Newspaper Page Text
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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2023
Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 12 Pages, 1 Section Plus Supplements
Vol.57 No. 28
SERVING AS COSTUME DESIGNER
Banks County Board of Education member Mrs. Atha Dalton used her skills this summer serving as Costume Designer for the play, “Valley Voices.” “Valley
Voices” was presented at the Hardman Farm this June. She is shown with a crew member.
Homer well project plans get OK from EPD
Democrats
to meet on
voting
The Banks County Dem
ocrats will be presenting a
video program on how they
can help Banks County vot
ers make a difference in fu
ture elections.
The meeting will be held
on Thursday, June 15, at
6 p.m., at Homer City Hall
“We will discuss how
to share opinions without
alienating each other and
how we can encourage more
people to vote, no matter
what party they support,”
organizers state.
The public is invited.
Homer
Farmers
Market set
The Homer Farmers Mar
ket will be held in down
town Homer from 8 a.m. to
2 p.m. on Saturday.
The Farmers Market is
held on third Saturday of
each month.
Alto man
killed in
wreck after
fleeing from
officer
An Alto man was killed in
a wreck after fleeing from
police in Jackson County.
Georgia State Patrol
troopers were called for
the single-vehicle wreck
on Sunday, June 4, around
1 a.m. on Old Kings Bridge
Road at Staplers Road.
A gray Nissan Altima
driven by Garrett Alexander
Hance, 32, of Alto, report
edly fled from a Jackson
County Sheriff’s Office
deputy. Hance lost control
of the vehicle, which rotated
and went off the roadway,
striking multiple trees.
Hance was ejected from
his vehicle and pronounced
dead on the scene.
The incident is listed as
obstruction of officers-felo-
ny; driving under the influ
ence (DUI)-alcohol; fleeing
or attempting to elude a
police officer for a felony
offense-felony; failure to
maintain lane; headlight
violation; and taillight vio
lation.
MAILING LABEL
By ANGELA GARY
Homer will not be pur
chasing as much water from
the county when the well
is “up and running” again,
which is expected in the
next three months.
Homer councilman James
Dumas gave an update on
the well project when the
city council met Tuesday
night.
He said the new filter sys
tem needed for the well has
By ANGELA GARY
The Banks County Board
of Commissioners approved
a $23.7 million budget
Tuesday night, after holding
several hearings to receive
public input.
Action has not been tak
en on the millage rate yet,
been approved by the Geor
gia Environmental Protec
tion Division, which means
work can begin soon. The
materials for the project,
which cost $65,000, have
been ordered.
“We have progress fi
nally,” Dumas said when
reporting that the EPD had
approved the filter system.
“As soon as this is done, the
well will be in operation.
This should cut our water
but BOC chairman Charles
Turk said plans are to “roll
it back” as soon as the tax
digest is approved by the
state.
The largest budget items,
those over $1 million in
clude: sheriff and jail opera
tions, $7.1 million; fire ser-
purchase from the county
significantly.”
Dumas added that the
well will serve all of the
downtown area.
“The only place we will
need to purchase water from
the county will be Chimney
Oaks and Hidden Lake,” he
said.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the
meeting, the city council:
•agreed to name the drive
vices, $4.8 million; E-911/
EMA, $1.3 million; and
utilities pumping and purifi
cation, $1 million.
As for revenue, the top
items include the following:
property tax, $4.7 million;
local option sales tax, $4
million; solid waste dispos-
across from Thompson
Street and Historic Homer
Highway “Hudster Hollow
Lane.” Three new homes
are being constructed on the
road.
•reappointed Vicki Boling
to serve as the private sec
tor member on the Georgia
Mountains Regional Com
mission.
•reappointed Sarah Black
mon to serve on the Banks
County Library Board.
al fees, $3.1 million; public
utilities, $2.5 million; motor
vehicle taxes, $1.4 million;
and insurance premium,
$1.3 million.
The budget has $100,800
allocated for Superior Court
services, which was a point
of discussion at earlier
•named Scott Furphy to
fill a vacant seat on the city
planning commission.
•heard an update from
city attorney David Syfan
on updates to the town’s
zoning ordinance. The doc
ument will now go to the
planning commission for a
recommendation and then
to the town council for a
vote.
•held a closed session to
discuss litigation.
budget hearings with de
partment heads. A repre
sentative of the Piedmont
Judicial Circuit attended
that earlier meeting to re
quest $388,420 be budgeted
from Banks County. County
leaders did not agree with
this.
Banks BOG approves $23.7 million budget
Lula City Council reviews proposed $1.7 million budget
4 8 7 9 1 4 1 4 3 1 111 3
Council to vote
Monday on
budget
By SHERRY LEWIS
The Lula City Council
has released the proposed
fiscal 2023-24 budget and
expects to vote when the
council meets on Monday,
June 19. The proposed gen
eral fund budget is $ 1.7 mil
lion, while the utility fund
budget is $1.04 million
City Manager Dennis
Bergin pointed out that the
city has not collected prop
erty taxes for 19 years and
for that he is extremely
proud. Although he warned
that inflation has caused
two issues. He noted that
it costs seven percent more
for operational and material
expenses. His even bigger
concern is supply issues
which has caused the cost
of some items to go up 60
percent. Lastly, he not
ed that the Public Service
Commission has approved a
12 percent rate for Georgia
Power increase for Georgia
Power beginning in July. He
also pointed out the rising
property assessment in the
county.
“Lula doesn’t have prop
erty taxes, but I don’t see
how we can continue with
inflationary costs,” said
Bergin. “I’m not a propo
nent of property taxes, but
if we have the same level
of service,” he said alluding
that a city tax could become
necessary. For Fiscal Year
2023-24, there will still be
no city taxes.
In the general fund rev
enues, the county expects
to receive $40,800 in Lo
cal Option Sales Tax from
Banks County and $648,000
from Hall County. Tax in
surance should bring in
$247,000, while the council
expects to receive $124,232
from administrative fees for
utilities. The city expects
to take in $225,000 in solid
waste collections.
In expenditures, the city
expects to spend $350,110
on administrative salaries.
This includes a new assis
tant city manager. While the
city will spend $267,547
for city service staff, along
with $100,320.00 for health
insurance.
Revenues in the utility
budget includes $527,000
for water and $270,000 for
sewer services. Sewer taps
are estimated at $125,000.
In expenses, salaries are
expected to be $213,654,
while health insurance
should cost $36,480. Other
expenses include $28,000 in
engineering fees, well pump
utilities at $27,659, water
line supplies at $13,000 and
water meters are budgeted
at $34,500 for well pumps.
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