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The www.MadisonJournalTODAY.com FEBRUARY 12, 2009 Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006 Vol. 24 No. 7 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 24 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements COUNTY GOV’T EDUCATION BOC to consider Rubio for chief appraiser Madison County schools expect shortfall of $2.5-$2.9 million By Zach Mitcham zach@mainstreetnews.com Madison County commis sioners will hold a confir mation hearing of sorts next Thursday. The group will consider Stacey Rubio for the vacant chief appraiser's post in the tax assessor's office. The meeting is set for 5 p.m., Thursday, in the BOC meeting room in the county government complex. Rubio, an appraiser in the tax assessor's office, has served as interim director since the departure of former chief appraiser James Flynt, whose contract was not renewed in 2009. Flynt was not techni cally a county employee but a contractor. The BOA agreed to make the recommendation Feb. 4, with David Ragland, Samantha Garland and Jim Escoe voting for Rubio, and Larry Stewart providing the lone “No” vote. Madison County's chief appraiser position has been at the center of political storms for years, with digests perennially late and the state Department of Revenue find ing fault with the county's appraisal practices. POLICY CHANGES In other matters Monday, county commissioners unani mously approved policy changes proposed by new chairman Anthony Dove Monday. The most notable action included a change to — See ‘BOC’ on 3A INSIDE Raiders roll over Cedar The Madison Counly boys’ basketball team picked up a big win over Cedar Shoals at Apalachee Tuesday night, downing the Jaguars, 60-39. They’ll now face Rockdale County Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Winder. -PagelB Index: News—1-3A, Opinions— 4A Crime— 5A Socials —7A 10A Schools— 11-12A Sports— 1-3B Churches—4B Obituaries— 5-6B Legals—7-9B Contact: Phone: 706-795-2567 Fax: 706-795-2765 Mail: PO. Box 658, Danielsville, GA, 30633 Web: MadisonJoumalTODAYcom State will fund 15 fewer teaching positions in county next year By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com P rojections that Madison County could lose between $2.5-$2.9 million next year in education revenue will have local school leaders in cost-cutting over drive. The troubling estimate is a combi nation of state funding cuts and a dip in the county tax digest. “It's a pretty safe bet that we’re going to lose at least $2.5 million next year in funding,” Madison County superintendent Mitch McGhee said. “It could be higher.” The $2.9 million figure is a worst- case scenario — as of right now. McGhee unveiled a cost-cutting “I TRY NOT TO MAKE GRANDIOSE STATEMENTS THAT AREN’T REALLY BASED IN REALITY, BUT I BELIEVE I CAN SAY THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION IN Georgia is in the worst ECONOMIC SHAPE EVER.” — Madison County School Superintendent Mitch McGhee plan to the board of education (BOE) Tuesday to absorb a $2.5 million shortfall for 2009-2010. “Our job right now is to get to that $2.5 million,” McGhee said. The state has already decided where 30 percent of those cuts will come, McGhee said, since it will fund 15 fewer teaching positions in Madison County in 2009-2010. The loss of those 15 teaching sala ries equal roughly a $750,000 reduc tion in the budget next year. “It’s not easy when you’re talking about teaching jobs, but when the state says you don't earn 15 teachers anymore, pretty much that’s the first place you’ve got to go,” he said. A handful of teachers are retiring or leaving next year, so the system hopes to slide its existing teachers into those vacated slots to avoid layoffs. “We are going to continue to do everything we can ... to find an appro- — See ‘Schools’ on 2A County schools open $3 million line of credit By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com A local bank will extend a $3 million line of credit to a Madison County School System still awaiting its main source of revenue. The county board of edu cation (BOE) approved a tax anticipation note (TAN) — See ‘Credit’ on 2A Valentine’s Day—Saturday, Feb. 14 Liz Bleakley Kumar and her husband Nachiket Kumar, are shown at their India wedding last month with Madison County friends (L-R) Leah Hardman, Ashley Sobhani and Andrea Bond. Photo courtesy of Greg and Rebecca Bleakley Mumbai matrimony Madison Co. couple travels to India for daughter’s wedding By Margie Richards margie@mainstreetnews.com A Madison County couple made the trek to Mumbai, India last month to take part in their daughter’s wedding to a native of that country. Greg and Rebecca Bleakley, of Hull, say they’11 never forget the experience of seeing a country and sampling a culture that was so fascinating and vastly different from our own. And to top it off, they were struck with the reality of the recent terrorist attacks in that city just this past November. "It really brought it home to actually see some of the sites - like the Taj hotel in Mumbai,” Greg said. They also stayed at the coast just prior to the wedding where their host pointed out the place where the rubber — See ‘Marriage’ on 3A ANIMAL CONTROL Pit bull in dog fighting case released to county, headed to rehab By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com A male pit bull seized from a Madison County man accused of dog fighting is now on its way to rehabilitation. The dog was released to the county and then sent to a res cue group in Atlanta, which placed it in pit bull rehab. Criminal charges are still pending against its former owner, Johnny Johnson, of Danielsville. The case could go to court in October or November. The dog is said to have been part of Johnson’s alleged dog fighting operation, “Shakedown Kennels.” The pit bull spent three days at the Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter (MOAS). Susan Fomash, director of MOAS, described the dog as “fine with people; a little leery of other dogs” during his stay. “I would say that he was not aggressive with people,” she said. The animal shelter kept the dog isolated, due to the sensi tivity of the situation. Fomash described the pit bull as “a pretty dog,” who showed no scars. She added that he was rather small, weighing just 24 pounds. Before the dog was official ly released to the county, the district attorney's office seized it as evidence with a war rant, overturning the Madison County Animal Control Board’s ruling in November to return the dog to Johnson. Fomash said housing the dog was an uncomfortable situation from the beginning. In fact, the shelter kept the dog’s whereabouts a secret. Workers covered his run with a sheet, so anybody looking at dogs couldn’t see him. "Because we didn't want the notoriety, I guess you would say,” she said. "We didn’t want to get in the middle of the whole thing. All we want ed is for the dog to be OK.” Once MOAS received word that he’d been released to the county, the shelter immedi ately searched for prospec tive rescue groups. When one agreed to take him, MOAS neutered the dog. Fomash said the situation ended as best as it could. "I know as far as we’re con cerned, it had a happy end ing,” she said. New sheriff, major discuss new policies, first month on job By Zach Mitcham zach@mainstreetnews.com Madison County Sheriff Kip Thomas and Major Shawn Bums said the first days of their new jobs included some unexpect ed glitches, such as computer problems and a jail keycard system that temporarily malfunctioned. “I was ready to pull my hair out,” said Thomas. Despite the early technical issues, Thomas and Bums said they have been shooting for June 1 “to have everything running like we want it to run.” They said this past week that they feel they’re ahead of schedule in meeting that goal. “I feel we’re way ahead of what I was looking at back in November and December,” said Thomas. In his first few weeks on the job, the new sheriff said he has reviewed a number of department policies, including a change to how the department handles police chases. Madison County deputies arrested two men Jan. 6 after a high-speed chase in Hull. “The policy for the last several years was that we don't ever force anyone off the road,” said Bums. “Well, we give these guys guns and we give them cars and the authority to arrest people.” Bums said that if somebody “just robbed — See ‘Sheriff on 2A LAW ENFORCEMENT Pictured are Madison Comity Sheriff Kip Thomas (L), Major Shawn Bums (C) and Jail Commander Danny Bennett (R).