Newspaper Page Text
Sports: IB
Lady Leopards already
exceeding expectations
School: 7B
4-H'ers
take DPA
honors
March 5,2008
The Banks County News
504^ Homer, Banks County, Georgia 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • mainstreetnews.com • 24 Pages, 3 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 39 No. 30
Fire dept.
heats up
Power struggle
at fire scenes
BY ANGELA GARY
A power struggle over who is in
charge at fire scenes has been brew
ing in recent weeks and it became
heated when a senior volunteer said he
refused to work with the fire chief.
The issue was discussed by
the Banks County Board of
Commissioners Tuesday with chair
man Gene Hart asking for direction
from commissioners Rickey Cain
and Joe Barefoot. Hart said the BOC
needs to outline who is to be in charge
at fire scenes. He said this issue has
come into question at several recent
incidents. Hart added that there has
been “too many chiefs” at some fire
scenes.
“There was some power struggles at
the scene over who is in charge.. .the
volunteers or the paid staff,” he said.
County attorney Randall Frost said
there needs to be a chain of command
that is followed at all fire scenes.
“You can’t have two people stand
ing over a body and arguing about
how they are to be treated,” he said.
“You have to have a chain of com
mand so that everyone knows.”
The matter was not resolved at last
week’s BOC meeting, but Hart was
asked to meet with those involved to
discuss the problems further.
“We will be blamed for dragging
our feet on this, but I don’t have
enough information to make a good
decision right now,” he said.
The commissioners also said there
had been rumors about cutting the pay
or benefits for the volunteers and that
this is not true.
continued on page 6A
Spring forward!
Turn your clocks forward an
hour at 2 a.m. Sunday when
Daylight Saving Time begins.
News - 2-3A
•City of Baldwin facing
financial crunch — page 3A
•Relay for Life seeking
volunteers
— page 3A
Op/Ed - 4-5A
• ‘Fun long since taken
out of radio listening’
— page 4A
Other news
•Social News — pages 11-12A
•School News — pages 7-8B
•Public Safety — page 7A
•Legals — pages 9-10B
•Church — page 6B
• Obituaries — page 8A
Madison to serve 6 years in jail
Pleads guilty to theft charges
BY ANGELA GARY
It was the lack of an apology that
apparently angered the judge the most.
Superior Court Judge Robert Mallis
strongly chastised former District
Attorney Tim Madison for not apolo
gizing to the young assistant he pulled
into his theft scheme before he sen
tenced the former District Attorney to
serve six years in prison. Madison will
likely serve the time in a federal prison.
“What you have done to this coun
ty is insignificant compared to what
you have done to Brett Williams,” the
judge told Madison. “What I was hop
ing to hear in this hearing today was
about Brett Williams. You apologized
to everyone in this courtroom. to
your family and friends... to this cir
cuit. but not one word about Brett
Williams. You used one of your own
assistant district attorneys. a young
man who I’m sure respected you as a
person of the highest integrity and hon
esty. You have destroyed the career of
a young lawyer.”
Madison was also given six years
probation and ordered to pay $40,000
in restitution for the money he took
from the Piedmont Judicial Circuit. The
continued on page 2A
TO SERVE SIX YEARS
Former district attorney Tim Madison was sentenced Tuesday to serve six years in jail on theft charges.
He is shown with his lawyers, Don Samuels (left) and Ed Tolley (right). Photo by April Reese Sorrow
Chamber meets leaders at nation's capitol
“ When you spend your time and money to come talk to us about your issues, it means a lot
more to us than all of the high-powered lobbyists you can send. We really appreciate y’all
taking the time to come visit with us.” — Sen. Saxby Chambliss
ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSION
Banks County leaders met with Sen. Johnny Isakson last week in Washington, D.C., to go over some
concerns of the county, including the status of $5 million in funds earmarked for the county’s waste
water system project at the Martin Bridge Road exit. See page 12A for more photos.
Chamber leaders encouraged by Washington, D.C. trip
SPEAKS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Banks County businessman Jerry Boling spoke on the tele
communications need during meetings with the nation’s lead
ers last week in Washington, D.C. He is shown speaking to
Congressman Paul Broun. Photos by Angela Gary
Infrastructure
needs at Martin
Bridge addressed
BY ANGELA GARY
Banks County leaders returned
from a trip to the nation’s capitol last
week with some hope that the $5
million the late Congressman Charlie
Norwood allocated for the county
for infrastructure improvements at the
Martin Bridge Road exit will still
come to the county.
Norwood fought for the county to
receive the funds and it was added to
the budget in 2006. However, shortly
before Norwood’s death he learned
that the funds had been put on hold.
Banks County leaders traveled to
Washington, D.C., last week to speak
with congressmen and senators about
the status of the funds, as well as other
concerns impacting the county.
Banks County leaders are planning
a wastewater treatment plant for the
Martin Bridge exit, which is the last
undeveloped exit on I-85. The project
is an effort by county leaders to bring
economic development to the county.
A portion of the project will be funded
with special purpose local option sales
tax funds.
The 15-member delegation met
with Sen. Johnny Isakson, Sen. Saxby
Chambliss and Congressman Paul
Broun to ask for support to get the
money to the county.
“When you spend your time and
money to come talk to us about your
issues, it means a lot more to us than
all of the high-powered lobbyists you
can send,” Chambliss said. “We really
appreciate y’all taking the time to
come visit with us.”
Chambliss said that some sena
tors and congressmen don’t support
any funds that are “earmarked” for
local projects, but he said he is not in
that category. Chambliss said he only
endorses “earmarked projects” that he
believes would benefit the state.
“Every earmark I’ve ever requested,
I would be proud to stand on the
courthouse square in Homer and tell
everybody that it would be good for
the state,” he said. “.We’re in the
early stages of the appropriation pro
cess. Your visit up here is timely. We
will be in touch with you as we go
through this process.”
Sen. Isakson said the funds for
the Banks County project have been
authorized and the next step is for all
continued on page 6A
BY ANGELA GARY
Banks County officials were encour
aged by their talks with the nation’s
leaders during a visit to Washington,
D.C., last week.
“I believe the visit went well,” said
Clyde McArthur, a member of the
Banks County Planning Commission.
“It was good to hear from Senator
Isakson and Chambliss and
Congressman Broun that they are com
mitted to help our county in the area of
economic development. We were for
tunate that they were willing to spend
a large part of their time with us and
discuss our county and its needs. I also
enjoyed meeting with Congressman
Broun and hearing his views on illegal
immigration, healthcare and govern
ment spending. All in all, I believe we
presented a united community to our
congressional delegation and I believe
we will benefit.”
Businessman Jerry Boling said: “I
think the group represented Banks
County with professionalism and a
focused agenda. The trip was well
planned and very efficient use of the
group’s time. We were very well
received by our elected officials and
I believe the trip will be proved suc
cessful.”
Chamber president Helen Hewell
said: “It was my second trip to
Washington and I felt it was a great
success. I feel any time local leaders
and business owners from the chamber
of commerce take their time to go
to Washington, it makes more of an
impression to these senators and con
gressmen than any lobby group.”
Banker Beau Sheppard said: “I think
that the trip to Washington was a great
success for Banks County. It provided
us, as a county, the opportunity to be
seen and heard before our elected offi
cials, while showing the large support
from a vast cross-section of our com
munity. It is very important that these
individuals know where and who we
are. Although I feel that we received a
continued on page 6A
— Maysville —
Maysville wells
could boost
water supply
looking at
new garbage
collector
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Maysville City Council
heard a detailed plan from engineer
Chip McGaughey Monday night
concerning the
drilling of two
additional wells.
The move could
eventually help
the city become
more self-sup- _ see p 6A
porting when it
comes to water demands.
Maysville now has two wells,
which pump 77,000 gallons per
day. An additional two wells could
eventually save the city $93,000
per year in water purchasing from
Commerce. McGaughey said the
additional wells would pay for
themselves within five years.
The plan would be done in five
phases with an overall estimated
continued on page 6A
Comprehensive
plan meeting
set March 13
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Banks County officials have
scheduled a public hearing on the
comprehensive plan update for
Thursday, March 13.
The meeting will be from 6-8 p.m.
at the Banks County Senior Citizens
Senior at 700 Thompson Street in
Homer. The meeting is the first of
four public workshops that Banks
County, in association with the city
of Baldwin, will hold in an effort to
update the comprehensive plan.
Officials said the purpose of the
kickoff meeting is to:
•announce the beginning of the
planning process.
•present the projection purpose
and approach.
•provide an opportunity for partic
ipants to voice their initial concerns
for future development and help the
planning team define the key issues
and opportunities.
Stakeholder opinion question
naires will be available for the public
at the meeting and can be download
ed from www.co.banks.ga.us.