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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2008 THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS PACE 3A AGING SERVICES BOOTH OFFERS INFORMATION Banks County High School freshmen Nicole Fajardo and Brittany Forrester (R) are shown at Friday’s health fair passing out information from Legacy Links Area Agency on Aging. Photo by Sharon Hogan PASSING OUT INFORMATION ABOUT BCHS Lynn Suggs (R), Banks County High School graduation specialist, and April Loggins (second from right), BCHS counselor, are shown on Friday as they pass out information about the school to local Banks County residents. The high school information table was just one set up at the Banks County Recre ation Department to offer information to the participants in the annual turkey give-away sponsored by Generous Hearts and Banks County Family Connec tion. Photo by Sharon Hogan Maysville increases water, sewer rates BY JUSTIN POOLE The City of Maysville has settled on a proposed solution to balance the water budget for 2009 and it calls for rate hikes. After several work sessions and meetings with Chip Mc- Gaughey of EMI to discuss options, the council voted Monday night to approve the proposed 2009 budget with a 15 percent increase across the board for water and sewer ra- tee. Council member Stephan Lewis made the motion to approve the increase with the statement that everybody should understand that it is only a temporary stop-gap. Mayor Jerry Baker also stressed that the increase is only a “ban- daid” for the water and sewer deficit. The council approved the motion unanimously. The increase to the base rate (less than 2,000 gallons) for a residential water and sewer customer inside the city is $3.68; a water customer rate will increase $2.18. Outside the city, a water only custom er’s bill increases $3.10. If the city had stayed with the current rates, the deficit of nearly $160,000 would have fallen on city reserves. With the increase, the deficit is dropped to approximately $98,000 that will be taken from the reserve fund. The council also comment ed that it would take aggres sive action during 2009 to find money to prevent increasing the rate next year. OTHER BUSINESS In other business, the coun cil: •approved the removal of one budget line item: Election apparel of $500. •approved checking on get ting out of the motorcycle lease and removing $3,000 for this from the budget. •approved amending the motion from Nov. 3 stating that occupation business li censes have to come before th council to all business licens applicants have to come befor the council. •approved considering clos ing one of the nine railroa crossings on the condition th railroad grants right of way ac cess. Lewis made the motio with the understanding the the city does not have to clos a crossing, only consider clos ing a crossing, in an effort t work with the railroad for rigt of way access. •approved agreement wit Criminal Justice Technologies Inc. with the amendment the the city has the right to termi nate without penalties. •approved having the cit attorney investigate who own Ridgeway Court Road to de termine if it is a city street or i the property owner is respon sible for maintenance. •approved amendments t the Nov. 20 minutes correctin the road resurfacing from Jad Way to Valley View. BOE plans tax increase The Banks County Board of Education plans to increase the property taxes it will levy this year by 12.34 percent over the rollback millage rate. In a 3-2 vote at a called meet ing on Monday night, Dec. 1, the BOE approved the tentative mill- age rate of 13.244 mills. This is an increase of 1.5 mills over last year’s 11.744 mills. BOE members Bo Garrison and Ben Ramsey voted against the increase. Each year, the board of tax as sessors is required to review the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the county. When the trend of prices on properties that have re cently sold in the county indicate there has been an increase in the fair market value of any specific property, the board of tax asses sors is required by law to re-de- termine the value of such prop erty and increase the assessment. This is called a reassessment. When the total digest of tax able property is prepared, Geor gia law requires that a rollback millage rate must be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year’s new digest that last year’s mill- age rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred. The budget tentatively adopted by the Banks County Board of Education requires a millage rate higher than the rollback millage rate. Therefore, before the Banks County Board of Education may finalize the tentative budget and set a final millage rate, Georgia law requires that three public hearings be held to allow the public an opportunity to express their opinions on this increase. All concerned citizens are in vited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held at the Banks County Board of Educa tion on: Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. and Monday, Dec. 22, at 6 p.m. The millage rate will be estab lished at a called meeting set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 23, in the BOE office. OTHER BUSINESS In other business at Monday’s meeting: •in a 3-1 vote the board ap proved the 2009 budget total ing $29.86 million. Garrison voted against the budget. Ram sey was not in attendance dur ing this portion of the meeting. BOE Chairman Ron Gardiner, members John D. Williams and Neal Brown voted in favor of the budget. Superintendent Chris Erwin said this budget reflects cuts totaling $626,000. “We are continuing to meet with the staff to look at others ways to cut,’’ Er win added. •the board met in closed ses sion to discuss personnel. No ac tion was taken on this. The regularly scheduled BOE work session will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11, in the board office. Closed bank not affiliated with Cornelia business HEALTH FAIR HELD FRIDAY Several local agencies participated in the health fair at the Banks County Recreation Department on Friday. The health fair was held in conjunction with the annual turkey giveaway sponsored by Banks County Family Con nection and Generous Hearts. Here, JoAnn Dodd, RN (L), Banks County Health Department is shown checking the blood glucose level of a Banks County resident. Photo by Sharon Hogan The Community Bank in Lo- ganville closed last week by the state and taken over by the FDIC was not affiliated with Commu nity Bank & Trust of Cornelia, which has branches in Jackson, Barrow, Banks, Habersham and other North Georgia communi ties. According to a recent news release from Community Banks & Trust, the firm continues to be strong during the current eco nomic downturn. “Community Bank & Trust is 108 years old. It continues to be well capitalized, has substantial reserves for any loan losses that may occur,” said the release. The failed Community Bank in Loganville had its deposit ac counts transferred to Bank of Essex out of Virginia. It is report- For more news visit www.BanksNewsToday.com ff ^ Fareha Rahim, MD-f Internal Medicine Of ¥ We are now located at our new office at 613 Hospital Road Commerce, Georgia 30529 Commerce Medical Center 706-335-9411 MCR, MOD, BC/BS, CIGNA (HMO/PPO) AMERIGROUP, AARP, UHC / nir.Transmission The Professionals A ..A ,-y Trjtnusni/utlon USAs Csr.tsis Independently Owned & Operated $500 FREE GAS CARD Call for details. 1733 Lexington Rd. • Athens, GA 30605 (706) 543-8600 • (706) 543-8613 Fax CASH CALL AND COMPARE PER GRAM 706-369-0000 ■n);l GREG REEVES Fine Jewelry 613 Hawthorne Ave. • Athens Banks County Board of Education NOTICE OF PROPERTY TAX INCREASE The Banks County Board of Education has tentatively adopted a millage rate which will increase property taxes by 12.77 percent. All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing on this tax increase to be held at the Banks County Board of Education on December 16, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. and on December 22, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. edly the 20 th bank in the nation taken over this year by the FDIC and the third in Georgia. The failed bank had a low single-star rating by Bankrate. com which tracks banking per formance. Community Bank & Trust of Cornelia has a three-star rating by Bankrate.com. its regular dividend to sharehold ers to conserve cash. The ban has branches in Braselton, Bald win, Flowery Branch and othe towns in North Georgia. Th firm has a single-star rating b Bankrate.com. ••• ••• Habersham Bankcorp, owner of Habersham Bank headquar tered in Clarkesville, announced last week it would be suspending Independence Bank of Geoi gia opened last week in Brasel ton. The bank is located in th Mulberry Park business center o Hwy. 211. The bank received it charter notification on Oct. 15. FOR ONLY $5 PER MONTH, YOU CAN LIST YOUR GROUP'S MEETINGS! Let your members know when your group is meeting! Call (706) 367-5233 to advertise your meeting time, place and date in... • The Jackson Herald • The Commerce News • The Braselton News • The Banks County News • The Madison County Journal BANKS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. meets first Monday each month 7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historial Courthouse at 105 U.S. Hwy. 441 North in Homer pa-07/09 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 JEFFERSON ip AMERICAN LEGION Albert Gordon Post 56 Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Harvie Lance, Commander Phone (706) 654-1274 ato White Plains Baptist Church Pd 02/09 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 Pci.ii/os BANKS COUNTY Ijl AMERICAN LEGION Post 215 Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m. In Homer, GA at the American Legion Building on Historic Highway 441 Pd.oe/os VETERANS OF W FOREIGN WARS Post 4872, Hurricane Shoals Convention Ctr. Each 4th Tuesdasy, 7:00 p.m. Lamar Langston, Commander Phone 706-652-2627 263 JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB Meets 2nd & 4th Monday lefferson City Clubhouse 6:30 p.m. *(706) 387-1156 Mack Cates, President 542 A UNITY LODGE F&A.M. No. 36, Jefferson, GA 1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m. Dwayne Potts • 706-367-4449 Borders St. behind Tabo’s 260 JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB Meets Tuesdays lefferson City Clubhouse 12:30 p.m. *(706) 367-7696 Gina Mitsdarffer, President 547