The Braselton news. (Jefferson, Ga) 2006-current, April 09, 2008, Image 3

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The Braselton news., April 09, 2008, Image 3

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Newspaper Page TextWednesday, April 9, 2008 The Braselton News Page 3A Barrow County Board of Education BOE awaits word from state to complete budget figures BY CHRIS BRIDGES he Barrow County Board of Education is in some what of a holding pattern concerning its budget for the new fiscal year until some decisions are made by the governor’s office. Ken Cato, assistant superintendent of business services, said Tuesday night that approximately 85 percent of the new budget is complete, but other areas are on hold. “You know 85 percent of our bud get deals with salary and benefits,” Cato said. “That is pretty much set. The state has approved a 2.5 percent increase in pay.” The remaining portion of the bud get cannot be set, he said, until the school system receives word from Governor Sonny Perdue’s office con cerning the equalization grant. “We are scheduled to receive one, but until it is signed, it is still in doubt,” Cato said. “The governor could use a line item veto on it.” Within a few days, Cato said he hoped to have a clarification from the governor’s office on the matter. He said there was no need to hold a scheduled work session Thursday about the budget since the informa tion would not be available at that time. Cato said Barrow County, like other school systems in the state, could get additional funds to replace past “aus terity reduction” cuts, but that funding could also be vetoed by Perdue. In other business at Tuesday’s meet ing, the BOE: •recognized Winder-Barrow High School’s Jeff Beggs for being named Class AAAA athletic director of the year. Beggs had previously been named athletic director of the year for Region 8-AAAA. The veteran coach and educator is retiring from WBHS at the end of the 2007-08 school year. Barrow County Board of Commissioners Barrow receives $10,000 homeland security grant BY KRISTI REED For the third year in a row, Barrow County has been awarded a grant from the Department of Homeland Security and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency for the citizens’ corps program. The $10,000 grant will help Barrow County train volunteer emergency responders in first aid and disaster relief. In other business, the Barrow County Board of Commissioners: •accepted a $3,000 health promotion and wellness grant from the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG). •approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Carl in which Barrow County will process all applications for building permits, variances and rezones for the city. City and county officials have entered into the agreement to insure consistent application of the Barrow County Land Use plan and minimize inefficiency resulting from duplication of services. •tabled two proposed changes to the Barrow County Employee hand book. The first change would provide a three percent salary increase to any employee required to work at a higher grade on a temporary basis. The second change specified procedures for administrative transfers. •approved the purchase of two dump trucks at a cost of $112,000 each. The purchase will be funded from the road SPLOST. PERMITS — cont’d from pg. 1A numbers reflect the building per mits issued in its four-county town limits of Jackson, Barrow, Hall and Gwinnett. By the end of 2007, there were 989 new residential building permits issued in Jackson County and its nine cities. HOUSING AND LOTS According to statistics from the Jackson County Public Development Department, fewer lots are also being platted due to the housing slowdown. From a high of 2,445 lots plated in 2005, the number fell to 1,687 in 2006 and only 1,094 last year. Through three months of 2008, only 107 lots were platted. Meanwhile, the department cal culated that some 672 speculative houses were on the market at the end of March. The vast majority, 412, were in unincorporated Jackson County, Jefferson had 133, Braselton 69 and Commerce 28. www.maynardrealty.com MAYNARD & BARTLETT REALTY GROUR LLP • Residential Sales • New Home Subdivisions • Commercial Specialists • Industrial Developments • Farms and Land CALLUS FOR A FREE MARKET ANALYSIS 31 S. Center St. Winder, GA 30680 770-867-6821 PUBLIC NOTICE There will be a public meeting on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 7:00 P. M. at the Depot, 4272 Highway 53, Hoschton, GA 30548, to receive input into the design of the Highway 124/Highway 53 Overlay Corridor. This meeting will include discussion on lot standards, architecture, signage, parking, lighting, landscaping/buffers, and accessibility. For additional information, please contact Frank Etheridge, Planning Department Manager at 706-367-5908. Winder QUICK ACTING Winder-Barrow H.S. students Rodney Morris and Jared Kay were recognized for their quick actions in administering the Heimlich maneuver to a fellow student who was choking. Police Captain Dennis Dorsey presented the award. Photos by Kristi Reed MASTER CLERK Winder City Clerk Sabrina Wall was recognized for successfully completing the 60-hour Clerks Master Education Program at the University of Georgia. City Administrator Bob Beck presented Wall with a certificate of achievement. Winder City Council recognizes employees, citizens BY KRISTI REED Winder Mayor Chip Thompson recognized several employees and citizens for their actions and achievements at Tuesday night’s council meeting. Several city employees were recognized, as were two Winder-Barrow High School students. The council recognized: •Winder-Barrow High School senior Rodney Morris and sophomore Jared Kay for their quick actions in administering the Heimlich maneuver to a fel low student who was choking on a piece of candy. School resource officer Tim Harrell praised the boys for their efforts. •firefighters Barry Garrett and William Reidling for volunteering to fight the large forest fires in south Georgia last year. The City of Winder is part of the Georgia Mutual Aid Group (GMAG). When GMAG asked for volun teers, Garrett and Reidling immediately volunteered and were enroute to the fire within two hours of first receiving the request for assistance. Garrett and Reidling were deployed for a total of nine days. •Public Works Department employees Michael Martin, Cody Skelton and Michael Sams for the care and consideration they showed to an elderly citizen in medical distress. After noticing an elderly female having trouble walking, Martin and Skelton stopped to offer assistance. The woman refused an ambulance, but asked that her husband be contacted. Martin and Skelton remained with the woman while Sams located her husband. •City Clerk Sabrina Wall for successfully completing the 60-hour Clerks Master Education Program at the University of Georgia. HELPED CITIZEN Mayor Chip Thompson presented awards to Public Works employ ees Michael Martin and Cody Skelton in recognition of the care and consideration they showed to an elderly citizen in medical distress. Supervisor Michael Sams was also honored. WINDER — continued from page 1A Volunteers needed shops located within the city. Due to the large volume of sto len property which moves through these shops, law enforcement per sonnel devote considerable time and resources to visit the shops and check items against a statewide database of stolen property. Rodgers estimates his department devotes over $2,200 in resources to each shop. Pawn shop owner Michael Barnette asked council to reconsider the $ 1,200 fee, saying it was far more than the fees charged by surround ing cities and counties. Barnette said he is struggling to make a living and called the 600 percent increase “pretty substantial.” Councilman Sonny Morris said he understood Barnette’s concerns, but that the city was justified in charging the higher fees. “It’s costing the city a lot of money to manage and maintain pawn shops,” he said. In other business, council: •approved a franchise fee ordi nance which will allow the city to collect 5 percent of the gross rev enues of any cable or video which holds a statewide franchise and uti lizes local right of ways. •authorized the opening of a new bank account for the city’s SPLOST funds. •approved a beer, wine and liquor permit for Turtle Creek Wine and Spirits at 429 Loganville Highway. •approved a beer, wine and liquor permit by the drink for Murphy’s Brass Rail located at 243-A North Broad Street in Winder. •approved a beer permit by the drink for the Chimneys Golf Course /■ Bring In Your 10k and 14k Scrap Gold N And receive Top Dollar Value EVANS JEWEL BOX 55 N. Broad St. • Downtown Winder 770-867-3761 V ✓ // \\ COMING SOON TO CARL A family run and owned childcare center STARLIGHT ACADEMY Where every child SHINES! 109 Carl Cedar Hill Road For more information, please call 770-307-0034 at 338 Monroe Highway. •tabled a game room license request for Don’s Food and Gas Game room at 186 West May Street. •approved an event permit for the Winder-Barrow High School Bulldog Band Thriller Race/Walk. The race is scheduled for Apr. 26 at 8:30 a.m. •approved a prayer walk spon sored by Fit 5. The walk will take place downtown on Apr. 26 at 9 a.m. •approved the rezoning of 114 North Broad Street from R-l to B-l for office or professional use. Braselton is seeking volunteers for cleaning up the Mulberry RiverWalk on Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to noon. The annual clean-up day will be held at the wooden bridge in the Mulberry Park subdivision. The town will provide gloves, bags, water and thank you gifts for vol unteers. The town is seeking volun teers of all ages. For more information about the cleanup, or directions, con tact town manager Jennifer Scott at 706-654-5720 or e-mail jscott@ braselton.net. SOLID WOOD Kitchen & Bath Cabinetry • Oak • Hickory • Glazed Maple • Sienna Come check our prices before you buy! Whiddon Sales Company 617 Atlanta Hwy SE Winder, GA 770-867-1638 HOSCHTON MEDICAL, PC Board Certified - Family Medicine CAQ - Sports Medicine Is now open at Hoschton Towne Center r Specializing In: Labs While You Wait! Cholesterol and ~ Complete Family Care ~ Sports Medicine L Metabolic Panel Checks Get Your Results In 20 Minutes! ^ Call for appointment! 706-658-2452 115 Towne Center Pkwy., Suite 113, Hoschton, GA 30548 Leslie David, M.D. HOURS: Mon., Tues. & Wed. 9 a.m. - 5p.m. Thurs. 8 a.m. - 6p.m. • Fri. 8 a.m. - 2p.m.