Jefferson’s growing city limits have concerned school leaders as new houses — and students — are brought in.
The Jefferson Board of Education discussed the issue at its July 13 meeting.
Enrollment is already up 80 students from the end of last year, but finance director Kim Navas expects that number will be much larger (150-200). She said administrators are working to manage staffing and classroom sizes.
Jefferson’s school population has consistently grown over the past several years. That enrollment increase could be heightened by new housing developments being brought into the city limits.
“There’s 600 future home sites already approved within the city,” said superintendent John Jackson.
The Jefferson City Council recently approved annexing a portion (56 homes) of the Storey Meadows Subdivision. The annexation was approved in a split vote, despite opposition from city leaders, according to chairman Ronnie Hopkins.
The neighborhood will be split between the city and county school systems.
Currently, the move will only bring in 13 students to the Jefferson City School System and about half of those are enrolled as out-of-district students already.
The council is set to consider a much larger annexation on Monday. That development (located on Galilee Church Road) would include over 100 homes.
Hopkins encouraged the board to reach out to city council members. He noted the district is managing its current population, but continued annexations could have an impact.
“This could cause us severe problems,” he said.
See the full story in the July 19 issue of The Jackson Herald.
Top Stories - Topics from July, 2017
Updated: Annexations concern Jefferson BOE
Wednesday, July 19. 2017
Updated: 2 days ago
Updated: City planners deny industrial project
Wednesday, July 19. 2017
Updated: 3 days ago
Despite concessions from developers, city leaders voted Tuesday to deny a large industrial project off Plainview Road.
The Jefferson-Talmo Planning Commission denied a request to annex 95 acres near Plainview Road into the City of Jefferson. The Jefferson City Council will hear the request Aug. 14.
Jackson County Industrial Partners wants to construct two distribution buildings totaling 1.2 million square-feet on the north side of Logistics Center Parkway.
Developers initially proposed annexing 174 acres and constructing three large warehouse buildings, one of which would have been located on Plainview Road.
That request brought opposition from area residents, who feared increased noise, lights and traffic.
Developers agreed to forego the third building on Plainview Road and cut the proposed annexation from 174 acres to 95 acres.
See the full story in the July 19 issue of The Jackson Herald.
The Jefferson-Talmo Planning Commission denied a request to annex 95 acres near Plainview Road into the City of Jefferson. The Jefferson City Council will hear the request Aug. 14.
Jackson County Industrial Partners wants to construct two distribution buildings totaling 1.2 million square-feet on the north side of Logistics Center Parkway.
Developers initially proposed annexing 174 acres and constructing three large warehouse buildings, one of which would have been located on Plainview Road.
That request brought opposition from area residents, who feared increased noise, lights and traffic.
Developers agreed to forego the third building on Plainview Road and cut the proposed annexation from 174 acres to 95 acres.
See the full story in the July 19 issue of The Jackson Herald.
Updated: Maxwell pleads guilty
Wednesday, July 12. 2017
Updated: 6 days ago
Former Nicholson Mayor Ronnie Maxwell pleaded guilty in Superior County Monday to one charge of theft by taking.
Maxwell was not sentenced because the judge will wait for a probation report, but attorneys discussed some parameters of a plea bargain.
Maxwell will pay restitution of more than $6,100 and likely will be sentenced as a first offender, giving him the chance to clear his record with no conviction if he has no violations during the probation period.
Two counts of violation of an oath by a public officer are expected to be dismissed as part of the plea bargain.
The former mayor is charged with using $10,607 in special purpose local option sales tax money to pave a private road that served only his family.
The use of the SPLOST money occurred in May 2015. An investigation by the district attorney’s office was started in June 2015 after MainStreet Newspapers reported about the use of the public money.
A date was not set for sentencing, but a time frame of about 30 days was discussed by court officials.
See the full story in the July 12 issue of The Jackson Herald.
Maxwell was not sentenced because the judge will wait for a probation report, but attorneys discussed some parameters of a plea bargain.
Maxwell will pay restitution of more than $6,100 and likely will be sentenced as a first offender, giving him the chance to clear his record with no conviction if he has no violations during the probation period.
Two counts of violation of an oath by a public officer are expected to be dismissed as part of the plea bargain.
The former mayor is charged with using $10,607 in special purpose local option sales tax money to pave a private road that served only his family.
The use of the SPLOST money occurred in May 2015. An investigation by the district attorney’s office was started in June 2015 after MainStreet Newspapers reported about the use of the public money.
A date was not set for sentencing, but a time frame of about 30 days was discussed by court officials.
See the full story in the July 12 issue of The Jackson Herald.
Updated: SR 11 culvert repair will close road for 90 days
Wednesday, July 12. 2017
Updated: 5 days ago
Work to replace a culvert underneath SR 11 will close the road for 90 days beginning Monday, July 17.
A 14.7-mile detour that utilizes only state routes will be in effect while the 1938 drainage structure is replaced.
“The detour will allow construction to move faster, and cost less than if a temporary lane was built for traffic during construction,” according to a Georgia Department of Transportation news release.
Traffic will be routed from SR 11/US 129 in Jefferson to SR 82 to SR 211 and back to SR 11/US 129.
The roadway is scheduled to be opened back up to traffic by October 15.
The public information open house that showcased the detour route was hosted a little over two years ago at Cornerstone Church in Jefferson.
This project was awarded to E.R. Snell of Snellville and will replace the 50-foot triple barrel bridge culvert with a 100-foot double barrel bridge culvert.
A 14.7-mile detour that utilizes only state routes will be in effect while the 1938 drainage structure is replaced.
“The detour will allow construction to move faster, and cost less than if a temporary lane was built for traffic during construction,” according to a Georgia Department of Transportation news release.
Traffic will be routed from SR 11/US 129 in Jefferson to SR 82 to SR 211 and back to SR 11/US 129.
The roadway is scheduled to be opened back up to traffic by October 15.
The public information open house that showcased the detour route was hosted a little over two years ago at Cornerstone Church in Jefferson.
This project was awarded to E.R. Snell of Snellville and will replace the 50-foot triple barrel bridge culvert with a 100-foot double barrel bridge culvert.
Man killed in Cobb bank hostage situation was from Jefferson
Friday, July 7. 2017
The man at the center of Friday's hostage situation at a Cobb County bank was reportedly from Jefferson.
Brian Easley, 33, was killed in the incident.
Easley reportedly took two hostages at the bank and claimed he had a bomb. He called WSBTV in Atlanta and said he had been mistreated by the VA.
The WSB story is here:
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/cobb-county/cobb-county-hostage-suspect-told-us-by-phone-he-didnt-want-to-hurt-anyone/552877444
Brian Easley, 33, was killed in the incident.
Easley reportedly took two hostages at the bank and claimed he had a bomb. He called WSBTV in Atlanta and said he had been mistreated by the VA.
The WSB story is here:
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/cobb-county/cobb-county-hostage-suspect-told-us-by-phone-he-didnt-want-to-hurt-anyone/552877444
Maxwell trial set July 10
Wednesday, July 5. 2017
The trial of former Nicholson Mayor Ronnie Maxwell for using public money to pave a private drive is on the Superior Court calendar for Monday, July 10.
The trial has been continued three times in the past year, July, October and February.
Maxwell is charged with theft by taking and two counts of violating his oath as a public official.
His case is number three on the calendar, an employee in the district attorney’s office said Friday. If the first two cases are handled, Maxwell’s case will be heard.
Walter Harvey, Maxwell’s attorney, said Friday he knew it is the third case, but no more.
See the full story in the July 5 issue of The Jackson Herald.
The trial has been continued three times in the past year, July, October and February.
Maxwell is charged with theft by taking and two counts of violating his oath as a public official.
His case is number three on the calendar, an employee in the district attorney’s office said Friday. If the first two cases are handled, Maxwell’s case will be heard.
Walter Harvey, Maxwell’s attorney, said Friday he knew it is the third case, but no more.
See the full story in the July 5 issue of The Jackson Herald.
Commerce hires new civic center coordinator
Wednesday, July 5. 2017
Commerce has filled its position of civic center coordinator.
R. Brian Wilson, who has been the night and weekend manager for the Oconee County Civic Center, will start Monday in that job.
He will replace Justin Strickland, who resigned May 27.
James Wascher, Commerce city manager, said six people were interviewed for the job.
Wilson has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications from the University of Georgia.
He has worked at the Oconee County facility since June 2007.
Wilson was the marketing and conference services manager for Georgia State University from January 2012 to July 2014.
He was the facilities and security coordinator and event coordinator for the MLC/Tate Student Center at UGA from November 2005 to September 2011.
He also worked as the catering and sales event coordinator for On the Border in Duluth from December 2003 to June 2005.
The coordinator oversees venues for three buildings, the Civic Center, the Cultural Arts Center and the Business Information Center.
The FY 2018 budget for the center is $211,320.
R. Brian Wilson, who has been the night and weekend manager for the Oconee County Civic Center, will start Monday in that job.
He will replace Justin Strickland, who resigned May 27.
James Wascher, Commerce city manager, said six people were interviewed for the job.
Wilson has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications from the University of Georgia.
He has worked at the Oconee County facility since June 2007.
Wilson was the marketing and conference services manager for Georgia State University from January 2012 to July 2014.
He was the facilities and security coordinator and event coordinator for the MLC/Tate Student Center at UGA from November 2005 to September 2011.
He also worked as the catering and sales event coordinator for On the Border in Duluth from December 2003 to June 2005.
The coordinator oversees venues for three buildings, the Civic Center, the Cultural Arts Center and the Business Information Center.
The FY 2018 budget for the center is $211,320.
Page 1 of 1, totaling 7 entries
