Newspaper Page Text
The
www.MadisonJournalTODAY.com
MARCH 26, 2009
Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
Vol. 24 No. 13 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 28 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements
TAXES
EDUCATION
Dove asks
assessors
Craft to leave MCHS
First-year principal takes position as superintendent of Emanuel County Schools
to resign
Rubio to remain on appraisal staff
— The BOC is scheduled to discuss
the matter Monday. See Page 2A for
the full agenda
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County Commission Chairman
Anthony Dove has asked the four members of the
county board of assessors to resign, but at least
two board members say they won’t step down.
“I have asked them in the best interest of the
citizens of the county to consider resigning,” said
Dove. “I have informed the commissioners of this,
but I am doing this solely as the chairman. I feel
this is the only way to go.... You can’t keep doing
the same things over and over again and expect
different results.”
Board of assessor member Jim Escoe said he’ll
fight any attempt to remove him from the BOA.
“It ain’t going to happen,” said Escoe, regarding
the request for his resignation. “I have the interest
of the taxpayers at heart.”
BOA member Larry Stewart said he doesn’t plan
to resign either.
“It’s a sad day when a person tries to do the best
job they can and this is the thanks they get,” he
said.
The other two members on the BOA, Chairman
David Ragland and Samantha Garland, had not
returned messages from The Madison County
Journal as of press time. A fifth spot on the BOA
formerly filled by Bob Fowler remains vacant.
— See ‘Assessors’ on 2A
COUNTY GOVT
Chairman to recommend
Baker as chief appraiser
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
County commissioners will soon consider Robin
Lynn Baker as the next Madison County chief
appraiser.
The proposed salary for the position is $60,000.
BOC chairman Anthony Dove said Wednesday that
he will recommend the Dacula native to the board.
The BOC will hold a special meeting sometime after
a two-week public notification requirement of the
recommendation expires, meaning the group will
probably consider the matter sometime after April 8.
Baker, a Lawrenceville resident, served as chief
appraiser in Banks County for a year before serving
as deputy chief appraiser in Fulton County for a year
and a half. He holds “appraiser IV” certification.
Dove said Baker comes with good references and is
knowledgeable and experienced.
Dove said he interviewed four applicants for the
post.
“There is another one that is a close second that I
will put before the board if he (Baker) is not hired,”
said Dove.
INSIDE
Index:
News—1-3A
Opinions— 4-5A
Crime— 6A
Socials — 8-11A
Obituaries— 14-15A
Churches— 4B
Schools— 16A
Sports—1-3B
Legate—5-9B
Contact:
Phone: 706-795-2567
Fax: 706-795-2765
Mail: PO. Box 658,
Danielsville, GA, 30633
Web:
MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
8 ,, 0 4879 14144* 0
Raider
offensive
explosion
Madison County’s varsity
baseball team has scored
57 runs in a four-game
span and was tied for the
region lead as of press time
Wednesday.
— PagelB
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
For the second time in as many
years, Madison County will
search for a new high school
principal.
Emanuel County Schools
approved first-year Madison
County High School principal
Tommy Craft as its new superin
tendent Monday.
Craft will finish the year at
MCHS before moving on to south
Georgia.
“I am a person with personal
and professional aspirations,”
Craft wrote in a letter to MCHS
faculty. “This is an opportunity
and challenge for which I am
excited about undertaking. My
decision, however, is in no way a
Tommy Craft
negative reflection upon the fac
ulty, staff or students of MCHS.”
Madison County School
Superintendent Mitch McGhee
hopes to interview candidates by
late April and recommend Craft’s
successor to the board of educa
tion by May.
Craft came to MCHS after a
controversial ouster at Cedar
Shoals High School during the
2007-2008 school year. Despite
public support for Craft, the Clarke
County Board of Education didn’t
renew his contract.
However, Craft wasn’t out
of work long. He was hired by
Madison County in June of 2008
to fill the principal position vacat
ed by Wayne McIntosh.
Madison County now has more
time to replace Craft than it did
McIntosh last year.
With Craft notifying the school
system now and remaining as
principal through MCHS gradu
ation ceremonies, it allows time
for transition.
“It's not really bad timing,”
McGhee said.
McGhee said he thought Craft
would eventually land a superin
tendent’s job. noting his qualifi
cations. though the quick turn-of-
events surprised him.
“I figured Dr. Craft would even
tually go this route, but I thought
it would be two to three years
down the road,” McGhee said. "I
think he thought it would be two
to three years down the road.”
Craft spent Monday in Emanuel
County being introduced to staff,
but was scheduled to return to
MCHS Wednesday.
McGhee said the high school
has already started to benefit
from Craft’s leadership, especial
ly instructionally, noting strong
winter end of course test (EOCT)
scores.
“What we "re going to do now is
try to find somebody to continue
that,” McGhee said.
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Madison County’s annual “Ag Day” celebration included a tractor parade around the historic county courthouse.
Photo by Ray Dove
Madison Co. celebrates 6 Ag Day’
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
Young and old alike came out on a
windy, cloudy Saturday to help cel
ebrate the county’s rich agricultural
heritage at the annual “Ag Day” held
at the Madison County Freshman
Academy.
The event began with a tractor parade
up Madison Street and around the old
courthouse, followed by the opening
of exhibits and other venues, such as
the mobile dairy classroom, horse rides
by the Madison County Trail Riders,
farm equipment displays, FFA and
4-H demos, the Cooperative Extension
Service, UGA’s Wamell School of
Forestry and Natural Resources and
others.
Ag essay winners, Catherine Gilliam
(first place), Heather Echols (second
place) and Jordan Lunsford (third
place), read their winning essays on
“Agriculture - Every Day in Every
Way.”
Baby chicks at the poultry exhibit
drew excited children, anxious to hold
the soft little creatures, while braver
folk stopped by the Forestry exhibit to
hold a com snake or a lake sturgeon.
Outside, hayrides, propelled by an
antique tractor, took riders over to the
site of the future county’s future ag
center and back, stopping to watch a
performance by the local horse drill
team, coached by Danny and Virginia
Roberts.
There were also exhibits of farm
animals and equipment on display
throughout the day.
Alley Skelton, 9, rides one of the horses provided by the Madison County
Trail Riders during Saturday’s Ag Day held at the Freshman Academy in
Danielsville. Margie Richards/Staff
The Chamber of
Commerce Agricultural
Committee presented
the winners of the Ag
Essay Contest at their
Ag Day Celebration
Saturday. Pictured (L-R)
are first place winner
Catharine Gilliam, $100
prize; second place win
ner Heather Echols, $50
prize; third place winner
Jordan Lunsford, $25
prize and Madison County
Extension Service agent
Carl Vamadoe.
