Newspaper Page Text
Sports: IB
Leopards battle for first
in subregion standings
April 9,2008
The Banks County News
504^ Homer, Banks County, Georgia 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • mainstreetnews.com • 28 Pages, 3 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 39 No. 35
Leaders, citizens meet on 'vision for county's future'
More than 30 residents, property
owners and business owners rolled
up their sleeves and went to work
last Monday night at the Banks
County Senior Citizen’s Center on
Thompson Street in
Homer to help shape
the future of Banks
County.
This was the first
of two planned public
workshops designed
to gain public input
and develop the Banks County
Comprehensive Plan Update
2008-2018.
A Comprehensive Plan estab
lishes a clear vision of the kind of
place a community wants to be in
the future and provides a course of
action to build what stakeholders
envision. The plans, created by
community residents, property own
ers and business owners with the
assistance of the staff of the county,
serve as a policy guide on how the
county is to develop over time. The
Banks County Comprehensive Plan
Update 2008-2018 covers the unin-
corporated areas of Banks County.
The purpose of the April 2 meet
ing was to prioritize the “issues and
opportunities list,” receive feed
back on the draft community vision
statements and begin a dis
cussion about preferred
character that should
define Banks County in
the future. Planners from
MACTEC, the consulting
firm hired by the board of
commissioners, to prepare
the comprehensive plan, facilitated
the meeting.
Participants prioritized a lengthy
list of issues and opportunities and
community vision statements previ
ously generated from input received
at the kick off meeting held in
March, input gained from the ques
tionnaire that the county posted on
its website and distributed to the
public and from input gathered in
meetings with the steering com
mittee.
Working in small teams, partici-
continued on page 2A
Workshop results to
be presented at 5
p.m. Tuesday at the
senior center.
GIVING INPUT
Tammy Purcell (L) and Shirlene Allen are shown looking over a
map at a recent meeting held on the county comprehensive plan
update. Another meeting is set for April 15.
CITIZEN INPUT
Citizens giving input at a recent meeting on the county com
prehensive plan update included: (L-R) Cynthia Watkins, Bev
Thompson, Romayne Thompson and Elaine Gerke.
Banks voters to decide on change in government
Five-member BOC to be on Nov. ballot
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
With approval at the state level
now complete, Banks County voters
will have the opportunity to change
the form of county government when
they go to the polls this November.
State Senator Nancy Schaefer
recently introduced legislation which
would give Banks County voters the
choice of going from the current
three-member board to a five-mem
ber one. Banks County chairman
Gene Hart said Monday the bill has
been approved by the state legislature
and will go before Banks voters late
this fall.
The binding referendum is set to
be on the November ballot and does
not have to be approved or voted on
by the BOC.
The change of government pro
posal is for four commissioners to
be elected from districts but to be
voted on at large by all citizens of
Banks County. The chairman would
be elected at-large and also voted on
by all citizens.
Candidates seeking office from one
of the four district must live in that
specific area. Candidates wishing to
seek the chairman’s position can live
anywhere in the county.
Administrative building project slightly behind schedule
Hart doesn't expect delay in moving into facility
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
While recent weather conditions have caused
somewhat of a delay in construction of the new Banks
County administrative building, chairman Gene Hart
is not foreseeing a delay when it comes to moving
into the facility. Plans are still to move into the new
facility this August.
Hart updated commissioners Joe Barefoot and
Rickey Cain on the progress of the project during a
special called meeting April 1. The project is being
paid for through funds generated through a Special
Local Option Sales Tax.
Hart also said the construction phase of the project
remains on budget.
continued on page 2A
“We hope to be able
to pay for these proj
ects completely with
SPLOST funds. We
want to do this without
using any money from
the general fund.”
— Gene Hart, BOC chairman
School - 6-7A
•FCCLA wins district
awards — page 6A
Op/Ed
• ‘Citizens in 10th
District, wake up, beware’
— page 4A
Other news
•Social News — pages 5-7B
•Public Safety — page 3A
• Legals — page 11A
• Church — page 8A
• Obituaries — page 9A
BANKS COUNTY PROM NIGHT
Banks County High School prom-goers are shown at the event — “A Night in Paris” — held at the
Commerce Civic Center Saturday night. See page 12A for more photos. Photo by Lyn Sengupta
— In the Community —
NOT JUST FOR SENIORS
The Banks County transit system is available for all county citi
zens to use. Drivers Marsha Sims (left) and Bruce Rodgers make
the rounds both in and out of the county during the week for
those needing transportation. Photo by Chris Bridges
Still on the road
Transit system offers service to all
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
On any given day, vehicles used
for the Banks County transit can be
seen in and around the county.
In addition to local trips, the transit
system can be used to transport pas
sengers to out of town appointments
in places like Commerce, Gainesville
and Athens.
County officials want citizens to
know the transit system is for all citi
zens, not just seniors. Officials said
it is a common misconception that
only senior citizens are able to use
the transportation.
Janet Galloway is the transit man
ager with Carol Wood handling dis
patch and setting up appointments.
Wood was a driver for approximately
two decades before moving into her
new position.
The Banks County transit is now
located in the Senior Citizen’s Center
building on Thompson Street, across
from the Banks County Health
Department. Bruce Rodgers and
•Banks County Transit
•Available to all citizens,
regardless of age
•For more information:
706-677-1835
Marsha Sims are drivers.
The system operates during busi
ness hours Mondays through Fridays.
To guarantee availability, 24 hours
notice is required.
Transit drivers can pick passengers
up at their homes and then take them
back home. There is a set fee for a
certain amount of time per trip.
Both vehicles used are handi
capped accessible. Officials said
some citizens use the transit system
on a regular basis while others only
use it occasionally.
For a complete list of the tran
sit rules, regulations and fees
or to schedule appointments, call
706-677-1835.
