Piedmont drops tight contest 72-71 to Belhaven

By

-

January 13, 2024

DEMOREST, Ga. – In a game that came down to the final shot, the Piedmont men’s basketball team was unable to convert at the end in a tough 72-71 loss to Belhaven. Piedmont came back after trailing by as many as 12 in the second half but could not complete the comeback.

The Lions were able to keep it to a single-digit deficit until the 8:19 mark in the first half when Belhaven took a 10-point lead. Piedmont clawed back to within five in the first half but trailed by nine at the break, 39-30.

In the opening minutes of the second half, Piedmont used a 7-0 run to pull within one, 43-42. The Blazers kept the Lions at bay and stretched the lead back to 12 with 10:45 to play, and the deficit proved to be too much down the stretch.

A Griffin Neville fastbreak layup made it a one-point game at 65-64 with 5:28 to play, and Neville again got it to one at 70-69 with 3:23 remaining.

In the final 3:05, just two points were scored on either side, with a pair of free throws for the Blazers and one jumper for Ryan Jolly.

Up next, the Lions will host Covenant on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

TURNING POINT:
–Piedmont was unable to convert inside the final 90 seconds after a made basket by Ryan Jolly to pull within one with 1:53 remaining.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
—Noah Reardon led Piedmont with 20 points as he made four 3-pointers in the game.
—Joe Helenbrook led the Lions in rebounds with seven while adding 14 points.

NEWS AND NOTES:
—Ryan Jolly was held to 10 points in the game, his lowest total of the season.

Deetz’s double-double, Scott’s hot shooting lead Lions past Belhaven 83-67

By

Joseph Garwood

-

January 13, 2024

DEMOREST, Ga. – The Piedmont women’s basketball team won its third straight game, overtaking Belhaven with an 83-67 win on Saturday at Cave Arena.

Trailing by one at the break, the Lions used a dominant third quarter to take control and continued to pull away in the fourth for their second straight double-digit conference victory.

Senior forward Destiny Deetz delivered a career-high 16 points and a season-best 11 rebounds, marking her first career double-double as a Lion. The Tiger, Georgia native came off the bench and delivered key production in just 26 minutes of action.

Career-high 16 points AND her first career double-double!!

Two-sport standout Destiny Deetz with a big-time performance off the bench 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/i2uPz5Cbos

— Piedmont WBB (@PiedmontWBB) January 13, 2024

Fellow seniors Ashley Scott and Laken Stiles pitched in big-time performances as well, with Scott scoring a season-high 20 points on 5-of-11 from beyond the arc, while Stiles nearly pulled off a triple-double, with 15 points, seven rebounds and a team-high six assists.

The first half was back-and-forth the entire way, with the biggest lead by either side a five-point edge by Belhaven, which it held briefly midway through the opening quarter. The lead changed numerous times, including three times in the final minute of the first half.

However, Piedmont began to take control in the third quarter, making 13-of-15 free throws thanks to an attacking style off the dribble. The Lions reeled off a 9-0 run to go from a 42-42 tie to lead 51-42 at the 3:19 mark of the third quarter. The Blazers were able to briefly cut their deficit to five, but the Lions took their first double-digit lead of the game as Deetz knocked down back-to-back free throws with five seconds left in the third.

With all the momentum on their side, the Lions connected on jumpers from Stiles and Scott to open the fourth and give Piedmont a 67-52 advantage. That proved too much to overcome for Belhaven, which was unable to give Piedmont a scare down the stretch.

Up next, the Lions will remain at home, hosting CCS foe Covenant at Cave Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 5 p.m.

TURNING POINT:
– The Lions outscored the Blazers 46-29 in a dominant second-half performance.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
– Deetz delivered a career-high in points (16) and tacked on her first career double-double thanks to 11 rebounds.
– Scott totaled season highs in points (20) and three-pointers (five) in the win.
– Stiles did it all, filling up the stat sheet with 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
– The Lions were a rock solid 21-of-25 (84%) from the free throw line.

State set to roll out more money to help school districts pay to bus students to school

By

Ross Williams

-

January 13, 2024

Georgia school districts could be getting new money to pay for pupil transportation under Gov. Brian Kemp’s proposed budget. (Pixabay)

(GA Recorder) — Every weekday morning and afternoon, a fleet of yellow buses rolls out all over the state, picking up and dropping off Georgia students.

Keeping all those wheels turning isn’t cheap – Georgia’s school districts combined spend more than $1.2 billion to safely shuttle kids between school and home – and costs are only getting higher as more students enroll and the costs of buses, fuel, and labor rise.

For more than two decades, local districts have been stuck footing those bills. According to the Georgia Budget Policy Institute, the amount of money the state pitches in for transportation has been basically stagnant since the early 2000s. Those state dollars used to fund over half of the districts’ transportation costs, but now only cover about 17%.

Gov. Brian Kemp’s proposed 2025 budget, which he unveiled Thursday, aims to pick up an additional $205 million of that, accounting for 40% of operational costs. The new spending is part of a planned $1.4 billion in new education spending, which also includes teacher raises and grants for school safety.

Gov. Brian Kemp delivers his 2024 State of the State Address. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

“Meeting our obligations as a fiscally conservative state means meeting our obligations to our local school systems,” Kemp wrote.

New money for yellow buses may not be as attention-grabbing as raises for teachers or a grant to hire school resource officers, but those dollars will go a long way, said Stephen Owens, director of education at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute.

“Unlike in the past where it’s been this one-time funding, this forever sets the baseline higher,” he said. “This is a huge step forward for these districts. And when you pair that with other formula changes like the $100 million for school security grants, for that to be a continued line item for schools, the impact is going to be amazing for districts.”

The amount is not set to change with inflation, Owens added, so if costs continue to rise in the years to come, a future governor and legislators will need to take action to keep funding at the same level. But for now, reducing the costs of buses will free up schools to pay for all the other things they need.

“They’re going to see a lot of these funds that come down from the state just as a whole pot of money because of the vast amount of flexibility we provide districts on how to spend dollars from the state,” Owens said. “So that will open up dollars for better pay for substitutes, up to date curriculum, maybe continuing some of the programs that they started during the pandemic with federal dollars now with local dollars.”

Federal pandemic relief funds are set to dry up in September for schools nationwide, and districts, especially those in lower-wealth areas, will likely face cuts to staff, programs and extracurriculars.

HCHS basketball squads trounce Apalachee in region clash

By

Zack Myers

-

January 13, 2024

Daytona Underwood vs Apalachee — Habersham Central High School freshman Daytona Underwood (14) drives to the basket through a group of defenders against Apalachee High School on Friday, January 12, 2024. (Zack Myers/NowHabersham.com)

Both varsity basketball teams were flying high Friday night as Habersham Central High School downed Apalachee High School by margins of 17 and 33, respectively, in a home region matchup.

Girls: Habersham Central 50, Apalachee 33

The Lady Raiders (5-9, 2-1 Region 8-AAAAAA) were a tough bunch to deal with at Raider Gymnasium Friday.

The home squad turned a two-point first quarter lead into a 30-13 lead at the break.

“We had a great win,” Head Coach Bill Bradley said after the game. “Putting marks on the left side (in the win column) is always good, but we took steps forward today. I saw growth. I saw mental growth. To me, that’s as big as anything.”

The Lady Wildcats (8-9, 2-2) cut the HCHS lead down to 10 a few times down the stretch behind the play of Hannah Hollingsworth, but that’s as close as they would get when it mattered.

Kyia Barrett led the Lady Raiders with 22 points on the night, including hitting all nine of her free throws.

Daytona Underwood posted 18 points of her own.

Sophie Bramlett (7) and Karah Dean (3) poured in the other 10 points on the night for HCHS.

Underwood and Bramlett serve as the forwards for the Lady Raiders and were outsized against Apalachee, but stood their ground.

“Real proud of Sophie, real proud of Daytona,” Bradley said. “(Apalachee has) a huge inside game, but our two kids, that aren’t that big and dominant, really did a nice job on their posts.”

As is bound to happen, Bradley said he noticed mistakes – and players self-reported a few – but they didn’t bury the Lady Raiders. A few weeks ago, that might have been a different story.

“Mistakes didn’t cost us the ball game. Anytime you can make mistakes and it not cost you the ball game, you’ve got to be a little bit happy about it,” Bradley said.

HCHS turns around quickly to face North Forsyth in Cumming on Saturday with a 2 p.m. tip time.

Bradley said he hasn’t watched North Forsyth – also known by the Lady Raiders moniker – yet, but he knows the team will be good.

With that said, his team will go compete because that’s what competitors do. But he’s looking more at the execution of a game plan more than anything.

“Anytime you get a really, really good team on the road, what you want to do is you want to go and try to execute a game plan so you can learn from that game plan and try to use it to help you in the future,” Bradley said. “I think there will be a lot of things to learn.”

Boys: Habersham Central 78, Apalachee 45

Believe it or not, the Raiders (13-3, 2-1) actually trailed 10-9 at the end of the first quarter of this contest.

But stifling defense in the remainder of the game, especially the second quarter, saw them run the Wildcats (4-13, 0-4) off the court.

“The guys came out and did a really good job tonight playing defense,” Head Coach Tommy Yancey said. “That was able to get us a lot of turnovers that led to some easy offense for us. That’s key for us is to make sure we get some stops and try to turn it into some easy buckets.”

HCHS posted bigger numbers with the progression of each quarter.

In the second, it was 14. In the third, 26. Finally, 29 in the fourth.

Holding Apalachee scoreless in the second quarter gave the Raiders a 23-10 lead at the halftime break.

Yancey said the Wildcats “did a good job defensively of throwing a lot of things at us” which made the Raiders uncomfortable on offense.

“Then we were able to get some stops and get some things running. That allowed us to be a little bit more comfortable in the offensive end,” Yancey said. “Once we were able to do that, the guys were able to go out and dominate the situation. It was something we were looking to do, but we didn’t realize we were going to be able to turn them over this much.”

The Wildcats posted their biggest quarter (22 points) in the fourth quarter as the teams were subbing in players further and further down the bench. But those guys at the end of HCHS’s bench kept pushing the lead and didn’t slow down.

Josiah McCurry led the charge with 21 points in the game thanks to a 14-point third quarter, which ended with an alley-oop assist from Enzo Combs for a big exclamation point on the period.

Combs had a game himself with 13 points.

Caden Garrison scored 11 in the second half and Brannon Gaines had 10.

Overall, 12 of the 14 players dressed out on the Raiders’ bench put points on the board.

HCHS finished the night 16-of-19 from the foul line, good enough for 84 percent.

The Wildcats had one player in double digits as Aiden Pierce scored 15 in the second half.

The Raiders are in a stretch of playing 5-of-6 region games at home before doing the opposite on the back half of the schedule.

For Yancey, it doesn’t matter where the games are played. Region games matter.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s at home, away, if we play in a parking lot,” Yancey said. “Every game we’re going to play in-region has got to be important and we’ve got to put a lot of importance on it.”

The boys will tip off following the girls around 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Cumming against North Forsyth.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. honored at Georgia Capitol

By

Sarah Kallis

-

January 13, 2024

Lawmakers honored the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Day 5 of the legislative session.

After the brief floor sessions, lawmakers headed to the annual event under the Gold Dome featuring a performance from the Atlanta Boys’ Choir.

Gov. Brian Kemp spoke at the event and praised King’s accomplishments. Speaker of the House Jon Burns and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones also gave remarks.

“Today is not only a day to acknowledge the contributions he made to our state and nation, but also to reflect on how we can continue on with his legacy and the mission in our lives,” Kemp said. “Dr. King implored others, implored others to to strive for progress, to unity, and truly love our neighbors as ourselves.”

King’s 15-year-old granddaughter, Yolanda Renee King, urged lawmakers to act with compassion and respect in a tense political year.

“All Georgians can take pride that Martin Luther King Jr. called our state home, and that even with all of the racial segregation of our past, he was able to sow seeds of interracial brotherhood and sisterhood in the red clay of our state,” she said.

Later in the day, Sen. Donzella James (D-Atlanta) shared her feelings on receiving the prestigious Legislator of the Year award from the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.

“I’m really honored because you work, work, work and you never think about awards,” she said. “So to receive one is really great.” James said she is grateful for her constituents who continue to elect her and keep her in the loop about problems in the community to address with legislation.

Lawmakers will not hold floor sessions next week. Instead, they will review Kemp’s proposed budget recommendations and hear budget requests from state agencies.

This article comes to Now Habersham in partnership with GPB News

Mural plans for underpass denied

By

Nora Almazan

-

January 13, 2024

Things have changed, no matter the excitement many have felt over the past few weeks about the “Everybody Loves Tim Loves Tink The Underpass” Mural project. The railroad Norfolk Southern denied the project to paint murals below the underpass.

Tim Loves Tink

It is an urban legend of sorts. Little is known about the words written on top of the underpass in Cornelia, which have become quite famous for all those who live in the Northeast Georgia area. The story goes, the words were written at some time in the 60s. When the railroad would paint over it, the words would reappear. It has become an icon of sorts for resilience and love.

The railroad gave in and finally left the words in place. It has remained a mystery of sorts for residents and those passing through. Whenever the railroad painted the underpass, they made certain the words were repainted as well to remain as long as possible.

“We don’t know who Tim is or if Tink loved him. We don’t know if they were actual people. The only evidence they existed is simply in the words,” Noah Hamil, Cornelia’s Main Street Director explained.

The decision

Crack in the Underpass in Cornelia, which the railway has been watching for over 30 years.

The decision was delivered Monday afternoon after Donald “Dee” Anderson, Cornelia’s City Manager, met with railway engineers. There is a crack that engineers have been looking at for 30 years or more. Since the underpass was built in 1920, the remarkable structure is over 100 years old. Painting over the crack could cause an inability to monitor it, which is the fear of having the murals.

“Of course, we were disappointed, but we are already looking at other options,” Audrey Davenport, lead artist and the murals project manager, told Now Habersham.

Georgia Council for the Arts

Anderson talked about the Grant that was awarded from the Georgia Council for the Arts that was to be used for the Tim Loves Tink project. The Grant was given for the beautification of Downtown Cornelia using murals – not for the Tim Loves Tink Underpass – although it could be used for it. Anderson said the Grant is still available.

Anderson remarked, “We are reaching out to privately owned businesses. There are so many great buildings and mural opportunities.”

Davenport emphasized the project has always been about LOVE and how “love stands the test of time”. The project has evolved into a love for downtown and everything about Cornelia. Davenport added, “We are continuing.”

The Heart of Murals Project – February 8th

Mural artist David McShane

And continuing, they are. On February 8th, David McShane, the famous mural artist and educator from Philadelphia will be in Cornelia for a day of discussion, education, and collaboration. He is here to talk about how municipalities work with artists and artists with municipalities. There are plans to visit the Piedmont University campus to engage with students and to have an exhibit for school-age students to display their artwork.

If you would like more information, please contact Cornelia’s Main Street Director Noah Hamil at 706-778-8585, ext. 209.

Mt. Airy Town Council set to approve 2024 budget

By

Jerry Neace

-

January 13, 2024

The Mt. Airy town hall. (NowHabersham.com)

The Mt. Airy Town Council is expected to adopt the town’s 2024 budget during its meeting Tuesday night.

The budget consists of three funds: general, GCIC, and water. The budgeted amounts for each fund are $408,045 for the general fund, $345,011 for the GCIC (Georgia Crime Information Center) fund, and $404,000 for the water fund.

The portion of the budget going to pay for animal control will drop by nearly $5,000 as the result of negotiations with the Habersham County Commission regarding the intergovernmental agreement (IGA).

The proposed reduction of $4,889.80 compared to last year is the result of a new formula that considers the contributions of property owners to the county digest.

The Mt. Airy Town Council will also consider projects to include in the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG).

LMIG is distributed by the Georgia Department of Transportation for road maintenance and improvements.

GDOT awarded Mt. Airy a grant of $28,835.61 for 2024, which will require a 30% match from the town. The town’s match for the grant is expected to be $8,650.68.

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m., January 16, in the Town Hall at 1231 Dicks Hill Parkway in Mt. Airy. The public is encouraged to attend.

This article was written using assistive AI technology.

Kalen DeBoer named Alabama head coach

By

Staff Report

-

January 12, 2024

DeBoer welcome party — Alabama's new head football coach Kalen DeBoer greets Crimson Tide fans at a welcome party in Tuscaloosa following Friday's announcement of his hiring. (University of Alabama Athletics/Facebook)

Just two days after Nick Saban announced his retirement, the University of Alabama has a new head coach. On Friday, the school named Kalen DeBoer to lead the Crimson Tide.

DeBoer, winner of the 2023 Associated Press, AFCA, Eddie Robinson, George Munger, Walter Camp, and Home Depot Coach of the Year awards, comes to Tuscaloosa after spending the last two seasons at Washington.

“I have always had an incredible respect for Alabama football and its commitment to excellence,” DeBoer said. “The tradition-rich history of this program is unmatched across the landscape of college athletics, and I look forward to continuing that moving forward.”

DeBoer called following Coach Saban “an honor” and says he would not have left Washington “for just any school.”

“The chance to lead the football program at The University of Alabama is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

In his nine seasons as a head coach, the 49-year-old DeBoer has won 104 games while only losing 12, which includes a 25-3 record with the Huskies. In 2023, he led Washington to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, won the Pac-12 Championship and recorded the most wins in a season in program history (14).

DeBoer became the first Washington coach to win 11 or more games in consecutive seasons after going 11-2 in 2022 and 14-1 in 2023 and the first to win a bowl game in his first season with the Huskies. That success resulted in back-to-back Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors. His Washington squads also went 10-1 vs. ranked teams, and he’s 18-3 in playoff games as a head coach.

Prior to taking over at Washington, DeBoer spent two seasons at Fresno State, going 12-6 and leading the Bulldogs to the 2021 New Mexico Bowl. His first head-coaching stop was at his alma mater, the University of Sioux Falls, where he spent five seasons (2005-09) at the helm going 67-3 with three NAIA national titles and three national Coach of the Year awards.

Other coaching stops for DeBoer include Indiana (2019 – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks), Fresno State (2017-18 – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks), Eastern Michigan (2014-16 – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks), Southern Illinois (2010-13 – Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers), Sioux Falls (2000-04 – Offensive Coordinator; 1997 – Wide Receivers) and Washington HS (1998-99 – Assistant Coach).

“We are excited to welcome Kalen and Nicole DeBoer, and their daughters, Alexis and Avery, to The University of Alabama,” said University of Alabama Director of Athletics Greg Byrne. “Coach DeBoer has proven he is a winner and has done an incredible job as a head coach at each of his stops.”

The terms of DeBoer’s contract are still pending approval by the University of Alabama Board of Trustees.

Speed, weather contributed to single-vehicle crash on GA 365, troopers say

By

Staff Report

-

January 12, 2024

Georgia State Patrol (GSP) patrol car — (NowHabersham.com)

A Mt. Airy man escaped injury when the pickup truck he was driving overturned on GA 365 South in Habersham County.

Troopers from Georgia State Patrol (GSP) Post 7 in Toccoa responded to the crash near Double Bridge Road around 2:18 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12.

GSP’s preliminary accident report states that 55-year-old Donald Arledge, Jr., was driving southbound in a Chevy Silverado C150. According to the report, he was driving too fast for conditions and lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn off the roadway.

The crash did not injure Arledge.

The investigating trooper charged him with driving too fast for conditions and having faulty tires.

Lightning may be to blame for barn fire in Banks County

By

Staff Report

-

January 12, 2024

A fire Friday afternoon heavily damaged a barn in Alto.

Around 2 p.m. on Jan. 12, firefighters from Banks and Jackson counties responded to the blaze at 4995 Yonah Homer Road. They arrived to find the detached barn “well involved in fire,” says Banks County Fire Chief Steve Nichols.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames, he says. No injuries were reported.

According to Nichols, the cause of the fire appears to be accidental. A lightning storm in the area can’t be ruled out as a possible cause.

Co-defendants in Mountain City woman’s murder appear in court

By

Jerry Neace

-

January 12, 2024

Frizsell murder co-defendants — Three of the defendants in the Frizsell murder case had administrative hearings this week at the Macon County Courthouse in Franklin, NC. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)

Court cases are proceeding against several defendants charged in connection to the murder of a Mountain City, Georgia, woman.

Administrative hearings were held this week in Macon County Superior Court in Franklin, North Carolina, for Chris Shields, Andrew McCrackin, and Jessica Smith. All three are charged in relation to the May 2022 shooting death of Tina Walkingstick Friszell.

Shields attorneys want their client closer to home

Accused gunman Chris Shields is charged with capital murder. He’s currently being held at Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina, awaiting trial. On January 11, Shields appeared in court with his attorneys to request a transfer.

Murder suspect Christopher Shields exits a Franklin, North Carolina, courtroom on September 25, 2023, after learning he could face the death penalty. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)

Defense attorneys Tony Dalton and Doug Edwards argued before Superior Court Judge Gary Gavenus that Shields should be housed closer to home. They said the distance in having him four hours away in Raleigh has created difficulties in representing their client properly.

Assistant District Attorney Jim Moore argued Shields is a safety risk for the local detention centers in the area. He says Shields was held in Macon County, Clay County, and Transylvania County detention centers, where he popped cell locks and threatened staff and inmates, and also allegedly made death threats against potential witnesses. According to Moore, those counties have refused to house Shields because they don’t have the personnel or proper facilities due to his actions and threatening demeanor.

Safe keeping order

Macon County Superior Court Judge William Cowart signed a “Safe Keeping” order in the case last August, resulting in Shields being transferred to Central Prison. Dalton previously argued he was unaware of the order and requested that Shields be returned to the area. He also argued that he has spoken with authorities in Transylvania County and that they have not indicated to him that Shields is a threat.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Gavenus reissued the “Safe Keeping” order, and Shields was returned to Central Prison following Thursday’s administrative hearing. He’s due to return to court on March 20, and his attorneys are again expected to ask for a transfer.

Shields is unlikely to go on trial before 2025. When he does, he could face the death penalty. In addition to capital murder, authorities charged him with destroying human remains, felony conspiracy to commit murder, concealing a death, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

According to prosecutors, Shields shot Frizsell to death at his residence on South Tryphosa Road in Otto, North Carolina.

The mother of two was killed the day before her 43rd birthday.

McCrackin a no show

Co-defendant Andrew “Dereck” McCrackin was scheduled for an administrative hearing this week but did not show. His attorney, Ward Collins, said he was unaware as to why his client was not present.

Andrew “Derek” McCrackin (Courtesy: Macon County (NC) Detention Center)

McCrackin has been housed at the Clay County, North Carolina, Detention Center since threats were made against his life while being held in Macon County. Even though he is a co-defendant in the Frizsell murder, he is also a potential witness for the prosecution.

McCrackin and co-defendant Jessica Smith are both charged with concealing a death, destroying a body, felony conspiracy to commit murder, and as accessories after the fact. They’re accused of helping to move and burn her body to conceal her death.

Walkingstick’s remains were positively identified in August last year using DNA provided by her family.

Same charges, different treatment, attorney says

McCrackin has been in jail since his arrest in May 2022. His attorney was prepared to argue for another bond reduction for his client. Originally set at $750,000, McCrackin’s bond has already been reduced once to $350,000. However, it’s still higher than Smith’s, who faces the same charges.

Jessica Smith (Courtesy Macon County (NC) Detention Center)

Smith bonded out of jail in September 2022 after her bond was reduced. Collins says it’s unclear as to why his client has not received the same treatment.

McCrackin is due in court for another bond reduction hearing in March.

The fourth co-defendant in the case, Lenoka Wilson is the one nearest to going to trial. She’s charged with two counts of felony kidnapping. A pre-trial hearing in her case is set for February 12.

HABCO has a location change, will consider appointments and animal control IGAs

By

Jerry Neace

-

January 12, 2024

Appointments will be a key element Tuesday evening at the Habersham County Commissioners’ meeting. Deviating a bit from the past few years, the appointment of the County Clerk and County Attorney is not on the agenda. The renewal of the County Manager’s contract is also not on the agenda. Following the meeting, there will be an Executive Session for personnel.

While the Commission normally meets on Monday evenings, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it is scheduled for Tuesday, January 16 in the Commission Conference Room at the Habersham County Administration Building at 130 Jacob’s Way in Clarkesville. County offices are closed on Monday in observance of the holiday. The Commission will not have a work session before the meeting.

Animal Control IGAs

Items that were removed from the agenda last month are back. Five intergovernmental agreements (IGA) with the cities for animal control have returned to the agenda for the commission to consider approval.

Since last month, several of the cities have approved their IGA with the county for animal control. Mt. Airy tabled the matter at their January 8 meeting until the county considers the IGA for approval. Mt. Airy is set to discuss the animal control agreement at their special called meeting on Tuesday night as well. Demorest City Council is still considering the IGA at this time and is not listed on the agenda for Tuesday evening.

Alcohol Licenses

The commission will consider approving on their consent agenda three alcohol licenses for businesses. The businesses are:

The Orchard Golf and Country Club LLC located at 1057 Orchard Drive, Clarkesville- Malt beverage, wine, and distilled spirits consumption on the premises
Leo Das LLC dba A to Z Grocery located at 1723 Crane Mill Rd, Alto- Malt beverage package sales
Old Batesville Store Restaurant located at 11801 Hwy 197N, Clarkesville- Malt beverage and wine consumption on premises

Reports

The Commission will hear reports from Planning Commission Chairman D. Higgins for the Planning Commission, Tax Assessor Board Vice Chairman Michael Larson, and the County Manager’s report from County Manager Alicia Vaughn.

New Business

The Commission will consider approving an IGA with Tallulah Falls for the donation of a drone for Emergency Services. They will consider a design change order for the Fire/EMS Headquarters Administration Facility as well as consider amendments to Resolution 2023-12-001 setting 2024 Qualifying Fees for Election.

At last month’s meeting, the election qualifying fees for some of the positions were questioned after the Commission approved the fees and found that some of the fees listed were incorrect.

The public is encouraged to attend.