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THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS • THE COMMERCE NEWS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2016
Rabies ...
BJC Authority's final meeting
BJC Medical Center Authority members (left
to right) Don Shubert, Howard Smith, Charles
Blair, Don Brown and Rick Massey) met last
BJC ...
City clerk Sandra Haggard told the group that the Georgia
Department of Community Affairs “still has it on record.”
The BJC Medical Center Authority sold the facility in 2010 to
Restoration Healthcare, which in turn sold it to Macon-based
Community Health Services of Georgia in 2014.
Thursday’s move is being replicated by resolutions from the
Banks and Jackson County boards of commissioners. The Com
merce City Council approved a resolution on April 18. The former
authority comprised nine members, three appointed by each of
week to officially dissolve the authority that for
decades operated a publicly-owned hospital in
Commerce.
the three governments.
Meanwhile, Commerce also established a new Commerce Hos
pital Authority that will technically own the facility which it will lease
to Community Health Services of Georgia. Mayor Clark Hill said the
move will not create ary financial liabilities for the city.
That move will make the hospital eligible to receive up to $3
million annually in federal and state monies, including Georgia’s
Indigent Care Trust Fund, which reimburses medical providers
who provide services to the indigent.
For more information, call the Commerce Veterinary
Hospital at 706-335-5111 or 706-367-5161.
Inoculation of pets against rabies is considered the most
important step to prevent people from becoming infected.
Last year, officials tested 31 animals for rabies and eight
of those — four raccoons, two skunks, one bat and one fox
— tested positive. In addition, 11 pets unprotected by rabies
vaccines, were euthanized and two people in Jackson
County had to undergo post-exposure treatment for rabies.
So far in 2016, six cats and five dogs were euthanized to test
for rabies, but there have been no positive cases.
In Madison County last year, officials tested 32 animals
for rabies. Ten were positive, including six skunks, two rac
coons, one cat and one fox. Two people exposed to rabies
underwent treatment.
Banks County officials, between December 2014 and
this past February, reported positive rabies results from
six skunks three raccoons and one dog, and a number of
people were referred for post-exposure treatment.
CLINIC DATES
Wednesday, May 4
• Commerce Veterinary Hospital, 2-4 p.m.
•Maysville (city park), 4:30-5:15 p.m.
• Dry Pond (Country Store), 5:30-6:15 p.m.
•Holly Springs (Our Store on Hwy. 82), 6:30-7:15 p.m.
Thursday, May 5
• Jefferson Animal Hospital, 24 p.m.
• Maddox Feed and Seed, 5-5:45 p.m.
•Arcade (City Hall), 6-6:45 p.m.
• Commerce Veterinary Hospital, 2-4 p.m.
• Center (D’s Food Store U.S. 441 and Hwy. 334), 4:30-
5:15 p.m.
• Nicholson (Benton Elementary School), 5:30-6:15 p.m.
• Thyatira/Harrisburg Fire Dept., 6:30-7:15 p.m.
Friday, May 6
• Braselton (across form Old Braselton Brothers Store),
3:30-5:15 p.m.
Authority sets water connection
rates for new SPLOST projects
BY ANGELA GARY
With the passage of spe
cial purpose local option sales
tax (SPLOST) 6, the Jackson
County Water and Sewerage
Authority is looking forward
to expanding its water system.
In preparation for this, the
authority set guidelines when
it met on Thursday April 21,
as to how new customers can
connect to those new lines.
The three payment options
include:
•payment of $1,000 up
front.
•payment of $500 and a
commitment to keep service
active for a minimum of two
years.
• distressed circumstanc
es with income and/or age
requirements.
In addition, the authority
approved a bond resolution
that essentially will allow it to
build its SPLOST 6 projects
and then pay off the bonds as
the sales tax revenue comes
in.
The authority expects to
collect $9 million over the
course of the tax. Various proj
ects include:
•a tank pump on Jarrett
Road near the Plant Dahlberg
facility in center, $660,000.
•Hwy. 334 South project,
estimated to cost $604,000,
which would include 17 fire
hydrants and 7,540 feet of lines
along Hwy. 334 from Cooper
Farm Road north to Sanford
Road and west along Sanford
Road.
•Hwy. 334 North project,
estimated to cost $3 million,
includes 45 fire hydrants and
30,215 feet of new water lines
on sections of Hwy. 334,
Groaning Rock Road, Whit
lock Road, Sandy Creek Road
and Swain Road.
•Pleasant Acres, $1.65
million, 60 fire hydrants and
28,860 feet of water lines serv
ing the entire subdivision
•Lewis Roberts/Ebenezer
Church Road Loop, $825,000,
25 fire hydrants and 12,000 feet
of water lines
• Southwest Jackson Area,
$575,000,23 fire hydrants, pro
viding 9,650 feet of water lines
on Elias Hayes Road, Dog
wood Lane, Bradford Court
and Moons Bridge Road from
Old Collins Road to the end
• Hwy. 129 Loop, $1 million,
12 fire hydrants, and 8,800
feet of water lines running
along U.S. 129 from Lebanon
Church Road north to the for
mer South Jackson Elementa
ry School building.
•Swann Road, $725,000,
12,050 feet of water lines
and 27 fire hydrants to serve
Swann Road, Woodland
Drive, Swann Circle, Swann
Court and Lakeview Court in
and around Arcade.
In other business:
•Kenneth Bridges asked
the water authority to run a
water line along Richard
Bridges Road. Chairman Dave
Ehrhardt said the engineer
estimates the cost of that proj
ect at $123,248. Bridges point
ed out that he’s been paying
special purpose local option
sales tax for years and said,
“it looks like something could
be worked on.” He suggested
the county water authority and
the Nicholson Water Authority
split the cost of the project.
•The authority approved
a rate analysis proposal from
Nelsnick Enterprises Inc., Ath
ens, that will be used to assess
costs and set future rates.
• The authority approved a
new water sales agreement
with Braselton.
• Hoschton (City Hall, across from depot), 5:30-6:15 p.m.
•Country Corner Store (Hwy. 124), 6:30-7:15 p.m.
•Pendergrass (North Jackson Elementary School, 7:30-
8:15 p.m.
•Boots Etc. (U.S. 441 South at Banks Crossing), 2:30-
3:30 p.m.
•South Jackson Elementary School (Kings Bridge),
4:15-5 p.m.
• East Jackson Comprehensive High School, 5:15-6 p.m.
Saturday, May 7
•Commerce Veterinary Hospital, 9-11 a.m.
• Jefferson Animal Hospital, 9-11 a.m.
• Jackson County Comprehensive High School (Winder
Hwy.), 1-3 p.m.
•Southside Church (U.S.. 129), 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Second-chance days are set Saturday May 14, from 9-11
a.m. at Jefferson Animal Hospital, and on Wednesday May
18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Commerce Veterinary Hospital.
Maysville sets music festival
The Maysville Community Improvement Club is hosting a
music festival on Saturday June 4, in downtown Maysville.
Many bands will play throughout the day. There will be art/
craft vendors, along with a children’s area. Concessions will
be available.
Applicants for art/craft vendors are being sought for the
music festival. To participate, contact Katrina 706-983-1565 or
Cyndi 706-708-6409. There is no requirement that items be
homemade, but space will be limited. Follow the Facebook
Page: Maysville Community Improvement Club.
DON’T FORGET TO VOTE
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
I will work to always
be available to all citizens
and will strive to focus on
the needs of the people of
Banks County.
I am a Banks County na
tive with over 33 years law
enforcement experience.
My qualifications are as follows:
• Retired State Trooper
• State Certified Officer
• Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice
• Masters Degree in Public Administration
• Currently a Police Officer
Your vote and support will be appreciated!
EARLY VOTING
May 2 - 20th • 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
SATURDAY VOTING
May 14th • 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Our twins Anna and Jacob were born early and were healthy, but they needed to go to Athens
Regional’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to learn how to eat. We were in the NICU for
16 days. I don’t think anyone can understand how important the NICU is until they need it. As
parents, it was scary for us to know that our kids couldn’t come home with us right away - but
our experience at Athens Regional was amazing. Knowing that Anna and Jacob were safe, that
we didn’t have to travel to Atlanta, and that the best possible care was right there in our own back
yard meant the world to us.
Ryan & Kimberly Liebowitz
with their twins, Anna & Jacob
BOB
BLACKWELL
ZT^
See Ryan & Kimberly’s story
'
and share your own at
£
AthensHealth.org/YourStory
Athens Regional
BANKS COUNTY
HEALTH SYSTEM