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Barrow Journal
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Wednesday, June 3,2009
Vol. 1 No. 32 22 PAGES 3 SECTIONS A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. WINDER, BARROW COUNTY GEORGIA 30680 250COPY
Winder officials won t face public
Beck: Back and forth between citizens...council and mayor...does not happen ’
BY SUSAN NORMAN
Despite a difficult budget year and
some recent city layoffs, Winder's
mayor and city administrator said
this week that neither they nor the
city council would be part of any
public hearing process regarding
the town’s impending $43 million
FY2010 budget.
That position raised questions
from one citizen at Tuesday night's
council meeting and appears to vio
late Georgia law regarding the city
budget process.
The city’s proposed budget was
distributed for the first time to the
council Monday night. The city held
a meeting May 26 at which a city
employee met with two citizens, but
that meeting did not have the manda
tory seven-day public notice, and the
mayor and council did not attend as
required by state law for the meeting
to be a legitimate hearing. In addi
tion, the “budget" presented at that
hearing was incomplete, consisting
of a one-page data spreadsheet.
Winder resident Kay Pierce asked
the council Tuesday night why the
new budget lays out a different pro
cess than the one the city is actually
following.
Pierce asked Mayor George
“Chip” Thompson III when had he
presented the budget to the council
as the city’s procedures call for. The
mayor said he did not present it to
the council. He said city employee
Leslie Ginn distributed it Monday at
the council's work session.
continued on page 3A
NON RESPONSIVE
Winder officials contend they do not have to attend public hear
ings on the new city budget.
Photo by Susan Norman
Bethlehem ends 2008 flush with cash
As some local govern
ments struggle through
the economic downturn
with declining income and
high costs, the Town of
Bethlehem is the model of
financial security accord
ing to its 2008 audit.
Bethlehem had a net
income over expense of
$97,400 in 2008 in its
general fund, adding to
the town’s already large
reserves. At the end of
last year, Bethlehem had
$944,800 in unrestricted
cash reserves, around six
years worth of reserves
based on current expens
es.
Bethlehem’s total
income in 2008 was
$386,100, mostly from
sales taxes. Its largest
expense was for SPLOST
capital outlay of $128,200
for roads and recreation
projects.
Town of Bethlehem
2008 Audit
Income
Sales taxes $244,800
Insurance taxes $40,100
Franchise taxes $43,300
Inuestment income $29,000
Other
Total Income
$300100
Expenses
General Gout.
$100000
Sanitation
$35300
Capital Outlay
$128200
Debt Service
$10,600
Total Expenses
$282,955
Net
Fund Balance
+$103,177
$1.0 million*
*$944,800 unrestricted
BOC to vote on layoffs, salary cuts
Statham youth killed
by train Saturday
— Inside —
Area news:
•The beauty of Barrow
County
page 1C
•In the kitchen with a
Cook of Barrow County
page 1C
•Unemployment rates
remain flat
page 2A
•Sewer remains con
cern in Bethlehem
page 3A
Opinions:
•Summer remains
special time of year
page 4A
•Saxby, Johnny must
walk fine line
page 4A
•A dictatorship in
Winder
page 4 A
Sports:
•AHS Wildcats prepare
for summer work
page 1B
•Racing returns to WB
Speedway
page2B
•Scenes from WBHS
spring practice
page4B
Also Inside:
•Classifieds
page 8C
•Church News
page 7B
•Public Safety
page 6A-7A
•Obituaries
pages 6-7C
To subscribe,
call today:
770-867-NEWS
(6397).
The Barrow
Journal is
delivered
every
Thursday.
8 l 4 8 7 9 14541 7
Sources say
vote Tuesday
BY SUSAN NORMAN
Employees of Barrow
County's government
will learn next week how
severely the county's fiscal
crisis will affect them.
Sources requesting ano
nymity told the Barrow
Journal this week that the
Barrow County Board of
Commissioners is likely to
vote Tuesday night on deci
sive steps to salvage the
county's finances.
The plan reportedly
includes a significant
“reduction in force” affect
ing most departments, as
well as salary cuts for many
of those who hang onto
their jobs.
Salaries are expected to
undergo a major correc
tion to remedy the snow
ball effect of the aggressive
implementation of a 2005
pay study that has resulted
in salaries and benefits now
absorbing nearly all of the
county’s annual revenues.
At current staffing levels,
salaries would require all
but $2 million of the $28
million in anticipated rev
enue in FY2010.
Since January, the com
missioners have taken away
employees’ holiday pay,
made across-the-board sal
ary reductions, and consoli
dated a few departments in
order to reduce staff. With
additional resignations
and retirements, the staff
ing level currently is about
what it was in 2006.
However, the cuts to date
have not filled the revenue
gap for the current fiscal
year. The county needs to
find another $1.6 million
in savings or revenue over
the next three months just
to balance the FY2009 bud
get.
2010 BUDGET
The cuts to be announced
Tuesday should also make a
serious dent in the FY2010
budget shortfall, which cur
rently is projected to amount
to $7 million or more.
The size of the remain
ing budget shortfall should
be easier to determine by
September, when the board
tackles the new budget and
sets the millage rate. By
then, the county's new retail
center will have been open
for six months, the county
assessors will be able to
say how much the thou
sands of lower assessments
will affect property tax
revenues, and the finance
department should be able
to gauge the impact of next
week’s cutbacks.
If the remaining shortfall
is $1.5 million or more,
a millage rate increase is
probably on the horizon.
continued on page 3A
BY SUSAN NORMAN
A 17-year-old Statham
youth was killed Saturday
morning when he was hit by
an oncoming CSX train just
outside the city limits. But
exactly what happened isn’t
yet clear.
A report from the Barrow
County Sheriff's Office said
the victim, Joshua Whiten,
may have been walking on the
tracks at the time of the inci
dent while listening to music.
“The train's operator saw
the victim walking within
the tracks and immediately
sounded the warning systems
as well as began to brake,” a
report from the BCSO stat
ed. “Tragically, Whiten never
moved from the path of the
train and was struck. At this
time, there is no evidence to
suggest negligence on behalf
of the train operators.
“The Barrow County
WHITEN
Sheriff's Office is investigat
ing the incident. The inves
tigation has revealed that the
victim may have been listen
ing to a digital music device
before the collision. The
Sheriff's Office is investigat
ing all possible scenarios, in
attempts to uncover the facts
of the case.”
continued on page 2A
Local seniors to graduate this week
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
For seniors at Winder-Barrow and
Apalachee High School, the long-awaited
day is almost here.
WBHS seniors will walk the stage
Thursday, June 4, at 8 p.m. in a ceremony
held at W. Clair Harris Stadium.
Fellow seniors at AHS will take part in
their graduation ceremonies Friday, June 5.
The ceremony will also be at the school’s
football stadium at 8 p.m.
Anna Grayson Gresham is the valedicto
rian for WBHS with Taylor Nicole Turner
earning salutatorian honors.
Josephine Gina Borg is Apalachee’s
valedictorian for the 2008-09 school year
with Lauren Ashley Morris being named
the salutatorian.
Chico’s to expand facility
Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that
women's fashion retailer Chico’s FAS, Inc. plans to expand its
distribution center facilities in Barrow County with an initial
investment of $15 million, which is expected to create 189 full
time jobs over the next three years.
In order to expand its facilities in Winder, Chico's purchased
the former Hagemeyer Building on Barrow Industrial Parkway.
The 300,000-square-foot building, which is close to the current
Chico's distribution center, will house an additional distribution
facility. When the expansion is completed by year-end, there
will be more than 450 full-time Chico’s employees in Barrow
County.
continued on page 3A
SPRING CONCLUDES
Winder-Barrow High School (above) and Apalachee
High School have both completed spring football
practice. Players and coaches are now set for
summer work as the countdown to the new season
continues. See more coverage in today’s sports
section. Photo by Jessica Brown
