Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2008
BARROW JOURNAL
PAGE 3A
Braselton eyes grant for sewer pump station
TALKING ABOUT PLANS
Town engineer Jerry Hood talks about a project to replace an aging wastewater
treatment pump station on Ga. Hwy. 124 in Braselton. The station would serve a
number of industries along Hwy. 124. Photo by Kerri Testement
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
An aging wastewater treat
ment pump station that serves
Braselton's key industrial area
may be replaced using funds
from a state grant.
Jerry Hood of Engineering
Management Incorporated
(EMI) said the 29-year-old
pump station is located on Ga.
Hwy. 124 in Barrow County,
near the Mulberry River.
Braselton hasn't reported
any problems with the pump
station, but it’s operating at a
marginal rate, Hood said on
Thursday.
The station is capable
of pumping 100 gallons of
wastewater a minute, but the
town estimates it needs to
pump 500 gallons a minute,
Hood said.
Braselton estimates that
replacing the pump station
and force main will cost
$670,000.
The town is eligible to
receive up to $300,000 from
the Appalachian Regional
Commission for the project,
Hood said.
“We feel very positive about
this grant being awarded to
Braselton,” he said.
The town wouldn’t have to
purchase additional rights-of-
way for the project. A new
force main would be located
in the town’s 71-acre property
next to the Mulberry River,
and a pipe would cross the
river. Hood said.
“This is a very busy area
with economic development,”
he said. The pump station was
originally designed to serve
only Peachtree Tooling on
Hwy. 124, Hood added.
Braselton’s industrial cor
ridor along Hwy. 124 includes
distribution centers for Whole
Foods, Haverty’s, The Home
Depot, PETCO and Tractor
Supply, and Mayfield Dairy.
Hood said he hopes the
project will be awarded the
grant in the first quarter of
2009. The town may award
bids on the project in spring
2009.
Auburn continued from 1A
OPPOSED
Paul Brown, who led a review com
mittee and is president of Citizens for
a Better Auburn, first spoke about sev
eral wording issues and typing mistakes
throughout the proposed charter. Brown
then said he was opposed to removing
the section of he current charter that
prohibits issuing bond debt without a
referendum.
He said the mayor is sworn to sup
port and defend the charter and asked
Linda Belchinger to carry out her sworn
duty as mayor. Brown later questioned
Belchinger on being head of the DDA
while being mayor, seeking input as to
whether this violating the current city
charter.
“How can you be chairman of an
authority and mayor,” Brown asked?
City attorney Wilson said it did not
violate the city charter for the mayor to
serve in both roles.
Barrow County District 5 commis
sioner Billy Parks, an Auburn resident,
spoke in favor of the council being able
to issue bonds.
“It is hard to operate without being
able to incur debt,” Parks said.
All others who spoke were against the
proposal.
In other business at last week’s meet
ing, the council:
•approved a contract with Brick Kickers
for $11,760 to inspect 56 mobile homes
within the city.
Barrow Journal to host open host Thursday from 4-7p.m.
The Barrow Journal, the county’s new
locally owned newspaper, will host an
open house Thursday, Dec. 11, from 4-7
p.m. at its office on 77 East May Street
in Winder.
Door prizes will be awarded with the
grand prize being a one-night stay at
The Evergreen Resort at Stone Mountain
Park with breakfast and park tickets for
two. Refreshments will also be served.
The Barrow Journal published its first
edition in late October and is owned by
MainStreet Newspapers.
Currently, papers are being mailed
to approximately 30,000 addresses in
Barrow County. A subscription drive,
with a special discounted rate is currently
being held.
Numerous holiday events scheduled in coming days
Several holiday-relat
ed events are scheduled in
Barrow County including the
following:
Dec. 12, 13 and 14: “A Tuna
Christmas” at the Colleen
O. Williams Theater in the
Winder Cultural Arts Center,
105 East Athens St. This com
ical spoof of life in rural Texas
is for mature audiences only.
It takes place in the mythical
town of Tuna, Texas, whose
22 inhabitants are portrayed
by two actors. The Friday and
Saturday night performances
are at 7:30, and the Sunday
matinee is at 3. For informa
tion, call 770-867-1679.
Dec. 13: A Fort Yargo
Christmas, 5-8 p.m. The public
is invited to join the park staff
for Christmas carols, hayrides,
a Santa visit, and refresh
ments. The event is free, but
parking is $3. For informa
tion, call 770-867-3489.
Dec. 21: “A Solo Christmas
Carol,” 3 p.m. at the Colleen
O. Williams Theater in the
Winder Cultural Arts Center,
105 East Athens St. Featuring
George Younts, a theatre
instructor for the School of
the Arts in Charleston County,
S.C. This is an adaptation of
Charles Dickens’ Christmas
classic.
Tickets are $5 and may be
purchased at Winder City Hall
and at the door. For credit card
purchases, call 770-867-3106.
Dec. 25: The annual “Share
the Blessing Feast,” 11 a.m.
to 2 p.m. at Winder-Barrow
Middle School, 163 King
Street, Winder.
Guests will receive a hot
meal and be able to visit the
event’s toyshop, food pantry
and clothes closet. To volun
teer or to make a donation,
contact Cassandra Harris at
770-725-8159 or write her at
cassandraharris@windstream.
net.
Jackson officials to move forward on water lawsuit
Rebuffing lawsuit threats made in
October by Barrow County Board
of Commissioners Chairman Doug
Garrison, Jackson County said last week
it intends to pursue its litigation against
the Upper Oconee Basin Authority.
Jackson County filed suit in October
against the regional water authority
saying it had miscalculated the actual
amount of water in the Bear Creek
Reservoir, a situation that was allowing
Athens Clarke County to draw more
than its fair share from the facility.
Jackson, Barrow, Athens-Clarke and
Oconee counties make up the authority
and co-own the reservoir and related
facilities.
Speaking on behalf of Barrow County,
Garrison sent a letter in October to
Jackson County BOC chairwoman Pat
Bell threatening to sue if Jackson County
was successful in its litigation. Garrison
said that Barrow County had made cer
tain plans and obligations based on the
earlier water yield number and that if
Jackson County won its lawsuit, those
obligations would be in danger.
Last week, attorney Mike Bowers,
who represents Jackson County in the
litigation, responded to Garrison’s let
ter, saying Jackson intends to proceed
with its suit. Bowers also said that if
Jackson County won, Barrow would not
have legal standing to counter sue.
"I am not aware of any cause of
action that would allow you to sue
Jackson County,” Bowers wrote. “I
am not aware of how Jackson County
would be liable if a court ruled, based
on Georgia law and the provisions of
the Intergovernmental Agreement, that
UOBWA is required to re-calculate the
Established Yield.
Bowers said that Barrow and Jackson
counties both have a common interest in
seeing that the reservoir’s water capac
ity is calculated correctly.
"Both Jackson and Barrow Counties
face similar future problems that require
action now or the residents and busi
nesses in our counties are certain to
face hardships that are avoidable if we
act responsibly now," Bowers said in his
response to Garrison’s letter.
Jackson County’s litigation argues
that the authority miscalculated the real
amount of water available in the reser
voir and that the mistake allows Athens-
Clarke to withdraw much more water
than its fair share.
Barrow and Oconee counties voted
to stand with Athens-Clarke in the dis
pute.
WALL HONORED
Barrow County Clerk
of Court Gloria Wall
was honored Monday
during a retirement
ceremony at the court
house. Wall, who has
served as the elected
Clerk of Court for 12
years, began work
ing in the office part-
time in 1977 and later
returned full-time in
1985. She was first
elected in November
1996.
Photos by
Susan Treadwell
Auburn planning to meet
The City of Auburn Planning and Zoning Commission is
scheduled to meet today (Wednesday) at 7 p.m.
Only one item is scheduled to be on the agenda:
•variance application by Radica Timoficiuc for the Emanuel
Romanian Pentecostal Church of God to increase the height
of a fence from four feet (required) to six feet, six inches. The
property is located at 323 Carter Road, zoned R-100, Parcel
AU16-005.
Members of the planning and zoning commission include
chairman Bruce Rhodes: vice-chairman Grace Ackworth; sec
retary Gary Lazarz and members Steve Mille rand Ricky
Langley.
Upcoming public hearings set
Dec. 10
•The City of Auburn will
hold a public hearing on
Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. to discuss
a proposed variance for a
fence at Emanuel Romanian
Pentecostal Church of God.
Dec. 11
•The Barrow County Board
of Appeals will hold a public
hearing Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.
in the Administrative building
to hear five variance applica
tions.
Dec. 16
• The City of Statham coun
cil will hold a public hearing
Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. to discuss
amending the town’s zoning
ordinance for administrative
variances.
•The City of Auburn
Planning Commission will
hold a public hearing Dec. 16
at 7 p.m. on two annexation
proposals. A second hearing
will be held Jan. 8, 2009.
•The City of Winder will
hold a Planning Board Hearing
Dec. 16 at 6:00 p.m. at the
Winder Community Center to
hear seven rezoning matters.
Dec. 18
•The Barrow County
Planning Commission will hold
a public hearing on Dec. 18 at
7 p.m. in the Administrative
building to hear one rezoning
request.
Journal to publish kids photos
The Barrow Journal will
publish photos of your chil
dren and grandchildren in our
Christmas week edition. The
deadline for turning in the
photos has been extended to
Wednesday, Dec. 10.
You can send in photos
of your child with Santa, a
school photo, or a photo that
you make at home. Children
must be under 12-years-old.
The photographs may be
mailed or dropped by the
Barrow Journal at 77 East
May Street, Winder, Ga. 30680
or you can email your photo to
news@barrowjournal.com.
Include the child’s name,
parents or grandparents name
and town.
The child or a parent or
grandparent must live in
Barrow County.
Cost for the photo is $10
for a single child’s photo or
$15 for a photo of multiple
children.
You can pick up the photos
you send in after the Dec. 24
Barrow Journal edition at the
Journal office.
Call 770-867-6397 to subscribe
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Open Paily Sun.-Thurs. 12-9
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For more info.: Truman Faulkner
770-867-8637
Located at the corner of Jefferson Hwy. 11
and Hwy. 211/Rockwell Church Road. N.E.
at E-Z Buy Chevron in Winder
Service Loan & Tax
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706-367-9700 706-423-9660
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