By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

The Madison City Council agreed to have Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co. take care of Horse Branch stream bank restoration, pending approval by the homeowners’ association there.
City Manager David Nunn explained that this project has been on the city’s agenda for years.
“This area, the Meadow at Valley Farms, has taken much erosion and scouring over the years,” he said. He added that this project “will do some good.”
The project involves adding rip rap, or large granite stones, to the stream bank to break up rushing water and thereby slow erosion.
“This shows the EPD we’re serious about our commitment,” he said, noting that even though the city did nothing to cause the problem, it is being a good steward by improving it.
For about $40,000 the city will be able to pursue permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as the Environmental Protection Division (EPD), he said.
“It’s going to take a lot more money to get the permit than the project itself will take,” he said, adding that the original cost was higher but he was able to whittle that number down.
Nunn later explained via e-mail that the total cost of material and labor for the project will not be known until the engineering plan is complete. He wrote, “A rough, liberal estimate would be $15,000 to $20,000 total.”
During the meeting he said that the money for this project will come out of the wastewater fund, the majority of which is budgeted for next fiscal year.
He added that they have worked with the people at this company before.
“We’ve got a good continuity with them,” he said.
In other news:

By Kathryn Schiliro
Managing Editor

A Pre-K student was found by City of Madison employees outside a school bus near the school system's bus shop on Monday, March 18.
The Morgan County school bus was parked near the school system's bus shop around 8 a.m. and the driver "inadvertantly" left the student on the bus, according to Superintendent Dr. Ralph Bennett.
City employees were working at the well station on the back parking lot near the bus shop, saw the student and returned the student to the bus shop, Bennett said. This was around 9 a.m.
Each of the system's buses have an alarm system "where bus drivers have to walk to the back of the bus [when it's parked and off] and reset the alarm," Bennett said. This does require the driver to walk the entirety of the bus, looking for students who may not have gotten off the bus.
Bennett speculated that the child fell asleep on the bus, curled up on the seat or floor.
In this case system administration believes the bus driver did follow procedure and walk the bus, but Bennett said the driver acknowledged that morning's inspection wasn't as thorough as it should've been.
The veteran bus driver received a formal reprimand for the incident, Bennett said.
The state Department of Education's Bus Driver Training Manual's post-trip inspection section, found at www.doe.k12.gs.us, does state: "Walk to the back of the bus to check for sleeping children. Check carefully under and on all seats. There is NO excuse for leaving children on a bus. It is YOUR responsibility to see that no child is left behind. Failing to check your bus can result in your termination. It is a Class 4 felony if you are convicted of leaving a child on a school bus."

Printed in the April 11, 2013 edition.

By Kathryn Schiliro
Managing Editor

The standardized testing season kicks off next week in Morgan County schools with the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCTs) beginning Tuesday, April 16, Assistant Superintendent Debra White shared with the school board at their meeting Monday night.
The administration of this test, to all students in grades 3-8, lasts through Tuesday, April 23.
Testing at the high school starts this Saturday, actually, with the ACT, a test used for college admissions taken by choice.
International Baccalaureate (IB) exams for those high school students who've chosen to take part in these studies begins Thursday, May 2 and runs for two weeks, through May 17. Around the same time – Monday, May 6 to Friday, May 17 – Advanced Placement (AP) exams will be given at the high school as well.
Spring administration of End of Course Tests (EOCTs) begins Monday, May 13 and runs through Wednesday, May 22. Students at the high school are required to take part in EOCTs.
As far as retesting, the CRCT retest will be given May 21-22; the EOCT retest, June 25-28; the summer Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT), required in order to graduate, July 15-19; and the High School Writing Test (HSWT), also required for high school students, July 17.
At each school, White shared, there's a testing coordinator managing standardized testing and handling the materials, making sure the school's in compliance, and the principal "is responsible for testing in their school."
White explained that parents' preparation of their students prior to testing doesn't happen immediately prior to testing, but throughout the year. However, she did share some tips for parents to consider leading up to the day of testing.
• Be prepared (knowledge is power).
• Know the testing schedule.
• Know what the test will measure.

By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

More than 870 cyclists participated in the Spring Tune-up Ride 2013 with Bicycle Ride Across Georgia (BRAG) and were riding all about Madison and surrounding environs last weekend.

This is BRAG’s 20th year putting on the event and the eighth year the Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has sponsored it.
Ellen Ianelli, director of CVB said that for the most part the cyclists stay in local hotels or camp at Heritage Park.
“All in all it’s a great economic impact for the county,” she said. “The restaurants are packed. Not all stay in town but we’re usually full by the weekend.”

Ianelli added that the community welcomes the BRAG cyclists when they visit.
“They’re a group that enjoys coming to our community year after year,” she said.
BRAG Ride Director Vicki Thompson said the event, which begins and ends in Heritage Park, has “steadily grown” since it came to Madison. 

“We came here because it’s a beautiful area,” she said. “It has low traffic and the town has been more than willing to work with us.”
Thompson added that Heritage Park has been “more than accommodating.”

Stephanie Smith from Rutledge concurred with Thompson’s assessment of the community.
“People come from all over to ride here,” she said, commenting on the pretty scenery and rolling hills. “It’s nice.”
According to the BRAG website, the Madison event boasts riders from 20 states: from New York south to Florida and from as far away as Alaska.

By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

Kathi Russell, owner of the old Mapp-Gilmore Funeral Home located at 200 W. Washington St., Madison, wrote a letter dated April 9 stating that she plans to appeal the recent decision by the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) in which the HPC denied her demolition request for that building.
Russell has previously stated that she bought the building with the intention of restoring it and locating her business, the Madison Tea Room & Garden, in it.
Through the discovery process, she said she learned that the building was not salvageable.
Russell had 30 days after receiving the HPC’s denial in which to appeal their decision. As the HPC made its decision at a March 12 meeting, the April 9 letter falls within the 30 days, according to HPC staff Ken Kocher.
During the HPC’s meeting Tuesday night, Kocher said he expects the appeal to go before the Madison mayor and city council during its May 6 regular meeting.
Madison City Councilman Michael Naples, liaison to the HPC, said that there are two reasons for the city council to overturn such an appeal.
The first, he said, is if the applicant was denied due process while the second is if a decision was arbitrarily or capriciously made.

Printed in the April 11, 2013 edition.