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PAGE 2A THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2008 Alto to apply for grant for police cars Baldwin to look at trading equipment BY SHARON HOGAN lto officials are seeking federal funds to pay for some new police cars. The Alto City Council members unanimously agreed at a May 1 3 meeting to apply for a United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant. The funds from this grant would be used to purchase two police cars. The maximum amount of the grant is $25,000, and a $30,000 loan is also offered. This would be repaid in annual installments of $8,387 over a period not to exceed four years. Jeff McCloud and Jane Ferguson, USDA Rural Development, were on hand to go over the application process and answer any questions the council might have. Police Chief Robin Krockum pre sented this proposal to the council at the meeting in April. Ferguson told the council that once the application is signed, the money would be set-aside for the Town of Alto to use on this project. OTHER BUSINESS In other business at the meeting on May 13: •the council approved the purchase of a mini-truck to be used by the city to cut down on gas use. The cost of the mini-truck is $5,195 from Swinehart’s Power Equipment, Baldwin. It will be used by the meter reader and in other city use. Mayor Audrey Turner said the insurance BY SHARON HOGAN Baldwin City Council members heard a request at its monthly work session meeting on Thursday, May 8, to place a modular home on property located at 250 King Street. Lynn Canup came before the coun cil seeking a special use permit to allow her to place a modular home on the property to replace the cur rent residence her mother, Betty Lewallen, lives in. Canup said due to her mother’s health, the home needs to be handicap accessible and her current home is very small and needs a lot of work. “The house is so small there is not enough room to do the work to make it handicap accessible,” she said. “My nephew lives with her now to help look after her and home health comes to help out.” Canup said she has looked at a 1,000-square-foot home to place on the property. The property is cur rently zoned R-2 in the city. Acting Mayor Ray Holcomb said, “Are you asking for this in a hardship case? Would you be willing to move this home when something happens to your mother?” Canup said, “If that is what we need to do then that is what we will do.” Canup said the modular home could be set up on a crawl space with a home-type foundation. “The home will go to my nephew upon the passing of my mother,” Canup said. “I want him to have a place to live after my mother’s pass ing.” Holcomb said a special use permit does allow for a Class A manufac tured home. Holcomb said, “If you are applying for a hardship case that is a little dif ferent than a special use permit.” City attorney David Syfan said, “A hardship case would be a temporary permit as opposed to a special use permit.” Baldwin resident Mike Kelly spoke to the council and Canup on this mat ter. Kelly said Canup should check with the modular home company to get them to get a guaranty bond that would state when something happens to her mother the company would move the modular home out. “This would cover the family and the city both,” Kelly said. Council member Robert Bohannon asked Canup if she had a price for someone to add on to the home and do some remodeling. Canup said she did not because she knew the house would need a lot of work. The council suggested that Canup get someone to give her a price for the remodeling charge, compare this to the price of the modular home and come back to the council. OTHER BUSINESS In other business: •Holcomb told the council that he attended a meeting on Wednesday, May 11, in Tallulah Falls with other officials concerning the Georgia Water Planning Regions. Habersham County is asking all the municipali ties in the county to sign a petition cost to the city would be $500 per year. Turner said, “It (mini-truck) should pay for itself in the first year.” •the council unanimously approved a resolution to allow Baldwin Building Inspector Joe Davidson to inspect mobile homes over seven years old and make the decision on whether to allow them to come into the city. Davidson said an inspec tion would be conducted on both the inside and the outside of the struc ture before a decision is made. •the council approved Turner to sign a petition for Habersham County asking that the county be moved out of the Coosa-North Georgia Water Planning Region into the Savannah- Upper Ogeechee region. Habersham County is asking all of the munici palities in the county to sign this petition. •the council tabled action on the proposed increase in the fire service contact with the City of Baldwin. Baldwin is proposing an increase of 93 cents per month per structure for fire protection. The rate would rise from $56.16 per structure to $67.39 per structure. •the council approved a correc tion in the total amount of acreage on the James and Audrey Turner annexation request. The original amount was entered as 13.9 acres, this was reduced down to 11.7 total acres. The Turners donated land for the right-of-way for Wynn Shoals requesting that the county be moved from the Coosa-North Georgia region to the Savannah-Upper Ogeechee region. Habersham County has permission from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to make this move if all the cities agree to it. Baldwin currently has permits from the EPD to draw water from the Chattahoochee River. Habersham County and the municipalities in the county want to try to draw water from Lake Yonah in the future. Bohannon and council member Jeff Murray voiced concern about what affect signing this petition might have on the city’s permits to draw from the Road. •a discussion was held on the out door watering schedule for May. Watering will be allowed for 25 minutes between the hours of mid night to 10 a.m. This can be hand watering only - no sprinklers or soaker hoses. Odd numbered addresses can water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Even numbered addresses can water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Anyone found in violation of these rules will be pros ecuted. Turner said this is just for the month of May and the city will look at the water situation to determine the month of June and beyond. •council member Loretta Bosco asked Davidson to check on the safety of a dilapidated house on Grant Street. •council member Kathy Clark said she was out of town during the annual clean-up day and the festival, but she had heard good things about both events. •Alto resident Augustine Paramo asked the council about the status of his annexation request. Turner said the property owners next to him have not been receptive to the possibility of annexing into the city and therefore this is holding up his annexation. Paramo also asked to receive garbage service through the city at his property. Turner instruct ed him to get with City Clerk Penny Rogers on this matter. to look into this issue. •Murray reported to the council that he is working with financial offi cer, Betty Harper, on planning a festi val for the City of Baldwin. They are looking at possibly holding the event in the vacant area next to the police and fire departments. This is the area where the city has planned to erect a pavilion and a playground. Harper said the city has around $7,000 to spend to get the project started and there is about $30,000 in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) 5 revenue for recreation. Murray said, “We want to move the pavilion from City Park Drive to this site, the tables and grill have already BY SHARON HOGAN In a 4-1 vote, the Baldwin City Council agreed at its April 28 meet ing to look into trading some of its equipment. Fire Chief Joe Roy reported that he had found a buyer for the rescue truck at $40,000, with a broker. The broker also has a ladder truck in Colorado and a heavy rescue truck in Connecticut that the Baldwin Fire Department wishes to purchase. Roy asked the consent of the council to proceed with the trade of Baldwin’s rescue squad for the ladder truck and heavy rescue truck. In a 4-1 vote, the council agreed to proceed with the vehicle evalua tion and send representatives of the fire department to inspect the fire trucks. Council member Ray Holcomb opposed this action. OTHER BUSINESS In other business at the council meeting on April 28: •Mayor Mark Reed thanked every one who participated in Baldwin’s Peachy Clean-up Day held on Saturday, April 26. Reed stated there were around 200 people that participated in the annual event, including Baldwin citizens, board BY SHARON HOGAN Lula City Council members held a special called meeting on Monday, May 12, to consider three bids received on paving nine city streets. The bid was awarded to Advanced Paving, Gainesville, with a bid of $80,903. Bids were also received from B & Ninth District Opportunity, Inc., in cooperation with local volunteers, will be hosting a surplus food distri bution at the American Legion Hall in Homer on May 22, starting at 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. This is on a first-come first-serve basis for Banks County residents. of realtors’ members, and mem bers of Fellowship Church and Lee Arrendale Correctional Institute transition residents. •Eric Teittinen, senior vice presi dent of Woodard and Curran, recom mended that the city make repairs to one of its raw water pumps. Teittinen provided the council with three bids: Calibration Controls and Automation (CCA), $10,522; Murphy Mechanicals Rebuilds, $10,800 and Graves Water Services, Inc., $14,800. Teittinen recommend ed that the city go with CCA. The price includes removal, disassem bly and installation of pump and replacement of normal wear parts, and crane rental. •the council approved a resolution with the Department of Corrections (DOC). Teittinen stated that the DOC program with Lee Arrendale Correctional Institute would provide job training for the residents within a year of release. A guard will be present at all times and will trans port the trainees to and from Lee Arrendale State Prison. Classroom training will be held at the prison and hands-on training will be held at the water plant. Teittinen stated that the prison has agreed to send L Paving, Gainesville, $99,925, and Performance Paving, Gainesville, $96,237. The project will be paid for with Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) revenue. Mayor Milton Turner said, “I asked Dennis (Bergin, city manager) to look for some bids on resurfacing The items expected to be distributed, but not guaranteed are the following: Veg mix, green beans, black-eyed peas, peas, carrots, grapefruit juice, apple sauce, can chicken, can pork, can tuna, grits, pinto beans, peanut butter, rice, corn flake cereal and chucky beef stew. a letter stating that Lee Arrendale will assume all responsibility for any accidents. Syfan asked to see any letter that is received by the city on this issue. The council requested that a letter be received from Lee Arrendale relieving them of any responsibility in the event of an acci dent and they will assume responsi bility for any damage. •Teittinen recommended that the council consider placing a build ing over the raw water pumps to protect them from the environment and outside damage. Teittinen told the council that, with their permis sion, Carol Jackson, Woodard and Curran, would attempt to retrieve funds from Homeland Security for this project. •Teittinen reported that he is not prepared to present an engineer ing proposal at this time for future expansion at the wastewater plant. He said he would put the proposal together in the next few days. •a proposal to raise the fee for city cemetery lots was raised from $300 to $600 per lot in a 4-1 vote. The city is responsible for maintain ing the grounds at the cemetery. Council member Beverly Holcomb voted against the proposal. because asphalt stuff is just climb ing, climbing, climbing, climbing. We’ve got these bids in and we didn’t want to wait another week to approve them.” Bergin said Advanced Paving has done work with the city in the past and were quick to fix any problems that were encountered. Individuals with qualifying income will be eligible to receive food from the USDA. Income guidelines per month: one in home, $1,107; two in home, $1,484; three in home, $1,861 and four in home, $2,238. For details or to volunteer, contact Christy Hall at 706-677-3921. Chattahoochee. Syfan was instructed been moved from this location.” We Buy All Gold & Silver Nee, Including: Class Rings • Wedding Bands • Coins • Broken Jewelry • Dental Gold X'/ainexoiffe 770-532-2592 1020 Jesse Jewell Pkwy. • Gainesville, GA Mon. - Thurs. 10-6:30 • Fri. - Sat. 10-7 FISH DAY • 4-6” Catfish $35.00 per 100 • 6-8” Catfish $55.00 per 100 • 8-11” Catfish $89.00 per 100 To purchase 8-11” catfish, you must bring your own container and water (Too big to bag]. Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Hybrid Blue Gill, Rear Ear Sun Perch, Minnows, Koi, Grass Carp Thursday, May 29 • 5-6 p.m. Maddox Feed • 1915 Winder Hwy. Jefferson, GA 706-367-9207 596-3061 • No Pre-Orders Necessary! Just show up! Tommy’s Fish Truck • 501-796-6349 www.pondandlakestocking.com Clot & More We are turning back the hands of time with yesterday’s prices! Name Brand Discounts Women’s • Men’s • Children’s Designer Clothing Polo - Liz - Jones - Laura Ashley - Old Navy & More! Now Renting Space For Your Items You Price & Stock - We Sell & Give You The $$$ For as little as $5/week. No long term commitment! You Will Never Pay Retail Prices Again! 1249 Historic Homer Hwy. (The Homer Shopping Center) 706-677-4098 EXPERIENCED Re-Elect Gene Hart Chairman • Banks County Commission Experienced in County Management: • County-wide Budgeting • Departmental Supervision • Public Relations • Planning • Promoting Banks County Keep the Continuity of Banks County Government Vote for GENE HART I would appreciate your vote and the opportunity to continue progress in Banks County serving as your Chairman of the Banks County Board of Commissioners. Questions/Concerns? Contact Information: 706-340-0825 (C) or gene@bcrp.org Baldwin receives special use permit request Lula awards paving bids for several city streets Food distribution set at Homer American Legion Thursday