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PAGE 2A-THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. DECEMBER 5. 2019
Christmas continued from 1A
BOC
continued from 2A
to hear from local scientists about the power
plant issue. The chairman said that the plant
is also in the process of getting equipment to
help reduce the loud noise that comes from
the facility.
In a separate matter, county officials have
been trying to determine how to store new
elections equipment, which will take up more
space than previous equipment. Scarborough
said the new equipment can be housed in a
room at the sheriff’s office. Board of elections
chairperson Tracy Dean has said she intends
to keep the elections equipment at the elec
tions office. She has noted that this is a deci
sion of the board of elections, not the BOC.
Commissioner Brian Kirk said he would
like for the BOC to draft a proclamation prais
ing the high school for recent accomplish
ments, including the football team’s quarterfi
nal ran in the Class AAAA playoffs.
Commissioner Lee Allen said he was sad
dened by the recent passing of state represen
tative Jay Powell at a legislative retreat. (Mad
ison County is represented by Alan Powell
and Tom McCall in the House of representa
tives and Frank Ginn in the Georgia Senate.)
Allen said Jay Powell was “one of the good
guys” who did a lot to help the state.
Zoning continued from
1A
the county requirement of 300 feet. The
homes will be at an east-west orientation
and there will be no more than six poul
try houses and one stack house. Johnson
said the houses will also generate more
property taxes for the county than if the
land continued to be unused. He noted
the massive economic impact chicken
farming has for Madison County. And he
added that the placement of more chicken
houses on the northern side of Hwy. 98
is in line with what the county’s land use
map dictates for the area.
Elizabeth Minish Cunningham, one of
the applicants in Minish Girls LLC, said
the poultry farm owner is “willing to do
all he can to reduce the smell,” while not
ing the farmer’s willingness to increase
the setback distance.
Farmer Terry Chandler, who serves on
the county planning commission, spoke in
favor of the application. He said chicken
farming is not new to the area and he said
that people who choose to live in rural ar
eas of Madison County must realize that
they could be in close proximity to poul
try farming.
Conolus Scott, who also serves on the
planning commission, spoke against the
rezoning request. He said there are a num
ber of residents in the area and that put
ting more burden on them doesn’t seem
appropriate.
Homeowners near the existing poultry
houses urged the board to deny the re
quest, saying that the smell is already too
much. They said they don’t want an even
more intense odor.
“I think we got enough chicken hous
es already,” said Ricky Tucker, who lives
nearby, adding that his family was there
before the chicken farming. “It’s unbear
able to us.”
Donna Wood, who lives near the exist
ing farm, said she smells the houses “on a
constant basis.”
“My vehicle and everything of mine
has this dust from these houses,” she said.
“This needs to be investigated before
moving forward on this.”
Neighbors also said adding more chick
en truck traffic at Loop Road just off Hwy.
98 is a traffic hazard.
OTHER
ZONING ACTIONS
In a separate matter Monday, the board
voted 4-1 to deny a request by Janet Ayers
for a conditional use permit for a dog ken
nel on Waggoners Grove Church Road.
The request included two parcels, a 6.4-
acre tract and a 5.89-acre piece of land.
Keith Ayers told commissioners that he
is taking over the kennel business from
his mom and wants to move from Hull
to a country setting. He said the current
kennel includes 50-to-55 dogs but that he
would have 20-to-30 at the new location.
Commissioner Allen, the lone com
missioner to vote for the request, made
a motion to approve the application after
tacking on two conditions: an expiration
of the conditional use permit if ownership
changed and a requirement that feedings
— when dogs are the loudest — occur be
tween 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Neighbors opposed the application not
ing that they had invested heavily in their
property and didn’t want to have a dog
kennel next to them in a rural setting.
Bettis said the kennel is a “wonderful
business, but it has to make sense.”
"And it doesn’t in an area with home-
owners right there,” she said.
Also Monday, the board voted 4-1 to
deny a request by Seth Cape represent
ing Mike Alewine to rezone 4.81 acres on
House Holloway Road from A-l to R-R
for two home sites. The board agreed that
two homes on four acres isn’t appropriate
for the area. Allen provided the lone vote
in favor of the request.
The commissioners approved a request
by Joyce Raines, representing her moth
er, Bessie Hill, to rezone two acres of her
20.18-acre tract on Farm Road from A-2
to R-R to give to her daughter. The board
also approved a request by Nickole Bloom
to rezone two acres of her five-acre prop
erty from A-2 to R-R on Hardman Morris
Road.
Power
continued from 1A
games and free food and
drinks.” Organizers ask
that those attending bring
an unwrapped toy and a
non-perishable food item
for the Madison County
Food Bank and dog/cat
food, pet toys, shredded
paper, shampoo, towels,
sheets or blankets for the
Madison-Oglethorpe An
imal Shelter. These items
can be dropped off at the
pavilion in the designat
ed containers. "Come and
join with the community
in celebrating this year’s
Old Fashioned Christmas
in Colbert event," said or
ganizers.
•Christmas in Comer
is set for Saturday, Dec. 7
and Sunday, Dec. 8. The
highlight of the festivi
ties will be the Christmas
Parade that will begin on
Saturday, Dec. 7, at 2 p.m.
The theme for this year’s
parade is “Christmas In
Your Homeland.” The an
nual Reindeer Run/Walk,
sponsored by the Mad
ison County Recreation
Department, will begin
on Saturday at 9 a.m. at
Arnold Park. Required
pre-registration can be
easily accomplished by
visiting the department’s
web site at madcorec.
com. The downtown fes
tival will also begin Sat
urday at 8 a.m. in the area
surrounding the gazebo.
Vendors and crafters from
the area will have booths
set up for those that wish
to shop for that special
unique Christmas gift or
purchase decorations of
the season. The Christ
mas Tree Lighting, spon
sored by local churches, is
scheduled for Sunday eve
ning, Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m.
The downtown Cliff Yar
brough Memorial Park
will be the location for
this event and will feature
choirs from local schools,
churches and groups per
forming the songs of the
season. In the event of rain
or inclement weather, the
program will be held in
the Travel Museum. The
numbers to call for more
information are 706-783
4552 or 706-783-5678. A
parade entry form is avail
able at the Comer City
Hall or online at www.
cityofcomer.com.
•‘Breakfast with San
ta’ at Camp Kiwanis:
Saturday, Dec. 7, at 9 a.m.
“Camp Kiwanis invites
you to join jolly ol’ Saint
Nick himself, fireside at
Franklin Hall for a break
fast like no other!" orga
nizers said. For $10 per
person, you can work in
the Elves’ workshop for a
take home craft and have
a chat with Santa to share
your holiday wish list.
Photography ops will be
available to all. Space is
limited and pre-registra
tion is required by calling
706-795-2098 or www.
tinyurl.com/CKBfastwith-
Santa
•Carlton Christmas
Tree Trimming: Sunday,
Dec. 8, at 4:30 p.m. The
tree is located on Hwy. 72
in Carlton next to the wa
ter fountain. “Please come
help us trim our tree, drink
some cocoa and sing a few
Christmas carols,” Carlton
officials said. “Bring your
kids and enjoy this holiday
tradition.”
•“Christmas with
Santa” — The Madison
County Government Com
plex will hold “Christmas
with Santa” on Tuesday,
Dec. 10, from 9 a.m. to
4 p.m. “The Madison
County Government Com
plex would like to invite
you to spend some time
with us this holiday sea
son,” officials said. “Each
department will decorate
its doors and offices for
visitors to enjoy. Some
departments may even be
handing out yummy treats.
We will have hot chocolate
and cookies for everyone;
as well as ornaments for
the little ones to make.
Best of all, Santa will be
here to take pictures with
all the children. As a gift
from us, you will receive a
4x6-inch print of you and
Mr. Claus.” All festivities
will be held in the public
meeting room inside the
government complex.
•Santa Paws visits
MOAS — The Mad
ison-Oglethorpe Ani
mal Shelter, 1888 Col-
bert-Danielsville Road,
will hold its largest holi
day event of the year when
Santa Paws comes to vis
it on Saturday, Dec, 14,
from 4 to 7 p.m. “We’re
excited to announce that
this year we will again
have our famous nativity
display with live animals,
including camels,” shelter
officials said. Entry to the
event is $5 per car with
small additional fees for
event participation, with
all funds raised going di
rectly back to helping save
shelter animals, officials
said. Bring your “fur kids”
(and human ones, too) to
have their picture taken
with Santa Paws (photos
are $5 each). A raffle will
be held with a chance to
win free tickets to Disney
World. Raffle tickets may
be purchased at the shelter
from now until the draw
ing, which will be held
at 6:45 p.m. on Dec. 14.
There will also be a cake
walk with delicious des
serts, children’s crafts and
more, shelter officials said.
•Christmas in Daniels-
ville will be held in Mad
ison County Memorial
Park on Saturday, Dec. 14,
from 2 to 4 p.m., accord
ing to Police Chief Jona
than Burnette. The event
will include a tree lighting,
pictures with Santa, a visit
from Sparky the Fire Dog,
Christmas music, train
rides for children and oth
er activities. Food will be
provided by Danielsville
Fire Department mem
bers. The event is free and
open to the community,
Burnette said. A rain date
is set for Sunday, Dec. 15.
•The Booger Hill -
Moon’s Grove Lumi
naries and Live Nativity
will be held this year Sat
urday, Dec. 21, from 6 to
9 p.m. Motorists can begin
their drive down Booger
Hill Road and follow the
route onto Moon’s Grove
Church Road where res
idents along both roads
will have their driveways
lit with luminaries. A live
nativity, complete with
actors and live animals
will be located at Moon’s
Grove Baptist Church. The
event is free.
•“Santa to visit li
brary”: Saturday, Dec:
14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“Drop in for hot chocolate
and bring your own cam
era for photo opportunities
with Mr. Claus himself!”
organizers said. There will
also be a Santa letter-writ
ing station and "Adopt-a-
Santa” bears to raise mon
ey for the Friends of the
Madison County Library.
Additionally, MOAS Pets
will be at the library with
information on adoptable
animals from the Madi
son-Oglethorpe Animal
Shelter. This program is
free and open to the public
of all ages and abilities.
•The Madison County
Sheriff’s Office is plan
ning “Christmas with
a Cop” to help provide
needy children with a
good Christmas. “Our goal
is to be able to give 15 less
fortunate children a mini
mum of $200 each to pur
chase gifts for their family
and themselves,” said or
ganizers. “Each child will
be paired with one of our
local law enforcement of
ficers for a fun morning
of shopping and an oppor
tunity for them to build a
positive relationship with
their officer." Organizers
said they exceeded their
goal last year. “We know
this year with the help of
our local businesses and
our gracious citizens of
Madison County, we can
do that again,” officials
said. A Christmas tree
will again be placed in
the lobby of the sheriff’s
office. Any members who
would like to make a do
nation to the “Christmas
with a Cop” event can
stop by the office Mon
day through Friday from
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. An orna
ment will be placed on the
tree as a symbol of your
donation. Those who are
unable to visit the sheriff’s
office can mail donations
to “Christmas with a Cop”
c/o Madison County Sher
iff’s Office, P.O. Box 65,
Danielsville, Ga. 30633.
“Regardless of how big or
how small, every donation
will help make a child’s
Christmas brighter this
year,” organizers said.
period expired.
Organizers plan to have
three local scientists speak
at the meeting. Wendy Mee
han holds a Masters of Pub
lic Health degree and will
contrast what the community
was promised by Georgia
Renewable Power with the
present reality. Dave Ramsey,
also with a Masters in Public
Health, will talk about the po
tential hazards from biomass
plants as described by the
American Lung Association
and other health organiza
tions. Finally. David Vogel,
with a Doctorate in Biophys
ics, will describe the volatile
compounds that can be found
in emissions from burning
crossties. A question-and-an-
swer session will follow the
presentation.
Madison County Clean
Power Coalition members
say they want residents of
Madison County and sur
rounding counties to be aware
of the health risks associated
with living near a facility that
bums railroad ties. Accord
ing to Vogel, public pressure
“may induce management
of the plant to address some
of these issues, but potential
creosote emissions can only
be eliminated by discontinu
ing use of the ties.” He adds
that it is “illegal to bum used
ties in the European Union,
and in many other countries
and states, and it was illegal
in the U.S. from 2011 to
2016.”
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