|
mainstreetnews Home
Search Site
Area Sports
Classifieds
Place A Classified Ad
Jackson Legal Page
Jackson Opinion Page
Jackson Obituary Page
Archives
Subscribe
Send A Letter
List Your Business
Jackson County Stats
Sex Offender Registry
1998 Building Permits
1999 Building Permits
1998 Property Transactions
1999 Property Transactions
Bear Creek Project
Go to Banks County
Go to Madison County
OPINIONS
Jackson County opinion page
SPORTS
Tigers Win Spartan Invitational
In spite of having less than a week of practice under their belts,
the Commerce Tiger basketball team won the Spartan Invitational
last week at Athens Academy.
Sports teams to ring out 2000 in tournaments
After breaking briefly to celebrate Christmas, most local sports
teams will be back in action this week in holiday tournaments
designed to get them toned up for January's crucial region and
subregion contests.
Neighborhood News...
MADISON COUNTY
Holiday season special for organ donor, recipient
Both Priscilla Harrison and Susan Risler say their lives are
particularly blessed this holiday season by the bond they share.
Priscilla, because she received the life-saving gift of a kidney
transplant earlier this year, and Susan, because she gave that
kidney so that her friend and colleague might live. ...
Conflict over legal expenses remains
A conflict over payment of legal fees continued last week as
former county commissioner Ken Clark submitted a written request
to be on Thursday's BOC meeting agenda to discuss legal expenses.
But that request was denied by BOC chairman Wesley Nash. ...
News from
BANKS COUNTY
BOC allows saddle club to host rodeo
The Banks County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved
the Banks Crossing Saddle Club's request to host a rodeo at the
county's horse arena off Jolly
Street. ...
Ambulance billing proposals under BOC review
The Banks County Board of Commissioners is considering three
proposals from companies wishing to provide ambulance billing
services to the county. ...
|
mainstreetnews.com
The Jackson Herald
Jefferson, Georgia
Telephone: (706) 367-5233
Fax: (706) 367-8056
NEWS / ADVERTISING
PRINTING
® Copyright 2000
MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Copyright
/ Terms / Privacy
|
|
New Day Dawning In
Jackson County
Like the sun rising over the site of the future East Jackson
Elementary School, a new day will dawn in Jackson County government
Monday when the county changes its form of government from a
three-member board of commissioners to a five-member board of
commissioners with a full-time county manager. The new commissioners
will be sworn in at the county's New Year's Day program Monday,
Jan. 1, at 9:00 a.m. at the courthouse.
|
Jefferson now
highest tax district
The city of Jefferson taxpayers have the dubious honor of paying
the highest combined tax rate in the county this year, dethroning
the City of Maysville, which had the highest rates for the last
five years. Taxpayers living in Jefferson will pay a combined
millage rate of 22.65 mills.
The cheapest tax district in the county is a small area around
Jefferson that isn't inside the city limits and is also not included
in any county fire district. The rate for that area is 18.49
mills.
Overall, tax rates tumbled across the county following a massive
reassessment of property values. The average drop in combined
millage rates was 31 percent.
The drop was largely due to a huge decrease in the tax rate for
general county government operations. That rate fell five mills
for unincorporated areas of the county.
Taxpayers who want to pay their property tax bill before the
end of the year may do so by going to the tax commissioner's
office in the Administrative Building. The office is open from
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tax commissioner Don Elrod went to Atlanta Wednesday of this
week to get the tax digest approved. He left following official
action by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners to adopt
the rates and budget. The county rate for unincorporated areas
was set at 2.57 mills and incorporated areas at 3.64 mills.
County upholds
firing of JCCI employee
The Jackson County Board of Commissioners upheld its September
firing of Jackson County Correctional Institute officer Gus Morris
during personnel hearings Thursday morning.
The BOC's decision will allow Morris to be paid for any vacation
time he had accumulated and will allow him to re-apply for another
position in the county.
David Smith, the county's personnel attorney, told Morris that
his firing was due to his failure to properly review time cards
at the JCCI, which resulted in the falsifying of hours by other
employees at the jail. Smith also said he did not believe Morris
had falsified the time cards purposely.
"He had the responsibility of correctly taking the time
cards at the correctional institute and submitting them,"
Smith said. "The investigation and audit showed a significant
number of miscalculations and errors."
Morris acknowledged that he should have checked the time cards,
but said he wasn't aware other employees at the JCCI were turning
in false information.
"I should have checked it over," Morris said. "But
if I'd known they was cheating, I would have went to the deputy
warden or the warden and if nothing had been done, I would've
gone further up."
Morris also expressed his discontent with the county's decision.
"This ain't right," he said. "I'm getting nailed
on this. It's just an excuse to get rid of people mainly because
I'm close to retiring."
Morris was fired in September along with JCCI warden Joe Dalton,
deputy warden Ken Ashley and correctional officer Eddie Mullis.
Ken Ashley, who also had an appeal hearing scheduled Thursday
morning, did not show up.
Basin group hires
management firm
With its regional reservoir and water treatment plant scheduled
to be in operation in July, the Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority
finally hired someone to manage them.
Meeting last Wednesday, the basin authority approved a contract
with Azurix North America that will pay the firm a base fee of
$667,200. Water produced at the plant in excess of six million
gallons per day (mgd) will result in additional costs.
The six mgd base figure is the estimated usage at the time the
plant opens in July.
"Do we have a cost calculated per 1,000 gallons?" asked
Jackson County Commissioner Pat Bell.
"Thirty-seven cents," replied George Byrd, whose firm
of Moreland Altobelli is the program manager for the project.
Byrd pointed out that the figure did not cover capital costs,
just management, chemicals, etc. He also noted that as the plant
produces more water, the cost per thousand gallons produced will
fall.
One question that remained unanswered during the meeting was
how the company would be paid for its services prior to when
members start taking the water.
"Where did I get the feeling that the counties would not
pay anything until the water started flowing?" Bell asked.
What prompted her question was a statement from the authority's
attorney to the effect that the counties might have to put up
those funds out of pocket.
Chairman Wendell Dawson observed that his county (Oconee) had
a meeting planned with the basin authority's financial consultant,
and he recommended that the other counties do the same thing.
The total estimated cost expected for operations before the plant
begins sending water to the counties is estimated at $88,000.
Allocating costs to the four member counties can get complicated.
Costs associated with the reservoir management will be allocated
according to the formula for allocating the water. That means
Athens-Clarke would pay 44 percent, Jackson County 25 percent,
Barrow County 19 percent and Oconee County 12 percent. But costs
associated with the water plant would be distributed according
to the allocation formula there, which has Jackson County with
42.8 percent, Barrow with 38.1 percent and Oconee with 19 percent.
Even that could be further complicated, depending on how much
of its allocation any county is drawing.
Distributing the costs properly will be among the responsibilities
of Azurix.
City Hall Will
Take 2000 Tax Payments Before Bills Go Out
As a favor to its taxpayers the Commerce City Hall will accept
payment of 2000 property taxes this week, even before the bills
go out.
It's not that the city is in desperate need of tax payments;
rather, officials figure a lot of their taxpayers want to take
their 2000 tax payments as deductions on their 2000 income tax
returns.
As has been the case for the past several years, Jackson County
has been unable to get its tax digest approved in a timely matter,
due to problems in the office of tax assessor. That means bills
go out late, so late in some cases that it is difficult for taxpayers
to pay their bills before Jan. 1. That is what happened this
year.
Tax commissioner Don Elrod was to have taken the county's tax
digest to the state today (Wednesday).
"Pending approval by the state, people may come by City
Hall and pay on the afternoon of Wednesday the 27th, Thursday,
Friday and on Saturday until noon," said city clerk Shirley
Willis. "He will call us if everything is approved, and
we will be ready to accept payments that afternoon."
The city already has the tax bills. Those taxpayers who choose
not to pay early will get their tax bills in the mail Wednesday,
Jan. 3.
City Hall will be open all day Thursday and Friday and until
noon Saturday, to accommodate those persons wishing to get their
bills paid so they can claim them as deductions on their federal
and state income tax returns.
The lateness of tax bills has been a sore spot with the city
for years. In theory, the tax bills should be due in late December,
but in recent years, they've been mailed out in late December
and due in late February. Taxpayers have 60 days in which to
pay the bills.
"It's a real disservice to our people," Commerce councilman
Bob Sosebee complained at the December city council meeting.
"Property taxes are one of the few deductions that are left."
As for Jackson County taxpayers who need to take their 2000 taxes
as a deduction, they're out of luck this year.
County tax bills will not go out until after Jan. 1, but the
office has similar provisions for early payment.
Homeowners whose taxes are paid through an escrow account are
the exception. The law allows them to claim the deduction, regardless
of when the escrow company pays the bill.
Candidate Calls
Nicholson 'Town Hall' Meeting
A former candidate who got two votes when he ran for mayor in
November has called a "public town hall meeting" for
next Wednesday evening to discuss zoning.
Ray Hancock, who ran seventh in a field of seven candidates in
the Nov. 7 special election, says the meeting will be held at
7:00 p.m. Jan. 3 at City Hall and that Mayor Ronnie Maxwell will
be present.
Hancock said he had not been able to contact other elected officials
(council members Thomas Gary and Margaret Ward), because he was
unaware of their names. Nor had he contacted officials of the
Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center, who drafted the
zoning ordinance.
"I do have a 40-page copy of the ordinance. It has notes
written all over it. I guess it's the one they're trying to vote
on," said Hancock.
Maxwell, said Hancock, "will answer any questions he can"
about the ordinance, which has been the centerpiece of a controversy
that has shut down the city.
Maxwell was not involved in the drafting of the ordinance.
With the city's two council members strongly in favor of implementing
the ordinance, two vacancies on the town council until at least
March, and a mayor who was elected on an anti-zoning platform,
the warring factions have yet to hold an official meeting.
Maxwell walked out of the Dec. 4 regular meeting after being
installed as mayor, then failed to appear at a meeting called
by council members Margaret Ward and Thomas Gary. Then Maxwell
called a meeting and Gary failed to appear. City Hall is closed,
the library is closed and the city garbage service is shut down
because there is no one to sign checks. Employees, including
the librarian, city clerk and maintenance worker, have not been
paid for their last week of work.
The city council normally meets on the first Monday night of
each month, but it has not met since September, first because
it could not muster a quorum and later because of the political
fracas.
|
Go to Jackson
Community Pages
Public Meeting Dates
Community Calendar
Jackson County
Business Listing
Appliances/Electronics
Auto
Dealers
Auto
Parts
Auto
Services
Churches
Clothing
Education/Child
Care
Financial
Institutions
Food
& Convenience Stores
Funeral
Homes/Services
Furniture
Garden
& Agriculture
Home
Service/Supplies
Industry
& Manufacturing
Insurance
Lodging
Medical
Personal
Care Items/Services
Pharmacies
Real
Estate
Recreation/Entertainment
Restaurants/Other
Eateries
Retail
Stores/Outlets
Service
Businesses
Interim manager
to be named Tues.
In its first official action, the new five-member Jackson County
Board of Commissioners is expected to hire an interim county
manager when it meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Administrative
Building in Jefferson.
The new board has already reviewed applications for this temporary
position and interviewed the top candidates.
Also at the meeting, the BOC will name a new county attorney,
county clerk and the vice chairman for the board.
Following the meeting, a public hearing has been set for 7 p.m.
to receive citizen input on a proposed moratorium on industrial
zoning. A vote on the proposed moratorium will be held at the
BOC's regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 15.
Commissioner-elect Emil Beshara said at an earlier BOC meeting
that the board wants the moratorium because of concerns about
the existing zoning ordinance.
Industrial zoning applications that have already been submitted
to the county would not be affected by this moratorium.
The BOC's regular January work session will follow this public
hearing. The agenda has not yet been set for that meeting.
New Year's Day program
planned for 9 a.m. Mon.
The 73rd annual New Year's Day program will be held at 9 a.m.
Monday at the Jackson County courthouse in Jefferson.
The swearing-in of county officials will be a highlight of the
program. Those to be sworn in include the new board of commissioners
chairman Harold Fletcher and the new commissioners, Tony Beatty,
Sammy Thomason, Emil Beshara and Stacey Britt. The officials
will be sworn in by probate judge Margaret Deadwyler.
Tom Plank, minister of Galilee Christian Church, will be the
guest speaker and Jack Davidson will introduce special guests.
Judge David Motes, who coordinated the program, will give introductory
remarks. Mary Williamson will provide entertainment.
The program, which started in 1927, is believed to be the only
one of its kind. The theme is giving thanks for the year past
and asking for divine guidance in the year to come.
Zoning Ordinance
To Be On Agenda
The Commerce City Council may approve new zoning and subdivision
ordinances at its first meeting of the new year.
Then again, it may not act on them. The city council will meet
Monday night, Jan. 8, at 6:30 at the Commerce Civic Center.
Meeting Monday, Dec. 18, the Commerce Planning Commission voted
to recommend that the city council accept both the new ordinances.
But since the council members will have had only a few days to
go over them, there is a possibility that the council will table
action for a month on the zoning ordinance, says city clerk Shirley
Willis.
"They will probably vote on the subdivision regulations,
and maybe the zoning ordinance too," Willis said. "But
they won't get copies of the final drafts until Friday afternoon."
Should the council want a longer look at the zoning ordinance
before voting on it, there is a strong likelihood that the current
moratorium on approval of new subdivision plats will be extended.
That moratorium is due to expire in January, but the planning
commission voted to recommend its extension for six months or
until the new zoning ordinance is approved.
County Gets $800,000
To Rebuild Covered Bridge
The Jackson County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution
to contract with the state and federal departments of transportation
for over $800,000 in grant money to help replace the covered
bridge over the North Oconee River at Hurricane Shoals.
Commissioner Pat Bell said that with private donations and other
grant money, the bridge should end up costing the county nothing.
Also at its meeting Thursday, the board of commissioners also
approved a software contract for the tax commissioner's office.
The one-year contract with Visicraft Systems will cost the county
$9,500 per year in software support. The software itself is free.
Tax Commissioner Don Elrod said the county pays $11,000 per year
for support for the software it currently uses.
|
