President's Comments From Bill Bomar

This year, we are revising the format of the Lake Burton Civic Association Newsletter, and increasing the frequency to approximately 6 times a year. In doing so, we hope that the newsletter is easier to read and the information comes to you in a more timely fashion. We will also include flyers in some of our mailings for events around the Lake and in Rabun County that are not sponsored by LBCA. One objective is to increase each LBCA Member's awareness of the roll of Lake Burton Civic Association in the Rabun County Community. Let us know if you like this change.

Dues Notices and the Directory Information Update Requests are being mailed to all families living around Lake Burton on our mailing list. This mailing list is approximately 50% larger than our membership rolls. Please encourage your neighbors to renew their membership, and to join if they are not already members. The $75 dues are small compared to the benefits. The Directory cutoff date is January 1, 2002, but do not wait until then to send your information to us. The dues paid now will apply to 2002, and we will update the Directory information as soon as we receive it from you. This will enable us to go to press in early January and get the Directory in you hands soon thereafter. If your address and phone information change in the meantime, we can reflect any changes when you give them to us.

You should have received a letter from Georgia Power Company about the Lake draw down beginning as usual around November 1st. This year, the Lake will be taken down lower than usual to allow the construction of a deep-water foundation and channel for Burton One, the Lake's rescue/fire boat, and for other construction around the Lake. We understand that the time that the Lake is drawn down below the normal amount will be kept to a minimum.

Work by your Officers and Board of Directors continues throughout the year even though many of you close your homes during the winter months. A listing of the LBCA Officers and Directors is included elsewhere in this newsletter. Keep it handy until the new LBCA Directory is mailed to you. Please contact any of our Officers or Directors with your questions or concerns. As always, you can contact me by phone, email or "snail mail". My email address is bbomar@windhambrannon.com.

August 18, 2001 Annual Members Meeting

Members attending the annual meeting of LBCA heard comments from County Manager Jimmy Bleckley and County Commissioner John Davis, and elected officers and directors for the Association. Commissioner Davis thanked LBCA members for all of the financial support, as well as significant volunteer support, we provide to our fire departments ". . . it means a lot to the County!" Jim Holmes reported on the work that the Fire Department Fiscal Oversight Committee which he, another businessperson, and three representatives from all of the fire departments in Rabun County are working on. This committee assisted in increasing the County budget allocation this year to the Fire Departments.

Those LBCA members attending the meeting heard Marvin Jowers get up and thank our local volunteer fire departments and Burton One for saving his house from devastation this summer when lightning struck his boathouse. Thank you firefighters.

Power Line Issue (An Opinion)

On September 18, 2001 HEMC-GTC and Dr. Broadwater (The Citizens for Rabun's Heritage consultant) debated various aspects of "High Voltage" and "Distributed" delivery systems to provide electricity to the growing density around the North-Northwest area of the lake. Neither side was well prepared for the event. HEMC-GTC failed to make a convincing case for the need for a high voltage transmission line across Rabun County and Dr. Broadwater failed to substantiate the low cost feasibility of a distributed solution. Both sides of this issue need a lot more work to define the best solution for the citizens of Rabun County. We urge those involved to raise the level from that of political debate to one of substance and factual analysis of all issues involved in this important matter.

Ben Meluskey, Editor

Attendance At LBCA Member Meetings

Attendance at the LBCA Spring and Summer Member Meetings has declined over the years. Do you think more members would turn out for one annual meeting tied to an event (such as the Bluegrass Night, a reinstatement of an art show or a dinner party at a location other than Fred's Shed with music)? Please, let us have your opinion with a YES or NO vote by email to lbca@lbca.net OR, if you have a good idea to improve attendance please contact a member of the Board of Directors.

Road Paving Around Lake

Rabun County has approved the paving of certain portions of Blalock-Goldmine Road and Meetinghouse Mountain Road. Members of the LBCA Board advocated this project, which is scheduled to start immediately, (in fact, paving may have already begun).

Recycle Center Progress

Progress on the new Recycle Center for the Southwest side of the lake, which Rabun County included in this fiscal year's budget, continues. Members of the LBCA Board of Directors spearheaded by Jim Holmes and Lawrence Stockton have been meeting with County and Georgia Power officials to identify and secure a workable location of the center. A solution is near.

Golf Tournament Slowdown

Attendance, sponsorship and revenues of the 10th Annual LBCA Golf Tournament on August 3rd were down 20% from the event's prior two years. Our local fire departments rely on the tournament to generate a significant part of their income . . . lets show our support next year.

Sales Tax Extension

Rabun County voters overwhelmingly approved the extension of the current 1% sales tax add-on for construction of a new elementary school mandated by the State of Georgia. Failure of the extension would have probably resulted in increased property taxes for the County. Only 25% of the registered voters in the precincts covering Lake Burton voted on the issue. We can be glad the vote wasn't close. Let's take the time and vote to insure our representation in Rabun County.

Copyright © 1999 - 2009 by Lake Burton Civic Association and Scot Roberge.  All rights reserved.