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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2022
• Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 12 Pages, 1 Section Plus Supplements • Vol. 56 No. 4
Tax help
offered through
extension office
Do you need help max
imizing your refund? Tax
season will soon be upon
us, and the Banks County
Extension Office is offering
help.
Through the Volunteer
Income Tax Assistance
(VITA) program, IRS-cer
tified preparers will prepare
federal and state tax returns,
free of charge. VITA is de
signed to assist qualified
taxpayers and to ensure
that seniors, limited income
families, and others receive
every available benefit.
The process consists of
two appointments. In the
first, you will meet with the
tax preparer and give them
all the documentation and
information they need to
prepare your return. About
a week later, you will return
for your second appoint
ment, in which you will
review, sign, and file your
return.
Appointments will begin
February 1.
Schedule an appointment
starting January 9 by call
ing the Banks County Ex
tension Office at 706-677-
6230.
“There are limits on
which kinds of returns we
can prepare, so please be
sure to call ahead of time.”
organizers state.
Questions can be directed
to susie.burton@uga.edu.
Dip in
November
unemployment
rates reported
Georgia Labor Commis
sioner Mark Butler reports
that all Regional Commis
sions recorded a decrease
in unemployment rates in
November.
“We are seeing job num
bers continue to rise across
the state as Georgians se
cure employment,” said
Commissioner Butler.
“Unemployment rates also
dropped in all of our region
al commissions in Novem
ber as we entered the holi
day employment period.”
In the Georgia Moun
tains Regional Commis
sion, which includes Banks
County, the November pre
liminary unemployment
rate was down three-tenths
to 2.4 percent over the
month, the rate was 2.2 per
cent one year ago.
MAILING LABEL
Sworn in to serve on BOG
MAXWELL SWORN IN TO SERVE ANOTHER TERM
Danny Maxwell is shown being sworn in by Judge Helen Hewell to
serve his fifth term as the District 1 representative on the Banks Coun
ty Board of Commissioners. His granddaughters are also shown. Max
well’s most current term of office began January 1,2015. He served his
first term as commissioner in the late 1990s.
AUSBURN SWORN IN
Chris Ausburn is shown being sworn in to serve as the District 3
representative on the Banks County Board of Commissioners. He is
being sworn in by Probate Court Judge Helen Hewell. This will be
his first term serving on the Banks County Board of Commission
ers.
Homer council to seek flashing light on Hwy. 51
By ANGELA GARY
angela@mainstreetnews.com
The Homer Town Council
discussed at its December
meeting recent accidents at
the stop sign on Hwy. 51
and ways to prevent further
wrecks.
Councilman Cliff Hill
agreed to contact the Geor
gia Department of Trans
portation about placing a
flashing light at the location.
There have been several
accidents due to people run
ning the stop sign, officials
reported.
Hill also discussed put
ting “no-through” truck
signs on Sycamore and Blue
Bell streets.
He also reported that
he has met with KCI En
gineering regarding some
pipe repair and road work
that needs to be done in the
town.
OTHER UPDATES
The city council also dis
cussed a roundabout that is
being proposed by the DOT
on Historic Homer High
way at the intersection of
Evans Street and Hwy. 98.
The council is looking
at options for when Athens
Street is closed.
An update was also given
on the Evans Street well.
Mayor Doug Cheek and
councilman James Dumas
made plans to meet with the
city engineer on the issue.
An update will be given at
next month's meeting.
Lula residents call for council member to resign
By SHERRY LEWIS
Sparks continued to fly at
the Lula City Council meet
ing when three residents
called on city council mem
ber Gene Bramlett to resign
amid harassment allegations
among city employees.
“No employee should
walk around on eggshells,”
exclaimed city resident Jo
seph Johnson.
City resident Robert Griz
zle addressed the council,
“This is wontan misbehav
ior; do your duty; bring this
to an end.”
Gene Bramlett has denied
the harassment accusations.
This is the second investi
gation that named Bramlett.
Johnson pointed out. A re
tired GBI officer was hired
to investigate allegations
of harassment concerning
a code enforcement issue.
Bramlett was named on that
complaint, along with City
Code Enforcement Officer
Doug Forrester.
Johnson pointed out the
expense that the city has
incurred over the last year.
The city has spent “$10,000
on investigations and semi
nars,” he said.
Last month, some citizens
called for Forrester to be
fired.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the
meeting, the city council:
•approved a request from
the Lula Belton Historical
Society for use of the Depot
for their monthly meeting
which is held on the fourth
Monday of the month.
•agreed to decrease the
rental fee at the Depot from
$600 to $300.
•heard from City Man
ager Dennis Bergin who
stated the city has a cumu
lative bank balance of $5.3
million. He reported that the
city bank balances remain
constant.
•noted the city may raise
sewer tap fees. That will
be addressed by the utility
committed and public com
ment will be scheduled.
•discussed demolition
bid for structures on Carter
Alley. Bids will open on
Wednesday, February 15, at
3 p.m.
•tabled a vote on the Dog
Park proposal. The 250
square feet project is ex
pected to cost $6,000.
•tabled a vote on the adop
tion of residential building
requirements.
•noted that the Compre
hensive Plan steering com
mittee update will be held
on Thursday, January 19, at
6 p.m.
•noted that the city coun
cil work session and meet
ing will be held on Tuesday,
January 10. and Tuesday,
January 17, for one month.
Hodie Meats opens at
former Mount Vernon
Mills site in Alto
Hodie Meats has opened at the former Mount Vernon
Mills site in Alto.
The food processing business will initially employ 40 to
50 people, with plans to eventually hire up to 200 as the
business grows.
Earlier this year, both the Banks County Planning Com
mission and Board of Commissioners approved a con
ditional use permit for the business. The conditional use
is not be on the entire property. It is only be on the back
building and closely surrounding area which is approxi
mately 202,781 square feet.
Eric Ayers presented the request to the planning commis
sion on Oct. 4.
“It will be very clean and very sterile,” he said of the
business. “We are not a kill facility. There will be no odor.”
Hodie Meats will serve a national customer base. The
business is led by Ben Garcia, vice president of processing,
and Amy Ward, vice president of sales.
The business is an all-fresh-meat, USDA-grade facili
ty, receiving processed chicken from area integrators for
portion cutting and co-packing customed to each custom
er’s specifications. The plant features a full range of fur
ther-processing capabilities from hand-portioning of fil
lets, tenders, strips, diced meat, and nuggets to dehoning
of dark and white meat.
The new facility represents a multi-million-dollar in
vestment in the renovation and repurposing of the former
Mount Vernon Textile Mill. There is room for expansion
with Hodie’s current processing operations occupying less
than a quarter of the 200,0000-square-foot building.
The letters in the company name stand for ‘Humility,
Ownership, Discipline, Integrity, and Excellence,’ repre
senting its values, leaders state..
SCOTT SHOOTS A BASKET
Photo by Hannah Caudell
Aaron Scott is shown shooting a basket over Rabun defenders in recent action. See
sports coverage on Pages 6A and 12A.
