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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 17. 2009 — PAGE 3A
CITY NEWS
Colbert draws closer to water contract
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Colbert is drawing closer to securing
a half a million dollars worth of water
improvements upon renewal of its water
system contract.
The city’s system is managed by
Piedmont Water, and though Colbert’s
15-year agreement doesn’t expire until
2012, the city is moving forth with sign
ing another long-term deal.
“We’re negotiating on that, and it’s
looking pretty favorable,” Mayor John
Waggoner said.
The contract extension is for 15 years,
but Colbert could opt out at any time by
paying a fee.
Colbert currently earns 20 percent of
the revenue from the water system. Under
the renewal terms, Colbert is entitled to 40
percent of the revenue, or it can remain at
20 percent and add improvement projects
as part of the renewal package.
Piedmont can perform these water sys
tem construction projects in-house.
“Which would be quite a bit of sav
ings,” Waggoner said.
Colbert is eying several projects that
warrant attention, including replacing
substandard water lines on three differ
ent streets and installing a water line
under Hwy. 72 and the railroad at Canna
Street.
Waggoner noted the advantage of tak
ing 20 percent of the revenue and nego
tiating for upgrades. If Colbert didn’t opt
for the $500,000 in improvements, the
city would have to finance the improve
ment projects far in advance, he said.
And the improvements Colbert needs
have to be done within four years.
Colbert leaders consider sidewalks for Second Ave.
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Being on sound finan
cial footing for 2009-2010,
Colbert leaders will con
sider adding sidewalks to
Second Avenue from the
intersection of Fourth Street
to First Street.
The council discussed
the idea at its Monday
night meeting and will talk
about the item further next
month.
Mayor John Waggoner
said the city has been
“blessed," with its financial
stability this year.
“Our finances have come
through and everything,” he
said. “We’ll be in the black
again this year."
On that note, Colbert
leaders may also help tax
payers with part of the
financial burden left by the
state cutting its homeowner
exemption program.
The state had been giving
homeowners a tax credit on
their bills, but eliminated
that due to the state’s rev
enue problems.
Waggoner noted the pos
sibility of “maybe picking
up the slack where the state
has stopped giving that."
But he added that he’s “not
100 percent sure on that
yet.”
Meanwhile, the city
will adopt its budget at
its October meeting, with
Colbert leaders looking at a
$500,000 spending plan this
year. Expenses are actually
down for 2009-2010 since
the half million dollar bud
get figure actually incorpo
rates more SPLOST money
than last year’s $449,000
budget did.
“All in all, it was slightly
less than a year before,”
Waggoner said.
The city held a public
hearing to take citizen input
over the budget, but no one
spoke
In another matter Monday,
Colbert leaders denied a
rezoning request Monday
to allow a used car lot on
property on Hwy. 72 West.
The city council voted
2-1 against the rezoning,
which would have changed
the property from one com
mercial designation (Cl) to
another (C2).
An office is currently
located on the property.
The council held a public
meeting prior to the vote,
which was attended by half
a dozen people.
One citizen spoke in favor
of the car lot, while two
spoke against it.
Ongoing services
ALCOHOLICS
ANONYMOUS
Alcoholics Anonymous
meets on Mondays and
Thursdays at 7 p.m.
at the Colbert Baptist
Church annex and
Fridays at 7 p.m. at the
Danielsville Methodist
Church annex.
NARCOTICS
ANONYMOUS
Narcotics Anonymous
meets at7 p.m. Monday at
the Danielsville Methodist
Church annex.
SONS OF
CONFEDERATE
VETERANS
The Madison County
Greys, Camp 1526,
Sons of Confederate
Veterans now meet on
the 4th Monday of each
month at 7:30 p.m. in the
community room of First
Madison Bank in Colbert,
Ga. Contact Frank
Gillispie at 706-540-0120
for more information.
OVER FIFTY CLUB
The Over Fifty Club
meets at 11:30 a.m. on
the second Wednesday of
each month at Gordon’s
Chapel United Methodist
Church. Membership is
open to people ages 50
and over.
TOUCHDOWN CLUB
The Madison County
High School Touchdown
Club meets Tuesday
nights during football
season at 7:30 p.m. The
football program’s web
site can be accessed at
http://eteamz.active.com/
madisoncountyfootball/
MART
The Madison Area
Resource Team
(M.A.R.T)/ Family
Connection meets
the fourth Tuesday of
each month at the old
Danielsville courthouse
at 8 a.m. Call 795-3565
for more information.
TOPS MEETING
The local chapter
of TOPS (Taking Off
Pounds Sensibly) Club
International meets each
Tuesday evening at 7
p.m. with weigh-in from
6:30 to 6:50 p.m. at the
lla Community Center on
Sewell Mill Road.
MCHS BAND
BOOSTER CLUB
MCHS Band Booster
Club meets every fourth
Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the
high school band room.
Band parents are invit
ed and encouraged to
attend.
GAMBLER’S
ANONYMOUS
Gambler’s Anonymous
meets every Monday
night at7:30p.m. at Living
Word Baptist Church. For
more information, call
(404) 237-7281.
AMERICAN LEGION
The American Legion
Post #39 of Danielsville
meets the last Thursday
of the month at 7 p.m. All
veterans are welcome.
4-STAKES
HORSESHOES
Four-Stakes
Horseshoes pitches
every Thursday at 6:30
p.m. The league is handi
capped to give all pitch
ers an equal chance. All
ages and skill levels are
welcome. Call 207-9831
for more information
or visit www.freewebs.
com/4stakes.
MADISON COUNTY
MASTER GARDENERS
ASSOCIATION
The Madison County
Master Gardeners
Association meets
the first Tuesday of
every odd month at 7
p.m. at the Madison
County Extension office.
Meetings are open to
members and guests.
For more information
about becoming a Master
Gardener or about mem
bership in MCMGA visit
the website at: www.
madisoncountymaster-
gardeners.org. Or, con
tact the Madison County
Cooperative Extension
office at 706-795-2281 or
email gamcmga@yahoo.
com.
COLLINS
DISTRICT VFD
The Collins District
Volunteer Fire
Department meets the
second Saturday night of
each month from 7 to 10
p.m. Refreshments, free
bingo, games and priz
es provided. The youth
night at the Collins VFD
is held the last Saturday
night each month from 7
to 10 p.m.
To have an event listed
in on-going services, call
Margie Richards at (706)
795-2567.
We Buy All
Gold & Silver
''I'M
Including:
Class Rings • Wedding Bands
• Coins • Broken Jewelry
• Dental Gold
.Gamesoiffe
(J)|
770-532-2592
1020 Jesse Jewell Pkwy. • Gainesville, GA
Mon. - Thurs. 10-6:30 • Fri. - Sat. 10-7
ECONOMY
Oct. foreclosures still high,
but down slightly from Sept.
Thirty-five Madison County properties are advertised in
this week’s paper for the October foreclosure sale, down
from 37 in September and a record high of 50 for August.
Through the first nine months of 2009, 296 foreclosures
have been advertised in The Madison County Journal.
In 2008, there were 260 foreclosures advertised, up from
150 in both 2006 and 2007. At the current pace, Madison
County will end 2009 with 355 foreclosures advertised.
While the foreclosure sales are advertised in the news
paper, not all homes will necessarily be sold through the
foreclosure process. Mortgage holders could still settle with
lenders before the property is sold at the courthouse steps.
Industrial authority to meet Mon.
The Madison County Industrial Development and Building
Authority will meet at 6 p.m., Monday, Sept. 21, in the histor
ic Madison County courthouse in the center of Danielsville.
Agenda items include:
•Financial report.
•Water request: a. Rodney Rogers - water quality; b.
Spratlin Pond - group.
•Utility director report: a. billing report; b. 2008 water
system expansion update; c. Harrison water system update
- Bud Freeman and Aaron Brown Roads; d. Spratlin Pond
update.
•Other IDA-related issues: a. Seagraves Mill project; b.
Hu I I/San ford sewer project update and resolution for GEFA;
c. water supply agreement with Franklin County.
Contested municipal races
ahead in Madison Co.
Contested races for local municipal seats on Nov. 3
include:
•Glenn Cross (incumbent) and Philip Croya for mayor of
Danielsville.
•Billy Burroughs (incumbent) and David McMickle for
mayor of Comer.
•Ellyn Trinrud, Timothy Wyatt and Reginald A. Hunter for
a Colbert City Council post.
•Paul Cook (incumbent) and Paige Phillips for a Hull City
Council post.
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
Madison County Board of Commissioners
Sealed Bids
Madison County Board of Commissioners is
seeking sealed bids for Law Enforcement/Jail
Records Management Software. Sealed Bids will
be accepted until 12:00 noon on September 25,
2009 in the Madison County Commissioners
Office: 91 Albany Avenue, RO. Box 147
Danielsville, GA 30633. Bids should be marked
“SEALED BID”. For further information contact:
Allison Craig at 706-795-6205. The Madison
County Board of Commissioners reserves the
right to reject any and all bids.
COMER
WATER SYSTEM
Hydrant Flush
City of Comer Maintenance personnel will perform a
hydrant flush on Tuesday and Wednesday, September
22 & 23. The two-day schedule is necessary to allow an
adequate water reserve to be maintained.
Approximately 50% of hydrants will be flushed on
Tuesday, September 22 and, after the storage tank is
allowed to replenish overnight, the remaining
hydrants will be flushed on Wednesday, September 23.
The flushing sequence will be one recommended by the
Georgia Rural Water Association. This sequence
minimizes problems during the flushing process while
clearing the system of as much mineral buildup as
possible. Additionally, hydrants with an operational
problem are tagged for repair. Customers should be
alert to discolored water during and shortly after these
dates.
We Custom Build on Your Land!
Tomorrow’s
Homes, Inc.
New Location:
1960 Main Street (Just off Hivy. 72)
Comer, GA 30629
tomorrowshomes.com
FISH DAY
• 4-6” Catfish $39.00 pen 100
• 6-8” Catfish $59.00 pen 100
• 8-11” Catfish $95.00 pen 100
To purchase 8-11 ” catfish, you must bring your own container and water (Too big to bag).
Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Hybrid Blue Gill, Red Ear Sun Perch, Minnows, Grass Carp
Thursday, Sept. 24 • 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Southern States • Winder, GA
770-867-3144
Thursday, Sept. 24 • 4:00 p.m. ■ 5:00 p.m.
Maddox Feed >1915 Winder Hwy., Jefferson, GA
706-367-9207
Friday, Sept. 25 • 11:00 a.m. ■ 12:00 Noon
Southern Outdoors • 20519 Hwy. 441 l\l., Commerce, GA
706-336-8875
No Pre-Orders Necessary! Just show up!
Tommy’s Fish Truck • 501-796-6349 • www.tommysfishtruck.net
Thank you for your understanding.