Newspaper Page Text
REGION SHOWDOWN FRIDAY
The upstart East Jackson Eagles and the Jefferson Dragons will square
off in a huge battle of unbeaten teams for the Region 8-AA title and the
Jackson County bragging rights: Page IB
DOING BETTER AT COLLEGE
Graduates of Commerce High School are doing
much better at college these days, according to the
University System of Georgia: Page 9A
Vol. 134
No. 38
18 Pages
2 Sections
50 Cents COVERING THE COMMERCE AREA SINCE 1875
Richard Massey
Dies Saturday
Flags flew at half-mast
at City Hall and at the
Public Safety Complex
Monday.
They were lowered
following the death
Saturday of the city’s
long-time Ward 5 coun
cilman, Richard Massey.
Massey 75, died at his
residence of complica
tions from a stroke suf
fered last January.
Massey was elected
to the council in 1989.
Massey retired from
BJC The city will hold a
special election Tuesday,
March 16, to fill the unex
pired term, according to
city clerk Shirley Willis.
See Page 4B for the
funeral notice.
Blood Drive
Set Tuesday
The American Red
Cross will hold a blood
drive Tues
day, Nov.
11, from
noon to
6:00 p.m„
at the First
Baptist Church of Com
merce Family Life Center,
1345 S. Elm Street.
msm
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5
Sunny: Low, 37; high, 65;
0% chance rain
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6
Sunny: Low, 37; high, 62; 0%
chance rain
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7
Sunny: Low, 41; high, 65; 0%
chance rain
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8
Partly cloudy: Low, 46; high,
67; 10% chance rain
Precipitation this month
0.25 inches
Precipitation This Year
49.79 Inches
INDEX
Births 8 A
Church News 3B
Classified Ads 4-6B
Calendar 3A
Crime News 6A
News Roundup 2A
Obituaries 4B
Opinions 4A
School News 9A
Sports 1-2B
Social News 8A
Maxwell, Toiner Re-Elected
Commerce Winners: Burchett;
Owensby, Pattman And Seabolt
Keith Bur
chett will be
sworn in on
Jan. 11 as
Commerce’s
mayor pro
tem.
Burchett
beat for
mer Jackson County
Commissioner Sammy
Ah E r '
I
A
Burchett
r
y
rti
' 1
’
Chaney Owensby Pattman Seabolt
Thomason 396-349 in but Thomason’s Ward 4.
Tuesday’s municipal elec- “I’m glad it’s over with,’’
tion, carrying every ward Burchett confessed Tuesday
when the tally was complet
ed. “I look forward to trying
to move Commerce in a
positive direction. I’d like to
thank everybody for their
hard work and support.’’
The biggest surprise was
Darren Owensby’s 94-92
victory over longtime coun
cilman Donald Wilson in
Ward 2.
Archie Chaney ran unop
posed for the Ward 1 city
council seat.
In the school board races,
incumbents Arthur Lee
Pattman and Mary Seabolt
turned back challengers
in District 1 and 2 respec
tively
Please Turn to Page 7A
Historic Preservation
The new facade, including windows, will bring
the building back “as close as possible” to its
original design, says owner Don Shubert.
Photo by Mark Beardsley
New Brick Used To
Restore 'Old' Character
Solar Power To
Help Improve
Bad Spring Water
Sun-Powered 'Mixers' To Kill Off
Algae In Commerce Reservoir
'Spot Zoning'
On Council
Agenda Mon.
The Commerce City
Council will consider a
request to rezone 4.12
acres off Martin Luther
King Jr. Drive for a garage
and towing service
Monday night.
The council meets at
6:30 p.m. in the Commerce
Room of the Commerce
Civic Center.
The Commerce Planning
Commission voted 3-0 (two
members were absent)
Oct. 26 to recommend
Danny Allen’s request to
the city council.
Allen, representing the
owners of the property,
said his daughter and son-
in-law plan to build the
facility and lease it to a
Banks County man.
In recommending the
move, the planning com
mission ignored the rec
ommendation of David
Zellner, director of plan
ning and development,
who had suggested that
the matter be rejected
because it constitutes
“spot zoning’’
The property is adjacent
to the former city dump,
where the city stores
and grinds yard wastes
into compost. No one
appeared before the plan
ning commission to speak
Cont. on Page 5A
By Mark Beardsley
A brand new brick
facade will help a down
town Commerce building
look a century older.
Don Shubert is nearing
the end of a project that
will return his South Broad
Street accounting office to
“as close as we could get’’
to the original appearance.
It won’t be an exact repli
ca of the original however.
Shubert said the original
building had long, thin win
dows.
Please Turn to Page 3A
By Mark Beardsley
Commerce officials plan
to buy or lease three solar-
powered devices to prevent
algae from causing foul
tasting water each spring
at the city’s reservoir.
Bryan Harbin, director
of water and sewer opera
tions, explained at Monday
night’s council work ses
sion how three SolarBee
mixers in the city’s 300-acre
reservoir could eliminate
the dirty taste that plagues
the reservoir during “turn
overs’’ each spring. This
past spring’s event was the
worst on record, lasting 10
days.
“It just about shut down
the interstate,’’ said city
manager Clarence Bryant,
referring to complaints
from Banks Crossing res
taurants during the event.
“They were buying water
and wanted credit for it
from us.’’
Lake “turnover’’ is a phe
nomenon of shallow south
ern reservoirs. It occurs
The city plans to
install three SolarBees
to counteract algae
growth.
when cool nights are fol
lowed by very warm days.
The cool morning water
sinks, and warmer water
near the bottom rises. It
brings with it sediment.
In Commerce’s case, the
sediment contains dead
algae that has fallen to the
bottom, Harbin explained.
While the water is safe to
drink, it tastes like dirt. The
situation got so bad this
past spring, Harbin said,
that restaurant managers
and owners “were calling
Please Turn to Page 3A
Commerce Residents
Maintain Lowest Tax Rate
Taxpayers in Commerce
continue to enjoy the lowest
total property tax burden
in Jackson County while
Pendergrass residents can
claim the highest rates.
An analysis of the 2009
ad valorem tax rate reveals
that Commerce’s total levy
(city, city schools, county
and state tax rates) is more
than 2.59 mills lower than
the next lowest tax district
in Jackson County. The city
rate is a whopping 6.48 mills
lower than Pendergrass,
where the total levy is 35.48
mills, according to figures
from Jackson County tax
commissioner Don Elrod.
A mill equals $1 in taxes
for every $1,000 of assessed
property value.
City residents are taxed
at a rate of 29 mills (1.5 for
city government, 17.75 for
city schools, 9.5 for county
government and .25 mills
for the state). The North
Jackson Lire District, with a
total levy of 31.59 mills, has
the second-lowest total rate.
Among other municipali
ties, Nicholson’s total levy
of 32.71 mills is next lowest
to Commerce.
Commerce residents ben
efit from a relatively low
Please Turn to Page 3A
2009 AD VALOREM (PROPERTY) TAX RATES FOR JACKSON COUNTY
Incorporated
City/Fire
County
School
School
Bonds
State
Total
Commerce
1.5
9.5
1/75
.25
29.00
Nicholson
.96
9.5
18.9
3.1
.25
3271
Maysville*
2.864
9.5
18.9
3.1
.25
34.614
Jefferson
6.398
9.5
13.283
3.345
.25
327/6
Braselton
1.6/
9.5
18.9
3.1
.25
33.42
Hoschton
1.6/
9.5
18.9
3.1
.25
33.42
Arcnde
1.64
9.5
18.9
3.1
.25
33.39
Tnlmo
73
9.5
18.9
3.1
.25
32.48
Pendergrass
3.83
9.5
18.9
3.1
.25
35.48
Unincorporated
Fire
County
School
School
Bonds
State
Total
East Jackson
1.6
8.61
18.9
3.1
.25
32.46
Maysville Fire
1.10
8.61
18.9
3.1
.25
31.96
Nicholson Fire
.96
8.61
18.9
3.1
.25
31.82
Arcade Fire
1.64
8.61
18.9
3.1
.25
32.50
Jackson Trail
.95
8.61
18.9
3.1
.25
31.81
West Jackson
1.6/
8.61
18.9.
3.1
.25
32.53
South Jackson
1.5
8.61
18.9
3.1
.25
32.36
Harrisburg
1.4/
8.61
18.9
3.1
.25
32.33
Plainview
1.5
8.61
18.9
3.1
.25
32.36
North Jackson
73
8.61
18.9
3.1
.25
31.59