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PAGE 2A —THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. DECEMBER 3. 2009 Budget... cont’dfrom 1A through the county budget, looking for cost-saving measures. They avoided laying off employees. But they do plan to reduce employee holiday pay by 50 percent next year, a move that will save approximately $112,000. BOC chairman Anthony Dove said Madison County has, so far, fared better than some surrounding counties. “Our department heads have been able to do some things that have really helped,” said Dove. The chairman said the commissioners are “trying to prepare for the unforeseen.” “We have no idea what will happen,” said Dove. “They (leg islators) are saying we need to be ready for another eight to 10 percent cut.” Commissioner Stanley Thomas said he is concerned about health care reform putting more funding bur den on the state government. He worries that the state could shift even more responsibilities to counties. “If the state has to do more with health care, it’s going to cut down on what the states can do,” said Thomas. “We need to look at going very conservatively on spending money.” County commissioners agreed Monday to base next year's budget on a projected 96 percent property tax collection rate, which would generate approximately $7.2 million in tax rev enue, bringing total county revenues to just under $13.4 million for the year. As of Tuesday, projected county expenditures for 2010 were $13,684,770, with projected revenues at $13,393,222, leaving a shortfall of $291,000. However, changes approved by county commissioners Monday night had not been factored into the budget as of Tuesday. Madison County leaders are trying to keep reserves at a suffi cient level to weather future financial troubles that could come if state leaders pass the buck to the counties. And it appears the government has something in the cup board to handle future troubles. Finance director Kathy Clark said she anticipates the county using over $200,000 in reserve funds to cover the budget shortfall. But the county began the year with $3.8 million in reserves, which was roughly 27 percent of its operating budget of $14.19 million. The state government recommends that counties maintain a reserve fund balance of at least 15 percent of their operating budget, but they say that 25 percent is a much safer figure. As of the end of October, the county government had roughly $4 million reserve funds. If the county uses $200,000 in reserve funds to cover next year’s budget shortfall, the government will have approximately $3.8 million left in its reserves. That means the county will again begin the year with a reserve fund balance that equals approximately 27 to 28 percent of its operating costs. The Columbia Farms Feed Mill can store up to 750,000 bushels of com in several 140 foot-high silos. Margie Richards/staff Feed mill • • • cont’d from 1A is a $23 million investment in Madison County. There’s not much of that kind of thing happening now.” Industrial Authority director Marvin White said he’s “thor oughly convinced” that if business and industry don’t come into the county over the next few years, residents won’t be able to pay their property taxes. Plant official Melvin Dutton, who has been with Columbia Farms more than 30 years, said the plant can store up to 300,000 tons of finished feed. Loads are dropped from shoots electronically into waiting tractor-trailers for shipment to farms. Com to manufacture the feed is brought in via rail cars on the CSX line. The plant can store up to 750,000 bushels of com in several 140 foot-high silos. The massive boiler facility produces steam to cook the chicken feed by burning wood chips, instead of natural gas, though there is a back-up natural gas generator, in case of emergency. The plant hopes to expand production in the future. Lawdon Lewis, director of feed management for Columbia Farms, explains how feed cooling units work Tuesday during a tour of the company’s new mill in Comer. Networking... cont’d from 1A Some school systems, including Barrow County, are considering policies regarding their employees’ online behavior. But Madison County is staying out of the fray right now. “We don’t have a policy that specifically targets that,” McGhee said. “You’ve got your just general profession al practices policy that says they’re supposed to behave appropriately, so that’s it.” Basically, McGhee said Madison County School System employees know how they’re expected to behave. That includes any online activity. “It’s kind of what your football coach says, ‘I don’t have a whole lot rales, just one — do right,”’ McGhee said. “We expect our folks to do right. We expect our folks to know what’s appropriate and what’s not appropriate.” While the school system doesn’t want to get into monitoring online lives of teachers, McGhee said they should realize that posting personal information online has consequences. “They (teachers) need to be cognizant of it,” he said. “They need to realize that if they put something out there on a site like that, it can be looked at and it can cause problems.” Awareness is already out there concerning social net working risks. Colleges are warning graduates to care fully choose what content they include on their social network pages. Large com panies, as part of the hiring process, will often investi gate online profile of a pro spective employee. Still, the awareness doesn’t stop some from becoming online victims. The Morgan County Citizen reported last week that some one started a Facebook page using the name of Morgan County High School football coach Bill Malone without the coach’s knowledge or permission. The person claiming to be Malone started to “friend” other users. The Morgan County Touchdown Club had to launch a Facebook cam paign alerting users that an imposter was using Malone’s name. “That’s the scary thing,” McGhee said. “That’s like all the anonymous blogs. Anybody can say anything they want, and there’s no accountability to it, and that’s tough.” While danger exists, social networking sites are becoming a popular method of distributing information, even among schools. In fact, Madison County High School maintains its own Facebook page, which has 880 “fans.” Like all things, social net working must be used with discretion, McGhee said. “It’s a great communica tion tool, just teachers have got to realize that they’re in the public eye and behave accordingly, and the vast majority of them do that,” McGhee said. Comer... cont’dfrom 1A in the recent improvements through his job as city clerk, will serve as grand marshal after being selected by the Comer Women's Club, which has coordinated the parade for years. Son'ells — who’s retiring at year's end — admitted to being “a little embarrassed” but feels it’s more a recogni tion of the downtown improve ments rather than of him. “I think it would have been done just as well if I hadn’t had anything to do with it as it was done, or maybe even better,” he said. Sorrells said he sees a down town district with a tremen dous amount of potential and hopes parade patrons see the same thing when they visit Saturday. “This little four-block area is about as cute a little downtown that you'll find anywhere,” he said. “I just hope people will recognize that.” ABOUT THE GRAND MASHAL Except for college and mili tary service, Sorrells is a life long Madison County resident and long-standing public offi cial. A 1965 graduate of Madison County High School, Son-ells served four years in the United States Air Force, during which Steve Sorrells he was deployed overseas. In fact, Son-ells was stationed in the Philippine Islands as a communications equipment technician and participated in temporary duty operations in South Korea in response to the 1968 Pueblo incident and in the Mekong Delta region of South Vietnam. Sorrells, a 1971 graduate of Southern Tech, has been married the former Sueleata Mann of Comer since 1970. Their daughter, Franleata Sorrells Blackmon, is the wife of Jody Blackmon. They have one son, Stephen Alexander Blackmon. Steve and Sueleata attend the Comer United Methodist Church. Sorrells serves as the church treasurer and Sueleata as the music director. Both play various musical instru ments for the church and numerous other social func tions. In addition to his work as Comer city clerk, Sorrells has served as an officer in the Comer Volunteer Fire Department and secretary of the Madison County Rescue squad. He was also chairman of the Madison County Industrial Development and Building Authority (IDA) from 1995- 1999. During the time, the IDA was establishing itself as the water authority for the unincorporated area of Madison County. Sorrells’ career highlights include his 1995 selection as City Administrator of the Year by the Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center (NEGRDC). Sorrells said he’s “very humbled” by being chosen as the Comer Christmas Parade grand marshal this year. “I feel this (being selected as the grand marshal) is more of a tribute to improvements downtown than specifically for me,” he said in a press release. “I was not the only one work ing these last few years on this project. Our mayor, council members, staff, volunteers and appointed officials all put in a lot of time and effort to see this project through. I feel that the work done, especially that work that is underground and not readily seen, will serve the city of Comer for many years to come.” The recognition also comes as Sorrells retires from his position as Comer’s clerk. “I’ll still live in Comer and will still be around and this, that and the other, but won’t have as much of an official capacity as I did in the past,” he said. “It’s just the time in my life when it’s just the time.” Sorrells hasn’t ruled out the possibility of working some with the city, but said that’s up to Comer’s leaders. “That will be up to them completely,” he said. “I wouldn't try to force myself in, but neither would I try to force myself out.” CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING The lighting of the city's Christmas tree will be Sunday night, Dec, 6, at 7:30 p.m. Madison County School cho ruses will perform. Comer United Methodist Church is in charge of the program, Comer- Baptist Church will host a live Nativity and Springfield Baptist Church will serve refreshments, compliments of First Citizens Bank. Correction Don Mosley, one of the founders of Jubilee Partners in Comer, was referred to in the Nov. 19 edition of The Journal as the current direc tor of Jubilee Partners. Brad Smith is actually Jubilee’s director. We apologize for the error. Gloria Barrett and Jean Payne want to wish their children Justin and Olivia Barrett a happy one year anniversary on December 1, 2009. We hope and pray for your continued happiness in the years to come. Always remember... “What God has joined together let no man put asunder.” Madison County Board of Commissioners SEEKING BIDS The Madison County B.O.C. is seeking bids for repairing, widening, paving and striping .4 miles of Sims Kidd Road (county road #280). Specifications may be obtained by contacting Road Superintendent Charles Temple 706-795-6260. Bids should be sealed and clearly marked on the outside “Sealed bid for repairing, widening, paving and striping Sims Kidd Road” and received no later than 3 p.m. on December 14, 2009, in the office of the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners located at 91 Albany Avenue in Danielsville, Georgia. The Board of Commissioners reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Bonding is required. Anthony Dove, Chairman. Dr. Neelagaru, M.D. (Dr. Neel) Dr. Neel is: • Associated with Northeast Georgia Heart Center in Gainesville, Georgia. He performs all invasive cardiology procedures at the Ronnie Green Heart Center at Northeast Georgia Medical Center Clinic. • Affiliated with BJC. • Accepts most insurances. Commerce Cardiology Clinic Call for appointment. 706-335-2000 Mary’s ARIAT ACTIVE WEAR Clothing ~ Boots ~ Casual Wear The Latest Technology for Comfort, Fit & Durability Premium Brands...Reasonable Prices One stop for you, your animals & your pets'.