Morgan County Government

• Morgan County commissioners agreed to help fund a book celebrating the agricultural heritage of Madison and the county with $775 in funds remaining from the county’s Bicentennial funds. They will also loan the Madison-Morgan Preservation Heritage group up to $5,000 to assist in production costs of the book.
“I would like to see us give them the $750 as an out-and-out contribution…and when time comes for them to repay the remaining loan, for us to consider possibly granting them the rest,” said Commissioner Ellen Warren.
    The funds provided as a loan may be forgiven in the county’s next fiscal year depending upon the financial position of the county in June of next year.
    “This is something we’re doing to contribute to the Bicentennial,” said County Commission Chairman Mack Bohlen.

Bostwick

• The City of Bostwick City Council Monday approved to change it's city insurance policy to the Traveler's Group. Despite an estimated increase of $490 per year, from $4,900 to $5,390, Bostwick Mayor John Bostwick said the move will provide the city with more than double it's coverage on city–owned buildings and its elected officials coverage. "We are gaining coverage on all our buildings... we've gained a lot on liability," he said. The new coverage will also provide insurance coverage for special city events like the annual Bostwick Cotton Gin Festival. "We don't have to get a separate rider on the Cotton Gin Festival and that's  a lot," he said. Prior to the switch city officials had no liability coverage in case of a lawsuit. "We didn't have any elected official coverage. If somebody decided to sue us we would have been pretty much on our own. With the new coverage city officials now have  $1 million in  liability coverage.
• Property tax owners in Bostwick can breathe a sigh of relief when it comes time to renew property insurance policies. The city's ISO fire rating dropped significantly recently, going from the worst rating (a 10) to a five rating. "We've always been a 10," said Bostwick Mayor John Bostwick. "They took our fire rating down to a five which will reflect on insurance ratings. You'll notice a good reduction on your fire insurance rating. "It's a pretty big deal," Bostwick said.
• WSB's meteorologist Karen Minton will be this year's grand marshal at the annual Bostwick Cotton Gin Festival parade. The announcement was made Monday night at the annual Bostwick City Council meeting.

Local News

• Madison’s Pilot Travel Center is providing a new way to support troops in all branches of the military, by becoming a drop-box location for Operation Sandbox Georgia, a non-profit organization that collects items for care packages to be sent to those serving overseas. The Pilot drop-box has been open for three weeks and counting, thanks to General Manager Teresa Story, who organized the effort to make Pilot part of the Operation Sandbox network. Some of the most requested items are travel-sized hygiene products, single powder-drink mixes, international phone cards, and non-perishable snack foods. A full list can be found at www.operationsandboxga.com. Drop off your donations inside Pilot Travel Center.
• Last week Georgia Public Television’s series "Georgia Traveler" was in town filming area attractions, including The James Madison Inn. They reportedly stopped by Antique Sweets for homemade ice cream before wrapping up the filming for the day. They later spent time taking in the Sunflower Farm Festival in Rutledge for this segment.