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PAGE 2A —THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 19, 2009 Budget, facilities talk ahead for school board By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com County school leaders will address next year’s budget crunch and revisit a high school renovation wish list at a called board of education (BOE) meeting Monday at 6:30 p.m. The Madison County School System is exploring ways it can cut at least $2.5 million from next year’s budget in anticipa tion of a $2.5-$2.9 shortfall in revenue in 2009-2010. Superintendent Mitch McGhee will discuss a possible “reduction in force” (RIF) plan with the school board Monday, should the system be forced to cut positions next year. The state is eliminating fund ing for 15 teaching spots in Madison County next year, though the system hopes to avoid layoffs by sliding exist ing personnel into positions vacated by retirement or res ignation. McGhee also has heard reduc tion plans from the school sys tem's seven principals and will share those cost-cutting propos als with the school board. The superintendent has asked each principal to reduce $102,000 in expenses next year as part of the $2.5 million bud get reduction package. As for the facilities upgrade, the school system has pondered sales tax funded improvements to the high school in some capacity. Last month, the BOE received a list from MCHS officials of possible improve ments to that campus, includ ing the addition of a two-story wing that would include 22 classrooms and a new media center. The BOE must now decide how it wants to approach that project, though McGhee indi cated it will likely be delayed. This will be the school board's third meeting in as many weeks. The BOE met Tuesday to pass a resolution for a Tax Anticipation Note (TAN), after approving a TAN bid with Merchants and Farmers Bank last week. The school system can bor row up to $3 million to cover operating expenses until tax revenue rolls in. The system will pay a 1.94 percent interest rate for what ever it borrows out of that line of credit. The county sent property tax bills out late again this year. Without tax collections, the schools have gone without a major source of revenue. The system has operated on its bank reserves, which are now depleted. Although the school sys tem has reserves showing in its annual budget, that dollar figure is "paper money,” based on the tax revenue the schools have yet to receive. The school system doesn’t expect this loan to be on the books long, however. "March or April, one of those two (months), we’ll get a big tax check,’’ McGhee said. “And when we get that big tax check, we’ll pay it off immediately.” ALL PRINCIPALS OFFERED CONTRACTS Each of Madison County’s seven schools principals have been offered contracts for 2009-2010. The BOE approved the action at a called meeting Tuesday night. Madison County’s prin cipals include Tommy Craft (Madison County High School), Matt Boggs (Madison County Middle School), Billy Heaton (Colbert Elementary), Christine Register (Comer Elementary), Angie Waggoner (Danielsville Elementary), Cathy Gruetter (Hull-Sanford Elementary) and Lynne Jeffers (Ila Elementary). School board mulling well option MCMS needs water for athletic fields By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com The Madison County School System may draw from a private water source for maintenance of its middle school athletic fields. The county board of education (BOE) will vote Feb. 23 on a contract with Dennis Tolbert for use of his reserve well to ini- gate the fields. The school board tabled approval of the agreement last week. Under the arrangement, Madison County pays Tolbert a minimum of $1,000 a month for 10 years. After that, the agreement automatically renews every year for the follow ing 10 years. Tolbert used grant money to dig a backup well for his poultry operation. The well provides 200 gallons a minute, more than suf ficient for the fields’ needs. The school system hied four times to dig its own well at the middle school, “but came up dry," according to Madison County Schools Superintendent Mitch McGhee. McGhee said contracting with Tolbert would cost the system con siderably less per thousand gallons than buying water from the county industrial and development author ity (IDA). The well water would also be subject to fewer regulations and healthier for the glass. “Well water is much better to irrigate those fields than city or county water," McGhee said. “There’s no chlorine and those things in the well water." The system has “tens of thou sands of dollars” invested in the sod at the fields, according to McGhee. McGhee said it’s not unusual for a school system to contract the use of a private well, noting similar arrangements in Franklin County and Hall County. School board chairman Jim Patton, however, wanted more time to review the contract. Wanted: A city councilman Hull council seat attracting no interest By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com Hull’s empty city council seat blues continue. The vacated spot at the city council table will remain unoc cupied until at least this summer after no one sought to qualify for a March special election to fill the opening. “All we can do is try," coun- cilmember Becky Elkins said. “Just keep trying, and maybe someone will pick up on it.” The city will hold another spe cial election June 16 in hopes that least one candidate emerges. The Hull’s governing body has operated as a four-piece ever since Paul Elkins resigned his council seat in September for a successful bid for mayor. The city called a special elec tion for March 17 to fill his posi tion, but generated zero interest during February qualifying. Council member Wayne Melton suggested a more aggres sive approach this time to lure candidates. “It looks like we’re going to have to get out and beat the bush es to find somebody," he said. Paul Elkins suggested posting qualifying dates for the June elec tion — which have yet to be deter mined — on the Hull Volunteer Fire Department “arrow" signs, noting the visibility there. “There’s a terrific amount of here," he said. City attorney Pat Graham sug gested a letter campaign, notify ing all registered voters in the city via mail in hopes of spurring interest. “The important thing is that you get it out to all of them,” he said. The city plans to have a draft of this invitation to registered voters ready by its next meeting. “We’ll give it a try, and if we’re successful, everybody will be copying us,” Paul Elkins said. No word yet on Hull beautification funds By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com Hull city leaders are still await ing word on a $12,000 grant that would provide a face-lift for a stretch of Hwy. 72. The money is available through the DOT, and Hull applied for the grant through the Keep Madison County Beautiful organization. "Nothing is in the pocket right now,” mayor Paul Elkins said. "(But) we have not been denied the grant.” The money would allow the city to plant flowers along the entire section of Hwy. 72 running through Hull. "If you’ve ever wondered about how far it is, it’s 8,432 steps — point to point," said Paul Elkins, who along with wife, Becky, and councilman Wayne Melton, mea sured the distance. Elkins doesn’t know if the DOT’s current funding crisis hin ders Hull’s chances of landing the grant. But if the money comes Hull’s way, it will make a differ ence, Elkins said. “It will make Hwy. 72 actually look nice,” he said. As far as any other grant oppor tunities for Hull projects, that’s a “dead” option right now, accord ing to councilman Paul Cook. “There’s absolutely noth ing available as of yet,” said Cook, who is investigating grant money possibilities for the city. “Everything is dead, right now.” The city will revisit grant opportunities for projects in three months. City talks SPLOST As far as SPLOST money for projects goes, Hull is projected to receive $88,300 in SPLOST over the next six years, but that amount isn’t guaranteed given the economic climate. "That’s part of your problem in projecting a project that you want to do is that if you rely on this $88,000 figure, you may not get it because sales tax revenues are down,” Hull city attorney Pat Graham said. That money is designated for maintenance and construction of city roads, streets and bridges. Hull ups insurance for city hall The Hull City Council now has full insurance coverage for its city hall building. The council renewed its poli cy, opting to insure the building for $167,486. The city had been insured for $139,771. Hull will now pay an annu al premium of $2,367, but that amount is still within the city budget. Hull seeks protection for hydrant A fire hydrant in town needs a barrier around it, according to Hull mayor Paul Elkins. “Because we could, in theory, lose the contents of one tank of water,” Elkins said. Elkins said that Madison County Industrial and Development Authority Executive Director Marvin White is aware of the problem. “I think we will get it,” Elkins said. “They’ve got a lot of prover bial irons in the fire right now.” Elkins said the hydrant needs some sort of protective device “that would eliminate the pos sibility of us losing a quarter mil lion gallons of precious water." Hull festival ahead May 23 The Hull City Council announced that the city’s annual festival is Saturday, May 23. The day includes entertainment. arts, crafts, food and a parade. The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. The day’s festivities mn until 3 p.m. Elkins noted that last year’s fes tival featured 60 vendors. “It’s just a good day to cel ebrate Hull, which one person aptly named it 'Little Mayberry,”’ Elkins said. 'That name has just stuck in my mind. Every time I think of Hull, I think of 'Little Mayberry.’” • All Wood Kitchen & Bath Cabinetry • Heat & Air Parts • Custom Cut Glass & Mirrors WE HAVE MANUFACTURED HOUSING & RV SUPPLIES WHIDDON SALES 617 Atlanta Hwy SE (Hwy. 8) • Winder, GA 770-867-1638 $ 5 °°0FF Ticket Of’20“ Or More. Valid with coupon Mon.-Thurs. only. La Hacienda Commerce La Hacienda Braselton 173 Steven B. Tanger Blvd. 5391 Highway 53 706-335-7458 706-654-0070 I The Original Mexican Restaurant! Not affiliated with any other restaurant. | Madison Co. BOC to meet Feb. 23 The Madison County Board of Commissioners will meet at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 23, in the BOC meeting room at the county government com plex. Agenda items include: •Chairman’s report — Chairman Anthony Dove •Report from IDA - Marvin White. •Consider recreation depart ment’s request to hire part- time seasonal employees — Donna Sisk. •Discuss occupational tax — Eddie Pritchett. •Discuss in-house engineer — Chairman Dove. •Discuss personnel policy— changes to the 2009 Personnel policy — Chairman Dove. •Discuss new appointment to planning and zoning — Commissioner Bruce Scogin. •Review March 2, 2009 agenda. •Statements and remarks from citizens. •Urgent matters. •Closed session to discuss land acquisition, personnel matters and/or potential litiga tion (if needed). Two qualify for Danielsville council seat Two people have qualified to fill a seat vacated on the Danielsville City Council by long-time councilman Roger Watson. Philip Croya, Northridge Court, and Kathy Marie Stamps, Northridge Drive, will face each other in the March 17 special election for seat three on the city council. Republican Party to hold convention The Madison County Republican Party will hold pre cinct mass meetings at 9 a.m., Saturday, March 14, to elect del egates and alternate delegates to the Madison County Republican Party Convention. The county convention will convene at 10 a.m. that day at the same location to elect del egates and alternate delegates to the Congressional District Convention and to the state con vention. Additionally, the conven tion will adopt the Rule of the Madison County Republican Party and elect officers for the 2009-2011 term. Both the precinct mass meet ings and the county convention will be held in the commis sioners' room at the Madison County Government Complex located at 91 Albany Avenue in Danielsville. All Madison County residents who are legally registered to vote and believe in the principles of the Republican Party are urged to participate in this process, orga nizers said. For further information con tact Bmce Azevedo, Chairman of the Madison County Republican Party at 706-296-3834, or by e-mail atAzevedo@negia.net. Republicans to meet with sheriff' Feb. 21 The Madison County Republican Party will hold its monthly meeting at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Madison County Library. Sheriff Kip Thomas will speak on the status of Madison County from a departmental perspective. Breakfast will be served prior to the meeting. A $3 processing fee will be collected at the door. Call 706-296-3834 for more informa tion. Unemployment .cont’dfrom 1A those who demonstrate the highest levels of persistence, deter mination, and above all, flexibility when looking for work.” Most of the state initial claims were filed by laid-off workers in manufacturing, trade, administrative services, including tem porary employment agencies and construction. And, the number of jobless workers receiving unemployment insurance benefits rose 92 percent over the year, from 95,870 in January of 2008 to 183,829 in January of 2009. Also, in January, the GDOL processed 14,205 first-time claims for federal extended unemployment benefits, bringing the total to 125,589 since the federal program began in Georgia in July 2008. Federal extended benefits are available to job less workers who have exhausted regular state unemployment compensation. Thurmond urged jobseekers to continue to look for work, explore training and education opportunities and to make full use of the department’s reemployment services available at the 53 Georgia Department of Labor Career Centers around the state. The locations of the career centers may be accessed via the Internet at www.dol.state.ga.us. Georgia labor market data are also available at www.dol.state. ga.us. Animal Shelter Inc. 1888 Colbert-Danielsville Road Danielsville, 6a. Is offering a WALK-IN RABIES CLINIC Saturday, February 28 Noon - 3 p.m. One year rabies shot - $10 Three-year rabies vaccine - $15 (must provide proof of previous vaccine for the three-year shot.) The following vaccines/services will also be offered: Distemper/parvo for dogs/puppies $10 Feline leukemia for cats/kittens $10 Microchipping $25 ♦ fw tut. The shelter operates a low cost spay/neuter clinic for the public. Grooming services are also available the last Saturday of each month with all proceeds going to the shelter. Please call 706-795-2868 for a surgery or grooming appointment and pricing.