Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1 3, 2008
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PACE 3A
Baldwin looks at millage rate increase
DISCUSSES MILLAGE RATE
Andrea Harper addressed the Baldwin City Council about the .25 mils increase
to the millage rate during the council meeting Monday. Photos by Justin Poole
BY JUSTIN POOLE
The City of Baldwin held
the first reading on the millage
rate during Monday's council
meeting.
The council proposes increas
ing the millage rate by .25 mils
and to use the increase in rev
enue to pay off city debt and
to set aside a cushion fund for
emergencies.
Baldwin resident Andrea
Harper expressed to the coun
cil that raising taxes was not a
good way to reduce debt.
The proposed increase would
raise the millage rate for city
residents on the Banks County
side to 3.83 mills and for
residents on the Habersham
County side to 8.25 mills.
Banks County residents will
also receive the homestead
exemption unless the county
stops providing that exemp
tion.
The council accepted the first
reading of the millage rate.
The Baldwin council will
hold a public hearing during
the second reading on the mill-
age rate.
OTHER BUSINESS
Also during Monday's coun
cil meeting the council:
•approved an Eagle Scout
Project for Zach Slaton
to replace the fence at the
Roadside Park. The city will
handle tearing down the old
fence and boring new post-
holes with Slaton replacing the
posts and building back a fence
in time for Christmas decora
tions.
•approved $354.64 from
SPLOST funds for the street
department to purchase a cut
ting edge for the flat bucket.
•approved changing the
December work session date to
Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m.
•approved the Christmas tree
lighting at 6:30 p.m., Nov. 29,
at Roadside Park. A rain date
was scheduled for Dec. 6.
•tabled discussion about the
purchase of materials for Phase
2 of the water meter replace
ment since it was not discussed
during a work session.
Items that were discussed at
Thursday's work session but
were not placed on Monday’s
agenda include the city’s web
site, discussion of business
licenses and multi-businesses,
and abandonment of White
EAGLE SCOUT
Zach Slaton presents to
the Baldwin council his
plan to earn Eagle Scout.
BOC approves $39,950 for courthouse projects
BY SHARON HOGAN
The Banks County Board
of Commissioners agreed in
a called meeting on Nov. 5 to
spend an additional $39,950
on the renovation at the coun
ty courthouse and at the new
Banks County Courthouse
Annex.
Allison Reynolds and Keith
Grier, Turner Construction,
presented the additional costs
to the commissioners at last
week's meeting.
The money will fund addi
tional electrical outlets at the
tag clerk area at the annex
building; changing the con
ference room door and mail-
room door at the annex build
ing; a change in some of the
cabinetry at the courthouse;
the addition of an elevator
exhaust fan and floor drain
in the new elevator from the
sally port to the courtroom
at the courthouse; making
some change to the district
attorney suites and reception
area at the courthouse; add
ing a security lock bench in
the prisoner holding area at
the courthouse; and adding
power outlets for the vending
machine to be used by the
general public at the court
house.
County administrator
Angela Sheppard said the
funds to cover the change
orders would come out of the
contingency fund.
CHANGE ORDERS APPROVED
Banks County Administrative Officer Angela Shep
pard (L) explains change orders for renovation work
at the courthouse. Also shown (L to R) are: Allison
Reynolds and Keith Grier, Turner Construction; Gene
Hart, board of commissioners chairman, Joe Bare
foot and Rickey Cain, commissioners; and Stoney
Harness, building inspector. Photo by Sharon Hogan
Courthouse annex open
house planned for Nov. 23
BOC reverses action
Agrees to pay for extra
power outlets at annex
Banks County is having an
open house for the new Banks
County Courthouse Annex on
Sunday, November 23, from 2
p.m. until 4 p.m.
The public is welcome to
drop-in during these hours and
take a tour of the new building.
The entire Annex facility will
be open for the tour.
A recognition and dedica
tion ceremony will begin at 2
p.m. Light refreshments will
be served.
The Banks County
Courthouse Annex opened for
business on August 26. It was
constructed using proceeds
from the Special Purpose Local
Option Sales Tax (SPLOST).
The following offices
are located in the building:
Board of Commissioners, Tax
Commissioner, Tax Assessors,
Public Utilities, Planning
and Development, Voter
Registration, Technology and
a satellite office for the Natural
Resources Conservation
Service.
The Banks County
Courthouse Annex is located
at 150 Hudson Ridge. From
Thompson Street, turn onto
Hudson Valley Drive (former
ly Eagles Nest) and then turn
right onto Hudson Ridge.
The County proudly invites
all Banks County citizens to
tour this new facility.
BY ANGELA GARY
In the past week, the Banks
County Board of Commissioners
first voted not to pay $3,134
for extra power outlets at the
new annex building, and then
reversed the action and voted in
favor of the action.
At a meeting on Wednesday,
Nov. 5, the commissioners did
not approve the recommended
additional charge for six electri
cal circuit lines in the coffee sta
tions at the courthouse to accom
modate mini-refrigerators. Both
Joe Barefoot and Rickey Cain
said at this meeting that they did
not feel this is necessary.
At a meeting Tuesday, Nov.
11, the matter was again on the
agenda. It was reported that the
building inspector looked at the
matter and determined that the
extra outlets are needed to meet
the county code. Gene Hart and
Cain then voted in favor of
the action. Barefoot again voted
against the matter.
“I will not support that,”
Barefoot said. ‘‘I consider this
charge to be unnecessary and
exorbitant. I believe some of
those coffee stations would save
the taxpayers money if they
were operated without refrig
erators.”
Tax bills won't be sent in time for payments this year
BY ANGELA GARY
Tax commissioner Margaret
Ausburn reported to the board
of commissioners Monday
night that tax bills won't be
sent out in time for prop
erty taxes to be collected this
year.
Instead, she is asking the
department of revenue to
allow property owners to
make “voluntary” payments
based on the same taxes as
last year. The property own
ers would then be billed for
any additional taxes when
bills are sent in early 2009.
If bills are sent out in
January, they will be due 60
days later which could make
it as late as March before the
taxes are due.
On a related matter, Ausburn
is petitioning the court for a
temporary collection order to
collect tag fees in January.
The fees would be based on
last year’s rate.
Firefighters honored
by commissioners
BY ANGELA GARY
Firefighter Appreciation
Month was recognized by
the Banks County Board
of Commissioners Tuesday
night. The month is observed
during the month of
November.
Commissioner Joe Barefoot
read a proclamation honoring
the county's firefighters and
it was passed unanimously
by the BOC. He said the vol
unteers show “extraordinary
caliber of character and cour
age in the face of danger.”
“These brave men and
women routinely risk their
lives in unpredictable and
volatile situations to ensure
the safety of their communi
ties and fellow citizens,” the
proclamation reads.
The proclamation also
recognized the support fire
fighters give to the Muscular
Dystrophy Association,
including Banks County
firefighters who have raised
$30,000 for the organiza
tion.
“Firefighters in Banks
County donate their time
and energy to the Muscular
Dystrophy Association,”
Barefoot said.
BOC again deadlocked
on Ward's planning post
BY ANGELA GARY
Appointments to county
boards are usually routine
matters with those willing
to serve again often being
reappointed.
This is not the case with
one seat on the B anks County
Planning Commission with
action being postponed two
times by the board of com
missioners.
At the October meeting,
BOC chairman Gene Hart
and Joe Barefoot didn’t
agree on how the seat now
held by Albert Ward is to be
filled. Ward has reportedly
said that he would like to be
reappointed.
At last month's meeting,
Hart recommended that
Linda Cochran fill the seat
on the planning commis
sion. Barefoot did not sec
ond this and he then made
a motion that Ward be reap
pointed. When this motion
didn’t receive a second, the
matter was postponed.
Rickey Cain was absent
from that meeting in
October and action was
postponed until the full
board was present. At the
November monthly meeting
on Tuesday, all three BOC
members were present but
there still was not a consen
sus on filling the seat.
Hart again made a motion
that Cochran be appointed.
No one seconded the motion
and Cain made a motion
that the issue remain on the
agenda until a later date.
Filling Sammy Reese's
seat on the planning com
mission has also been on
the agenda at the October
and November BOC meet
ings. No action has been
taken on this matter either.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the
meeting Tuesday night, the
BOC:
•voted against abandoning
Robin’s Nest Road after two
people asked that the road
be a county road. Among
the concerns aired about
abandoning the road were
that it would landlock prop
erty, property values would
decrease and safety issues.
•approved a request from
Charles Hooper for a condi
tional use permit to operate
an automobile repair shop
on 23.6 acres on Hwy. 51
South.
Homer meeting re-scheduled
The Homer City Council meeting set for Tuesday night
was not held because of a lack of a quorum.
Those present at the meeting were: Mayor Doug Cheek
and council members Chris Tucker and Sandra Garrison.
Council members Jerry Payne, Betty Borders and Kevin
Cape were not present.
Mayor Cheek recessed Tuesday's council meeting due to
the lack of a quorum and announced that it will re-convene
at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at city hall.
Early deadline set for holiday
Due to the Thanksgiving
holiday, the deadline for
submitting church, social
and school news to The
Banks County News has
been moved to Friday, Nov.
21, at 5 p.m.
Any items received after
the deadline may not be
published.
The Banks County News
office will be closed on
Thursday, Nov. 27, and
Friday, Nov. 28, for the
Thanksgiving holiday.
Items may be e-mailed
to angela@mainstreet-
news.com or faxed to
706-367-9355.
On a typical produc
tion week, the deadline to
submit church, school and
social items is noon on
Mondays.
THANK YOU BANKS COUNTY
Tkanl? you for all your support and overwkelming encouragement in
tkis election. You will never know kow muck it kas meant to me.
Tkrougkout tkis campaign many of you kave keen praying and I myself
kave also prayed for God’s will. We k ave kad a clean and positive race and I
kave kad complete peace concerning tke outcome. I kelieve God is still in
control an d His will kas keen done. We worked kard and I koped to win
tkis election, kut I know He kas some otker plan for me at tkis time.
I congratulate Margaret for ker victory and wisk ker great success in
tkis upcoming term as Banks County Tax Commissioner.
Tkanl? you again, Banks County, for your confidence in
me.
Sincerely,
Becky Tayl or
THANK YOU!
I would like to express my sincere
appreciation to each one who voted for me in
the primary and general elections, your
kindness and words of encouragement during
the campaign. Over the past 20 years, serving
as your Tax Commissioner, I have seen our
county make tremendous progress and
together let's continue to work for a better
Banks County.
May God Bless You!
MARGARET AUSBURN
BANKS COUNTY
TAX COMMISSIONER