Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2008
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 5A
‘Secure load’ when on road
Waste water treatment vs. animal control
Dear Editor:
Banks County is joining in with the
governor to clean up the litter on our
county roads. Every year, taxpayers
spend millions of dollars to remove
trash that blows from truck beds.
Money that could be better spent
on education, infrastructure or other
much needed programs.
Many people do not even real
ize that Georgia has a law (OCGA
40-6-254) that states “No person
shall operate any motor vehicle with
a load on or in such vehicle unless the
load is adequately secured to prevent
the dropping or shifting of the load
onto the roadway. Any person who
operates a vehicle in violation of this
code section shall be guilty of a mis
demeanor.”
We are asking all citizens and busi
nesses to take the time to secure your
loads. Don’t rely on the weight of an
item to keep it in your truck. Bumps,
turns and sudden stops can dislodge
even heavy items. Consider buying
a cover if you don’t carry large bulky
loads in your truck. A cover will
improve with fuel economy as well
as keep materials dry. All trash and
recyclables should be in sturdy bags
covered by a strong tarp or cargo
netting.
All of us share a responsibility to
Keep Banks County Beautiful. You
may not intentionally litter but if
you are not securing the items in
your pickup truck, they could easily
become litter. Do your part...Secure
your load.
For more information, call
706-677-2344.
Thank you,
Leslie George
Executive Director
NGRMA/KOMB
Dear Editor:
Well, it seems our Banks County
Commissioners have given the citi
zens of Banks County the shaft once
again.
The commissioners have gone
and purchased 94 acres at a cost
of $850,000 of mine and your tax
money — which is $9,042 per acre
for a wastewater treatment plant.
“DUH,” the majority of Banks
County residents live in rural areas
and use septic tanks.
Maybe I am alone in my percep
tion of this but it seems 94 acres is
enough to build a treatment plant for
the city of Atlanta when acreage one
third of this would suffice for Banks
County.
What happened to the animal con
trol situation? It would seem to me
that $850,000 would have gone a
long way toward getting the animal
control situation off to a huge start.
My wife and I live in the very
lower part of Banks County and we
own several dogs but we keep ours
in a fenced in back yard. So, why
is it that all these animal owners
are allowed to let their dogs, cats,
goats etc. run free to harass or injure
people and pets.
What is it going to take to get the
commissioners to take a stand on
this issue and stop pussy-footing
around the issue. Is a dog going to
kill a child before they open their
eyes and take action on this matter?
If you are not going to take a
stand on starting an animal control
department, then make a law that all
animal owners must keep their pets
in fenced in areas.
I do not mean chains, putting a
chain on an animal is abuse and is
considered cruel by civilized peo
ple. If our commissioners cannot
complete one issue before starting
another one, maybe they should step
down and let us elect new commis
sioners to take a stand on things.
On another note, why is it that
law abiding citizens use the parking
spaces at Wal-mart and some people
who obviously think they are better
than us or more important than us
get away with parking in the buffer
zones at the end of the parking lanes
(the areas lined with yellow lines). I
personally have sat and watched as
three to four of these yellow lined
areas are filled up by vehicles while
Banks County deputies cruise right
past these vehicles which are ille
gally parked and never stopped to
issue tickets to the owners of these
vehicles.
As I recall, parking in these areas
is against the law in the state of
Georgia, so why is it that our sheriff,
Charles Chapman, allows his depu
ties to overlook what is clearly a
violation of law.
Also, my wife is totally disabled
and Wal-mart has an area lined off
with blue lines between the handi
capped parking spaces in the handi
capped sections for the loading and
unloading of wheelchairs, yet many
people seem to think they can park
in this area and they get away with
it.
I have never seen anyone get a
ticket for parking in any of these
areas.
Sincerely,
Joe Hamby
Commerce
Appreciates fire station
Dear Editor:
This letter is to give thanks to a
place that does not hear it enough —
the Banks County Fire Station and its
devoted personnel. I have learned how
hard they truly do work at protecting
their citizens. I would like them to
know how thankful I am to them all.
I am a high school student who has
fallen in love with learning to fight
fires and become an EMT. There is
one man in which I really want to
thank, Chief Pollard. He had no good
reason to accept me on at the station. I
am unqualified and have had no work
experience but he did. He gave me
one of the best gifts to work and learn.
This man has become like a parent to
me working to improve every ability I
need to flourish in this job. I can never
thank this man enough. He doesn’t
hear it enough but he needs to. Thank
you, chief, I could have not made it
this far with out you. You always do
your best for this community and
all the time you spend working to
improve it shows.
Capitan Eubanks is another hard
worker who shows his dedication
and shoots for the stars also. Captain
Eubanks is the training officer who
makes sure every one has the highest
training he can. He spends so much
time at the station he hardly leaves.
He showed me to put my heart and
soul in this and how to accomplish
anything I set my mind to. Thank you
so much for this opportunity to learn
and work with you.
Captain Ramsey, there is nothing
about a fire truck or med truck this
man doesn’t know. As you have been
working with me, I know there will be
a lesson to learn. You always teach it.
He has got the heart for this job and
has always shown it. Thank you so
much for all that you have done for
your job and me.
Ms. Linda Crisp is our office lady.
She helps to keep the place running
for the past year. She has been a face
I have loved to see there. She cares
for everyone and has the biggest heart
I have seen in a long time. She is
always working to help us all when
we need her. Thank you, Linda, for all
your hard work and time.
This county would not have the care
it has without them and as my senior
year grows shorter with my new fam
ily, I will take all that they have shown
me and use it to fight my first fire
and save that first helpless patient.
Nobody can know all that they do
but I can assure you their minds are
always on us, the citizens. This fam
ily is unlike any. I can’t ever replace
the time I have spent here and tell
them thanks enough. They are what
makes heroes and each of them in my
eyes are.
Sincerely,
Brittany Queen
Gillsville
PUBLIC MEETING
Banks County Board Of Commissioners
A Public Kickoff Meeting for the Banks County
Comprehensive Plan Update is scheduled for
from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at
the Banks County Senior Citizens Center located at 700
Thompson Street in Homer. The meeting is the first of
four scheduled public workshops that Banks County, in
association with the city of Baldwin, will hold in an
effort to update the Comprehensive Plan.
The purpose of the Kickoff Meeting is to:
• Announce the beginning of the planning process,
• Present on the project purpose and approach
• Provide an opportunity for participants to voice their
initial concerns for future development and help the
planning team define the key issues and
opportunities
Stakeholder opinion questionnaires will be available for
the public at the meeting and can be downloaded from
the Banks County website at
http://www.co.banks.ga.us.
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Mitcham ... continued from page 4A
There are examples of “time
change riots,” feuding cities, crime
statistics and more.
No, there’s no such thing as per
fect timing.
But I still like the long summer
evenings.
Jana Adams Mitcham is features
editor of The Jackson Herald, a sis
ter publication of The Banks County
News. Her columns appear regu
larly in The Banks County News.
E-mail comments about this column
to jana@mainstreetnews.com.
Got a news tip?
Let us know at
706-367-2490