Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2008
BARROW JOURNAL
PAGE 3A
City fuel surcharge to be dropped
Officials given power to close roads
Illegal trash dumping becoming increasing problem
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
City of Winder garbage
pickup customers will no lon
ger see a surcharge for fuel
on their bills beginning next
month.
The amount will be removed
beginning Dec. 1, city admin
istrator Bob Beck said dur
ing Tuesday's council meet
ing. The surcharge is being
dropped due to the decrease
in the cost of fuel in recent
weeks. United & Robertson’s
contract with the city stated
A wayward email acci
dentally sent to teachers by
Statham Elementary School
principal Mac Almond in
August is a “closed” mat
ter, school leaders said this
week.
The email had a variety of
joking, some vulgar, attach
ments. Almond reportedly
forwarded several e-mail
files he received from some
“Marine buddies" by acci
dent to all teachers at his
school. Once he realized he
had forwarded the e-mails
as an attachment, he imme
diately sent another e-mail
asking those who received it
to delete the files.
Since no complaints had
been received concerning
the contents of the email,
superintendent Ron Saunders
said Monday he considers the
issue closed.
A package was sent to area
newspapers containing cop
ies of the email and attach
ments. An anonymous letter
it could charge a surcharge
if fuel costs increased. That
surcharge has been passed on
to citizens in their monthly
city bills.
While many citizens
expressed dissatisfaction at
having to pay the extra cost,
Beck said it was in the con
tract. The charge was approxi
mately $1.50 per month.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting,
the council:
•voted to change the hours
of operation for city hall to 8
with the package stated, “If
a teacher or parapro were to
do something like this then
they would be fired on the
spot!!! We are held to high
standards. Why are principals
not held accountable for their
actions? Why is the Board
of Education protecting this
principal???”
In his second email to teach
ers asking them to delete the
information, Almond said he
was “embarrassed and truly
apologetic.”
“This is an issue that I
would consider resigning my
position for...I am embar
rassed beyond words," he
wrote.
Saunders said he did not
receive any complaints
from teachers and that sev
eral letters of support were
received.
“Basically, the letters from
staff members show that they
are upset that this situation
has made the papers,” he
said. “They feel the person or
persons who had sent this to
a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Jan.
1. Hours are currently 7:30
a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
•approved a beer and
wine permit request for Don
Holliday of Johnny's New
York Style Pizza and Subs on
Athens Street.
•approved a beer permit for
Rafael Martinez of La Tegua
Night Club on Athens Street.
•heard a report from Beck
on condemnation procedures
being taken by the city on
various buildings and houses.
‘closed’ matter
the papers after three months
from when it happened are
vicious and have a beef with
the principal on other issues.
They stated they get daily
‘spam’ that are much more
offensive from just having an
e-mail account.”
“I do not see anything fur
ther being done in this situa
tion,” Saunders said.
When situations of this
type occur, Saunders said he
judges the intention of the
action and how it affects the
school.
“Mr. Almond mistakenly
sent the e-mail and within
minutes he sent out another
e-mail apologizing and direct
ing the staff not to open it,”
Saunders said. “Many of the
staff did not open the e-mail.
They did not complain to Mr.
Almond at the time or to me
since that point which is the
process we have in place. Mr.
Almond and I have discussed
the situation and I feel the
matter is now closed.”
Faced with an increasing
issue of illegal trash dumping,
the Winder City Council voted
Tuesday night to give several
city officials the authority to
close unoccupied roads.
City administrator Bob
Beck requested during a work
session Tuesday afternoon that
he, the police chief, fire chief
and public utilities director be
given the authority to close
roads if the need arises. The
request was later officially
approved during the regular
meeting that evening.
“Currently, to close a street
requires action by the coun
cil,” Beck said. “Right now
we have some streets where
people are going in and dump
ing trash including items such
as old refrigerators. We have
had some reports of even some
commercial trash collectors
taking oilcans and paint cans
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Barrow County Board
of Education gave a resound
ing vote of disapproval to a
report put together by the state
Commission for School Board
Excellence during a called
work session last Thursday.
BOE members balked at sug
gestions that the state become
involved in local school board
issues and policies.
“They are using Clayton
County as a way to beat up the
rest of the state,” BOE member
Larry Ballard said referring to
the embattled Clayton County
school system which recently
lost accreditation due in part to
and dumping them. These are
items which cannot be taken
to the landfill.”
Police chief Stanley Rodgers
told the council the issue is
continuing to become more of
a problem.
“It’s worse than ever before,”
the chief said. “Something
needs to be done.”
City council member Mike
Mingus inquired if this was
mainly a problem on roads
where no one was living.
Beck said those were the
areas where it was occurring
most.
Some of the roads have one
or two houses where construc
tion began but was never com
pleted.
Rodgers said it happens pri
marily where roads end in
cul-de-sacs with trees giving
cover.
“Nearby homeowners
can’t see what is happening,”
school board problems.
The study was put togeth
er by a group of state busi
ness leaders as a way to study
national school board govern
ing practices and then to make
recommendations for improve
ments.
The commission's recom
mendations fall into three
categories: Board governance
accountability, an education
task force and board candidacy
and elections.
A board survey was includ
ed asking school boards if it
believed the state should inter-
Rodgers said.
Beck said he would like to
have permanent road barriers
placed up, something in the
ground and chains put across
the entrance. The city would
pay for this cost, he said.
“Something permanent
would have to used,” Beck
said. “Something would have
to used other than just a hors-
esaw type barrier. We would
have to get the approval of the
property owner.”
In order to encourage the
property owner to comply,
mayor Chip Thompson said
it needs to be stressed the city
is trying to help protect the
land.
“They are already having
trouble selling it,” the mayor
said. “This would help keep
it from being used as a trash
pit.”
The council passed the pro
posal unanimously.
vene if local boards were hav
ing trouble or were not meet ini
certain standards.
Barrow BOE chairman Bil
Bramlett polled members ir
attendance on each questior
to formulate a response and al
questions were answered “No'
when it came to allowing the
state to become involved wit!
local issues.
“I will respond and say the
whole concept done by the
commission to bring the state
in to oversee local boards flies
in the face of what we believe,'
Bramlett said.
f \
The Family of
LEE ROY (Bo) HAMMOND
Wishes to thank all of our family and friends
for their generosity - flowers, food, and
support - during this very sad time of our
family’s loss. See this web site for past photos
www. mem. com/Story. aspx?ID=2686I60.
With our sincere gratitude
Bobbie Hammond, Barbara Taylor & Children
v y
“We Got You Covered”
Residential * Commercial * Agricultural
• Ship Anywhere In The USA
• We Stock Your Metal Needs
• Visit Our Showroom
u
Sales • Service • Installation
Hwy. 60 / Candler Hwy.
Pendergrass, Ga.
www.metalroofmg.com
706-654-5836
In Loving Memory of
CHARLES CRONIC
November 12, 2007
Gone are the days we used to share,
But in our hearts you are always there,
The gates of memory will never close
With tender love and deep regret,
We who love you will never forget.
Always in our hearts,
Your wife, children and grandchildren
Principal’s wayward e-mail a
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Barrow BOE gives thumbs down to stat report
RICHARD SCHLOSSBERG MD FAAFP
Auburn Primary Care
University of Georgia
Medical College of Georgia
Georgia Baptist Residency
10 years experience
...is pleased to
introduce
Trina McMillan APRN
Nurse Practitioner with 10 years experience
NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS
Pediatrics • Adult Medicine • Minor Emergencies
770-822-5555
12 Seventh Street, Auburn, GA 30011
Need Holiday Cash?
Come See
Santa's Best Helper!
Drop by one of these convenient locations...
1048 Washington St 138 West Athens St
Jefferson
706-367-9828
Winder
770-867-2141
NEW LOCATION AT
5857 Spout Springs Rd - Flowery Branch
770-967-7047
St
Franklin
Financial
Let us show you how
WE CAN HELP
get rid of your
Serving Our Neighbors Since 1941 money nightmares!
*AII loans subject to our liberal credit policy and limitations, if any.
FOR SALE / LEASE
Best Deals in Barrow County!
Purchase for $450,000
Lease for $2500 per month
7500 sq ft - Loading Dock
Call678-222-8734
Owner Financing Available!
Ask About Free Rent!
Purchase for $359,900
Lease for $1650 per month
5,000 sq ft - 6 Bay Doors
Call 678-222-8734
Owner Financing A vallablel
Ask About Free Rent!
CARRIAGE
DRILL
(678) 963-5689
www.CarriageHMIRealty.com
Foreclosure and Investment
Properties Available
Ask Us About The First Time
Home Buyer Tax Credit
Tim Hill
(678) 227-3437
30 South Broad St.
Winder, GA 30680
Mary Ellen Small
(404) 395-1177