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OPINION
Check out rabies clinic
Any pet owner needs to take the responsibility
to get rabies shots for their animals.
Neighborhood News...
JACKSON COUNTY
Moon found guilty of voluntary manslaughter
A Jackson County jury deliberated for almost
four hours Tuesday afternoon before finding a Jefferson man guilty
of one count of voluntary manslaughter.
It's Daisy Festival Time In Nicholson
NICHOLSON -- The annual Nicholson Daisy Festival
will be held Friday and Saturday.
Benton Traffic Plan Worries Nicholson Officials
NICHOLSON -- City officials here expressed
concern Monday night about plans to divert traffic flow around
Benton Elementary School.
News from
MADISON COUNTY
Four to seek commission chairman's seat
Qualifying ends with four of five BOC district posts contested
Three Madison County Democrats seeking the county
commission's chairman's post will face each other in a July primary,
with the winner taking on Republican incumbent Wesley Nash in
November.
Danielsville approves contract for sidewalk project
The Danielsville City Council approved an
$80,000 contract for the installation of sidewalks this summer
down portions of Hwy. 29 north, Crawford W. Long Street and Madison
Street.
Relay for Life 2000 set for this weekend
Madison County's Relay for Life is scheduled
for May 5 and 6 at the Recreation Department track.
SPORTS
BCHS sends two to state
Ivey, Carruth headed to Class A meets
Banks County will send two junior competitors
to the Class A track meets this year.
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The Banks County News
Homer, Georgia
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Thomas resigns
from Baldwin City Council
Baldwin City Council member Deloris
Thomas has given her resignation to Mayor Mark Reed due to her
moving out of the state. Her resignation was officially accepted
at the May 8 council meeting.
An election to replace her will probably occur sometime in October
or November, according to city clerk, Stacey Jacobs.
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CLEANING UP BALDWIN
Drake Meister, Anna and Marvin
Smith and Darryl and Theresa Meister of Baldwin Baptist Church
covered the stretch of Old Cornelia Highway heading toward Baldwin
Elementary School at the annual clean-up day Saturday.
Photo by Shar Porier
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Thomas resigns
from Baldwin City Council
Baldwin City Council member Deloris Thomas
has given her resignation to Mayor Mark Reed due to her moving
out of the state. Her resignation was officially accepted at
the May 8 council meeting.
An election to replace her will probably occur sometime in October
or November, according to city clerk, Stacey Jacobs.
Sheriff faces
seven challengers
Six seek probate judge post
BY ANGELA GARY
After the dust settled Friday, eight candidates had qualified
in the sheriff's race and six for the probate judge seat.
In the sheriff's race, six Democrats and two Republicans qualified.
The Democrats include incumbent Charles Chapman, Cecil Calloway,
Ray Seabolt, David Dunson, Ronald Martin and Allen Venable. Republicans
seeking the post include John Arnold III and Michael Boyle.
In the probate judge's race, the candidates include: Billy Poole,
Carol Ayers, Ben Whisnant, David Gunter, Betty Thomas and Tom
Jones. This race is non-partisan.
The primary election is set for Tuesday, July 18, and, if a run-off
is necessary for the primary, it will be held on Aug. 8. The
general election will be Nov. 7 with the run-off scheduled for
Nov. 28.
A complete list of all candidates follows:
TAX COMMISSIONER
Margaret H. Ausburn (D), incumbent
CHIEF MAGISTRATE JUDGE
Henry David Banks (non-partisan), incumbent
Luthaniel "Luke" Parson (non-partisan)
SHERIFF
Charles Chapman (D), incumbent
Ronald Martin (D)
Cecil A. Calloway (D)
Ray E. Seabolt (D)
David Dunson (D)
Johnny Allen Venable (D)
Michael Boyle (R)
John R. Arnold III (R)
PROBATE JUDGE
David B. Gunter (non-partisan)
Ben R. Whisnant (non-partisan)
Carol P. Ayers (non-partisan)
Billy Poole (non-partisan)
Betty Thomas (non-partisan)
Tom Jones (non-partisan)
CLERK OF COURTS
Timothy A. Harper (D)
CORONER
Tommy Herbert (D)
BOE POST 1
Kathleen Benton Hooper (D)
Neal Brown (D)
BOE POST 2
Ronald E. Gardiner (D)
Richard W. Reiselt (D)
BOE POST 4
Dottie P. Morris (D)
John D. Williams (R)
BOC CHAIRMAN
James C. Dumas (R), incumbent
Kennth Brady (D)
SURVEYOR
Max Lewallen (R)
BOC mulling budget
requests
More budget hearings slated for Friday
BY ANGELA GARY
An increase in salaries is expected to make the biggest difference
in next year's county budget.
The Banks County Board of Commissioners began its annual budget
hearings with department heads Friday in an eight-hour marathon
meeting. Department heads meeting with the commissioners included:
Sheriff Charles Chapman, tax commissioner Margaret Ausburn, tax
assessor Andy Scroggs, clerk of courts Tim Harper, county marshal
Kevin Covington, building inspection director Tony Vento and
EMS director Doug O'Neal. Three more budget hearings have been
scheduledMay 5, May 19 and May 26.
In last week's meeting, the commissioners couldn't come up with
final budgets for each department due to the salaries. The county
is having an outside consultant firm $12,000 do a personnel study
and make recommendations on salaries for all county employees,
according to their job duties. The final estimates for each department
won't be tallied until the commissioners receive this information
and make a decision on salaries.
BOC chairman James Dumas said the emphasis in this year's budget
will be in "getting salaries where they need to be."
The commissioners pointed out that this might not be increases
for each position, depending on the outcome of the study.
Dumas said his goal is for there not to be a tax increase this
year.
"We're going to have to live within the natural tax increase,"
he said. "...If it's three percent, the budget will be up
three percent."
Sheriff Chapman had an estimated figure for salaries for his
office. He is asking for $430,720 for road salaries, not including
an estimated $30,000 for salaries. Last year, $348,000 was budgeted
for road salaries.
"Over time is something that eats you up," the sheriff
said. "There are certain times of the year that we have
to use extra manpower...Every line item (on the budget), I've
maintained and even lowered except for salaries...This figure
is not too high. It is reasonable...These road deputies deserve
the money they get...They deserve a decent wage."
The sheriff said he will try to maintain at least three deputies
on duty at all time. BOC chairman asked if there had ever been
a time when only one deputy was on duty at night and the sheriff
said there had not been.
The sheriff also pointed out that he is operating $43,125 under
budget as of last month. He said he turned in $200,000 to the
county general fund over the past three years in budgeted funds
that were not used.
"If there is any way I can save a dollar, I do," he
said. "I do this because I'm a taxpayer too..I''ve been
under budget every year and I hope to be this year again."
TAX COMMISSIONER
Ausburn's budget requests include $2,100 for capital expenditures
which will include shelves and work stations.
"I've never tried to go way overboard," she said. "...We
try to hold it..."
TAX ASSESSOR
Scroggs asked the commissioners to consider raising the daily
fee to the members of the board of equalization from $30 to $50.
He said they handled close to 100 hearings this budget year.
His request also includes funds for a new computer to replace
one that has been in use since 1990. He agreed to a recommendation
from commissioner Ernest Rogers to continue using the computer
but putting $10,000 in the budget to go toward purchasing a new
one if the old one breaks down.
CLERK OF COURTS
Harper's request includes funds for a moving rolling file system,
which is in place in several neighboring courthouses. There was
also some discussion on the new probation department approved
by the county and who will oversee it. No decision was made.
COUNTY MARSHAL
Covington discussed the grants the county has received for his
position and said the county is in the second year of the five-year
project. The funds can be pulled any year and the county has
to reapply annually.
PLANNING/BUILDING INSPECTOR
Vento said his request of $79,014 doesn't call for any increase
over last year. He brought up a concern mentioned by several
department heads, the rising cost of gas and oil and how to budget
for it.
EMS
O'Neal's requests included replacing a cardiac monitor at a cost
of $9,600. Dumas pointed out that he is eight percent under budget
and the commissioners agreed that if he comes in under budget
at the end of the fiscal year, a unit could be purchased with
the excess funds. The commissioners will check his budget in
June and replace the unit if the money is available.
O'Neal also pointed out that the county has increased its base
rate of $225 for ambulance service in 10 years. He said Medicare
reimburses for $365. This will be discussed at an upcoming BOC
meeting.
"I'm a firm believer in user-fees," Dumas said. "If
you use it, you should pay for it."
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Peachy Clean Day
has big turnout In Baldwin
By Shar Porier
For the past three years, the citizens of Baldwin have committed
one Saturday as "Peachy Clean Day" to clean up the
city as part of the Great American Clean-up. This special day
provides residents with an opportunity to help the Keep America
Beautiful program which began nationally 15 years ago.
This year, Baldwin had a great turnout of "70 to 80 people,"
according to Baldwin Mayor Mark Reed. Splitting up into teams
and wearing their new "Peachy Clean Day" T-shirts provided
by the city, the crews covered the city limits. Collecting trash
and all sorts of roadside litter ranging from the ordinary to
the disgusting (one young volunteer said she had found "a
headless cat"), these caring individuals from all walks
of life and of all ages spent hours to clear the city streets
of unsightly litter.
Afterward, the crews joined together for a barbecue lunch at
the Baldwin City Park. Cooked up by "Chef" Dennis Brown,
a retired caterer, the lunch of chipped pork sandwiches, chicken
wings, baked beans and cole slaw was devoured by hungry teams.
Door prizes were awarded at the end of the meal and included
an oil change,; a model racing car and a $10 bill from the Baldwin
City Council.
As a memoir of the occasion, Mayor Reed decided to have everyone
sign one the Peachy Clean Day T-shirts to keep at City Hall.
According to Mayor Reed, Baldwin teams had collected 103 bags
of trash. The bags were counted for the bet between Cornelia
City Manager Harry Carter and Mayor Reed. If Baldwin collected
the most trash, Carter has to wear Baldwin's "Peachy Clean"
T-shirt. If Cornelia wins, Reed has to wash Carter's car.
According to the final tally, looks like Reed needs to get his
car washing gear ready. Baldwin collected 103 bags to Cornelia's
110.
Carter said: "In honor of our sister city and in keeping
with the spirit of the day, I'll still wear the Baldwin T-shirt
for half a day."
When asked if his good will would extend to the Reed's washing
of only half of his car, he answered, " No, but he doesn't
have to clean the inside!"
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