About The Banks County news. (Homer, Banks County, Ga.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2013)
50<t • Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 28 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 45 No. 11 Wrestling Hanley named coach of year |g Commission Sports Race coming to Banks Crossing 4B Natu isrtft <5^5> Southern School Jumping rope for a good cause 3A continues budget cuts BY SHARON HOGAN As work on the proposed Fiscal Year 2014 budget continued on April 24, the Banks County Board of Commissioners continued to make cuts. At the end of the day on Wednesday, cuts of $96,502 had been made to the proposed 2014 budget of $12.4 mil lion. Another budget work session is set for 2 p.m. on Friday. However, the commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to lift the hiring freeze to allow Steve Reece, public utilities director, to hire a relief operator at the water plant. The relief operator’s position will add approximately $40,000 - salary and benefits - to the water plant operations budget for FY2014. Reece told the BOC he had two employees considering retirement in January 2014. “One I’m pretty sure of, he has already moved to South Carolina, and the other is considering it,” Reece said. Reece said he needed to get some one in place to avoid not having enough operators if the two current employees retire. The commissioners made cuts to the water plant budget and in the end, after including the relief operator’s position, the total recom mended FY2014 budget was $666,523 - up $65,989 over the 2012 budget of $600,534 The commissioners trimmed around $6,800 off the proposed FY2014 wastewater budget totaling $211,031, which was already down $22,661 from 2013. Cuts totaling $2,736 were made to the proposed $236,600 FY2014 water administration budget. The proposed FY2014 water dis tribution budget was $243,800 - up $17,680 from $226,120 in 2013. Reece asked the BOC to allow him to hire one additional person to help out with water distribution. Reese said he currently had two vacant posi tions - utility repairman and utility operator. BOC chairman Jimmy Hooper said, “Personally, I can’t see the dol lars here to hire another person.” Commissioners Sammy Reece and Charles Turk agreed with Hooper. EXTENSION SERVICE Cuts totaling $1,717 were made to the proposed FY2014 budget totaling $75,774 for the extension service. The BOC made a cut of $800 in the amount proposed for computers. Hooper said, “We are trying to get all computers under Data Survival.” Bob Waldorf, extension agent, explained that the computers used by the extension office are purchased with matching grant funds through the University of Georgia. continued on page 2A MAYSVILLE City plans to make new park BY CAMERON WHITLOCK The Maysville City Council spent half an hour behind closed doors Monday before reconvening to announce the purchase of 46.423 acres of land to be used for a city park. The council adopted a reso lution approving the purchase of the property at 48 Homer St. from sisters Daune Turner Davis and Katherine Turner Rushton, at a cost of $170,000. The two sisters, whose fam ily (Carr) originally hailed from Maysville, said they were more than pleased to be able to pro vide a park to the citizens of Maysville. “Maysville and Banks County have been in our family for over 160 years,” said Davis. “We were absolutely thrilled when the mayor called us and said they wanted a park.” Mayor Richard Presley said that the council had been continued on page 2A Inside •BCHS students visit France — page 12 A Op/Ed • Why our kids aren’t learning page 4A Other news • Social - 10A • Church — 9A • Obituaries - 10A • Public Safety - 5A-6A • Legals — 7B-9B • Sports - 1 B-4B • School — 5B Festival celebrates the arts FESTIVAL OF ARTS Betty Redman is shown with one of her acrylic paintings at the Festival of Arts held in down town Homer on the historic courthouse square Saturday. Photo by Wesieigh Sagon BY WESLEIGH SAGON T he Festival of Arts was held Saturday in downtown Homer on the historic court house square. The festival, made possible by The Holiday Festival Committee, featured artwork from throughout North Georgia and will become an annual festival. Amost the artists with work on display was Dell Hinsley (Redbone), who said he has been disabled since he got hurt doing construction work. He said making pottery got him back into the public. Another featured artist, Betty Redman (BJ Crocker), who lives in the Carnesville area, has been painting since last year and this is her second art show. Acrylic paintings by Redman are professionally framed at Hobby Lobby and are all titled, signed, numbered and dated. Cheryl Williams, “The Accidental Photographer,” had many pieces on display. Williams has been doing photography for two and a half years and also paints and draws. The festival also featured live performances by the Back in Time Band. Back in Time is a nine-piece band based in Gainesville. The band is known for its clas sic rock, soul and East Coast beach music. And for all of those bluegrass fans, BlueBilly Grit, winner of the 2012 Telluride Bluegrass Band Competition, also performed live during the Festival of Arts. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 11A Gathering results in man's stabbing Sheriffs office investigates incident near Harmony Baptist The Banks County Sheriff’s Office inves tigated a stabbing in the northern part of the county on Wednesday night. BCSO Investigator Captain Dan McDuffie said officers responded at approximately 9:30 p.m. to a group of young males, including both juveniles and adults, gath ered in the parking lot of Harmony Baptist Church for the purpose of fighting with each other. One person was stabbed and transport ed to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Several of the males sustained injuries. McDuffie reported a search warrant was executed on a residence in the Hollingsworth Community in reference to this case. “Due to the case being under investiga tion, additional information is not being release at this time,” McDuffie said. If anyone has any information, or may have seen anything suspicious regarding this incident, they are being asked to call the Banks County Sheriff’s Office at 706- 677-2248. UPCOMING EVENTS BCES Spring Fling and Car Show on Saturday The 2nd Annual Banks County Elementary School Spring Fling and Car Show will be held Saturday. The car show will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is a $15 donation to enter a car. Door prizes and trophies will be given and raffles will be held during the car show. The car show is sponsored by Dwayne Reece, Direct Access Auto Color, Commerce. The Spring Fling will be held from 3-6 p.m. Admission bracelets on Saturday will be $15 each and will include three free special event tickets. Admission bracelets will need to be purchased for all school-age children. Activities included with the admis sion bracelets include: a dance in the cafeteria with a DJ; tag your teacher; face painting/tattoos/shimmer hair/ nails; bouncy house; Karaoke rooms; bingo; bowling; 12 video game rooms; petting zoo; corn hole game; base ball throw; basketball shoot; football throw; tug of war; ping pong; and more. Special events will include: pets gone wild, one ticket required; dunk ing booth, five throws with one ticket; cake walk, one ticket with a free walk every 30 minutes; concession stand; and 10 vendor booths. All proceeds from the event will go to purchase tools to educate the stu dents at BCES, leaders state. This weekend includes Lula Railroad Days The City of Lula’s 37th Annual Lula Railroad Days are Friday and Saturday. The festivities will kick off Friday night from 7-10 p.m. at the depot stage with music and dance, featuring the Steve Dyer Band. Festivities on Saturday begin at 9 a.m. with the opening of local arts, crafts and food vendor booths at the Lula Train Yard. The annual Railroad Days Parade begins at 10 a.m. The parade will travel the length of the old historic down town railroad tracks with a variety of floats and unique entries, leaders state. Entertainment at the depot stage begins after the parade and stage performances will run throughout the day featuring singers, dancers, local bands - Bluegrass, country rock and gospel - including the national record ing artist Steve Bryson Band. “This is a wonderful family event offering great entertainment, unique arts and crafts and a fantastic food selection with a local flare,” leaders state. “So make plans to join in all the festivities and fun for all.” Homer Garden Club Show and Tell and Swap Meet planned The Homer Garden Club meets this Saturday, May 4, at 10 a.m. at city hall in downtown Homer. The topic will vary with show and tell. Those able to share this month are asked to bring their favorite plant or clippings and several to swap and share. Janice Tennent will start the show and tell with some of her favorites; a Money Plant and babies (who wouldn’t want one of these) and a geranium. The flower of the month will be geraniums. “Come enjoy great friends, great sharing, Citified Fruit Cake and hot tea,” said garden club members. “This club is for anyone who is interested; living in Homer is not a prerequisite. “Come learn with us. We always have fun.”
