The Commerce news. (Commerce, Ga.) 1???-current, March 02, 2016, Image 5

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The Commerce news., March 02, 2016, Image 5

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Newspaper Page TextWEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016 THE COMMERCE NEWS • THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS PAGE 5A BOC seeks grant for senior center project BY ANGELA GARY The Banks County Board of Com missioners is seeking a grant to fund an addition to the senior citizen’s center. The BOC agreed at the Feb. 23 meeting to apply for a Community Development Block Grant from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for the project. “The BOC has found that, due to consider able growth, the Banks County Senior Center building is not of adequate size to serve the senior citizens,” a resolution approved by the BOC states. “It has been determined that expan sion and additions to the current Banks County Senior Center building would create a better environment for the senior citizens.” The BOC agreed for Rick Larosa with R Design Work to handle the architectural ser vices need for the project. The contract was approved pending review by the county attor ney. In other business at the Feb. 23 meeting, the BOC: •approved proceeding with the Webbs Creek Road water line project, which will cost $88,594 and be funded with revenue from the 2012 special purpose local option sales tax. •agreed to purchase a tractor and loader for the recreation department. This will also be funded with 2012 SPLOST revenue. •updated and approved the guidelines for the catastrophic water loss insurance program. Baldwin seeks new software program 18 months of unresolved issues with current provider led to decision BY SHARON HOGAN The Baldwin City Council, at the Feb. 22 meeting, discussed the ongoing problems with its current software programs. The city received a bill from Harris Local Government Com puter Systems, Chicago, Ill., for $17,579 for maintenance fees on the current system. Finance director Janet Van Hook told the council that the system had had problems with double postings in numerous modules for the past 18 months. She said the most recent issues included entries not posting to the ledger, tax bill due dates being incorrect, tax payments defaulting to 2014 not 2015, payroll not posting to the ledger, fringe benefits not posting cor rectly - requiring W-2s to have to be re-issued, double posting of water bills, calculations of Paid Time Off (PTO) being wrong and not capturing all of the water/sewer customers for billing. “There are errors in everything we do,” Mayor Jerry Neace said. “They are billing us $17,579.36 for a system that doesn’t work.” Van Hook said none of the city’s issues over the past 18 months have had permanent fixes to keep the same issue from recurring. “We need to look at another software company” council member Jeff Parrish said. Neace said a representative from Tyler Software in Gwinnett County was coming to city hall on Feb. 23 to make a presenta tion on their software. Neace advised the city paid a $64,000 original fee for the Harris software with an additional $19,000 paid for an upgrade. The city has had to stop accepting internet payments because they were posting to the wrong accounts. Van Hook said the City of Winder uses the Tyler software and the representative said they could check with them to see how well it has worked for their city government. OTHER BUSINESS In other business at the monthly meeting, the council: •unanimously approved the city’s outdoor lighting ordi nance. The ordinance provides for a quality nighttime environ ment, and established certain regulations regarding outdoor lightings, including but not limited to provisions to reduce or eliminate glare, prevent light trespass upon other property, and facilitate the aesthetics of the natural environment. City attor ney David Syfan said the City of Gainesville’s outdoor lighting ordinance was used as a model for Baldwin’s ordinance. “All pre-existing is grandfathered in,” Syfan said. The ordinance will deal with any new coming in to the city. • discussed a proposed water sale agreement with the City of Cornelia. No action was taken, the council wanted to make Cornelia authorities aware of Baldwin’s water tank switch issue. This item will be included on the agenda for the 6:30 p.m. March 10, work session meeting. Announcements Sgt. Webb talks about state certification process Baldwin Police Department Sargeant Charles Webb (R) spoke to the council, during the Feb. 22 meet ing, about the state certification process for the police department. Also shown (L-R) are: council mem bers Dusting Mealor, Theron Ayers and Larry Lewallen, Mayor Jerry Neace, and council members Jeff Parrish and Joe Elam. Photo by Sharon Hogan Baldwin PD proceeds with state certification process BY SHARON HOGAN The Baldwin Police Department is working on its state certification. Sgt. Charles Webb talked to the coun cil, during the Feb. 22 meeting, about the process to receive state certification. Webb said the state certification would help with insurance and it would help with grants. “State certification also raises the level of the police department service,” Webb said. Webb told the council that the yearly contract fee is $375 and the police department would have to also pay a per diem for a lead assessor and an assistant, plus their room and gas, when they come out to the police department. Webb said not all police/sheriff departments are state certified, but both the Cornelia Police Department and Habersham County Sheriff’s Office are already state certified. He said the Banks County Sheriff’s Office is in the process of getting their state certifica tion. “Being state certified helps the morale,” Webb said. City attorney David Syfan told the council that being state certified raises the standards of the police department. The council approved allow Webb to move forward with the state certifica tion process. OTHER BUSINESS In other business at the monthly meeting: •the council met in closed session for approximately 55 minutes to discuss potential litigation and personnel. When the meeting was reopened to the public, Mayor Jerry Neace advised to action was taken on the potential litigation and the personnel item would be con sidered during the upcoming budget process. • the council heard the monthly activ ity reports from the department heads. • Neace announced the city’s annual Safety Day set for April 9 and Clean-Up Day set for 9 a.m. on April 23. BCHS named a challenge school' Banks County High School was recently recognized at an AP Challenge School. The Georgia Department of Education announced the recognition last week. AP Challenge Schools are schools with enrollments of 900 or fewer students and students testing in four of the core areas (English, math, science and social studies). Area volunteer opportunities available Homer to hold May 24 election The Town of Homer will hold a special election on May 24 to fill a vacant seat on the town council. The vacancy is for the office of council member, caused by the resignation of Christopher Tucker. Qualifying for the spe cial election will be held at Homer City Hall on Monday March 7, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday March 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and on Wednesday March 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The qualifying fee is $12.60. All those who are not reg istered to vote in the special election may register through April 26. Early voting will be held May 2-20 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Banks County Registrar’s Office located at 226 Candler Street, Homer. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Health board to meet March 8 The Banks County Board of Health will host its regular quarterly meeting on Tues day March 8, at 9 a.m. in the conference room of the Banks County Health Depart ment. To be listed in the volun teer column, send informa tion to AngieEditor@aol.com or mail it to: Angela Gary, The Banks County News, PO. Box 920, Homer, Ga. 30547. The following are volun teer opportunities in Banks County and the surrounding area: • Banks County Head Start & Pre-K: various oppor tunities to volunteers will be available in the upcoming school year. Please contact Jan Bertrang or Kristy Ayers at 706-677-2963. •Banks County Commu nity Emergency Response Team is seeking volunteer participants. For more infor mation, check out the web- REQUEST FOR BIDS BID NUMBER 216-314 SEALED BIDS WILL BE RECEIVED BY BANKS COUNTY AT THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE 150 HUDSON RIDGE SUITE ONE HOMER GA 30547 UNTIL 10:00 A.M. March 14, 2016 FOR THE FOLLOWING: LP GAS CONTRACT THE FOLLOWING TANKS ARE OWNED BY THE COUNTY AND WILL REQUIRE SERVICE UNDER THIS CONTRACT: 1-500 GAL-TANK WATER PLANT 1-250 GAL TANK HISTORIC JAIL FACILITY FIRE STATIONS: 240 - 250 GAL TANK 1-250 GAL TANK: ETERNAL FLAME AT HOMER PARK 1-500 GAL TANK: HISTORIC COURTHOUSE /CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 1-500 GAL TANK: BANKS COUNTY ROAD DEPT. 1-500 GAL TANK: BANKS COUNTY 911 CENTER 1-500 GAL TANK: BANKS COUNTY RECYCLING 1-2000 GAL TANK: BANKS COUNTY COURTHOUSE 1-2000 GAL TANK: BANKS COUNTY JAIL 240 - 100 GAL TANK 210-250 GAL TANK 220 - 500 GAL TANK 230 - 250 GAL TANK 310 - 500 GAL TANK 320 - 250 GAL TANK 330 - 250 GAL TANK 340 - 250 GAL TANK 410 - 330 GAL TANK 420 - 250 GAL TANK TANK CAPACITY NUMBER AND SIZE MAY VARY. THIS CONTRACT IS FOR A FIXED PRICE PER GALLON (INCLUDING ALL FUEL RECOVERY FEES & HAZMAT SURCHARGES) DELIVERED TO THE TANKS GAS COMPANY IS TO SCHEDULE REGULAR READINGS TO INSURE THAT TANKS DO NOT RUN OUT ANO THE COUNTY IS NOT HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LATE FEES THE BID PRICE MUST BE SUBMITTED AT THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE 150 HUDSON RIDGE SUITE ONE HOMER, GA 30547 PHONE 706-677-6800 ALL BIDS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH A CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE COVERAGE. THE CONTRACT PERIOD WILL BE APRIL1,2016 THROUGH MARCH 31. 2017. ALL BIDS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN A SEALED ENVELOPE AND MARKED WITH THE WORDS, BID NUMBER 216- 314 LP GAS CONTRACT. THE BID OPENING WILL BE 10:00 A M. March 14. 2016. ANY BID RECEIVED AFTER 10:00 AM. WILL BE REJECTED. THE BANKS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ACCEPT OR REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS IN THE BID PROCESS. site at www.bankscert.org or call the Banks County EMA Office at 706-677-3401. •The Banks County Lit eracy Council needs volun teers to work on projects, help distribute books and materials, help with cleri cal work, and other similar work. For more information, contact Mellisa Dalton at 706- 677-3693 and Lisa Prescott at the Adult Learning Center at 706-677-4302. •Piedmont CASA volun teers speak for children who are in foster care. For more information, call the CASA office at 706-387-6375. • The Banks County Adult Literacy Center is seeking volunteer teachers. They especially need math tutors, including the areas of intro ductory algebra, geometry and Algebra I. Tutors are needed on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. For more information, call 706- 677-4302. •Civil Air Patrol: cadets, ages sixth grade through 18 years old, participate in search and rescue mis sions and learn how to fly airplanes. Senior members teach cadets and students at middle and high schools and can also work with emergen cy services. Contact Luther McCoy, 706-677-1490. •Adult learning center at Lanier Technical College sat ellite campus 706-335-1931. •Hope Resource Center: crisis pregnancy support center, 706-367-5304. • Action: help package and distribute food to low-in- come families and the elder ly, 706-367-9599. Wl ^fr^RECYCLING ’ K ee p JacKsonXCounty Beautiful On Saturday, April 23, 2016 • 8AM - NOON Jackson County Transfer Station / Landfill 1 2 Hendrix Drive, Jefferson, GA 30549 DOCUMENT SHREDDING LIMIT: 2 Copy Paper Sized Boxes per person. E-CYCLE Computers, Monitors, Printers, Copiers, Scanners, Fax Machines & other electronic devices. An Atlanta Recycling Solutions employee will be collecting $20 per television for recycling. CRT’s cost $5 each to recycle. ALSO RECYCLE Paint (5 gallons free, each additional gallon $2 each), Fluorescent Light Bulbs (6 free, ad ditional $1 each), Auto Oil & Batteries, Household Batteries. Good Used Clothing & Shoes, Eyeglasses & Hardback/Paperback Books. Citizens are asked to take Vacuum Cleaners, Microwaves and Small metal to the Transfer Station. DRUG TAKE BACK Jackson County Deputies will be on hand to collect prescription, over the counter, no lon ger needed and expired drugs. No needles OR needle containers accepted of any kind. For information, contact Susan Trepagnier at (706) 708-7198 or strepagnier@jacksoncountygov.com