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Page 12 THE TOWNS COUNTY HERALD September 17, 2014 September 17, 2014 THE TOWNS COUNTY HERALD Page 12 Meeting...from Page 1 EMC...from Page 1 “I want to tell you, shame more than $48,000, asked the run for these seats. And that’s off my suit and tie now,” Logan on the board for charging that membership for forgiveness. a bunch of bull.” said regarding his election to the poor woman $50 to get her “I will work hard to re- Phillips added that the Board of Directors. “I think the power cut back on,” Heiman- gain the trust of the member- monthly and annual meet- biggest thing that comes from son said. ship,” Akins said. “The Board ings of the Board of Directors this election is transparency. “Oh, and one more thing, of Directors has worked hard to should have large crowds on “Once things become when I asked Mr. Akins why get to the bottom of this, and get hand. more transparent to the mem- they had to build the headquar- back on track.” “People need to be in- bership, a lot of this stuff will ters so grand, he commented to Akins concluded by volved in the monthly meet- take care of itself,” Logan said. me that it was to be in confor- thanking the membership for ings,” he said. “Anderson “A lot of the issues have already mity with Brasstown Valley, supporting the cooperative. Music Hall seats 2,900 people. started being addressed. There that tourists who come by and Director Jerry Nichols Next year’s annual meeting, are some more things that need want to see the EMC,” she said. also apologized on behalf of I’d love to see 2,900 people to be addressed.” “When people go on vacation, the board of directors. here.” Logan said that the mem- I don’t think the EMC is their “We make mistakes, Phillips said he hopes bership sent a strong message destination. some were made over the last the clean sweep of directors’ with the election results. How- “I hope today, that we few years,” Nichols said. “It seats sends a message to the ever, he said he still had the get three new board members,” became a problem as soon as remaining members of the utmost respect for his defeated she said. we found out about it (April Board of Directors. opponent. Heimanson got her wish; 8, 2014). “We’ve got to work with Barbara Heimanson gives the EMC board an earful at the Annual “I’d like to say this, Brian there are three new board mem- “There’s a lot of informa- the existing members of this Meeting in Hiawassee on Saturday. Photos/Lowell Nicholson Trout is a fine fellow,” Logan bers, Charles Jenkins, Steven tion out there,” he said. “Bad board of directors,” Phillips able to talk to board members have been resolved years ago said. “Brian was on the board Phillips, and Chris Logan. And news is what people look at. said. “One of my highest pri- and not feel their jobs are threat- if people didn’t feel like their just a few months. I think he lost her speech drew a rousing round We’re regretful of how this has orities is to look out for the 191 ened,” Phillips said. “I’m on the jobs were in jeopardy.” this election more by circum- of applause. played out. We regret that it employees of the EMC. They board and I should be one of the As for Logan, he de- stance than his character. Though Heimanson was happened; your cooperative is do the job, they put their lives ones that they should call. You feated Trout with 69.5 percent “It’s time for the healing a tough act to follow, Karen going to change because of this. on the line, and they shouldn’t don’t know what is going on of the vote compared to Trout’s process to begin within the Kelley, wife of former EMC Please, have an open mind.” be in fear for their jobs. unless someone tells you. This 27 percent. EMC,” Logan said. Operations Director Chris Kel- Some members called for “I think they should be ordeal with Terry Taylor could “I guess I’ll have to dust ley, who was demoted for alert- term limits, and others urged ing Board of Directors about the Akins and the board to resign. long-term debt of former EMC EMC Member Mary Jean BOE...from Page 1 Board of Directors’ President Boyette, of Towns County, said football fields, and didn’t have any of the expenditures,” said Dr. leaves a heavier burden on lo- viously published dates have Terry Taylor, had some choice some things are unforgivable. other major projects in the works. Behrens. cal taxpayers to make up the been moved up one week, and words for the Board. “Matthew Akins knew And even with raising But the state of Georgia difference in funding. public hearings will occur on “The reason you’re hav- this was going on when he took the millage rate now, Towns only covers about 28 percent The Georgia Department Thursday, Sept. 25, at 12 p.m. ing all the problems you’re over,” she said. “He should County taxpayers are saving of Towns County’s school ex- of Revenue rejected the initial and 6 p.m. having is not because Chris have the grace to resign. The money, as a cycle of SPLOST penditures in a measure of printing of the notice of public The BOE will hold a Kelley blew the whistle on a di- Board should have the grace funding generates about $10 equalization based on the higher hearings because it said the meeting to set the millage rate rector,” Karen Kelley said. “It’s to resign.” million in revenue. property values assessed here, notice needed to be larger in the at the Towns County Board of because someone who used to EMC Member Richard “By law, the state is which is considered a rich Towns County Herald. Education Office on Thursday, sit on that stage wouldn’t pay Botting concurred with Boy- supposed to pay for over half county compared to others. That Because of this, all pre- Oct. 2, at 9 a.m. their bill.” ette’s assessment. Former EMC Director “Don’t believe that we of Operations Chris Kelley ac- have fallen off the proverbial Water...from Page 1 cording to the $30,000 opinion turnip truck,” Botting told the the Georgia Environmental the city just replaced was put “By being able to go and this city council, for the last of EMC Attorney Steven Minor board. “Matthew Akins’ ac- Finance Authority to be spread in about 25 years ago, but was down deeper with our new five years, has been very aggres- first reported the long overdue tions are incomprehensible. over the next 20 years, and only meant to last two years and pumps, we get a better quality sive in addressing issues.” debt of Taylor and Taylor Con- The Board of Directors should they’ve been very, very good needed frequent repairs. of water, which reduces the Mayor Barbara Mathis is struction to board member Greg be held equally responsible for to us over the years,” said “The operation of the wa- addition of chemicals,” said known for her fiscally conserva- Owenby. incompetency.” Stancil. ter intake does several things,” Stancil. “It gets us below al- tive nature and ability to make Chris Kelley’s reward The meeting concluded The water tank is an ex- Stancil said. “It drought proofs gae blooms, which is an issue money last. She, the city coun- was a demotion, a significant with the election of three new tremely important addition for us, because we’re able to adjust nationally right now.” cil, Stancil and engineers in the pay cut and personnel rep- board members: Jenkins, Phil- the community, and has been as the water goes down. And the Funding these projects employ of the city have worked rimands that included being lips and Logan. The member- part of a comprehensive plan important thing is that operating with state and federal assis- hard over the years to cultivate cited for insubordination, the ship left with a feeling of satis- dating back several years. costs should be significantly tance was not only a boon to the sort of relationships that North Georgia News and Towns faction and empowerment. “We realized that if any- reduced. The operating cost in taxpayers – it was a necessity bring this kind of funding to County Herald have learned. The other six EMC board thing happened to the plant years past is driven by the qual- to get the jobs done. the table. Chris Kelley resigned members must now wait to pumps or the water line leading ity of the water.” “We can’t make im- “We’ve not had to bor- his position at BRMEMC in see if a circulating petition to the school that we had lim- Water quality with the provements just because they row any additional money, and late August. seeking their recall from the ited ability to supply water to old intake was nowhere near as need to be made – we have to for these times and conditions, The membership crowd EMC Board of Directors is the schools,” said Stancil. “We good as with the new intake, as make improvements when we not many cities can say that,” screamed for Chris Kelley’s successful. were also concerned about it could only draw water from a can afford to make improve- said Stancil.

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