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PAGE 2A —THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. OCTOBER 29. 2009 Madison County BOC to meet Monday The Madison County Board of Commissioners will meet at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 2, in the county government complex. Agenda items include: •Business involving guests, groups or multiple visitors. •Chairman's report (Chairman Anthony Dove) •Hearings and actions on rezoning matters, special use permits, etc.: (Linda Fortson) •Malcolm Myers’ request to rezone four acres and an existing mobile home from his 14.61-acre parcel of A-l to RR. This property is locat ed on Map 11 Parcel 23 on O'Kelly Road in District 1. •Vickie and Ricky McElroy are requesting to rezone a 5 acres from R-3 to A-2 to combine with their adjoin ing property. The property is located on Map 12 Parcel 65-A on Aderhold Rogers Road in District 1. •Vicky and Ricky McElroy are requesting to rezone a 3 acres from R-3 to A-2 to combine with their adjoin ing property. The property is located on Map 12 Parcel 64-B on Aderhold Rogers Road in District 1. •Chairman Wayne Douglas change to Section 7.14.1 of the zoning ordinance to include the definition of impervious surface. •Statements and remarks from citizens on agenda items. •Consent agenda: None. OLD BUSINESS: •Consider Master Gardeners of Madison County permission for a community garden behind the new extension office on Sunset Drive in Danielsville. (Victor Johnson and/or Gerry Coutant) •Consider appointment of Gabe Martin to the next term on the planning and zoning board. (Wayne Douglas) •Consider amending the animal control ordinance. (Commissioner Youngblood) NEW BUSINESS: •Consider promotion of part-time EMS employee to full-time status to fdl cur rent vacancy. (Donna Sisk, Human Resource Director) •Roads update. •Urgent matters. •Statements and remarks from citizens. •Closed session to discuss land acquisition, personnel matters and/or potential liti gation (if needed). Food Bank... cont’d from 1A “I don’t know what peo ple are going to do,” Rooker said, adding that the worst of it is that she doesn’t see an end in sight. And while the need for life’s basics continues to grow, the Christmas season is also approaching, which means the center is gearing up for its annual Christmas kids’ program to distribute gifts to needy children. Last year, Christmas gifts were provided for more than 200 households (579 children) in Madison County, well above the usual number. And Rooker expects even more applications for assis tance this year. In fact, people are already calling to ask for Christmas help. “The phone’s been ring ing off the hook,” she said. The agency will take applications for Christmas assistance this year Oct. 26 - Nov. 12, Mondays through Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Applicants must come to the office to sign up, Rooker said. “The needs just continue to grow, I don’t see any lessening,” she said, point ing out that Social Security benefit amounts have been frozen for two years, which also places an additional hardship for those living on fixed incomes. "Their checks may have been frozen, but their bills aren’t,” she said. And people are continu ing to lose their jobs - a story Rooker hears most every day. "A woman came by last week, she’d had an acci dent and been out of work so long that (her employer) let her go,” Rooker said. "So I gave her some food, and then I handed her a bottle of shampoo, and that’s when she cried.” The next day, Rooker said the woman called to thank her, saying she had "saved her life” by giving her some shampoo so she could clean up. “When people don’t even have the basics to feel clean, that’s bad,” she said. But while the needs mount, Rooker also notes that the community “has really stepped up to the plate.” Individuals, churches, schools and civic organi zations have all contin ued, and in some cases increased, their donations of food and money. “One lady, a senior citizen herself, comes by to give a donation of $100-$150 every month,” she said. "It’s really heart ening, especially now.” Dogs ... cont’d from 1A said Dove. “We don’t want to circumvent due process, but we want to be protected. There is a gap in the law where that (apprehension of the animal) has to take place.” The dog that attacked the child was surrendered by its owner the day after the inci dent and euthanized. Commissioner Mike Youngblood, who worked the Hidden Falls Drive inci dent as a First Responder, said the attack was "a ter rible situation" and that the board needs to do whatever it can to prevent future occur rences. However, he allowed that an animal that gets off a leash and runs to a neighbor’s property can’t be stopped by an officer. The akita dog got off its leash and entered the open door of a neighboring home where it attacked the boy. The mother fought the dog off and officials said the child could have died without his mother’s quick action. "You could have had 10 animal control officers and couldn’t have helped this problem," said Youngblood, who praised animal control officer Jack Huff for his response to the situation. Huff said that he had seen the dog before chained in the owner’s carport and saw nothing to indicate that it would seriously maim a per son. "I thought it was a pretty good guard dog,” he said. The commissioners agreed to have county attorney Mike Pruett look at the ani mal county ordinance and the board will discuss the matter again at its meeting Monday night at 6:30 p.m. in the county government complex. Documents ... cont’d from 1A Motto, the preamble of the Georgia Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the description of the image of the Lady Justice. Hudgens noted that the documents must be donated. The government cannot pay for them. In 2006, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed H.B. 941 into law, which authorizes local gov ernments to erect historical displays that include a copy of the Ten Commandments. County commission ers voiced gratitude for the donations and voted unani mously to accept the gifts from Ralph and Suzanne Hudgens. No one spoke in opposition of the donations Monday. Commissioner John Pethel asked Hudgens if the coun ty could face litigation for accepting the donations. “Suppose an organization, you know who I’m talking about, decided to have a class action suit, would we be defended by the attorney general?” asked Pethel. Hudgens responded: "I don’t think it would come to us to have to defend. It’s a state law.” Pethel said the donation was a “gracious act." BOC chairman Anthony Dove said he was pleased to accept the donation. “I am glad to be a part of these documents we’re going to place up here,” he said. Commissioner Bruce Scogin said he appreciates a governor who recognizes “our right to hang these doc uments in public places." “They hand out birth con trol pills in high school, con doms,” said Scogin. “You can worship almost anything now and not get chided, but when it comes to God, for some reason some people have a problem with that, but not, I think, the majority of the people.” Scogin said the approval of the documents could open a door for other things, but that the recognition of God in public is a good thing. “Who knows, some day you may have to side step a Buddha statue,” he said. “We’ll have to deal with that when the time comes. I guess what I’m trying to say is when you see people who fight against the word of God being spread. And the word of God may not be for everyone, but it’s good sound doctrine for anyone to live by. Even if you don’t believe in it, it can’t hurt you.” Commissioner Stanley Thomas said he appreciates the donation. "It’s nice to see if you look at things happening in Washington and some of the corrupt stuff that happens in our government, that one of our senators and his wife are donating something to this county that means what it does," said Thomas. "I vote yes." $500 Ticket Of‘2CP° Or More. Valid with coupon Mon.-Thurs. only. 5 00 0FF La Hacienda Commerce 173 Steven B. Tanger Blvd. 706-335-7458 La Hacienda Braselton 5391 Highway 53 706-654-0070 The Original Mexican Restaurant! Not affiliated with any other restaurant. Madison County Transfer Station November Closings The Madison County Transfer Station will be closed on the following dates in November: November 11,2009 - Veteran’s Day November 26-27, 2009 - Thanksgiving Holidays. JAIL BREAKS BY CLASSIC CITY BONDING, INC. 706-354-8655 24/7/365 Fast & Friendly Service Now Serving: Madison & Jackson Counties! Also Clarke, Jackson, Oconee, Oglethorpe & Barrow Counties Email: jailbreaks@classiccitybonding.com Web: classiccitybonding.com ATTENTION HULL RESIDENTS SPEED HUMPS ON POPE MILLER ROAD Please, any questions you have about the 3 speed humps at the end of Pope Miller Rd. in Hull, call the City of Hull - don’t call me, I had nothing to do with the humps or their location. ROBERT L. SHELTON Danielsville leaders weigh more cost cuts vs. tax rate increase By Zach Mitcham zach@mainstreetnews.com Danielsville leaders haven't raised the city’s tax rate in 12 years. But the city council faces a revenue shortfall this year, with the choice of slashing another $50,000 out of the budget or raising the city millage rate to cover expenses in 2010. Council members met several times in recent weeks to pore over budget line items, looking for ways to cut costs. City department heads have been asked this week to look for additional cost-saving measures. And the council will discuss its budget outlook again Monday night at its regular council meeting at 7 p.m (See page 5A for the agenda). All other tax levying entities in Madison County have set their millage rates this year, but Danielsville has yet to determine what day it will set its tax rate, which has been held steady at 2.85 mills for a dozen years. The council is expected to set a date for millage rate approval Monday. The group may also decide whether or not to raise its tax rate. Council members said last week that they don't have money for any wage increases next year, though they tra ditionally offer cost-of-living increases to employees. The Danielsville budget process has been complicated this year by questionable line-item figures left by former city clerk Michelle Dills, who is serving a four-year prison sentence for stealing approximately $200,000 over a six-year span. City clerk Connie Riley said that determining the real numbers in the budget has been a challenge. “Our biggest issue with the next budget is this is the first year we’ve had any real expenses and revenue numbers," said Riley. “They weren't recorded before. The book keeping was never done in a fashion where you could determine what was spent. I don’t know what she was basing her numbers on and I couldn’t find anything to verify her numbers." City leaders have vowed to avoid any such occurrence in the future, approving safeguard measures and spending more time on budget line items. A decision on the tax rate on Nov. 2 would come just hours before two the contested mayoral race in the city on Nov. 3. Long-time incumbent Glenn Cross faces a chal lenge from new council member Philip Croya. Early voter turnout for that election has been high. DFACS .. • cont’d from 1A them," Plank said. “If you only see them four times a year, you don’t know." Madison County workers actually spend many hours trav eling to various events of foster care children, In fact, some Madison County foster care kids are in group homes as far away as west and south Georgia. Plank acknowledged the added strain on staff but said bet ter outcomes and faster results are already evident. In fact, a sibling group of three recently returned to their parents in less than 12 months, she noted. “Previously, that’d be unheard of — unheard of,” Plank said. Though a year is a long time in a child’s life, the previous average had been two to three years for Madison County fos ter children to return to their parents. Plank said. “We’re getting to know our families more, we’re going to the parents’ house ... It is a lot more work on the worker, but I think it’s better for the kids and the families in the long run,” she said. Local DFCS still under budget, department breakfast is Nov. 20 In other news, the local office continues to spend expedi tiously. With 75 percent of the year complete, Madison County DFCS has spent just 36 percent of its budget. Also, the department actually gained an employee with the state appropriating funds for Madison County DFCS to hire a social services worker. Meanwhile, the department announced that its annual staff appreciation breakfast is Friday, Nov. 20 at approximately 9 a.m. // \\ City of Ila PROPOSED WATER RATE The Ila Mayor and City Council will hold a public hearing on a proposed water rate increase to take effect January 1, 2010. A public hearing will be held on Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 at 6:30 P.M. at the Ila City Hall. RE-ELECT Mayor Billy Burroughs Tuesday November 3 Paid for by the candidate.