The fallout of the remnants of Hurricane Helene’s trip through the area has cancelled school and scheduled city business in Ware County and Waycross, officials said Monday.
Schools will be closed in Ware County the entire week, spokesperson Paige Coker said in a news release Monday afternoon. The release said the system would reassess the situation Friday, October 4 to determine if operations can resume Monday, October 7.
The Waycross City Commission announced Sunday afternoon on social media and with a notice posted on the front door of City Hall commission meetings scheduled Monday and Tuesday were postponed until Monday-Tuesday, October 6-7.
City Hall was scheduled to reopen today (Wednesday, October 2) if power had been restored in the downtown area.
Ware County, along with the Pierce and Brantley school systems, announced last Wednesday they would be closed Thursday and Friday because of the storm. Both Pierce and Brantley are closed until further notice, their officials said Monday.
The commission meetings were of particular importance as the city makes a third attempt at passing a budget for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
City Manager Ulysses Rayford was scheduled to present the proposed $42.668 million financial sheet at Tuesday’s regular business meeting. Monday was the commission’s planning and information session.
After introduction next week, a public hearing on the budget has been scheduled at 3 p.m,. Tuesday, October 15 ahead of the commission’s meeting that evening. A vote on the ledger could take place at that time.
The commission’s first action on passing the budget died in June for lack of a second on a motion to pass. The second attempt in early August failed on a 2-1 vote with Commissioner Sheinita Bennett in favor and Commissioners Katrena Felder and Diane Hopkins opposed.
The commission’s composition, however, has changed since the earlier votes. District 5 Commissioner Alvin Nelson was returned to his seat last month by order of the Georgia Supreme Court.
Be skeptical of any contractor that offers to pay your insurance deductible or offers other no-cost incentives, as these can be signs of a scam.
Always talk to your insurance company before committing to any stormrelated repairs or inspections. Ask contractors for references and check them out.
Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if there are any complaints against the business. Ensure that the contractor has the required licensing and/or affiliation.
Legitimate contractors should be able to provide the following:
• Business license
• General liability insurance • Workers compensation insurance
• Written manufacturer warranties
• Written labor warranties
