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THURSDAY, Thursday 20, 2012
County furloughs likely to continue By LEANNE AKIN lakin@clickthepaper.com Nine furlough days for county employees will likely be recommended for next year in order to address ongoing budget woes being experienced by Jackson County. At Monday evening meeting of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, County Manager Kevin Poe provided a brief overview of the $63.6 million budget proposal which will be the subject of a Tuesday morning work session. In order to keep the millage rate in the unincorporated area at 8.61 mills with a slight .3-mill increase in the millage rate for incorporated areas, $2 million is being trimmed
from the Fiscal Year 2013 budget proposal. That represents a cut of 3.14 percent from the current total fiscal year budget. The General Fund budget would take a 3.1 percent hit, according to Poe’s executive summary. County employees saw three furlough days restored for the remainder of this calendar year but to save $533,066, Poe will recommend nine furlough days for 2013. Furloughs have been utilized to save money since October 2009. The 2013 budget package includes $12,189.278 in salaries and $4.4 million in benefits. The total General Fund budget is a $34.6 million proposal. Another pattern seen in balancing the county’s budget is use of prior year reserves.
Although no reserves were actually used in 2011, they were budgeted. It is estimated that nearly $1.7 million would be needed from reserves to balance the budget which is feeling the impact of the anticipated decline of $105.3 million in the value of the total tax digest for 2012. The county stands to lose $755,000, or 4.18 percent, in real and personal property taxes. The commission will hold the Tuesday work session to review the budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2013. The session will convene at 9 a.m. in the manager’s conference room in the County Administration Building at 67 Athens St., in Jefferson. On Monday, the commission gave preliminary approval to the proposal budget and
millage rate. The required five-year history will be published in the legal organ along with the notice of a called Oct. 4 meeting set for 9 a.m. in the Jury Assembly Room in the Jackson County Courthouse. That meeting will be held to give final approval to the budget and millage rate. Commissioners will be attending the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia Legislative Leadership Conference in Athens on Oct. 1-2 so the board’s work session will convene at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 8. Jackson County will also be hosting the ACCG District 5 meeting at 6 p.m. on Oct. 30 in the Jury Assembly Room in the Jackson County Courthouse.
Saddle up – and head to Hoschton ‘Cowboy Up’ is festival theme
LeAnne Akin The Paper
Jackson County District 3 Commissioner Bruce Yates, left, talked with citizens after the Sept. 13 town hall meeting. Although already approved and the construction crew onsite, some still question the site for the new EMS Station 3. Fire service, not EMS, was anticipated to be the major topic.
Fire issue on way to resolution By KATIE JUSTICE kjustice@clickthepaper.com A needed document which would assure the private organization which ranks potential fire risk in the West Jackson area was expected to be finalized yesterday. That means property owners in Antrim Glen subdivision who had received notice from their insurance companies that their homeowners’ insurance would be rising with an increase in their ISO rating
shouldn’t face higher rates. The subdivision has some property outside the 5-mile radius from a fire station used by the Insurance Services Office to determine lower ratings. Officers from the West Jackson and Jackson Trail fire departments were to sit down Wednesday to put the agreement in place to satisfy ISO that the proper automatic aid would come in the event of a fire.
See TOWn HALL, page 2A
Everyone should saddle up and visit downtown Hoschton because it’s “Cowboy Up for Hoschton” weekend. The annual Hoschton Fall Festival kicks into high gear with vendors, entertainment, kids’ inflatables, a parade, car show, rummage sale, raffles and more. Set up is Friday. The Hoschton Heritage Arts Center rummage sale begins at 8 a.m. at 74 White St., behind Hoschton City Hall and continues through Saturday. Come early and bring your truck to load up great deals donated by members of the Arts Council. Also on Friday night, Wing Slingers in Towne Center will have a band and Auction Ventures at 3880 Highway 53 in Hoschton will give 10 percent of the proceeds from the Friday auction beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday events begin at 8 a.m. with the Cowboy Up 5K Run for Food 2 Kids of Jackson County. Registration and the race begins at the West Jackson ballfields. Food and craft vendors open at 9 a.m. and will be located on the town square, at the Depot and at Towne Center. Little folks’ rides will predominately be corraled at Towne Center.
See FESTIVAL, page 2A
Bill Gentry and the 35 Cent Rodeo will be returning to the Hoschton Fall Festival stage By KATIE JUSTICE kjustice@clickthepaper.com Bill Gentry will take the stage at the Hoschton Fall Festival for the third time this Saturday. Gentry, a native of Carrollton, is making his third appearance at the festival. “I’ve got a special place in my heart for Hoschton,” said Gentry, of his excitement to return. Gentry missed out on last year’s festival due to scheduling conflicts, but he will be headlining this year’s show. The Gentry show starts at 6:30 p.m. with Lisa Martin and Doug Thompson getting things started. Then, Gentry will kick things off with his self-labeled style of rock
See GENTRY, page 7A
Hoschton mayor vetoes council’s budget ‘move’ By Roxane Rose rrose@clickthepaper.com At the Sept. 13 called meeting of the Hoschton City Council, council members voted unanimously to support the proposed amendment to the Special Purpose Location Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) to use $25,000 in recreation funds to help relocate the Hosch Brothers Store. The total estimated cost to move and renovate the exterior of the Hosch Store and relocate the playground is $50,000; the balance would be funded in part by citizen and business donations with a matching grant provided by the building’s owners. On Friday, Mayor Erma Denney, who was unable to attend the called meeting, vetoed the council’s vote. Denney last week announced she would be resigning her office effective Oct. 31 in response to her company’s employment contract with a vendor that prohibits her from holding elective office. As mayor pro-tem, Theresa Kenerly will assume responsibilities as mayor on Nov. 1, and she filled in at the called session with Denney out of town.
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Override to allow Hosch Store effort may come Oct. 1
their families on a day-to-day basis,” said Denney. With an affirmative vote of five council members, the council can override the veto at the next scheduled city council meeting which is at 7 p.m. on Oct. 1 at City Hall.
In explaining her veto, Denney noted she was focused on turning Hoschton’s financial crisis around from the beginning and that, “…I shall not waiver on my rigorous and conservative approach to the allocation of public funds.” Denney said throughout her term as mayor, she had always advocated for minimal spending; exceptions to this have been for projects that promote the health and well being of citizens. “Recreational SPLOST funds are limited in supply and this is not expected to change for the foreseeable future. The previous administration was judicious with these funds and this has continued throughout my term,” Denney said. “While we indeed have a small fund for specific use, I do not feel this money is ‘burning a hole in our pocket’ and the money can remain until an appropriate project that benefits the larger community is proposed. “I would encourage the community to develop ideas on how they would like to see the public funds used to benefit
Community works to save history
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The Hosch Store, located on Peachtree Road, is one of the oldest buildings in Hoschton. It has also served as a post office and a nurses’ dormitory. Earlier this year, the Hosch Store was scheduled for demolition on June 1. “This is my grandmother and grandfather represented in the Hosch Brothers Store,” said Ralph Freeman Jr., speaking during the called meeting. He noted that when his grandparents’ house burned, they moved into the store, and his mother was born there. “My grandfather got the post office in store, and he was the first postmaster. Before that, residents had to go to Mulberry
See HOSCHTON, page 7A
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