About Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (June 14, 2000)
CITYPAGES continued from page 5 Commissioner Ken Jordan added. The Mayor and other Commissioners were not convinced. Most fretted about sub jecting developers to additional legal encum brances. Under current Georgia law, each transfer of development rights would be sub- ject to Commission approval. Commissioner Unda Ford said that, even if the current Commission made the approval process as painless as possible, future officials could change the rules. County Attorney Ernie DePascale claimed the legal red tape associ ated with TDRs would diminish rural prop erty values. Commissioner Hugh Logan called TDRs “pie in the sky," though they are common place in some parts of the country. Commissioner Charles Carter wondered aloud if “Mr. Barrow” might consider allowing some of his district four property (in Five Points) to be designated as a receiving zone. “District four is maxed out," Barrow replied. After close to an hour of fervent debate, Mayor Eld ridge asked the Commission to take an informal vote on whether or not to continue discussion of TDRs, but the ques tion could never be phrased to everyone’s satisfaction. No vote was taken, and the meeting ended. The Mayor and Commission will convene again on July 11, at 120 Dougherty Street (downtown), to try to resolve their differ ences In time for an August vote on the development regulations. (BA) COMMISSION OKAYS BUDGET AND STUFF In a lengthy work session on Tuesday, June 6, the ACC Commission approved the county's operating budget for fiscal year 2001, and settled—for now, at least—several controversial issues. Before the budget vote, the Mayor and Commission heard from county employees vehemently opposed to an increase In their health insurance premiums. To offset increased health care costs, the Commission had recommended all county employees begin paying for health insur ance. Until now, employees have contributed for family coverage, but their own insurance has been paid by the county. Employees have complained that a change would breach a promise made to them when the governments of Athens and Clarke County merged in 1991. Mayor Doc Eldridge reiterated his opinion that the Commission should study its options more thoroughly before taking action. But most of the Commissioners thought waiting a year would cost too much and passed, by a vote of eight to two, Commissioner Cardee Kilpatrick’s motion to increase costs for dependent coverage. The entire staff of Athens-CJarke County’s Community Connection was on hand to ask the Commission to approve an allocation of $13,225 to help fund a “211" telephone infor mation system to provide easy access to res idents seeking sometimes hard to find com munity services. The Commission was divided over the item. While Mayor Eldridge and Commissioners Ken Jordan, John Barrow and Alvin Sheats spoke in favor, Commissioners Kilpatrick, Tom Chasteen, year 2000. The budget Is available on-line at at henscl arkecou nty.com. in other business, the Commission passed a rezoning request for 36 acres on Fowler Mill Road to allow the construction of the “Little Bear" subdivision near Cleveland Road Elementary School. The request met with some citizen opposition. Local resident Carl Jordan said the development would vio late the principles of the new land use plan, and that its septic system Is designed to drain into a nearby fragile watershed. Burt Sparer, president of the Federation of Neighborhoods and Community Associations, warned that developers are rushing to push through inappropriate rezoning requests before the county can adopt its new development regulations. Commissioner Barrow noted that the Commission had recently amended the zoning ordinance to disallow such a subdivi sion. Barrow’s was the lone vote against the request. It wasn’t the only time Barrow would stand alone. He later made a motion against District 46 Senate candidates faced UGA employees upset about rising insurance costs and delayed raises. Linda Ford and Hugh Logan were opposed. The four were concerned about obligations for future funding. Commissioner Logan said the county would be “doing them a disser vice" by granting the funds, as Community Connection would then expect a yearly allo cation. The motion eventually passed by a vote of six to four. After a few additional motions, the - Commission unanimously approved the $70 million budget, up from $63 million for fiscal mo ving the ACC Office of Public Information from Manager AI Grace’s office to the direct control of Mayor Eldridge. Barrow echoed the uneasiness many feel ebcut the move, saying the office might “morph into the office of political information," Barrow said he believes the office is “professionally run," and that the Commission should take more time consider its decision. Barrow’s motion died without a second, however, and the move was approved eight to one. The Commission also voted to sell the Wray-Nlcholson house to the University of Georgia for $2.3 million—over $2 million less than the ACC government paid to restore it—and endorsed the designation of the Rocksprings Street Local Historic District, making it the first predominantly African- American neighborhood given the designa tion since the unification of Athens and Clarke County. (BA) SENATE CANDIDATES DISCUSS UGA ISSUES The three candidates for the State Senate District 46 seat made what will probably be their only joint appearance on Wednesday, June 7 at the UGA law school auditorium. Incumbent Democrat Paul Broun and his challengers. Democrat Doug Haines and Republican Jim Ivey, spoke and answered questions at a meeting of the UGA classified (non-faculty) employees. Ivey, head of a computer sales and ser vice company* stressed his business experi ence. Haines, a public interest attorney, emphasized his role in forcing river cleanups and transportation issues (“...the East-West Connector: I stopped it.") Broun, the senior Senator in length of service, emphasized his experience while discounting his age. (“I play golf every Sun day afternoon ”) University employees are upset over rising health insurance costs and delayed pay raises. They grilled Broun about these problems, and for a while he enjoyed the limelight, even if it was harsh. He assured the group that he would have helped if he could. Ivey and Haines quickly realized that they needed to get in on t he fray and began to offer their own observations on the plight of the workers and what should be done by the State Senate. Broun faces Haines in the Democratic Primary on July 18, and the winner takes on Ivey In the General Election in November. Broun Is relying on his experience, his power as the incumbent and his campaign war chest swelled by the contributions of special interest groups across Georgia. Haines, a newcomer to polities, is organizing a low- budget, grassroots campaign to overcome his lack of name recognition and to raise issues. Ivey has a familiar name and the backing of the considerable Republican organizations in Oconee County, Barrow County and Athens- Clarke County. (Pete McCommons) NECIA INTERNET Wtb FTP irtctUricri Up Ocdirau.-rf Aecixtmts lor in(Tivi£si.?l& business* | NorthEssf Georgia GREENSBORO, & ELBEKTON Irilernef Access, Inc ■ „ „ „ , ^ A Phone- (700) 540-570 7 * E-mail tnfof* negia.mit m «**«*«* • v r WWW http: www.hegm.not Aifcm fra tyuf (sx-tf tofer/w? Anti i\vtui piimfcr Afternoon Delight i r< ■> U>x >jd \ V ’ TO St f !itj*jb ttrnrt Co 8omewh«*t NIcb Few A Qmngu. . , tke U/inenj mmmmm Finmiusiiis 33% God • 40 Watt Club • A,IV!. • Albert Boss Band * Athens Symphony • Big Earl & Dem Twin Boys * Biuestrlng * Calliope Fair * Chrisis • D:RC • Danger Mouse * Don Chambers«Dr. Arvin Scott • Drive-By Truckers ♦ Earth Collective * Five-Eight • Fuzzy Sprouts* Georgia GuitaMuartet * Hayride • Japancakes • JB-The Polish Sausage Man«Je Suis France * Jucifer • Kevn Kinney * Kitty Snyder • Little Rett Rocket * Macha * Max-fin^* Megaphone Man • Melted Men • Neal Pattman »Park Bench Blues Band * Posh Toner • Redneck GReece * Star Room Boys *Slackdaddy • Soundtrack FLAGPOLE JUNE 14, 2000
