About The Banks County news. (Homer, Banks County, Ga.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (March 12, 2008)
Features: I2A and I0B Sports: IB Leopards open region with home victory Get away to Gatlinburg March 12,2008 The Banks County News 504^ Homer, Banks County, Georgia 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • mainstreetnews.com • 26 Pages, 3 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 39 No. 31 — Former D.A. — Madison transferred Monday BY CHRIS BRIDGES Former Piedmont Judicial Circuit District Attorney Tim Madison was transferred Monday morning to the Georgia Diagnostic Center in Jackson, located in central Georgia. Madison, who was sentenced to serve six years following a guilty plea in Banks County Superior Court last week, turned himself in at the Banks County Jail Saturday morning, sheriff Charles Chapman said. On Monday morning, two BCSO deputies trans ported Madison to the Butts County facility to begin serving his term. Chapman said it is possible he could be transferred again. “There were no incidents here this weekend,” Chapman said of the former district attorney’s stay in the Banks County jail. “He was isolated from other prisoners and when he went outside the rest of the jail was on lock down.” Chapman said the extra precaution was necessary since Madison pros ecuted some of the inmates in the Banks County jail. In addition to his six-year sentence, Madison was ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution for the money he took from the Piedmont Judicial Circuit, the majority of which was taken from Banks County. The circuit also includes Jackson and Barrow counties. Madison resigned last June as dis trict attorney following a series of investigative articles published by The Jackson Herald and Mainstreet Newspapers. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John Cagle and Special Agent Brian Whidby handled the investigation. Madison’s wife, Linn Jones, and former assistant district attorney Brett Williams have also been charged in the case. Their court dates will be held March 25 in Banks County. Chapman said Madison thanked Banks County law enforcement offi cials for his good treatment during his brief incarceration there. MADISON News - 2-3A •Baldwin seeks fire, police grants — page 2A •Lula honors former mayor Talmadge Pless — page 2A Op/Ed • ‘Representing extreme side of politics’ — page 4A Other news •Social News — pages 9-11A •School News — pages 8-9B •Public Safety — page 7A •Legals — page 5-6B • Church — page 7B • Obituaries — page 8A 34 volunteer firefighters SPEAKING FOR VOLUNTEERS John Creasy served as spokesman for 33 volunteer firemen who turned in their resignations Tuesday night during the Banks County Board of Commissioners meeting. The volunteers have several issues of concern with current chief Gary Pollard who they say does not respect the work of the volun teers. Photo by Chris Bridges Issues arise over concerns with chief Gary Pollard BY ANGELA GARY AND CHRIS BRIDGES A large percentage of the county’s volunteer firemen officially turned in their resignation Tuesday night during the Banks County Board of Commissioners meeting. Following the reading of a pre pared statement from John Creasy, spokesman for the volunteers, 33 volunteers, along with members of their families and supporters stood up and left the full Banks County courtroom where the meeting was being held. Originally Richard Crowder was on the public comment portion of the meeting but he turned his time over to Creasy, who also resigned his position following the reading of a prepared statement. Creasy said since Dec. 5, 2007, the volunteers have tried to resolved what they consider “significant safety issues over demotion without cause of all volunteer officers as well as training problems and over all poor management of the depart ment.” In his statement, Creasy also said: “We see the current fire chief Gary Pollard as being at the heart of all our major concerns. Commission chair Gene Hart has made it clear that Gary Pollard will remain as chief of this department. In a recent letter to all personnel we were advised to quit if we felt we couldn’t work with Chief Pollard.” Following his statement, Creasy said he was sad to see the issue reach this point. “We also hate this,” Hart said. “However, we aren’t going to get into a debate about this tonight.” resign Creasy said he and the other volunteers had each turned in their radios and other related equipment. He handed a stack of resignations letters to the BOC. Creasy also spoke of a “failed audit” by the Banks County depart ment by the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council. “It is our hope and prayers that the citizens of Banks County will now step up and ask the commis sioners what is really going on,” Creasy said. The firemen have been meeting behind the scenes with county offi cials, as well as corresponding by letter, since December and decided to take this drastic step when their issues were not addressed. “We’re deeply concerned about the safety of the firefighters — both paid and volunteer,” Creasy said before the meeting. “We are also concerned about the safety of citi zens. We’re not doing this because we’re angry. We’ve been unable to fix what we see as an obvious prob lem in a good department. We’ve tried to bring the problem of poor management to the commission ers.” continued on page 3A GILLSVILLE DISCUSSES SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS Gillsville City Council members are shown at the meeting on Tuesday as they discuss subdivision regulations being proposed for the city. Shown (L to R) are: council members Richard Ferguson, Roy Turpin and Todd Dale, Mayor Larry Poole, council members Keith Segars and Tim House. See page 3A for the story. Photo by Sharon Hogan Authorities searching for missing teenager BY CHRIS BRIDGES Banks County Sheriff’s Office offi cials are still looking into the disap pearance of a 17-year-old female who was reported missing by family mem bers Monday. Sheriff Charles Chapman said Tuesday morning the teenager was last seen late Sunday afternoon when she left from her residence off Highway 63 with an unidentified white male to go to a movie theatre. Family members told law enforce ment authorities the teenager was supposed to be home by midnight but never arrived. The following day, family members said they received a text message from her stating she was in Florida and that she could not call. “We are still looking into the case,” Chapman said. “We are not sure why she could send a text message but not call.” The sheriff said it is not clear if the juvenile is actually in Florida or still in the area. “We are still following up several leads,” he said. The missing teenager left her resi dence in a red Chevrolet Cavalier with one busted headlight. Comprehensive plan meeting set Thursday 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 Center at 700 Thompson Street in Homer. The meeting is the first of four public workshops that Banks County, in associa tion 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 pro cess. •show a presentation 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 avail able for the public at the meeting and can be down loaded from the Banks County website at www. co.banks.ga.us. — Local, State and National Election Updates — Taylor to run for tax commissioner Becky Taylor has announced that she will seek election as Banks County Tax Commissioner. She will run as a Republican on the 2008 ballot. “There are many Banks County citizens who have asked me to consider running for this office,” she said. “I am convinced that the time is now. I have been privileged to provide honest and consistent service to this county for the past 12 years hav ing been deputy tax commissioner for the most recent three years. “I have the knowledge, experience and passion to successfully serve the citizens of Banks County. Thank you for the posi tive support I have already been shown and I look forward to many opportunities of working with you in the near future.” Taylor is married to Jeff Taylor and they have three children and three grand- children. They live in the Grady community of Banks County where she is an active member of Damascus Baptist Church. She has worked with the young people of the church as a Sunday School teacher, a Discipleship Training teach er, and Vacation Bible School Director and teacher. She is currently the secretary/treasurer and is a member of the adult choir. She served as a co-leader for the Banks County Girl Scouts for over 10 years and has been involved in Boy Scouts and other volunteer opportunities over the years. “I look forward to seeing you face-to- face as I campaign to proudly serve you, the people of Banks County, as your tax commissioner.” More information will be available on Becky Taylor’s website soon. TAYLOR U.S. Congress Nancy Schaefer, who has represent ed Banks County in the state senate for four years, will run for U.S. Congress in 2008. - see page 3A State House Michael Harden of Eastanollee has announced his candidacy for State House District 28, which includes Banks County. - see page 3A
