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THE Islander www.theislanderonline.com • May 23, 2011 Established 1972 ssislander@bellsouth.net Vol 39 Issue 21 Ace plans for future at Garden Center • Five generations in hardward business By Matthew J. Permar Hal Hart’s great-grandfa ther, George King was in the hardware business in Atlanta in the late 1800’s operating about 18 stores. His grandfa ther was in the hardware busi ness in Miami until he moved to Brunswick and bought a store here. Hart’s father, King Hart, owned a hardware store in downtown Brunswick, his brother Stephen owned one out in the Ballard area, his wife Dawn owns the Ace Garden Center on St. Simons Island and Hal owns and operates the Ace Hardware on Frederica Rd. In recent years, Hart’s two sons have joined the family business making it five gen erations in the hardward busi ness. Looking to prepare for the future in order to help keep the family business going after he retires, Hart applied to the Island Planning Commission (IPC) last week with a request to rezone the Ace Garden Center property on Demere Rd. and to revise the existing Planned Commercial Zoning Text for the 2.34 acre tract. While the Garden Center is zoned Planned Commercial (PC), two small tracts of Hart property adjacent to the Gar den Center are zoned Forest Agricultural. The property is located on the south side of Demere Rd. across from the Brockington residential neighborhood. According to York Phillips, Planning and Zoning Division Manager, the Planned Com mercial was eliminated as a county zoning classification several years ago. Phillips said the Planned Development zon ing was modified to handle PC Turn to Page 5 Ace Garden Center County hears complaints; discusses SPLOST By Pamela Permar Shierling Local developer Terry Drig gers spoke to County Commis sioners at their special called meeting Tuesday, May 17. Driggers stated that the county's ordinance regarding private swimming pools was, "Wreaking havoc with subdivi sions and condominiums." The history of the county's swimming pool regulations begins during the 1970s when the Glynn Comity Board of Health developed swimming pool regulations that became effective November 1974. Glynn County Board of Health or Glynn County Health Department, according to for mer attorney Charles Lamkin, is a misnomer. Lamkin is also the president of the Walmar Grove Homeowners Associa- Turn to Page 5 County Block schedule appears to be done deal for now By Pamela Permar Shierling Assistant Superintendent for Student Achievement Ricky Rentz made a surprising statement at the third meeting of the block study committee last week. Mid way through the meeting Rentz stated that block scheduling would remain in place at Glynn Academy and Brunswick High School until at least the 2013/2014 school year. This statement was also included in his slide presentation. Rentz’s statement startled those on the committee who thought the point of the com mittee meetings was to pres ent information pro and con on block scheduling, to discuss the research, come up with a solution and present it to the Turn to Page 7 Block schedule City receives Carl Vinson Institute report The Brunswick City Com mission hired the Carl Vin son Institute to perform an efficiency study on the City’s departments. The report is out and below are findings and suggestions included in the report. Excerpts from the report: • Clear lines between elec toral and administrative func tions were traditionally estab lished by the City for the pur pose of concentrating political power with elected officials. Concentrating political dynam ics amongst elected officials facilitates policies being devel- By Pamela Permar Shierling oped that are representative of the community. While policy making is the responsibility of elected officials, the city man ager is responsible for day-to- day oversight. The manager carries out policies established by the elected officials, with an emphasis on effective, efficient, and equitable service deliv ery. When city management impedes policy development or when elected officials intercede in city management then inef ficiencies can be produced. Elected officials have inter acted with city staff/manage ment outside the scope of fact finding. These were instances where elected officials were engaged with department heads and others in actual decision making at the depart ment level. CVI recommended that the lines separating elec toral officials and administra tive process functional lines be re-established. •Financial information - Departments without access to financial information are more inefficient. Sound financial information at the departmen tal level is needed. To rely on Turn to Page 15 CVI report BHS Memorial Garden Rededicated Above from left: Jasmine Bell, Chelsea Holcomb and Teaira Starke read poems honoring their classmates and teach ers. Right: The BHS Memorial Garden, Story on page 18 Islander Staff Photo - Riddle Surfin’ the News Taps at Twilight Community News - Pg 2 County-Wide News - Read County-Wide Pew News Church News -Pg 18 Thor Movie Review - Pg 8 Back Talk Editorial Column -Pg 20