770-928-0706 - The Cherokee Ledger-News

More documents

Recommendations

Info

4 THE CHEROKEE LEDGER-NEWS NEWS MAY 20, 2009 One Pair of Glasses $ 59 00 Single vision only Includes frame, lens. Expires June 17, 2009 CONTACT LENS • Disposable • Soft • Tint • Toric • Gas Permeable • Bifocals • Extended Wear • Many In Stock Ask about Free Lasik Consultations We accept most insurance, including, Eyemed, Spectera, Davis, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United and more. 678-624-7766 3975 Old Milton Pkwy Alpharetta 30005 next to Simon’s Chinese Cuisine Comprehensive Eye Exam & Complete Pair of Glasses $ 99 00 Includes frame and single vision lens. Expires June 17, 2009 EYE GLASSES • Wide Selection Including Designer Styles • In-Office Lab for Fast & Accurate Service Mon-Fri 9-7 Sat 9-4 • Evenings & Weekends Two Boxes of Disposable Contacts & Exam $ 99 00 Biomedics monthly disposable 6 mo. supply. Expires June 17, 2009 One Pair No Line Bifocals $ 99 00 Includes frame, standard progressive lens. Expires June 17, 2009 See the Brighter Side Of Things! Costa Del Mar Sunglasses Most Insurance Plans Accepted • Comprehensive eye exam includes testing and treatment for glaucoma, cataract & retinal disorders • Specializing in Pediatric & overall family practice • Frame repairs available 678-717-9121 12924 Hwy 92, Woodstock 30188 corner of S. Cherokee Lane Dr. David J. Wayland, Optometry Dr. Chad C. Ferdon, Optometry Dr. Brian G. Shipley, Optometry Dr. Doug Anania, Optometry 770-345-5220 217 Riverstone Dr. Canton 30114 behind Cherokee Bank ■■■ Woodstock cuts budget by $1.1 M BY CONSTANCE COOPER constancecooper@ledgernews.com The city of Woodstock has reduced its proposed 2010 budget $1.1 million from last year. The mayor and chief financial officer expect property taxes to stay flat and plan to hold water and sewer rates steady as well. Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Henry Bucci presented a draft of the budget for Woodstock’s 2010 fiscal year, which begins July 1, to the city council at its May 18 meeting. The budget totaled $29,865,842 – down from $30,942,767 for the 2009 fiscal year. “We’ve been striving to reduce the budget every year,” said Mayor Donnie Henriques. “This year it’s more important than any year. The budget is smaller, and it’s also a budget that doesn’t reduce services, and we don’t lose any personnel.” The overall budget reduction is primarily due to the city the fact that the city finished spending its Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) II funds this year. SPLOST is a 1 percent sales tax collected by the county, for a limited number of years, and distributed to cities for approved capital projects. SPLOST II funds accounted for $4.8 million of Woodstock’s 2009 budget. City Manager Jeff Moon described Woodstock’s 2010 budget as “pretty vanilla” and “garden-variety.” Woodstock’s 2010 budget is down 3.1 percent over last year’s budget, a far cry from the large fluctuations of years past, when the budget went up as much as 33 percent (fiscal year 2005) and down as much as 22 percent (fiscal year 2006). “I feel good that we’re going to continue offering the same level of services,” Moon said. “We also have a number of capital projects that we’re moving forward with, so we’re happy about that.” City officials are pleased that Woodstock’s 2010 budget does not cut any jobs. However, it does leave six positions unfilled – including three police officers, the city engineer, the fire inspector and the building department permitting specialist. Moon also said that when Building Inspector Jim Phelps retires mid-budget year, he will not be replaced. City officials are quick to point out that, even with the three unfilled positions, Woodstock has a larger police force than it has had in years. Moon said that the number of officers working for Woodstock today stands in contrast to the end of former Chief Ric Moss’ tenure, when a high rate of turnover left almost a dozen positions open. The 2010 budget also eliminates cost-ofliving and merit pay Bucci increases for city staff, saving Woodstock a total of $780,000. The 2.5 percent merit pay raises had been cut from last year’s budget. However elimination of the 2 percent cost of living raises is new in 2010. Bucci said that the budget will be re-reviewed mid-year to determine if the raises can be added back in. Of Woodstock’s 11 funds, six had budget increases, the largest of which are $1.4 million added to the general fund, bringing it to $16.3 million, and $2.1 million more in the water and sewer utility fund, which totals $8.8 million in the 2010 budget. The increase in the sewer fund is due to primarily a $2 million grit chamber the city is purchasing to prevent damage to its sewer plant, which was upgraded in 2004 at a cost of $6 million. According to Henriques, who was a city councilman in 2004, Woodstock followed the advice of former City Manager Trisha Quigley and built the plant without the grit chamber, which has resulted in frequent, costly repairs of sewer treatment equipment. Those repairs have cost $400,000 over the past five years, much of which was covered under warranties. Those warranties have now expired. The increase in Woodstock’s general fund budget comes from a variety of sources. The largest gain in expenditures comes from the debt service on the $6.3 million City Hall Annex, which Woodstock will make a $636,000 payment on in 2010. Other increases include $172,000 for the creation of Woodstock’s new economic development department, $131,000 for park landscaping and grounds maintenance, $90,000 in debt service for remolding the building department into the William G. Long Senior Center and building restrooms at Olde Rope Mill Park and Dupree Park, $96,000 in debt service for a generator and data backup network for the City Hall Annex, $56,000 in debt service for five new police vehicles and $40,000 in streets department supplies and repairs. The city also moved $158,000 in debt service from its closed SPLOST II fund into the general fund. In the coming budget year, Woodstock is planning to pay for some large development projects with money from SPLOST III, a sales tax the county began collecting in 2006. These include $3.5 million for the Rope Mill Road Interchange, $750,000 for the widening of Towne Lake Parkway, and $750,000 for the Haney Road Roundabout. Other SPLOST III expenditures include the construction of the Rubes Creek Trail ($100,000), building the bridge in Rope Mill Park ($79,000), the resurfacing of Parkway 575 and Arnold Mill Road ($75,000), and the purchase of pothole equipment ($35,000) and two lawnmowers ($22,000). In 2010, Woodstock plans to take out a $750,000 bond on its downtown Tax Allocation District to fund a parking facility near the Hedgewood development. The city also is looking to enter into a $2.5 million bond so that Woodstock can pay for a number of stormwater improvements while construction costs are low. SEE WOODSTOCK, PAGE 17
MAY 20, 2009 NEWS THE CHEROKEE LEDGER-NEWS 5 Perdue holds back federal education funds BY CAROLYN MATHEWS carolynmathews@ledgernews.com The Cherokee County School District said it will have to dip into emergency reserves to balance the current school year budget, following Gov. Sonny Perdue’s decision not to distribute $145 million in federal stimulus funds for education this year. The governor’s spokesman, Bert Brantley, confirmed May 15 that the governor has decided to hold onto the funds, tentatively included in the state’s mid-year budget adjustment for education, that would have gone to local school systems. Cherokee School Superintendent Dr. Frank Petruzielo said the governor’s decision to instead use the money for the 2010 and 2011 education funding puts the district $3.3 million in the hole at the end of its budget year. State funding cuts for the current school year totaled $8.5 million more than what the original local school budget had predicted. Petruzielo and Assistant Superintendent for Financial Management Candler Howell said they thought current school year budget cuts were enough to meet the state shortfall, until the governor exercised his power to hang onto the funds. Petruzielo warned board members at the May 14 meeting that the situation was likely to occur, before Brantley confirmed it to Carmen Ilia Rosado Carmen Ilia Rosado, a resident of Sunrise Beach, Texas, for two years, coming from Woodstock, passed away May 14, 2009, in Llano, Texas, at the age 82. She was born March 19, 1927, to Roman Aviles and Fermina Marrero-Aviles, in Puerto Rico. Mrs. Rosado was a Catholic, and she had a passion for prayer. She was proud of putting seven children through college, and she loved to dance and HOMEOWNERS LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK?? LOOKING FOR RELIEF?? ❑ ✓ ❑ ✓ ❑ ✓ ❑ ✓ ❑ ✓ ❑ ✓ 97.75% Financing Purchase and Refi FHA/VA Approved FHA/VA Stream line loans No Closing Costs loans 203(k) or Home Improvement loans the Ledger-News the next day. “The legislature put that line ($145 million) tentatively in the budget,” Brantley said. “It’s in the governor’s discretion, and he has decided to apply half to 2010 and half to 2011 (education funding), in hopes that by 2012 the economy has rebounded.” Petruzielo said the move leaves the district with no choice. “We have to cover expenses already incurred. It’s too late to cut so we will have to use emergency funds to balance this year,” he said. Petruzielo said the first thing the district will have to do for next year’s budget is to repay its reserves, and he anticipates a $20 million deficit next year. “The county digest does not bode well for the system,” Petruzielo told the board at its May 14 meeting. Chief Tax Assessor John Adams has forecasted the overall tax digest will be at least 3 percent below what it was last year. Petruzielo said that along with increasing exemptions and assessment appeals, the school district’s local revenue, which represents 52 percent of its funding, would be down 5 to 6 percent from last year. To cover next year’s $20 million shortfall, the proposed school district budget for 2009-2010 includes $8.5 million in cuts already made to the 15 percent of the school district budget that does not include personnel costs, and another $10.7 mil- OBITUARY ■ was the life of the party. Survivors include three sons, Nelson and Lynn Rosado, of Atlanta, Daniel and Mary Rosado, of Albuquerque, N.M., and George and Mary Beth Rosado, of Plano, Texas; four daughters, Sonia and Jim Dale, of Birmingham, Ala., Rebecca Rosado, of Albuquerque, N.M., Sandra and Mat Holzapfel, of Mesquite, Texas, and Carleen and Georg Pengg, of Sunrise Beach, Texas; 16 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. In today’s complex market, choosing an experienced mortgage professional is more critical than ever. Our 20+ years of experience will help make your new mortgage loan a “DONE DEAL” Loan Amount 30 years 20 years 15 years $ 100,000.00 $ 506.69 $ 632.65 $ 758.62 $ 200,000.00 $ 1,013.37 $ 1,265.30 $ 1,517.24 $ 300,000.00 $ 1,520.06 $ 1,897.95 $ 2,275.86 Current Rate 4.500% 4.500% 4.375% Payments above are only examples. Other loan amounts and terms are available. Rates shown above are First Mortgage rates as of 4/8/09. All loans have different qualifying areas, please contact us for more details. The APR’s for the above described programs are estimated as follows (30 and 20 yrs loans 4.75%) and (15 yrs loan 4.63%) Cedar Mill Mortgage Call us today for a FREE, No Obligation Consultation! APPLY BY PHONE TODAY!! (770) 928-8985 “or” (800) 945-9005 Check us out on the web at www.cedarmillmtg.com ■■■ lion in cuts made by increasing class sizes and cutting job share and paraprofessional positions. The remainder would come from purchasing buses with Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds rather than using general fund money. SPLOST collections already are 19 percent below predictions, with a current shortfall of 7.6 million and an anticipated shortfall over five years of $40 million. The district already has cut two elementary schools from its fiveyear facilities plan. It unanimously approved a new five-year plan at the meeting. “The state has used all the reserves in the state health plan, so I have no idea what premium increases there will be in January,” Petruzielo added. The district already announced that next year it would not renew 144 certified part-time and jobsharing employees (representing 72 teaching positions), as well as 160 classified kindergarten and special education paraprofessionals (teaching assistants). Petruzielo said May 14 that almost half the special education parapro positions that were cut have been reassigned using federal stimulus funds to pay for their positions, and about 25 certified parttime personnel were moved to fulltime. SEE SCHOOLS, PAGE 18 A memorial service will be held May 20 at Waldrope-Hatfield- Hawthorne Funeral Home Chapel in Kingsland, Texas at 5 p.m., with Ben Ablon officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial contributions may be made to Memory Bridge, 3500 West Peterson, Suite 203, Chicago, Ill., 60659. E-mail condolences can be sent to whhfuneral1@verizon.net.Waldrope-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Home handled arrangements. Over 62? Reverse Mortgages Now Available! Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee #11884 -1600 River Park Blvd Ste 201 Woodstock, GA 30188 770.592.4114 1432 Towne Lake Pkwy #130 www.earthpaintandfire.com Hedge Trimmer KHT600S $ 264 99 Blower KRH300A $ 209 99 Summer Workshops Registering Now! Hedge Clipper KCL525A $ 484 99 Edger KEL27B $ 304 99 Cloud Supply Lawnmower Sales & Service 770-479-0929 • www.cloudsupply.net Do you suffer from GOUT ATTACKS? String Trimmer KGT27B $ 314 99 Local doctors are now conducting a medical research study in gout to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of an investigational medicine. If you have gout, you may be eligible to participate in the PRE-SURGE 1 study, evaluating an investigational medicine for preventing acute gout flares in select patients. Researchers are interested in determining the effectiveness and safety of the investigational medicine when used in combination with an FDA-approved medicine commonly used for gout treatment. To be considered for participation in the PRE-SURGE 1 study, you must: Pre- 1 least 2 gout flares in the past year, medicine known as allopurinol, AND The investigator will work with you to determine whether you qualify for the study, using a more comprehensive list of criteria. Qualified participants will receive study medicine as well as study-related medical evaluations at no cost. Reimbursement for time and travel may also be available. To learn more, please contact: Medical Associates of North Georgia 770-479-5535 x224 Study Information by Quintiles, Inc. 0227091200
Page 1 and 2: FREE May 20, 2009 Volume 15, Issue
Page 3: MAY 20, 2009 NEWS THE CHEROKEE LEDG
Page 7 and 8: MAY 20, 2009 OPINION THE CHEROKEE L
Page 9 and 10: MAY 20, 2009 NEWS THE CHEROKEE LEDG
Page 13 and 14: MAY 20, 2009 COMMUNITY FEATURES THE
Page 21 and 22: MAY 20, 2009 SPORTS THE CHEROKEE LE
Page 31 and 32: MAY 20, 2009 CLASSIFIEDS THE CHEROK
Page 33 and 34: MAY 20, 2009 CLASSIFIEDS THE CHEROK
Page 35 and 36: MAY 20, 2009 THE CHEROKEE LEDGER-NE

770-928-0706 - The Cherokee Ledger-News

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?