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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. MAY 28. 2009 — PAGE 3A Leaders say in-house engineer will lead to savings Madison Co. BOC to meet Monday By Zach Mitcham zach@mainstreetnews.com County leaders agree that it's cheaper to do it yourself than to hire a stranger when it comes to engi neering needs. Madison County’s industrial authority recently hired Phil Munro as its engineer. And county com missioners approved an intergovern mental agreement last week with the IDA for Munro’s services on county projects. Municipalities in Madison County may also seek Munro’s ser vices. Munro will be paid $40.25 per hour. The annual pay for IDA and BOC services will range between $41,000 and $78,000, depending on how much he is needed, said BOC chairman Anthony Dove. "Right now, when we have to hire an engineering firm, we hire at a very high rate,” said Dove, add ing that the BOC and IDA spent between $250,000 and $300,000 on engineering last year. "Every time we do a road grant or bridge or any thing, we have to go out and get a firm to come in and do our work.” Dove said Munro will be there when needed, such as when there are issues with the Environmental Protection Division. For instance. Dove pointed out that if a bank needs to be cut back by a road, it can’t be done without an environ mental plan, something that can lead to holdups. ' ‘Phil has done work for the county before and been the most reasonable engineer price-wise,” said Dove. "I know he's done work that y'all (the BOC) have asked him to do, and some of it he's done for free ... He’s also providing all his computer software. He’s got liability insur ance. So it's basically like being a subcontractor.” County attorney Mike Pruett said the contract can be terminated at any time with 30 days notice. Commissioner Bruce Scogin said the county has little option but to hire its own engineer. “We’ve been talking about this for a long time and we’ve known that this is the way we need to go with the new DOT requirements and gov ernment requirements,” said Scogin. “They (the state) are passing all this engineering stuff down to us.” The Madison County Board of Commissioners will meet at 6:30 p.m., Monday, June 1, in the county government complex. Agenda items include: •Business involving guests, groups or multiple visitors. •Chairman’s report (Anthony Dove). •Hearings and actions on rezon ing matters, special use permits, etc.: (Linda Fortson). •Carol Jordan for the estate of her mother Betty Crowe — she requests to rezone approximately 3.5 acres from R-R to A-l to combine with the adjoining property. The property is located on Map 31 Parcel 11 on Hwy 29 and Garnett Ward Road in District 3. •Carol Jordan's request to rezone her two acres from R-R to A-l to combine with the adjoining prop erty. The property is located on May 31 Parcel 11-01 on Hwy 29 in District 3. •Carol Jordan’s request to rezone .59 ac from B-2 to R-R to combine with adjoining property. The prop erty is located on Hwy. 29 on Map 31 Parcel 11-02 in District 3. •Joe and Betty Guest’s request to rezone 3.89 ac from A-2 to R-l to subdivide two existing homes on the property. The property is located on Map 93 Parcel 81 on Hwy 1-72 in District 2. •David Peck’s request an area variance on 3.60 acres — he can’t meet his building setback. The prop erty is located on Map 48 Parcel 65 on Harry Paul Road in District 2. •Chairman Wayne Douglas, amendment to the Madison County Zoning Ordinance: Section 9.12 Outdoor Storage Yards, Section 9.3.1.7 Manufactured mobile units. •Statements and remarks from citizens on agenda items. •Consent agenda: none. OLD BUSINESS •Consider proclamation for Gary Locke (Chairman Dove). •Consider request from DFCS for their 2010 budget (Chairman Dove). •Consider hiring one to three employees for the road department (Tony Mattox). •Consider amendments to occu pation tax/business license (Eddie Pritchett). •Consider facilities use agreement for Madison County Little League and facilities. •Use agreement for Madison County Youth Association (Chairman Dove). NEW BUSINESS •Open bids for Cherokee Road (Chairman Dove). •Roads update (Chairman Dove). •Urgent matters. •Statements and remarks from citizens. •Closed session to discuss land acquisition, personnel matters and/ or potential litigation (if needed). Schools to make counteroffer on property By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com Madison County school officials will propose a $32,000 counteroffer in negotiations to sell .83 of an acre the system owns in Danielsville. The lot is located across from the Madison County government complex. The school system was offered $20,000 for the land earlier this month. The $32,000 counteroffer is based on a property tax assessment. Madison County Superintendent Mitch McGhee originally thought $20,000 was a good deal before receiving a recent appraisal of $47,000. That appraisal was based prices of similar land in the county, including an $84,000 lot located at the comer of Hwy. 98 and Hwy. 29 — the possible site of a grocery store. McGhee said that value might have skewed the appraisal a bit high, but he still thinks the school system can attract more than $20,000 for the land. He and the Madison County Board of Education (BOE) agreed that the tax appraisal price — $32,000 — was more suitable for a counteroffer. Water .cont’dfrom 1A County commissioner John Pethel asked White if the IDA has had any residents sign up for the Harrison water services. “We haven’t yet,” said White. “WeTl probably put out a flyer where they can sign up if they want to sign up. And then we will sometime go door-to-door when we’re getting ready to work on the project and get those connected up as the con tractors are in the area.” The Harrison area water system installation loan was approved by the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) May 19 for $2.3 million — $1.6 million forgivable and $690,000 at three-percent interest over 20 years. Pethel said a Harrison water system will be a great thing. “Some of the people don't know or realize what benefit we’ll get out of this,” said Pethel, noting that home insurance pre miums in the area should drop, thanks to improved ISO rat ings. In a separate matter, White said the IDA will install two siphon pipes in the dam at the Seagraves Mill dam. The state threatened to have Seagraves Lake drained if corrective measures for the dam weren’t taken. White noted Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is working on a couple of dams in Madison County, including one directiy behind Seagraves Mill. “They’re retrofitting that dam,” said White. “So, I think when that’s done, water will flow out of it into Seagraves Lake. And that will be a help in providing a water supply there.” White noted that two grants were up before the One Georgia board this past week, a $500,000 grant for the Hull- Sanford wastewater treatment plant and a $500,000 grant for a road for the Columbia Farms feed mill. After receiving bids that were deemed too high for the Hull- Sanford sewage system, the IDA agreed to re-bid the proj ect. Those bids are due in late June or the first of July, White said. “Hopefully we’ll get that proj ect going,” said White. “We've done a lot of meeting and a lot of work trying to get the price down where it’s within the budget. The engineering plans were probably not as good as they should have been, which caused some of the contractors to put a lot of extra money into take care of unforeseen things. And I think we’re getting that worked out.” County leaders see the estab lishment of a sewer system in Hull as a crucial step in boosting the county’s commercial base. GEORGIA'S llirmy.H0ME TRACK CAMpSbNStiNS' Pko^rams^y Children wrth Cancer Camp Sunshine Night...Presented by Industrial Depot Super Six Challenge Camp Sunshine 100 Featuring the Georgia Asphalt Series Late Models Featuring Drivers Like: Chase Elliott Casey Roderick Greg “Hollywood” Simpson Shane Sawyer TJ Reaid Zach Rearden Will Prince Jeremy Rice Dewayne Buggay Paul Kelly Russell Fleeman Rodney Benfield Dalton Grindle Shawn Simpson James Nealis Tom Shuette Pits Open - Noon • Grandstands - 4pm • Trackside - 5pm • Racing - 7pm Admission: Adults-$17 • Kids 6-12-$3 • 5 and under - free Family four fun pack - $30 FREE WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. COMPLIMENTS OF THE GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION. 770.967.8600 www.lanierspeedway.com Lanier National Speedway is located between I-85 (Exit 129) and I-985 (Exit 16) on Highway 53 in Braselton across from Road Atlanta. A portion of proceeds benefit Camp Sunshine. Sorry no pets or coolers allowed in the grandstands. School system switching to centralized registration Parents won't be able to reg ister or enroll children at any of the school campus offices after June 18. Centralized registration starts July 20 at the Madison County Board of Education Office at 800 Madison Street in Danielsville. The central office is closed from June 19 to July 19. Anything related to registra tion will be conducted at the central office, including enroll ment or re-enrollment of a child, submitting a change of address or transferring a child from one elementary school in the system to another. Registration requires the fol lowing documents: •a completed enrollment form. •proof of residence (chose one of four: utility bill with service address and landline telephone number; lease or purchase agree ment for property in Madison County; proof of homeowners’ insurance; or a notarized resi dence affidavit). •current photo ID of register ing parent/guardian. •birth certificate. •social security card, •permission waiver for social security number use. •current immunization record (Georgia Form 3231). •custody papers if applicable, •authorization to release records (faxed to previous school). •migrant form. •student language form, •free/reduced lunch applica tion. •network user agreement. These additional items are required for students grades 6-12. •withdrawal from previous school. •previous school transcripts or report cards. •previous discipline transcripts or report cards. A kindergarten questionnaire is required for kindergarten reg istration. ' 'These documents are required, and you will not be allowed to register without them,” school system leaders say. Forms for enrollment, per mission for use of social secu rity numbers, authorization to release records, migrants, stu dent language, free and reduced lunch applications, network user agreements and kindergarten questionnaire can be accessed at www.madison.kl2.ga.us after June 1. Central office registration hours from July 20 to Aug. 14 are 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Hours are extended to 7 p.m. on July 28, Aug. 4 and Aug. 6. Early morn ing registration, stalling at 7:30 a.m., is available Aug. 6-7 and Aug. 10. The Madison County Journal is your source for local news. Subscribe by calling 706-795-2567. 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