About The Banks County news. (Homer, Banks County, Ga.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2013)
50<t • Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 24 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 45 No. 7 HOMER PLANNING COMMISSION Zoning change goes to public hearing Property changes would allow assisted living facility BY CAMERON WHITLOCK The Homer Planning Commission held a public hearing Thursday, March 28, to review the applica tion of Joseph C. Robinson for a proposed amend ment to the zoning ordinance for property located at 248 Broome St. Robinson seeks the property to be rezoned from agricultural, to multi-family residential (R-2) in order to establish an assisted living/retirement facility for elderly residents. The public hearing of the Homer Town Council will take place on Tuesday April 9, at 6 p.m. The town council will consider the adoption of the zoning request at the regular meeting immediately following the public hearing. While the property formally played host to the boy’s home known as A Better Place, the business was established pre-zoning and did not require an amendment to R-2 at the time of its inception. At the planning commission meeting on Thursday Robinson and Jonathan Fitzpatrick, both constituents of His House Church and Ministries urged the commission to consider the proposal. “I preached for 59 years,” said Robinson. “I’ve been to nursing homes where the people are up walking - in better shape than I am in. Their sons and daughters will put them in a home then sell their properties. The Lord laid it on my heart one day - when I was 20-years old - to try and build a place for senior citizens that were able to take care of themselves. I want to give them a place where they can live out the rest of their lives in happiness. That’s our total intention.” Robinson explained that the proposed facil- continued on page 2A Hunting for the perfect egg EASTER FESTIVITIES HELD IN HOMER A local boy is not afraid to get down and dirty as he scans the area for hidden eggs at the Homer Downtown Development Authority’s first Easter Egg Hunt on the old courthouse lawn on Saturday in downtown Homer. The event brought kids of all ages to not only look for eggs, but also get a pony ride or take home a book courtesy of the Banks County Literacy Council. See more photos from the event on page 8B. Photo by Cameron Whitlock Inside •Vet Day, pottery festival coming up — page 3A •What it’s like to eat a seven-course meal — page 4B Op/Ed • Sometimes it’s better to do nothing — page 4A Other news •Social — 7A •Church — 8A •Obituaries — 10B-11 B • Public Safety — 5A-6A •Legals — 5B •Sports — 1B-3B •Classifieds —6B-7B Homer Garden Club to meet on Saturday The Homer Garden Club will meet Saturday April 6, from 10-11 a.m. at city hall. “Anyone and everyone is welcome,” Janice Tennent states. “Come relax, enjoy, learn and/ or share.” Hot tea and cold bottled water will be served. Lydia McClure will provide refresh ments. Local landscape expert Jacob Fountain will speak on soil preparation for lawn and garden. “We will be digging in the dirt and planting flowers in the beds at the park, city hall and at the two welcome signs before and after meet ing,” Tennent said. “If you are not able to dig, come enjoy the morning watching the flowers go in with a hot cup of tea in hand. The flowers will be on location by 8 a.m. and placed right where they need to be planted. Bring your tools, dig a little hole, add a little fresh soil and tuck the little flower right to bed. City hall will be open this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for tea, water and restrooms. Please leave muddy shoes outside.” The flower of the month will be petunias and will be given to each person attending. Collins representative to visit Homer April 9 Maintaining his commitment to constituent services utilizing the best allocation of taxpayer resourc es, Representative Doug Collins (R-GA) has announced additional mobile office hours for his Constituent Service Representatives the week of April 8. Collins’ office staffers will meet with Ninth District constituents in Banks, Jackson, Stephens and Habersham coun ties to discuss federal issues and concerns they may have. “I made a commitment to the people of Georgia’s Ninth District to run an efficient office using the most fiscally responsible methods,” said Collins. “And I believe we’ve taken the first step in accomplish ing that goal by scheduling mobile office hours in every county of our district during my first two and a half months in office. My district office staff has made me incredibly proud with the courteous and proficient ser vices we’re offering to the people in our area, and look for it to continue over the next two years.” Upcoming mobile office hours are as fol lows: • Banks County Mobile Office: Tuesday, April 9, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m., Banks County Chamber of Commerce, 106 Yonah Homer Road, Homer. •Jackson County Mobile Office: Tuesday April 9, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m., City of Commerce, Downtown Development Office, 1645 S. Elm Street, Commerce. I made a commitment to the people of Georgia’s Ninth District to run an efficient office using the most fiscally responsible Maysville DDA budgets $2,500 for city projects BY CAMERON WHITLOCK The Maysville Downtown Development Authority voted at its regular scheduled meeting on Monday to pay expenses for two city projects out of the DDA’s budget. The DDA voted unanimously to budget $1,000 for the Community Club’s purchase of a marquee sign for the City Park, and $1,500 for the ongoing park gazebo project, which is being headed up by Catherine Daniel. The DDA also voted to purchase the services of Dave Schell of Schell’s Web Design, to update the city’s website. In other business, DDA chair Jay O’Kelley notified the board that terms for himself and Trent Strickland expire in June 2013. Both are still undecided on whether or not to seek another term. First Festival of Arts now accepting artist vendors The first annual Festival of Arts event scheduled for April 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Homer is still accepting artists. All artists who are interested in participating in the event should contact Scott Peppers at 706-870-4310 or email speppers@windstream.net to receive a vendor application and reserve a booth space. Although the festival will show case the creations of the participat ing artists, the event will also feature a concert by the group “Back in Time” from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and have concessions available for pur chase as well. “The community is invited to come out and enjoy this free event,” orga nizers state. “Bring a lawn chair and spend the day enjoying the great music, delicious food and the won derful works of the participating art ists. Visitors can even enjoy meeting the artists who will be bringing every thing from pottery to paintings.” For more information and/or to reserve vendor space, contact Scott Peppers at 706-870-4310 or email speppers@windstream.net for a ven dor application. Completed appli cations and vendor fees should be returned to Scott Peppers at 389 Parson Circle, Maysville. Space is limited and spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Baldwin clean-up day on April 20 The Baldwin Clean-Up Day is set for April 20 from 9 a.m. until noon. The meeting area will be the Baldwin City Park. The rain date is April 27. T-shirts will be given out to those that participate. Lunch will be pro vided at noon. In order to have a correct count, all participants are asked to call city hall at 706-778-6341. In other news from the city, plans have already been made to hold the Christmas parade on Saturday December 7, at 11 a.m. The theme is “Christmas Through The Eyes Of A Child.”
