Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 6A
BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2008
BOE approves Mariachi class
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
After weeks of contro
versy, the Barrow County
Board of Education formally
approved a Mariachi music
class for Apalachee High
School Tuesday night.
After a 6-3 vote and some
pointed back-and-forth dis
cussion, the BOE gave AHS
teacher Kerry Bryant the
green light to begin the class
later this school year.
The class will initially
be offered to 20 students,
based on a grant the school
obtained to pay for instru
ments for that number of
students.
Superintendent Ron
Saunders’ recommenda
tion was for approval of the
class. AHS principal David
McGee, who was also at
Tuesday night’s board meet
ing, has also been in favor of
the class.
Prior to the vote, Saunders
said the only feedback from
the public had been posi
tive.
But BOE member Lynn
Stevens, who questioned the
class since it was proposed,
continued to have issues
with it this week.
“I have been called a rac
ist and been told that God is
probably a Mexican,” said
Stevens, who earlier said she
feared the class would open
‘I have been called a
racist and been told
that God is prob
ably a Mexican. ’
— BOE member Lynn
Stevens on her objec
tions to the class.
the door for illegal immi
grants to come to Barrow
County.
Stevens then said she did
not like the idea of the prece
dent the board would be set
ting by approving the class.
“We are separating one
group from another,” she
said.
But board member Rickey
Bailey disagreed with
Stevens.
“I am appalled at the nar
row-mindedness of some of
our board members,” he said.
“We say we want to reach
out to allow our students to
experience our cultures then
we want to close our eyes to
a program like this.”
Board member Connie
Wehunt also opposed the
class.
“I am not comfortable
starting up an individual
band when the money could
be used for the regular band,”
she said. “It should be open
for anyone.”
“It is,” Saunders coun
tered.
Board chairman Bill
Bramlett said if a group
steps forward to fund a pilot
program, he thinks the board
should welcome it.
“I think this has a very
good chance of being suc
cessful,” Bramlett said. “My
understanding is the instru
ments are being purchased
with a grant for this pro
gram.”
“What happens if the
program needs more instru
ments?” Stevens asked.
“We will deal with that
then,” Saunders said.
Board members Randall
Holland and Larry Ballard
voiced support for the new
class. Holland said the
Barrow County School
System has always set a pace
when it comes to music and
band.
“I was impressed with
Mr. (Kerry) Bryant’s pas
sion to see the students be
able to experience another
culture,” Ballard said. “His
passion told me our students
are going to benefit if not
from this music then from
his teaching.”
Holland, Bramlett, Bailey,
Ballard, Mark Still and Dan
Cromer voted in favor of the
class with Stevens, Wehunt
and Mitch Churchill voting
against.
Zoning case continued from 1A
Saying the two lawyers’
previous conduct had been
“extreme,” Hundley said
during arguments that by
allowing the second lawsuit
to proceed the court would
be saying the sanctions
it imposed earlier had no
teeth.
He also argued that the
second lawsuit was essen
tially the same as the first
lawsuit, just “dressed up a
little differently.”
CENTURY
CENTER RESPONDS
Speaking for Century
Center, Bowers said that the
two cases were different with
the first case raising a consti
tutional issue and the second
raising questions about the
application of Braselton’s
zoning ordinance.
Bowers also argued that
Motes’ earlier ruling impos
ing the sanctions against
the two lawyers had been
understood by his clients as
an either/or proposition; that
either the two lawyers pay
the sanctions, or the lawsuit
would be dismissed.
He said that should have
no bearing on the second
lawsuit.
Bowers also suggested
that the Superior Court
didn’t have jurisdiction to
tie the second lawsuit to the
first suit, which is now on
appeal.
Winder cuts employee, retiree benefits
BY SUSAN NORMAN
Given a choice between lay
offs or benefit reductions, the
Winder City Council voted 4-3
Monday night to cut employee
and retiree benefits in order to
reduce expenses in a climate
of dwindling revenues.
Employees next year will
pay more out of pocket when
they get sick, will pay for
their own long-term disabil
ity coverage, and will lose
their employer’s help with
the cost of YMCA and fit
ness club memberships. The
council also voted to change
its formula for retirement ben
efits on April 1, 2009 and to
remove one alternative retire
ment option.
The good news for city
employees is that their month
ly premiums will not rise in
2009. However, retirees will
have to pay 50 percent of
their monthly premiums - a
doubling of their current share
of 25 percent.
City administrator Bob
Beck said the cuts are neces
sary because of a $365,000
hike in the city’s health insur
ance plan for next year.
However, At-Large
Councilman Mike Mingus
fought the change, saying he
was worried about the unex
pected impact on retirees’
budgets.
“I completely understand
the need for the city to take
a serious look at issues like
this,” Mingus said. “I under
stand the need to increase
deductibles and to make
adjustments to co-insurance
and long-term disability cov
erage. But I am struggling
with the increase from 25 to
50 percent for retirees for
their medical insurance costs.
I have a problem with that
radical of a change.”
Mayor George “Chip”
Thompson III lobbied for the
change, saying that as a retired
teacher, he happily pays 50
percent of his monthly premi
um in order to retain the good
coverage the state offers.
“The fact that they can keep
it and stay on our policy, which
they can get at a much cheaper
rate, 50 percent is still a very,
very good deal,” Thompson
said. “Our motive here is to
try to get the expenses of the
City of Winder down so we
do not have to furlough or
let employees go. That’s the
reason we’re working hard on
this to get our finances in
shape.”
After a split vote, Thompson
made the decision by cast
ing the deciding fourth vote.
Those voting in favor of the
change were Thompson,
Ward 3 Councilman Ridley
Parrish, Ward 4 Councilman
Frank Dunagan and At Large
Councilman David Maynard.
Opposing the cost hike were
Mingus, District 1 Councilman
Sonny Morris and District 2
Councilman Charlie Eberhart.
For future retirees, the
council reduced as of April
1, 2009 the formula it will
use for retirement benefits.
And it nixed one alternative
retirement option that allowed
employees to retire with full
benefits as soon as their years
of service and ages added up
to 70. That option now will
be available to 13 employees,
if they choose to retire before
that date.
Beck said that the coun
cil’s actions had kept the
city’s finances stable, that the
cost cuts evenly matched the
increased health plan.
Parade continued from 1A
They will ride in a vintage, 1939 Chevrolet
coupe owned by Winder’s former mayor,
Buddy Ouzts.
Winder’s current mayor, George “Chip”
Thompson III, will ride in a restored 1940 fire
truck.
The parade will culminate with the arrival of
Santa Claus in a horse-drawn carriage.
The parade route is from the Ingles park
ing lot at 285 N. Broad Street to the Barrow
County Courthouse at the intersection of Broad
and Athens streets.
Though the route is only a mile, the parade
should last until about 4 p.m. due to the num
ber of entries.
Behind the courthouse at the parade termi
nus is the Barrow County Historical Museum,
whose “grand re-opening” coincides with
Saturday’s event.
“Everything has been completely restored.
They have all new displays and will have dem
onstrations and displays of historic lifestyles
in the lawn and in the courthouse parking lot,”
Miller said.
When the sun slips below the horizon
Saturday evening - sundown is at 5:38 -
Mayor Thompson will light the city’s official
Christmas tree in the gazebo park.
Guests then will be ferried by a mule-drawn
wagon to the Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit
at the corner of Candler and Center streets,
where the church choir in costumes from the
Charles Dickens era will sing carols and vol
unteers will serve refreshments on the church’s
lawn.
“It’s like stepping into a different world,”
Miller said. “They have sweet treats that are
historic. It’s just so cool. Everybody just sings
at the top of his lungs, even those of us who
jump off the wagon.”
www.BarrowJournal.com
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