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Jakson BOE proposes consolidating schools

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in Area Headline News

Wednesday, February 13. 2013

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A decision is expected in the coming weeks from the Jackson County Board of Education about an administrative proposal to consolidate some school facilities for next year.

The board saw a proposal Monday night that would close the current South Jackson Elementary School and move it into the Kings Bridge Middle School facility. KBMS sixth and seventh graders would be relocated to East Jackson Middle School while eighth graders from both KBMS and EJMS would be relocated to East Jackson Comprehensive High School. In addition, a new wing would be added onto West Jackson Intermediate School to help relieve overcrowding on the West side of the county.

[Full Story »]

Nicholson takes no action on alcohol sales

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Sharon Hogan

in Area Headline News

Wednesday, February 6. 2013

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Approximately 40 people turned out at Monday’s Nicholson City Council meeting, with most of them expecting a vote to be taken by the council on the proposed package sale of beer and wine in the city.

The alcohol issue wasn’t on the agenda for Monday night and the council didn’t discuss the issue during the meeting. No timeline was given as to when a vote would be taken. [Full Story »]

Ginn seeks 4-year Senate terms

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Staff Writer

in Area Headline News

Friday, February 1. 2013

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Sen. Frank Ginn is considering calling for a resolution to have Georgia State Senators elected for four-year terms rather than the current two-year terms.

The measure would require a constitutional amendment to be voted on by Georgia voters before it could become law.

Ginn said Monday that while his proposal applied only to state senators, he would not oppose House members also going from a two-year to a four-year term.

Under the proposal, the plan would take effect in 2014 if approved by voters later this year.

No resolution has been submitted to the Senate yet, but Ginn has completed a draft of a proposed bill to address the issue.

No support for alcohol sales in Nicholson

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Sharon Hogan

in Area Headline News

Wednesday, January 30. 2013

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Approximately 100 people turned out Thursday evening for a hearing in Nicholson on the proposed package sale of beer and wine in the city.

Of the nearly 100 people packed into the Nicholson Community Center, approximately 25 spoke out in opposition to the proposal. No one spoke in favor of allowing alcohol sales.

For the full story, see the Jan. 30 edition of The Commerce News.

Library re-opening delayed to Monday

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Mark Beardsley

in Area Headline News

Wednesday, January 23. 2013

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Last minute building code issues forced the long-awaited opening of the renovated and expanded Commerce Public Library to be postponed until Monday.

The facility is now scheduled to open at 10 a.m. on Monday.

The library was originally scheduled to open Thursday, Jan. 24, at 10 a.m.

Books can be returned at the facility's book drop. No fines will be levied for materials turned late as a result of the delay.

City school board pays off its loan

Posted by

Cameron Whitlock

in Area Headline News

Friday, January 18. 2013

Thanks to a seasonal influx of property tax revenue, the Commerce Board of Education paid off its bank loan and is operating in the black.

The board reported a positive net fund equity balance Monday, Jan. 14.

The current equity of 369,846 is in sharp contrast to the minus-$1,459,217 posted at the end of November.

The school system has received $5,869,401 in revenue (54.01 percent of that projected on the 2012-13 budget), which was a vast increase from the 28.54 percent ($3,101,299) collected at the end of November when property taxes were just trickling in.

Thus far, the school system has received $2,385,260 in taxes. The board also saw an increase in revenue from state sources.

“Tax collections have been very good for us,” said superintendent James “Mac” McCoy. “We are far from being out of the woods, but we are in the positive right now.”

East Jackson taxpayers fund most of city fire department budget

Posted by

Mark Beardsley

in Area Headline News

Wednesday, January 16. 2013

For the second year in a row, 56 percent of the cost of funding the Commerce Fire Department will not come from the city.

Instead, residents of the East Jackson Fire District will pay $177,000 of the Commerce Fire Department’s $272,323 budget for the current fiscal year, in spite of the fact that during 2012 only 17.2 percent of the department’s fire calls were in the East Jackson Fire District.

Under an agreement between Jackson County and Commerce, the East Jackson Fire District can levy up to three mills of ad valorem taxes with which it contracts with Commerce for fire services. The current levy is 1.6 mills, unchanged in years.
[Full Story »]

New sheriff makes staff changes

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Angela Gary

in Area Headline News

Wednesday, January 9. 2013

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New Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum made several staff changes during her first few days in office, including naming Daniel Thomas as chief deputy and Clayton Lowe as jail commander.

Major Thomas, who retired from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation after 30 years and also worked with the Georgia State Patrol, replaces David Cochran as chief deputy. Cochran has been reassigned as a lieutenant in the jail division.

Capt. Lowe, who served as sheriff of Madison County for 12 years and worked for the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, replaces David Savage as jail commander. Savage has been reassigned to the patrol division.
[Full Story »]

Senators: Health care funding to hit budget

Posted by

Mark Beardsley

in Area Headline News

Friday, January 4. 2013

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The two state senators who represent Jackson County as the 2013 legislative session nears see challenges for the General Assembly in funding increased health care costs in the wake of passage of the Affordable Health Care Act.

Sen. Frank Ginn represents the bottom half of Jackson County following the realignment of his 47th District last year. A Republican from Madison County, Ginn has represented the district for two years.

Sen. John Wilkinson (R-Toccoa) represents the eight Jackson County precincts in the northeast half of the county — including all of Commerce. A former program manager for the Department of Education, he was elected to the Senate in a special election in 2011. [Full Story »]

Benton: Hospital 'bed tax' to be legislative issue

Posted by

Mark Beardsley

in Area Headline News

Wednesday, January 2. 2013

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When the Georgia House of Representatives takes up the 2013-14 budget – its most pressing duty of the legislative session — Rep. Tommy Benton (R-Jefferson) expects the biggest challenge to be in health care.

“It’s going to be the shortfall in Medicaid funding, about $350 million,” Benton commented last week. When asked where the legislature would find that money, he replied, “I guess they’ll go to cut other agencies again.”

But Benton also predicted that there will be strong sentiment — and strong opposition — to renewing the hospital bed “provider fee” that has gone to meet Medicaid expenses but which has expired.
[Full Story »]

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