Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2012
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PACE 3A
Payne promoted in Baldwin
BY SHARON HOGAN
Following an approximately
65-minute closed session at
Monday's council meeting,
the Baldwin City Council
voted unanimously to promote
finance analyst Audra Payne
to Finance and Human Re
sources Director - with added
responsibilities.
Payne’s hourly pay will in
crease from $17.66 per hour to
$20 per hour.
City Administrator Karen
Degges said, “This was my
rate of pay in that position.”
OTHER PERSONNEL
ITEMS
Other personnel items ap
proved following the closed
session included:
•revenue officer Virginia
Williams went from part-time
(30 hours per week) to full
time with added responsibili
ties for building permitting and
other revenue-related tasks,
effective Jan. 9, 2012. Wil
liams pay remains at $12.50
per hour.
•pay raises of 25 cents per
hour for the following three
employees: Robert Gaines,
fire department, increase from
$9.18 to $9.43 per hour; Joey
Thompson, street depart
ment, increase from $9.18 to
$9.43 per hour; and Desmond
Richard, water department,
increase from $9.43 to $9.71
per hour. Degges said these
three employees have been
employed with the city any
where from 16 months to sev
eral years and they are still at
entry-level pay.
•paying $250 per person
for three city employees to
take the CDL driver's license
test with the stipulation that
should they fail the test or
leave within one year they
would be responsible for pay
ing the city back the $250
fee. The council approved a
50-cents per hour pay raise
for employees who success
fully pass the test. Degges
advised the council that the
city currently has only one
employee with a CDL license
and others are needed. Degges
said the $250 would include
the cost of the test as well as
study/training material for
the individuals. Degges said
several employees in various
departments have expressed
an interest in obtaining their
CDL licenses.
Baldwin from ia
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the council:
•approved a two-year procedure for staff to perform for
utility bills that are overbilled or under billed.
•unanimously approved Engineering Management, Inc.
(EMI), Lawrenceville, to move forward with obtaining
quotes on the water plant backwash lagoons project. City
administrator Karen Degges said the cost is estimated at
$50,00-$55,000. One of the key components to be factored
into the cost is the cost to dispose of the materials coming out
of the lagoons, Degges said.
•approved a $2,500 per lot de-annexation cost for anyone
wishing to have their property de-annexed out of the city.
•unanimously approved the Georgia Department of
Community Affairs Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) resolution committing the city to the $10,000
minimum required cash match for water and sewer improve
ments.
•set Saturday, April 21 as Peachy Clean Day for Baldwin.
The rain date is Saturday, April 28.
•heard a report from auditor Beth Grimes, Bates Carter,
Gainesville, on the city’s recently-completed June 30, 2011,
audit. Grimes said this was her first time performing the audit
since 2006. Grimes reported the city received a “clean” audit
and she praised the city staff for their hard work to bring all
of the work she previously performed in house and for ending
the year with a $191,779 fund balance in the general fund.
Grimes said the city needed to maintain 15-20 percent of its
total operating costs and is currently at 13 percent. Grimes
said, about the sewer fund, “We know sewer is definitely not
pulling its weight and never has.”
•heard from Baldwin resident, Henson Redder, about the
Demorest water issue. “I’ve been waiting and waiting 25
years to say something about that - Demorest issue,” Redder
said. “I don't know why a 30-year deal was ever made”
Redder asked the council to not give Demorest 75 percent of
the water. “I would personally not give them one cent a gal
lon,” Redder said.
•approved a business license - pending building inspec
tor and fire chief inspections - for Jule Coffee to operate
Coffee’s Thrift Shop in an existing building located at 1777
Willingham Avenue, Baldwin. Coffee also questioned the
council about a bill for garbage service at this building when
he doesn’t even have a city garbage container. The council
advised Coffee this matter would be cleared up.
REQUEST FOR BID #212-201
For Technology Support Services
Banks County Board of
Commissioners
The purpose of the request is to solicit bids
from qualified professional vendors for
Information Technology Support services.
Further information and packet can be
obtained from:
The Board of Commissioners Office
150 Hudson Ridge, Suite One
Homer, GA 30547
Phone (706) 677-6800
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Animal complaints still an issue in Gillsville
BY SHARON HOGAN
Reports of two people getting
bitten by dogs in the downtown
area are the latest animal com
plaints reported to the Gillsville
City Council.
At the city council meeting
last week, Mayor Larry Poole
asked the council to re-consider
implementing the Hall County
Animal Control ordinance due
to dog problems in the city.
Council member Roy Turpin
said: “I think we need to re-visit
it. The city is eventually going
to get sued over that dog biting
somebody.”
Turpin said he had been told
that two people had been bitten
at a downtown business.
Council member Todd Dale
pointed out some of the is
sues the council had when Hall
County's ordinance was consid
ered the first time.
Dale said, “We need to look
at the ordinance again before
we vote on it.”
Poole said he would get each
council member a copy of the
Hall County ordinance for re
view and a decision would be
made at a later date.
In other business last week, the
city council set the millage rate
at 0 mills for city residents. The
gross millage rate for 2011-12
is 3.91 mills on each $1,000 of
taxable property and is reduced
to 0 mills due to a rollback. The
rollback is made possible due to
the receipt of sales tax proceeds.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the month
ly meeting:
•Turpin reported that he plans
to install the temporary handicap
ramp to the downtown buildings
in the next couple of weeks.
•Poole advised the council
that the traffic enhancement
grants are still being consulted
on with the Jaeger Group.
•Poole reminded the council
that the city would be holding
a special election on Tuesday,
March 6, to fill the council seat
previously held by Richard Fer
guson. Ferguson's term expired
on Dec. 31, 2011. Qualifying
for the council seat will be held
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 9, through Friday,
Jan. 13, at the Hall County Elec
tion’s Office.
•Poole asked the council to
consider doing a pottery drop on
New Year’s Eve 2012. “Other
towns do drops, like the opos
sum drop in North Carolina or
wherever it was. We are known
for our pottery,” Poole said.
•Poole advised the council
that the lease agreement is ready
to be presented to a man inter
ested in renting one of the city’s
downtown buildings. The lease
amount is $400 per month for
12 months with a $400 deposit
up front.
•the council unanimously
agreed for council member
Keith Segars to serve as the
council liaison to the library
board. A discussion was held
with former city clerk Paula
Whiting about her plans for the
library. Poole and Dale both said
they would like to see the library
kept going. Whiting said she
would be willing to continue her
library work and she would also
help out until a new city clerk is
hired. Dale asked Whiting if she
would help train the person the
city hires and Whiting agreed to
do this on an as-needed basis.
•Poole asked the council
members to contact him if they
were interested in attending the
Joint Local Government Asso
ciation meeting this month in
Lula.
The Gillsville City Council
will hold its February meeting at
7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at the
city park building. County Line
Road, Gillsville.
RECOGNIZED FOR SCHOOL DONATION
Travis Ford (left) and Erik Grover were recognized
by the Banks County Board of Education for making
an $8,500 donation through Banks County Rotary
Club for the Food 2 Kids Program. The program will
kick off Friday with book bags of food going home
with needy students over the weekend. Approxi
mately 50 students throughout the school system
will be served. The two gentlemen also donated
$1,000 to Banks County Primary School to provide
playground shelter equipment. The men made the
donation through their group, G and F Group, LLC.
Baldwin sets new meeting times
BY SHARON HOGAN
After Monday's vote, Bald
win City Council will now hold
council work sessions and regu
lar meetings at 6:30 p.m. The
change takes effect on Feb. 1.
The council also approved the
monthly meetings on the second
and fourth Mondays with the
work session on the Thursday
before the first council meet
ing, with the exception of April
and December when the council
meetings will be held on the sec
ond and third Monday.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the council:
•approved closing all inactive
city checking accounts.
•approved staff to work on
securing bond refinancing for
the city’s 1987 and 2001 bonds.
City administrator Karen Deg
ges said that work is already un
der way. Degges said refinanc
ing the bonds will save the city
around $350,000.
•approved a $10,000 incentive
grant for the police department
for installing in-car cameras.
•approved the following to be
authorized on signature cards for
the city's accounts at Commu
nity Bank & Trust and United
Community Bank: Mayor Jerry
Neace, council members Ther-
on Ayers, Robert Bohannon,
Jeff Parrish and Dustin Mealor
and city administrator Degges.
Finance and human resources
director Audra Payne was au
thorized to access the accounts
for information purposes only.
•unanimously approved mak
ing payroll direct deposit man
datory for new hires effective
Jan. 9. Payroll direct deposit will
be offered voluntarily to all of
the city’s current employees.
•heard a reminder from Neace
that the city property taxes are
due on Friday, Jan. 20.
Banks school board approves two personnel items
BY SHARON HOGAN
Alter some 35-minutes in closed session
Thursday, the Banks County Board of Educa
tion approved personnel changes:
•certified resignation: Kelly Whitaker,
Banks County Middle School (BCMS) teach
er, effective Dec. 31,2011.
•classified termination: Rebecca Cantrell,
BCMS paraprofessional, effective Dec. 15,
2011.
In other business at Thursday’s meeting:
•superintendent Chris Erwin said a board
workshop is set from 5-9 p.m. Thursday and
Friday, Jan. 26 and 27. The location will be
announced.
•the board approved Ron Gardiner to serve
as chairman again and Neal Brown to serve as
vice-chairman.
•finance director Mike Beasley said the ed
ucation local option sales tax (ELOST) check
for December totaled $251,387.
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PUBLIC NOTICE
As provided by O.C.G.A. Section 21-2-131
the Banks County Board of Commissioners
did fix and declare 3% of the base salary as
qualifying fees for County Offices to be
filled in the General Primary Election which
will be held on July 31, 2012 and the
General/Nonpartisan Election to be held on
November 6, 2012. They are as follows:
Position
Sheriff
Tax Commissioner
Clerk of Superior Court
Probate Judge
Magistrate Judge
Coroner
Commission Chairman
‘Commissioner - District #2
‘Commissioner - District #4
“County Surveyor
Board of Education - Post # 1
Board of Education - Post #2
Board of Education - Post #4
Fee
$1,616.40
$1,392.24
$1,392.24
$1,392.24
$1,392.24
$ 261.00
$1,800.00
$ 450.00
450.00
25.00
33.00
45.00
39.00
$
$
$
$
$
* Candidate must reside in district to qualify.
** Flat Fee
Candidate qualifying for the General
Primary Election begins on Wednesday,
May 23, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. and ends on
Friday, May 25, 2012 at 12:00 noon.
Candidate qualifying for the General/
Nonpartisan Election begins on Monday,
July 30, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. and ends on
Friday, August 3, 2012 at 12:00 noon.
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