Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2008
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 7A
Year in review ... continued from page 1A
JEFF BOHANNON HONORED
Baldwin City Council members honored council member Jeff
Bohannon (third from right) for 12 years of service to the city at
its council meeting on Thursday night, Dec. 27. Baldwin Mayor
Mark Reed presented J. Bohannon with a plaque from the city.
Shown (L to R) are: council members Beverly Holcomb and Ray
Holcomb, Reed, J. Bohannon, Betty Bohannon , J. Bohannon's
mother, and council member Robert Bohannon.
Photo by Sharon Hogan
Baldwin hearing postponed
•Banks County High School’s SAT
scores averaged second among the
region following only Dawson County
High School. The average verbal score
for Banks County students was 493 and
503 for math. The most recent writing
scores averaged at 484. The composite
total of 1480 was shy of last year’s high
mark of 1,528 but above the 2007 state
average of 1,427.
•With an on-going effort to stay ahead
of projected student enrollment growth,
Banks County superintendent Chris
Erwin invited representatives from
Georgia Power to speak to the board
of education. John Hayes and Brent
Edwards spoke to BOE officials during
their work session about where pro
jected growth would be in the county in
future years. The Georgia Power offi
cials predicted growth during the next
five years would be in areas around
Hwy. 441. The data was based on the
number of electrical requests from new
homes as well as other factors.
•The Banks County Board of
Education recognized three students
for achieving perfect scores on the
CRCT math test. Banks County Middle
School students Hannah Garrison,
Joseph Denton and Logan Walterhouse
were each recognized by the BOE and
superintendent Chris Erwin.
•The Lula City Council approved
a resolution last week that allocates
30,000 gallons per day of wastewa
ter capacity for Flat Creek Associates,
LLP. The resolution states Flat Creek
Associates, LLP has filed a request to
reserve 30,000 gpd of sewer treatment
capacity for utilization in a proposed
mixed use commercial project located
on the properties. The property consist
of 300-plus acres.
•The Georgia Department of
Education recently released state-wide
comparison scores of last spring’s
Criterion Referenced Competency Test
(CRCT). When comparing systems
within the local RESA area, Banks
County School System took first place
in the three areas of seventh grade sci
ence, seventh grade math and eighth
grade math. Leading the pack of
schools within the Pioneer RESA area
was BCMS in many subjects.
•A lawsuit filed against Banks County
officials and local builder Bobby
Caudell over a subdivision in the area
of Hwy. 164 and Harden Bridge Road
has been dismissed. Judge David Motes
heard the case on Aug. 30 and ruled in
favor of the county and Caudell. The
lawsuit had been filed by Willis and
Bettie Harden and Homeplace Garden
Nursery on the premise the 98-home
subdivision would negatively impact
their business, primarily in the area
of runoff in nearby creeks and water
systems.
•Banks County Development
Authority members unanimous
ly agreed at a meeting last week to
spend up to $400 to help with the
Entrepreneurial Friendly initiative in
Banks County. This is a project of the
Georgia Department of Community
Affairs being led in Banks County by
Susan Brown.
•The Homer City Council voted 4 to
1 to approve plans for a new fire station.
Council member Sandra Garrsion cast
the opposing vote. The new lire station
will be located on Sycamore Street.
OCTOBER
•The robber of the Banks Crossing
branch of Regions Bank last month
may be involved in the holdup of sev
eral other banks, local law enforce
ment officials said. The Regions Banks
office at Banks Crossing was robbed
on Sept. 10 by a suspect described as
a white male, 6-1 with short, sandy-
blond hair, perhaps dyed. Since this
robbery occurred, a bank in Oakwood
in Hall County has also been robbed
along with banks in Greenville, South
Carolina, and law enforcement officers
say the cases may be related.
•The Banks County Board of
Education set a tentative millage of
11.744, which was a slight roll back
from the current rate of 11.75.
•The Banks County Convention and
Visitors Bureau unanimously approved
a new slate of officers and direc
tors. Mark Valentine will continue to
serve as CVB chairman with Deyon
Corey being elected vice-chairman.
Five members were elected as direc
tors, including Jodi Kephart, Sherrard
White, Johnny Solesbee, Joe Cook and
Butch Hansen.
•A manager at the Banks Crossing
KFC has been arrested and charged
with felony theft by taking at the res
taurant. Michael Talmedge Hyde, 33,
Cornelia, was arrested by the Banks
County Sheriff’s Office following
an investigation into a robbery at the
establishment during the early morning
hours of Sept. 17. From early on in the
investigation, BCSO officials suspected
the robbery was an inside job.
•Two people were arrested in connec
tion with the murder of Randy Lynn
Rylee, including the victim’s sister.
Banks County sheriff Charles Chapman
said that the investigation, which has
been ongoing for the past month, led to
the arrest of William Thomas Mason,
52, and Kathy Elaine Rylee, 49, both of
Maysville. Kathy Elaine Rylee, the vic
tim’s sister, was the one who reported
finding her brother’s body on Aug. 26
in a small trailer he lived on near her
residence on Carson-Segars Road.
•Former Piedmont Judicial Circuit
district attorney Tim Madison pled not
guilty Thursday to charges related to
alleged financial misconduct during his
time in office. Madison’s attorney, Ed
Tolley, entered the plea at the Banks
County courthouse during the arraign
ment. Madison’s wife, Linn Jones
Madison, and former assistant district
attorney, Brett Williams, also entered
not guilty pleas. All three were present
for the plea day but did not speak.
•For the third consecutive year, the
Banks County Board of Commissioners
has rolled back the millage rate.The
BOC set the 2007 millage rate at 8.229,
a light decrease from the previous
year’s rate of 8.223. The rate was 8.243
in 2005 and 9.75 in 2004.
•Alto City Council members voted
unanimously to keep the same millage
rate for 2008 as the previous year. That
rate stands at 5.9 mills.
•Five Banks County Middle School
students were honored for earning a
perfect score on the reading portion of
the CRCT.
•The Lula City Council agreed to
strictly enforce violations of the level
four drought restrictions.
•William Mason, 52, and Kathy
Rylee, 49, the two suspects in the mur
der of Randy Rylee were denied bond.
•New district attorney Rick
Bridgeman spoke to the chamber of
commerce.
•The City of Baldwin received a
$500,000 Community Development
Block Grant for the Park Avenue
project. The town has also received
a $234,797 Employment Incentive
Program check from the Georgia
Department of Community Affairs for
water system improvements.
•David Casciano was named Teacher
of the Year for the Banks County
School system.
•A man wanted in Missouri for ques
tioning in an unsolved murder was
arrested in Banks County.
•The BOC placed seven businesses
on probation for recent underage sale
of alcohol to customers under the age
of 21.
•More than 80 members of the Banks
County High School ROTC traveled to
Athens to take part in a flight. It is the
first year for the program at BCHS.
•Rock Springs Baptist Children’s
Church was damaged in an electrical
fire.
•While the water situation has been
making headlines and newscasts
for weeks, the effect of the ongoing
drought is now directly felt in the coun
ty. Local officials were informed by
the Environmental Protection Division
and the State Department of Natural
Resources that the amount of treated
water usage must be reduced by 10
percent. The BOC set fines for those
found violating the water bans.
NOVEMBER
•In an effort to get a better grasp on the
ongoing water crisis, the Banks County
BOC held a meeting with local school,
public safety and county municipality
officials. The City of Homer and the
BOC both announced plans to reduce
water use.
•In the Baldwin election, the winners
were: Beverly Holcomb, Post 1; Jeffery
Scott Murray, Post 2; and Rodney King,
Post 3.
•In the Maysville election, the win
ners were: Jerry Baker, mayor; Clay
Dorsey, Ward 1; Lynn Villyard, Ward
2; Rebecca McNeeley, Ward 3; and
Stephan Lewis, Ward 4.
•The Pottery closed after 23 years
in business at Banks Crossing. Owner
Joe Craven said he planned to open
another store on the site as part of a new
development.
•A veterans program was held at
Banks County Middle School with a
large number of county veterans being
recognized.
•Alto council members continued to
work on the adoption of an animal
control ordinance for the city. No action
was taken but a public hearing was held
for the council to receive input.
•Baldwin Police Cpl. James Savage
was recognized as “Officer of the
Year” by the Northeastern Traffic
Enforcement Network.
•Banks County school leaders report
ed that work on the athletic complex is
almost complete.
•Baldwin resident Theron Ayers filed
a suit against the City of Baldwin
requesting a new election be held for
council post 1. According to the vote
count on Nov. 6, Ayers lost this race
by three votes to incumbent Beverly
Holcomb.
•A variance request from the devel
oper of a subdivision on Barefoot Road
was met with opposition from some
area residents. The variance was with
drawn when there was not enough
of the council voting in favor of the
request.
•The Maysville Police Department
arrested three fugitives, including one
wanted by United States marshals for
bank robbery.
•The Homer City Council approved
a rezoning on Turk Street for offices to
be located.
•The Lula City Council discussed
implementing impact fees. No action
was taken but the matter will be dis
cussed further at future meetings.
DECEMBER
•An 18-year-old woman was struck
by an oncoming vehicle as she was
attempting to cross the road near Wal-
Mart at Banks Crossing.
•The BOC agreed to seek a grant for
water upgrades on Hwy. 105.
•Officials from Banks County,
Maysville and Homer, along with con
cerned citizens, attended a public hear
ing concerning the beginning stages
of updating the county’s solid waste
management plan.
•MainStreet Newspapers announced
that the website is now averaging over
one million hits per month.
•After months of delays, the Town
of Maysville and the fire department
signed a new lease concerning the fire
station on Hwy. 52.
•A dedication ceremony was held at
Hyder Covered Bridge, a project of the
Banks County FBLA.
•It was standing room only at the
Banks County Planning Commission
meeting as citizens voiced opposition
to a proposal for a chicken plant opera
tion in the area of Brown Bridge Road
and Duncan Road.
•A North Carolina woman was killed
in a Hwy. 15/441 accident. The victim
was attempting to help her husband
back his 18-wheeler onto Hwy. 15/
Hwy. 441.
•The Baldwin City Council approved
a contract with a private firm, Woodard
& Curran of Portland, Maine, to handle
the day-to-day operations of the water
treatment plant.
•A ground breaking ceremony was
held at the site of the new fire depart
ment in Homer.
•Commissioner Joe Barefoot said he
wants the BOC to seek legislation on
changing the form of government to
five members instead of three.
•The City of Alto received a $11,377
grant for the police department to pur
chase a patrol vehicle.
•The Homer City Council approved a
hotel-motel tax for the city.
•Some $100,000 in equipment was
stolen from the county water depart
ment.
•Ron Gardiner was named as the
board of education chairman.
•The Banks County Development
Authority approved a resolution that
will clear up the ownership of the
county water authority. The resolu
tion clarifies that the county owns the
water system and that the development
authority has no control over it.
•The countdown to the opening of the
new Banks County courthouse annex is
underway. An official groundbreaking
ceremony was scheduled for Thursday,
Jan. 10, at 11:30 a.m. at the site near
Eagles Nest Drive, off Thompson
Street.
Compiled by Angela Gary
BY SHARON HOGAN
The hearing scheduled for
Thursday, Dec. 27, in the
Habersham County Courthouse to
hear the suit filed against the City
of Baldwin by Baldwin resident
Theron Ayers was postponed until
9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5.
Judge Hugh W. Stone is sched
uled to hear the case filed by
Ayers against the city and City of
Baldwin Election Superintendent
Brandy Kyle.
Ayers alleges in the suit that Kyle
went out to homes in the city and
brought back absentee ballots.
Ayers ran against incumbent
council member Beverly Holcomb
for the Post 1 council seat. The
count after the Nov. 6 city election
showed Holcomb beating Ayers by
three votes.
Ayers’ suit states that, according
to the two voting machines, Ayers
won the election by one vote. With
the 18 absentee ballots in ques
tion, Ayers lost by three votes.
Ayers states the following reasons
for filing the suit: not knowing
the conditions that the election
superintendent required to be eli
gible for her to come out to their
homes, the inconsistency of her
answers as to how many homes
she actually went to; his winning
on the voting machines; and the
closeness of the vote after count
ing the absentee ballots. Ayers also
questioned the training of Kyle to
hold this position.
Poultry ... continued from page 1A
objections to the plant.
The Jan. 3 meeting will be held at the Banks County High School auditorium to
better handle the anticipated large crowd. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.
The operation would not be completely constructed until approximately 2014
with development scheduled to begin in 2008.
The Banks County Board of Commissioners will have final say on the Country
Charms Egg Company Request at its meeting scheduled for Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m.
That meeting has also been moved to the BCHS auditorium.
Political... continued from page 1A
had been handling some funds in the three-county judicial circuit.
There were at least six secret bank accounts being managed by Madison; some
had been funded by victims’ assistance court fees and others by the sale of seized
vehicles and cash from drug cases.
From those funds, Madison had paid for some questionable trips for himself
and his wife and was paying some DA staff members “off the books” wages and
bonuses.
In addition, Madison had put his wife on the DA’s payroll in two counties
simultaneously; had an assistant DA being paid by both the state and the Banks
County government; and had mandated that some staff members pay him
“liquidated damages” if they left employment in the DA’s office within a short
period of time.
MainStreet Newspapers began publishing a series of investigative newspa
per articles in March 2007 about its findings. After the second story was pub
lished, Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker launched an investigation into
Madison’s financial dealings in the DA’s office.
In early May, Madison’s wife resigned from the DA’s office and later in the
month, Madison also resigned. Local judges and other area court officials were
stunned by his resignation.
In August, Madison, his wife and a former ADA were indicted in Banks County
on theft charges related to some of the financial transactions.
All three later pled not guilt and are awaiting trial in Banks County.
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