Sports: IB
Leopard linemen
capture first place
Features: 6B
Mystery excursion
a great get-away
— www.BanksNewsTODAY.com —
Baldwin qualifying
set for next week
The City of Baldwin will hold quali
fying for the Sept. 16 special election to
fill the unexpired term of mayor begin
ning on Monday, July 21, and continu
ing through Wednesday, July 23.
Qualifying will be held Monday
through Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break
beginning at 12:30 p.m. The qualifying
fee is $35.
The last day to register to vote in the
Sept. 16 election is Monday, August 18.
Qualifying and the special election will
be held at the Baldwin City Hall located
at 130 Airport Road, Baldwin.
The election follows the resignation
of long-time mayor Mark Reed.
School supplies
event coming up
Thurs. in Homer
Banks County Family Connection
will hold its school supplies event from
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, July
17, in the park in downtown Homer.
School supplies will be provided to stu
dents who are enrolled in Banks County
schools.
There will also be free hot dogs
and drinks. A variety of games and
entertainment has been planned for the
families.
For more information, contact Robin
Trotter at 706-677-1303.
Get e-mail alert
when Banks
website updated
Be sure to sign up to get an e-mail
alert every time something is added to
The Banks County News website.
The new website, www.
BanksNewsTODAY.com, is updated
several times each week with the latest
information about what is going on in
Banks County. Updates are often posted
on a daily basis.
“This gives our readers the ability to
find out the latest about what is going on
in their community,” said editor Angela
Gary. “This is a new venture for us and
we appreciate any comments and input
on the process.”
To sign up to be notified when the site
is updated, go to the top of the page and
click on “email alert” and sign up.
The new BanksNewsTODAY.com
site will also allow viewers to add com
ments to articles. Input on the new
website may be sent to the editor at
AngieEditor@aol.com.
News -2-3A
•Maysville in the black
in 2007 — page 2A
•County recognized as
StormReady — page 3A
• ‘FISA bill an assault on
civil liberties’ — page 4A
Other news
' Social News — pages 9-11A
' School News — page 7B
' Public Safety — page 6A
• Legals — pages 4-5B
1 Church — page 8A
1 Obituaries — page 7A
Dalton cruises to victory
Chapman holds on for another term as sheriff
SPREADING THE NEWS
Milton Dalton begins getting the news to his supporters Tuesday night that he will be the new com
mission chairman in January. Dalton won a landslide election against incumbent Gene Hart in the
Republican primary taking almost 75 percent of the vote. Photo by Chris Bridges
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Banks County will have a new com
mission chairman in January as Milton
Dalton easily won the Republican pri
mary against incumbent Gene Hart.
Dalton compiled almost 75 per
cent of the vote
compared to
for Hart, who is
nearing completion of his first term.
The challenger received 2,029 voters
compared to 680 for Hart.
Dalton took the lead early in the
night and never looked back carrying
all 14 districts including absentees.
“I want to thank the people for their
support,” said Dalton, a former Banks
County probate judge. “I look forward
to getting to work in January.”
Hart was not in the courtroom
Tuesday night as the votes were being
posted. Hart will continue to serve as
chairman through December.
Approximately 37 percent of regis
tered Banks County voters went to
their respective precincts for the pri
mary.
There is no Democratic candidate
in the race so Tuesday’s Republican
primary decides the outcome.
Banks voters elected incumbent
sheriff Charles Chapman to another
term Tuesday night as he held off
challenger Carlton Speed. Chapman
compiled 1,494 votes (55.09 percent)
to Speed’s 1,218 votes (44.91 per
cent). Chapman has served as sheriff
since 1996.
“I’m glad it’s over,” Chapman said
after receiving well wishes from seve
ral supporters late Tuesday night. “As
I’ve said the other times I’ve been for
tunate enough to be elected, I am truly
humbled and thankful for the citizens
for giving me another term. This was
a good race and I ran against a good
opponent. I am glad to be where I am
this evening.”
Chapman, who was joined at the
courthouse by family members and
supporters, said he would have liked
to see a higher turnout of voters
Tuesday.
“I am thankful for those who
encouraged me along the way,” the
sheriff said. “This race was closer
than some. I look forward to serving
the people four more years. We will
do everything we can to serve the
continued on page 12A
— District Attorney —
Sikes, Smith
headed for
DA runoff
District Attorney candidate Donna
Sikes made a point of her opponents’
past work for former disgraced dis
trict attorney Tim
Madison dur
ing the Primary
campaign and
Tuesday night,
it appeared her
strategy had an
impact. Sikes
led the three-per
son race with a
cumulative 5 129 RESULTS /N
votes and will be „ „ , .
„ ., Donna Golden
m a run-off with Sjkes js shown
former Assistant after the results
District Attorney came jn for the
Brad Smith, who district attor _
garnered 4,820 ney’s race,
votes.
Incumbent Rick Bridgeman, who
was appointed to the post last year
by the governor after the resignation
of Madison, finished last in the race
with 4,666 votes.
Both candidates are already mak
ing plans on how to come out on top
in the Aug. 5 run-off election.
“I’m just thankful I have led —
even by a narrow margin,” Sikes said
continued on page 12A
BOE may act on assistant principal case
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Banks County Board of
Education may take action on the case
of Lori Rylee at one of its two meetings
this month.
The BOE is scheduled to hold a work
session Thursday and its regular July
meeting Monday. Rylee, an assistant
principal at Banks County Elementary
School, was placed on leave with pay
for two weeks earlier this summer for
allegedly forcing male fifth grade stu
dents to drink from a water fountain
which may have had urine poured in it.
Tests done on the fountain showed no
bacteria was present. Rylee was placed
on leave with pay from May 16-June
2 and has been back at work since.
With the school year being over, she
has had an overall light work schedule,
her attorney Michael Daniel said last
week.
Superintendent Chris Erwin said last
week he did not foresee any action
being taken before the July meetings.
A group of fifth grade students’ par
ents have asked that Rylee be fired for
her actions in the incident. They say
her actions, which included telling the
students not to speak of the incident,
are grounds for dismissal. They have
also asked for training of teachers to
better question authority when it comes
to seeing incidents of this nature take
place.
The Banks County School System
has employed Rylee for 13 years,
including two as an administrator. The
incident has generated a great deal of
publicity including coverage on Atlanta
television stations and other area media
outlets.
Alto council approves fire contract with Baldwin
BY SHARON HOGAN
Alto City Council members unanimously approved the
city’s annual fire contract with the City of Baldwin at
Tuesday night’s, July 8, council meeting.
The contract price will be $67.39 per structure for the
Baldwin Fire Department to provide protection to homes
located in Alto. This price equals out to 93 cents per month
per structure for the fire service.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at Tuesday’s meeting, the council:
•unanimously agreed to cancel the city’s current contract
with Utility Service Company on cleaning the water tanks.
The annual cost is $20,075. The city has been contracting
with this company for 20 years, but in the past couple of
years they have been sending crews to do the work that
have left messes at the tanks for the city employees to
clean up. The city has received a quote from The Leary
Construction Co., Inc., for $20,230 annually, for a 10-year
term fixed beginning January 1, 2009.
•received copies of the city’s annual audit for the year
ended December 31, 2007. The audit was done by Ed
K. Burton, LLC Certified Public Accountants, Toccoa.
Alto Finance Officer Lisa Turner went over the audit with
the council. The audit shows a total net assets amount of
$1,854,547 for both the general fund and the water fund as
of December 31, 2007. The city’s general fund net assets
balance as of Dec. 31 was $ 167,204 and the water fund net
assets balance was $1,550,219.
The next regularly scheduled council meeting will be
held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12, at city hall.
PLENTY OF BOXES,
MOVING SUPPLIES
Items are being boxed up for moving at
the Banks County Courthouse. Judicial
offices will relocate to the old Banks
County Elementary School while the
current courthouse is being renovated.
The remaining current courthouse per
sonnel will move into the new admin
istrative building off Thompson Street,
which will be completed later this sum
mer. The packing process is now under
way. Photo by Chris Bridges
4
*ri\
j
£
County, R&B landfill in
dispute over Poole Rd.
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Banks County officials are trying
to settle a dispute with R&B Landfill
concerning ownership of Poole
Road.
The issue concerns whether the
road is public or private. The county
says it is public while landfill officials
contend it is private.
During last week’s July meet
ing, county attorney Randall Frost
announced following a 10-minute
closed session that the county will try
to get landfill officials to concede that
Poole Road is indeed public since it
has been maintained by the county
for more than seven years. If this
fails, the county will file a “declara
tory judgment action for the court to
determine if Poole Road is public,”
Frost said.
In other action at the July 8 meet
ing, which last approximately 25
minutes, the BOC:
•learned the Justice Department
has officially approved the county
to hold its binding referendum this
November on increasing the number
of commissioners from three to five.
The referendum will be on the Nov. 4
general election ballot.
•awarded a patching contract for
work on Damascus Road to Stratmon
and Sons for $46,775. The Camesville-
based company presented the county
with the lowest bid for the project for
the 2.1 miles of work.
•agreed to pay Georgia Power
$44,000 for a lighting contract for
work at the new annex building. The
work will be for security lighting
from Eagles Nest Road to the park
ing lot area. Chairman Gene Hart
said money is available for the work
and explained to the board he need
ed authorization to sign the contract
when Georgia Power became ready to
do the work which could be as soon
as a few days.
•agreed to pay Ansley
Communications $34,085 to install
the new phone system at the renovat
ed courthouse and $16,275 for cable
work during the renovation process.
Homer water restrictions given
BY SHARON HOGAN
Homer City Council Member Jerry
Payne said at the meeting on Tuesday
night, July 8, that residents need to be
reminded of the watering restrictions.
“We have people watering at times
when they should not be,” Payne
said.
Homer residents may hand-water
existing landscape between midnight
and 10 a.m. on designated days based
on odd-numbered and even-numbered
addresses for no more than 25 min
utes.
Odd-numbered addresses may
water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Sundays. Even-numbered addresses
may water on Mondays, Wednesdays
and Saturdays.
Hand-watering is defined as one
person with one garden hose with a
spray nozzle that shuts off automati
cally when it is released.
In other business at the meeting
on Tuesday, the council announced a
work session meeting to be held at 6
p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 5, to discuss
the rural water plan.
