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THE MADISON COUNTY (GAI JOURNAL. THURSDAY. JULY 30, 2009 — PAGE 3A
Royston honored
Ginn announces candidacy for senate seat
Frank Ginn of Madison County
has announced his intention to
run for State Senate in Georgia's
47th Senate District. This seat is
being vacated by incumbent Ralph
Hudgens. The district includes
Barrow, Jackson, Madison, Clarke,
Oglethorpe and Elbert counties.
Ginn is married to Robin Tardy
Ginn, formerly of Athens, and they
have two children, Catherine and
Stephen. They live on their fam
ily farm where they raise cattle and
horses. Ginn has lived in the district
for the last quarter of a century.
Ginn is a graduate of Lakeside
High school in DeKalb County and
earned a degree in agricultural engi
neering at the University of Georgia.
While at UGA, he was a member of
the ROTC rifle team. Ginn served
as president of the Ag Hill Council
and was the first student to serve on
the Ag Alumni Board of Directors.
He served on President Davison's
University Council and was induct
ed into the AgHon Honor Society,
where he served as president his
senior year.
Working for Jackson EMC from
1985 to 1991, Ginn served as the
director of member services. Ginn’s
first involvement in local govern
ment operations was as the first city
manager of Royston from 1992
through 1997. Ginn worked for
Significant Digits as a marketing
agent for 1997 and 1998 and served
as city manager of Sugar Hill from
1999 until 2001. Since 2001, Ginn
has been serving as the county man
ager for the Franklin County Board
of Commissioners..
Presently, Ginn serves on the
Advisory Board for Georgia Public
Safety Training Center in Athens,
formerly known as the North
Georgia Police Academy. He also
served on the Athens Regional
Library Board, the Madison County
Library Board, and several cham
ber of commerce boards and is a
member of the Georgia Society of
Professional Engineers. Ginn has
also held a Real Estate license for
the past 20 years.
Ginn is a member of ROTARY
International, Lions Club
International and the Madison
County Chapter of the Georgia
Cattlemen’s Association. He is also
a graduate of Leadership Athens
and Madison County Leadership
through The Fanning Institute at the
University of Georgia. Ginn and his
family are members of the Royston
First United Methodist Church.
“Over the past many years I have
enjoyed meeting citizens through
out the 47 th District and I'm hon
ored when they share their concerns
about the district and the state with
me,” Ginn said. “I plan to continue
listening and I hope to serve as their
senator and improve our state.”
Former Probate Judge Donald “Hoppy” Royston was recognized for his 32 years
of service last week with a reception hosted by current Probate Judge Cody
Cross. Approximately 75 people, including former employees, county officials,
family and friends attended the event, which included the unveiling of a portrait
of Judge Royston that will hang in the county probate office. Judge Royston
follows the tradition of all former probate judges of Madison County since the
early 1800s by having his portrait hung there. Pictured with Judge Royston at
the unveiling are two of his granddaughters, Jordan Thrasher (L) and Abby
Thrasher. Margie Richards/Staff
Supt. doesn’t expect too many transfers
under new state-mandated policy
BOC ..cont’dfrom 1A
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County Schools
Superintendent Mitch
McGhee doesn’t expect to
see a drastic number of kids
changing schools within the
county despite a new law
that's loosened restrictions
for transfers.
“The process is very differ
ent, but the net effect, what
you actually get to do, is very
similar," McGhee said. "I
really don’t expect the num
bers to be too different."
Parents in Madison County
have until Friday to apply
for a transfer under the less
restricted guidelines with
House Bill 251.
Under the old system,
children in Madison County
attended an elementary school
based on a geographic zone.
With the new rule, a par
ent can transfer a child to
any school within the dis
trict regardless of where they
live, as long as there’s space.
Parents are responsible for
transportation to the new
school.
Since Madison County has
only one high school and
middle school, the new law
only applies to the county’s
five elementary schools.
But several grades at four
campuses and all of Hull-
Sanford Elementary are closed
due to space limitations based
on enrollment projections. The
closed classes include Colbert
Elementary, second and fifth
grade; Comer Elementary,
kindergarten and first grade;
Danielsville Elementary, kin
dergarten and fifth grade; and
Ila Elementary, second grade.
In the past, any transfer
request in Madison County
was called a “variance" and
considered monthly by the
Madison County Board of
Education (BOE).
Now, transfer requests are
coming in at one time since
there’s now a deadline.
"We've got several more in
this past week than we usual
ly have in the past,” McGhee
said.
Of course, he expects it to
all even out in the end.
“We’re going to have more
in July than we usually do, but
I think for the whole school
year, it should be about the
same,” McGhee said.
Associate superintendent
Allen McCannon is currently
at work on the system’s new
transfer policy, which could
be presented at the BOE’s
August or September meet
ing.
Among the variables con
sidered will be how to handle
transfer requests for those
who move in mid-year want
ing their child to attend a
school other than the one in
their attendance zone.
Also, the system will have
to decide what action to take
about transfer availability if
student enrollment projec
tions are off for a certain
grade.
“All that will be spelled out
in the policy," McGhee said.
The county currently contracts with a business for the
body transport service and pays a fluctuating cost, rang
ing from about $175 to $225 depending on the price
of gas. Coroner Michelle Cleveland will still have the
option of contacting the business currently handling the
transports if none of the five people on the call list are
available. The county will soon advertise and conduct
interviews to fill the positions.
BOC TALKS TRAINING
EXPENSE POLICY
In other matters Monday, the BOC discussed a
proposed move by Ty Tolbert from a full-time to a
part-time paramedic. EMS director Dwayne Patton
said Tolbert has accepted a job in Jackson County and
wants to remain on staff for Madison County on a part-
time basis. Commissioner Mike Youngblood praised
Tolbert, saying he’s one of the best paramedics in the
county, but he said the county approved a requirement
some time ago that mandates that an employee who
completes training at the county’s expense but leaves
the job within a year is requited to pay back all training
expenses. If the person leaves within two years, he or
she is requited to pay back 50 percent of the expense.
The rule was established in an effort to keep employees
from receiving training at Madison County's expense
and then leaving shortly after for higher paying jobs
in surrounding counties. Commissioner Bmce Scogin
noted that since Tolbert will remain as a part-time
employee, the county is still benefiting from the train
ing he received. Commissioners agreed that they need
to make the mle clear to Madison County employees.
They also agreed Monday to move Millie Temple
from a part-time paramedic to full time to fill Tolbert’s
position.
BOC CONSIDERS
PERSONNEL POLICY
County commissioners took no action on a proposed
personnel policy Monday. However, the group dis
cussed a proposed 240-hour limit on accumulated leave
time for county employees. Board members made clear
that current employees whose accumulated leave time
exceeds the 240-hour maximum will be compensated
for the excess time they’ve accmed. The BOC agreed
to this since the employees have worked for years with
the understanding that they can accme leave days.
But the BOC wants to put an end to the practice in
the future, primarily since auditors have told the BOC
that the accmed leave is essentially a county debt, now
totaling approximately $85,000. The board agreed that
lump sum payments would prove harmful to the coun
ty. Instead, the BOC is considering allowing county
employees to retire with payments for the leave time
coming in regular checks after their last day. The board
agreed that those payments need to be made at the rate
of pay that the worker had when the leave days were
accmed — not at the final salary figure at retirement.
PAVING FOR FEED MILL
The board also heard Monday from Keith Ingram,
who lives next to Columbia Feed Mill off Hwy. 72,
which is expected to open in the next few weeks.
Ingram, who lives at the comer of Cooper Road and
Russell Drive, asked if those roads will be paved before
the feed mill opens. Commission chairman Anthony
Dove told Ingram that the county sought grants for the
paving at the first of the year, but the county wasn’t able
to get the funding for the paving.
"The intentions are to pave that road,” said Dove.
"It’s just that the funds aren’t there.”
Ingram said the feed mill bucks will tear up the roads
and stir up dust by his house. “Me and my wife are
going to be hit hardest by this," he said.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other matters, the commissioners agreed to work
with the Department of Natural Resources on updating
floodplain maps. The board approved speed limit signs
on Cherokee Road and Virginia Lane. They approved
two refunds totaling $1,918 for erroneous tax assess
ments. They approved a promotion for Renee Botelho
from an appraiser I to an appraiser II status. The BOC
took no action on whether to move county personnel
director Donna Sisk from hourly to salaried pay, agree
ing to discuss the matter again next week.
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