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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2008 THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS PAGE 3A Development authority meets behind closed doors Land acquisition, personnel given as reasons for meeting MEMBERS DISCUSS AD FOR BANKS COUNTY At the monthly meeting on Thursday the Banks County Development Authority members agreed to spend an amount not to exceed $3,000 to purchase a portion of an ad showcas ing Banks County in the May issue of Georgia Trend Magazine. Shown (L to R) discussing the ad are authority members Bill Griffin, Wayne Abernathy, Banks County Board of Commission Chairman Gene Hart, Banks County Chamber Director Tara Fulcher, and authority members Dennis Brown and Jimmy Morrison (not shown). Photo by Sharon Hogan BY SHARON HOGAN he Banks County Development Authority members met for approxi mately 40 minutes in closed ses sion on Wednesday to discuss land acquisition and personnel issues. No action was taken when the meeting was opened to the public. The Georgia Open Records Law allows governmental bodies to meet behind doors to discuss person nel issues that are only related to the hiring and firing of a specific employee. It’s not clear whether the development authority actually has any paid employees. At Wednesday’s meeting, DA chairman Wayne Abernathy stressed to the members the need for thor ough and detailed minutes to be kept on all the authority meetings. Abernathy said this is important in case a question arises about any action that is taken. In other business at the meeting on Wednesday: •the authority heard from Banks County Chamber Director Tara Fulcher on the entrepreneur-friendly initiative that the county is work ing on. Becoming a certified entre preneur-friendly county gives small businesses more resources and funding. Fulcher said the county is expected to reach this status during the early part of 2009. •the authority members held a discussion on the money that is collected from the one mill prop erty tax that is levied for the indus trial development authority. Banks County Administrative Assistant Angela Sheppard said the money is accumulating at this time. The account is listed as IDA with the county in the name of the Banks County Board of Commissioners and the commissioners write the checks, Jenni Gailey said. Financial director Randy Failyer said at the current time the bal ance in the account is $1.48 million. Abernathy said a contract needs to be drafted by county attorney Randall Frost that is agreeable with both the development authority members and the commission members on how this money will be spent. Abernathy also said he felt like the authority should receive a quarterly report on the account that shows any activ ity. BOC chairman Gene Hart said, “We need to work up a contract for both boards to approve.” Hart said he would contact Frost to come up with a draft copy of the contract and both boards could review this and make any necessary changes before the final version is approved. Gailey said an inter-governmental agree ment is needed between the IDA and the BOC on this. Abernathy said the authority did not want the money, but since it flowed through the IDA the members should be aware of how the money is spent. The author ity was in agreement that the money is there to be used for the betterment of Banks County. •Sheppard told those in atten dance that Scott Ledford, MetroSite, is open and running in the Industrial Park. Ledford re-located his cell tower fabrication business from Hall County. The IDA was instrumental in attracting this business to the Industrial Park. •Hart told the members that the county currently has 4.9 acres left in the Industrial Park for future development. Hart said there is land on Industrial Park Drive that is pri vately owned that is up for sale at this time. Abernathy said, “Why doesn’t the county entertain the pos sible purchase of the land along Industrial Park Drive?” Hart said this was a matter that the county could look into. •Carole Ciriacks, Georgia Department of Economic Development, said industrial parks and vacant buildings help attract new businesses. This has happened in Hart, Stephens and Franklin coun ties, Ciriacks said. •Hart told the authority mem bers that Banks County would be featured in the May issue of Georgia Trend magazine and point ed out that counties that are featured are expected to buy an ad. Hart said a two-page ad spread costs $14,000. Fulcher said she is looking to get several entities to participate and cut down on the cost for each group. Authority member Jimmy Morrison made a motion to give chairman Abernathy the authority to spend an amount not to exceed $3,000 to pur chase a portion of the ad. Morrison said this way the issue could be handled without the entire authority having to be contacted. •Hart reported that the Banks County group traveling to Washington in February had a good trip. He said the main focus was on money allotted to Banks County. The group met with U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson and he said he was aware of the money and it had been approved and would be going to the Senate for approval there. The amount allotted is $5 million, which is a third of the total for the water project. Hart said when the group met with Congressman Paul Broun he said he is against any money that is “earmarked” for a certain proj ect. Hart said he explained that the county was too far into this project now to turn back and was depend ing heavily on the $5 million in earmarked funds. •Sheppard told the group that the county received approval on the GEFA loan application for the water line project on Hwy. 105 at a two percent interest rate. •authority member Dennis Brown told the group that two watershed lakes in Banks County were in the top 20 on the state’s list for possible water supplies. •Hart told the group that the county’s engineers, Rindt-McDuff Associates are continually working on the county’s water issues. Authority members Jack Banks, Terrance Dale and Tal Martin were absent from the meeting on Wednesday. The next monthly meet ing of the development authority will be held at 9 a.m. on April 16. City of Alto officials agree to purchase used police car BY SHARON HOGAN The Alto City Council accepted a bid of $1,315 last week for the purchase of a 2000 Ford Crown Victoria police car. The high bid der on the car was Bill Carstensen, BME Motors. The council accepted sealed bids on the sale of the car. Five bids were received on this. Other bid amounts received were: $500 from Jeremy Eller, $525 from Wiley Cook and Charlie Mallean, $551 from Merrell Watson and $1,255 from Donald Wade. OTHER BUSINESS In other business at Tuesday’s meeting: •Mayor Audrey Turner told the council that she is working on an application to annex 13.9 acres of land into the city. Turner said the land doesn’t have anything located on it and it joins the prop erty her house is located on. The land runs from Tucker Drive to Wynn Shoals Road. Turner also said some other residents in this area have expressed the desire to annex into the city. •council member Cathy Armour reported that she wants “to go on record” saying she is against the motion made at the meeting on Feb. 12 to provide garbage service to residents outside the city limits who are on the city’s water ser vice. Armour said, “I know I was not at this meeting, but I want to go on record saying that I do not approve of this.” •the council heard from Alto resident Pamela Greene concern ing possible gang activity in her neighborhood. Greene, a resident of B.C. Grant Road, said that “seems gangs are moving in near her residence.” Greene said, “I have lived in Gwinnett County and I am familiar with gang activity.” Greene also said she has had trou ble with someone trying to break into her home. Turner instructed Greene to meet with Police Chief Robin Krockum after the meeting and discuss this. The next regularly scheduled council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, at city hall. City of Maysville officials hold brief hearing on budget BY CHRIS BRIDGES Maysville officials held a short public hearing last Thursday con cerning the city’s new budget. In a meeting which lasted only three minutes, city officials held the second of three scheduled pub lic hearings on the proposed 2008 budget. No citizens attended the meeting although Alan Harkness, regional director of the Piedmont Regional Library System, did speak with the council about the Maysville Library. Harkness, said he is working on a four-year plan to present to Maysville officials which would help make the city’s library more successful. “I have been working with librar ies for the past 23 years,” Harkness said. “I am glad to be working with this council on this matter.” The Piedmont Regional Library Keep Banks County beautiful! System covers Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties. “We plan on working with you and helping make our library even better,” said Maysville mayor Jerry Baker. Maysville’s overall proposed rev enue budget for 2008 is $1,278,721. 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School officials encourage parents to make sure their child gets plenty of rest the night before each testing day so they are able to perform at the very best level possible. Students must pass each of these tests as well as the GHSGT Writing test they took in the fall in order to graduate from high school. Subscribe to The Banks County News by calling 706-677-3491,,, Right CDuj'Lf ^ spokesman and HGTVster Pat Simpson Energy Efficient. Guaranteed Cali now for a Right Choice Home Performance With ENERGY STAR" Audit Using state-of-the-art energy audit tools, we can help you determine how to reduce energy costs, increase the comfort of your home and improve the air quality. Call 1-800-462-3691 or visit jacksonemc.com/rightchoice LEARN MORE AT energystar.gov