About The Banks County news. (Homer, Banks County, Ga.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 28, 2011)
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011 THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS PACE 3A residents may be getting city services for free Some Baldwin BY ANGELA GARY Baldwin city administrator Karen Deg- ges is doing an internal audit to determine if any city services, including garbage pick up and sewer, are being provided to citi zens who are not being charged. Degges reported at the city council meeting Tuesday night that she found two private accounts and one business account that are receiving sewer service and not paying. She said a policy will be in place to provide that everyone is billed for ser vices provided. Degges asked the council if the city should back bill for services. She said that some cities bill for a maximum of the past two years. The council asked Degges to come up with a recommended policy and present it at an upcoming meeting. WATER LINE PROJECT In other business Tuesday night, the city council heard from public works direc tor Chad Conard that the total cost for the mountain water line project is $88,218. The council earlier agreed to pay $58,212 for the project. At the meeting this week, the council unanimously agreed to pay the additional $30,006 for the pressure reduc ing valves needed for the project. The city has applied for a grant to re fund 40 percent of the cost of this project and Conard is optimistic that the city will receive the Department of Community Af fairs money. Degges said the money will come from the water distribution budget if the city doesn't receive the grant. They will need a budget amendment to do this. Degges added that replacing the lines will be the first phase of the project. She said that eventually they will need to re place the lines, but the money is not avail able for this to be done now. She said that this first phase of the project is expected to increase reliability at a good value. On a related issue, Degges said the city needs to notify customers who will be im pacted during the project. “There will be disruptions and we will have to tough that all out, but then things will be better,” she said. FILM EFFORT On another matter, the council tabled tak ing any action on participating in a project with Habersham County to attract the film industry to the area. Council members, as well as Degges, did speak in opposition to participating in this program, which would cost the city $2,200 to be listed on a web site promoting the area to the film industry. The cost for the project is based on each city’s population. The state effort is hoped to boost eco nomic development by bringing money to areas through hotel and restaurant use by those involved in the films. “We don’t have any hotels,” Degges said. “We have a handful of restaurants. We don’t have places that other places do to spend their money, and we have to work on that.. .1 feel that Baldwin is still fixing its foundation and then you build from that foundation.. .instead of randomly chase random ideas. We need a plan of what Baldwin can be good at.. ..We don’t have a lot of money and we need to be very, very focused on where we put our money.” Mayor Jerry Neace added: “I don't see a need at this time to do something like that.” He said he had discussed this project with other governments and they are using their hotel-motel money for this and Bald win doesn’t have this revenue. CREMATORY City administrator Karen Degges re ported that she looked into the issue of the crematory at the request of a council member. She said that she found that Hab ersham County handled the inspections and permits. “The county signed off on the inspec tions certifying that it met code,” she said. “They sent us a form. “ Degges said that the city fire chief did not do an inspection, although Habersham County handled this. She recommended that the city fire chief do an inspection since it has been six to seven years since the county did the inspection. However, council member Robert Bohannon said this should only be done if all city busi nesses are inspected by the fire chief. “If we do one, we do all,” Bohannon said. Mayor Jerry Neace said: “I'm with you.” Roy reported that inspections are only done when businesses change ownership, the nature of the business changes or a new business is built.. He said the department doesn’t have the manpower to do annual fire inspections of all businesses. The city has 135 businesses. Bohannon again said that he doesn't be lieve the city should pick out one business and inspect it if all others aren’t inspected too. ‘This has been beat to death and I’m tired of it,” he said. “This has been a thorn in my side for some time. I’m tired of it. If we are not doing others, we are not going to do this one. I'm tired of this. We’ve got more important things we need to spend money on.” Degges said: “I reviewed their entire file and everything appeared to be in order.” Bohannon replied: “Thank you for the 1500th time.” OTHER BUSINESS In other business, the city council: •learned that the audit presentation will be given at the Jan. 9 council meeting. •renewed the annual accounting/payroll maintenance software contract with CSI for $14,719, which includes the cost of an upgrade. The cost is usually $10,300 but it is more this year due to the upgrade, which the council approved. •agreed to spend $7,710 for an emer gency sewer main repair at the creek at the airport that was discovered as part of the effort to map all of the sewer lines. The price will cover the cost of 20-inch pipe, two concrete collars and rip rap. •approved the annual renewal of a loan with United Community Bank for the pub lic safety complex project. •approved the alcohol license renewal for El Mexicano Taqueria. •heard from Conard that the chemicals used at the water plant have been ordered. The cost is approximately $10,000 and the chemicals are ordered every seven to 10 months. The purchase has already been budgeted. •agreed to a recommendation from fire chief Joe Roy to replace an engine in a four-wheel drive vehicle. Roy recom mended holding off on the service of two trucks for two months, putting the money for this into the next budget cycle, and to use that money for the engine replacement. The cost of the new motor is $18,025 and the cost to put it in the track is $500, with $100 to be refunded when the old motor is turned in. •Roy read two letters from people offer ing thanks to the fire department for their service. He also reported that the assistant fire chief was injured and will have sur gery, missing some 12 weeks of work. •heard that the deadline for applying for homestead exemptions is Dec. 31. •Mayor Neace thanked outgoing council members Beverly Holcomb and Rodney King for their service. Holcomb has served almost nine years and King has served four years. Holcomb read a statement, saying she enjoyed serving. She said she always voted her conviction and thanked the city employees for their service. King also spoke on his time in office and thanked those who voted for him. Relay for Life kickoff planned The kickoff for the Banks County Relay for Life will be held on Thursday, Jan. 12, at the senior citizens center. Food will be served at 6:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m. The relay will be held June 8 in downtown Homer. Team meetings will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the senior citizen’s center on the following dates: Jan. 13, Feb. 9, March 8, April 12 and June 5. For more information on the event, check out the website at www.relayforlife.org/banksga. DFCS: 10 kids in foster care Ten children were in foster care in November, according to a report given at the Dec. 21 meeting of the Banks County Department of Family and Children Services. This includes two children in Banks County foster homes, one child in a foster home in another county and seven in in stitutional placements. The report also included the following cases for November: seven neglect; three substance abuse; three domestic violence; and three supervision cases from other counties. The DFCS office had 2,735 active cases for November, in cluding 1,236 food stamp cases, 843 Medicaid, 647 ABD Med icaid and nine TANF. County funds requested by DFCS for November total $2,094. Maps continued from page 1A Prison continued from page 1A congressional plans meet the legal require ments of the Voting Rights Act. The responsi ble approach taken by the General Assembly during the redistricting process resulted in carefully drawn maps, which ensure that Georgia’s growing population will be fairly represented. “In fact, this redistricting cycle marks the first time since the Voting Rights Act became law that all of Georgia’s plans have been approved on the first review. I applaud the excellent work of Gov. Deal, Lt. Gov. Casey (Cagle), Speaker (David) Ralston and the General Assembly, and outside counsel Strickland Brockington Lewis throughout the process to ensure a positive outcome for the citizens of Georgia.” Lt. Gov. Cagle said: "From the beginning of this process, all of us have been commit ted to ensuring that Georgia’s legislative and congressional maps are fair and meet all legal requirements, including compliance with the Voting Rights Act. Today’s decision by the Department of Justice is a validation of our commitment to those principles. “I appreciate the diligent work of the Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee as well as the entire Senate that resulted in this important approval.” Last week’s approval by the Democratically- controlled Justice Department marks the first time in Georgia’s history that the federal government has approved all three statewide redistricting plans on the first review. catch debris that is coming from the facility’s sewer and going into the town’s system. She said this debris has damaged the town’s sewer system. “Damage has resulted in us needing to build a new plant,” Degges said. “We are about to borrow $5 million to build a new plant.” On Jan. 6, prison officials want to meet and tour the plant and this meeting has been set up. “The time is approaching to not be accommo dating,” Degges said. “In the utility world, when you don't pay the bill, you are cut off.. .We want it to be fair and equitable and this is a problem... How much time do we give it? We began discus sions of this in April.. .1 don’t see anyone in our system who is five months delinquent and still being served.” Mayor Jerry Neace reported that he has con tacted area legislators and the governor’s office to assist in getting the state prison to pay the back fees and the new sewer rate. Degges added: “I don’t want to ask the other 870 customers to pay more to cover this. We’ve tried to do this in a friendly way and it's not worked.” She said that the city would need to give the prison 30 days notice of being cut off. Degges said they usually give customers three days notice but the EPD wants the city to give the prison 30 days notice. TO PURCHASE GATE VALVE The city also agreed Tuesday night to purchase a gate valve at a cost of $1,116 from Griffin Brothers. Public works director Chad Conard said the EPD had recommended that a gate valve be used if the prison sewer service is cut off. This is necessary to make sure the sewage does not enter the city’s system. Ready to shed those extra pounds? Tiger Town Pharmacy offers two choices in weight loss programs to fit every lifestyle! NO MORE EXCUSES! WITH A GROUP Need accountability and structure? This option is for you. The pharmacist will conduct weekly group meetings designed to keep everyone motivated. ON YOUR OWN Are you too busy to commit to weekly meetings? Are you self-motivated? 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