Newspaper Page Text
Sports: IB
BCHS track continues
to gain momentum
Features: I2A & 8B
Franklin Co., Fla.: A natural escape
April 2,2008
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. 34
Developer gives proposal for mud-bogging facility
BY SHARON HOGAN
A developer wants to locate a mud-bogging
facility in Banks County near the recreation
facility.
Micheal Cline presented the request when
the Banks County Board of Commissioners
met on March 25. The property is zoned
CAD and a special use permit would be need
ed before the business could locate there.
Cline said the business would operate on
Saturdays and Sundays and there would be a
mandatory wash off for vehicles before they
leave the facility.
Cline was asked to follow up with county
marshal Keith Covington on any necessary
zoning changes. The BOC also agreed to
discuss the request further at its April 8 meet
ing.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the March 25 meeting,
the BOC:
•heard from Richard Crowder regarding an
open records request dealing with the recent
controversy surrounding the fire department.
He submitted the request to the BOC at the
meeting.
•agreed to spend $1,000 toward an ad in
Georgia Trend magazine on Banks County.
•heard from Chuck and Don Ansley with
Ansley Communications on a phone system
for the courthouse annex. The company was
approved in August as the provider for the
new phone system. Several options and costs
for providing the service were offered, but no
action was taken.
•agreed to spend $3,000 to continue the
contract with Tates Creek for fire services.
•approved a $43,772 annual equipment
maintenance contract for the 911 depart
ment.
•approved a bid from Amerigas of $1.779
per gallon for propane gas.
•approved a change order for the Yonah-
Homer Road water line project. The addi
tional cost is $63,688.
— In the Community —
Event to mark
‘Prevent Child
Abuse Month'
Family Connection has teamed
up with other partners to have
an event in the park in down
town Homer in recognition of
April being Prevent Child Abuse
month in the State of Georgia.
The event will be held at 6
p.m. on Tuesday, April 8.
There will be free hot dogs and
drinks for everyone.
There will also be a pinwheel
ceremony to represent the num
ber of substantiated cases of
abuse/neglect in Banks. Other
plans include face painting and
fire trucks.
News
•AARP awards given
— page 2A
Op/Ed
• ‘Enjoyment of nature
helps life’s hectic pace’
— page 4A
School — 10-11A
•Elementary students
create ‘wax museum’
- page 10A
Other news
•Social News — pages 7-8B
•Public Safety — page 6A
• Legals — page 7A
• Church — page 9A
• Obituaries — page 8A
LET THE SEASON BEGIN
Banks County Parks and Recreation Director Philip Cronic was only able to introduce a few of the teams Saturday before rain moved in.
The annual parade was able to be held, however. See today’s sports section for more photos from the recreation department’s opening
day festivities. Photo by Chris Bridges
Qualifying set April 28-May 2
County seats to
be on July ballot
Banks County voters will go
to their respective voting polls
this summer for another primary
election with 11 county posts up
for vote.
Candidate qualifying for the
General Primary Election will
begin Monday, April 28, at 9 a.m.
and continues through Friday,
May 2, at noon.
Offices which can be contested
in the primary election and the
qualifying fee for each is as fol
lows:
•sheriff, $1,616.40
•tax commissioner, $1,392.24
•clerk of superior court,
$1,392.24
•probate judge, $1,392.24
•magistrate judge, $1,392.24
•coroner, $72
•county chairman, $1,080
•county surveyor, $25
•board of education, post 1,
$64.50
•board of education, post 2,
$60
•board of education, post 4,
$60.
The qualifying fee for each
office is based on three percent of
that office’s base salary.
Chamber plans April 10 breakfast
The Banks County Chamber of Commerce will hold its breakfast meet
ing at 8 a.m. on Thursday, April 10, at First Georgia Bank in Homer.
A presentation will be given on the entrepreneur friendly initiative
program.
Alto's clean up day ahead April 26
Clean up day will be held in Alto on April 26, from 9 a.m. - 1
p.m.
Volunteers are needed to tidy up the streets inside the city limits.
All supplies will be furnished. Free lunch and tee shirts will be pro
vided for participants.
“Contact city hall to sign up or just show up,” leaders state.
Comprehensive plan meeting held
Another meeting
planned April 15
The second meeting on a com
prehensive plan update was held
Tuesday in Homer and the third
and final session is set for 6 p.m.
on Tuesday, April 15, at the Banks
County Senior Citizen’s Center on
Thompson Street.
Lee Walton of Mactec
Engineering and Consulting,
Inc., Atlanta, is overseeing Banks
County’s comprehensive plan
update. Walton said the compre-
hensive plan will serve to design
places for people, protect natural
resources, preserve rural landscape,
protect historical landmarks, pro
vide access to green space, provide
housing choices, provide trans
portation choices, create walkable
streets, connect the street network,
redesign corridors for mixed use,
focus new growth in existing com
munities and build a legacy in our
communities.
After the third public meeting is
held on April 15, an open house
will be scheduled and then public
hearings will be held on the plan.
Shredding services to be
offered Sat. at courthouse
Keep Our Mountains Beautiful is working with Document Destruction
Service to provide free document destruction as
part of The Great American Cleanup.
Document Destruction Service will have a
mobile shredder parked in front of the Banks
County courthouse from 9 a.m. until noon on
Saturday, April 5. Citizens are invited to bring
their documents to the courthouse parking lot
and watch their documents be destroyed.
Document Destruction Service is the only
AAA Certified plant based in Northeast Georgia. They are certified by the
National Association of Information Destruction. After the material is shred
ded on the truck, it will then be taken to their plant in Banks County. There,
the shredded paper will then be re-shredded in their large shredder with the
resulting material about the size of confetti. Anyone requesting it will be
provided with a notarized certificate of destruction which will be mailed to
them.
For more information, call or e-mail Keep Our Mountains Beautiful at
706-677-2344 or komb@alltel.net.
— Education —
CRCT tests
coming up
Banks County students in
grades 1-8 will participate in
the statewide testing, Criterion
Referenced Competency Test
(CRCT), beginning April 21.
The testing will last for the
entire week as the students in
grades 3-8 will test in all sub
ject areas including reading,
English/Language arts, math,
science, and social students.
Those students in the primary
grades will only test the core
subjects of reading, English/
language arts, and math.
Students in grades 3, 5 and
8 must meet state standards
in reading and math in order
to advance to the next grade
level.
Assistant superintendent
Donna Reed provided some test
ing tips for parents and students.
Parents are encouraged to make
sure students are present dur
ing testing days and arrive on
time. Students should also pre
cede testing with a good night’s
sleep and a healthy breakfast.
Additionally, students should
wear comfortable clothing.
The following outlines the
testing schedule for Banks
County students:
Banks County Primary
School:
•Monday, April 21, reading
•Wednesday, April 23,
English/language arts
•Friday, April 25, math
Banks County Elementary
School and Banks County
Middle School:
•Monday, April 21, reading
•Tuesday, April 22, English/
language arts
•Wednesday, April 23, math
•Thursday, April 24, science
•Friday, April 25, social stud
ies
“Students are encouraged to
do their best, but students should
not be overly anxious regarding
the testing,” said superintendent
Chris Erwin. “Our teachers and
students have worked hard all
year. They are prepared for
the testing and should view
the testing as an opportunity
to demonstrate what they have
learned.”
Testing results for students
in grades 3, 5, and 8 should be
provided within three weeks of
the testing. Results for those
testing in other grade levels are
to follow shortly after the first
shipment.