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PAGE 2A —THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 5. 2009
Finances ... cont’d from 1A
Taxes ... cont’d from 1A
Miller noted that the audits
have improved on several
fronts.
“From where y'all were to
where we are now is just great,”
Miller said, pointing out that
the reports have gone from 50
to 70 comments (concerns)
down to just two. “You're not
on any delinquency list now,”
he told the committee
And Miller said two previ
ous major concerns, namely
infrastructure values and EMS
receivables (money to be
received from EMS services,
such as ambulance services),
have been taken care of.
He said Clark went back
retroactively and accumulat
ed infrastructure values from
1980 forward, converting the
cost to current values, includ
ing depreciation.
And Miller told the commit
tee that the county now has a
60-percent collection rate on
ambulance fees, which is con
sistent with the national aver
age. Miller pointed out that
the collection rate for EMS
fees was estimated by auditors
in the high 30 percent range
in the past few years. “Now
that's far better,” he said.
Miller said on-time prop
erty tax collections and an
improved collection rate on
ambulance fees have made a
big difference in the county
fund balance (contingency
fund), bringing it to a healthy
32 percent, which gives the
county a good “cushion”
between tax cycles.
He added that the county
should not need to borrow
money to run the government,
as it has resorted to in previ
ous years.
“Once you get on track, its
not hard to stay on track,”
Miller said. “And it's just a
lot easier to audit something
that's current.”
“Kudos to the finance office
for doing a great job for the
county,” Miller said.
Commission chairman
Anthony Dove agreed, prais
ing Clark and the finance
department, as well as clerk
Linda Cox for their work at
keeping records straight.
Dove said he now receives
copies of cash receipts daily,
that double signatures are
required on all cash receipts
and that he receives a weekly
finance report from Clark.
“And I can say this, Kathy
(Clark) don’t want to be off
one penny,” he added.
“I’m real proud of this,”
commissioner and finance
committee member Stanley
Thomas said. “We've sat
through some rough sessions
on this committee and went
through some bad things,
from the audits being two to
two and a half years behind
where we couldn’t get state
grant money, to getting only
30 percent of $1 million a
year in EMS receipts.”
Thomas added that with
“money disappearing” con
stituents were losing confi
dence in their local govern
ment.
“I appreciate all the hard
work of all the employees,
including our constitutional
officers,” Thomas said. “I’m
really happy.”
on people, but adding that at least the 2009 bills are being mailed
in 2009. Tax bills have been perennially late in recent years.
While local tax rates remained steady this year, homeowners
can expect an increase of about $240 on their bills since the state
government eliminated the Homeowner’s Tax Relief Grant this
past year. Local governments had no say in that decision.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other matters Monday, the BOC learned that sales tax col
lections were up slightly last month. The board approved three
zoning requests with no opposition. The commissioners agreed
to allow the Madison County Master Gardeners to plant a com
munity garden behind the new extension office on Sunset Drive
in Danielsville. The board approved Gabe Martin for another
term on the county planning commission. The commissioners
approved two promotions in the EMS department from part-time
to full-time employment. The BOC approved speed limit signs
of 35 mph on Charlie Morris Road. The commissioners also
approved a new definition of "impervious surfaces” in the county
zoning ordinance, recognizing a “man-made structure or surface
which prevents infiltration of storm water into the ground below
the structure or surface.”
Theft.. • cont’d from 1A
• • • cont’d from 1A
Election
time Mayor John Waggoner
in Colbert. Peck, currently
a Colbert councilman, was
elected Tuesday night in an
uncontested race.
Waggoner opted not to run
for re-election after serving 40
years in that post.
In city council races, Paige
Phillips beat incumbent Paul
Cook 23-6 in Hull’s second
election this year. Phillips
joins Wayne Melton, Brandon
Fortson (who has elected in a
could be more receptive to the
H1N1 shot over to the nasal
spray, but Dumpert said there
seems to be public disinterest
in general to the vaccine, which
alarms him.
“I find that very discouraging
and very scary that so many peo
ple are willing to not develop an
immune response for a vims that
very few people have experience
for and could sweep through our
June special election), Becky
Elkins and mayor Paul Elkins
at the Hull council table,
“Paige is really happy ...
She was very pleasantly sur
prised,” Paul Elkins said.
Meanwhile, Colbert, again,
proved that one election
wouldn’t be enough.
Ellyn Trinrud (31 votes) was
the top vote-gainer in a three-
candidate race that included
Tim Wyatt (22) and Reginald
Hunter (20), but didn’t gain a
population," he said.
Dumpert said he’s “doing his
homework right now” to find out
why the public isn’t more recep
tive to the vaccine.
Among the notions that
Dumpert wants to dismiss is that
the HINI vaccine was produced
too quickly.
He says the HINI vaccine was
produced with exactly the same
process and testing protocol as
majority of the votes.
Trinrud now faces Wyatt in
a Dec. 1 runoff. Early voting
starts Nov. 10.
Colbert had a runoff back in
April, also involving Trinrud,
after no candidate earned a
majority of the votes during a
March special election for Jeff
Roberts’ vacated council seat.
Trinrud eventually lost that
race to Evelyn Patton Power.
Now, the city faces the pro
cess for the second time in
the seasonal flu shot.
“Since we have a different
strain of seasonal flu every year,
we have a new vaccine every
year,” Dumpert said. “So we only
have one year to produce this
stuff. And the H1N1 shot was
seven months.
“Yes, sir,” Colbert mayor
John Waggoner said. “It’s one
of those things we have to
do.”
Whoever emerges from the
runoff will join Bert Robinson,
Patton Power and Roger
Forston, who was re-elected
Tuesday in an uncontested
race, on the council.
In Comer, Jimmy Yarbrough
and Laquita Bridges won
uncontested council races.
produced with the same timeline,
with the same process.”
He added that the H1N1 vac
cine is essentially the same as the
seasonal flu vaccine. The only
difference is the viral compo
nent.
Lavender was asked if his
office is reviewing records to
determine if there is anything
beyond Spence's testimony
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
City leaders are asking that
Santa Claus add a Colbert stop
to his December tour.
The Colbert City Council, at
the suggestion of council can
didate Ellyn Trinrud, wants to
arrange for a Friday, Dec. 4, ses
sion with St. Nick for area kids.
“I don’t know how many
years it’s been since he came,”
Trinrud said.
More details will follow, but
the Santa Claus event is tenta
tively set the evening of Dec. 4
in an illuminated fire truck shed
on Fourth Avenue in Colbert.
“It might be a nice thing to
start to do something to bring the
that connects Fortson to the
crime.
‘The records are pretty ster
ile in that regard,” he said.
community during the holidays
back together again,” Trinrud
said.
Coaxing Santa back to Colbert
would revive an old tradition
in the town. Father Christmas
used to make an annual stop in
Colbert in years past, according
to Mayor John Waggoner.
The evening may also include
a celebratory lighting of the
city’s Christmas lights.
“I think it’s a great idea,” coun
cilman Chris Peck said.
Colbert wants to hold the event
on a Friday so it won’t interfere
with Comer's Christmas parade
on Dec. 5.
Trinrud also suggested arrang
ing for a photographer for the
event.
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Quality gifts for all ages.
Custom paintings or portraits in oils, pastels, or watercolors
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Flu
cont’d from 1A
Colbert calling on Santa
La Hacienda Commerce
173 Steven B. Tanger Blvd.
706-335-7458
La Hacienda Braselton
5391 Highway 53
706-654-0070
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2010 Budget Public Hearing
A Public Hearing will be held on Thursday,
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at 70 Hwy. 72 E. The purpose of this Public Hearing
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expenditure of 2010 City of Comer Public Funds,
including General and Water/Sewer funds. All
interested citizens are invited to attend.
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