Newspaper Page Text
Homer seeks grant for new well
BY CINDY R. EDGE
The Homer City Council is
moving forward with a grant
application to help fund
development of a new well.
According to an update
given by Mayor Doug Cheek
at a meeting held July 11, a
preliminary application has
been approved.
If approved, the funds will
be used to develop a second
well site on Evans Street on
28 acres of land recently pur
chased by the council.
The city has been noti
fied, since federal funds are
being used for this project,
an appraisal of the property
is required.
“The only two choices
we really have is to continue
with getting this application
in and get an appraisal and
present it to them when we
get it, or we cancel that one
out and wait until the Octo
ber funding period,” Cheek
said.
Drilling could begin in two
or three weeks and erosion
control measures are in
place.
“Everything is pretty much
lined up and we should
know something within 60
days,” Cheek said.
The council agreed to
move forward with the initial
grant application and submit
the appraisal once it is com
pleted.
Also at the meeting, the
council accepted a final
plat for Phase III A of the
Chimney Oak development.
Bianca Torres, representing
the developer, reported on
changes between the prelim
inary and the final plats.
Torres said the size of a
few lots was increased and
four lots have been removed.
When asked by Council
man David Dunson how
sales were going, Torres
reported five pre-sales have
been approved and plans
call for a model home in
this phase as well as one in
Phase I A of the develop
ment.
“Builders are making
modifications to houses to
get sales rolling,” Torres said.
The council approved
the final plat for Phase III A
contingent upon verification
of street names by the 9-1-1
center.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the
meeting, the council:
•approved the operating
budgets for 2017-2018 fiscal
year. The general fund bud
get was set at $477,600 and
the water fund budget was
set at $204,800.
•approved an agreement
to permit Banks County to
conduct the November gen
eral election on November 2.
•approved an agreement
to purchase water from
Banks County. The agree
ment requires the city to pay
$3 per thousand gallons of
water for the first year of the
agreement. Afterwards, the
purchase price will be nego
tiated between the city and
Banks County.
• re-appointed James
Dumas and Mose Chandler
to serve on the city planning
board for three-year terms.
• heard that the 140th
Annual Sunday School Cele
bration is scheduled for July
29.
Cheek said this is the old
est such event in the nation,
and at one time over 4,000
people were in attendance.
COOLING OFF
Luke McEntire is
shown cooling off on a
hot summer day at the
park in downtown Lula.
'Striding
for a Better
Banks' set
ZUMBA TIME
Kale Montgomery, Charli Grace Crabbe and Isabella Diaz dance during the Zumba kids camp at the Banks County Parks and
Recreation Department. The camp introduced kids to Zumba fitness. Photo by Charles Phelps
o
County leaders are plan
ning an event to provide
information on community
services and agencies avail
able to citizens.
The event, “Striding for a
Better Banks,” will be held
from 10 a.m. to noon on Sat
urday, July 29, at the Banks
County Parks and Recreation
Department Gymnasium.
The free event will include
displays and give-aways from
the participants.
The organizations in atten
dance will include: Air Life
Helicopter, Banks County
Adult Literacy, Banks Coun
ty Chamber of Commerce,
Banks County private emer
gency services, Banks Coun
ty Clean and Beautiful, Banks
County Board of Commis
sioners, Banks County Public
Library, Banks County Rec
reation Department, Banks
County School System, Fam
ily Connections, Red Cross,
Sparky the Fire Dog, UGA
Extension Service.
There will also be repre
sentatives at the event from
state and federal agencies
and clubs, including the
department of family and
children services, GEMA,
Georgia State Patrol, Georgia
Forestry, National Weather
Services, Boy Scouts, Saddle
Club, Rotary Club, Interact,
Family Connections and
Community Resource Asso
ciation.
PROVIDING INFORMATION
Jeff Bohannon and Josh White with the Banks County Sheriff’s Office provided information to students participating in the Junior
Deputy Training Program this week. They are shown speaking with Kolten Jones. See more photos on page 8A.
Photos by Angela Gary
BCES students complete junior deputy training
BY ANGELA GARY
Two men get into a
fight. A law enforcement
officer is called to the
scene to find out what
happens. Should an arrest
be made? Should both
men be charged?
Two officers are called
to a residence where a
couple got into a fight
over money. The officers
separate the couple and
get their story of what
happened. Should an
arrest be made?
These are the scenar
ios Banks County Ele
mentary School students
participating in the Junior
Deputy Training Program
are facing this week.
After training Monday
morning from staff of the
Banks County Sheriff’s
Office, students handled
situations such as the
ones listed above. Volun
teer high school students
portrayed the people
involved in the fight and
the domestic dispute.
The afternoon on Mon
day was spent with sev
eral field trips, including
tours of the Banks Coun
ty Sheriff’s Office and
the Banks County Court
house.
At the BCSO, Sheriff
Carlton Speed spoke with
the students and swore
them in as “junior dep
uties.”
At the courthouse,
Superior Court Judge
Currie Mingledorff spoke
with the students.
A representative of
the Georgia Department
of Corrections brought a
boat to the school and
spoke to the students.
The students will grad
uate from the program at
4 p.m. Thursday of this
week.
Students will receive a
certificate for completing
the training, reports Jeff
Bohannon, Banks Coun
ty Sheriff’s Office School
Resource Officer.
TRAINING
Officer Josh White with the Banks County
Sheriff’s Office presents information to fifth grad
ers Hunter Boyer and Zuleydi Walker as part of the
Junior Deputy Training Program.
Banks County News
www.BanksNewsTODAY.com d Banks County’s Legal Organ
WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017
50<t • Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 16 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 49 No. 33
