Newspaper Page Text
THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. JULY 9, 2009 — PAGE 3A
COUNTY GOV’T
PROGRAMS
Comer downtown construction
over three-fourths complete
The Comer downtown improvement project could
be completed by mid September. Ben Munro/Staff
Improvements
‘incalculable’
says city official
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
The orange construction
cones in Comer could be
gone within two months.
Comer's downtown
upgrades are about 80 per
cent complete, according to
city financial officer Steve
Sorrells, as most of the
remaining work is “above
ground" now.
The city has replaced dated
waterlines throughout the
business district, an upgrade
that should enhance circula
tion throughout town.
“The best thing I can relate
it to is a heart transplant,”
Sorrells said at Monday
night's council meeting.
“It was a huge operation. It
came off pretty good."
Left on the to-do list is
the installation of a 30-foot
storm sewer line at the inter
section of North Avenue and
Center Street.
The city also must fin
ish work on curbing, gut
tering, sidewalks and pave
ment overlay — enhance
ments that are being funded
by $700,000 worth of grant
money.
When those tasks are
complete, Comer will have
a better stormwater control
system downtown and 3,000
feet of sidewalk aligning its
downtown streets.
Comer has until Nov. 15
to finish the project, but
Sorrells would be surprised
if the remaining jobs take
that long.
Baring unforeseen obsta
cles, he expects completion
by mid-September.
Though the recent work
might have inconvenienced
some in the downtown dis
trict, the upgrade will make
a major difference, Sorrells
said.
“This was just such a
major, major operation that
really had to be done,” he
said. “It’s just incalculable,
the improvements."
Sorrells noted that crews
put in “a lot of hours" and
contractors tried not to
work during business hours.
Though work forced Comer
to cut off water downtown in
some instances, Sorrells said
everyone in town remained
cooperative.
“I just want to make it
known that I appreciate it...
Even the people that com
plained, I appreciate their
patience with us,” Sorrells
said.
Comer could have grant
money left over, and will
ask its funding agents for
permission to apply any
surplus money toward the
water line expenses (those
improvements are fund
ed by Comer’s SPLOST
money).
“I'm hoping they will, but
it’s just a hope,” Sorrells
said. “They might say that's
outside the scope of your
original project."
If money could be applied
there, it would save those
SPLOST dollars for other
projects.
Comer council addresses cemetery maintenance
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Part of the Comer city cem
etery is not being maintained,
and the city council wants to
change that.
Comer leaders agreed dur
ing their Monday night meet
ing to meet with the cem
etery committee to discuss
the problem.
A section of the graveyard
lacks up-keep, which could
be the result of confusion in
the contract with the mainte
nance crew.
Councilman Howard
Threlkeld said this could be
easily remedied by renego
tiating for all-inclusive ser
vice.
In other maintenance issues,
the city council wishes to
designate a monthly date
for debris clean-up in Royal
Oaks subdivision.
Mayor Billy Burroughs
said that the city has been
occupied with downtown
improvements recently, but
hopes to bring the city wood-
chipper to the subdivision
soon.
“Maybe we can designate
one day a month to get it
done,” Burroughs said.
In other news, the city is
fielding fewer complaints
now regarding garbage ser
vice compared to when it first
switched to a private com
pany for trash collection. The
company took over service
from city workers on June 1.
Comer's Monday meeting
was brief, attended by only
two council members and the
mayor.
CITY SEEKING
DELINQUENT TAXES
Comer discussed adding at
least a $175 fee per parcel for
delinquent property taxes.
The city has contracted
with Delinquent Tax Services
to collect unpaid property
taxes. The $175 goes toward
funding the cost of collecting
these taxes.
POPULATION
Census estimates show virtually no growth
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Growth was almost non
existent in Madison County
from 2007 to 2008, says the
U.S. Census Bureau.
According to estimates, the
county gained just 259 resi
dents from July 1, 2007, to
July 1, 2008 — a growth rate
of less than one percent.
Madison County’s esti
mated population for 2008
was 28,200, slightly up from
27,941 in 2007.
Madison County gained 410
residents the year before.
The census bureau produces
annual population estimates
for all areas of general-pur
pose government - counties,
cities, boroughs, villages and
minor civilizations.
Population estimates in
Madison County’s incorpo
rated areas barely changed,
rising by 24.
The county’s largest city,
Comer, grew by 19 from 1,270
to 1,289.
The other city’s populations
hardly budged.
Carlton (246), Colbert (527)
and Ila (332) gained just one
resident from 2007 to 2008.
Danielsville (453) picked up
two people.
Ila council to meet
Tues. about water system
The Ila City Council will meet Tuesday, July 14, at 7 p.m. with city
engineer Chris Quigley to review a finalized engineering report on the water
system.
The council is also expected to review a grant application for water system
upgrades. The city council met with Quigley during its regular council meet
ing Monday night, where council members received a draft of the report.
Quigley will also calculate a water rate increase for city water customers
that could go into effect in January.
In other business, the council instructed city clerk Susan Steed to contact
Buggay Heating and Air for repair of the air conditioning system in the city
hall conference room.
Joison
Restaurant 'W
We would like to thank all family & friends from
Danielsville, Comer, Colbert, Ila and Royston
for all their support!
"With your compliments our food
will continue to get even better!"
200 General Daniel Ave. N., #219 • Danielsville, Ga
706-795-3012
Hull registered zero growth,
staying at 161 residents. In
fact, according to census fig
ures, the city’s net growth
since 2000 is one.
The bureau released the esti
mates, based on the number of
building permits and mobile
home permits issued during
the 12-month period.
The annual estimates take the
number of housing units from
the 2000 Census and compen
sate for new houses by mul
tiplying their number by the
average number of residents
per household from the 2000
Census, while removing hous
ing units that are destroyed
or removed. It takes a similar
approach with mobile homes,
based on data about the num
ber of mobile homes shipped
into any jurisdiction.
The methodology assumes
that housing units are occu
pied within six months of
the building permits being
issued. It apparently does
not take into consideration
vacant houses that have either
never been sold or occupied
or from which owners have
been forced out due to fore
closure and who may have
relocated from one political
subdivision to another.
Madison County certain
ly wasn’t alone in stagnant
growth. In fact, of the seven
bordering counties, only
one — Jackson County (4.3
percent) — saw a growth
increase of more than two
percent.
Elbert County’s estimate
actually decreased by 0.12
percent.
of Danielsville
REGISTRATION ANNOUNCEMENT
For the 2009-2010 classes.
We are getting ready for another exciting year!
Boogie Baby Class:
Tiny Tot classes for girls and boys ages 3 years old.
Classes will include Tap, Tumbling, Song and Dance.
BALLET. TAP and TUMBLING
For girls ages 4 years old and older.
Jazz, and Tumbling:
For girls ages 8 years old and older.
Dancing develops coordination, timing, balance, self confidence and
brings out shy personalities. Gloria’s School of Dance has a
reputation for always using age appropriate music, and beautiful and
conservative costumes.
Registration for Danielsville classes will be held on
July 13, 2009 (Monday) from 5:00 - 7:00p.m. at the
American Legion Building.
For additional information, please call
Miss Gloria at (706) 245-5839.
Justin Rooker poses during a recent Extra Special
Kids (ESP) bowling outing. The program serves 15
Madison County students and 130 in the Athens
area.
Special needs
program promotes
independence
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
On ESP prom night, the floor belongs to the kids of the Extra Special
People program.
The teens enjoy a night of tuxes, gowns and freedom from their parents,
one of several afforded to special-needs youths through this area program.
"Oh, gosh, yes, they don’t want their parents there,” said Madison
County's Joan Baird, whose daughter is in ESP.
Activities like prom - which ESP held two weeks ago — help promote
independence among ESP’s members, a major goal of this program that
serves 130 kids in the Athens area, including 15 from Madison County.
In ESP, some kids will spend their first night ever away from home, Baird
explained. Many places can't accommodate these kids for a night, but ESP
does when it hosts sleep-over nights.
"Just all kinds of firsts for kids, things without their parents,” said Baird,
who serves on the ESP board.
The ESP kids will enjoy more of that overnight freedom this summer
by spending six days at Camp Twin Lakes, a residential camp set up for
children with disabilities.
"So they spend the night and do everything there,” Baird said.
While ESP strives to find new opportunities for its campers, the program
also battles financial constraints.
Extra Special People receives money from the United Way and has
applied for grants, but donations are down due to a slumping economy.
Leaders of ESP wanted to expand the headquarters in Watkinsville to
accommodate the popularity of the program — which has a waiting list of
15 — but lacked the money to do so.
"We had really wanted to do some expansion, because we’ve got so many
kids on the waiting list, but we couldn't do that because there certainly
wasn't enough money to do that," Baird said.
Still, ESP finds new ways to promote independence as it continues to
seek funds.
Last week, campers 16 and older enjoyed' ‘No Kids Allowed Week,’ ’ dur
ing which these teens worked at job sites to gain experience.
In addition to work, the ESP young adults took in a Gwinnett Braves
game that week.
"So they’re doing some more older-kid kinds of things,” Baird said.
ESP SEEKS DONATIONS
Though donations are down, ESP still has its support base.
The program recently landed a big grant, netting $10,000 from Walton
EMC.
Extra Special People also received $1,500 each from CVS and the Junior
League of Athens.
As it's done the past few summers, the Madison County Pilot Club spon
sored a camper with a $500 donation.
The ESP program, which started in 1986, still strives to promote its mes
sage in order to help those who need its services.
"There are more people knowing about it, but (we're) definitely still trying
to get the name out,” Baird said.
Those wishing to donate to ESP can contact Joan Baird at 706-795-0120
or go to extraspecialpeople.com.
Call 245-2695
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