CMYK Thursday, April 11, 2013
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Progress ‘13: ‘PATCH’ to the Past. 1C
Jackson County is exploring ways to cut spending By LEANNE AKIN
lakin@clickthepaper.com
Jackson County’s tax digest has declined since 2008 but County Manager Kevin Poe said efforts are still being made to avoid a tax increase. That means cutting expenses to keep spending in line with the revenues available. In speaking at the April 4 District 3 town hall meeting, Poe said some economists say the economy has reached the bottom and recovery is ahead. Poe still anticipates another year of a slight tax digest decline.
To reduce spending, employee furloughs will continue although the days have been cut to nine from 12. Personnel is where the county puts a major percentage of its expenditures. “We will continue to monitor that and can hopefully start reducing furloughs,” said Poe, who noted that employees have not seen raises in several years. Poe said the county has been attempting to generate revenues by renegotiating contracts such as the phone and commissary at the Jackson County Correctional Institute. The county, through negotiations with the
third-party vendor providing those services, is now getting a larger percentage to gain more revenue. “This is one way those who are incarcerated are giving money back to the county,” said Poe, who indicates that many receive indigent defense financed by the county. The inmates and their family members pay for the privilege of phone and commissary services with the county receiving some funds from that. The county is also now saving money on its solid waste hauling from the transfer station to the landfill because of a renegotiated
KUBOTA EXPANSION
contract. Poe said he is hopeful the county will be able to save $1.4 million by using the Jefferson Public Facilities Authority to refund some of the Certificates of Participation on the courthouse project by working with a bond underwriter. The commission heard from representatives of three bond underwriting firms last week and is expected to make a decision at the April 15 meeting. Poe pointed to sales tax, the county’s second largest revenue stream behind ad va-
See COUNTY, 2A
Schools face uncertain fiscal future Jackson County weighs budget reduction plans By KATIE JUSTICE
kjustice@clickthepaper.com
In the past five years, Jackson County Schools have lost around $23 million in austerity cuts from state funding. As the economy is beginning to recover, the school system is still suffering, with an unanticipated $3 million drop in revenue this school year. In an effort to prevent Jackson County School System from entering into the red, the superintendent aims to implement a series of proposed budget reduction strategies for the coming school year. According to Dr. John Green, the school system is currently operating on revenues that are equivalent to the year 2006 when the county had 1,000 fewer students. To balance next year’s budget, the school system needs to reduce its expenditures by around $7 million. The plan includes seven parts. First, there will be eight furlough, or calendar reduction days, for the district leadership. This would save $15,700 per day or $125,600 overall.
Photos by SCOTT ROGERS | The Times
Kubota employees work on the assembly line manufacturing tractors inside the company’s new 522,000-square-foot plant Monday in Jefferson.
Company celebrates grand opening in Jefferson
See Jackson County, 2A
By SAVANNAH KING
Jefferson system may be near ‘tipping point’ for classroom impacts
Regional staff
Kubota Industrial Equipment celebrated the grand opening of its new manufacturing facility with traditional Japanese ceremony Monday morning in Jefferson. The company invested $73 million into the new facility that will manufacture compact tractor models. The new facility is next door to the existing KIE implements production facility, which produces loaders and backhoes. In lieu of a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony, Gov. Nathan Deal, dignitaries and Kubota business executives celebrated with a saké barrel ceremony. Each person held a small wooden mallet over the top of a ceremonial saké barrel and struck the lid together, breaking it. Traditionally, a toast would follow the breaking of the barrel. No saké was served. “This is another indication that Georgia is doing something right,” Deal said. “The friendship and cooperative relationship that Georgia and Kubota has had goes back many years. And this is just another illustration of the fact
By KATIE JUSTICE
kjustice@clickthepaper.com
Jefferson City Schools has had an undeniably newsworthy year. From state titles in athletics to a national ranking in Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, Jefferson is on the map, and despite facing the budgeting woes that are hitting school systems across the state, a tradition of excellence is something Jefferson City Schools aims to maintain. “I’m very well pleased, of course you don’t take anything for granted, and you certainly don’t want to have an attitude that there isn’t room for improvement because there always is, but I think the teachers and the principals here are doing a pretty good job,” said Superintendent Dr. John Jackson. “Certainly we’re always wanting to be as good as we can be. There’s always wanting to take advantage of any opportunity to improve, but from where I sit, I think the people that we have here they’re giving everything they got and they’re providing the children here in Jefferson with a very good education,” he said. The biggest concern for Jackson, is not the quality of the education, but instead a lack of funding. The school system and school board are currently working to develop next year’s
Matsuriza percussion group performs during the grand opening of the Kubota Industrial Equipment facility Monday in Jefferson.
that they have chosen Georgia to be a further manufacturing site for their facility and we are very pleased with that.” Deal said the state has some of the best incentive packages and tax credits that appeal to international businesses who are looking to come to Georgia or to expand their business.
Acting Consul General of Japan Joji Miyamori said he felt overjoyed to see how well the U.S. and Japan are able to work together to build a better future. The expansion will create an additional 200 jobs when it becomes fully operational. The implements facility currently employs 500 people.
Kubota has been doing business in Georgia for nearly 40 years and has several operations in the state. More than 1,700 people are currently employed at Kubota facilities in Georgia. “We are committed to making investments that will en-
See KUBOTA, 2A
See JEFFERSON, 2A
Ray Perren named new president of Lanier Tech By SAVANNAH KING
Regional staff
Ray Perren was chosen as new president of Lanier Technical College in a unanimous vote by the Technical College System of Georgia at its meeting April 4 in Atlanta. Perren will succeed Russell Vandiver, who retired at the end of March after 37 years at Lanier Tech, including the last three as president. The appointment is effective May 1.
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Perren was previously president at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in Valdosta. He has served as president of the college since 2009 when it was known as Valdosta Technical College. Technical College System Commissioner Ron Jackson said Perren has been an accomplished college president focused on enhancing the accomplishments of both his college and its students. “I’m very confident that he’ll provide the
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faculty and staff of Lanier Technical College with strong support and effective leadership as they continue to grow their great work of changing lives, building careers and contributing to the region’s economic development,” Jackson said. “Lanier Tech is a great college, in fact it’s one of the models across the state in terms of doing workforce development in contract training and continuing education,” Perren said. “So I hope to be able to continue to
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build on the strong legacy of workforce development that already exists. I’m excited about expanding the credit programs and increasing enrollment through the several campuses.”
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