About The Banks County news. (Homer, Banks County, Ga.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (April 9, 2008)
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.
