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16 THE CHEROKEE LEDGER-NEWS NEWS SEPTEMBER 22, 2010 BY JANET PELLETIER janetp@ledgernews.com What to do with an aging cityowned abandoned house, how to combat problems permeating at the wastewater treatment plant and whether raising the millage rate is the right choice highlighted the topics of discussion at this month’s Canton City Council meetings. The city council decided Sept. 16 to schedule a third public hearing on raising the millage rate from 6.8 to 7.469 for the city to remain “revenue neutral” to give residents another chance to express their feelings on the tax hike. The hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 7 in the Canton City Hall Council Chamber, 151 Elizabeth St. Ward II Councilman Jack Goodwin said, at the Sept. 2 work session he was concerned that if the city council did not pass a millage rate increase, that unexpected expenses could arise that the city wouldn’t be able to pay for. Such was the case last year when the Hickory Log Creek Reservoir was in need of additional funds, and the city ended up approving an extra $8 million to complete repairs, he said. “Are we still going to be able to cover those expenses?” he said. “We’ve had several (unexpected expenses) this year. The (Fairways of Canton) golf course, if we end up selling that, and for a shortfall, we’ll have to pay for that.” The mayor said the city has already budgeted the $300,000 it is required to pay on the $2.4 million loan for the golf course this year. City Manager Scott Wood reminded the city council that the city will be hit with a $1.7 million water and sewer bond payment this year, and in order to pay for the extra reservoir expenses, water and sewer rates for residents will go up by 20 percent. Because of that, Ward III Councilman John Beresford said he doesn’t “want to see a double dip,” with a water/sewer hike and millage rate increase to residents. Hobgood said the water and sewer fund should remain separate from the general fund, and, since the city has been taking stormwater funds this year to replenish the general fund, “in a way, you’ve already gotten a tax increase.” ■■■ Canton to hold third public hearing on tax rate Ward I Councilwoman Pat Tanner has reiterated her support for the higher millage rate. “I don’t think anyone on this council favors raising the millage,” she said. “I certainly don’t.” But, the city council needs to consider upcoming projects, roads that need to be paved and sidewalks to be installed, and leaving the rate the same will affect what services the city will be able to provide, she said. She added that she was concerned about the city’s Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating, which evaluates on a 1-10 scale, with 1 being the best, the quality of city services, such as emergency response times. Since earlier this year, the city has been grappling with what to do with an abandoned home on Big Oak Drive off of Ga. 20, just east of the Canton Marketplace shopping center. Wood said the home, in its current state of disrepair, only is worth about $35,000 and it would cost substantially more than that to renovate it for it to be habitable. The power of COMMUNITY No other bank has been a consistent part of Cherokee County for as long as Bank of North Georgia. For more than 44 years, we’ve been helping Cherokee County residents and business owners achieve their financial goals. We are committed to providing you with the expert knowledge you need, along with outstanding products and superior customer service to help you grow and prosper. But it’s not just our bank that is deeply rooted in the community. Our employees are too. As Lewis Cline states, “My family has been a part of Cherokee County for seven generations. I personally invite you to stop by our Canton or Woodstock branch to meet our team of great bankers and enjoy friendly conversation and a cup of coffee.” Come and experience the power of community at Bank of North Georgia. 770.479.5546 www.bankofnorthgeorgia.com Bank of North Georgia is a division of Synovus Bank. Synovus Bank, Member FDIC, is chartered in the state of Georgia and operates under multiple trade names across the Southeast. Divisions of Synovus Bank are not separately FDICinsured banks. The FDIC coverage extended to deposit customers is that of one insured bank. Lewis Cline, Community Executive Cherokee and Pickens County Beresford At the Sept. 16 meeting, the city council unanimously voted to either burn down or raze the home, and keep the land. Continuing its discussion of problems at the wastewater treatment plant from the Aug. 19 meeting, reservoir manager Dave Hatabian notified the city council at the Sept. 2 work session that the city has received a draft consent order from the Environmental Protection District for repeated violations. It’s unclear exactly what’s causing the overflow problems. Wood said it could be three factors: last September’s floods, design inadequacies of the plant or a faulty operator. The city has been fined $11,000 over the past few months. Hatabian said due to the order, the city will have to make an initial payment of $1,500 for outstanding fines, and will be fined $250 for each violation that occurs during the consent order period, which is a total of 90 days. Wood said the priority is to conduct a study to assess what’s causing the problems and immediately starting on a corrective action plan. In other business at its Sept. 16 meeting, the city council: • unanimously approved a proposal by the Downtown Development Authority to raise parking fees downtown. A first time offense will stay the same at $5, while a second offense will be raised FROM PAGE 1 According to Waters, neighbors complained of a pungent odor coming from the house. After securing a search warrant Sept. 14, Waters said Animal Control officers entered Cahill’s home to discover the animals living in the poor conditions. Waters said the officers noticed the house was in disarray, with animal feces and urine scattered throughout the entire home. Waters said the Cherokee County Fire Department, inspectors from the Department of Agriculture’s Animal Protection Services and two local veterinarians accompanied Animal Control officers at the residence. According to Waters, the officers wore hazardous materials suits, equipped with breathing apparati, to ensure their wellbeing as they removed the dogs and cats. Although all of the animals removed from the home are safe, Animal Shelter Director Sue Garcia said there is no room, being as the shelter already was at its maximum capacity prior to the additional animals’ arrival. “We made room,” she said. “We had to do some configurations with the cages, but we made room and were able to squeeze them in.” According to Garcia, 112 cats are being kept outside under a carport, while one is inside due from $10 to $15 and third offense to $30 from $25; • unanimously approved a site owned by the city on Juniper Street for a dog park; • unanimously approved a contract with Waste Management for trash and recycling services; • unanimously approved an amendment to a final settlement agreement between Cobb County- Marietta Water Authority and the city of Canton and Thalle Construction Group; • unanimously approved a decision to award bids for the HVAC replacement at the fire department/CantonTheater to Conditioned Air Systems for Tanner $40,823 and City Hall (IT server room) to Comfort Systems USA for $36,442, as part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funding; and • denied a request, 4-1, with Tanner opposing the motion, to approve a Planning Commission recommendation to rezone the Canton Highway 140 LLC property at Waleska Road and Reinhardt College Parkway from PSC (planned shopping center) to C-2 (general commercial) with the condition that it be developed solely for the use of an assisted living facility. ANIMAL: Shelter is over its max to severe injuries it apparently acquired at the residence. “You jeopardize the rest of the animals’ health if you start bringing in the cats because they have not been tested,” she said. Garcia said all of the 14 dogs are inside. Although the shelter was able to squeeze the animals in, Garcia said it could cause trouble down the road, since animals are always coming in. The shelter has a maximum capacity of roughly 200 pets; however, Garcia said she could not put an exact number on it since multiple kittens and smaller cats can fit in one cage, allowing for room if additional animals were to come in, much as they did Sept. 15 when the animals from the cruelty case arrived. A forfeiture hearing originally slated for Sept. 16 was canceled because Cahill had not yet been charged. On Sept. 17, the marshal’s office obtained arrest warrants charging Cahill with 81 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty. Garcia said, if the animals are forfeited to the county, some animals might have to be euthanized, considering their health. One dog, she said, has a severe skin issue and has lost most of its hair. As for the cats, a handful, she said, may have feline AIDS or leukemia and, if so, they will have to be put down.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2010 NEWS THE CHEROKEE LEDGER-NEWS 17 CHEROKEE CHRISTIAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ■■■ Holly Springs approves some enhancements to Sixes Bridge BY JESSICA WAGNER jessicaw@ledgernews.com FROM PAGE 1 Council also OKs revenue-neutral tax rate In a special called meeting, which followed the Holly Springs City Council work session on Sept. 9, city officials gave the go-ahead on approving up to $255,460 on Sixes Road bridge enhancements, all of which will be drawn from the current Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). The item passed, 3-2, with city council members Tommy Sanders and Dee Phillips giving the two dissenting votes. “I caution everyone on making this decision,” Sanders said. “If we do not know the dollar amount on how much it is going to cost, then I do not think it needs to be approved right now.” To protect depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Community & Southern Bank, of Carrollton. Bank of Ellijay and Bank of Canton reopened as branches of Community & Southern Bank the next business day. Community & Southern, in the arrangement with FDIC, also acquired the banking operations of two other banks that failed Sept. 17, the First Commerce Community Bank, of Douglasville, and The Peoples Bank, of Winder. The Bank of Ellijay/Bank of Canton had received a consent order late last year warning it to shore up its assets. About one-third of Georgia’s more than 300 banks have faced increased regulatory scrutiny. “Community banks are suffering because our customers are suffering,” bank President Mark Nay said at the time the consent During the work session, Mayor Tim Downing presented the Sixes Road bridge enhancement item, calling it an investment, rather than an expenditure. “We are at that point where we have to commit to it,” he said. “I think my feelings have been known all along; I really see this as an investment. I know that some see it as an expenditure, and they do not see any return for spending the money, but I really do think that spending this money on the bridge will come back to us.” While Downing said he thought the city should fully fund the bridge enhancement project, he was persistent in reminding the city council that the funds will be drawn from the current SPLOST, not the city’s general fund. order was received last year, blaming the bank’s woes on “real estate issues.” Nay had sounded cautiously optimistic about the bank’s future when the consent order was received last year. “We’ve been doing everything they (the FDIC) have been asking us to do for two years,” Nay said. “I think the economic situation in Cherokee County has bottomed out, and we’re starting to see improving prices. Cherokee’s a great market, people are still moving in and the school system’s growing.” The three institutions that failed Sept. 17 were not affiliated with one another. According to the FDIC, depositors at Bank of Canton and Bank of Ellijay automatically become depositors of Community & Southern Bank. “Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship to retain their deposit insurance coverage,” the “That’s important to note,” Councilwoman Jacqueline Archer said. “The money already is there.” Downing agreed. “The SPLOST account cannot comingle with the general fund,” he said. “So, if there are any shortfalls within the SPLOST fund, we cannot take money from the general fund and spend it on the bridge; it would be illegal.” Downing said the funds within the current SPLOST have been earmarked and BANK: Customers deposits insured by FDIC What about class size and teacher assistants? Public schools are growing the class sizes. Cherokee Christian is limiting the class size to a size (24) that really works in education. Class sizes over 24 students are dominated by classroom management challenges and will not allow a teacher to spend time with an individual student when needed. Public schools are cutting back the number of teacher assistants. Cherokee Christian knows that the teacher assistant is vital to the teacher’s ability to teach effectively and not be burdened with duties that do not contribute directly to teaching with excellence. Downing approved by the voters to be spent on transportation issues. “As a result, we are trying to use those (SPLOST) funds in that way,” he said. According to Finance Director Robert Porche, the city was grant- ed $900,000 from the current SPLOST; however, $600,000 will be due in February of 2011 for the city hall loan, leaving $300,000. Porche told the city council and mayor that beyond paying the loan, there are no other earmarked expenses to be paid with the remaining SPLOST funds. “We are down to city hall and road repairs,” he said. Porche told the city council and mayor that Holly Springs has about a year left on the current SPLOST, and they should receive 10 payments between now and July of 2011, with an average of $90,000 per month, which is down from the predictions seven years ago. This figure, he noted, still can go down between now and July 2011. Downing reminded the city council that they have the option to pick and choose which enhance- FDIC said in a press release. “Customers of the failed institutions should continue to use their former branches (for normal banking operations) until they receive notice from Community & Southern Bank that it has completed systems changes to allow other Community & Southern Bank branches to process their accounts as well. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.” As of June 30, Bank of Ellijay had total assets of $168.8 million and total deposits of $160.7 million. Community & Southern Bank will pay the FDIC a premium of 1 percent to acquire all of the deposits of the Bank of Ellijay. Besides assuming all the deposits from the three Georgia institutions, Community & Southern Bank will purchase virtually all the failed banks’ assets. The FDIC and Community & Southern Bank entered into a loss-share transaction NOT JUST DIFFERENT; OPPOSITE! Isn’t it time your child’s education went in the opposite direction? Come join us! Preparation for college and life success beginning in Kindergarten. Cherokee Christian Academy and High School A PREMIER SCHOLASTIC EXPERIENCE: SOLID BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW, SUPERIOR ACADEMICS www.cherokeechristian.org · 678-494-5464 · 3075 Trickum Rd. Woodstock, GA ments they want; meaning, they do not have to spend all of the $255,460. “There are some areas where we can cut costs on the budget,” he said.“We can do regular sidewalks instead of the stamped sidewalks and save money that way. There are things that are more important than others.” Archer agreed, noting in her motion to approve a budget of up to $255,460 that she also would like the fencing to be addressed. Areas that will not change on the bridge are the form liner and the medallion. The city council also discussed the 2010 millage rate, which will be revenue neutral at 5.148. While this is an increase, the mayor said the rate had to go up in order to work on the same revenue as last year. The millage rate was approved, 5-0, during the special called meeting. on approximately $602.5 million of the failed institutions’ assets. Community & Southern Bank and the FDIC will share in the losses on the asset pools covered under the loss-share agreement. The loss-share transaction is projected to maximize returns on the assets covered by keeping them in the private sector, the FDIC said. The transaction also is expected to minimize disruptions for loan customers. For information on loss share, go to: www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/loss share/index.html. Customers who have questions can call the FDIC at (800) 930-1849 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Interested parties can also visit the FDIC’s Web site: for Bank of Ellijay, www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/ellijay.html. The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) for Bank of Ellijay will be $55.2 million. Cherokee Christian Academy and Cherokee Christian High School ADMITS STUDENTS OF ANY RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL AND ETHNIC ORIGIN TO ALL THE RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES GENERALLY ACCORDED OR MADE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL.IT DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL AND ETHNIC ORIGIN IN ADMINISTRATION OF ITS EDUCATIONAL POLICIES, ADMISSIONS POLICIES, SCHOLARSHIP AND LOAN PROGRAMS, AND ATHLETIC AND OTHER SCHOOL-ADMINISTERED PROGRAMS.
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