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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023
Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 12 Pages, 1 Section Plus Supplements
Vol.57 No. 46
Election
coming up
Tuesday in
three towns
An election is set in three
towns on Tuesday with a
mayor’s race to be decid
ed.
In Maysville, incumbent
mayor Richard Presley will
face challenger William S.
McLeish Jr.
One council seat in Mays
ville will also be on the bal
lot. In Ward 4, Brodriche D.
Jackson and Roy Dean will
face off.
In Baldwin, Stephanie
Almagno and Tom Whit
ney are seeking the mayor’s
seat.
The mayor’s seat current
ly is held by acting mayor
Alice Venter and will be
elected for the remainder
of about two years and one
month, beginning around
Dec. 1, 2023, and run
through Dec. 31, 2025.
Venter serves as Post 5
councilmember and will
return to that seat once the
new mayor is installed.
In Alto, incumbent PJ.
Huggins, Patrcia Gail Ar
mour and John Smith will
be on the ballot in the may
or’s race.
In Lula, incumbent Gar
nett Smith and Roy Henry
Jr. qualified for the District
4 seat.
In District 5, which is va
cant, Juliette Leone Talley,
Joseph Michael Headrick
and Debbie Parker-Presley
qualified.
Polls will be open from
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election
Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7, for
the town elections.
Lula Ladies
plan community
meal; to honor
local veterans
The Lula Ladies will be
holding a free community
meal veterans celebration
from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on
Sunday, Nov. 12, at the Lula
Depot, located at 5911 Wall
Street, Lula.
The Lula Ladies will be
cooking up chili and hot
dogs with all the fixings.
“Come out and join us at
the Lula Depot for a free
community meal and help
honor our veterans,” orga
nizers state. “Please bring
chairs, blankets, an empty
stomach and an open heart.”
MAILING LABEL
Trunk or Treat festivities in Homer
Homer Baptist Church held a Trunk or Treat that featured balloon art, hot dogs, decorated
trunks and games. See more photos from the event on Page 5.
Kipp Jackson named
District Teacher of the Year
Kipp Jackson has been
named the District Teacher
of the Year for the Banks
County School System.
Jackson, a teacher at the
high school, has been an ed
ucator for 23 years, with 19
of those being in the Banks
County system.
After graduating from
Jackson County High
School, he pursued his
Bachelor of Science in Ag
riculture Education at the
University of Georgia and
obtained his Masters in Ag
ricultural Leadership.
Furthering his education,
Jackson seemed a specialist
degree in Curriculum and
Instruction from Lincoln
Memorial University.
Over his career, Jackson
has been a part of over 33
FFA state-winning teams
spanning from forestry to
poultry judging and has also
received national recogni
tion with a forestry career
development team.
Under Jackson’s leader
ship, Banks County High
School obtained two school
championships.
Banks County is now
geared to make its mark on
the national stage, with the
Forestry and Environmental
Natural Resources Team set
to represent Georgia at the
National FFA competition
in Indianapolis from Octo
ber 30- November 4, 2023.
Jackson is a member of
the GVATA (Georgia Voca
tional Agricultural Teach
ers Association) and PAGE
(Professional Association of
Georgia Educators).
“Jackson is not only cher
ished by students and col
leagues, he sets the standard
that administrators often
reference for their faculty,”
school leaders state.
Assistant principal Will
Foster emphasizes Jack
son’s significant role in the
Banks County High School
faculty.
He said, “The impact Mr.
Jackson has on our students
is monumental. He serves
humbly and is a valued
part of our school and com
munity. His impact on our
students daily is evident in
how much our students and
faculty admire him.”
Superintendent Dr. Ann
Hopkins states, “Mr. Jack
son’s honor is not only a
reflection of his agricultural
expertise but also the mag
nitude of his character.”
She adds, “His dedica
tion, underlined by humility
and integrity, has been piv
otal in shaping our students.
We are fortunate to have
him in the Banks County
family.”
Paycee and Payton Jack-
son, Jackson’s daughters,
shared their excitement over
the announcement, “Our
father has always been our
guiding star. His unwaver-
KIPP JACKSON
ing commitment to his stu
dents’ welfare resonates in
and out of the classroom.”
Jackson’s passion for ag
riculture is not just a profes
sion but a mission to ensure
every student recognizes
its importance, not just for
today but for future gener
ations.
His goal, as an educator
and now as a contender for
the state-level Teacher of
the Year, remains to amplify
the significance of FFA and
agriculture to each student
across the state and the na
tion.
Jackson will compete at
the state level for Georgia
Teacher of the Year. The
state-level Georgia Teach
er of the Year Banquet is
scheduled for May 30 and
31 in LaGrange, Georgia.
For further information
or inquiries, contact Angie
Bowen, Public Relations
and Communications Di
rector of Banks County
Schools.
BOC reviews
proposed planning,
zoning changes
By ANGELA GARY
The Banks County Board of Commissioners reviewed at
last week’s meeting recommended ordinance and variance
changes from the planning commission.
The BOC voted whether each item will be written into
a resolution that will then go before the planning commis
sion and back to the BOC for a final vote. A public hearing
will be held on each recommended change with the public
encouraged to provide input.
The change that took up most of the discussion was on
a recommendation from the planning commission to add
that for setbacks to R-l or R-2 zones, no new dwellings be
located within 800 feet of an agriculture use property. A
lengthy discussion was held on this with the BOC finally
denying the recommended change but agreeing to look into
the issue further.
BOC chairman Charles Truk questioned whether the
change should be in ARR (800 feet) and CAD (400 feet)
zones instead of R-l and R-2.
“I don’t know that we have much of a problem in R-l
and R-2,” he said. “Where we have most of our problem
is in ARR.”
Truk said the concern is that someone buys a house be
side of a chicken house or any livestock and complains
about the odors or other problems.
Commissioner Bo Garrison agreed, “I don’t believe you
are going to have R-l and R-2 building close to them. You
will have more ARR.”
Kerri Fincannon, county planning and zoning official
said, “This provides an extra layer of protection of our
farmers so they don’t have to spend their time defending
something they shouldn’t have to.”
Commissioner Chris Ausbum first made a motion to ap
prove the recommended changes. This motion died for lack
of a second and he later made a motion to deny the request
and get further information.
Commissioner Danny Maxwell said, “I want to do
what’s best for the farmer and I want to try and help the
person building the house too.”
In making the motion to deny, Ausbum said, “I suggest
we leave it as it is now and look at it at another date after
getting more facts. I think we need to dive into this a little
deeper. We can modify this alter and make sure the direc
tion we are taking is the right direction.”
OTHER ZONING ISSUES
Other items discussed included:
•to update the home occupations definition to require a
business license be obtained and approved annually. The
change must go before the planning commission and BOC
for input and a vote before it becomes official.
•amending restrictions on structures by homes in ARR
zoning. The proposed change is that accessory structures
can be placed on property that has 5 acres and 100 foot
from road right of way in ARR and CAD, accessory struc
ture.
The recommendation from the planning commission was
adding that in R-l zoning, accessory buildings and struc
tures should only be located inside or rear yards. The BOC
did not agree with this recommendation.
ACTION TAKEN
Also at the meeting, the BOC:
•gave permission for the annual youth hunt to be held on
county property the Thursday and Friday after Thanksgiv
ing. There was a suggestion that another hunt be held in
December since there has been so much interest in the past.
For the first hunt, 25 youth are allowed to hunt.
•approved a Family Medical Leave Act request from
heard human resources director Arlene Ivey. She shared
that an employee has used all of their FMLA time off but
still needs to be off due to doctor’s orders. The BOC agreed
to extend the time off through Dec. 31. The employee will
be responsible for their insurance costs during this extend
ed period.
•approved a request to purchase a Kawasaki mule at a
cost of $13,220. BOC chairman Charles Truk got two bids
and this was the low bid, from Gainesville Motor Sports.
•agreed to a request from fire chief Steve Nichols to
purchase a 2012 model fire truck from the Maysville Fire
Department at a cost of $325,000. It will be funded totally
through special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST)
revenue. Nichols said the truck was used as a back-up en
gine in Maysville, has less than 5,000 miles on it and less
than 100 hours of use on the pump. Nichols said a new
truck would cost $760,000.
A Pinata was featured at the sixth annual Baldwin Fall Fesival. A chili cook-off, booths, food and other activities for children were part of the event. See
more photos from the event on Page 3.
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