Newspaper Page Text
The
www.MadisonJournalTODAY.com
MAY 28, 2009
Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
Vol. 24 No. 21 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 24 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements
EDUCATION
School budget
could decrease
by three percent
Inside: Schools to make counter
offer ON PROPERTY, PAGE 3A
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County school
leaders expect a 3.1 percent
dip — from $40.1 million
to $38.86 million — in next
year’s budget due to a slump
ing economy and a shortage
of state funding.
Rarely do school budgets
decrease.
“In Georgia, it’s real
ly unprecedented,”
Madison County School
Superintendent Mitch
McGhee said. “There have
been times where we’ve had
no growth. But times where
we’ve had a decrease, it just
hasn't happened here.”
School budgets in Georgia
have typically expanded
despite economic slumps,
which makes this all the
more uncommon.
“Even in poor economic
times. Georgia was still
growing so much," McGhee
explained. “The budget was
still increasing though there
might have been a recession
or something going on.”
The Madison County
Board of Education (BOE)
will vote its tentative $38.86
million budget June 9. The
spending plan calls for just
— See ‘Schools’ on 2A
Debate over
occupation tax
continues
Issue to be discussed by BOC Monday
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
The long debate over the
county occupation tax con
tinued last week, with the
board of commissioners
ultimately agreeing to put
off a final decision on the
matter until June 1.
The latest version of the
tax is an annual $35 flat fee
for all businesses in unin
corporated (outside of city
limits) areas of the county.
This tax will not apply to
farming and other agricul
tural operations.
If approved, the tax will
be due by Aug. 1 of this
year, with a $20 late fee
applicable after the dead
line. Next year, the tax
will be due by April 1.
Those businesses that have
already paid the tax will
receive a refund for any
overcharges, since the BOC
recently agreed to eliminate
the administration fees and
“per-employee” provisions
from ordinance.
The occupation tax has
been a hotly contested
— See Tax’ on 2A
FATALITY
Comer man killed in
wreck, driver charged
A Comer man was killed Saturday afternoon in a one-
car wreck on Audie Porterfield Road, four miles east of
Danielsville.
According to the Athens Post of the Georgia State Patrol,
Jason Dove, 34, died after he was partially ejected through the
sunroof of the vehicle in which he was a passenger. He was
reportedly not wearing a seatbelt.
The driver of the vehicle, Teisa Robin Lipscomb, 52, 2622
Duffell Martin Road, Comer, was charged with first degree
vehicular homicide, as well as one count each of reckless driv
ing, DUPdrugs, failure to drive within a single lane and posses
sion of marijuana less than an ounce.
INSIDE
Index:
News—1-3A
Opinions—4-5A
Crime— 6A
Socials — 7A 12A
Obituaries—8-9A
School— 12-13A 3B
Sports— 2-3B
Churches— 4B
Legals— 5-10B
Contact:
Phone: 706-795-2567
Fax: 706-795-2765
Mail: P.O. Box 658,
Danielsville, GA, 30633
Web:
MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
Six make
all-region
in baseball
Six Madison County
varsity baseball
players made the
all-region team for
Region 8-AAAAthis
season.
— Page 2B
CRIME
Ila bank robbed again
Robber remains on the loose;
investigators release photo of vehicle
in parking lot during robbery
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Merchants and Farmers Bank
in Ila off Hwy. 98 was robbed
for the second time this month
Friday. The suspect remains
on the loose and authorities
are now trying to determine
who was in a green car in the
parking lot at the time of the
robbery.
“We don’t have information
on the car other than the car
was seen at the bank within
just a few seconds of the rob
bery," said Georgia Bureau
of Investigation special agent
Jim Fullington. “We don't
know if it was involved in the
— See ‘Robbery’ on 2A
Information
Anyone with
information
regarding the
crime is urged to
call the Madison
County Sheriff’s
Department at
706-795-6202 or
the Athens post
of the Georgia
Bureau of
Investigation at
706-542-7901.
Investigators seek the indentity of the driver
of this vehicle, which was in the parking lot
during the May 22 robbery of Merchants and
Farmers Bank in Ila. Bank surveillance photo
A Day of Fun
Jamie Scogin dives head-first into a water slide at Thursday’s
middle school attendance extravaganza. Ben Munro/Staff
Students rewarded for
improved attendance
Madison County Middle School students
who were diligent about attending school
were treated to a day of fun Thursday at the
school's attendance extravaganza.
‘ The extravaganza is a reward for students
with good school attendance,” said MCMS
graduation coach Renee McCannon. “Our
community pulled together furnish all that
was needed to make this reward day hap
pen.”
Perfect attendance figures at MCMS
were up from nine percent in 2007-08 to
13 percent this year. Meanwhile, students
with 15-plus absences decreased from 9.9
percent to eight percent. Two years ago,
that number was at 14.9 percent. Eight
hundred and twenty seven out of 1,054
MCMS students were eligible to attend the
extravaganza.
To be eligible for the day of fun, students
could have no more than nine absences
of any kind, no more than 10 unexcused
tardies and no fees or fines owed to the
school.
MCMS received support from numer
ous individuals and groups. For instance,
— See ‘Attendance’ on 2A
INFRASTRUCTURE
Leaders discuss
Harrison water
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Federal stimulus funds will mean water services for
Harrison-area residents. And county leaders discussed
the benefits of the system last week.
“We're glad to get that.” said industrial authority
executive director Marvin White, adding that the IDA
will hold a bid opening for the Harrison water project
June 16 at 10 a.m.
The water system will include approximately 8.5
miles of water lines. It will tie Madison County to the
Royston water system, with an eight-inch water main
from Royston to the Harrison Fire Department, and
six-inch lines elsewhere.
“That will give fire protection and water service to a
good chunk of that part of the county on the outskirts
of Royston," said White.
— See Water’ on 3A
COUNTY GOVT
BOC to begin work
on 2010 budget
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County commissioners will soon
begin work on the 2010 county budget.
BOC chairman Anthony Dove told commis
sioners that county finance director Kathy Clark
has been working on 2010 revenue projections.
‘‘We’re trying to project as best we can what
we think 2010 will look like in terms of reve-
— See ‘BOC’ on 2A
Farewell, MCHS
Madison County High School graduate Destiny Nicole Daniel
smiles with diploma in hand as she crosses the stage at the
Athens Classic Center. Ben Munro/Staff
SOCIAL SERVICES
DFCS seeks more
funding as foster
care cases increase
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
An increase in the number of children in foster
care in Madison County is putting a strain on
county services.
And Department of Family and Children's
Services leaders are asking county leaders to
consider a small boost in funds for DFCS to help
cover costs.
Commissioners took no action on the matter
last week, agreeing to consider a $4,000 budget
increase to $33,000 for the fiscal year for DFCS
at their June 1 meeting.
“The reason for this (budget increase) primar
ily is we’ve had an increase in foster care,” said
DFCS board chairman Gary Locke, who recently
announced that he is leaving the board. “With the
economy, many children are being turned over
the county for care. It costs $750 to $1,000 per
child for foster care. We’ve been increasing at the
rate of one to two, maybe three a month.”
— See‘DFCS’on 5A