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PAGE 2A —THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 17. 2009 Digest continued from 1A years have been farther behind, with property owners receiving them after the new year. Baker said he feels the county can stay on schedule now. “Next year, we should be on track where we’re supposed to be,” he said. In a related matter, Madison County’s new three-mem ber assessor board held its first monthly meeting last Thursday, an hour-long gath ering in front of two people, both reporters, that included brief discussions of assess ment issues. The assessor board table has been the center of political controversy for much of 2009, with four members fired by the county commissioners, a decision later backed up by a judge. The BOC then agreed to reduce the assessor board from five to three people. The new members are Ralph McCay, Janis Ellis and Lynn Hix. McCay, who now serves as BOA chairman, led most of the discussions Thursday. The group met briefly in closed session with county attor ney Mike Pruett to discuss “pending litigation” related to property owners’ appeals of assessments. The BOA reviewed conservation appli cations and agreed to approve all but two recommendations made by the appraisal staff. The staff divided applications into separate lists of recom mended approvals and deni als. The board agreed to for ward 21-day appeals to the board of equalization (BOE). County property owners have 45 days to appeal their val ues after assessment notices are mailed. Those appeals are reviewed and if there are any changes, another notice is mailed to property own ers, who then have 21 days to appeal those changes. The board agreed Thursday to send those notices on to the BOE, which will review the values. The group agreed to replace a previous set of BOA poli cies with a new version. One policy change includes a reduction from two meetings to one meeting a month. The BOA now meets the second Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the county gov ernment complex. Assessor board members are required to attend 40 hours of training. Ellis and Hix plan to attend training in October, while McCay will attend training in January. Baker will attend classes in November to bring his train ing status up to date. BOA members spent some time speaking about meeting protocol. Ellis asked that BOA members have an opportunity to review documents prior to meetings so that the board can be more familiar with what’s on the agenda. “That way we can look at it and process it a little better,” she said. Baker said the staff can email the board members with documents prior to the meetings to help them under stand the issues at hand. Budget... continued from 1A “We’ve kind of been look ing at 93 percent in terms of what tax collections will be,” said Dove. A collection rate of 93 percent, as opposed to 90 percent, would mean rough ly $230,000 more in antici pated tax revenue, accord ing to figures provided by finance director Kathy Clark. But Clark added that it’s really too early to set specific numbers. “We will possibly have the new consolidation report and other reports this week and will be able to estimate projections on more current information,” wrote Clark in response to emailed budget questions from The Journal. With projected expenses at approximately $13.8 mil lion and revenues at $13 million to $13.2 million, the board could face the pros pect of shaving several hun dred thousand more dollars in expenses, or raising taxes to cover a revenue shortfall. Dove said he is committed to not raising the county’s tax rates. He has noted that homeowners are already going to feel the pinch of over $200 added to their bills since the state elimi nated the Homeowners’ Tax Relief Grant. “If I had to speculate I’d say a majority of the com missioners are (committed to not raising taxes) too, if not all of them,” said Dove. County commissioners were scheduled to discuss the 2010 budget Wednesday with Madison County Mental Health (Advantage Behavioral) and the district attorney. They were also set to receive additional budget information from the code enforcement/animal control director. Facebook... continued from 1A on it,” Stone said. Included on the site are daily announcements and results from sporting events. Those who are part of the MCHS network on Facebook can add comments to each post. As of Tuesday afternoon, the MCHS page had 507 “fans.” “It’s something new, but the more we can get out of what we’re trying to do, the better we feel like it’s going to help us at the high school,” Stone said. PERSONNEL APPROVED The Madison County Board of Education approved several personnel items at its monthly meeting last Tuesday. They include: •Comer Elementary — accepted the resignation of food services worker April Watkins, hired Kimberly Pendergrass and Angela Gantt as an after-school workers, hired Elizabeth Adams and Lisa Smith as school nutrition assistants and reduced teacher Leslie Hardman’s weekly hours from 40 to 32. •Hull-Sanford Elementary — accepted the resignation of paraprofessional Lisa Crumley and hired Rita Brannon as a paraprofes sional. •Ila Elementary School — increased time for Allison Daniels (teacher), Cindy South (paraprofessional) and Suzan Haley (parapro fessional) from a half-time to full-time, approved leave for Barry Bailey and hired Megan McCay as a long term substitute. •Madison County Middle School — approved extend ed day hours for Janet Duckworth. •Madison County High School — accepted the res ignation of custodian J.W. James, increased custodian Ron Little’s hours from half time to full-time and hired Edna Curruth as a custodian. •System — approved leave without pay for bus driver Jill Stoops. Public meetings held in the county Public meetings held in Madison County include: •Madison Cou nty Board of Commissioners - an agenda-setting meeting is held on the final Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the government com plex on Albany Avenue in Danielsville. A business meeting is then held on the first Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the same locale. •Madison County Planning and Zoning Commission - the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the government complex. •Madison County Board of Education - the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. in the library at Madison County High School. •Madison Cou nty Board of Tax Assessors - meets the second Thursday of every month at 5:30 p.m. in the conference room of the Madison County government complex in Danielsville. The public is invited to attend all meet ings of the board of asses sors. •The Madison County Industrial Development and Building Authority - the third Monday of the month at 6 p.m. in the pub lic meeting room of the old county courthouse in the center of Danielsville. •MadisonCountyPublic Safety Communications/ E-911 advisory board - the Thursday prior to the second Monday of each month. Meetings are held at 11:30 a.m. at the 911 center. •The Madison County Recreation Department Board - the fourth Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the meeting room at Sammy Haggard Park on Hwy. 98. •Danielsville City Council - holds monthly work sessions the Monday prior to regularly scheduled council meetings, begin ning at 7 p.m. Council meetings are held the first Monday of each month, beginning at 7 p.m. •Colbert City Council - the first Monday at 7 p.m. in Colbert City Hall. •Carlton City Council - the first Monday at 7 p.m. in Carlton City Hall. •Comer City Council - the first Monday follow ing the first Sunday of the month at 6 p.m. in Comer City Hall. •Comer Downtown Development Authority - meets the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Comer City Hall. •Ila City Council - the first Monday at 7 p.m. in Ila City Hall. •Hull City Council - the third Monday at 7 p.m. in Hull City Hall. •The Madison County High School Council - the second Monday of every month at 5 p.m. in the high school media center. •The Madison County Middle School Council - the second Thursday of the month at 4 p.m. in the school media center. •The Colbert Elementary School Council - the second Thursday of each month at 2:30 p.m. in the school’s media center. •The Comer Elementary School Council - the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 a.m. in the school media center. •The Danielsville Elementary School Council - the first Thursday of the month at 7:30 a.m. in the school media center. •The Hull-Sanford Elementary School Council - the third Tuesday of the month at 3:15 p.m. in the school media center. •The Ila Elementary School Council - the fourth Wednesday of the month at 3 p.m. in the Ila Elementary School media center. •The Democratic Party of Madison County - meets regularly to talk with elected officials about local, state and national concerns. For more infor mation, call 245-6875 or e-mail democratsofmadi- soncountyga@yahoo.com •The Broad River Watershed Association - meets at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the BRWA office on the square in Danielsville. Call Victor Johnson 706-795-2184 for more information. •Property Owners for Common Sense Growth (POCSG) - meets the last Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Madison County Library. •Citizens Organized for Pipeline Safety in Madison County (COPS MC) - meets the second Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Colbert Grove Baptist Church. For more information, call Jill McElheney 706-742-7826. D’ville ... damages to equipment and furniture. The council also asked the police department to step up patrols of the Northridge Drive area because residents have complained that it is being used a cut-through road between Hwy. 98 and Crawford W. Long $treet. In a related matter, the council plans to discuss reports continued from 1A of skateboarding on private property at its October meeting. The council voted to replace two fire hydrants, one at the transfer station on Colbert- Danielsville Road and the other at the county extension office/multi-purpose building on $unset Drive. Library continued from 1A for just 50 cents, while hard backs are $1. There is also a collection of VH$ tapes available for $1 each. “We have every kind of book,” said Debbie Lester, who helped organize books on the six long tables in the library’s public meeting room Monday. ”... We have everything from Wayne Dyer to Ann Rice to the Bible.” A preview sale for Friends members only will be Thursday, $ept. 17, from 5 to 8 p.m. The fee to become a Friends member is $10 and those interested can show up at the preview sale, pay the membership fee and get first dibs on the books. “The proceeds for the sale go toward education programs for the library and increasing the purchas ing power of the library to bring in new books,” said Ann Davis, secretary for the Friends of the Library. Davis said the library has received generous dona tions for the sale this year. $he noted that at some point toward the end of the sale, the library will allow people to pay $5 and stuff a bag full of as many books as they can fit. For more information about the book sale or other library events, call the library at 706-795-5597. Get the local school church, sports and other communitt/ news delivered to your home each week! Just clip the coupon below to begin saving today over the newstand price! Name Address. City State Zip Subscription rates for The Madison County Journal are as follows: $19.75 per year for Madison and adjoining counties; $17.75 per year for senior citizens in Madison and adjoining counties; $38.85 per year for delivery elsewhere in Georgia; $36.85 per year for delivery elsewhere in Georgia with senior citizen discount; $44.50 per year for delivery out of Georgia; $42.50 per year for delivery out of Georgia with senior citizen discount; $42.20 per year for the military with APO address. Enclosed is my check for! Expiration Phone or n MCor n VISA# MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. 33 Lee Street, P. O. Box 908 Jefferson, GA 30549 706-367-5233 Fax: 706-367-8056 Website: www.mainstreetnews.com