Newspaper Page Text
THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. JUNE 25. 2009 — PAGE 7A
Foster care numbers could drop off
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetne ws. com
The number of Madison
County children in foster care
could drop significantly by
the end of the summer.
Twenty-one kids are cur
rently housed in foster care,
but that could fall to 10 by
August or September, “if we
don’t take anymore,” accord
ing to Madison County
Department of Family and
Children Services (DFCS)
director Lisa Plank.
A number of children have
recently been placed back
in the custody of parents or
adopted.
“We’ve been kind of rock
ing along,” Plank said.
There’s a gradual process
to placing children back in
homes, starting with trial
home visits, during which
DFCS still maintains legal
custody.
If all goes well, the child is
returned to a parent’s custody
within a month or two.
The department still pro
vides after-care services for
three to six more months.
“We don’t take kids out for
a year and then just drop them
back off,” Plank said. “That’s
not good for anybody.”
Board chairman Gary
Locke took this as welcome
news in his final meeting.
“Those success stories are
the ones that make you real
ize the worth of what we’re
doing,” he said.
Plank also noted a program
that transitions teenagers
out of foster care when they
turn 18, though the state has
reduced the funding for it.
But the goal of DFCS is to
find permanent homes when
children are younger.
“We "re giving a lot more
activity on the front end, try
ing to push for permanency
sooner,” Plank said.
Locke praised the work of
the DFCS staff.
“Again, we have the best
office in the state of Georgia,”
he said to Plank. “You guys
do good.”
BUDGET, STIPENDS
APPROVED
The board of commission
ers recently approved the
DFCS office’s $6,000 budget
increase, and the state has
OK’d the department’s sti
pend package.
The $6,000 raise will help
fund the monthly stipends the
DFCS board wants to pay its
workers to help offset recent
state cuts.
Locke praised the support
and trust of the county com
mission.
“So we’re very fortunate,
and I’ve recognized that all
along,” he said.
Originally intended for
workers being furlough days
by the state (Plank and seven
social services staff mem
bers), $25 stipends will be
paid to the entire staff.
Plank’s stipend is $100.
The original plan was
to pay Plank $100 and the
social services staff $50 —
all locally funded — to par
tially compensate for their
lost hours. However, the state
interceded, saying all had to
be paid.
“Twenty-five dollars isn’t
much,” Plank said. “But I
think they (DFCS workers)
realize that someone is trying
to support them.”
So far, no furloughs have
been planned for July when
the next fiscal year begins.
IDA formally accepts Harrison water bid
The Madison County
Industrial Development and
Building Authority board
formally accepted a bid of
just over $1.2 million from
Griffin Brothers of Maysville
for the construction of the
Harrison water project dur
ing a called meeting Monday
morning.
The board also authorized
chairman Bruce Azevedo to
sign the bid documents as
well as a notice to proceed
once construction is ready
to begin. The project is the
first in the state to be funded
through the federal American
Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA) provided to
Georgia for shovel-ready
projects. The funding con
sists of a 70 percent sub
sidy ($1,600,000) and a
three-percent 20-year loan
on the remaining 30 percent
($690,000).
IDA executive director
Marvin White said Tuesday
that construction must begin
by Oct. 1 in order for the
county to receive the fund
ing.
“We hope to start construc
tion by mid-July,” White
said.
White said the IDA
also hopes to be approved
for a half-million dollar
OneGeorgia grant for the
Hull-Sanford sewer system
later this week.
The IDA also accepted a bid
from Oconee Well Drillers
for establishing a couple of
wells in the Harrison dis
trict, though White said the
IDA may opt to purchase
water from Royston and/
or Franklin County for the
Harrison District instead.
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DFCS taps Randy Archer
as Locke’s replacement
Gary Locke is stepping down as chairman of DFCS.
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews .com
The Madison County
Department of Children and
Family Services board has
nominated Randy Archer to
fill the seat of departing
chairman Gary Locke.
The board approved the
nomination unanimously
Friday and will submit
Archer’s name to the coun
ty board of commissioners
(BOC) for final approval.
Archer, who lives in
Sanford, is a supervisor in
the Athens-Clarke County
tax assessor’s office.
Should the BOC not agree,
the DFCS board has offered
David Hancock’s name as
an alternate. Hancock is the
branch manager at Madison
First Bank and Trust in
Danielsville.
Board member Shelia
Collins suggested Archer as
Locke’s replacement, noting
Archer’s service as a youth
coach in the community and
his connections.
“He’s involved in all kind
of community service, so
he knows about serving the
community,” she said.
Friday’s meeting was
Locke’s last as DFCS board
head. He said he joined the
DFCS board to help the
youth of Madison County.
“The one thing that drove
me to do this is my feelings
and caring for children ...
my heart goes out to these
foster children,” Locke said.
Locke also thanked his
colleagues for their service
during his tenure.
“I want to tell you how
much I’ve enjoyed working
with you through the years,”
Locke said.
The feeling was mutual
between Locke and the
board members.
“You added so much to
our board and our leader
ship,” board member Mary
Smith said.
CITY OF CARLTON
WATER SYSTEM 2008 CCR
Is my water safe?
Last year, as in years past, your tap water met all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state drinking water
health standards. Local Water vigilantly safeguards its water supplies and once again we are proud to report that our
system has not violated a maximum contaminant level or any other water quality standard.
Do I need to take special precautions?
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno
compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotheray, persons who have undergone organ
transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at
risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/Center
for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other
microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline (800-426-4791).
Where does my water come from?
The City of Carlton operates (4) four deep wells. They are located on South Railroad Ave., Church Street, Eighth Street,
and North Sixth Street.
Source water assessment and its availability
The City of Carlton is a member of GRWA.
Why are there contaminants in my drinking water?
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some
contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More
information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection
Agency’s (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791). The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled
water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or
through the ground, it dissovles naturally occuring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up
substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity:
Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems,
agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife; inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally
occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial, or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production,
mining, or farming; pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban
stormwater runoff, and residential uses; organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic
chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations,
urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems; and radioactive contaminants; which can be naturally occurring or be the
result of oil and gas production and mining activities. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes
regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same
protection for public health.
How can I get involved?
The City of Carlton meets the first Tuesday of each month at the Fire Hall on Seventh Street, meeting time is 7:00 PM.
All citizens are encouraged to attend.
Conservation Tips
Did you know that the average U.S. household uses approximately 350 gallons of water per day? Luckily, there are many
low-cost or no-cost ways to conserve water. Water your lawn at the least sunny times of the day. Fix toilet and faucet
leaks. Take short showers - a 5 minute shower uses 4 to 5 gallons of water compared to up to 50 gallons for a bath. Turn
the faucet off while brushing your teeth and shaving; 3-5 gallons go down the drain per minute. Teach your kids about
water conservation to ensure a future generation that uses water wisely. Make it a family effort to reduce next month’s
water bill.
Additional Information on Lead
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children.
Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing.
City of Carlton is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in
plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several ours, you can minimize the potential for lead
exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned
about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing
methods, and steps you can to take minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://
www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Unit Descriotio
n
Term
Definition
NA
NA: not applicable
ND
ND: not detected
NR
NR: Monitoring not required, but recommended
Important Drinking Water Definitions
Term
Definition
MCLG
MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: The level of a contaminant in
drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health.
MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
MCL
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant
that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as
feasible using the best available treatment technology.
TT
TT: Treatment Technique: A required process intended to reduce the level of
a contaminant in drinking water.
AL
AL: Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded,
triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Variances and Exemptions:
Variances and Exemptions: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or
a treatment technique under certain conditions.
MRDLG
MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfection level goal. The level of a drinking
water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health.
MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control
microbial contaminants.
MRDL
MRDL: Maximum residual disinfectant level. The highest level of a
disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincting evidence that
addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
MNR:
MNR: Monitored Not Regulated
MPL:
MPL: State Assigned Maximum Permissible Level
For more information please contact:
Gerald D. Kemp,
426 Gholston St.
Comer, GA 30629
706-540-4744
eeservice@windstream. net