Newspaper Page Text
The
www.MadisonJournalTODAY.com
APRIL 16, 2009
Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
Vol. 24 No. 16 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 28 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements
COUNTY GOV’T
Baker is new
chief appraiser
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Robin Baker is Madison
County’s new chief apprais
er.
The new head of county
appraisals sat at his new
desk in the county govern
ment complex Monday, his
first day on the job, familiar
izing himself with the new
role.
“I’m looking forward to
getting to work and seeing
where we are,” said Baker.
County commissioners
approved Baker by a 5-0
vote last Thursday, with the
new appraiser’s salary set at
$60,000.
Baker, a Lawrenceville
resident, served as chief
appraiser in Banks County
before serving as deputy
chief appraiser in Fulton
County. He holds “appraiser
Robin Baker
IV” certification.
County commission
chairman Anthony Dove
read positive references for
Baker at Thursday’s meet
ing. And county commis
sioners voiced satisfaction
with the hire.
“I’ve talked with people in
Banks County who would
be thrilled to have Mr. Baker
back,” said Commissioner
John Pethel.
COUNTY POLITICS
BOC to hear appeals
from dismissed assessors
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County commis
sioners will hear appeals
from dismissed members of
the county board of asses
sors Tuesday at 6 p.m. in
the county government
complex.
County commissioners
recently voted to remove all
four members of the board
of assessors from their
posts. Each BOA member
will be given 20 minutes to
speak.
If no resolution is reached
at that meeting, then the
matter is expected to head
to Superior Court, where a
judge will hear arguments
from both the BOC and
BOA.
The BOC says the asses
sors have failed to submit
tax digests by deadline,
that they failed to secure a
chief appraiser, that there
has been constant turmoil
among BOA members and
that a 2008 Department
of Revenue audit revealed
numerous assessment prob
lems.
Assessor board mem
bers said the BOC’s action
against them is in direct
conflict with Department of
Revenue regulations.
THE ECONOMY
Madison County
foreclosures jump
Foreclosures in Madison County jumped significantly
for the upcoming May sale date, hitting 40 for the month.
That is a new all-time high for a single month’s foreclosure
actions.
Year-to-date, Madison County foreclosures are up 48
percent over the first five months of 2008. A total of 138
foreclosure actions have hit the county so far this year.
In 2008, some 260 foreclosures took place in Madison
County, up from 150 in both 2006 and 2007.
INSIDE
Index:
News—1-3A7A
Opinions— 4-5A
Crime— 6A
Socials — 8-9A
Obituaries— 12-13A
Churches— 14A
School— 15-16A
Sports — 1-2B
Legate— 3-9B
Contact:
Phone: 706-795-2567
Fax: 706-795-2765
Mail: P.O. Box 658,
Danielsville, GA, 30633
Web:
MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
County extension
coordinator retiring
Retiring Madison County
Extension Coordinator
reflects on his days working
with the agriculture commu
nity and Madison County
youth.
— Page 3A
EDUCATION
School deficit grows
But federal stimulus money expected to help shoulder burden
Projected teacher layoffs
reduced from 15 to 3
INSIDE:
-*• 65 apply for MCHS principal’s
post, Page 2A
-** Snow days won’t be made up,
Page 2A
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
The bad news is that
Madison County Schools’
near-$2.5 million funding
deficit has grown to $3.18
million.
But the good news is that
enough federal stimulus
money should be heading
Madison County’s way to
shoulder that burden.
Madison County Schools
Superintendent Mitch
McGhee doesn’t know exact
ly how much is heading the
school system’s way, but
does think it will be enough
to cover the new deficit.
“In the ballpark, we
shouldn’t have a problem
covering the extra $712,206
that we need to (cover)
that $3.1 million in cuts,”
McGhee said.
The county school system
expects to receive half of
its 2010 federal funds this
month.
McGhee had asked all prin
cipals to cut $102,000 at their
schools as part of an overall
spending reduction plan to
meet the shortfall. But now
— with word of the federal
stimulus money — those cuts
have been reduced to $80,000
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Three Madison County
teachers still face potential
layoffs as the school board
approved teacher contracts
for next year on Tuesday.
The Madison County
Board of Education (BOE)
went ahead and offered
contracts to teachers for
the 2009-2010 school year,
per school and are not to
include personnel cuts.
“I have asked the princi
pals to put any future per
sonnel cuts on hold until we
get the exact dollar amount
of the stimulus funds that
we’re going to be receiving,”
McGhee said.
though it has another month
before making any decision
regarding layoffs — or a
“reduction in force (RIF).”
The state legislature
pushed the contract dead
line back to May 15, leav
ing time for more potential
openings through resigna
tions or teachers seeking
employment elsewhere.
The school board won’t
— See ‘Layoffs’ on 2A
The school system origi
nally targeted a $2.5 million
funding shortfall due to a
slumping county digest and
decreased funding from the
state.
However, state revenue
being less than expected
— See ‘Deficit’ on 2A
Carrying the cross
Approximately 60 students and accompanying adults took to the road Friday in a show of faith. Members of
the youth groups of Comer and Colbert Baptist churches walked from Colbert to Comer along Hwy. 72 after
school on Good Friday, carrying a life-size wooden cross. A “six-mile walk of remembrance for the price
that Christ paid upon the cross,” the walk was described by church leaders as an “amazing event” that has
already been scheduled for a repeat performance next year. Photo by Charles Richards
GOV’T OFFICES
Courthouse security beefed up
Madison County deputy Steve Waller mans the
metal detector at the front entrance of the coun
ty government complex Monday.
Zach Mitcham/Staff
Second metal
detector planned
for back door
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews. com
The recent episodes of
public gun violence in the
United States have led
local leaders to rethink
courthouse security.
Now, anyone enter
ing the Madison County
Courthouse must pass
through a metal detector at
the front door. There is also
an X-ray machine for purs
es and other carry items.
The outside doors to the
courthouse, except for the
front entrance, are locked
during business hours,
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“The incidents over the
past few years, and here
recently, in the country
have led to the tightening
of security,” said Madison
County Sheriff Kip
Thomas. “...This change
was made with the sole
purpose of protecting the
employees in the court-
— See ‘Security’ on 2A
CITY NEWS
Power wins
Colbert
runoff
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
The seven-month vacancy
on the Colbert City Council
has at last been filled.
Long-time resident Evelyn
Patton Power has won the
seat after an extended elec
tion campaign, defeating
Ellyn Trinrud in a rare run
off Tuesday, 54-34.
Patton Power, who will fill
the post of former council
man Jeff Roberts, becomes
the first woman to hold
office in Colbert.
“Well, it’s about time,”
Mayor John Waggoner said.
— See ‘Runoff’ on 2A