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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 3. 2009 — PAGE 3A
Bats .cont’dfrom 1A
Seasonal flu vaccine now
procedure will cost, since their
removal has to follow specific
guidelines as a protected species.
"The way I understand it is that
it is something that’s got to be
done," District 2 Commissioner
John Pethel said.
"It's a major health issue, and
the question is who we use, not
if we do it or not,” District 1
Commissioner Stanley Thomas
said.
Dove explained that bat drop
pings, or guano, are a threat to
human health. He also said that
waiting longer on ridding the old
courthouse of the problem could
damage the reconstruction work
that has already been done on the
building.
"This is something that needs to
be taken care of,” he said.
Dove also said the bat issue
is one of those things he never
anticipated when he ran for county
chairman.
"I've learned more about bats
than I've ever needed to know.”
he said.
“Mr. Strickland, rest assured
if we were hying to hide any
thing from you. it wouldn’t have
been in the newspaper.” District 5
Commissioner Bruce Scogin said.
The BOC will discuss the mat
ter again at their Sept. 8 meeting.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
In other matters, Dove read
a note from Janies and Linda
Threlkeld Monday night, thanking
them for the paving of Cherokee
Road in commissioner Pethel’s
district.
On a similar note, the board
voted to accept a state contract
to move forward on the pav
ing of Reggie Ingram Road and
McGinnis Chandler Road in com
missioner Thomas's district.
Dove read a letter from Emory
Flight III recognizing Madison
County EMS and director Dwayne
Patton for their help in guiding
them in for landings during acci
dents.
Dove told the board that, sur
prisingly. there was an 11 percent
increase in SPLOST and LOST
revenue to the county in August
over revenue received during the
same month in 2008.
Dove also reported that new car
pet has been installed in the county
clerk’s office, which was paid for
by new county clerk Linda Cox.
BUDGET AMENDMENTS
Commissioners plan to discuss
amendments to the 2009 budget
next week that may increase the
county’s contingency fund by
as much as $42,000. The board
agreed Monday night to discuss
the amendments at its Sept. 8 busi
ness meeting.
Dove said the BOC could move
some funds not being used out of
different departments to increase
the contingency fund and prevent
the money from being spent.
Dove asked commissioners to talk
with finance director Kathy Clark
before next week's meeting if they
have questions about the proposed
amendments.
OTHER MATTERS
•The board agreed to amend the
new personnel policy to require
county employees to maintain
accumulated vacation time at no
more than 240 hours, instead of
the 280 hours cun'ently fisted in
the policy. Chairman Dove also
agreed to allow those employees
with a current excess of accumu
lated hours to “whittle down" their
time between now and 2011, the
end of his cuirent administration.
•Madison County residents Scott
Edwards and Carl Deitrich, own
ers of Fertile Crescent Gardens,
were honored with a proclamation
from the BOC for their “outstand
ing achievements" in cleaning and
restoring property on Roy Woods
Road at the Broad River. The
proclamation stated that they have
turned "one of the most blighted
properties into one of the most
beautiful."
The pair also received a
"Certified Steward Award” from
the Forestry Service for their
efforts.
•The BOC also agreed to enter
into a partnership with 2010
Census efforts. Dove pointed out
that the Census will help the coun
ty with state and federal grants,
future water sources and other
resources for the county, which
CORRECTION
In last week’s article, “Old fort - new discovery for Madison
County,” the woman listed as Charlotte Strickland Maney,
should have been listed as “Charlene Strickland Maney.” We
apologize for this error.
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BANKS COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
meets first Monday each month
7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historial
Courthouse at 105 U.S. Hwy. 441
North in Homer pd.-07/io
St. Catherine Laboure
Catholic Mission
Mass Schedule: Sat. 4:00 p.m.,
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Parish Council meetings:
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First Friday Adoration 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
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JEFFERSON
111 AMERICAN LEGION
Albert Gordon Post 56
Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Harvie Lance, Commander
Phone (706) 654-1274 .no
BANKS COUNTY
MB, AMERICAN LEGION
Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 pd.06/10
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Post 4872, Hurricane Shoals Convention Ctr.
Each 4thTuesdasy, 7:00 p.m.
Jason Mergele, Commander
Phone 706-367-7237 263
JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB
Meets Tuesdays
Jefferson City Clubhouse
12:30 p.m.-(706) 367-7696
Gina Mitsdarffer, President
547
UNITY LODGE
W F & A.M.
No. 36, Jefferson, GA
1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.
Dwayne Potts • 706-367-4449
Borders St. behind Tabo’s 260
JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB
Meets 2nd & 4th Monday
Jefferson City Clubhouse
6:30 p.m.-(706) 387-1156
Mack Cates, President
542
H9 BANKS COUNTY
AMERICAN LEGION
Riders Post 215
Meets each 2nd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 pd.02/10
Georgia Real Estate Investors
mSS Association, Inc. - Athens
Meets the third Thursday each month
6:30 pm at the UGA Conferen ce Center
1197 South Lumpkin Street,
Athens, GA 30601
Tom Hewlett - Chapter President
thewlettl@charter.net pj 12/09
available at health dept.
However, health dept, won’t offer shots Fri
The Madison County Health Department has sea
sonal flu shots available for the public, but it will not
give shots Friday, Sept. 4, due to a statewide computer
shutdown.
“We apologize for any inconvenience,” health depart
ment officials said. We will resume giving shots on
Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 9 a.m. If you have questions, call
795-2131.”
are based on population figures.
•The board agreed to allow
E-911 director David Camp to
enter contract negotiations with
Southern Software, of North
Carolina for the new computer-
aided dispatch system, which will
be funded through SPLOST mon
ies.
Camp pointed out that purchas
ing officer Cheiyl Jensiud had
obtained a manufacturer's price
quote from Dell Computers for
hardware for the system, which
he estimates will save the coun
ty $15,000 over purchasing the
system directly from the vendor.
Camp plans to present a proposed
contract to commissioners at their
Sept. 8 meeting.
•The BOC agreed to adopt
the ACCG (Association County
Commissioners of Georgia)
Inmate Medical Program. The
program should provide signifi
cant savings on inmate medical
care since it provides Blue Cross/
Blue Shield insurance at PPO/
HMO contract prices, according
to Cheri Wyatt, who handles med
ical billing for the county.
•The board also plans to discuss
an 8 p.m. curfew for amplified
music in the Madison County
Memorial Park in Danielsville.
District 4 Commissioner Pete
Bond said he has received several
complaints about loud music fol
lowing a concert held earlier this
year in the park.
In a related matter, the board also
agreed to discuss an amendment
to the county wide noise ordinance
that would address loud noises
during the day. County attorney
Mike Pruett said the amendment,
if one is agreed to, could include
certain exemptions for agricultural
operations, special events and
school activities.
Routine seasonal flu vac
cines are available a month
early this year, according
to local health department
officials.
Health departments in the
10-county health district sur
rounding Athens (Barrow,
Clarke, Elbert, Greene,
Jackson, Madison, Morgan,
Oconee, Oglethorpe,
Walton) have flu vaccine
available for the public.
The usual high-risk
patients should get the shot
as they have every year,
according to health offi
cials. People over 65 and
people with high-risk con
ditions are at greatest risk
for complications from sea
sonal flu.
However, as has been
recommended for several
years, the shot is also rec
ommended for people of all
ages from 6 months old and
up. (The vaccine for chil
dren flu (VFC) shots for
those 18 years of age and
younger will arrive later -
call the Madison County
Health Department to veri
fy that VFC flu shots have
arrived.)
Flu shots remain at $25
and are covered by Medicare
and Medicaid. No appoint
ment is necessary, officials
said, just walk in to your
local health department.
Hours are: Monday 8-11:30
a.m. and 1-6 p.m.; Tuesday
through Thursday 8-11:30
a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m. and
Friday 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Officials say the shot
contains antigens for the
three flu viruses believed
by experts to be the most
likely to affect the United
States this fall and winter.
This seasonal flu vaccine
does not protect against the
pandemic strain of the new
H1N1 (swine) flu virus,
officials stress. Vaccine for
that virus is being devel
oped and tested but is not
expected to be released until
late in the fall.
Symptoms of flu include
sudden onset of fever, head
ache, fatigue, dry cough,
sore throat, nasal conges
tion and body aches. In the
U.S., flu usually peaks in
late fall or winter.
In addition to getting
the annual flu shot, public
health officials recommend
these steps to prevent the
spread of flu: wash your
hands, especially before
you touch your face or eat,
or use an alcohol-based
hand sanitizer when soap
and water are not avail
able; don’t breathe where
someone has just coughed
or sneezed; cover coughs
and sneezes with a tissue
or your upper sleeve and
stay home from work if you
are sick to avoid spreading
germs to others.
Information on other clin
ic s can be found by calling the
Public Health Information
Line at 1-800-4PD-HELP,
or by visiting www.
PublicHealthAthens.com.
The Madison County Journal is your source for local news.
Subscribe by calling 706795-2567.
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