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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2020
BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 5A
Year in Review
A look back at the headlines from 2020
JANUARY
•The Banks County Farm
Bureau was announced as
one of the top county Farm
Bureau programs in the
state at the annual conven
tion in Jekyll Island.
•Heavy rains caused dam
age across the county, in
cluding several roads that
had to be repaired.
•At the Maysville City
Council meeting, Mayor
Richard Presley and council
members Junior Hardy and
Scott Harper were sworn in
to serve another four-year
term. Department heads for
the year were also named.
•The Alto Police Depart
ment received a Car Seat
Grant.
•The Banks County Sher
iff’s Office sponsored the
annual Shop With A Hero
program.
•Mount Vernon Mills,
Alto, announced plans to
close. The plant has 65 em
ployees who live in Banks
County.
•Jerry Boling was named
the Citizen of the Year and
Georgia Power was named
the Business of the Year at
the Banks County Chamber
of Commerce CVB annual
dinner.
•The Banks County Plan
ning Commission called for
a moratorium on apartments
and other multi-family
housing for the next three
years. The planners agreed
to ask the board of com
missioners to take action on
their request.
•Baldwin council member
Jeff Parrish was recognized
for his 10 years of service to
the city.
•Ricky Sutton was sworn
in as a new member of the
Gillsville City Council.
•At the Baldwin City
Council meeting, the fol
lowing were sworn in: coun
cil member Larry Lewallen,
council member Theron
Ayers and council member
Stephanie Almagno.
•The Banks County Board
of Commissioners agreed
to a six-month moratorium
on apartments and other
multi-family developments.
The county planning com
mission had recommended
a three-year moratorium on
multi-family developments,
including apartments, town
homes and condominiums.
•Taylor Griffin and A.J.
Purcell have been appointed
to serve on the Banks Coun
ty Planning Commission.
•The Banks County Rec
reation Department was
named the State Agency of
the Year and the District 7
Agency of the Year by the
Georgia Recreation and
Parks Association.
•The Homer Town Coun
cil discussed providing sew
er services to its residents,
schools and businesses. The
council has received quotes
from engineering firms to
help determine if this could
be a feasible venture.
•Shane Roberts was se
lected as the Banks County
Board of Education chair
man.
•Eddie Palmer was named
Alto mayor pro tem.
•At the Alto City Council
meeting, sworn in to serve
another term were: Mayor
Audrey Turner and council
members James Turner and
Eddie Palmer.
•Mar-Jac announced
plans to locate a hatchery on
Martin Bridge Road.
•Over 60 citizens at
tended a meeting in Banks
County about the proposed
improvements to State
Route 15/U.S. 441. One of
the proposed improvements
suggests the realignment
and extension of Steven B.
Tanger Boulevard to State
Route 15/U.S. 441 and the
realignment of Faulkner
Road and Access Road (for
mer Steve B. Tanger Boule
vard). The second proposed
project will add a raised
median, new striping, cross
walks and ADA compliant
ramps along SR 15/U.S.
441 from the Jackson Coun
ty line to just south of 1-85.
Traffic signals along the
corridor would also be up
graded.
•Nancy Bentley, principal
of Banks County Elementa
ry School, was named direc
tor of special programs for
the Banks County School
System.
•The Gillsville City
Council moved forward
with adopting zoning regu
lations.
•The Maysville Planning
Commission recommended
the city council enact a nui
sance ordinance.
FEBRUARY
•After more than half a
century serving in public
safety, Ken Mize was hon
ored by the Banks County
Sheriff's Office for his ser
vice.
•The Maysville City
Council voted not to move
forward with adoption of
regulations that would ad
dress property nuisance
ordinances. The city's plan
ning commission had rec
ommended the council take
this action.
•The Banks County Board
of Commissioners received
a $5 million loan for sewer
system infrastructure.
•The owner of the Chim
ney Oaks Golf Course sued
the city of Homer over its
refusal to issue it a license
to sell liquor-by-the-drink.
•The Banks County High
School softball team was
recognized at the Georgia
State Capitol for winning
the Class AA State Title.
•The OneGeorgia Author
ity awarded Banks County a
$382,869 grant to construct
road infrastructure to ac
commodate new industrial
development at the Martin
Bridge Exit off of 1-85.
•In a 3-2 vote, the BOC
approved a zoning that will
allow a classic car dealer
ship to locate on Yonah Ho
mer Road.
•The Banks County BOC
unanimously approved a
motion by chairman Jimmy
Hooper to declare the coun
ty a “Second Amendment
Sanctuary."
•Banks County Farm Bu
reau members attended the
Georgia Farm Bureau Day
at the Capitol and met with
Sen. John Wilkinson and
Rep. Chris Erwin.
•The Lula City Council
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Banks County Board of
Commissioners will hold a public
hearing on January 12, 2021 at
6:30 p.m. in the Board Room of
the Banks County Courthouse
Annex, 150 Hudson Ridge, Ste. 1,
Homer, GA 30547. The purpose
of the hearing is to consider the
abandonment of approximately
.149 miles of CR110/Glenn Road.
approved a moratorium on
new vape shops locating in
the town limits.
•Bill Griffin, Larry
Sparks, Jonathon Bennett
and Huy Nguyen were reap
pointed to the Banks Coun
ty Development Authority.
•Richard Brooks was
named as the one finalist for
the economic developer of
Banks County.
•Chad Keener was named
the assistant fire chief in the
City of Baldwin.
MARCH
•The Maysville City
Council added an area for
seating at the park amphi
theater.
•The Gillsville City
Council is in the process of
finalizing design and details
for improvements to the
downtown Reo Frankum
building.
•When qualifying ended,
races had been set for four
seats in the May 19 Gen
eral Primary Election. In
the Banks County Board of
Commissioners chairman’s
race, Charles Turk will face
Will Ramsey. In the District
2 commission race, incum
bent David Duckett will
face Jason Hensley and Bo
Garrison. In the District 4
commission race, Robert
Blackwell. Brad McCook.
William Reems and Keith
Gardiner will be on the bal
lot. In the chief magistrate
race, incumbent Ivan Mote
will face Noel Brown Ven-
trice.
•Tyler Morris was named
the Banks County High
School STAR student.
•Mike Clevelands stepped
down after nine seasons
as the Banks County High
School head boys basket
ball coach. Assistant coach
Ryan Griffin was named as
his successor.
•Schools have been shut
down, at least through
March 31 and perhaps lon
ger, businesses are closing
their doors and most folks
are staying at home as the
number of people infect
ed with the coronavirus
increases across Georgia.
The March 24 presidential
primary election in Georgia
has also been postponed un
til May 19.
•Plans were announced
by the Banks County School
System that free meals
would be offered while
schools were shut down.
•Homer and Lula city
governments agreed to close
their facilities to the public
due to the coronavirus.
•The Banks County An
nex remained opened but
access was limited to one
citizen at a time in each of
fice due to the coronavirus.
•The Homer Town Coun
cil agreed to raise its water
and garbage rates.
•Dana Simmons was
named as the new principal
at Banks County Elementa
ry School.
•Baldwin City Hall was
closed to the public due to
the coronavirus.
•Plans were announced
that schools would remain
closed through April 13 due
to the coronavirus.
•The Lula City Council
agreed to hold a Novem
ber referendum on alcohol
sales.
APRIL
•Banks County now has
three confirmed cases of
COVID, according to the
Georgia Department of
Public Health.
•Plans were announced
that the Banks County
Courthouse and County An
nex would now be open by
appointment only.
•The Gillsville City
Council held an emergency
meeting, via a conference
call, to declare a public
emergency due to concerns
related to COVID.
•Southern Nationals was
cancelled at the Atlanta
Dragway due to COVID.
•Plans were announced
that schools would be closed
for the remainder of the
school year due to COVID.
Plans for senior graduation
and prom were put on hold.
•The Alto Town Coun
cil approved a “shelter-in-
place” ordinance due to the
virus.
•Banks County govern
ment shut down April 3-13,
as the governor called for
citizens to stay at home.
•The state-wide General
Primary/Presidential Prefer
ence Primary Election was
postponed until June 9.
•Storms that passed
through Northeast Georgia
completely destroyed two
homes in Banks County,
caused moderate damage to
several more homes and left
trees down on several roads.
•The Banks County Ro
tary Club collected peanut
butter for the Food-2-Kids
program. The peanut butter
was donated to area school
children.
•Lula Railroad Days was
cancelled due to COVID.
•The Banks County Rota
ry Club celebrated Brother
Jim McLendon Day by en
couraging the community to
plant a tree on April 25.
•The number of COVID
cases continued to increase
with 15 confirmed cases be
ing reported in the county.
•A three-percent salary
increase was approved by
the BOC, to be implement
ed Jan. 1.
•Banks County superin
tendent Ann Hopkins, an
nounced at the board of edu
cation meeting, that student
grades would not decrease
from where they stood on
March 13 when school fa
cilities closed in response
to the coronavirus pandem
ic. She said grades could,
however, increase, for work
completed after that date.
No work will would be as
signed after May 1.
•The BOC approved haz
ard pay for some emergency
employees who are on duty
during the pandemic.
•BCHS senior Chel
sea Lewallen received the
Banks County Rotary Club
Scholarship.
•A $910,000 renova
tion was planned at Banks
County Primary School.
MAY
•The number of COVID
cases in Banks County in
creased to 29.
•May 11 was announced
as the last day to register to
vote in the June 9 election.
•Lane and ramp closures
were put in place on 1-85 in
Banks County for a resur
facing project.
•County government of
fices opened to the public
on a regular basis with lim
its on the number of people
allowed in each office.
•State leaders encouraged
people to “wear a mask”
in public to decrease the
spread of COVID.
•The City of Lula's His
toric Wooden Bridge on
Cobb Street was closed by
the Georgia Department of
Transportation due to struc
tural deficiencies.
•Early voting started for
the Primary/Presidential
Preference Primary.
•Superior Court Judge
Nicholas Primm agreed with
the decision of the Banks
County Board of Election
in its February 2020 action
to dismiss Dan Gasaway's
challenge of the residents
at 1654 Wells Road being
allowed to vote.
•Banks County Rotari-
an and past club president
Becky Carlan was named to
serve on the board of direc
tors for Rotary District 6910
for a term of two years, be
ginning July 1.
•The Banks County Sher
iff's Office was recognized
at the BOC meeting for re
ceiving state accreditation.
•Homer voters will go to
the polls on June 9 to decide
three issues related to the
sale of alcohol in the city.
•Banks County High
School student Ryan Hum
phries had a special gradu
ation ceremony for one as
school leaders game him
his diploma and wished
him well as he left for Fort
Benning and the National
Guard.
•Ryan Humphries and Jill
Martinet were named Mr.
and Miss Banks County
High School for 2020.
•Banks County School
System food nutrition direc
tor Stacy Morgan retired.
JUNE
•The first death from
COVID was reported in
Banks County.
•A scaled-down Memo
rial Day program was held
in downtown Homer due to
COVID.
•In the election, Charles
Turk won the BOC chair
man’s race and Bo Garri
son won the District 1 race.
In the District 4 race, there
was a run-off between Keith
Gardiner and William Re
ems. Ivan Mote won the
Chief Magistrate Judge's
race.
•In Homer, the issue on
the sale of alcohol on the
ballot passed in a 154-111
vote. The vote on the pack
age sale of alcohol on Sun
day passed 146-119.
•The BOC passed a
$18.44 million budget for
the next fiscal year.
•Banks County now
has 99 confirmed cases of
COVID.
•Plans were announced
for students to return to
school on Aug. 7, with
health guidelines in place
to address concerns with the
spread of COVID.
•Lula leaders proposed a
6.2 percent budget reduc
tion for the next fiscal year.
•The number of COVID
cases in the county in
creased to 109.
•The Rotary Club of
Banks County received the
District Governor’s Gold
Level Citation for Excel
lence.
•Nicole Blalock was
named the Banks County
School System food nutri
tion director.
•The annual Homer fire
works celebration was can
celled.
•Community leaders were
recognized by the Banks
County Rotary Club in a
Rotary Salutes Banks Coun
ty program.
JULY
•A new temporary exhibit
highlighting the evolution
of Mike Craven’s folk pot
tery is now open at the Folk
Pottery Museum of North
east Georgia.
•The BOC awarded a bid
for $68,500 for a sewer line
installation at Hwy. 59. The
project is needed due to the
round-about which is going
in at the site.
•Lula City Hall closed
following an employee test
ing positive for COVID.
•The Banks County
Courthouse closed June 30-
July 7 due to an employee
testing positive for COVID.
•Graduation for the Class
of 2020 at Banks County
High School was set for
July 18. Each graduate was
given six tickets with other
stipulations put in place due
to COVID.
•Vicki Boling was named
as the new president of the
Banks County Rotary Club.
•Bobby Irvin of Banks
County was featured in an
episode of “American Pick
ers” on The History Chan
nel.
•Banks County Board of
Commission chairman Jim
my Hooper announced that
he will be stepping down as
of Aug. 31, due to medical
reasons. Charles Turk, who
has already been elected as
chairman as of Jan. 1, 2021,
can step in and begin to
serve.
•Early voting began for
the run-off election for the
District 4 BOC race.
•The Homer Town Coun
cil amended its alcohol or
dinance to allow Sunday
sales, following approval of
the referendum.
•The Banks County His
torical Society received a
$6,000 grant, to be used for
a project at the Historical
Jail.
•The Banks County
School System moved its
opening date to Aug. 19 to
allow for additional training
for staff.
AUGUST
•Josh White was named
the new police chief in the
City of Maysville.
•The BOC voted to move
forward with road improve
ments on Hebron Road,
Borders Road, Hawkins
Road and Trout Lane.
•Carlton Speed was sworn
in as president of the Geor
gia Sheriff’s Association.
•Keith Gardiner won the
District 4 BOC seat in the
run-off election.
•Plans to locate a recov
ery center for women with
drug and alcohol addiction
in Lula was recommended
for approval by the county
planning commission. Ac
tion by the BOC will not be
taken until April 2021.
•Banks County commu
nity members and church
leaders gathered in front of
Banks County High School
to pray for the start of the
new school year.
•School opened on
Wednesday. Aug. 19, for
Banks County students.
Continued on page 7A
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