Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2008
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 3A
City of Baldwin facing financial crunch
BY SHARON HOGAN
he City of Baldwin should
freeze its spending for the
rest of the fiscal year, said
the town’s financial consultant at a
meeting held on Feb. 25.
Beth Grimes discussed a draft
copy of the city’s 2006-07 audit with
the council and that as of June 30,
2007, the city only had a balance of
$7,800 in cash funds under its gen
eral fund budget. Grimes said this
figure should be an amount equal to
three months of operating costs.
“This is something you really need
to work on,” she said.
Baldwin’s general fund ended
2007 fiscal year $34,500 in the red.
Grimes told the council the city
needs to pay down its $393,000 loan
on two public safety buildings as
much as possible and look at some
sort of lease to pay the loan off.
The total price of the two buildings
was $600,000. Grimes also told the
council that she frowns on borrow
ing against SPLOST revenue and
she doesn’t like using lease pro
grams for vehicles. She said the city
needs to let SPLOST revenue build
up before it is used.
Grimes also said the police depart
ment was over budget by $127,000
and the fire department was over by
$56,000. Some $48,000 of that was
a grant the city did not receive.
“I know you don’t want to raise
the millage rate, but can we continue
to provide the same level of service
without a raise in the millage rate?”
she asked.
Grimes said Baldwin should
work with the City of Cornelia and
Habersham County to not duplicate
services.
“Is the millage rate where it needs
to be?” Grimes asked.
Mayor Mark Reed said, “We’ve
tried to keep our millage rate as low
as possible. We’ve never really bud
geted a chunk for reserves.”
But Grimes said building reserves
is important.
“Getting your reserves up is impor-
tant because right now your hands
are tied,” she said. “There is no
control over spending. No following
purchase orders. I feel like we are
at a point where we need to set up a
game plan to get it fixed. You abso
lutely cannot afford to over-spend at
any level.”
Grimes told the council the city
needs to set a budget and stick to it.
There was also some discussion
about the cost of Grimes’ services
to the city. The council verbally
agreed in a closed meeting to pay
her $30,000 per year for her services
for 2006-2007, Grimes said.
“My bottom line price is $30,000
a year,” she said. “It’s based on what
I actually do.”
The city incurs an additional
cost to Rushton & Company of
$6,000-$9,000 for the audit on top
of Grimes’ fee.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the council
meeting:
•the council approved payment
of $30,000 to Angela Steedley,
Steedley-Hosey, grant planning and
management firm, for work on the
Park Avenue project. This comes out
of a $500,000 FY07 CDBG grant
the city received.
•the council approved a payment of
$2,400 to Engineering Management,
Inc., Lawrenceville, for engineer
ing fees on street work. The funds
come from Banks County SPLOST
revenues. Reed reported to the coun
cil that the preliminary engineering
work is 100 percent complete on
this project.
•the council approved a SPLOST
resolution to satisfy the lease com
pany that the city is using to pur
chase police vehicles.
•the council met in closed ses
sion for approximately one hour to
discuss personnel. No action was
taken.
•The Baldwin City Council will
hold its monthly work session at
6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, in
the courtroom at the police depart-
Banks County Relay for Life seeking volunteers
BY PHYLLIS MCCONNELL
Special to the BCN
The Banks County Relay for Life
leaders asked me to write about my
experience with cancer. So, I write
to you about “The Good, The Bad,
and The Ugly.”
What started out to be an ordinary
Saturday quickly turned into a day
that would change my life forever!
I had slept late and turning over to
get out of bed I discovered this huge
knot, the size of an egg! Why hadn’t
I seen or felt it before? I panicked!
Was it cancer? My trip to the doc
tor eased my mind a little. He felt
it was fibrocystic cysts and nothing
to worry about, but to be on the
safe side he recommended I have a
biopsy.
It was November and I told him
I would do it after Christmas. My
best friend, Joyce Dyer, was with me
and absolutely insisted I do it right
away! She would not take no for an
answer. I was still drowsy after the
biopsy but will never forget the sur
geon’s mouthful of words. “Phyllis I
would have bet my life it wasn’t can
cer. You will have a mastectomy and
take six months of chemotherapy.
You will lose your hair and be sick
but you will be fine.”
Joyce truly became my hero. The
cancer had already escaped and
affected one lymph node. If I had
waited until the first of the year, it
would probably have spread all over
my body. That was the bad. Now
came the ugly.
Chemotheraphy! That was the
worst time in my life and the sick
est I’d ever been. Another angel,
Lynn Ledford, carried me to every
treatment — twice a month for six
months. My daughter, Kelly, was 12
and my son was 10 at that time. I
sent them away during my treatment
the first time or so because I was
so sick, but Kelly insisted on being
there with me. She stuck right with
me through those long dark hours
being the best little nurse. She grew
up and became a nurse. She works at
the pediatrics group at Long Street
Clinic.
Now... I’ll tell you about the good.
My ordeal was 20 years ago. My
treatments were over in May and
in, June 1989, we moved into our
new house. I remembered sitting out
on the porch crying my heart out
wondering if I was going to live or
die. That very day, I made a choice.
I could drown in self-pity or I could
pull myself up by the bootstraps
and carry on. I chose the latter.
Everyday, I jump out of bed with a
zest for life I can’t describe. Since
that awful disease touched my life,
everyday is more precious, the sun
rises and sunsets are more beautiful,
the air seems fresher, and the grass is
greener. I could go on and on.
This week happens to be my birth
day. I turn 55. I was only 36-years-
old when my ordeal began. I urge
everyone to never put off mammo-
grams, second opinions, a biopsy, or
even questions you may have. Time
is crucial. I work at Banks County
Middle School in the lunchroom. I
love my job and am fortunate to be
around so many positive people. I
have never met a more positive per
son than our principal, Mr. Cooper,
along with the teachers and my co
workers. My husband, Ralph, has
been my biggest cheerleader, my
support, and my rock. In a way, he is
a survivor. Cancer touched both our
lives 20 years ago.
If you are going through this and
have a question or just want to talk
you can email me at pawmccon-
nell@aol.com. Thank you for allow
ing me to share my story with you.
Let’s all enjoy this beautiful world
God created for us and may we not
take anything for granted.
If you would like to be a part of the
Banks County Relay for Life, call
Charoltte Maxwell 706-335-6948 or
Joan Cochran 706-335-6250.
Non-profit groups in county may apply for funds
Ninth District Opportunity, Inc. has
been awarded federal funds under
The Emergency Food and Shelter
National Board Program.
Banks County has been chosen to
receive $7,186 to supplement emer
gency food and shelter programs in
the county.
A local board made up of vari
ous local agencies and churches will
determine how the funds awarded
to Banks County are to be distrib
uted among the emergency food and
shelter programs run by local service
agencies in the area. The local board
is responsible for recommending
agencies to receive these funds and
any additional funds available under
this phase of the program.
Under the terms of the grant from
the national board, local agencies
chosen to receive funds must be
private voluntary non-profits or units
of government, have an accounting
system, practice nondiscrimination,
have demonstrated the capability to
deliver emergency food and/or shel
ter programs, and if they are a private
voluntary organization, they must
have a voluntary board. Qualifying
agencies (not individuals) are urged
to apply. The deadline to submit a
request is March 21.
Banks County has distributed emer
gency food and shelter funds previ
ously with Ninth District Opportunity
Health Board to meet March 11
The Banks County Board of Health will hold their regular quarterly meet
ing on Tuesday March 11, at 9 a.m. in the conference room of the Health
Department. The public is welcome to attend.
Only $29
to anyone who has never
been to a chiropractor
before (or hasn't been
in a long time).
Dear Friend,
My name is Dr. Kevin L. Strohman. We are
celebrating our 2 year anniversary in
Commerce, Georgia. To show my appreciation,
I have agreed to “give away” (to anyone who
asks for it) $225 worth of my services for only
$29. That's right $29.
We have had an overwhelming response to
our new office and have already helped a lot
of people feel better and live healthier, more
productive lives through Chiropractic Care.
And now, I'd like to introduce even more
people to the many benefits our profession has
to offer.
For instance, chiropractic care may be able
to help you if you are suffering from any of the
following conditions:
• Migraine headaches
• Numbness in arms and legs
• Lower back pain
• Muscle Spasms
...And a host of other problems ranging
from dizziness to ringing in the ears.
These symptoms can be caused whenever
the vertebrae in your spine are out of
alignment, because these “misalignments”
directly affect your nervous system.
Fortunately, many of these and other similar
afflictions may be relieved or eliminated by
proper chiropractic treatments.
So if you have always wanted to “check
out” chiropractic and see what it can do for
you, now is the best time to do so because only
$29 will get you all of the services I normally
charge new patients $225 for.
• In-depth consultation about your health
and well-being
• Complete chiropractic spinal exam
• Full set of specialized x-rays to determine
if a misalignment in your spine is causing your
problem. (Note: Nobody gives these kinds of
x-rays free. They would cost you at least $100.)
• Analysis of your x-rays and spinal exam
to evaluate what needs to be done to correct
your problem.
• Answers to all your questions concerning
chiropractic care and what it can do for you.
What are you waiting for? Call us for an
appointment Today! 706-335-2225. Tell the
receptionist you'd like to come in for the
special New Patient Introductory
Examination. Don't delay - relief is only
minutes away.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kevin L. Strohman
V
Dr. Kevin Strohman
30346 Hwy 441 S.
Commerce, Georgia 30530
Due to insurance regulations, Medicare and some
other insurances may be excluded from this offer.
/
and other local agencies participat
ing. These agencies were responsible
for providing food and shelter for
local individuals and families.
The local board was charged to
distribute funds appropriated by
Congress to help expand the capacity
of food and shelter programs in high-
need areas around the country.
Public or private voluntary agencies
(not individuals) interested in apply
ing for emergency food and shelter
program funds must submit a request
to Brenda Dalin, Ninth District
Opportunity, Inc, P.O. Drawer L,
Gainesville, GA, 30501.
/Gttifue*
Step
Mon. - Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 3 p.m.
March Special
1/2 sandwich, soup, chips, drink, dessert
Just $6.00 + tax y
193 Pottery Factory Drive • Exit 149 at Banks Crossing
706-335-0717
FOR ONLY $5 PER MONTH,
YOU CAN LIST YOUR GROUP'S MEETINGS!
Let your members know when your group is meeting!
Call (706) 367-5233 to advertise your meeting time, place and date in...
• The Jackson Herald • The Commerce News • The Braselton News
• The Banks County News • The Madison County Journal
JEFFERSON
^'AMERICAN LEGION
Albert Gordon Post 56
Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Harvie Lance, Commander
Phone (706) 654-1274 310
.... . 4 _. . _ 4 . 4 . Pd.02/09
White Plains Baptist Church
Faith Bible Class meets every Sunday morning
at 10:00 a.m. It is a place where strangers
become friends and friends become family.
706-367-5650
White Plains Baptist Church
3650 Hwy. 124 West, Jefferson, GA 30549
The Jackson Co. Republican Party
Would like you to meet us for
breakfast the second Sat. of each
month, 8:00 at The Jefferson
House. For more information, call
706-652-2967 or email
fishyglass@yahoo.com Pd.05/08
iCfc BANKS COUNTY
AMERICAN LEGION
Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 pd.06/08
rtSHfe, VETERANS OF
W ! FOREIGN WARS
Post 4872, Hurricane Shoals Convention Ctr.
Each 4th Monday, 7:00 p.m.
Mike Buffington, Commander
Phone 706-335-6532 263
JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB
Meets 2nd & 4th Monday
Jefferson City Clubhouse
6:30 p.m. • (706) 367-1400
Mark Bradley, President
260
ft UNITY LODGE
F & A.M.
No. 36, Jefferson, GA
1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.
A. Ben Wurtz • 706-367-1400
Borders St. behind Tabo's 260
JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB
Meets Tuesdays
Jefferson City Clubhouse
12:30 p.m. • (706) 654-2237
Clay Eubanks, President
260
.&%. COMMERCE
^'AMERICAN LEGION
Commerce Rec. Dept. Post 93
Carson Street - 1st Mon. night
Each Month, 7:30 p.m.
335-6400
BANKS COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
meets first Monday each month
7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historial
Courthouse at 105 U.S. Hwy. 441
North in Homer Pd.-2/2008
Andrews re-elected planning chair
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
During a brief meeting Tuesday night, the Banks County Planning
Commission re-elected Alicia Andrews as chairperson for another year.
Andrews recently completed her first year as chairperson of the commis
sion which acts as a recommending body on zoning issues for the Banks
County Board of Commissioners. Andrews was re-elected unanimously by
fellow Planning Commission members.
The only other item of business during the seven-minute meeting Tuesday
night was a variance request from Four Square Diversied Investments which
wanted to re-establish the property line for La Fiesta Grille on Hwy. 441.
The Planning Commission unanimously approved the request for a reduc
tion in the property line.
Let us know your story ideas
Have an interesting story to share? Do you have a unique hobby?
If so, we would like to know.
Contact Angie Gary, editor of The Banks County News, at 706-367-2490
or e-mail information to her at AngieEditor@aol.com.
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