About The Banks County news. (Homer, Banks County, Ga.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (July 19, 2017)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017 THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS PAGE 3A Lula Oks zoning for new business BY SHARON HOGAN The Lula City Council approved a rezoning on Monday that clears the way for a new business in town. The rezoning for .36 acre located at 5853 Hood Street, owned by H.R. Miller LLC, was approved unanimously with a condition on signage. The property changes from R-2 residential to Highway Business. Miller’s son-in-law, Hank Parker, with Jordan-Parker Land Surveying, plans to open an office at this loca tion. The signage condition allows for a low-profile sign, ground elevated. In other business: • City manager Dennis Bergin advised the council that notice was received Monday afternoon that as of Friday, July 21, the city would lose its inmate work detail. Bergin said Warden Walt Davis informed him that Hall County would no longer pro vide four inmates, a correc tional officer and a vehicle for a set contracted amount each year. The county wants Lula to provide a vehicle and hire a correctional officer for the work detail. Council member Garnett Smith said it might “make more sense” for the city to hire two addi tional city employees. Bergin advised the starting pay for a correctional officer was $17.67 per hour plus benefits. The council asked Bergin to provide a comparison for the city providing its own cor rectional officer and vehicle versus hiring two additional employees. •The council approved spending $75,000 to pur chase a Case bobcat from Border Equipment, Conley, plus $1,518 for a manual quick-disconnect for the backhoe. •The council postponed action on bids for correc tive work on the old city hall building. Bergin said two bids had been received thus far. Action was also postponed on the adoption of the city’s millage rate. • Mayor Milton Turner said he wanted to let the pub lic know that the reason the city had not closed on the purchase of The Depot was due to the Lula Area Bet terment Association (LABA) not having a clear title to the property. Turner said the city approved the purchase price of $25,000 - $2,500 to be paid up front with the $22,500 balance to be paid within five months. However, when work began to get a clear title it was determined that the LABA doesn’t have clear ownership of the property. The issue with the property actually began as far back as 1981, Bergin reported. The issue of getting a clear title is up to the LABA, not the city. This issue has been going on for more than a year with no solution. “The city can’t do anything more than we are doing,” Bergin said. The council approved a meeting with the LABA attorney Jane Range, Mary Barbee and city staff to discuss the issue. The council agreed to give the LABA 14 days to resolve the issue or the city will move on to something else. Council- men Mordecai Wilson and Vince Evans both voiced concern with the amount of time that has been spent on this issue already. • The council agreed to check with the Georgia Department of Transporta tion about placing a city sign on GDOT rights-of-way along Athens Street at Highway 365. The private landowner that the city had considered leasing property from for a sign is asking for $100 per month, Turner advised. •The council denied a citizens’ request to remove a tree located on Toombs Street. The property owner came before the council in 2011 and asked that the city remove the tree, but with out a survey, it could not be determined if the city should claim ownership and take liability for its removal. After an inspection, the tree was found to be healthy at that time. Since then the tree has split and half of it has fall en and the property owner is again asking the city for assistance. •The council discussed setting a meeting next week to meet with attorney Ken Jarrard, Forsyth County, and city attorney Blake Poole and or Lucky Chandler, to dis cuss the Hall County Service Delivery Agreement (SDA) status and strategy. The city did not sign the proposed SDA. However, Bergin said the county had submitted the agreement without the city signing off, but he did not know if it had been approved at the state level. •The council denied a request from the Historical Society for $1,000 to fund the entertainment at the annual Fall Festival set for Oct. 21. • The council unanimous ly approved a high bid of $1,406.50 from Jack David son for the 2004 Ford F-250 truck the city had up for bid. A bid of $1,227.79 was also received from Mike Ingram. •The council discussed holding a Saturday work shop retreat in September. The date will be determined and announced later. •Turner announced that the next Hall County Joint Municipal Association (JMA) meeting was set for 5:15 p.m. on Monday, July 24, hosted by the Gillsville City Council, •Turner announced the following Yard of the Month winners for July: Rodney Fos ter, David Wiley, Ginger Wal- don, Christine Ogrich and James J. Davidson. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Please take notice that the Town of Homer Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at Town Hall on Thursday, July 27, at 7:00 P.M. to receive public comments on the application of Banks County Golf, LLC for a proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Homer to zone property located at 491 Scales Creek Road, Homer, Georgia from R-l Single-Family Residential District to R-2 Multi-family Residential District. A copy of the application is available for public inspection at the Homer Town Hall. The public hearing of Town Council will be on Aug. 8, 2017, 6:00 P.M. The Town Council will consider adoption of the zoning request at the regular meeting immediately following the public hearing. .i* NY BALDWIN FARMERS' MARKET RIBBON-CUTTING A ribbon-cutting and grand opening of the City of Baldwin Farmers’ Market was held July 14. Several Habersham County Chamber of Commerce members; Habersham County Board of Commissioner Andrea Harper; Baldwin council members Larry Lewallen, Jeff Parrish and Theron Ayers; Mrs. John Kollock; Mark Sundermeyer; Scott Achankeng; and city staff turned out to help Mayor Jerry Neace (with scissors) cut the ribbon to officially open the market. Photos by Sharon Hogan MURALS ENHANCE PARK Murals, like the one shown, enhance the new downtown Baldwin Park. The mural shown was painted based on original art done by the late John Kollock. Mark Sundermeyer, Braselton, and Scott Achankeng, a native of South Africa, painted the mural in the park in downtown Baldwin. NEACE AND KOLLOCK At the grand opening of the Baldwin Farmers’ Market on July 14, Mayor Jerry Neace (L) talked about the murals painted on the walls surrounding the new downtown park. Neace introduced Mrs. John Kollock, whose husband’s painted the origi nal art used for the murals. 17^ nragfflro to Cold Laser Therapy can be use to treat the following: • Disc Hernation • Carpal Tunnel • Neuropathy • Shingles • Shoulder Pain • Arthritis • Plantar Fascitis • Foot Pain • Bursitis/ Tendinitis • TMJ BENEFITS TO LASER THERAPY FDA Approved • Fast Results Affordable • Safe PAIN FREE • Effective Natural, Drug Free Solution to Pain! Homer Family Chiropractor Dr. K. Anthony Merati, D.C.,NRCME 706.677.1010 • www.homerchiropractor.com 1253 Historic Homer Hwy. • Located in Homer Shopping Center Tuesdays & Thursdays 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. • Saturdays 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday @ Duluth Clinic Expert care. For your whole heart. 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