By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

Members of the Madison City Council held a public hearing Monday night for their Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance plan.
City Planner Bryce Jaeck said that Morgan County Planning Director Chuck Jarrell shared with him that the county continues working on its plan and that Jarrell offered a couple of minor suggestions for the city’s plan. 
He added that other than comments from one resident that he shared at the work session, he has not received any other public comment.
None was forthcoming at this meeting, either.
“It’s been out there really quite a while and I have received very little comment from the public,” he said.
To view the plan, visit http://madisonga.com/Archive.aspx?ADID=680. The public may call Jaeck at 706-342-1251 extension 226 or e-mail him at bjaeck@madisonga.com with any questions.
Council members will vote on the ADA plan during a special called meeting held prior to their work session on March 25.

Printed in the March 14, 2013 edition

By Kathryn Schiliro
Managing Editor

The Bostwick City Council voted unanimously to begin layout of the parking lot that is now in the location of what was the community center.
The lot will have 56 90-degree parking spaces – though that number may decrease depending on the number of handicap spots that are put in – and in the immediate future will see wheel stops installed for a total of $2,800.
Striping of the parking lot can't be completed until summer's end as the milling – the ground asphalt the lot is made of – needs to be packed down simply by cars driving on it.
Further, trees are going to be planted near the back side of the parking lot.
In other news:
• The council voted unanimously to install a solar-powered speed limit sign on Apalachee Road, provided the cost of the sign was comparable to the cost of a speed bump.
The council did budget for speed bumps, but agreed these signs – the speed limit is posted above a digital readout that tells the driver how fast he/she is going; the sign is solar-powered – might do a better job of slowing down drivers. Another advantage, the signs can be moved around while speed bumps cannot be moved.
• The city is holding off voting on the cemetery project until another bid is received.
The cemetery was last mapped in 1981. There was some discussion among council members as to whether the graves would be pinned or individual lots.

Printed in the March 14, 2013 edition

By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

Morgan County Commissioner Andy Ainslie apprised those present at the monthly meeting of the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission (NEGRC) in Athens of several projects going on in the county.
He said there is a light at the end of the tunnel as far as property values go: a 5 percent decrease for this year is anticipated.
“We seem to have hit the low,” he said. “We think and projections are that that may be the bottom.”
He added that the housing market is recovering.
“Inventory is filling up, banks are saying there are very few properties out there,” he said. “We think we’ve hit the bottom as far as economics goes in Madison, Morgan County.”
He also mentioned the agricultural forum and hopes of tweaking communication between the ag community and county government.
“Morgan County is truly an agricultural community,” he said. “It’s somewhere between a $60 and $65 million impact each year on our economy just from the ag community.”
Caterpillar has impacted the community already and Baxter International will impact the community in future, he said.
“Baxter’s going to have a real impact on Morgan County,” he said, noting that that company will have about 1,500 employees. “That is one of the reasons some of our houses already have filled up.”
As to the county’s recycling efforts, Ainslie reported that the county currently spends about $30,000 a month to move garbage out of the county.
“There’s a real initiative to try to cut back lumber products, plastic, take that out of the stream and put it in the recycling for Morgan County,” he said.
Over the next three or four months the county hopes to reduce that $30,000 garbage bill by at least $5,000 or $6,000, he said.

By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

The Morgan County Republican Party (GOP) elected Allison Thompson its chair during its convention last Saturday.
Vice-chair Dave Belton shared that Thompson holds a political science degree from the University of Georgia.
“We’re very excited to have Allison leading our local party,” he shared. “She’s one of the many fresh faces of the new leaders of the Republican Party that will make us even more inclusive than we’ve ever been before.”
A lifelong resident of Morgan County, Thompson said that she has been active in the Morgan GOP for the past five years.
While she has volunteered to serve Republican campaigns, this is her first elected office with the Morgan GOP.
During her two-year term she said their goals will be two-fold: to expand their membership and to share the GOP’s message.
That message: “We’re here.”
She added that the GOP is more diverse than people may realize.
She’s the first female chair of the Morgan GOP and quite likely its youngest, she said.
Delegates to the 10th Congressional District and State conventions will be: Allison and her husband Greg Thompson, Ginger McFaddin, Belton, Fred Johnson, Paula Sellers and Bob Rice.
Allison shared that Greg is both a teacher and the high school boys and girls tennis coach.
Belton noted that about 20 people attended the convention.
“All but three were from the 5th District (Buckhead),” he shared. “As a point of info, Greene, Jasper, Putnam, and Morgan now have female GOP chairs.”
Other officers elected include: Treasurer Fred Johnson and Secretary Trish Jones.

Printed in the March 14, 2013 edition

By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) of Madison hosted more than a dozen residents of the Canaan neighborhood last week during a town hall meeting held at St. Paul’s AME Church.
Also in attendance were city staff and two councilmen: Fred Perriman and Michael Naples.
Attendees were introduced to Madison’s new Police Chief Bill Ashburn who had been on the job about a week at that time.
City Manager David Nunn introduced Ashburn and commented on his “impeccable service record.”
Ashburn retired from the Georgia State Patrol after more than 30 years of service there. He said that his 20 years of experience as an administrator has made working with people his forte and encouraged those present to talk to him.
During the meeting the attendees did just that: from overgrown lots to abandoned buildings, from speeding cars to people hanging out, from noise to trash.
Regarding vacant buildings, DDA Executive Director and City Planning Director Monica Callahan said that the city has an unfit buildings ordinance to address abandoned buildings but that it’s “a pretty long procedure.”
Ashburn asked for details about the speeding cars.
As for the concerns about trash, Nunn took note of the areas of concern.
In other news, Callahan said that Sherry Terrell Alexander has agreed to contact five or six people to serve as block captains on a Neighborhood Action Group for the neighborhood.
She said the group would work like a school phone tree.

Printed in the March 14, 2013 edition

By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

The Buckhead city council discussed ongoing plans to build a new well for Buckhead’s water supply.
Mayor Ricky Walker indicated that he had begun to investigate the costs and specifics surrounding adding a new well.
“It ain’t like we’ve got to have it done tomorrow, but we need to start moving forward on it,” said Mayor Walker.
As of now, a location directly behind Buckhead’s existing water tower is being proposed as the location of the well, since power is already being run to that location. However, that plan hinges on whether or not water can actually be found at that location.
Proposed methods of funding the project include finding grants for financial help and using funds, which Buckhead set aside in the past in the event that they would eventually need a new well.
“We might not need any help,” continued Walker. “But we can keep [the money previously set aside] for future uses down the road. If we can get some help, we’ll take that help, too.”
During the meeting, Chuck Jarrell approached the city council with a request for financial assistance; the Buckhead Fire Department would like the city to help pay for new lighting fixtures in the fire department, since that is also where the city council holds its monthly meetings.
“We’re coming to the end of the life span of our light fixtures,” stated Jarrell. “We would like to have an electrician come in and do an evaluation.”
Jarrell hopes that new fixtures will allow the department to reduce the number of light fixtures necessary while maintaining or increasing the level of illumination in the fire department.
The city council agreed to consider the fire department’s request in the coming month, while looking for ways to fit the funding into the budget.