News from BraseltonNewsTODAY

News from BraseltonNewsTODAY - Topics from March, 2011

New state law to affect property assessments, appeals process

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Thursday, March 31. 2011

A major overhaul in how counties in Georgia assess property taxes is leading to some key changes this year, according to one official. Henry Williams, interim chief appraiser for Jackson County, addressed those changes during a town hall meeting hosted by county commissioner Bruce Yates last week in Hoschton. The sweeping changes will largely ... [Full Story »]

BOE talks about personnel for two-plus hours

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BraseltonNewsTODAY

Thursday, March 31. 2011

The Jackson County Board of Education met behind closed doors for two and a half hours to discuss personnel on Tuesday, but didn’t take any action when the meeting was opened to the public. By May 15, the board is required to issue teacher contracts for the next school year. Before going into the closed-door session, the board approved the ... [Full Story »]

Braselton CID agrees to get $450,000 loan

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BraseltonNewsTODAY

Wednesday, March 30. 2011

Braselton’s self-taxing business district will stick with a local bank to finance its first loan — which will fund a new multi-use path. The Braselton Community Improvement District (CID) on Monday favored a proposal by Braselton-based Independence Bank to finance its $450,000 loan. That money will be used to fund a proposed LifePath, which ... [Full Story »]

Revamped state tax plan remains viable

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BraseltonNewsTODAY

Wednesday, March 30. 2011

Two pieces of legislation previously thought to have been dead have gained new life in the Georgia General Assembly. The House of Representatives is expected to vote any day now on a revamped tax plan that would lower the state income tax, slap a new seven-percent sales tax on telecommunications, and apply the state sales tax to casual sales of ... [Full Story »]

Barn in Braselton completely destroyed by fire

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BraseltonNewsTODAY

Wednesday, March 30. 2011

A small storage barn in Braselton was completely burned in a fire on Thursday, March 21, according to Jackson County public safety director Steve Nichols. The Lingerfelt Lane fire initially included a two-acre brush fire and a small storage barn that became fully involved in flames, according to Nichols. A residence was also exposed to the ... [Full Story »]

Talk rolls on for proposed T-SPLOST projects

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BraseltonNewsTODAY

Monday, March 28. 2011

With renewal of the SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) in November and E-LOST (Education Local Option Sales Tax) this month, talk is starting to get serious about a referendum for yet another one-percent sales tax. If all goes as expected, voters in Jackson and 11 other counties will go to the polls the summer of 2012 to consider ... [Full Story »]

School system looks at new energy savings program

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BraseltonNewsTODAY

Sunday, March 27. 2011

Just turning off more lights — or putting an end to leaking sinks — could have significant long-term savings for the Jackson County School System, according to a company. The Dallas, Texas-based company Energy Education is proposing a “people-based process” that could save the Jackson County School System an estimated $5.3 million in ... [Full Story »]

County sells bonds to refinance debt

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BraseltonNewsTODAY

Sunday, March 27. 2011

Jackson County recently sold $20.3 million of General Obligation Bonds to refinance existing debt in order to lock-in savings for the county’s taxpayers. The bonds were voter-authorized in November 2010 in order to refinance a portion of the county’s Series 2007A Bonds issued through the City of Jefferson Public Building Authority. After ... [Full Story »]

Junior Master Gardener Program starts working with kids in Braselton

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BraseltonNewsTODAY

Sunday, March 27. 2011

For avid gardeners, this time of year is prime for staying busy getting their hands into the soil to prepare for a new season. But for this group of fresh gardeners — some still in elementary school — they’re blending classroom instruction and hands-on experience to someday become young experts in a garden. “We’re going to do our ... [Full Story »]

Architect of library offers insight into design

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BraseltonNewsTODAY

Sunday, March 27. 2011

If there was one thing Diane Lemaster wanted when Braselton was building its new library five years ago, it was the intimacy of the former facility. But that building — just 600 square feet — was, by all accounts, too tiny for a rapidly-growing community. At the time, the Braselton Library’s book collection was limited by the small ... [Full Story »]

Entries from March 2011