The Commerce news. (Commerce, Ga.) 1???-current, August 03, 2016, Image 3

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The Commerce news., August 03, 2016, Image 3

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Newspaper Page TextWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2016 THE COMMERCE NEWS • THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS PAGE 3A DDA returns to an old issue — downtown parking Yet again, the Commerce Downtown Development Authority signaled plans to deal with parking problems. Executive director Natalie Thomas brought the subject up at the DDA’s July 26 meet ing, asking DDA members to review a 2010 ordinance — that the city never adopted — in regard to making changes. “I can’t imagine Com merce having a parking problem,” quipped chair man Mark McCannon, who’s served on the DDA long enough to have seen the issue come up — but never be resolved — several times. Thomas in particular asked DDA members to look over the penalties for viola tions and to consider how parking for people who live downtown should be con sidered. “The reason this has never been enforced is the bud get,” McCannon observed. “That’s always been an issue. I don’t know how you fix it.” “Think about ways this could be monitored,” Thom as urged. “If we paint ‘two- hour-parking’ is that some thing that will deter (viola tors)?” Johnny Eubanks, who is the DDA’s liaison to the city council, suggested that the DDA get input from as many people as possible. “The DDA needs to come up with what we think is good for the merchants and good for the city ...and go back to the mayor and council with a proposal,” he said. “We need to involve anybody that has something to do with the downtown and present it as a package that this is what the downtown wants, this is what the DDA wants and this is what the merchants want.” Eubanks, noting that other cities have the same issues, suggested that members, when visiting similar-size communities, take a look at how they handle parking “A lot of the time it’s the appearance of the parking lots and the access to them,” McCannon said, in regard to why people do not use the city’s off-street parking. He noted that the new parking lot off Cherry Street looks good, “but the old parking lot (adjacent to it) still looks pretty rough.” Mural Update Updating the DDA on its mural projects to disguise boarded windows in build ings on South Broad Street, Thomas reported that 11 win dows have been treated so far and have generated a lot of “positive feedback.” Future steps include putting murals on the side windows of Com merce Printing and Office Supply and on the rest of the Opera House windows. She said she would like to know of any business own ers who would like similar murals, which are designed to improve the back sides of downtown buildings. Other Matters Also on July 26, the DDA: •voted to change its meet ings from the fourth Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m. to the fourth Monday of each month at 4 p.m. so Thomas and civic center manager Justin Strick land can represent the city at the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Tourism Committee meetings, which are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 3 p.m.. • heard Thomas report that the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission con tinues to work on a pre-ap plication for an Appalachian Regional Commission grant. She asked members to be thinking of a grant-worthy project that would involve jobs or historic preservation. •learned that Katherine Sanders’ internship with the DDA ends this week. “Kath erine, thank you for your service to the DDA,” McCan non commented. “We appreciate it very much.” Thomas also commend ed Sanders for her work developing posters and bro chures for DDA projects. DDA has full schedule of fall events The Commerce Down town Development Authority has a busy schedule over the upcoming months. Executive director Natalie Thomas went over the list of events at the DDA’s July 26 meeting. They include: •Thursday, Aug. 25, the Tigers on the Town Pep Rally at 7 p.m. at Spencer Park. •Saturday, Aug. 27, the Retro Rockets will come back for a Concert on Cher ry event in lieu of a similar concert called off due to rain on July 16. • Tuesday, Sept 27, Pink Party in the Park (a Northridge Medical Center Event) in Spencer Park. •Saturday, Oct. 1, the fall Cruisin’ Commerce down town car show, with music. • Saturday Oct. 22, Bicycles, Brew and BBQ, starting at 8 a.m. with a bicycle ride and featuring a backyard barbecue contest with judging in the early afternoon. Seven barbe cue contestants and 12 ven dors have already expressed interest, and the plan is to have at least two bands. •Saturday, Oct. 22 at 6 p.m., the Nightmare on Elm Street 5K race. •Saturday, Dec. 3, Home town Holidays — a daylong event including Breakfast with Santa and Commerce by Candlelight. • Sunday, Dec. 4, the Com merce Christmas Parade. Event venue rental up in Commerce Commerce’s event ven ues are on track to host more than 300 events during 2016, manager Justin Strick land told the Commerce Civic Center and Tourism Authority on July 26. As of that date, the civic center, cultural center and Commerce Business Devel opment Center had been booked for 306 total events. That is a number that could grow, Strickland said “It’s only July,” he noted. “We could get more rentals, especially for the smaller rooms, by the end of the year. Every week we have people calling. It’s just a matter of if we have a room available. It’s getting to the point where Saturdays we just don’t have any room.” Strickland manages the Commerce Civic Center, which offers four rental spac es — the Harmony Grove Room (58 2016 rentals), the Commerce Room (54), the Cold Sassy Room (34), the Peach Room (24) and the Executive Board Room (18); also the Commerce Cultural Center (41 rentals) and the Commerce Business Infor mation Center (77). More rentals mean more income, and greater income means a lower rate of sub sidy by the city. Strickland said the budget projects transfers of $73,000 from the city to the civic center — down from approximately $110,000 two years ago and in the $80,000 range last year. “Every year so far is going down,” he said, “kind of, hopefully, what I intend to keep doing, whittling it away.” “What can the civic cen ter do to be 100-percent prof itable?” asked Mark McCan non. “Charge more money,” Strickland responded. That led to a discussion as to whether raising rates would affect bookings. “It might, it might,” Strick land said “One of the rea sons we have so many book ings is we charge less.” He added that the Commerce prices are the lowest per square foot of space in the area. But there are challenges. The building is old and con tinues to have issues, includ ing the need to replace the large heating and air condi tioning units upstairs. “I don’t want to destroy the usage of the property (by raising rates),” Mark McCannon offered. “It is nice to see the street full of cars. When people are here they are eating here... When I come to work in the morn ing and see the street full of cars, people are utilizing this building, and I’m seeing that more than I ever have.” “It’s good, too, to see the transfers coming down,” Johnny Eubanks added. Budget Briefing Strickland went over the civic center’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget (which started July 1), pointing out that for the first time, the city is budgeting for depreciation, which will be a $28,000 hit for the civic center. “We’re going to have to make up for that with more transfers in,” he predicted. “This year’s budget may look worse than last year because we have transfers in for depreciation.” The budget provides about $6,000 to purchase 300 replacement chairs — the other major change in the budget over last year. Housing rehab grants available in Commerce Fourteen Commerce resi dents have taken advantage of a federal housing initiative for low-income residents to reno vate their homes. “We’ve had 14 grants rang ing from $34,000 to $111,400,” reports David Zellner, Com merce’s planning director. He serves as the city’s liaison with Home Development Resourc es, Inc., a nonprofit group certified by the U.S. Depart ment of Housing and Urban Development to manage the Community Home Investment Program housing rehabilita tion grants. Of those 14 grants, 12 were inside the city limits. Since the program was instituted, the potential grant amounts have increased. “There was a limit, but they keep upping it,” said Zellner. In fact, he said, the largest grant was not a renovation; the recipient tore down the existing house and built a new one.” “I don’t know how they were able to pull off the new home,” Zellner said. The program is still being funded. Requirements “The main issue is home ownership,” Zellner said. The requirements are: • The homeowner or someone living in the resi dence must be 62 or older. • The home must be owner occupied. •The applicant must be a U.S. citizen. •The applicant must meet household income restric tions on a sliding scale that runs from $21,500 a year for a household of one to $40,600 for a household of eight. Mobile homes are not eligi ble for the program. Successful applicants can use the funds for repairs to roofs, heating and air condi tioning systems, plumbing, electrical systems, handicap ramps, handicap bathrooms, insulation, floor systems, leaky windows and doors, abate ment of lead-based paint and for other repairs/improve ments. Commerce became eligible based on U.S. census data showing a high level of pover ty Zellner said. Applications are available at City Hall of by calling 470-228- 9317. There is no application fee. Mary Ledbetter heads up the program for Home Devel opment Resources Inc. in Jackson County. Applications should be returned to Zellner, whose office is located in the city’s utility department, on Cedar Drive. Jobs ... Cont. from Page 1A tinually ongoing household surveys conducted by the fed eral Bureau of Labor Statistics, with data regarding unem ployment benefits and calls to employers about job numbers factored in. The DOL’s jobless rates for June for surrounding counties include: •Banks, 5.2 percent, up from 4.4 in May •Barrow, 4.9 percent, up from 4.2 • Hall, 4.7, up from 3.8 •Athens-Clarke, 6.1, up from 4.7 • Madison, 5.1, up from 4.2 Clay County in southwest Georgia holds the distinction of having the state’s highest unemployment rate at 9.7 per cent, up from 8.9 percent in May. Provisional ballots change Banks County election results Every vote really does count. Last week, it was reported that Keith Gardiner won the probate judge race in Banks County by one vote. However, that changed after the provisional ballots were counted. Helen Hewell is the official winner with 595 votes, while Gardiner had 594. Gardiner’s total was also 594 in the first count, but Hewell picked up two extra votes when the pro visional ballots were counted. Benton ... Cont. from 1A East Jackson Elementary enrollment is projected to be approximately 650 students with the addition of 180 stu dents from Benton. South Jackson Elementary enrollment is projected to be approximately 670 students with the addition of approxi mately 120 students from Benton. New ••• Cont. from Page 1A merce Middle School (Derrick Maxwell). •a new band director (Leyland Alexander) and the creation of an assistant band director position (filled by Nathan Lawrence, who is also a new high school English teacher). • new paint on the entryway at the primary school, and on the walk between the school and gym; new lights and tile in the CPS gym. • nine new staff members at CHS, including a new assis tant principal (William Smith). • new painting at CES and CMS. • newly sealed parking lot at CHS, new tankless water heaters in the field house, new washer and dryer in the field house and a refinished floor in the auxiliary gym. • new water heaters in the primary school. • the upgrade to Microsoft Office 2016 in CHS Business Education classes and the addition of an early childhood CTAE pathway, which means three new classes. • the addition of a weight training rotation as an option to the physical education rotation for seventh and eighth-grad ers at CMS. Energy Efficiency Work will also start this month on the system’s energy efficiency upgrades. ABM Building Solutions will begin replacing light fixtures with new LED fixtures and bulbs, work that will be done at night, on weekends and during breaks so as to not interfere with instruction. The project will include new HVAC controls and water efficiency upgrades at all schools and eventually new roofs and HVAC systems at the primary and elementary schools. Jackson ••• Cont. from 1A East Jackson Comprehen sive High School. Enrollment projections include: • Benton- 302 • E. Jackson Elem. - 483 • Gum Springs- 828 • Maysville - 302 North Jackson - 324 South Jackson - 577 W. Jackson Elem. - 817 E. Jackson Middle - 817 W. Jackson Middle - 968 East Jackson High - 939 Jackson Co. High - 1,152 The deadline for submitting news or photographs to this newspaper is noon on the Monday prior to publication. □[Georgia Neurology, LLC Adeel Rahman MD Providing treatment for: Stroke • Limb Pain Parkinson’s • Numbness Multiple Sclerosis • Dizziness Dementia • Muscle Pain Memory Loss • Muscle Spasms Confusion • Epilepsy Seizures • Headaches Tremor • Nerve Spinal Cord Diseases Compression Neck Pain • Back Pain • All other neurological disorders 1 We offer on-site neurodiagnostic testing • We accept Medicare, most commercial insurances, Medicaid and private pay PHONE 770-267-1159 314 North Broad St. Winder, GA 30680 FAX 770-267-1163 611 Hospital Road Commerce, GA 30529