WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2016
THE COMMERCE NEWS • THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 3A
DDA returns to an old
issue — downtown parking
Yet again, the Commerce
Downtown Development
Authority signaled plans to
deal with parking problems.
Executive director Natalie
Thomas brought the subject
up at the DDA’s July 26 meet
ing, asking DDA members to
review a 2010 ordinance —
that the city never adopted —
in regard to making changes.
“I can’t imagine Com
merce having a parking
problem,” quipped chair
man Mark McCannon,
who’s served on the DDA
long enough to have seen the
issue come up — but never
be resolved — several times.
Thomas in particular
asked DDA members to look
over the penalties for viola
tions and to consider how
parking for people who live
downtown should be con
sidered.
“The reason this has never
been enforced is the bud
get,” McCannon observed.
“That’s always been an issue.
I don’t know how you fix it.”
“Think about ways this
could be monitored,” Thom
as urged. “If we paint ‘two-
hour-parking’ is that some
thing that will deter (viola
tors)?”
Johnny Eubanks, who is
the DDA’s liaison to the city
council, suggested that the
DDA get input from as many
people as possible.
“The DDA needs to come
up with what we think is good
for the merchants and good
for the city ...and go back to
the mayor and council with
a proposal,” he said. “We
need to involve anybody that
has something to do with the
downtown and present it as
a package that this is what
the downtown wants, this is
what the DDA wants and this
is what the merchants want.”
Eubanks, noting that other
cities have the same issues,
suggested that members,
when visiting similar-size
communities, take a look at
how they handle parking
“A lot of the time it’s the
appearance of the parking
lots and the access to them,”
McCannon said, in regard to
why people do not use the
city’s off-street parking. He
noted that the new parking
lot off Cherry Street looks
good, “but the old parking
lot (adjacent to it) still looks
pretty rough.”
Mural Update
Updating the DDA on its
mural projects to disguise
boarded windows in build
ings on South Broad Street,
Thomas reported that 11 win
dows have been treated so
far and have generated a lot
of “positive feedback.” Future
steps include putting murals
on the side windows of Com
merce Printing and Office
Supply and on the rest of
the Opera House windows.
She said she would like to
know of any business own
ers who would like similar
murals, which are designed
to improve the back sides of
downtown buildings.
Other Matters
Also on July 26, the DDA:
•voted to change its meet
ings from the fourth Tuesday
of each month at 4 p.m. to the
fourth Monday of each month
at 4 p.m. so Thomas and civic
center manager Justin Strick
land can represent the city
at the Jackson County Area
Chamber of Commerce’s
monthly Tourism Committee
meetings, which are held on
the fourth Tuesday of each
month at 3 p.m..
• heard Thomas report
that the Northeast Georgia
Regional Commission con
tinues to work on a pre-ap
plication for an Appalachian
Regional Commission grant.
She asked members to be
thinking of a grant-worthy
project that would involve
jobs or historic preservation.
•learned that Katherine
Sanders’ internship with the
DDA ends this week. “Kath
erine, thank you for your
service to the DDA,” McCan
non commented. “We
appreciate it very much.”
Thomas also commend
ed Sanders for her work
developing posters and bro
chures for DDA projects.
DDA has full schedule of fall events
The Commerce Down
town Development Authority
has a busy schedule over the
upcoming months.
Executive director Natalie
Thomas went over the list of
events at the DDA’s July 26
meeting. They include:
•Thursday, Aug. 25, the
Tigers on the Town Pep Rally
at 7 p.m. at Spencer Park.
•Saturday, Aug. 27, the
Retro Rockets will come
back for a Concert on Cher
ry event in lieu of a similar
concert called off due to rain
on July 16.
• Tuesday, Sept 27,
Pink Party in the Park (a
Northridge Medical Center
Event) in Spencer Park.
•Saturday, Oct. 1, the fall
Cruisin’ Commerce down
town car show, with music.
• Saturday Oct. 22, Bicycles,
Brew and BBQ, starting at 8
a.m. with a bicycle ride and
featuring a backyard barbecue
contest with judging in the
early afternoon. Seven barbe
cue contestants and 12 ven
dors have already expressed
interest, and the plan is to have
at least two bands.
•Saturday, Oct. 22 at 6
p.m., the Nightmare on Elm
Street 5K race.
•Saturday, Dec. 3, Home
town Holidays — a daylong
event including Breakfast
with Santa and Commerce
by Candlelight.
• Sunday, Dec. 4, the Com
merce Christmas Parade.
Event venue rental up in Commerce
Commerce’s event ven
ues are on track to host
more than 300 events during
2016, manager Justin Strick
land told the Commerce
Civic Center and Tourism
Authority on July 26.
As of that date, the civic
center, cultural center and
Commerce Business Devel
opment Center had been
booked for 306 total events.
That is a number that could
grow, Strickland said
“It’s only July,” he noted.
“We could get more rentals,
especially for the smaller
rooms, by the end of the
year. Every week we have
people calling. It’s just a
matter of if we have a room
available. It’s getting to the
point where Saturdays we
just don’t have any room.”
Strickland manages the
Commerce Civic Center,
which offers four rental spac
es — the Harmony Grove
Room (58 2016 rentals), the
Commerce Room (54), the
Cold Sassy Room (34), the
Peach Room (24) and the
Executive Board Room (18);
also the Commerce Cultural
Center (41 rentals) and the
Commerce Business Infor
mation Center (77).
More rentals mean more
income, and greater income
means a lower rate of sub
sidy by the city. Strickland
said the budget projects
transfers of $73,000 from the
city to the civic center —
down from approximately
$110,000 two years ago and
in the $80,000 range last
year.
“Every year so far is going
down,” he said, “kind of,
hopefully, what I intend
to keep doing, whittling it
away.”
“What can the civic cen
ter do to be 100-percent prof
itable?” asked Mark McCan
non.
“Charge more money,”
Strickland responded.
That led to a discussion
as to whether raising rates
would affect bookings.
“It might, it might,” Strick
land said “One of the rea
sons we have so many book
ings is we charge less.” He
added that the Commerce
prices are the lowest per
square foot of space in the
area.
But there are challenges.
The building is old and con
tinues to have issues, includ
ing the need to replace the
large heating and air condi
tioning units upstairs.
“I don’t want to destroy
the usage of the property
(by raising rates),” Mark
McCannon offered. “It is
nice to see the street full of
cars. When people are here
they are eating here... When
I come to work in the morn
ing and see the street full of
cars, people are utilizing this
building, and I’m seeing that
more than I ever have.”
“It’s good, too, to see the
transfers coming down,”
Johnny Eubanks added.
Budget Briefing
Strickland went over the
civic center’s Fiscal Year
2017 budget (which started
July 1), pointing out that
for the first time, the city is
budgeting for depreciation,
which will be a $28,000 hit
for the civic center.
“We’re going to have to
make up for that with more
transfers in,” he predicted.
“This year’s budget may
look worse than last year
because we have transfers in
for depreciation.”
The budget provides
about $6,000 to purchase
300 replacement chairs —
the other major change in
the budget over last year.
Housing rehab grants available in Commerce
Fourteen Commerce resi
dents have taken advantage of
a federal housing initiative for
low-income residents to reno
vate their homes.
“We’ve had 14 grants rang
ing from $34,000 to $111,400,”
reports David Zellner, Com
merce’s planning director. He
serves as the city’s liaison with
Home Development Resourc
es, Inc., a nonprofit group
certified by the U.S. Depart
ment of Housing and Urban
Development to manage the
Community Home Investment
Program housing rehabilita
tion grants.
Of those 14 grants, 12 were
inside the city limits.
Since the program was
instituted, the potential grant
amounts have increased.
“There was a limit, but they
keep upping it,” said Zellner.
In fact, he said, the largest
grant was not a renovation;
the recipient tore down the
existing house and built a new
one.”
“I don’t know how they
were able to pull off the new
home,” Zellner said.
The program is still being
funded.
Requirements
“The main issue is home
ownership,” Zellner said. The
requirements are:
• The homeowner or
someone living in the resi
dence must be 62 or older.
• The home must be owner
occupied.
•The applicant must be a
U.S. citizen.
•The applicant must meet
household income restric
tions on a sliding scale that
runs from $21,500 a year for a
household of one to $40,600
for a household of eight.
Mobile homes are not eligi
ble for the program.
Successful applicants can
use the funds for repairs to
roofs, heating and air condi
tioning systems, plumbing,
electrical systems, handicap
ramps, handicap bathrooms,
insulation, floor systems, leaky
windows and doors, abate
ment of lead-based paint and
for other repairs/improve
ments.
Commerce became eligible
based on U.S. census data
showing a high level of pover
ty Zellner said.
Applications are available at
City Hall of by calling 470-228-
9317. There is no application
fee. Mary Ledbetter heads up
the program for Home Devel
opment Resources Inc. in
Jackson County. Applications
should be returned to Zellner,
whose office is located in the
city’s utility department, on
Cedar Drive.
Jobs ... Cont. from Page 1A
tinually ongoing household
surveys conducted by the fed
eral Bureau of Labor Statistics,
with data regarding unem
ployment benefits and calls to
employers about job numbers
factored in.
The DOL’s jobless rates for
June for surrounding counties
include:
•Banks, 5.2 percent, up
from 4.4 in May
•Barrow, 4.9 percent, up
from 4.2
• Hall, 4.7, up from 3.8
•Athens-Clarke, 6.1, up
from 4.7
• Madison, 5.1, up from 4.2
Clay County in southwest
Georgia holds the distinction
of having the state’s highest
unemployment rate at 9.7 per
cent, up from 8.9 percent in
May.
Provisional ballots
change Banks County
election results
Every vote really does count.
Last week, it was reported that Keith Gardiner won the
probate judge race in Banks County by one vote. However,
that changed after the provisional ballots were counted.
Helen Hewell is the official winner with 595 votes, while
Gardiner had 594. Gardiner’s total was also 594 in the first
count, but Hewell picked up two extra votes when the pro
visional ballots were counted.
Benton ... Cont. from 1A
East Jackson Elementary enrollment is projected to be
approximately 650 students with the addition of 180 stu
dents from Benton.
South Jackson Elementary enrollment is projected to be
approximately 670 students with the addition of approxi
mately 120 students from Benton.
New ••• Cont. from Page 1A
merce Middle School (Derrick Maxwell).
•a new band director (Leyland Alexander) and the
creation of an assistant band director position (filled by
Nathan Lawrence, who is also a new high school English
teacher).
• new paint on the entryway at the primary school, and
on the walk between the school and gym; new lights and
tile in the CPS gym.
• nine new staff members at CHS, including a new assis
tant principal (William Smith).
• new painting at CES and CMS.
• newly sealed parking lot at CHS, new tankless water
heaters in the field house, new washer and dryer in the
field house and a refinished floor in the auxiliary gym.
• new water heaters in the primary school.
• the upgrade to Microsoft Office 2016 in CHS Business
Education classes and the addition of an early childhood
CTAE pathway, which means three new classes.
• the addition of a weight training rotation as an option to
the physical education rotation for seventh and eighth-grad
ers at CMS.
Energy Efficiency
Work will also start this month on the system’s energy
efficiency upgrades. ABM Building Solutions will begin
replacing light fixtures with new LED fixtures and bulbs,
work that will be done at night, on weekends and during
breaks so as to not interfere with instruction. The project
will include new HVAC controls and water efficiency
upgrades at all schools and eventually new roofs and
HVAC systems at the primary and elementary schools.
Jackson ••• Cont. from 1A
East Jackson Comprehen
sive High School. Enrollment
projections include:
• Benton- 302
• E. Jackson Elem. - 483
• Gum Springs- 828
• Maysville - 302
North Jackson - 324
South Jackson - 577
W. Jackson Elem. - 817
E. Jackson Middle - 817
W. Jackson Middle - 968
East Jackson High - 939
Jackson Co. High - 1,152
The deadline for
submitting news or
photographs to this newspaper is
noon on the Monday
prior to publication.
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