About The Banks County news. (Homer, Banks County, Ga.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 2024)
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2024 BANKS COUNTY NEWS PAGE 3A A ribbon cutting was held in September at the latest addition to the training complex at the Banks County Sheriff’s Office. The expansion at the complex has been named the Crime Story of the Year. Crime Story of the Year Training complex at sheriff s office features rappel tower, shooting range BY ANGELA GARY A new training complex opened in Banks County in this past year, offering training space for local law enforcement officers and of ficers from other agencies. This has been named the Crime Story of the Year due to the impact this has on the community with training for the Banks County Sher iff’s Office staff, as well as bringing in funds from those from out of town who come to the county to train. A rappel tower, 300-me ter range and classrooms are among the features of a new training complex at the Banks County Sheriff’s Office. Each building honors a branch of the military and this building is dedicated to Banks County veterans of World War I. “Each building will fea ture something from the military,” Sheriff Carl ton Speed said at the open house. “The hallway of this building resembles a trench from World War I. It is something unique and we think people will enjoy it when they get here.” At the ribbon cutting and open house, Sheriff Speed stated, “We are proud of this facility,” the sheriff said. “We are proud of the people who put it together. When we started, we had a vision, and slowly but surely, our vision has come to fruition. It is something the citizens of Banks County can be proud of now and in the fu ture.” The rappel tower pro vides a safe location for tactical rappel training and includes a levated shooting platform for marksmanship practice. The 300-meter range features an elevated shoot ing platform overlooking the range, which houses 20 lanes. A sand barrier catches any downrange fire. Behind the range is a new classroom and storage area. To better prepare dep uties, land is open for an obstacle course. ATV driv ing course and a woodland section for scenario-based training true to the rural set ting of Banks County. A maintenance facility is being constructed to pro vide in-house oil changes and perform other equip ment maintenance. The current main office for the sheriff’s office will soon be dedicated primarily to the detention center as a new annex is being con structed to house adminis tration, uniform patrol and criminal investigations. The project has kept construction costs low by primarily using the labor of sheriff’s office employ ees and inmates, as well as sourcing lumber from cleared land. The project has also re ceived material donations from Jackson EMC and lo cal businesses. HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESENTS CHECK TO CARL MANGER FUND The Lula Belton Historical Society presented city officials with a $5,535 in support of the Carl Manger Caboose Remodeling Fund. The society held fundraisers in support of this effort after Manger, a former city employee, passed away in late 2021. City leaders say, “He loved history and he was obsessed with our little caboose. His dream was to open in during events so that everyone who visited Lula could see the beauty that he saw.” Qualifying fees set for county races The Banks County Board of Commissioners set three percent of the base salary as the qualifying fee for each county race on the ballot in 2024. The fees are as follows: $1927.65, sheriff; $1,660.32, tax commissioner; $1,660.32, clerk of superior court; $1,660.32, probate judge; $1,693.53, magistrate judge; $313.93, coroner; $1,800, commission chairman; $450 each for BOC District 2 and District 4; $50, county sur vey lor; $49.50, Board of Education Post 1 and Post 2; and $34.50, Board of Education Post 4. Qualifying will be held from 9 a.m. Monday, March 4, through noon on Friday, March 8. Unemployment drops All of Georgia’s Regional Commissions saw a decrease in unemployment in November. Highlights include: •The unemployment rate was down five-tenths to 2.8% over-the-month, the rate was 2.6% one year ago. •The labor force was up 1,191 over-the-month and up 9,931 over-the-year, to 333,077, an all-time high. Qualifying coming up for Alto City Council seat Qualifying for the March 12,2024, Town of Alto Spe cial Election for Post 1 will be held through Friday of this week. The election is to fill the unexpired term of Carolyn Cabe. The hours of qualifying through Thurs day will be from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. (except for a one-hour lunch break each day), and from 8:30 a.m. to noon Friday, Dec. 22. The last day to register to vote for the March 12, 2024, Special Election is Feb. 12, 2024. The qualifying fee for the Post 1 Council seat will be $35. Prospective candidates may qualify at the Office of the Election Superin tendent being Habersham County Office of Elections and Voter Registration, in the basement of the Haber sham County Administra tive Building located at 130 Jacob’s Way, Suite 101, Clarkesville. PUBLIC MEETINGS... FOR ONLY $5 PER MONTH you can list your groups meetings! Banks County News • Jackson Herald Madison County Journal • Braselton News Call 706-367-5233 to list your meetings! COMMERCE lllf AMERICAN LEGION Post 93 • Meets 2nd Thurs., 7:00 p.m. Wayne Brown, Commander Phone (404) 310-7177 Commerce Civic Center, Commerce, GA 12971 MADISON COUNTY DEMOCRATS Meet Monthly For Time, Date & Location: Facebook: MadisonCountyGaDemocrats Or mcgaclemocrats.wixsite.com/mcdp JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB Meets Tuesdays 12:00 Noon Jackson County Historic Courthouse 85 Washington St., Jefferson Holly McShane, President 706-768-0456 i 2626 4660 St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Church Mass Schedule: Sat. 4:00 p.m. Sun. 10:00 a.m, Tues. 12:10 p.m. Mon,, Wed, Thurs. & Fri. 10:00 a.m, Spanish Sun. 8:00 a.m. Website: www.stcatherinelabourega.org 706-367-7220 BANKS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. Meets first Monday each month 7:00 p.m. in the Banks County Historical Courthouse at 105 U. S. Hwy441 North in Homer, GA 43k 12972 JL, ROCKWELL LW\ LODGE F& A.M. No. 191, Hoschton, GA 2nd Tues. at 7:30 p.m. • Dinner at 6:30 p.m. www.rockwelllodgel91.com Two blocks behind Larry's Garage West Broad at Hall Street I 129 69 _ . Tri-County J Shrine Club 3rd Thurs. of each month 7:30 p.m. Rockwell Lodge 191 1 12619 Ijk JEFFERS0N @ AMERICAN LEGION Post 56 • Meets 3rd Tues., 6:30 p.m. Joe Ruttar, Commander Phone (860) 949-4037 309 Lee St., Jefferson, GA KIWANIS 8 OFJEFFERSON Meetings every 2 nd & 4 th Monday at Noon Cream & Shuga Contact Darryl Gumz at 770-605-6656 for more info. Pilot Club of Jefferson Meets 3rd Tuesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. Jefferson City Clubhouse 706-367-9313 or 706-693-4715 12625 NOTICE TO: ALL CITIZENS AND VOTERS OF BANKS COUNTY FROM: BANKS COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND REGISTRATION SUBJECT: NOTICE OF PREPARATION AND TESTING OF ALL EQUIPMENT TO BE USED IN THE Presidential Preference Primary, HELD ON March 12, 2024. DATE: December 18, 2023 The following notice is hereby given in accordance with State Election Board Rule 183-1-12-.08: Beginning on Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. or when database is received from SOS office, at the Banks County Board of Elections Office, 226 Candler Street, Homer, GA preparation and testing of the electronic poll books, electronic ballot markers, printers, ballot scanners to be used during the Presidential Preference Primary, HELD ON March 12, 2024 will commence. Early Mail Voting will begin October 10, 2022, and Early In-Person Voting will begin February 19, 2024. Registration deadline will be February 12, 2024. The superintendent shall cause the accuracy of the components to be tested by causing the following tasks to be performed: A. Check that the electronic poll books accurately look up and check-in voters via both the scanning function and manual lookup and create a voter access card that pulls up the correct ballot on the electronic ballot marker for every applicable ballot style. B. Check that the touchscreen on the electronic ballot marker accurately displays the correct selections and that the touchscreen accurately reflects the selected choices. C. Check that the printer prints a paper ballot that accurately reflects the choices selected on the touchscreen and immediately mark all printed paper ballots as “test” ballots. D. Check that the ballot scanner scans the paper ballot, including both ballots marked by electronic ballot markers and ballots marked with a pen, and that the ballot scanner scans ballots regardless of the orientation the ballot is entered into the scanner. E. Check that the tabulation contained in the ballot scanner memory card can be accurately uploaded to the election management system, and that the tabulated results match the selections indicated on the paper ballot. The testing will continue until all units are prepared and tested. This process is open to the general public. Kelsey Barnes, Supervisor of Elections
