Newspaper Page Text
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The
NOVEMBER 7, 2019
Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
MadisonJoumaITODAY.com
$1.00
Vol. 36 No. 1 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 16 Pages, 2 Section Plus Supplements
CRIME
Long-time
teacher
charged
Felt faces accusation of
unlawful surveillance
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Andy Felt, a long-time
Madison County science
teacher and site adminis
trator of Foothills Charter
High School in Daniels
ville. faces two charges of
unlawful surveillance.
“At this time there is no
indication that any stu
dents were victims in this
case,” read a press release
issued Wednesday morn
ing by the Madison Coun
ty Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office was
notified Oct. 22 of an in
cident at the Madison
County campus of Foot
hills Academy. Accord
ing to the press release,
“a recording device was
discovered in a faculty re
stroom at the school.”
An investigation was
initiated and Felt, 48, Ath
ens, now faces two charges
of violating the privacy of
another. Felt’s attorney,
Daniel R. Crumby of Ath
ens, said his client turned
himself in at the sheriff’s
office Wednesday.
Felt, who resigned Oct.
25, was an acclaimed
teacher, who was named
countywide “Teacher of
the Year” in 2011 and a
state finalist for Georgia’s
“Teacher of the Year” in
2012.
The sheriff’s office
said “Foothills has been
See Felt, page 2A
INSIDE:
Index:
News: 1-3A
Opinions: 4-5A
Obituaries: 6-7A
Crime: 8A
Sports: 1-2B
Socials: 3B
Churches: 4B
Classifieds: 5B
Legals: 6-7B
Schools: 8B
Contact:
Phone: 800-795-2581
Mail: P.O. Box 658,
Danielsville, Ga. 30633
Web: MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
MAILING LABEL
ELECTIONS
SPLOST approved
Voters also say ‘Yes’ to Sunday sales; runoff ahead in Comer
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County’s one-cent sales
tax for local improvements has been
renewed for six more years. And the
county will allow Sunday alcohol
sales after the new year.
Turnout was sparse for the Nov. 5
countywide referendums, with just
2,375 of Madison County’s 19,184
registered voters (12.4 percent) cast
ing ballots.
The one-cent Special Purpose Lo
cal Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) was
approved with 1,867 voters (79.2
percent) saying “Yes.” The sales tax
will bring in over $13.3 million for
the county and cities over the next
six years with the renewal of a one-
cent sales tax on every dollar spent
in Madison County.
The lion’s share of county funds
will go to the road department in
the amount of $5,455,000 spread
out over the six-year period. Other
recipients of SPLOST funding in
2019
the county include volunteer fire de
partments ($1,455,000) the sheriff’s
office ($885,000), recreation depart
ment ($365,000), E-911 upgrades
($905,000), EMS ($715,000), In
dustrial Development Authority
($1,620,000), historic courthouse
restoration ($50,000), coroner’s of
fice ($60,000) and facilities acqui
sition and improvement ($190,000).
The city portions totaling $1.5 mil
lion split between municipalities are
determined by population based on
the 2010 Census. Each of the cit
ies has pledged to use the funds for
improvements to city water, roads,
bridges and streets. Comer and Dan
ielsville have allocated some funds
for their sewer systems.
Meanwhile, alcohol sales between
12:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on Sun
days were approved by county vot
ers by a 1,373 to 987 margin (58 to
42 percent). That change will take
effect Jan. 1.
Only one municipal race was con
tested in Madison County Tuesday.
In the District 3 council election in
Comer, Laura Minish led the way,
but failed to get over 50 percent of
the votes in the three-way race. She
tallied 31 votes (49.2 percent). Tom
my R. Appling was second with 26
votes (41.3 percent), while incum
bent Howard Threlkeld received
five votes (7.9 percent). A runoff
between Appling and Minish will be
held Dec. 3.
Comer residents passed Sunday
package sales by 115 to 45 (72 to 28
percent) and Sunday beverage sales
112 to 47 (70 to 30 percent).
COMMISSIONERS
Madison County BOC seeks
replacement on assessor board
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County commission
ers are seeking a replacement for
county board of assessors member
Lynn Hix, who will be stepping
down from the board at the end of
the year.
Commissioner Lee Allen encour
aged citizens to let officials know if
they are interested in applying for
the position — or any openings on
county boards.
“I just want people to know it’s
available,” said Allen. “Service isn’t
always easy, but it is appreciated.”
Anyone interested in serving on
the BOA or other positions when
they become available can contact
their local commissioner or email
county clerk Rhonda Wooten at
rwooten@madisonco.us.
QUALIFYING FEES
In other matters, the board dis
cussed proposed qualifying fees for
local offices up for election in 2020.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT
COMPLEX
Allen said he doesn’t like qualifying
fees, saying he doesn’t want fees to
keep anyone from getting involved.
“I would like for all of these to
say $0,” he said of proposed fees.
County attorney Mike Pruett said
state law wouldn’t permit the elimi
nation of qualifying fees.
Allen also said he would like to
see all qualifying fees go towards
the county’s election expenses.
Half of the fees go to the county
for elections costs, while half go to
the party with whom the candidate
qualified.
Proposed qualifying fees for next
year’s budget will be considered at
the group’s Nov. 25 business meet
ing.
Those fees are as follows:
•Sheriff: $1,943.28
•BOC chairman: $1,943.28
•Clerk of Superior Court:
$1,591.05
•Tax commissioner: $1,591.05
•Probate Court judge: $1,591.05
•Coroner: $351.81
•BOC commissioners. Districts 1
and 2: $216
•Board of education: $94.62
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the board brief
ly discussed pay for the road de
partment and the recreation depart
ment seasonal workers. This will
be discussed further at the Nov. 25
business meeting. Board members
discussed needing to have set pay
scale increases for road department
workers who get certifications, such
as a commercial driver’s license.
ZONING
Man can store more emergency
trailers at Lem Edwards Road property
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
More bunkhouse trailers used at
emergency sites around the coun
try can be stored at a property on
Lem Edwards Road.
The board of commissioners
voted 3-1 to approve requests by
Tom Casto, represented by attor
ney Victor Johnson, to approve the
rezoning of a 1.68-acre tract and a
3.304 piece of property to “busi
ness” at Casto’s Lem Edwards
Road property.
Commissioners Lee Allen, Brian
Kirk and Derek Doster voted for
the action, while Theresa Bettis
voted "No.”
The rezonings open the door
for over 40 additional bunkhouse
trailers on Casto’s property. He
already has more than 60 on site.
The trailers are transported for
sleeping quarters for emergen
cy personnel when they work an
emergency site, such the aftermath
of a hurricane or tornado.
Four neighbors spoke in opposi
tion of the rezoning, citing traffic
and safety concerns, worry about
storm water runoff issues and con
cerns about the property owner.
They provided photos to the board
of what the trailers look like, and
they urged the county commis
sioners to say "No” to Casto’s re
quests.
Johnson countered that the prop
erty is off a major highway and by
CSX railroad. He said the land is
in an appropriate place for such a
business according to the county’s
land use plan.
In other matters, the board post
poned a decision on a request by
Minish Girls LLC to rezone a
40.44-acre parcel on Loop Road
from A-2 to A-1.
Six chicken houses and a stack
house are being planned for the
property. However, attorney Victor
Johnson, who represents the appli
cants, said there was a miscommu-
nication with the potential buyer
on what was planned. The wrong
information was provided to the
planning commission. The origi
nal understanding was for six stack
houses, not six poultry houses and
a stack house. The commissioners
agreed that the matter should go
back before the zoning board with
the correct information.
The board approved a request by
Austin McDaniel, representing his
grandfather, Richard Barrett, to re
zone his 4.93-acre parcel on Sailor
Road from A-l to R-R for another
home site.
The commissioners approved a
request by Brandon King, repre
senting Michael Herd, to rezone
his five-acre parcel from A-2 to
A-l to combine with his adjoining
property on Reed Brawner Road.
EDUCATION
MC schools
among area
leaders
in rankings
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County schools
fared well in a recent
school system assessment,
ranking third among the
13 Northeast Georgia Re
gional Educational Service
Agency (RESA) school
districts.
Only Oconee County
and Jefferson scored bet
ter than Madison County
in the College and Career
Ready Performance Index
(CCRPI). Madison County
received an overall CCRPI
grade of 81.6.
“We’re proud of what we
have accomplished,” said
Madison County superin
tendent Michael Williams.
“However, we don’t want
to be complacent with
where we are. Our students
have performed well. Our
teachers have worked hard
to prepare our students.
We’ve got great support.”
All five county elemen
tary schools scored a five
on the one-to-five scale
“climate star” rating, while
See CCRPI, page 2A
EVENTS
Toy Ride
set for
Saturday
The 16th-annual Mad
ison County Toy Ride
will be held Nov. 9 at
Madison County Memo
rial Park beside the coun
ty government complex
in Danielsville.
The event is held every
year to help needy Mad
ison County kids have a
better Christmas.
The cost is $20 per
bike. Registration begins
at 11:30 a.m. Kickstands
up at 1 p.m.
There will be a 50/50
drawing with door priz
es, music and food.
For more information,
call 706-296-4598. Make
all donations payable
to Madison County Toy
Ride.
IN HONOR
MCHS to hold
Veterans Day
ceremony Nov 11
Madison County
High School faculty,
staff and students in
vite the public to join
them in honoring U.S.
veterans at the school’s
Veterans Day Ceremo
ny Monday, Nov. 11, at
2:15 p.m. in the MCHS
gym.
“If you or a family
member are a veteran
and would like to be
recognized at our cer
emony, please send us
names and addresses so
we can send out person
al invitations.” organiz
ers said.
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