Newspaper Page Text
County Taxes To Rise
Lower Levy Produces Additional Revenue
from front page'
porated sources.
Its bond indebtedness
decreased in 1990 to $135,205.
Expected i’ail bond revenue is
314)5??303. 9.
All revenue estimates are
based on a 100 percent tax
collection.
The 15.7 percent revenue in
crease amounts to $349,909,
about the amount Parker
budgeted to pay for the coun
ty's massive tax equalization
project. About $250,000 was
paid for the equalization work
itself, and the remaining
SIOO,OOO was spent to com
terize the assessors’ office
F:r the project.
PERCENTAGES
The increase amounts to
26.07 percent of the unincor
porated digest, and 3.64 per
cent of the incorporated digest.
It does not mean that every
taxpayer will have a tax in
crease of those percentages.
For example, if a house is
valued at $35,000 in 1989, and
the value is not changed, the
tax would be $246.68. If the
value did not change in 1990,
the tax would decrease slight
ly, to $245.44. If the value in-
CUMULATIVE
INCORPORATED
1990 TAX RATE
Mills
State .250
County 12222
Jail Bonds .532
Schools 6.800
School Bonds .480
Total 20.284
CUMULATIVE
UNINCORPORATED
1990 TAX RATE
Mills
State .250
County 9.470
Jail Bonds 532
Schools 6.800
School Bonds .480
Total 17.5632
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HARVEY McCOLLUM ASKS QUESTION
During Tax Session Wednesday
‘What U.S. Flag Means To Me’
A Trion High School stu
dent has written the best essay
in Georgia for an Amvets con
test. It earned her a trip to the
Freedoms Foundation at
Valley Forge, Penn.
Following is the ‘m;elce writ
ten by Aamelia ited on
Lvhat the U.'S. flag means to
er:
“The American Flag is a
representation of our country,
America. Therefore, as we
honor our country, we must
also honor the flag of this land.
The American flag should be
shown in a%preciation of our
veterans and current military
Trio Faces Church Counts
from front page
heard the shot fired, he said.
Thousands of dollars in
damage was caused to the in
side of the church. The Rev.
David Thompson is the Fasbor.
One of the 13-year-old boys
and the 11-year-old boy both
admitted being involved in
vandalizing the inside of The
creased to $40,000, the tax
would increase by about $34 to
$280.51.
The example includes the
total tax rage without tax
exemptions.,
In an incorporated area, the
tax on a house valued at
$35,000 in 1989 would be
$292.32. If the value did not
change in 1990, the amount
would decrease to $283.94. If
the value increased by $5,000
in 1990, the tax would leap to
$324.54.
BILLS
Since the county made an
interim tax collection last year
based on the 1989 tax digest
and tax rates, taxpayers will
not be required to pay all of
their tax when they receive a
1990 tax bill, and some will be
eli%"ble for a refund.
or examgle, if a person’s
taxes are $126 according to the
new values, and he paid SIOO
during the interim collection,
he would receive a bill for $26.
If he paid $126 and his taxes
were only SIOO, he would
receive notification of a $26 re
fund from the county.
Because a portion of the
1990 digest is under aflpeal, the
dl;sest may not reflect the
values the board of assessors
glaces on the appealed proper
y values, creating a possible
The deficit could be about
$50,000 to $75,000, but
“hopefully we can take care of
that by cutting costs. That
small a percent:fe could pro
babl¥ be handled that way.”
If the 1990 digest is not ag
proved by the state, it may be
conditionally rejected so that
the county may still collect
taxes on it. Particular parts of
the digest that do not meet
state standards would need to
be corrected for the 1991
digest.
“We don’'t know that it
would be that way,” Parker
said. “It would be great if it
could be approved except for
those under appeal. You can't
anticiwte every possibili
ty ... We don’t know what will
come up.”
UNDER WAY
A portion of Chattooga’s
massive tax equalization pro
{;act is still under way, although
arker and the Chattooga
Board of Tax Assessors agreed
last month to submit the 1990
digest to the state. Digests
may be submitted when either
less than five percent of the
property owners have filed ap-
who have fought in defense of
our flag. As a war of standing
by the flag, we pledge to keep
and preserve it. As a country,
the people must stand together
and 'respect the flag, as we do
our country.
“To me, the American Flag
represents {;‘)lyalty, honor, and
courage. When something
means that much to me I do
ever;i‘thing I can to honor it.
“Therefore, lam not goin
to set it on fire and wagch 1%
burn. That idea is utterly
disgusting. I intend to always
res‘l)ect the flagband honor it as
it deserves to be.
Tavern at Trion on the
weekend of Aufi. 24 and 25,
Davenport said. They had
already been arrested on those
charges. The other 13-{ear-old
had not been involved in
criminal acts previously,
Davenport said he was told.
Five Iyouths were arrested
in The Tavern incident. They
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Staff Photos
COMMISSIONER PARKER EXPLAINS LEVY
Taxes On Some Property To Rise
. Incorporated Rates
House 40% Tax Tax
Year Value Assess. Rate Due
1989 $35,000 $14,000 20.880 $292.32
1990 $35,000 $14,000 20.284 $283.94
1989 $40,000 $16,000 20.880 $334.08
1990 $40,000 $16,000 20.284 $324.54
o
Unincorporated
House 40% Tax Tax
Year Value Assess. Rate Due
1989 $35,000 $14,000 17.620 $246.68
1990 $35,000 $14,000 17.532 $245.44
1989 $40,000 $16,000 17.620 $281.92
1990 $40,000 $16,000 17.532 $280.51
DFCS Recruits
Foster Families
Four local couples are
enrolled in the Model Approach
to Partnerships in Parenting
(MAPP) training for foster
garents, the board of the Chat
-ooga Countg Department of
Familg and Children Services
(DFCS) learned Monda;.
Director Sharon Pinion
reported that the third MAPP
session was held this week,
with eight prospective foster
parents participating. Seven
couples were enrolled when the
pro%ram started.
he three remaining
couples will help improve the
county’s foster care situation,
she said. A total of 30 children
were living in 11 foster homes
this week, and foster parents
Hester and Judson Brown are
retiring after 25 years of pro
viding care.
Foster parents will meet at
10 a.m. Nov. 7 at the Summer
“There are certain holidays
and memorials on which flags
should be waved. On these
days my American flag is
always waving. This isn’t ;lust
a tradition but a way to show
our veterans and current
military we are proud of them.
You respect your flag by wav
ing it because that is one of our
loyal duties.
“In every classroom there
is an American flag. It is there
for us, as students, to pledge
our loyalty to, for that is what
it symboiyi'zes. When I stand
and say those words, I am pro
ud that our flag represents a
were released to the custody of
their parents after the parents
agreed to dpfiirfor the several
thousand dollars in damages to
the historic structure.
A juvenile court hearing on
the latest incident was ex-
Bected to be held Friday,
avenport said Monday.
ville First United Methodist
Church.
Mrs. Pinion told the board
that the department is short
staffed witfl a absense of a
caseworker senior’s post, and
the end of a g‘itle Vv
homemaker’s tenure. The
homemaker served elderly
clients, but those who have
family resources may have
their cases closed.
The Chattooga Clothes
Center served 134 clients last
month, distributing 456 items
of clothing. The center receiv
ed $129 in donations from
clients.
Child protective services
referrals decreased from 25 to
20 in September, but the
number of referrals for neglect
abuse increased from 10 to 14.
Physical and sexual abuse
cases dropped from four to
three.
country that offers individual
rights. Any flag that
represents a country such as
ours deserves all the respect
{)ossible. Therefore, I intend to
ake any action to kee;; our
American flag respectable.
“On the list of qualities the
American flag symbolizes
respect is often forgotten. We
are told to respect the leaders
of our country and in my opi
nion, the flalg 18 one of the most
important. I do not understand
the cause of disrespect many
geople act out towards the flag.
herefore, 1 am determined to
do all I can to always respect
the flag and persuade others to
do the same.”
L
THS Pupil
from front page
a better understanding of the
basic principles of a free socie
ty and the history of our
nation. }
Miss Whited is the
daughter of Joyce Whited,
Trion, and Wayne Whited, also
of Trion.
peals, or less than five percent
of the total tax digest is under
appeal.
The rural land profiect of the
equalization gro;ec is still
underway, the latest in a series
of delays have postponed
preparation of the digest for
almost a year. A list of appeals
on rural and other pr:f)erty will
be sent to the state along with
the digest.
The board of assessors is
reviewing all rural land values
for equity, and no tax bills will
be sent to property owners un
til the appeals are settled. All
rural lan(fzwners who receive
new assessment notices will
have an opportunity to a;ppea]
their new values, even if they
have not filed an appeal
previously.
TAX BILLS
Tax bills will be printed, but
those to rural landowners and
those otherwise under appeal
will be held and hand-corrected,
based on the value changes.
Chattooga’s tax equaliza
tion project began in 1989
when the county contracted
with Norman and Associates,
Brunswick, to handle the ma
jor part of the equalization. No
action had been taken prior to
then to begin the project.
Norman'’s schedule called
for the project to be completed
last November, but delays set
the project back. Assessment
notices were finally sent to pro
perty owners in August.
Assessors were at first
satisfied with the new values,
but later recanized inequities
among rural land values.
They agreed to revise
values under appeal, as well as
those that are not.
Parker borrowed SIOO,OOO
in August tglpay for the coun
ty’s gener oPerating ex
penses, due to delays in prepar
ing the 1990 and 1991 £gests.
An extension from the Georgia
Revenue Department on the
1991 digest expired Tuesday,
and another wifi be reqluested,
said Hugh Don Hall, tax
commissioner.
Man Critical After Fall
At Trion Residence
A north Chattooga County
man remained in ““critical”’ con
dition at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday
in Erlanger Medical Center in
Chattanoo%:, Tenn., following
a fall at his home Monday
evening.
L. %arl Sparks, Welcome
Hill community, was still being
treated in the intensive care
unit of the trauma center at
Erlanger Wednesday morning,
a hospital spokesman said.
Details of the apparent ac-
BOE Increases Tax
Same Rate Likely To Produce More Money
from front page
bfi, $343,780.03, and Hayes has
the board’s authority to bor
row $175,000 more, which he
said he will soon need to do.
The deficit resulted from a
state budget cut this year, and
more cuts are expected next
year, the superintendent said.
The board has borrowed
money from Farmers and Mer
chants Bank, Summerville, at
6.75 percent interest. Two
visitors suggested that the
board seek Eids for interest
rates. i .
Linda Byars reported to the
board about the Delta Pro
gram, an alternative education
Erogram for eighth graders,
oused at Chattooga High
School. The program was ap
proved by the board earlier this
year.
The program is for students
who have E;en retained more
than once, to bring them back
up to grade level and into the
regular hx"lgvlvl school grade cur
riculum. Twenty students are
involved in the program
taught bg Ms. Byars and
Deborah Osborne. .
Students entered the pro
gram Monday, with con
siderable support from their
home schools and parents, Ms.
Byars said. Students enter the
program voluntarily with their
parents’ consent, and montth
meetings are to be held wit
parents.
The irogram will undergo a
two-week trial period, to deter
mine if it will work well for the
gro::ip or individual students.
tudents were selected for en
try based on teacher evalua
tions and interviews.
Community activities are
planned, including working at
the county recycling center,
volunteering at the nursing
home and hospital, and tutor
ing elementary school
students. A concept called
“‘vocational shadowing” will
match students with people in
Summary of Tax Information
1989 1990
Incorporated Rate 12.705 12.222
Unincorporated Rate 9.445 9.47
Jail Bonds Rate .643 .532
Schools Rate 6.8 6.8
Schools Bonds Rate 48 48
Total Tax Digest $207,457,940 $246,365,612
Total Jail Bond Digest $215,428,062 $254,329,884
Jail Bond Indebtedness Due $138,058 $135,205
Unincorporated Digest $126,997,690 $159,677,060
Incorporated Digest $80,460,250 $86,688,552
Unincorporated Revenue $1,199,493 $1,512,142
Incorporated Revenue $1,022,247 $1,059,507
Jail Bond Revenue $138,520 $135,303
Insurance Rebate $414,329 $439,454
(Equal to 3.26 mills) (Equal to 2.752 mills)
NOTE: Revenue figures for 1990 are estimates based on 100 percent collec
tion of all taxes due on the mill rates set Wednesday. The 1989
estimates were also based on 100 percent collection.
Farm-City Week Set
Plans were being completed
this week for the second garm
City Week program sponsored
by the Agri-Business Commit
tee of the Chattooga County
Chamber of Commerce. q
It will begin at 12:15 p.m.
next Wednesda{ with a tour
firoup having lunch at The
ound Table restaurant. The
firoulp will then tour the Wayne
urley farm and Harriet &
Henderson Yarns Inc. plant at
Berryton.
The Farm-City Week Ex
position will be held on Friday
and Saturday, Oct. 25 and 26,
at the old Revco building in the
Red Food shopping center
north of Summerville.
Exhibits will be open from
1 to 8 p.m. Oct. 25, and from
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 26. The
cident were sketchy but a
%pokesman for the Chattooga
ounty Emergency Medical
Service (EMS) said Sparks ap
parently fell off an outbuilding
or shop at his home.
He was given emergency
treatment at the scene and
taken to EMS head(Luarters at
Summerville, where an
. Erlantger Life Force helicoi:ter
transferred him to the Chat
tanooga facility between 8:15
‘and 8:45 p.m.
the community who have jobs
similar to those that interest
the students, Ms. Byars said.
Nine students from Sum
merville Middle School par
ticipate in the program, one
from Lyerly, three from Menlo,
and seven from Pennville.
In other matters, the board
agreed not to extend the coun
ty’s school bus route another
mile and a half into Alabama.
The parents of a child who at
tends county schools made the
request. Chattooga serves 48
students who live in Alabama,
but the system receives no
state funds for them.
The board denied a request
to allow use of the Chattooga
High School cafeteria for a
beauty pageant. Hayes said
the uftility costs to the school
would be more than the
amount of rent that the school
would receive. Joyce Johnson
abstained from the 4-0-1 vote.
The board also agreed to
seek bids for a new intercom
munications system at LyerlK
School, and for a 1972 truc
that has been wrecked.
It also paid $720 to Willett
Engineering for inspecting the
bleachers in the school gym
nasiums. The inspection was
required by state fire codes.
Teacher Denise Whatley
was granted a maternity leave
for early next year, and the
board acce‘gted the resignation
of Faye Williams, a veteran
teacher at North Summerville
Elementary School. Wanda
Lowry was approved as her
replacement.
The board increased the
price for adult lunches in school
cafeterias from SI.BO to $2.
Hayes received a letter from
the state education department
indicating that the board’s
price was less than that re
quired to receive a reimburse
ment for the cost of adult
meals.
Hayes gave the board
copies of the school system’'s
‘The Summerville News, Thursday, October 17, 1991 .
deadline for submitting cook
ing contest entries is 10:30 a.m.
‘Oct. 26 at the old Revco
buildinfi.ec“
Bar e will be served for
$5 ;I)‘er plate.
he eslat,e will include
barbecued pork, slaw, baked
beans, potato c}gfis and bread.
Tickets are available at the
chamber office and at the Sum
merville Farmers and Mer
chants Bank and First Na
tional Bank.
Special activities and
events will be featured, along
with arts and crafts and enter
tainment. A petting zoo will be
open on Oct. 26.
Exhibitors will include Har
riet & Henderson Yarns,
Future Farmers of America,
Future Homemakers of
America, North Georgia Elec
tric Membership ~Corp.,
Georgia Power Co., Black &
Meek Poultry Division, Soil
Conservation Service, Georgia
Pork Producers Assn., North
Georgia Farm Credit,
Agriculture Stabilization and
Conservation Service, Gold
Kist, Peterson Farms Inc.,
Bowater Inc., Georgia
Forestry Commission,
Dairymen Inc., Chattooga Ex
tension Service, Adriatic
Tradinfi. Loughridge Equip
ment, Houston Grain Elevator,
Furst McNess, and Burdick
Enterprises.
Lynn Hall is in charge of
the special program.
Meanwhile, Barry Hurley
said his parents mafil have
some land on U. S. Highway 27
annual public report, and com
glimented Chattooga High
chool’s Scholastic Aptitude
Test results for this year,
which showed a significant in
crease from last year.
“I would put our academic
%rog'ram up against anybody,”
ayes said. ‘I think our
academic program is good, and
this proves it.”
In other matters, the board:
— Hired 11 new substitute
teachers.
— Tabled a decision about
revising two policies until
AN INTERNIST IS THE
SPECIALIST WHO
DIAGNOSES AND TREATS
THE PROBLEMS OF
ADULTS
Specializing in treating: chronic fatigue
and tiredness, heart problems, nervous
and emotional problems, digestive and
stomach disorders, high blood pressure,
diabetes and hormonal problems, infec
tious illnesses, anemia, weakness and
chronic pain, and many other problems.
STEPHEN ALAN
WOHLGEMUTH, M.D.
INTERNAL MEDICINE
109 North Commerce Street
Summerville, Georgia 30747
: (404) 857-7144
between Maple Drive and the
Chattooga River available as a
Eossible site for a proposed
ivestock pavilion.
HRARTARNR
Registration
The deadline for registering
to vote in the Nov. 2 gummet
ville city election is noon Satur
day, the same deadline for can
didates to qualify for one of
three council seats up for
grabs.
DIVORCE TIME
Be realistic about the ad
justment time for all family
members following a divorce.
It mag'e take as long as two
years before things get back to
normal, say human develop
ment specialists with the
University of Georgia Exten
sion Service. :
* = *
o SAFE CARS
very new passe! car
now solrgin Am%rica rgerest be
equipped with automatic crash
protection (automatically
operatinfi safety belts or air
bags). The Eositive effect on
fatalities and serious injuries is
evident already and will be
even more dramatic as more of
these vehicles enter the U. S.
fleet, say safety experts with
the University of Georgia Ex
tension Service.
board members could read
them.
— Approved three student
fund-raisers, and granted use
of the Menlo School gym
nasium to the Best Manufac
turing Silver Club.
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