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MAY 25, 2017
Madison County Journal
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Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
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Vol. 34 No. 18 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 36 Pages, 3 Sections Plus Supplements
ALCOHOL
No vote on Sunday sales
County commissioners opt not to hold alcohol referendum
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
There will be no Sunday
alcohol sales in Madison
County anytime soon.
Madison County commis
sioners voted 4-1 Monday
not to present county vot
ers with a referendum on
Sunday alcohol sales.
Commissioner Lee Allen
provided the lone vote in
favor of a referendum. He
brought up the matter, say
ing that he has been asked
repeatedly by citizens about
a Sunday sale referendum.
Allen proposed that a ref
erendum be held sometime
in the next year, perhaps in
November if a transporta
tion sales tax vote is held
then or next May during pri
mary elections. He said the
Sunday sales wouldn’t take
effect until Jan. 1, 2019.
“I’ve talked to people all
across the county about
Sunday sales, especially
people in my district, but
I’ve talked to people all
over.” said Allen. “You have
people for it and against
it, but I’m hard-pressed to
find anyone who doesn’t
want to put it to a vote.
There are some out there
who don’t and I understand
where they’re coming from.
but I felt an obligation just
because so many people
have come to me to try and
get this put to a vote. I just
want us to put it to a vote
— See “Alcohol”
on 2A
INSURANCE
$200K
more
County gov’t
sees huge hike
in insurance costs
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Health insurance rates
continue to skyrocket for
many. And the Madison
County government is not
immune to the problem.
Madison County com
missioners approved a new
insurance plan with Cigna
Monday that will include
nearly $200,000 in addi
tional premium payments
over the next year, increas
ing from $1,335,228 to
$1,535,473, a 15-percent
hike. Employee contri
butions to the premiums
remain steady at $128,865.
— See “Insurance”
on 2A
INSIDE
Index:
News — 1-3A
Opinions — 4-6A
Crime — 7A
Socials — 8-9A
Schools — 9-13A
Churches —14A
Obituaries — 15A
Sports — 1-3B
Legals — 5-7B
Classifieds — 8-1 OB
Contact:
Phone: 800-795-2581
Mail: P.O. Box 658,
Danielsville, Ga. 30633
Web:
MadisonJournalTODAY.
com
Mailing
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EDUCATION
MCHS graduation: 7 p.m. Friday, Classic Center in Athens
It’s that time!
Madison County High School salutatorian Daniel Parker (L) and valedictorian Matthew Brantley (R) and their senior classmates will
cross the stage to get their diplomas Friday at the Classic Center in Athens. Zach Mitcham/staff
MCHS Class of 2017 says farewell Friday
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County’s top two students in the
2017 class, Matthew Brantley and Daniel
Parker, are going from Red Raiders to
Georgia Bulldogs. And their classmates are
all moving on to different things, too.
But first comes the big day.
The MCHS valedictorian and salutatorian
and the 2017 graduates will cross the stage
before a packed Classic Center auditorium at
7 p.m. Friday, putting an end to their grade-
school years.
Brantley and Parker said there are things
they’ll miss about Madison County High
School.
“I’ll miss the camaraderie, because it’s
such a small space,” said the valedictorian,
who is the son of Jeff and Michelle Brantley.
“College is spread out. You have people at
the ag college and doing pre-med. So there’s
not as much closeness. So that’s one thing I’ll
miss about high school.”
Parker, the son of William and Julia Parker,
will also miss the people.
“I think one thing I’ll miss is the opportuni
ty to get closer to teachers,” said the salutato
rian. “That’s a bond you can’t really achieve
in college unless you go to a really small
private school. We have a lot of teachers here
who are almost like family to us and that
means a lot.”
Brantley said he plans to study economics
and international affairs, while Parker said
he’s leaning toward biochemistry, though
he could change his mind. The two earned
several scholarships. And both said they are
thankful to many people for helping them
over the years.
— See “Graduation” on 2A
PLANNING
County extends moratorium for a month
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County’s three-month
growth moratorium is now four
months.
County commissioners agreed
to extend a 90-day moratorium
through their first meeting next
month on July 10. The county is in
the process of updating its compre
hensive land use plan and map. And
the group set a moratorium three
months ago on approvals for certain
zoning issues, road improvements
and poultry houses until the board
has a clearer picture on how growth
should be handled.
Commission chairman John
Scarborough requested the addi
tional month, saying that he wants
to see the plans presented to the
public in a cohesive form.
“There is a lot of material we want
to include,” he said. Scarborough
said the language of the plan will
outweigh the importance of the col
or-coded map. “It’s not about the
picture. It’s how it’s defined in the
ordinance.”
Commissioner Tripp Strickland
said the county needs to make sure
the comprehensive plan is done
well.
“I feel strongly that we need to
get this right,” he said. “So if we
have to extend this one month, then
so be it.”
Former commissioner Stanley
Thomas urged the board not to
— See “Moratorium” on 2A
ROADS
Transportation sales tax vote could be back
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews. com
Voters shot down a proposed one-
cent transportation sales tax a cou
ple of years ago.
But that option could be back on a
local ballot sometime soon.
Madison County commission
chairman John Scarborough spoke
Monday about the possibility of
a new referendum on a 12-coun-
ty, one-cent transportation spe
cial purpose local option sales tax
(T-SPLOST).
Madison County has a very small
commercial tax base compared to
some neighboring counties, but
it has many miles of roads. This
means the county could fare well in
terms of tax revenue if it is paired
with Clarke County and other more
developed areas with great sales
taxes bases.
“Madison County would be in
— See “T-SPLOST” on 2A
MEMORIAL DAY
LZ Memorial
weekend set
for May 26-29
The 32 ncl annual LZ
Friendly Memorial Day
Weekend Reunion will be
held May 26-29 at the LZ
Friendly campground on
Johnny McElroy Road.
The event begins at 7
a.m., Friday, May 26, and
ends Monday. May 29 at
1 p.m. There will be a
flag retirement ceremo
ny Saturday afternoon
and a “Gone But Not
Forgotten” candlelight
service Saturday evening.
The camp fee is $40 per
adult for the entire week
end. Kids under 12 get
in free. The annual dues
is $20 and campers are
asked to pay this when
they register for the camp-
out.
Entertainment will
include the Country
— See “LZ” on 2A