Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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. MICHAEL E. BEASLEY, CPA TAX AND FINANCIAL SERVICES 706-795-3939 Call 245-2695 24 Hour Obituary News Compliments of SWiitti ^Funeral f/(omc, f/nc. “Locally Owned and Operated Since 1905” 47 Franklin Springs St. Royston, GA 30662 (706) 245-7234 FUNERAL HOMES MADISON CHAPEL 963 Hwy. 98 East Danielsville, GA 30630 706-795-5116 EAST: 4355 Lexington Road Athens. GA 30605 (706)546-1587 , FAX (706) 548-7984 WEST: 1211 Jimmy Daniel Road Bogart. GA 30622 (706)549-3342 FAX (706) 549-3499 OGLETHORPE CHAPEL 503 Main Street Crawford. GA 30630 (706)743-5030 FAX (706) 743-3994 LANDSCAPING & HORSE ARENAS • RIVER SAND • TOP SOIL • RIVER ROCK • WHITE SAND • FILL DIRT •PEA GRAVEL WILLIAMS SAND 770-967-6501 OR 706-789-3779 Danielsville, GA • www.williamstransportco.com Highway 106 to Jot-em Down Rd. to Young Harris Road to Serenity Lane It is our privilege to be part of the most special moments of your life. That's why we've anticipated your every need — from prenatal classes to our advanced Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, from our new, luxurious Labor & Delivery and Mother-Baby Units to our Pediatric Services Department. All staffed by some of the most experienced nurses in the region. Schedule a tour for you and the future big sister or brother today. UV-&JUCM- CAAJ2- www.armc.org