Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2008
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 3A
County budget stands at $14.5 million
Only one citizen attends public hearings last week
BY JUSTIN POOLE
AND ANGELA GARY
Two budget hearings were held
on the $14.5 million county budget
last week but there was little citizen
input.
The Banks County Board of
Commissioners held public hearings
at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday. No
citizens attended the morning hear
ing, and only one person attended
the evening hearing. Several elected
officials and county staff were at
both meetings.
The projected budget is up almost
six percent over the current budget.
Commissioners state “cost of liv
ing” expenses and rising insurance
costs are the main increases in the
budget.
BOC chairman Gene Hart added
that there will be no millage rate
increase.
The BOC will adopt the bud
get when it meets at 6:30 p.m. on
Monday, Aug. 12.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the Thursday
morning meeting, the BOC dis
cussed the lack of adequate wiring
in the old elementary school. The
elementary school is going to serve
as the temporary courthouse while
renovations are completed at the
current facility.
Ansley Communication Group
prepared a bid to spend a maximum
of $11,300 to update the neces
sary wiring that would allow for
phones, fax and other communica
tion needed for the courts to operate.
The bid was approved with Hart and
commissioner Rickey Cain voting
in favor of it. Joe Barefoot was not
present for the meeting.
The courthouse will be closed
Friday, August 15, and Monday,
Aug. 18, for the move.
Sheriff encourages safety with start of school
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Banks County Sheriff Charles
Chapman said with the new school
year beginning Friday, county driv
ers should use patience and caution
while venturing to and from their
usual destinations.
"Beginning Friday, morning traf
fic is going to be greater than
usual,” Chapman said. “The buses
will be back on the road and young
people will be driving to school. I
encourage everyone to leave their
homes in plenty of time to get to
their destinations on time.”
Patience will be a key for all area
drivers with school traffic once
again being a factor during morn
ing and afternoon drives, the sher
iff said.
“It will take several days to get
adjusted to school being back in,”
Chapman said. "Unless you live
in Homer, it is hard to imagine
the amount of traffic going to the
schools. It will take the coopera
tion of everyone to make things
run smooth. The sheriff’s office
will do everything it can to help
with traffic.”
Maysville council approves first phase of well project
BY JUSTIN POOLE
Maysville City Council is prepar
ing to move ahead with a well water
development project.
At Monday’s meeting, the council
approved Chip McGaughey from
EMI to proceed with the first phase
of a five-phase well development
program. The total cost will be
approximately $404,000. The proj
ect is estimated to be completed in
18 months.
The council wants to pay for the
project as the funds are available and
as the different phases of the project
become ready.
According to McGaughey, the first
phase is for a hydro-geologist to
locate potential well sites and to
contact the property owners and
have the city work on gaining access
to the locations. Depending on the
cooperation of property owners, the
first phase could be complete in as
little as two months.
Council member Stephen Lewis
asked McGaughey if the city could
pay for the project as each phase
came up. McGaughey said that that
could be done so that the city can
keep SPLOST money to use on a
water treatment pond.
In other business at Monday’s
meeting, the council:
•prior to the council meeting,
council members Clay Dorsey,
Lewis and Villyard and Mayor Jerry
Baker met with Steve Nichols, direc
tor of Jackson County Emergency
Services, about using the rescue
building for some water department
storage.
•changed next month’s meeting to
September 8, due to Labor Day.
•accepted a bid for the installation
of roof-lights, strobes and decals
onto the water department’s Ford
Ranger. The bid was from LaPrade
Government Sales for $1,125. An
opposing bid from Force 911 was
also looked at for $1,280.
•approved an increase of mile
age reimbursement for employees to
58.5 cents per mile.
•approved increase in the budget
for the fire department of $2,000 for
fuel cost.
•approved the mayor to sign a
quick claim deed for the opening
and exit for the Community Bank
and Trust location.
The council also learned that
Community Bank should open the
second or third week in September
and that there will be an ATM on
site.
•approved the Banks County
Hazard Mitigation Plan.
•authorized the mayor and clerk to
submit an application for a GEFA
grant for a new water supply.
•approved the removal of an inac
tive member on the planning and
zoning board. No replacement was
named.
•tabled discussion about the busi
ness license for Debbie Akins, owner
of Calidonna Salon & Spa, until the
council has a chance to meet with
the owner.
•heard an update from Melody
Stancil about the DDA. The town’s
website should be up by September
1 and the URL will be cityofmaysvil-
lega.org.
•heard reports from each council
member present.
Meetings citizens can attend in Banks County
Nearing completion
WORK CONTINUES
Workers are shown finishing up the main entrance to the new Banks County Annex Building.
Work continues this week for the opening planned on August 22. Banks County Administrative
Assistant Angela Sheppard said, “There is a lot going on out there this week.” Furniture was to
be delivered on Monday, Aug. 4, and the landscaping crew started the landscaping on Monday,
also, Sheppard said. Photo by Sharon Hogan
Banks County courts are relocating
BY SHARON HOGAN
All Banks County court offices,
including Superior Court, clerk of
court, Magistrate Court, Probate
Court and the District Attorney’s
office, are relocating their offices to
335 Evans Street, Homer, beginning
Tuesday, Aug. 19.
All court offices will be closed
on Friday, Aug. 15, and Monday,
Aug. 18. The courts will resume
normal operations on Tuesday, Aug.
19, at the new location. The courts
will be accepting critical court fil
ings on Friday, Aug. 15, at the cur
rent Banks County courthouse loca
tion on Yonah-Homer Road and on
Monday, Aug. 18, at the new loca
tion on Evans Street.
This is the first step in the move
for the court offices. Once the cur
rent courthouse location has been
remodeled the offices will move
back into the courthouse on Yonah-
Homer Road.
All the county offices will be relo
cating to the new annex building one
week later. This move is scheduled
for August 22. More details will be
released on this next week.
Sloppy Joe's not using county vehicle
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The emergency vehicle currently
seen near Sloppy Joe’s mudbog is
not one in use by Banks County,
chairman Gene Hart said earlier this
week.
In fact, the vehicle had been sur-
plused and was sold at auction to
the operators of Sloppy Joe’s, the
chairman said.
“The Banks County emblem was
supposed to be taken off the back of
it,” Hart said Monday. “However, it
was not before they took possession
of it. However, it was legally sold
and we have all the proper docu
mentation. It is no longer a county
vehicle.”
One citizen contacted The Banks
County News inquiring why a pri
vate business was using an emer
gency vehicle to advertise its opera
tion on.
“This vehicle is no longer respond
ing to any calls,” Hart said. “We
will get the Banks County emblem
removed or have them remove it.”
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 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.,
second Tuesday of each month at
city hall.
•Banks County Board of
Commissioners 6:30 p.m. second
Tuesday of each month at the
Let us know your story ideas
Have an interesting story to share? Do you have a unique hobby?
If so, we would like to know.
Contact Angie Gary, editor of The Banks County News, at 706-367-2490
or e-mail information to her at AngieEditor@aol.com.
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Banks County annual Holiday Festival planned
courthouse. 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., sec
ond Tuesday of each month at
city hall.
•LulaCity 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, 1:30p.m., thirdMonday
The 36th annual Banks County
Holiday Festival will be held
Friday-Sunday, Aug. 29-31, in
downtown Homer.
The theme of the festival will be
“Celebrating Banks County’s 150
years.”
Booths will open at various times
on Friday, Aug. 29. The Holman
Autry Band will perform at 7:30
p.m.
On Saturday, booths will be open
all day. A parade will be held at 10
a.m. Former board of commission
chairman Milton Patterson, who
served from 1986-1997, will be
the chairman.
Entertainment on Saturday after
noon will be provided by the Banks
County Band and Majorettes, 11
a.m.; the Banks County Twirlers,
noon; doggers, 1 p.m.; square
dancers, 1:30 p.m., Redemption
Outreach Dance Team, 2 p.m.;
karaoke, hula hoop, limbo and
other activities, 3 p.m.; cakewalk,
4 p.m.; Marcus Dobbs, 5 p.m. and
Peggie Hoskins and Vertigo, 7:30
p.m.
On Sunday, Aug. 31, gospel
music will be provided by The
Browns, Georgia and The Reggie
Saddler Family.
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.
Keep
Banks
beautiful!
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• The Jackson Herald • The Commerce News • The Braselton News
• The Banks County News • The Madison County Journal
JEFFERSON
IIP AMERICAN LEGION
Albert Gordon Post 56
Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Harvie Lance, Commander
Phone (706) 654-1274 3io
White Plains Baptist Church
Faith Bible Class meets every Sunday morning
at 10:00 a.m. It is a place where strangers
become friends and friends become family.
706-367-5650
White Plains Baptist Church
3650 Hwy. 124 West, Jefferson, GA 30549
The Jackson Co. Republican Party
Would like you to meet us for
breakfast the second Sat. of each
month, 8:00 at The Jefferson
House. For more information, call
706-652-2967 or email
fishyglass@yahoo.com Pd.n/os
BANKS COUNTY
®|I AMERICAN LEGION
Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 pd.06/09
rpfe VETERANS OF
FOREIGN WARS
Post 4872, Hurricane Shoals Convention Ctr.
Each 4th Monday, 7:00 p.m.
Mike Buffington, Commander
Phone 706-335-6532 263
JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB
Meets 2nd & 4th Monday
Jefferson City Clubhouse
6:30 p.m. *(706) 387-1156
Mack Cates, President
542
UNITY LODGE
F& A.M.
No. 36, Jefferson, GA
1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.
Dwight Wier • 706-367-5882
Borders St. behind Tabo’s 260
JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB
Meets Tuesdays
Jefferson City Clubhouse
12:30 p.m. • (706) 367-7696
Gina Mitsdarffer, President
547
A COMMERCE
W AMERICAN LEGION
Commerce Rec. Dept. Post 93
Carson Street - 1st Mon. night
Each Month, 7:30 p.m.
335-6400
Citizens Organized for
Pipeline Safety
investigating the health risks to citizens from
underground pipelines and booster stations in
Madison Co. Meetings 6:30 p.m. at the Colbert
Grove Baptist Church the 2nd Thurs. of each
month. 706-783-4702. Pd.04/09