received a $300,000 grant
for a sewer expansion proj
ect.
Rep. Paul Broun
announced that the
Appalachian Regional
Commission (ARC)
approved a $300,000 grant
to upgrade an industrial
park’s wastewater system.
“The wastewater infra
structure that serves the
275-acre Braselton Business
Park is aging and needs to
be replaced,’’ Broun said.
“The equipment has limited
capacity and cannot accom
modate any significant flow
increases that would be gen
erated by new development
projects.’’
Two major employers plan
to relocate to Braselton,
necessitating improvements
to the site’s wastewater sys
tem.
This development will
enhance the Braselton gate
way corridor of 1-85 and GA
211 as a new hotel and con
ference center is completed
and a 450,000 square feet
distribution center becomes
available for occupancy.
Braselton Mayor Pat
Graham adds, “The
Appalachian Regional
Commission has long
partnered with the Town
of Braselton for infrastruc
ture improvements for our
citizens. We appreciate the
partnership and the federal
investment which will cre
ate new jobs and business
opportunities here.’’
ARC funds will be used to
construct a lift station and
install a 100 LF of sewer
line. The improvements
will increase the station’s
pumping capacity from 100
gallons per minute to 300
gpm, and provide a per
manent solution by add
ing sufficient capacity to
the wastewater system for
future development in the
service area. In addition to
ARC funds, local sources
will provide $390,000, bring
ing the total project funding
to $690,000.
Todd McDuffie
Promoted
By The DOT
Georgia Department of
Transportation district
engineer Russell McMurry
announces the appointment
of Todd McDuffie as assis
tant district engineer for the
21 counties in Northeast
Georgia that comprise
District One.
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/ City of Commerce
NOTICE TO THE
PUBLIC
The City of Commerce Planning Commission
will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, July
27, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. in the Commerce Civic
Center Peach Room, 110 State Street. The
purpose for the hearing is to discuss 1)
Brandon Wilbanks, 87 Harber Street,
Variance on side yard setbacks. 2) Nancy
Summers, 160 Harris Street Map 010 Parcel
022C, 1.04 acres. Rezoning from R-3 to R-5.
3) Scott Goodnight, 576 Dogwood Trail,
accessory building over 1000 square feet.
The public is invited to attend.
David Zellner
City Planner
McDuffie has worked
with Georgia DOT since
1984. He began his career
as an enforcement officer
and in 1987 transferred
into the Traffic Operations
Department. He advanced
through traffic operations
to district signal engineer
where he was responsible
for the maintenance and
installation of more than 500
traffic signals and received
the Commissioner’s Award
of Merit for outstanding
service
McDuffie served as area
maintenance engineer and
as area engineer in Banks,
Habersham, Rabun and
Stephens counties. He then
worked as assistant district
traffic engineer and was
responsible for the instal
lation and maintenance
on all traffic signals and
other traffic control devic
es throughout the district.
McDuffie became assis
tant district maintenance
engineer in 2005 and was
named district maintenance
engineer in 2007. As of
July 1, McDuffie serves in
dual roles as district main
tenance engineer as well
assistant district engineer.
McDuffie graduated from
Piedmont College with a
bachelor of science degree.
He is a native of Banks
County and he and his wife
Mary, a school teacher in
Habersham County, have a
daughter, McKenzie.
Madison Co.
Assessors Await
Judge's Ruling
DANIELSVILLE
Madison County Board of
Assessor (BOA) members
are waiting on word from
Judge John Bailey on wheth
er he believes the assessors
should have been terminat
ed from their posts by the
county commissioners.
The board of commission
ers voted to fire the four
assessor board members
in April, but the BOA has
not gone quietly, taking the
matter to a Superior Court
judge.
Bailey heard arguments
from both sides July 8. The
BOC contended that the
assessor board showed a
pattern of incompetence,
displaying an inability to
work together to complete
a county digest on time or
recommend a chief apprais
er in a timely manner. On
the flip side, the assessors
argued that the BOC has
gotten in their way at every
turn, keeping the BOA from
accomplishing its goals.
BOC attorney Mike Pruett
said state law does not give a
judge the authority to make
a binding decision regard
ing the assessor board’s
termination. Instead, he is
supposed to make a recom
mendation, Pruett said.
And Judge Bailey
appeared to back up that
contention on July 8 when
he corrected the BOA attor
ney who referred to the
judge’s upcoming “ruling’’
Bailey said he will make a
“recommendation’’ on the
matter.
Work Set To
Begin On Hull
Sewer System
DANIELSVILLE
Madison County lead
ers approved a contract
Monday for the construc
tion of a long-awaited com
mercial sewer system in the
Hull area.
The county industrial
authority unanimously
approved a contract with
Driver Construction
Company for $1,995,545,
which was the lowest of
five bids submitted for the
project.
The IDA hopes to have
the sewer system in place
by the end of the year.
A commercial sewer sys
tem has been a goal for
local leaders for years. They
note that the sewer services
are needed before many
businesses, particularly
restaurants, will locate in
Madison County’s primary
business zone in the south
ern portion of the county.
St. Mary's
Offers 8 Used
Ambulances
ATHENS - St. Mary’s
Health Care System is
donating eight used emer
gency vehicles to deserving
community organizations
that can demonstrate they
will put the former ambu
lances to good use.
From now until Sept. 1,
St. Mary’s will accept pro
posals from organizations
that are interested in one
or more of the ambulances.
Any non-profit, school, col
lege or government agency
may apply. Applications will
be reviewed by St. Mary’s
and vehicles will be granted
to the organizations that St.
Mary’s determines will best
use them to serve the com
munity.
The ambulances are avail
able because St. Mary’s
outsourced its Emergency
Medical Services to
National EMS in March
and no longer needs the
eight vehicles. Four of the
ambulances are van-type
vehicles while the other four
are larger, truck-style ambu
lances. All are Fords, and
range from a 2006 model
with just over 64,000 miles
to a 1998 model with nearly
235,000 miles.
“We have already award
ed one ambulance to St.
Mary’s Auxiliary for use
in picking up donations to
St. Mary’s Hospice House
Thrift Store,’’ said Stephanie
Walsh, grant specialist for
St. Mary’s Foundation. “Our
hope is that these vehicles
will help other service orga
nizations in our area, espe
cially non-profits, improve
or expand their service to
our community.’’
All vehicles will be trans
ferred “as is’’ and with no
warranties. Organizations
that receive them will be
responsible for repainting
the trucks and any other
costs associated with trans
porting them or refitting
them for a new use.
Proposals must include
the name, mission, goals
and population served by
the organization, along with
information about how the
ambulance will be used and
who it will serve. Winning
proposals must be consis
tent with St. Mary’s mission
to be a compassionate heal
ing presence in the com
munity, and agencies must
agree not to sell, transfer
or give the ambulance to
another organization or per
son. Preference will be given
to non-profit organizations
in the Northeast Georgia
area, but any qualifying
organization may apply.
For application details or
for more information about
the former ambulances,
contact Walsh at 706-389-
3928 or by email at swalsh@
stmarysathens.org.
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