Commission meeting yields proclamations
By CHRISTIAN LEHMAN Sentinel Writer

The monthly county commission meeting was held last Thursday. The brief meeting, held at the Union County courthouse covered items from Domestic Violence Awareness Month to a $10,000 award from Wal-Mart for Teacher of the Year.

Keith Thomas, a science and math teacher for middle school at Woody Gap School in Suches was awarded $10,000 in his name for Woody Gap by Wal- Mart for Teacher of the Year in Georgia. In recognition of his efforts, Commissioner Paris has declared September 26 Keith Thomas Day in Union County. Wal-Mart gives out this award for one teacher in every state including Puerto Rico. Woody Gap School plans to use the money to invest in new science equipment for the school.

Commissioner Paris also made official that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month with the goal to "promote and support ongoing public education efforts and build social intolerance against domestic violence." Also, the week of September 2006 will be Literacy Month with the goal of promoting literacy in Union County. The final proclamation involved declaring the week of September 17- 23 as Constitution Week to celebrate the 218th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.

The last item of note from the meeting involved Union County borrowing $1.8 million in the form of a Tax Anticipation Note (TAN) for the remainder of the year in order to cover county expenses until funds from the countywide tax assessment are raised. If money from the load is not needed it will be repaid at the end of the year.