Newspaper Page Text
Sports: IB
Scenes from
baseball camp
Community: I2A
North Georgia
pottery on display
June 25,2008
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. 46
— Meet the candidates 2008: General Primary Election
- Banks County Board of Commissioners chairman -
office and asked
those in atten
dance at a forum
last Thursday to allow him the oppor
tunity to serve another term.
Challenger Milton Dalton expressed
to those in attendance at the forum
sponsored by the Banks County
Chamber of Commerce that he has the
ability to lead the county for the next
four years.
“Being the chairman of a growing
county is a challenge,” Hart said. “The
individual must possess the education,
training, temperament and patience for
the job. Regardless of how this election
comes out, I will work as hard as I pos
sibly can the next six months to make
the county improve.”
Hart said if re-elected he would con
tinue on that path for the next four
Banks County chairman Gene Hart
highlighted several accomplishments
of his first term in
Candidates stress qualifications
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
CHAIRMAN CANDIDATES
Gene Hart (left) and Milton Dalton are running for Banks County
Board of Commissioners chairman in the upcoming July 15
Republican primary. The winner will serve in the position for the
next four years. The two addressed voters at a Banks County
Chamber of Commerce sponsored forum last Thursday night at
Banks County High School.
years as well.
During his first term in office, Hart
said three budgets have been approved
with no tax increase on citizens. In
addition property tax assessments
are now being sent out on time, the
fire department and EMS have been
expanded and new industry is being
courted to the county. In addition, the
water system has been expanded and
a $5 million grant has been secured for
the county for future water projects.
Hart said if re-elected he would con
tinue to control spending and work
with the growth of the county.
Challenger Dalton said he is a native
of Banks County and has been a busi
ness owner for two decades and has
experience working for the sheriff’s
department.
Dalton was probate judge for more
than 20 years.
“I have worked with budgets,”
Dalton said.
If elected, the challenger said he
would stress that all elected officials
and department heads work together.
“I would want to keep the budget as
low as possible,” Dalton said.
Water is also a key issue for the future
of the county, the challenger said.
In addition, the Martin Bridge area
should remain for industry.
Lula council moves ahead with plans for Veterans Park
BY SHARON HOGAN
The Lula City Council is moving forward with plans for
a town park.
The council agreed unanimously at its June 16 meeting to
spend $37,500 to pre-order a fountain to be installed in the
city’s Veterans Park. The total purchase price of the fountain
is $74,900. The balance of $37,400 will be due in one year.
City Manager Dennis Bergin said the company will charge
$18,000 for the electrical components and a re-stocking fee
of 25 percent.
“The price of $74,900 is for the fountain only,” Bergin
said. “This does not cover the cost of installation.”
The city will be responsible for the installation of the foun
tain, Bergin said. Mayor Milton Turner said the fountain will
not be installed during Phase 1 of the project. The city will be
spending $200,000 on the first phase to cover site preparation
and brick work.
continued on page 3A
LULA’S PROPOSED VETERANS PARK
Lula council members reviewed the plans for the proposed Veterans Park at a recent
council meeting. The proposed park will have a centrally-located fountain. The coun
cil planned the park to attract people to the downtown area. Photo by Sharon Hogan
Ongoing investigation leads to seven arrests
The Banks County Sheriff’s
Office charged seven people with
selling drugs on Monday following
an ongoing investigation in which
undercover officers made buys from
all of the suspects.
Sheriff Charles Chapman reports
that those arrested Monday and
booked into the Banks County Jail
on drug charges were:
•Charles Edward Bryant, 63,
Commerce, two counts of sale of
cocaine and two counts of sale of
marijuana.
•Alexander Andy Bryant, 17,
Commerce, two counts of sale of
cocaine and two counts of sale of
marijuana.
•Sheronica Barrette, 29,
Commerce, two counts of sale of
cocaine and two counts of sale of
marijuana.
•Larry James Barrett, 41, Homer,
sale of methamphetamine.
•Tony Thomas Hill, 32, Commerce,
sale of methadone.
•Kathy Shavonne McDuffie, 38,
for drug sales
Commerce, sale of cocaine.
•Cedric Lamar Cheeks, 38, Homer,
two counts of sale of cocaine and
two counts of sale of cocaine within
1,000 feet of a school.
Chapman also reports that war
rants have been taken for another
person for the sale of methamphet-
amine.
coming up July 15 —
- Banks County Sheriff -
RUNNING FOR SHERIFF
Carlton Speed (left) and Charles Chapman will square off in the
Republican primary for sheriff July 15. With no Democratic chal
lenger, the winner of the Republican primary will serve Banks
County the next four years as sheriff. Speed and Chapman
addressed voters at a forum last Thursday.
Sheriff candidates map out
plans for county's future safety
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The incumbent sheriff and his
primary challenger addressed a
group of Banks County voters dur
ing a forum last Thursday night
emphasizing the need to stay ahead
of crime as the county continues
to grow.
Incumbent Charles Chapman,
who has served as sheriff since
1996, said he first sought the job
to do a fair and honest job for the
citizens.
“I have spent half my life in
this county,” Chapman said. “The
office of sheriff is different in the
way it operates. It is a 24-7 job
which goes on 365 days a year.”
Chapman noted the growth Banks
County has seen since he took
office in 1996. He noted he makes
sure his officers keep informed on
any new changes in the law.
“I would like to see the depart
ment develop as it has in recent
years,” Chapman said. “We work
with other local law enforcement
agencies and other state agencies.
Our website is up and running. The
main challenge we face is contin
ued growth and the demand that
comes with it.”
Challenger Carlton Speed is on
a leave of absence from the Hall
County Sheriff’s Department while
he campaigns for Banks County
Sheriff. He has 15 years of law
More candidates:
- see page 2A for more from the forum
•Piedmont Judicial Circuit
District Attorney
•Banks County Tax Commisisoner
•State and U.S. posts
enforcement experience and admit
ted it would be an “eye-opening
experience” if he were elected
sheriff.
If elected, he said he would
immediately do an audit of the
entire department and see what
areas need to be addressed. Speed
said he would see which areas of
the county have the highest call
rates.
Speed said an increased visibility
of the sheriff’s office in the com
munity would be a focus.
“I would like for the sheriff’s
department to be proactive rather
than reactive,” Speed said.
The challenger is a Banks County
resident with four children in the
local school system. Speed noted
he has a vested interest in the
safety and future of the county.
Speed also said he would seek
state grants to obtain additional
funds for the sheriff’s department.
News - 2-3A
•BJC surgeon resigns
— page 3A
•Family Connection
seeks school supplies
— page 3A
Op/Ed
• ‘Would trade curls for
straight hair’
— page 4A
Other news
•Social News — pages 6-8B
•School News — pages 10-11A
•Public Safety — page 7A
•Legals — pages 4-5B
• Church — page 9A
• Obituaries — page 8A
— Alto —
Mayor urges citizens of Alto
to continue to conserve water
BY SHARON HOGAN
Alto Mayor Audrey Turner expressed
her concern over water use in the city
at the monthly council meeting on
Tuesday, June 10.
Turner said all of the city’s wells
are on at this time and citizens have
stopped conserving water.
“Please back off on water use,” she
said.
The city is currently under the state
water use guidelines. The current out
door watering schedule is the odd even
system. Odd numbered addresses may
water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Sundays. Even numbered addresses
are allowed to water on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Saturdays. Watering
is only allowed from midnight until 10
a.m. for 25 minute time-limits. This is
hand-watering only - no sprinklers or
soaker hoses are allowed.
Turner said it will be up to the citizens
to report illegal outdoor water use.
continued on page 3A
Homer fireworks planned July 4
The annual fireworks display in Homer will be held on Friday, July 4, at dark
(approximately 9:30 p.m.). The Homer Fire Department is the event sponsor.
The new location for the fireworks will be at Banks County High School,
located at 1486-A Historic Homer Highway in Homer.
BANKS COUNTY CHAMBER MEMBERS TAKE TO THE TRACK
Several members of the Banks County Chamber of Commerce tried out the go-carts at the grand
opening celebration of Funopolis Family Fun Center on Friday. Shown (L to R) are: Tara Fulcher,
chamber director, Beau Sheppard and Blaine Jones. Photo by Sharon Hogan