CMYK Thursday, November 28, 2013
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Turkey creations at New Liberty UMC. 3A
Retreat: Correctional institute discussed By LEANNE AKIN
lakin@clickthepaper.com
Jackson County will be putting money into facilities for the Jackson County Correctional Institute whether the county opts to return to the former location or remain in the current state facilitybeing leased. At a Monday retreat, the Jackson County Board of Commissioners heard an update on the anticipated expenditures which will be needed since the county is currently renting a cooling system and a generator. A new water heater is also needed, reported County Manager Kevin Poe. Commissioners gathered at the Jackson County Fire Training Center for the retreat. Commissioner Bruce Yates had previously asked staff to revisit the cost study conducted several years ago which prompted the county
to reduce the number of state inmates from 200 to 150. Yates asked if the county would be better utilizing its funds by investing in full-time employees rather than providing inmate labor. Poe had also been asked to explore the status of the county’s lease arrangement with the state. Jackson County currently pays $33,400 a year for the former I.W. Davis facility. Poe met with Gov. Nathan Deal and learned the state is not interested in making any changes in the 20-year lease agreement which is in its fourth year. Purchase of the facility is likely out of the question an appraisal would require the purchase price be $2 million to $3 million, which Poe said is an inflated value. Because the currently has 11,000 empty prison beds, there is little negotiating power although the state pays $20 per diem to the
county while the state’s cost to house an inmate is closer to $60 a day. Finance Director Logan Propes provided commissioners with financial information which shows it takes about a $1 million a year to run the correctional institute. Inmates from the facility provide services including maintenance including grounds maintenance for the county as well as the Georgia Department of Transportation and municipalities including Hoschton, Maysville and Commerce. Poe said if the correctional institute was shut down, 23 employees could possibly be hired with the $1 million. Twenty-nine positions at the CI would be eliminated. However, Poe said, the county would need to hire 28 employees to handle work to replace inmate labor, and that does not include the impact on fire services if the JCCI Fire
Brigade was not responding to calls. Poe said the budget for next year includes $80,000 in improvements. Poe said the state recently conducted an audit and he was invited to be a part of the presentation to Warden Johnny Weaver and his staff. “The audit went extremely well,” said Poe, who reported the only issue involved hourly inmate counts and the issue was resolved on the spot. It was noted the county has been using inmates for years now and there would be some costs involved to make a change if the county decided to stop using inmates. Others agencies would also be impacted. Chairman Tom Crow reminded that inmates work at the transfer station, grade roads, clean up at stadiums after ball games, clean cemeteries and wash school buses.
JACKSON COUNTY CHAMBER
Theresa Kenerly is Woman of the Year
Time to pick, trim the tree
With Thanksgiving coming late this year, Cooper’s Tree Farm has already had people calling and stopping by to check about Christmas trees. So, the family decided to respond to the demand and pick up a load of trees in advance of Thanksgiving, the usual first sales day of the Christmas tree season. On Friday afternoon, there was a buzz of activity as trees were unloaded at the business located at 557 Highway 53 in Braselton, at the Jackson-Hall county line. Justin Palmer, with son Jackson on his back, joined in helping John and Kathy Cooper, their son Tyler Cooper and Bill Elliott unload the semi-trailer loaded with North Carolina-harvested trees to complement their own Leyland Cypress which are available for cutting.
LeAnne Akin The Paper
Presenting the Woman of the Year Award to Theresa Kenerly, right, at the conclusion of the Nov. 20 Women in Business luncheon, was Cindy Philips of State Farm Insurance, the awards sponsor. By LEANNE AKIN
LeAnne Akin The Paper
Kathy Cooper of Cooper’s Tree Farm was putting price tags on the newly-delivered trees placed along Highway 53 in Braselton. Top: Tyler Cooper handed down trees to Justin Palmer, who had son Jackson on his back. In Nicholson, 7-G’s Farm is also open for Christmas tree sales and more with a special Dec. 7 Mule Day event
planned. You can support Trees for Troops at 7-G’s Farm. See story on Page 3A.
lakin@clickthepaper.com
Hoschton Mayor Theresa Kenerly, who is owner of Moonlight Realty Investments, was honored as the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce’s Woman of the Year for 2013. The Woman of the Year honors individuals who have achieved professional excellence, mentored,
actively served the community and helped other women to reach their leadership potential. The Nov. 20 luncheon was held at the Braselton-Stover House. Chamber board chairman Mark Valentine welcomed the crowd. Valentine shared a comical story of several English women who were nominated for similar honors in the
See WOMAN OF THE YEAR, 2A
Habitat ReStore supports home-building efforts By Katie Griffin
klgriffin@clickthepaper.com
Want to volunteer to help Habitat for Humanity?
The Jackson County Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore has moved to a new location as of Sept. 17. The store is still located in Commerce but it is now at 661 S. Elm St., right beside Lanier Tech and Babcock Furniture. The new location has more than 15,000 square feet of space which will allow the store to accept many more donations and therefore sell many more items as well. The ReStore is thankful for the opportunity to be able to offer many more options to their loyal donors and customers. “Business is picking up at our new location and our first
What: Volunteers at Habitat house worksites or businesses, industries, churches or civic groups interested in partnering with Jackson County Habitat for Humanity; ReStore can also use volunteers When: 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays at the worksite; ReStore hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday Where: The Phillips Habitat house is located on Lavender Road in Jefferson; ReStore is located at 661 S. Elm St., in Commerce For more information: www.jacksoncountyhabitat.org or call the hotline at 706-336-0061.
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month in this new building has been our best month yet,” said Jed Mercardante, ReStore manager. Mercardante and new assis-
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tant manager Alannah Smith are excited about the upcoming Christmas sidewalk sale from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13, and Saturday,
Dec. 14. There will be hundreds of brand new clothing items to choose from just in time for Christmas. “We were given $150,000 worth of brand new clothing right before our Christmas sidewalk sale last year, and we made thousands of dollars from it, so we hope this year we will do just as good if not better,” said Mercardante. The ReStore also has had a donation of 12 pallets of brand new books so they are looking forward to selling those books to this community. The ReStore operates on donated items that are resold with the funds being given to construct Habitat for Humanity homes in
See RESTORE, 7A
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Katie Griffin The Paper
The Habitat ReStore counts on volunteers to help with operations at the new Commerce location.
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