CLARKESVILLE - Habersham County Commission Chairman Jim Butterworth is locked in a runoff campaign for the State Senate seat now held by Nancy Schaefer, and Thursday he responded to Schaefer's request Wednesday for the governor to approve $10,000 in emergency state funding to help keep the Habersham Cannery operating. <br />
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Butterworth's campaign released a statement Thursday saying the Habersham County Commission approved $8,000 on Monday to keep the cannery open for the harvest season. <br />
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Butterworth commented after the approval of the funds "the canning facility is important to the community. The funding for the cannery helps the self reliant families of Habersham County provide for their future needs." <br />
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Butterworth went on to say "agricultural oriented operations such as Habersham's cannery, as well as other canneries across the 50th Senate district, are a vital part of local communities. In an age where many communities look to big government grants to take care of community needs the Habersham County commission acted quickly and decisively on Monday, July 21 to solve a county problem without outside assistance."<br />
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Schaefer said Wednesday she had faxed a letter to Gov. Sonny Perdue, asking for state funding to keep the cannery open until the county can successfully fund the operation. (See separate story.)
