Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2A —THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. MARCH 19. 2009
from the old cotton days and
turned it into a sustainable
farm enterprise.”
Vamadoe said Chandler is
committed not only to preserv
ing the land and resources on
his farm but “also to utilizing
practices that will improve the
soil and water quality on the
land he farms.”
“The practices Terry and his
family have implemented over
the years have improved water
quality and soil properties as
well as allowed a thriving wild
life population to find refuge,”
said Vamadoe. “We should all
thank Terry and farmers like
him for all they do to care
for our environment while
providing our food. He is a
deserving district winner of
the Governor’s Environmental
Stewardship Award.”
Chandler said the good ideas
he employs at Still Water have
generally come from other
Madison County farmers, who
have shared their techniques
with him.
“I have learned so much
from our farming community
in Madison County,” he said.
One of Chandler’s primary
focuses at Still Water has been
water quality. For instance,
cows can’t wander into creek
water at Still Water. Instead,
they drink from troughs that
are fed by underwater lines.
“Our long-term goal is that
we want the water when it
leaves this farm to be better
quality and purer than the state
that it arrives,” said Chandler.
“I think we can do that, if we’re
not already there.”
Chandler’s family members
have all worked hard on the
farm. His 24-year-old son,
Robert, is now a second lieuten
ant in the Marines. His daugh
ter Jennifer, 22, is a college
student, swimming instructor,
phlebotomist, pharmacy tech
nician and aspiring RN. And
his daughter, Kimberly, 16,
has grabbed numerous ribbons
with her cattle projects through
4-H and FFA.
Chandler .cont’dfrom 1A
“...She (Kimberly) is my
number one hand on the farm,”
said Chandler. “She can do
anything with the cattle I can,
some things even better.”
Chandler is active with
Madison County’s farm youth.
He has been instrumental in
the creation of the county ag
center. He urges youth to con
tinue learning about agricul
ture, noting that technology
continues to change and that
farmers have to stay abreast of
what’s happening, lest they get
left behind.
Madison County Young
Farmer teacher and FFA advi
sor Cindy Jones says Chandler
has been a positive influence on
young farmers in the county.
“I appreciate all the time
Terry gives to our youth,” said
Jones. “He is always avail
able as a field trip destina
tion, to judge an FFA Career
Development Event, to haul
student livestock projects, or to
spend one-on-one time teach
ing the many skills he has to
willing young men and women.
He was instrumental in the
success of the FFA Livestock
Judging teams at both the high
school and the middle school,
helping to arrange live practice
classes and lending his judging
expertise.”
While Chandler recognizes
the many difficulties farmers
face in earning a living, he says
it’s important to consider the
big picture, too, the legacy of
the land.
“I’m just here for a very short
period of time,” said Chandler.
“And what’s more important
is what I leave behind, not
so much what I do or what
I accomplish right now.
Although my name is on the
deed and we pay taxes here
every year, we’re not really the
owners. We’re just caretakers.
We’re stewards here for just a
short period of time. And we
feel very strongly that it’s our
responsibility to leave things in
better condition than we found
them.”
Still Water Farm
Operator: Terry P. Chandler
Wife: Deborah
Children: Robert, 24; Jennifer, 22; Kim, 16
About the farm: located off Fowler Freeman Road,
Danielsville, purchased 1987, over 200 acres, 80 beef cattle, 2
poultry houses, 50,000 heavy breeder pullets annually, conducts
75-plus bull tests annually for area farmers
Ag/environmental organizations: Madison County Young
Farmers, Madison County Cattleman’s Association, Madison
County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, Georgia Grazing
Lands Conservation Coalition, Bull Power Group LLC., Madison
County Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee, Madison
County Ag Center Board, USDA Farm Service Agency County
Committee, Broad River Soil and Water Conservation District
Stewardship practices:
•Installing 5-plus miles of permanent fencing, creating eight
5-acre paddocks and nine 10-acre paddocks that are each
quickly divided into 2.5-acre pens.
•Over 1 1 /2 miles of underground water lines supply water to
each paddock with 15 troughs and 10 heavy traffic areas.
•Cattle working facilities are over 400 vegetated feet from sur
face water and are contained under a roof.
•An 84x108 bam was constructed for hay and equipment stor
age.
•The retired hog finishing floor has been converted to an indoor
feeding and loading shed for the cattle.
•The once degraded farm pond was drained, dredged and
increased to three-plus acre-feet of impoundment.
•The spring that once cooled the families’ milk has been cap
tured and removed from the pasture and is fed with an additional
400 feet of drain tile.
•A wet area that could not be worked has been deepened to
create a wildlife pond that also serves to control downstream
water flow.
•Stream banks have been cleared, sloped and grassed.
•Four and five foot diameter pipes have been installed for
stream crossings.
•Cattle have been excluded from all surface water by using
combinations of permanent and temporary electric fence.
•The fertile abandoned creek bottoms have been reclaimed,
protected by drainage ditches and established in Jesup Max-Q
Fescue.
•Seasonal no-till millets, ryegrass and hybrid forage brasicas
extend grazing days and improve forage quality.
•The wooded acreage is set aside for wildlife.
•The hog waste two-stage lagoon was completely pumped
out, all solids removed, 12-18 inches of inner liner removed and
increased in size to act as a catch basin for all the runoff from
poultry, cattle and hay barn roofs.
•Intensive rotational grazing has greatly enhanced manage
ment options and opportunities with cattle.
•White oaks, sawtooth oaks and water oaks have been planted
for shade, wildlife and aesthetics.
Taxes .cont’dfrom 1A
what's being done and what we need to do next,” said Dove, who said
a consultant may help the county hire a new chief appraiser.
Dove noted that earlier this decade, the BOA gave hiring power to
the BOC. The assessors later sought to get back that authority. Under
current policies, the BOC hires the chief appraiser, but only after a
recommendation is made by the board of assessors.
Dove seeks to eliminate the required recommendation from the
BOA, noting that only one person — interim chief Stacey Rubio
— has been proposed by the assessor board for the top appraisal posi
tion in the county.
Earlier this year, the board of assessors nearly recommended an
applicant with "appraiser IV” credentials, but the assessors voted 3-2
not to recommend that person to the commissioners.
Dove has waited for months for the BOA to find more applicants,
adding that there’s no more time for delays.
"We can't do anything unless they (the board of assessors) bring us
people to consider,” said Dove, noting that the process began in late
2008.
While the BOA voted 3-1 to recommend Rubio for the chief
appraiser's position, county commissioners voted 4-1 against the
promotion, saying the county needs a chief appraiser with more
experience.
Rubio called it quits Monday. Her resignation will take effect March
27.
"I don’t have anything to say,” she said Monday, when contacted
by phone.
Rubio’s brief March 16 resignation letter offered no explanation for
her departure. And she did not indicate whether or not she has taken
another job.
BOA chairman David Ragland had pushed for Rubio's promotion
as chief appraiser, saying that she is bright and capable of handling
the responsibilities.
"It's a sad day for Madison County," said Ragland, referring to
Rubio’s departure. "She has done a very good job for us for a little over
three years. I felt she was good enough to be our chief appraiser."
The appraisal staff generally has five to six employees. Now, with
Rubio’s departure, there are three vacancies: Rubio's position, the
chief appraiser's post and an appraiser I position held by Regina
Coker, who resigned last week due to health reasons.
Rubio was the only person in the office with "appraiser III” status.
And without an appraiser III, the county cannot legally complete a
digest.
"The Department of Revenue requires that, for a digest to be pre
sented by a county, there must be a credible, certified appraiser III on
staff,” said Ragland.
Dove said the commissioners will take steps to have an appraiser III
on staff to operate the WinGap tax appraisal software.
"That's something we'll have to address,” said Dove.
County commissioners agreed last week to increase the potential
salary for the chief appraiser from $55,000 to $75,000 in hopes of
attracting a qualified person to the important tax post.
Ragland said Monday that he has received no bites since the salary
increase. He said he spoke with three people about the job, but that all
three ultimately said "no.”
"They don’t feel the job opportunity in Madison County presents
itself in a stable climate right now,” said Ragland of why the three
people who spoke with aren’t interested. "They're not willing to take
that risk.”
Ag Day .cont’dfrom 1A
around and come back.
‘Those of us involved in agriculture love what we do,” said Cindy
Jones, Madison County High School ag instructor and Young Farmers
advisor. “The Madison County Ag Day Celebration gives us (the ag com
munity) a chance to share with the community at large our passion for
the production of food and fiber that contributes toward the good life we
enjoy. It’s a day filled with activities and exhibits that highlight the broad
scope of agriculture.”
Ag Day displays will officially open at 10 a.m. There will be a mobile
dairy classroom. The Madison County Trailriders will provide "horse
rides” (free to watch, but a donation is requested if you want to ride).
There will be farm equipment displays from local vendors, FFA and 4-H
demos, as well as displays from the Master Gardeners, the Cooperative
Extension, Boutier Winery and a log cabin demo.
A hay ride to the new Ag Center and back again will be offered. The
Madison County Middle School FFA will man the concession stand and
sell hotdog lunches. And the Madison County FFA Alumni will sell baked
goodies.
Several groups from the University of Georgia will be on hand, includ
ing representatives from ag engineering, the vet school, plant pathology
and the Wamell School of Forestry and Natural Resources — which has
asked for three spaces and plans to bring turtles and snakes, organizers
said.
Meanwhile, the Madison County FFA is hosting animal exhibits "that
are more than just a petting zoo.”
“We will have ‘fitting for show' demonstrations for show calves and
pigs, and an exhibit of goats,” said Jones. “The latest Ag Center info will
be displayed as well. The local horse drill team, coached by Danny and
Virgina Roberts, will perform on the Ag Center property.”
BOC chairman Anthony Dove said the ag day event helps highlight
how vital agriculture is to Madison County.
“It’s our livelihood in Madison County,” said Dove.
Commerce First
United Methodist
Church Preschool
Year 2009-2010
What we have to offer:
• Half Day Preschool for ages 2-4
• Experienced Staff
• A BEKA Curriculum
• Music and Movement classes
• Chapel and Bible Time
• Computers in 3 & 4 year old classes
• Playground and gym
Tuition from $120 to $160 per month
Registration Fee - $140
Divided in two payments.
For more information, call
(706) 335-9589.
Hudgens plans to run for
insurance commissioner
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County State Senator
Ralph Hudgens says he plans to
run for state insurance commis
sioner in 2010, provided John
Oxendine, who currently holds
the post, doesn’t seek re-election.
Oxendine has expressed interest
in running for Governor.
“If John Oxendine decides
he’s not going to do it (run for
Governor), then chances are, I
probably won’t run for it (insur
ance commissioner),” said
Hudgens Tuesday.
Hudgens is chairman of the
Senate Insurance and Labor
Committee. He noted that he has
worked extensively with insur
ance companies and consumers
and feels he could work well with
both at the top insurance post in
the state.
"I have talked with John
Oxendine and he feels I would be
very fair (as insurance commis
sioner),” said Hudgens.
Hudgens’ District 47 seat will be
up for grabs again in November of
next year.
Madison County
Board of Commissioners
ADVERTISEMENT FOR
SEALED BIDS
The Madison County Board of Commissioners
is seeking bids for paving portions of Spratlin Mill
Drive (County Road #520).
Specifications may be obtained by contacting
Road Superintendent Charles Temple at 706-795-
6260.
Bids should be sealed and clearly marked on
the outside “Sealed Bid for Paving Spratlin Mill
Drive” and received no later than 12:00 Noon on
March 27, 2009 in the office of the Chairman of
the Board of Commissioners located at 91 Albany
Avenue in Danielsville, Georgia.
The Board of Commissioners reserves the
right to reject any and all bids.
Anthony Dove
Chairman
BOBCAT & DUMP
Resurfacing Dirt & Gravel Driveways,
Clearing, Backfilling, Hauling and Much more!
Gall for more information.
706-340-0373
^ 1888 Colbert-Danielsville Road
^ Mrajjy % Danielsville, Ga.
Animal Shelter Inc Is offering 01
WALK-IN RABIES CLINIC
Saturday, March 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
M
7
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.