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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. DECEMBER 31.2009 — PAGE 3A
2009 - a look
back
Here are some of the notable
stories The Madison County
Journal reported in 2009:
Jan. 15
Powers
returned to BOC
chairman
Madison County commission
ers gave new county chairman
Anthony Dove personnel powers
in January that they had stripped
from Wesley Nash. “I think the
people soundly spoke for a leader
in this county when they went
to the polls,” said Commissioner
Stanley Thomas, who proposed
restoring hiring and firing powers
to the chairman’s position.
Jan. 26
Rezoning for
retirement
golfing village
approved
County commissioners voted
4-1 Jan. 26 — with Bruce Scogin
providing the lone “no” vote —
to approve John Byram’s request
for a rezoning for Sunrise Golf
Village, a proposed densely clus
tered 55-and-over development
around Byram’s Sunrise Golf
Course, the only golf course in
Madison County.
May 4, 22
Da bank robbed
twice in one
month
Merchants and Farmers Bank in
Ila off Hwy. 98 was robbed twice
in one month in 2009 — on May
4 and then again on May 22. The
same robber is suspected in both
crimes and has not been caught.
The lone masked gunman was
described as a black male, 5’5” to
5’7” and approximately 150-160.
He wore a red hooded sweatshirt
and carried a small pistol.
May 12
Chad Stone
named MCHS
principal
The Madison County school
board hired its second high school
principal in as many years, nam
ing Chad Darnell Stone as Tommy
Craft's successor May 12. Stone
came to Madison County High
School from Ashbum, where he
was principal of Turner County
High School. Stone was the first
choice of both superintendent
Mitch McGhee and the interview
committee.
May 19
Funds approved
for Harrison
water system
The state government approved
a $2.3 million grant/loan for
water lines for the Harrison
District in northern Madison
County May 19. The funds are
part of the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act provided to
Georgia for shovel-ready projects
and consist of a 70 percent subsidy
($1,610,000) and a three-percent
20-year loan on the remaining 30
percent ($690,000).
June 1
Occupation
tax axed
Madison County commis
sioners said "enough is enough"
June 1 with the nearly three-year
debate on the county occupation
tax, agreeing to scrap the plan
completely. “I think we need to
trash the whole ordinance,” said
Commissioner Mike Youngblood,
before making a motion to do
away with the occupation tax. “I
think we've wasted time bicker
ing back and forth trying to get
this thing ironed out... We’re not
getting anything accomplished.”
Commissioner Stanley Thomas
provided the lone vote against the
dismissal, saying the tax provided
a way for county leadership to
keep tabs on what businesses are
actually in the county, while also
providing contractors a form of
official licensing.
June 21
Brother, sister
die in Colbert
fire
A Colbert brother and sister
died in a fire and explosion appar
ently fueled by gunpowder early
June 21 near Colbert Elementary
School. Lisa Shubert, 42, of
Colbert School Road and her
brother, Terry (T.J.) Cotton, 39, of
Madison Street, were pronounced
dead at the scene following resus
citation efforts. A third victim,
Jerry Scott Payne, also of Colbert
School Road, was transported by
Emory life flight helicopter to
Grady Memorial Hospital’s bum
center with initial repons of bums
to 90 percent of his body, as well
as smoke inhalation injuries.
June 22, Dec. 17
BOE, BOC
approve reduced
budgets
Madison County commission
ers met repeatedly for several
months in 2009, poring over line
items and looking for potential
cuts in the 2010 budget. The
board officially cut the budget by
5.4 percent Dec. 17, agreeing not
to fund proposed increases next
year in the sheriff’s department.
They reduced holiday pay for
county employees by 50 percent
in 2010, but avoided layoffs or
a mill rate increase. Meanwhile,
the county school board cut the
school system budget by 4.5 per
cent June 22. Madison County
Schools Superintendent Mitch
McGhee said the system had to
pay for state-mandated expenses
and made “heart-wrenching” cuts
in other areas to prevent a tax
increase. Three Madison County
teacher furlough days were
approved in 2009.
July 30
Hearing held on
potential Hwy. 29
project
Ten Department of
Transportation officials were
on hand July 30 in the Madison
County High School cafeteria
to answer questions and receive
input from local citizens who
viewed large maps of possible
Hwy. 29 routes. The state DOT
proposes a widening and rerout
ing of Hwy. 29, along with a
bypass of Danielsville, Four dif
ferent routing options were on
display at the MCHS cafeteria,
drawing several inquisitive —
and some concerned — residents.
But Madison County is a long
way from seeing one of its main
arteries expanded. There are no
designs, nor funding for Hwy. 29
proposal, DOT engineer Russell
McMurry explained. “So really
at this point, there is no plan, no
timetable to start actually doing
the finer elements of design such
that you can buy right of way and
eventually build a project,” he said.
On a MadisonJoumalTODAY.
com poll, 88 percent of respon
dents favored a bypass on the east
side of Danielsville, if one is even
tually constructed, compared to
12 percent for a west-side bypass.
Aug. 18
Dills sentenced
to four years in
prison
Former Danielsville city clerk
Michelle Dills was sentenced to
four years in prison Aug. 18 for
stealing almost $200,000 from
city coffers between 2003 and
2008. Superior Court Judge John
Bailey handed down the sen
tence to Dills in Elbert County’s
Superior Courtroom, issuing Dills
a 10-year sentence, with four
years of that sentence in prison
and the remaining six years on
probation.
Aug. 18
Dogs euthanized
at shelter after
couple mauled
A pack of 16 dogs that offi
cials believe killed an Oglethorpe
County couple was euthanized
at the Madison Oglethorpe
Animal Shelter Aug. 18. Former
University of Georgia professor
Lothar Karl Schweder, 77, and
his wife Sherry Schweder, 65,
a librarian, were found mauled
to death Aug. 15 along Howard
Thaxton Road off Hwy. 77 about
two miles north of Lexington in
Oglethorpe County. The case
drew national attention.
Aug. 25
Waggoner
announces
retirement
John Waggoner, who served
as the city’s chief elected offi
cial since 1969, won’t seek a bid
for re-election this year. “I'm not
going to be qualifying for mayor
next go-round," Waggoner said
Aug. 25. His term expires today
(Dec. 31). Waggoner, 73, was
never opposed in any election in
his 40 years as mayor.
September-December
Rains soak
county
After several years of drought
conditions, the skies opened up
in 2009, with Madison County
soaked by numerous deluges in
the last four months of the year.
The rains led to road and roof
problems in the county, but also
came as welcome relief for many
who had faced well water short
ages.
Oct. 27
Spence
sentenced to two
years in prison
Former deputy county clerk
Melinda Spence was sentenced in
Madison County Superior Court
Oct. 27 to two years in prison
and 18 years probation for two
counts of felony theft by taking.
But during a hearing prior to the
sentencing, Spence testified that
she was not the only one involved
in the thefts of over $80,000 from
the BOC office. She claimed
she had been instructed to alter
deposit slips by her boss, former
county clerk and finance director,
Morris Fortson. “I was instructed
to do this,” she told the court.
“...Morris Fortson showed me
how to do this." Fortson also took
the stand and vehemently denied
the allegation, saying that he had
“absolutely not” had any part in
the crime. No charges have been
filed against Fortson.
Nov. 3
Three new
Madison County Industrial Authority approves sewer bid
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
Industrial Development
Authority board members met
briefly Dec. 21, accepting a bid
of Griffin Brothers ($66,810)
to install the force main at the
Hull-Sanford sewer system.
A commercial sewer system
is being constructed in the
Hull area to attract businesses
to the county.
In other business, the IDA
voted to amend construction
standards and sanitary sewer
system specifications in order
to meet EPD requirements.
The group also heard that
projects such as the Harrison
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Sanford sewer system are pro
gressing well.
Utility director Steve Shaw
said most of the work on the
Harrison water line project
should be done in a couple of
weeks and that the sewer plant
building is nearing completion
as is the wastewater pond site.
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mayors elected
New mayors were elected in
Danielsville, Comer and Colbert
Nov. 3. In Danielsville, council
man Philip Croya defeated long
time mayor Glenn Cross, 92-46. In
Comer, David McMickle defeated
long-time mayor Billy Burroughs
120-73. And in Colbert, council
man Chris Peck ran unopposed as
the city’s new mayor. He replac
es John Waggoner, who retired
after 40 years as the city’s mayor.
In other municipal races, Paige
Phillips defeated Paul Cook for a
Hull council seat and Tim Wyatt
defeated Ellyn Trinrud in a runoff
for a Colbert council seat.
Dec. 1
Feed mill opens
on Hwy. 72
Columbia Farms' new Comer
chicken feed mill off Hwy. 72
east of Comer held an official
ribbon-cutting and open house
for county officials, commu
nity members and growers Dec.
1. The company, a division of
House of Raeford, relocated its
Lavonia feed mill to the 107-
acre tract east of Comer. The
plant currently employs about
30 people. At peak production,
the mill should be able to pro
duce about 6,500 tons of chick
en feed per week, or more.
Dec. 10
Tax sale
planned
Madison County residents
who haven’t paid their taxes for
two years or more could lose
their property early in 2010.
Tax commissioner Louise
Watson said in December that
she is planning a tax sale next
year, with the sale date prob
ably coming in early March.
Dec. 10
Foreclosures
reach record
high
Fifty two Madison County
properties were advertised in
December in The Madison
County Journal for the January
2010 foreclosure sale, topping
the previous monthly record
total of 50. In 2009, 377 fore
closures were advertised in
The Madison County Journal.
That’s up from 260 foreclo
sures advertised in 2008 and
150 advertised in both 2006
and 2007.
Nov. 26
Shelter faces
financial crisis
The head of the financially-
strapped Madison Oglethorpe
Animal Shelter predicted a long,
cold winter, with MOAS need
ing about $15,000 in donations
to get it through the spring. The
shelter recently received a dona
tion of $500 from the Madison
County Democratic Party and
a pledge of $500 from the city
of Hull. A private, anonymous
donor has offered $10,000 if the
county matches the donation.
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T DANIELSVILLE
|g| AMERICAN LEGION
'^0' Post 39
Meets last Thursday, 7 p.m.
JANUARY - OCTOBER
American Legion Building
Crawford W. Long Street
BANKS COUNTY
ip AMERICAN LEGION
Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
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Post 4872, Hurricane Shoals Convention Ctr.
Each 4th Tuesdasy, 7:00 p.m.
Jason Mergele, Commander
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JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB
Meets Tuesdays
Jefferson City Clubhouse
12:30 p.m. • (706) 335-3151
Shade Storey, President
547
UNITY LODGE
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No. 36, Jefferson, GA
1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.
Dwayne Potts • 706-367-4449
Borders St. behind Tabo’s mo
JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB
Meets 2nd & 4th Monday
Jefferson City Clubhouse
6:30 p.m.-(706) 367-9349
Jimmy Mock, President
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Meets each 2nd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
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Georgia Real Estate Investors
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Tom Hewlett - Chapter President
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meets first Monday each month
7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historial
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Meets the 1st Thursday
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Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
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