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Basketball: IB
Lady Leopards tie
for second in region
Feature: 5A
Relay for Life
kick off held
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50<t • Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 22 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 44 No. 6
Homer reviews historic district expansion
BY ERIN ROSSITER
Homer City Council continued its review of
how to expand the city’s historic district during its
regular January meeting.
Chip Wright, regional planner at the Georgia
Mountains Regional Commission, presented an
aerial map to the council on Tuesday. It showed
the current district centered on Homer's downtown
and the proposed areas the council should consider
including with any kind of addition.
Neighborhoods and landmarks south of down
town, such as Poker Hill and what’s known as
Wileys gas station/general store, were the focus.
Mayor Doug Cheek also discussed incorporating
the cotton gin in some way.
Other places neighboring downtown were ruled
out largely because the areas would be “noncon
tributing,” a term Wright used to describe locations
that had lost historic character due mainly to devel
opment, disrepair or demolition.
Homes in the current district that were built 50
years ago are also of note, Wright said. Whereas
ranch homes may not have been considered his
toric properties when Homer first established its
district several years ago, those homes now qualify,
according to the National Park Service that admin
isters the National Registry of Historic Places.
What that means is more property owners are
eligible to receive tax credits, should they work
to keep the historic integrity of their homes on the
outside, Wright said.
“That’s the fun thing, ranch houses are now 50
years old.” he said.
Wright said there are costs associated with the
regional commission’s work to facilitate the pro
cess that were not in place before because of the
economy. He expected the planning work would
not surpass $2,000 and that the amended applica
tion to the Park Service would total about $2,600.
The council will be notified of the costs before
any work takes place, he said.
“If this is what you want to do, our next step
would be to do a district amendment application,
where we would pretty much lay everything we
want to do here and base it on our good track
record ( in the current district),” Wright said.
If authorized, he will shepherd the project to
completion, work that would include classifying
structures as contributing or not, attending public
hearings and leading any informational meetings.
Education is key, he said, and should include
stakeholders such as real estate agents and accoun
tants whose familiarity with the benefits available
to homeowners and clients — including tens of
thousands in possible tax credits — could smooth
the way for everyone involved.
“You’re not telling (homeowners) what to do,
your providing them a service,” Wright said. “With
this help they can maintain their property, keep
it looking good, not spend any more money and
at the same time contribute to the integrity of
Homer.”
continued on page 5A
'Cute pet' photo
contest planned
The Banks County News is
sponsoring a “cute pet photo”
contest over the next month.
Readers are encouraged to
send in their favorite pet photo
by Feb. 18, with winners to be
printed Feb. 29.
Photos may dropped off at
The Banks County News office
in Homer, or mailed to: Angela
Gary, The Banks County News,
33 Lee Street, Jefferson, Ga.,
30549.
Include the name of the pet,
the name of the person who
took the photo, an address (for
prizes to be sent to) and a phone
number. The photos should not
have any people in them — pets
only.
The prizes will be: $50 first
prize; $30 second prize; and $20
third prize. There will also be
free subscriptions to the news
paper given to any honorable
mention photos.
Inside
•FFA hosts youth
deer hunt in county
— page 5B
• ‘Paying tribute to a
real hero’
• ‘Using our resouro
es’
1
CHEERING ON THE LEOPARDS
The Banks County Middle School cheerleaders hit the mark during a recent performance. The team has been
working the crowds at recent games and the fans respond to the squad with great spirit for the home teams.
The cheerleading squad has been working on new routines with first-year coach Lauren Boone. “Our motto
for this entire year was: ‘We work hard at practice and play hard at games.’ In the future, I only hope to have
the same work ethic and desire carried on, a growing population of girls interested and involved, and positive
attitudes.” The last home game left on the schedule is coming up Friday night. Photo by Randy Crump
City of Baldwin ends FY2011 in the black
For the second year in a row. the
Baldwin city government ended its fis
cal year in the black. That is a turn
around from FY2009 when the city
found itself with a negative reserve bal
ance of $67,000.
For FY2011, Baldwin had a positive
net of $160,000. That’s on top of last
year’s positive net of $99,000.
In the city’s general fund. Baldwin
had revenues of $1.6 million, virtually
the same as the year before. The town’s
main source of income was taxes at
$958,400 followed by service charges at
$427,200. Police fines and forfeitures
made up another $210,500 in income.
On the expense side, public safety —
police and fire — made up the bulk of
the town’s spending at $975,500. The
police department spent less than it did
the year before, but still made up a high
39 percent of the city’s total spending.
Public works made up another
$248,900 in city spending while gen
eral government expenses came in at
$195,200.
While Baldwin has begun to turn a
corner in its financial standing, the town
continues to struggle with its cash flow.
Baldwin did have more unrestricted
cash on hand at the end of FY2011 than
last year, it also had more accounts pay
able. The town did reduce its general
receivables from $213,800 to $204,000
in FY2011.
The city did come under two audit
citations related to the town’s police
department. Auditors found that city
tickets issued by the police did not have
all the necessary information needed to
determine the outcome of the tickets
and fines.
Related to that, auditors said the city
police department had a “very manual
process” for its tickets and fines that
left the city open to fraud and other
abuse. Auditors said the city’s computer
system had the ability to handle the
cash correctly, but that it was not being
used. The city agreed to fix the problem
in 2012.
WATER AND SEWER
In Baldwin’s water and sewer fund,
the town showed a loss of $177,250 in
the year. But taking depreciation out,
the fund showed a positive cash flow.
But auditors found a number of bill
ing errors in the city’s water and sewer
billing system, apparently due to some
one having entered incorrect data into
the system.
Because of those problems, the city
did an internal audit in December to
uncover other billing errors. The town
also said it would begin having a second
person double check utility billing.
Other news
•Social -7&12A
•Church — 8A
•Obituaries — 9A
• Public Safety — 6A
• Legal s — 6-9 B
•School — 4-5B
Lula Business Roundtable Meeting set for Thurs.
The Lula Business Promotion
Committee of the Lula Downtown
Development Authority is sponsoring
the Lula Area Business Roundtable
Meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Lula
City Hall.
The meeting is open to all busi
nesses, leaders state.
“We want to spend a few minutes
and bring you up to date on what has
happened as a result of our meeting
last January and what is being planned
for 2012,” leaders said.
The majority of the meeting will
be devoted to a roundtable discussion
of what business owners are doing to
generate additional business for their
companies.
Leaders said the ideas generated
from this discussion can bring busi
nesses together to: strengthen your
business, get new customers, keep
the customers you have, support other
local businesses and improve your
bottom line.
The meeting will be a great time for
networking and everyone is encour
aged to bring plenty of business
cards.
Refreshments will be provided.
Gillsville
Hooper to fill
council seat
Only one person qualified for
the vacant seat on the Gillsville
City Council, so an election will
not be necessary.
Rudess Hooper, who has
served on the council in the
past, was the only one who
qualified.
Mayor Larry Poole said:
“Rudess brings to the council a
wealth of experience not only in
the operation of a town but also
in fostering and maintaining a
spirit of community. He will be
a great asset to our council, as
well as the city as a whole.”
Baldwin
Five to seek
council Post 3
Five people qualified last
week to run for the vacant
city council seat in the City of
Baldwin.
The following qualified to fill
the Post 3 council seat recently
vacated by Rodney King: Alice
C. Dover, Joe Elam, Melissa A.
Pierce, Mark Reed and Henson
B. Reeder.
The city will hold its elec
tion on Tuesday. March 6. The
last day to register to vote is
Monday, Feb. 6.
Alto
Candidates to
seek three posts
Several candidates qualified
last week at the Habersham
County Registrar’s Office to
have their name on the ballot
for the Town of Alto’s special
election to be held on Tuesday,
March 6.
Incumbent Carolyn Cabe
qualified for the post 1 seat
on the city council. That seat
expires Dec. 31,2013.
Incumbent Kathryn (Kathy)
Clark and Cheryl Closs both
qualified for the post 4 council
seat that expires on Dec. 31,
2015.
John Closs and Greg M.
Pruitt qualified for the post 5
council seat that expires on Dec.
31,2013.
