Newspaper Page Text
The
www.MadisonJournalTODAY.com
JANUARY 22, 2009
Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
50<
Vol. 24 No. 4 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 26 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements
LOCAL CEREMONY
The Rev. Robin Wright delivers the keynote speech at
Monday’s Martin Luther King holiday celebration at
Colbert Grove Baptist Church. Ben Munro/Staff
Madison Co.
celebrates
MLK day
Event held on eve of
historic inauguration
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
On the eve of the first black president's inauguration,
a packed house at Colbert Grove Baptist Church was
reminded that it took heroism from past civil rights leaders
to pave the way.
“It takes courage to change
the course of history,” was
the frequent refrain used by
Evangelist Robin Wright.
Wright, who is from
Athens, delivered the key
note speech Monday from
the Colbert Grove pulpit on
the day marking Rev. King's
80 th birthday.
For the past four years, the
Madison County Pastors’ and
Laymans’ Fellowship has
organized this celebration of the slain civil rights leader's
life.
During her 30-minute speech, Wright noted prominent
civil rights figures like King, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner
Truth, W.E.B. Du Bois, Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks
as evidence of courage spurring change.
Wright also intertwined Barack Obama’s ascension
to the nation's highest office — and his overcoming the
obstacles of a multi-racial background — into her discus
sion of the future.
“It takes
courage to
change the
course of
history.”
— The Rev. Robin
Wright
— See ‘MLK’ on 3A
INSIDE
Index:
News—1-3A
Opinions— 4-5A
Crime— 6A
Socials — 7-8A, 14A
Legate— 9-13A
Sports— 1-2B
Churches—3B
Obituaries— 6-7B
Schools— 11B
Contact:
Phone: 706-795-2567
Fax: 706-795-2765
Mail: PO. Box 658,
Danielsville, GA, 30633
Web:
MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
Madison Co.
softball team
recognized for
top GPA in nation
Madison County’s softball team
was recognized last week at
the state capitol for having the
top grade point average In the
nation for a public school soft-
ball team.
— Page 1B
LOCAL TAXES
Three tax bills in 2009?
‘08 bills set to hit mailboxes this week; Perdue’s proposal could lead to additional
$242 bill for county homeowners; ‘09 bills will come later if digest is on time
INSIDE: Search for
new chief appraiser
continues, Page 3A
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County property
owners can expect their 2008
tax bill in the mailbox this
week. Unfortunately, that enve
lope could include just the first
of three property tax bills they
receive in 2009.
While property owners will
pay their 2008 taxes soon, if
the county digest is completed
on time this year, as promised,
property owners will also pay
their 2009 taxes this calendar
year. Likewise, homeown
ers may get a third bill if the
General Assembly approves
Gov. Sonny Perdue’s plan to
eliminate the Homestead Tax
Relief Grant from 2008 tax
bills.
Madison County Tax
Commissioner Louise Watson
said that most Madison County
homeowners received $242.58
in homestead relief in their
2008 bills. If the state elimi
nates that break for 2008, then
Watson must send out bills for
$242.58 to homeowners who
received the credit.
Facing an estimated $2 bil
lion budget shortfall, the state
is desperate to cut expenses and
raise revenues. The elimination
of the tax relief grant would
put $429 million back into the
state’s budget. But property
owners would endure the blow
during a particularly difficult
time.
“At a time when we con
tinue to hear about record home
— See “Taxes’ on 3A
The Property Tax Picture
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Total Madison County tax
revenues up 2% for 2008
School bond rate to caver old construction debt accounts
for most of increase; county government revenues down
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County tax levying entities
will see an overall two-percent increase in
revenues from property taxes this year.
The increase is primarily due to the
county school system's issuance of a bond
mill rate to cover debt payments on the
construction of Danielsville Elementary
School in 1993.
According to Madison County Tax
Commissioner Louise Watson, the school
board's .826 bond rate will generate
$504,649 in tax revenue.
The school system had covered the
annual construction payments in recent
years with Special Purpose Local Option
Sales Tax (SPLOST) money from 2003,
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but that funding has been depleted.
SPLOST was not available as a financ
ing option for school construction in
1992, so the school board financed the
Danielsville Elementary construction
with a 20-year bond package, which will
expire in 2012.
While a bond rate will be applied to
cover old construction costs this year, the
school board is keeping its tax rate steady
for general maintenance and operation at
16.99 mills, which will result in a $54,000
reduction in revenue.
Meanwhile, the county government
will levy $63,000 less in property taxes
for 2008. Carlton, Colbert, Danielsville
and Ila will also have slight reductions in
tax revenues, while the industrial author
ity and city of Comer will see slight
increases.
ANIMAL SERVICES
New shelter director seeks to be
a matchmaker for pets, owners
New Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter direc
tor Susan Fomash is pictured with “Sunshine,”
a 4-year-old boxer mix available for adoption.
Ben Munro/Staff
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
The way Susan Fomash
sees it, the Madison
Oglethorpe Animal Shelter
is something of a match
maker.
“To find the right dog
or cat for a person and the
right person for our dogs
and cats,” the new shelter
director said.
Fornash will continue
that quest of matching
owner with pet in her new
job. She took over shelter
director duties Jan. 5 after
serving as the Madison
Oglethorpe Animal Shelter
(MOAS) bookkeeper since
November.
She's a retired employ
ee from the city of East
Point, moving to Madison
County 10 years ago.
Fomash feels her work
background will help her
lead the shelter, a place
constantly strapped for
funds.
“I think the fact that I
have a lot of administra
tive experience, that's one
thing that I can offer to the
shelter, plus my love of
animals,” she said.
Among the objectives
under her watch will be
educating the public about
the shelter.
In fact, she plans on vis
iting the schools to do just
that, taking shelter dog
— See ‘Shelter’ on 3A
ZONING
Planners
say ‘Yes’
to Sunrise
proposal
BOC to consider
matter Monday
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County planners
don’t want the sun to set on
Sunrise Golf Course, but oppo
nents of a proposed senior resi
dential development and golf
course overhaul say the plan is
in the wrong place at the wrong
time.
Now, the Madison County
— See ‘Sunrise’ on 3A