Newspaper Page Text
504 • Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 30 Pages, 3 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 45 No. 13
Relay for Life coming up Saturday
The Banks County Relay for Life will be
held Saturday, May 18, at 10 a.m. The event
will end at 11 p.m. on the square in Homer in
front of the courthouse.
Everyone is invited to come, leaders state.
Teams from schools, churches, businesses
and individuals will be participating. Each
relay team will be selling an assortment of
food and entertainment will be provided.
Attendees are allowed to bring lawn chairs.
“It’s never too late for anyone to come,
especially the survivors and be a part of
this effort to raise money to help find a cure
for cancer,” said Charlotte Maxwell, one of
the organizers. “The committee wants the
community participation and a large crowd
in attendance to support this fundraiser.
Everyone has been touched in some way by
cancer.”
All parade participants should meet at
Banks County Elementary School at 9 a.m.
There will be a float at the elementary school
for survivors to ride on. Committee members
will be on hand to direct the parade.
All children who plan to be in the parade
should meet in the parking lot at Tiny Town.
Children under 18 must have a parent sign a
release form to participate. These forms will
be available. Forms are also available at the
chamber of commerce between 8 a.m. and
noon at the historic courthouse to fill out a
form prior the parade.
Adults who plan to participate in the parade
must also fill out a form.
RELAY FOR LIFE SCHEDULE:
10:00 AM - Parade
11:00 AM - Opening ceremony
12:00 PM - Twirlers
12:30 PM - Demonstration by Banks
County Canine Unit
1:00 PM - Music by Tracy Maxwell
2:00 PM - Variety of entertainment
3:00 PM - Ronnie Carroll Band
4:00 PM - Variety of activities
5:00 PM - Live auction
6:00 PM - Mike Wood Band - Street
dance
9:00 PM - Luminaria ceremony
10:00 PM - Mike Wood Band
11:00 PM - Closing Ceremony
PRESCHOOL GRADUATES
The Homer Baptist Preschool class members are shown. The students will be in the graduating glass of 2026.
Lula looks
at update
of zoning
ordinance
BY CINDY R. EDGE
Lula officials discussed an update to
the town’s zoning ordinance at a work
session meeting Monday night. Adoption
of the discussed changes will take place
at the regular voting meeting, set for 7
p.m. Monday.
At this week’s meeting, Lula city coun
cil held a public hearing to receive com
ments regarding changes to the current
zoning ordinances. Lula’s first zoning
regulations were approved in 1974 and
minor changes were made to the ordi
nances in 1994. The council is consider
ing changes to the current regulations to
bring them up to date. One noticeable
change would see the cost to citizens for
new development reduced with the cost
being shifted to the developers. Changes
to the ordinances have been in the works
for four years.
In other business at the work session
Monday night, the council:
•discussed the 2013/2014 budget.
Budget development public hearings are
proposed for Monday, June 3, at 5 p.m.
and Monday, June 10, at 5 p.m.
•discussed the water and sewer sys
tem. Current plant improvements to assist
with operations should be completed
next week.
•the council discussed the WWTP
Flow/Infiltration and possibly replacing
sewer lines along Hood Street at an
estimated cost of $95,000. The terracotta
pipes have been in the ground since 1974.
Engineering fees for the project are esti
mated at 12,400. At the regular meeting
scheduled for Monday night, the council
will consider approval of engineering for
the sewer line replacement project.
• the council discussed problems with
continued on page 3A
Inside
•Career Day at
BCMS
— page 7A
Other news
• Social
— 8A
• Church
— 5B
• Public Safety
- 5A-6A
• Legals
-9B-11B
• Sports
- 1B-3B
• School
- 7A, 9A
• Obituaries
- 11A
• Classifieds
- 6B-8B
Scrimmage game May 17
The Banks County football team scrimmage games
will be held on Friday, May 17, at Leopard Stadium.
Kick off for the middle school game will be at 4:30
p.m. Kick off for the high school team will be at 6 p.m.
No passes will be accepted to the Spring football
game. Admission is either laundry detergent, a towel,
or $5.
Concessions will be offered.
Recreation department
meeting planned
The Banks County Recreation
Department will be holding a public meet
ing on Tuesday, May 21, at 6:30 p.m. in the
gym. It will be an informational meeting
for the booster club.
Homer council begins budget talks
BY SHARON HOGAN
During a called meeting on May 6, the
Homer City Council began work on the
proposed fiscal year 2014 budgets.
The proposed 2014 general fund
budget totals $379,700 - down $8,900
from the FY2013 total of $388,600. This
reflects a decrease of a little more than
two percent.
The proposed fire department budget
for 2014 reflects an increase of $7,000
over 2013 bringing the total to $47,050.
The increases included $500 more in
office supplies, $3,000 in communica
tions, $2,000 in equipment, $1,000 in
repairs and maintenance and $500 in
gas and fuel.
Homer Fire Chief and Homer City
Council Member Cliff Hill advised the
council that the fire department had
applied for a fire aid grant that could
pay for the hoses and radio equipment
needed for the fire department that were
included in the budget proposal.
Hill said the fire department had
received a list from ISO for things the
fire department needs.
Hill also told the council that the fire
department had applied for a Forestry
Grant for a pumper and a brush truck.
“We would like to get both, but if we
can get one of these,” Hill said.
Council member Betty Borders ques
tions Hill about the $3,000 in the budget
for fireworks.
“Is $3,000 enough?” Borders asked.
Hill said the fire department raises
funds to go along with the $3,000 pro
vided by the city.
“I’m pretty sure the DDA (Downtown
Development Authority) wants to con
tribute some for the fireworks show,”
Mayor Doug Cheek added.
There were no changes in the FY2014
budget for the sanitation department
from the 2013 total of $44,000.
The proposed 2014 budget of $95,380
for the street department reflects a
decrease of $320 from $95,700 in 2013.
The proposal for gas and fuel decreased
by $500 and the tree city fee per capital
increased by $180.
The administrative budget proposed
for 2014 - $191,650 is down by $4,200
from $195,850 in 2013.
Changes included $1,000 decrease
in extra labor; $1,000 decrease in
office expenses; $1,000 decrease in
telephones; $800 increase for workers’
comp insurance fee; $1,000 decrease
in liability insurance cost; and $1,000
decrease in supplies.
City Clerk Carol Ayers advised
the council that the budget reflected
decreases in revenues for sales tax, per
mits and franchise fees.
WATER FUND
The proposed FY2014 water fund
budget is $151,000 down $5,000 from
the $156,000 2013 budget. The changes
include a $1,000 decrease in utilities;
$2,000 decrease in water purchasing
costs; $1,000 decrease in fuel and gas;
and $1,000 decrease in equipment.
DDA
Cheek presented the council with cop
ies of the proposed DDA budget for 2013.
The expenses totaled $15,100 - $1,000
for garden club plans and refreshments
Jan.-Dee.; $1,000 for farmer’s market
advertising, signage and reservation
fees to the city June-Aug.; $4,000 for
city/park enhancements Sept.-Dee.
including more banners to go on light
poles for Christmas and Easter; $2,000
Christmas enhancements; $2,000 Easter
egg hunt; $1,000 for July 4 th event; $1,000
for Harvest Fest in Oct.; $1,000 for car
show in Oct. or Nov.; $100 to feed the
hungry at Thanksgiving; and $2,000 for
Christmas in the Park.
The budget also included $10,000 for
proposed walking trails and $10,000 to
add an interactive play fountain or origi
nal fountain to the Veterans Park.
Council members Jerry Payne, Chris
Tucker and Tony Sullivan were absent
from the meeting.
“At the next meeting, we need to final
ize the budget and prioritize SPLOST
projects,” Cheek said.
Ayers advised the City of Homer is
receiving around $13,000 per month in
SPLOST revenue. The total in the SPLOST
fund at the end of April was $66,878. The
city’s proposed SPLOST projects include:
$216,000 for water system improvements;
$248,000 for fire station construction and
equipment; $216,000 for road improve
ments; $80,000 for town hall construc
tion and equipment; and $40,000 for real
estate acquisition.
