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THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2008
County to become 'entrepreneur friendly' on May 3
BY SHARON HOGAN
Banks County Chamber of
Commerce members at the month
ly breakfast meeting on Thursday
heard from a variety of speakers
dealing with the issue of bringing
new businesses and keeping current
businesses in Banks County.
Chamber board member Jerry
Boling said that a project was start
ed a few months ago to attract new
businesses to the county. A group of
individuals from various businesses,
county and city officials were asked
to serve on the committee to work
on this project. This group worked
closely with Suzanne Browne,
Georgia Department of Community
Affairs-Department of Economic
Development Entrepreneur and
Small Business Regional Project
Manager, on this project.
The date given by Browne for
Banks County to receive the des
ignation as an “Entrepreneur
Friendly” county is May 3.
Browne said the Entrepreneur
Friendly Initiative works to encour-
age small businesses to grow. Grants
are also offered through the initia
tive to small business owners.
The group also heard from
Kathy Papa, DCA Department of
Economic Development Regional
Representative; Carole Ciriacks,
DCA Department of Economic
Development Existing Industry
and Recruitment Regional Project
Manager; and Cheryl Smith,
DCA Department of Economic
Development Regional Tourism
Representative.
Ciriacks said she works with both
existing and new industry. Ciriacks
said she has recently worked with
Scott Ledford, MetroSite, during
his re-location to the Banks County
Industrial Park. Ledford constructs
cell phone towers at this location.
Smith told the group her depart
ment works to promote, educate
and assist tourism businesses. Smith
encouraged those in attendance to
network with other businesses to
get business information out.
James Thompson, Appalachian
Regional Commission Business
Development, presented a power
point presentation to the group.
Thompson also gave the group
some information about grants that
are available to small business own
ers through the ARC.
Ron Simmons, area director, and
Dede Gossage, program coordina
tor, University of Georgia Small
Business Development Center, pre
sented information to help small
business owners on the manage
ment side of the business.
Gossage said her department
could help with growth tips, start
up tips and marketing tips.
Gerald McDuffie, United States
Department of Agriculture Rural
Development Rural Business
Specialist, encouraged small busi
ness owners and homeowners
to look into the loan programs
being offered through the USDA.
McDuffie said they have a large
list of loan programs available for
people to take advantage of.
Greg Pitts and Kimberlee Wilson,
Georgia Department of Labor, talk
ed to the group about tax credits
that are available to business own
ers for specialized training. Wilson
said they offer 50 percent funding
up to six months for specialized
training. She encouraged the busi
ness owners to take advantage of
this program.
Each group represented at the
breakfast offered handouts explain
ing the offers available to small
business owners.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the break
fast:
•chamber director Tara Fulcher
welcomed the two new boards of
director members, Mark Payne and
Robin Trotter.
•Fulcher also announced two new
chamber members, Don Byran Art
& Framing and MetroSite.
The next regularly scheduled
breakfast meeting of the chamber
will be held at 8 a.m. on Thursday,
May 8, at First Georgia Bank,
Homer.
Alto, Baldwin plan clean-up day
The arrival of spring means it’s
time for some spring cleaning.
Clean up days have been planned
in Alto and Baldwin.
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 lim
its. All supplies will be furnished.
Free lunch and T-shirts will be
provided for participants.
“Contact city hall to sign up or
just show up,” leaders state.
Baldwin is also seeking volun
teers to meet at Fellowship Church
at 9 a.m. on April 26 to help clean
up the streets in town. Supplies
will be furnished. Biscuits will
be provided on a first-come, first-
served basis. Fellowship Church
will be cooking lunch for the
volunteers. T-shirts will be pro
vided to the participants in the
clean up.
Fellowship Church is located in
the Industrial Park in Baldwin.
Alto Spring Fling set for May 3
The Town of Alto will hold its annual Spring Fling Parade and
Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 3.
The parade will begin at 11 a.m.
Danny O’ Day will be the master of ceremonies for the program
which will get underway at noon. Live entertainment featuring the
LeFevre Quartet will be featured. Those who plan to attend are asked
to bring their lounge chairs for the afternoon entertainment.
Food, crafts, a tractor contest, antique car competition and activities
for the kids are among the activities planned.
To sign up to participate in the parade or for a vendor table, contact
city hall at 706-778-8035.
Qualifying coming up April 28 for July primary election
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Banks County voters will go to
their respective voting polls this sum
mer 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. Probate judge Betty Thomas
said qualifying for all candidates
would be in the probate court in the
Banks County Courthouse.
Offices which can be contested in
the primary election and the qualify
ing fee for each is as follows:
•sheriff, $1,616.40
•tax commissioner, $1,392.24
•clerk of superior court, $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.
Qualifying for magistrate judge and
probate judge will be held the last
week of June since these offices are
non-partisan. The fee to run for both
of these offices is $1,392.24.
The qualifying fee for each office is
based on three percent of that office’s
base salary.
For additional information about
qualifying, contact the Banks County
Probate Court at 706-677-6250.
Lula plans Railroad Days Festival
BY SHARON HOGAN
Lula City Council members are planning the 32nd annual Railroad
Days Festival for Saturday, May 17.
The festival begins with the parade down Main Street at 10 a.m. and
continues throughout the day with entertainment, rides, crafts, food
and drinks at the historic Railroad Park.
There is no admission charge and parking is free for the event.
For more information, contact city hall at 770-869-3801.
Hearing set Fri. for Linn Jones
A hearing related to theft charges filed against, Linn Jones, the wife of
former district attorney Tim Madison, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at
the Banks County courthouse in Homer.
Jones worked in the DA’s office and faces charges related to having
falsified payroll documents. She was on both the Banks County and
Jackson County payrolls.
Family Connection group to meet
The Banks County Family Connection networking group will meet on
Thursday, April 17, at 10 a.m. at the Banks County Recreation Department.
Hospice of Northeast Georgia
Medical Center seeks volunteers
Hospice of Northeast Georgia
Medical Center (NGMC) needs car
ing individuals and groups to volun
teer their time to help serve patients
coping with terminal illnesses.
Volunteer opportunities will
accommodate anyone’s schedule and
interest, including providing support
and companionship for patients and
families on a regular basis, provid
ing clerical support in the office
or helping with an event or project
once a year. Many flexible options
are available that will allow anyone
the opportunity to volunteer with
Hospice of NGMC.
Free training and ongoing support
are provided.
For more information, call Carol
Jewell, Hospice of NGMC volun
teer coordinator, at 770-533-8888 or
888-572-3900.
Compassionate Hospice needs volunteers
Compassionate Hospice,
Gainesville, is seeking individuals
and group organizations to volun
teer their time to help those who are
terminally-ill and their loved ones.
Volunteering opportunities include
companionship, reading to patients,
respite for a caregiver, preparing
simple meals, clerical support and
running errands.
For more information, call the vol
unteer coordinator at 678-717-0969
or 678-651-1440 or visit www.
chcmg.com.
Send us your vacation news
The Banks County News occa
sionally features travel news.
Countians are encouraged to write
a first-person account of their
travels and submit it, along with
photographs from the trip, to The
News for publication.
Articles and photographs may be
dropped off at The News office in
Homer or mailed to: Angela Gary,
The Banks County News, P.O. Box
920, Homer, Ga., 30547.
Public meetings you can attend
The following local government
agencies hold regular meetings
which are open to the public:
•Maysville City Council, 7 p.m.,
first Monday of each month at the
Maysville Public Library.
•Banks County High School All
Sports Booster Club, 6:30 p.m.,
first Monday of each month, BCHS
library.
•Maysville Planning and Zoning
Commission, 7 p.m., last Monday of
each month, Maysville library.
•Banks County Planning
Commission, 7 p.m., first Tuesday
of each month at the courthouse.
•Gillsville City Council, 7 p.m.,
first Tuesday of each month at city
Legacy Link offers free job
training for Banks County resi
dents age 55 and older.
The senior community service
employment program offers part
time on-the-job training positions
for qualified people. The qualifi
cations include: age 55 and older,
must be a resident of the state and
must meet federal low-income
guidelines.
“The purpose of the program
is to offer a temporary stepping
stone back into the work force,”
officials say. “Positions are not
hall. A work session is held at 7 p.m.
on the third Thursday of the month.
•Banks County Board of Education,
7 p.m., third Monday of each month
at the BOE office. The work session
is held on the Thursday prior to the
regular meeting.
•Baldwin City Council, 7 p.m.,
second and fourth Monday of each
month at city hall. A work session
is held at 6:30 p.m. on the Thursday
preceding each regular meeting.
•Homer City Council, 6 p.m., sec
ond Tuesday of each month at city
hall.
•Banks County Board of
Commissioners 6:30 p.m. second
Tuesday of each month at the court-
meant to be permanent employ
ment.”
On-the-job training means that
the participants will be assigned
to train at a government or non
profit agency for 20 hours per
week. The pay will be minimum
wage for any time spent train
ing, attending approved classes
or program meetings or any other
related training activities.
Program participants perform a
wide variety of duties, including
clerical/office support, providing
social services to other seniors
house. A work session is held at 3:30
p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the
month at the courthouse.
•Alto City Council, 7 p.m., second
Tuesday of each month at city hall.
•Lula City Council, 7 p.m., third
Monday of each month at city hall.
A work session is held at 11 a.m. on
the Thursday preceding the regular
meeting.
•BJC Medical Center board of
directors, 1:30 p.m., third Monday
of each month in the conference
room of the hospital.
•Banks County Middle School
Booster Club, 6:30 p.m., third
Monday of each month at the Banks
County Middle School lunchroom.
and members of the community,
helping in the kitchen of senior
nutrition sites and other tasks.
The participants will also
undergo assessment, testing and
counseling while in the program.
Participants will also be referred
to jobs in the area as they become
available.
The program is funded by a
grant from the United States
Department of Labor through the
National Council on the Aging
Inc. For more information, call
770-538-2650.
DNR approves
Traveler's Rest
celebration
The Traveler’s Rest celebra
tion will be held after all.
Early in the 2008 Session
of the General Assembly,
Representative Jeanette Jamieson
learned that the Confederate
Memorial Day celebration held
annually at Traveler’s Rest
would no longer be allowed.
Throughout the 2008 session,
Representative Jamieson worked
to resolve this issue, including
introducing legislation taking
authority away from the DNR
board.
Tuesday,April 1, Representative
Jamieson introduced an amend
ment to a Senate Bill which
finally got the attention of the
DNR. Following this action,
DNR Commissioner Holcomb
gave Representative Jamieson
a letter reinstating the celebra
tion.
Traveler’s Rest serves as a
central site for celebration for
Stephens, Franklin, Banks, and
other surrounding counties.
Recycle!
Legacy Link provides job training for senior citizens
o,
Commerce
$ 5 00 OFF
Ticket Of $20 00 Or More. Valid with coupon Mon.-Thurs. only.
La Hacienda Commerce
173 Steven B. Tanger Blvd.
706-335-7458
La Hacienda Jefferson
605 Athens Street
706-367-5095
The Original Mexican Restaurant! Not affiliated with any other restaurant.
FOUR C’S TRANSMISSIONS
GRAND OPENING SPECIAL!
TRANSMISSIONS SERVICE
most vehicles
$50
OIL CHANGE
labor
$15
Low Prices, Quality Work and Over 20 years experience
CALL 706-677-0071
Your patronage helps provide for those in need.
321 Pottery Factory Drive, Commerce — across from OUTBACK STEAK House