NGTC Announces State SkillsUSA Winners, Participants

Five North Georgia Technical College students will participate in the National SkillsUSA competition later this year after winning at the state level.

Those five, who won their competitions at the state SkillsUSA competition in March, are Patrick Bell of Cornelia in CNC Milling Technology, Adreona Howard of Toccoa in Criminal Justice, Jacob Hester of Cleveland in First Aid/CPR, Austin Duley of Toccoa in Marine Service Technology, and Georgia Zumwalt of Jefferson in Photography.

They will represent North Georgia Technical College at the 50th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City in June.

SkillsUSA is a national career and technical student organization with chapters at high schools and colleges across the country.

The five state winners led a strong showing by North Georgia Tech at the State SkillsUSA competition.

This year, 40 students from 15 programs at the college competed and a total of 26 medals were won.

The contests are planned by technical committees made up of representatives of labor and management in the industries and are designed to test the skills needed for a successful entry-level performance in given occupational fields. As part of that, safety practices and procedures are judged and graded and constitute a portion of a contestant’s score.

North Georgia Technical College President Dr. Gail Thaxton said the college’s students did an outstanding job representing themselves, their instructors, and North Georgia Tech.

Thaxton also thanked the school’s faculty and staff for their dedication and enthusiasm, pushing and pulling the best from the students to get them to this point.

Placing second in their competitions were Ashley Jordan of Martin in CNC Turning Technology, Daniel Rico of Lavonia in Electrical Construction Wiring, Frank Johnson of Clayton in HVAC, James Fryery of Lula in Industrial Motor Control, James Biddy of Armuchee in Marine Service Technology, and Frank Zayas of Buford in Photography.

Students who achieved third place included Keith Garrett of Clarkesville in Welding; Travis Schmitt of Patterson in Marine Service Technology, Haley Shuler of Gainesville in Medical Assisting, and Austin Giles of Cleveland in Precision Machining Technology. Three teams also placed third in their contests: the Welding Fabrication team consisting of Nikolaus Adams of Eastanollee, Kevin Cyr of Gainesville, and Blake Nelms of Royston; the Crime Scene Investigation team consisting of Selena Forrester of Hartwell, Karla Orozco of Baldwin, and Gabriel Orozco of Clarkesville; and the Health Knowledge Bowl team consisting of Rebecka Hopper of Rabun Gap, Stephanie Murphy of Clarkesville, Jamie Shirley of Mt. Airy, and Marle Quinn of Clarkesville.

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Milestone Monday SR 17 Beam Setting

The first set of beams for the new Highway 17 bridge over Eastanollee Creek are in place after being set on Monday.

Georgia Department of Transportation Spokesperson Teri Pope said crews completed all of the work that was planned for Monday without any major problems.

“We set all six beams that we had planned to set,” said Pope. “It went well. The beams did arrive later than expected because they got caught in Atlanta traffic, but they did get there shortly after lunch and we were able to set all six beams as planned.”

The pre-stressed concrete bridge beams are 127 feet long and six feet tall.

Pope said each beam was custom designed for one place in this bridge, like a puzzle piece that will only fit in one place.

She said at some point, more beams will have to be set as the bridge construction continues.

The construction of this new bridge over Eastanollee Creek is part of the larger project to make Highway 17 a four-lane highway from Memorial Drive in Toccoa to the Stephens-Franklin County line.

Work started last Fall and Pope said that the DOT hopes crews will make significant progress through the construction season this Spring and Summer.

 
 

 

“We are hoping you are going to see a lot more progress a lot more rapidly on the 17 widening project,” said Pope. “We want to remind you that it is a work zone and all fines are doubled in work zones. Please remember to slow down and obey all of those traffic rules as you drive through the work zone.”

Construction of the new, four-lane Highway 17 is scheduled to be complete by May 31, 2016.

Stephens Co. Commission Passes Land Use Ordinance

Land use is coming to Stephens County.

County commissioners approved the land use ordinance by a vote of 4-1 during their meeting Tuesday morning.

Stephens County Commission Chairman Dean Scarborough said that while the ordinance may not be perfect, he feels it is needed.

“I could not be more certain that we have the need and this is the time,” said Scarborough.  “I will be able to sleep at night without one iota of concern that I am making the wrong decision.”

Stanley London was the lone commissioner to vote against the ordinance.

He called the land use ordinance a double-edged sword, saying it is not a cure-all and could cause problems down the road despite what may be good intentions.

“Think about it,” said London.  “Let’s not make a hasty decision.  Yes, this has been going on for 30 years, but something this delicate that is going to face and affect every citizen in this county, we need to know what we are doing before we jump into it.”

Prior to the motion to pass the land use ordinance, London made a motion to postpone the vote, create a moratorium on certain developments, and put the issue on the ballot for the county’s voters to have a say.  It failed for lack of a second.

As part of the motion to approve land use, county commissioners agreed to have a quarterly review of the ordinance to work on it and consider changes.

That was put forward by Commissioner Dennis Bell.

He voted for the ordinance, saying that while he was very split on this, he feels this is needed to protect the citizens of the county and help with economic development.

At the same time, Bell said he also hears and understands those that have concerns and feels the meetings to review the ordinance are crucial.

“When we meet on this, we need to take it to heart and make sure it is done the correct way to make sure our citizens are taken care of out there,” said Bell.

Approval came after a 90-minute public hearing on the ordinance that brought out both sides of the issue.

Speaking as a private citizen, Toccoa Mayor Gail Fry said the community needs to protect itself from things that might have a negative impact on the whole community.

Fry said that Wilbros’ owner Joe Wilbanks said in court he came to Stephens County because there was no zoning.

“If we have no zoning, other Joe Wilbanks are out there and they are going to do what they want to do,” said Fry.

However, opponents point out that Wilbros is grandfathered in and say that businesses with enough money can still figure out a way around the ordinance.

Former State Representative Michael Harden said he also worries about loosely defined language in the ordinance.

“We cannot write ordinances for this commission or the next commission,” said Harden.  “When we write laws, we have to assume that they are going to be interpreted by the worst commission.  Although I have confidence in you guys that you would interpret a lot of this language well, I do not have confidence in the worst commission to come, whether it be next year or 20 years from now.”

Harden also said he feels the ordinance unfairly puts stricter rules on trailers and mobile home parks.

Supporters point out that the ordinance is a document that can be changed and amended later to fix problems or unintended consequences.
By Charlie Bauder 

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Toccoa Named Ga. Main Street “GEM”

The Toccoa Main Street program received special recognition from the state of Georgia. Last week, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs announced that Toccoa is one of five Main Street programs to be named in the first class of the Georgia Exceptional Main Streets, or GEMS, program. Toccoa was selected along with Bainbridge, Greensboro, Rome, and Valdosta. These five cities received the recognition out of 14 that applied statewide. Toccoa Main Street Director Connie Tabor said it is quite an honor to be selected in the first year of this statewide initiative.
By Charlie Bauder
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GA Department of Economic Development Leaders Visit Stephens Co.

Top state economic development officials take time to visit Stephens County.

Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Chris Carr and his staff spent Wednesday traveling through the county, meeting with local officials.

Carr said the goal of the trip, which included other stops throughout Georgia, is for his team to build and establish relationships with local officials.

“Economic development, like politics, is, was, and always will be a people business and it is important to get in front of people to hear what is going on and to talk about the resources and the expertise that we can potentially bring to bear and partner with our communities,” said Carr.

Pictured above: GDEcD's Cheryl Smith, Kevin Langston, Commissioner Chris Carr, and Tammy Caudell, and Stephens County Development Authority's Tim Martin. 

By Charlie Bauder 

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Movies Returning to Schaefer Center This Summer

Toccoa’s Main Street program has plans for a busy summer at the Schaefer Center in downtown Toccoa.

A number of activities are planned for the facility at the corner of Broad and Doyle streets over the coming weeks.

First, Toccoa Main Street has announced the return of movies to the Schaefer Center for four dates this summer.

The first movie is scheduled for this Saturday at 3 p.m.

Toccoa Main Street Events Coordinator Sharon Crosby said the city is excited to bring the big screen back to the Schaefer Center this summer.

“One of the ways the Schaefer Center was used in the past, of course, was as a movie theater,” said Crosby. “In fact, some people in town, some of their earliest memories of going to movies was the Schaefer Center for their matinees. So this summer, we are having three matinees, one in June and two in July, and then we have an evening (movie) in August.

This Saturday, the movie will be “The Lorax.”

Other movies are the 2009 “Star Trek” on July 13 at 3 p.m.; 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz” on July 27 at 3 p.m.; and the 1960 version of “Ocean’s 11” on August 17 at 7 p.m.

Admission to all of the movies is $3 for those over the age of 12 and free for those under 12. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Crosby said people heading to the movies, especially the matinees, are encouraged to make a night of it downtown Toccoa.

“Those three (matinees), there will be Ida Cox afterwards,” said Crosby. “People can come down, see a moive, go to one of our downtown restaurants, and then go to enjoy Ida Cox in the evening.”

In addition to the movies, Main Street Toccoa is partnering with the Toccoa-Stephens County Community Theatre to sponsor a Children’s Drama Camp at the Schaefer Center the week of July 27 through August 2.

There will be two classes offered; one from 9 a.m. to noon for children going into first grade and can read through third grade and the second will be from 1 to 5 p.m. for children in 4th through 9th grade.

Each class will be limited to 30 students. The registration fee is $65 per child with a $10 discount per additional sibling.

Charlie Bauder

Work Moves Ahead on Wound Care Center in Toccoa

Stephens County Hospital’s planned wound care center continues to move forward.

According to Stephens County Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell, crews have finished pouring the concrete foundation to the building and are beginning to put some up some steel beams.

Gambrell said finishing the foundation marks a major milestone in the construction of the building.

“Now the actual construction of the building can begin and it will not be so dependent on weather as it has been,” said Gambrell. “The project has been slow in getting started, just because of all of the rain we have had since Christmas.”

The hospital is building its wound care center on Falls Road.

Site work on the project started in February and hospital officials had hoped to open the facility around Labor Day.

However, Gambrell said the weather has caused some fairly significant delays.

“The rain has really slowed us up about a month to six weeks probably through this whole process so far,” said Gambrell. “But it is just one of these things that you cannot control and you cannot help and you just have to work around it.”

Bowen and Watson is handling construction of the wound care center for Stephens County Hospital.

Gambrell said the new goal is to have the facility ready to open around October.

“It will be a fast construction job,” said Gambrell. “The building is relatively small, for Bowen and Watson anyway. It is about 4,200 square feet. They feel confident they will be through by sometime in October.”

The wound care center is costing Stephens County Hospital approximately $840,000.

Stephens County Hospital is also working with Diversified Clinical Services out of Jacksonville, Florida, on the wound care center.

Charlie Bauder

Gasaway in Toccoa Tuesday for Meet and Greet

Stephens County residents will have an opportunity to talk directly with their local state representative at an event Tuesday. 28th District State Representative Dan Gasaway will be at the X-Factor Grill/ Cornerstone Restaurant for a “meet and greet” Tuesday, starting at 5:30 p.m. The X-Factor Grill/Cornerstone Restaurant is located on Doyle Street in downtown Toccoa. Gasaway is in his first term representing the 28th District in the State House. The 28th District includes Stephens, Banks, and part of Habersham counties. 

Charlie Bouder

Grants Being Sought for Sewer Expansion Project

Potential grant funds could help Toccoa and Stephens County push forward on the expansion of sewer on Big A Road and the Toccoa By-pass.

Monday, Toccoa City Commissioners approved entering into an agreement with the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission to apply for two grants to help pay for the project.

According to Stephens County Development Authority Executive Director Tim Martin, they would apply for two $300,000 grants, one from the Appalachian Regional Commission and one from the Economic Development Administration.

If Toccoa and Stephens County receives the $300,000 ARC grant, Martin said they have identified improvements at an existing part of the infrastructure as the top priority.

“We are looking specifically up front at the Meadowbrook lift station, since that is such a choke point,” said Martin. “Everything south of the community flows through that lift station.”

Martin said that project would cost about $860,000, with the rest of the funds coming from the $2 million pot of money created by the city and county through SPLOST V.

Currently, $1.8 million remains out of those SPLOST funds.

Martin said that staff continues to work to identify which part of the project would benefit most from the EDA grant if it is received.

According to officials, it will take about $5.5 million to build the proposed water and sewer improvements on Big A Road between Rose Lane and the Toccoa By-pass, as well as the By-pass between Big A Road and a location near the intersection of the By-pass and Highway 106.

Engineers have said that while the $5.5 million would not completely build the project, it would provide the ability for the city to get sewer service to a property along those corridors quickly as needed for potential development.

Martin said the plan is to build the project over a number of years in order to best leverage local money to obtain funding from grants and other sources.

“The genius in splitting up this project into multiple years is to afford us the opportunity to apply in multiple funding years (for grants) from state and federal entities,” said Martin.

Martin said word on whether the grants are received should come in late summer or early fall.

If the grants are received, the city and county would have to pay the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission a fee of up to $15,000.

City commissioners approved the agreement contingent on splitting any fees equally between the city and the county out of the remaining SPLOST funds set aside for this project.

(Charlie Bauder)

SCDA Seeks Enterprise Zone Status for Hayestone-Brady Business Park

The Stephens County Development Authority is pursuing a special status for the Hayestone-Brady Business Park in order to try to make it more attractive to potential industries.

Last week, Stephens County Commissioners approved the Development Authority’s application to the state to make the business park on Highway 17 and an adjacent property an enterprise zone.

The Development Authority has previously pursued this for a number of other properties in the county.

Stephens County Development Authority Executive Director Tim Martin said an enterprise zone status would give tax credits to anyone creating jobs at Hayestone-Brady.

“What that means is that if a company creates two or more jobs, (though) it cannot be husband and wife, they would gain $3500 tax credit against their Georgia income tax liability each year for five years if they maintain those jobs,” said Martin.

If a company has no state income tax liability, the tax credit can go towards their payroll withholding tax, said Martin.

According to Martin, the enterprise zone tax credits are similar to those that are available in counties the state considers the most economically distressed.

During a public hearing on the budget last week, Martin told county commissioners that because Stephens County as a whole is not in that economic category, it does not have full access to the same state tax credits that neighboring counties do.

Martin said the enterprise zone status levels that playing field for properties that receive the designation.

The Development Authority’s application will now go to the state Department of Community Affairs for its approval. There is no timeline for receiving word on that approval.

Preparations Underway for “Taste of Toccoa”

The city of Toccoa is preparing for an annual Spring downtown tradition.

The 23rd annual “A Taste of Toccoa” will take place on Thursday, April 25 from 5 to 8 p.m. in downtown Toccoa.

Toccoa Main Street Events Coordinator Sharon Crosby said that preparations are going well for the event.

“Taste of Toccoa is one of Toccoa’s favorite festivals I think,” said Crosby. “This year, we are preparing and hoping to get all of our county and city restaurants involved. Things are going well and we are excited about another good year.”

During “Taste,” local restaurants and caterers show off their specialty menu items in smaller portions.

Crosby said that applications for restaurants and caterers are still being accepted.

Meanwhile, she went on to say that plans are in the works for the entertainment and other activities that are also part of “Taste” each year.

“We have got some really good entertainment this year,” said Crosby, including the Rhythm Academy, Chattahoochee Chain Gang, and some local artists.

For more information on “A Taste of Toccoa,” call the Main Street Toccoa office at 706-282-3309.

February Unemployment Figures Released for Stephens Co.

February figures bring good news on the unemployment front for Stephens County.

According to numbers released last week by the Georgia Department of Labor, Stephens County’s preliminary unemployment rate in February dropped to 8.6 percent. It is down nine-tenths of a percentage point from the revised January rate of 9.5 percent.

State labor department figures for February also show that 52 more people were employed in Stephens County in February than in January, while the number of unemployed dropped by 120. The labor force did decrease slightly in February in Stephens County, coming in at 13,121.

Meanwhile, this February’s preliminary unemployment rate is also a full percentage point lower than the revised February 2012 rate of 9.6 percent.

However, 77 fewer people were employed this February than in February 2012 and the labor force in February 2012 was larger, coming it at over 13,300.

The Georgia Mountains region, which includes Stephens County, had a preliminary unemployment rate in February of 7.5 percent, down from January’s revised rate of 8 percent.

Elsewhere around the region in February, Franklin County’s preliminary unemployment rate dropped nine-tenths of a percentage point to 10.3 percent; Habersham County’s preliminary unemployment rate dropped nine-tenths of a percentage point as well to 8.7 percent; and Banks County’s preliminary unemployment rate dropped four-tenths of a percentage point to 6.6 percent.

State Recognizes Downtown Toccoa, Troup

 Main Street Toccoa and a local leader receive state honors.  Bob Troup and the city's Main Street program both received awards at the recent Georgia Downtown Conference in LaGrange.  Toccoa Main Street was awarded the Best Downtown Special Event and Troup received the DCA's Highest Achievement Award, the Annual Outstanding Leadership Award.  Troup was the sole recipient.

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No Local Tax on Energy Used In Manufacturing

Stephens County will not implement a local excise tax on energy used in manufacturing.

County commissioners unanimously opposed moving forward with collection of the local excise tax on energy used in manufacturing. According to the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia, the local excise tax on energy used in manufacturing is an optional local tax designed to replace the local sales tax revenues that will be lost to the new statewide sales tax exemption on energy used in manufacturing that takes effect in January.

Stephens County Commission Chairman Dean Scarborough said that the exemption at the state level was instituted as an economic development tool for the manufacturing sector. He said the county commission feels it is best to support that exemption on the local level as well.

“We just feel like most of our jobs are created right now through existing industry,” said Scarborough. “We feel that anything we can do to support our local existing industry is in our favor. Then of course, this could be used as a tool to attract new industry as well.”

Toccoa Sets Millage Rate

Toccoa City Commissioners officially drop the city’s tax millage rate. Monday, the city commission voted unanimously to lower the city’s millage rate to 6 mills from the previous level of 7.19 mills. The commission also eliminated the extra .75 mill tax that used to be paid by property owners in the Main Street tax district. The decisions to both lower the millage and eliminate the extra downtown tax were first made as part of the Fiscal Year 2013 budget process. However, Monday’s vote made them official. During the budget process, the millage rate decrease was put forth as a suggestion to help balance a sewer rate increase that was included in the Fiscal Year 2013 budget. With the tax rate of 6 mills and the elimination of the downtown rate, the city will levy $1.134 million in net taxes in 2012. Toccoa Mayor David Austin said he is pleased to see the millage reduced. “I am proud that the commission came together and decided to lower the millage rate for the property owners inside the city of Toccoa,” said Austin. “It is going to be an ongoing goal from this commission for our citizens.” 

Bruce Creek Boat Ramp improvements unveiled in Stephens County

Representatives from Stephens County and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources gathered at Bruce Creek Boat Ramp on Hartwell Lake to cut a ribbon and unveil the changes at the facility. The improvements include seven new fishing piers, a courtesy dock for boaters, a walking trail, and an updated restroom facility, at a total cost of about $560,000. Money for the project came from the $4 million received by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources as part of the 2006 settlement agreement related to polychlorinated biphenyl contamination in Hartwell Lake. Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce President Wendi Bailey and Stephens County Development Authority executive director Tim Martin praised the project, with Bailey saying it will help with tourism promotion in the county. Stephens County will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the Bruce Creek area.
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Isakson in Stephens County for Town Hall Meeting

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson stops in Stephens County. Isakson held a town hall meeting Wednesday afternoon at North Georgia Technical College’s Currahee Campus. The senator began the town hall with brief remarks about what is happening in Washington, D.C. Isakson said that America has never faced more difficult challenges than it faces today.

“The biggest challenge being too much spending,

too much debt,” said Isakson. “We (Congress) have to get our act together. We have to get discretionary spending down. We have to get the tax code reformed and we have to be sure that your Medicare that you paid for and your Social Security that you paid for is there for you and we are going to have to reform those programs to do so.”

Isakson went on to say that he feels moving from an annual budget to a two-year budgeting process in Washington could help with tackling federal spending issues. He said he has presented such a proposal for consideration in the nation’s capital.

“We are going to pass two-year appropriations bills and budgets in odd-numbered years and then every even-numbered year, we are going to focus entirely on oversight to find the waste, fraud, abuse, and savings that you know you can find in programs,” said Isakson of what his proposal would do.

Following his opening remarks, Isakson took questions from those in attendance.

A number of the questions dealt with the management of Lake Hartwell by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with people voicing frustration over lake levels and the Corps’ response to their concerns.

One person told Isakson that he feels the Corps needs to be more open to changing its rules and regulations.
Isakson agreed. The senator said that the Corps needs to re-visit its water control plan for Hartwell.

“The Corps of Engineers has got to get back in the business of modernizing its water control plans under which they operate the dams,” said Isakson.

He said there were water level problems at Lake Lanier because of a poorly managed water control plan.

“(The plan) took too much water out of the top basin too early in the season and then when the drought really hit, the water was already downstream,” said Isakson, who called for higher full pool levels to increase storage. “When you do have a drought, your water level starts out much higher so you don’t go down as far.”

Others in attendance asked Isakson if he could arrange for the Corps of Engineers to come to northeast Georgia and hold a public meeting about the management of Lake Hartwell. Isakson said he would make that request and help try to facilitate such a meeting.

TOCCOA TO HONOR FAMOUS FLAMES TODAY

With their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame just days away, the city of Toccoa plans to honor the Famous Flames at a ceremony today (April 9) at 4 p.m. at Toccoa City Hall. Toccoa Main Street Events Coordinator Sharon Crosby said the city is excited to honor the Famous Flames and their legacy. “They made such an impact on music in general, so we are excited to share this time with the family and just to honor our hometown citizens,” said Crosby.

The original Famous Flames, Bobby Byrd, Nafloyd Scott, Nash Knox, Johnny Terry, and Sylvester Keels, were all from the Toccoa area. In the early 1950s, James Brown joined the group. They performed together from 1953 to 1968.

Crosby said that the event will include the music of the Famous Flames, as well as a look back at the individuals who made up the group. “During that time, four of our local residents who knew the Famous Flames well and were part of their early life are going to be giving some reflections on them and be sharing a little bit of information and stories about the different ones that were members of the group,” said Crosby. “We will also have a special presentation during that time.”

Following the celebration, the Toccoa City Commission will honor the Famous Flames with a proclamation during the commission’s regularly scheduled meeting. The Toccoa City Commission’s regular meeting will start at 5 p.m. today at Toccoa City Hall.

The Famous Flames’ induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will take place Saturday April 14 at the Hall of Fame museum, located in Cleveland, Ohio. Also inducted at that time will be Buddy Holly’s Crickets, Gene Vincent’s Blue Caps, Hank Ballard’s Midnighters, Bill Haley’s Comets, and Smokey Robinson’s Miracles.

Toccoa To Honor Famous Flames Next Week

The city of Toccoa will recognize the Famous Flames next week just prior to the group’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The celebration is set for 4 p.m. on Monday, April 9 at Toccoa City Hall.

Main Street Toccoa Events Coordinator Sharon Crosby said everyone is invited to the event.

“We have invited a lot of family and friends of the group and they are an important part of Toccoa’s history,” said Crosby. “We just are wanting to honor them and the work that they did for so many years. They are such an important part in the history of Rock and Roll.”

The original Famous Flames were all from the Toccoa area. In the early 1950s, James Brown joined the group. They performed together from 1953 to 1968.

The induction of the Famous Flames into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will take place on April 14 at the Hall of Fame museum, located in Cleveland, Ohio. Also inducted at that time will be Buddy Holly’s Crickets, Gene Vincent’s Blue Caps, Hank Ballard’s Midnighters, Bill Haley’s Comets, and Smokey Robinson’s Miracles.

For more information about the city’s planned celebration on April 9, call Crosby at 706-282-3309.

Bruce Creek Fishing Pier Project Moves Forward

Work is moving forward on the Bruce Creek fishing pier project. Georgia DNR Senior Fisheries Biologist Anthony Rabern said a pre-bid meeting was held last Tuesday. He said they hope to open bids in February and possibly start construction around March. The project includes construction new fishing piers and a walking trail to connect them. There is $600,000 available to fund the project.