By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

Members of the Morgan County Board of Tax Assessors have spent hours upon hours – first at work sessions and then at meetings – working through the 392 Conservation Use Value Assessment (CUVA) applications received this year.
During their regular meeting in April the board approved a total of seven continuation applications, denied eight renewal applications, and tabled one.
CUVA applications discussed and voted on that day included 24 that the board had requested more information about during their work sessions.
The board met three times averaging two to three hours per meeting beginning in January to discuss renewal applications and view pictures of the properties.
As for their meetings, their regular meeting lasted about three hours and their first special called meeting went for more than four-and-a-half hours.

The remaining applications acted upon at the regular meeting were only the beginning: they received 333 renewal applications and 52 new applications as well as the seven continuation applications.
At the group’s special called meeting held Tuesday morning they approved all but 45 of the remaining applications.
Two new applications and 43 renewal applications were tabled so that staff could contact the applicants and request the amount of money the properties are leased for. 

Chief Appraiser Chuck Anglin noted that CUVA started in 1992 but “most jumped on it in 1993.”
The first 10-year renewal for that group was held in 2003; this is the second major renewal period.
The board must act on the applications prior to mailing out assessment notices, he said.

By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

Morgan County Commissioners discussed zoning for Madison Lakes during their April work session.
County Planning Director Chuck Jarrell said that the current development agreement will expire in November of 2014.
He explained that the economy has impacted this project, which began as a planned unit development (PUD): several tracts are in foreclosure or have changed ownership.
“Everybody that is with a bank or buying these tracts of land that are in foreclosure are wanting to know what they can do with the project,” he said. “My standard answer has been: you’ve got to follow the master plan or come back before the Board of Commissioners and request an amendment to that plan.”
He explained that in 2005 the county replaced PUD with community mixed use district (MXD3) because of problems with PUD.
Jarrell identified four options: leave Madison Lakes grandfathered in as a PUD, renegotiate the development agreement, change the whole thing to MXD3, or break it up into agricultural, agricultural-residential, residential or commercial zones.
He suggested commissioners decide by the early part of next year.
“Start thinking about how to handle this,” he said. “It will depend on how it progresses in coming months.”
County Manager Michael Lamar suggested a meeting with the homeowners’ association, Jarrell, and County Attorney Christian Henry so as to give the residents a voice in what happens after the agreement expires.
“Let’s facilitate an ongoing dialogue between the parties,” he said.

Printed in the April 25, 2013 edition

By Patrick Yost
Editor

A 57–year–old man Buckhead man was scammed out of more than $8,000 by a man who told him he had won $2.5 million and a new Mercedes in the Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes.
According to Morgan County Sheriff's Office reports, the man reported that he received a phone call at his Apalachee Road home notifying him of his alleged win and was told that to process the win, he had to pay a 1 percent fee on the prize winnings.
The victim, reports state, said he purchased 17 $500 Green Dot cards and one $250 Green Dot card, per the caller's instructions, and then called the scammer and gave him the security and account numbers from the 18 cards.  The victim said after he relayed the numbers to the caller he later realized that funds from the cards had been drained.
The disabled victim said during the initial phone conversation he told the caller that he did not need a new Mercedes and the caller told him he would receive an additional $80,000 instead.
In total, reports state, the man sent $8,839.10 to the scammer.
Capt. Chris Bish, Morgan County Sheriff's Office, said the scam is a reoccurring fraud and he warned citizens to be aware of persons calling with unsolicited prize money. Bish said the phone number traced during the call came from a Jamaican area code and a majority of phone fraud attempts originate outside the United States.
Bottom line, Bish said, scammers prey upon people, especially during rough economic times with the promise of something large for something little. "If you did not enter into a contest you are not going to win a prize," Bish said.

Printed in the April 25, 2013 edition

By Patrick Yost
Editor

An early morning fire on Monday destroyed a large barn near Buckhead.
According to Morgan County Sheriff’s Office reports, the fire was called in at approximately 3:30 a.m. at the Kingston Road property. Report state that the barn was a 40 cow milk barn that contained a 5525 John Deere tractor, a horse trailer and approximately 10 saddles. It also had four generations of memorabilia and tack, tools, stored lumber and antiques. The barn was constructed before the turn of 20th century. The barn belonged to Harold P. Alford and was part of a large agricultural farming operation.
Reports state that the fire was extinguished by fire fighters from the Buckhead Volunteer Fire Department, the Morgan County Station 4 and Morgan County Station 7, Clack's Chapel and Morgan County Central Station.
A neighbor stated that he had heard a loud explosion emanate from the barn prior to the fire.
The barn was a complete loss.
Printed in the April 25, 2013 edition

By Patrick Yost
Editor

A Madison convenience store was burglarized early Sunday morning of more than $6,000 in cash and merchandise but police have generated a tantalizing clue.
Stuck in a damp pair of blue jeans left behind at the store was a Georgia Correctional Release Identification Card with a man's name, photo and address. "He is definitely a person of interest (in the burglary)," Assistant Chief Carl Jones, Madison Police Department said.
The Petro Quick Shop was burglarized at approximately 3:45 a.m., according to Madison Police Department reports. Reports state that an alarm company notified the store's owner who drove to the store and then called police after he observed a broken glass window. Reports state that multiple packs of cigarettes, tins of chewing tobacco, cash, lottery tickets, cigars and t-shirts were taken. Reports state that inside the store, an officer found a damp pair of blue jeans with the identification card in the rear pocket.
There was also "a good amount of blood throughout the store," reports state.
Reports state that a large rock was used to shatter the window.

Printed in the April 25, 2013 edition

By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

Members of the Morgan County Planning Commission heard from Madison City Planner Bryce Jaeck regarding a proposed zoning change request and four-phase mixed use development at their April work session.
The property, located off of Bethany Road, currently is zoned planned professional development (PPD). Parallel Housing, the potential developer of the property, has requested it be rezoned to planned residential development (PRD).
The proposed project will include four phases, the first with an age restriction of 55-plus and the others without age restrictions.
Jaeck said a residential project would create less of an impact than a professional one would.
He said city staff recommends a letter of credit be obtained from the developer instead of an insurance bond, which he said is easier to get than the letter.
Chairman Brian Lehman called the project “significant.”
“We need to pay really close attention to this,” he said. “However long it takes is how long it takes.”
He shared his concern about the number of variances the project would require from the City of Madison: from a change in the minimum number of structures, to the minimum number of square feet per dwelling, to the number of feet separating large-scale developments.
“It’s a big deal,” he said. “We have to give it a lot of thought.”

Printed in the April 25, 2013 edition