Newspaper Page Text
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BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2010
School bells to ring Monday
Clement continued from 1A
SUMMER’S END
It’s a return to books for Barrow County students as the 2010-2011 school year
begins Monday, marking one of the earliest returns to class in local history.
Aprille Williams, media specialist at Russell Middle School, has been preparing
this week for the first day along with some help from Dee Dee Price, a rising
sixth grader at RMS, and Zack price, an upcoming third grader at County Line
Elementary School. Photo by Jessica Brown
PRE-PLANNING
(TOP) Teachers at Russell
Middle School learn
about a Positive Behavior
Intervention System
program while (RIGHT)
Winder-Barrow High School
teacher Elaine Wilder pre
pares her classroom for
the return of students next
week. Pre-planning began
Tuesday but many teachers
were back at their respec
tive schools Monday.
Photos by Jessica Brown
With the public vote following an executive
session to discuss personnel matters, it appears
that the retirement may be a settlement.
The only major public controversy involv
ing Clement since last year’s EEOC allega
tions has been one stemming from his office
clerk’s May 21 phone encounter with a Barrow
Journal reporter.
The clerk, Stacey Crowe Brock, told the
reporter that Clement told her to say that he
would never talk to a Journal reporter again
because the newspaper “does not print the
truth.’’
Brock also said Clement told her to say that
none of the newspaper’s staff could ever call or
step foot in his office again.
However, Clement later told a different
Journal reporter that he had not told Brock to
say anything other than “no comment.’’
The varying accounts apparently caused
some internal conflict in the department.
Commission Chairman Danny Yearwood on
June 2 called a meeting of all elected officials
and department managers to tell them that
from now on, all media calls should be directed
to them, not to their employees.
The Journal reporter on May 21 was attempt
ing to interview Clement, who also is direc
tor of building and grounds, for a feature
story about ongoing renovations of the historic
courthouse in downtown Winder.
After Tuesday’s meeting, Wilburn said he
does not know the effective date of Clement’s
retirement.
He said the normal retirement process would
be followed.
He said Clement has worked for the county
for close to two decades.
Clement did not respond to a request for
comment Wednesday morning.
Maynard continued from 1A
Maynard told the Barrow Journal that he
became aware of where things were headed
because of his involvement as a director of
First Piedmont Bank, a Winder-based bank that
failed the following year.
He said the previous officials thought there
would be an economic setback, but that it would
be temporary.
“They did not agree with my analysis of the
coming downturn in real estate,’’ Maynard said.
“Obviously, they didn’t or they would have
done things differently.’’
He said the previous administration was not a
bad group of people, but they just didn’t believe
things would get this bad.
“It was obvious to those of us in the business
that we were sitting on a huge inventory of lots,
that there were a lot of homes that people had
recently purchased or refinanced that were very
leveraged, and any small downturn in real estate
values would be a major event. And of course, it
has not been a small downturn.’’
Maynard said the true scope of the decline
of property values has not yet been reflected in
the county’s tax digest. He said it is difficult to
gauge real value of properties when nothing is
selling. But this year’s digest will be closer to
reality because the state is now requiring local
governments to include foreclosure prices in
determining assessed value.
OUT OF TOUCH
Maynard said he believes the current BOC
members also are out of touch with the eco
nomic reality faced by the local business com
munity because most of them are either current
or retired government employees.
If the BOC were in touch with the economic
situation of this community, he said the board
wouldn’t be trying to sustain current service
levels, but would be making substantial cuts.
BOC chairman Danny Yearwood told
Maynard that the current board has significant
ly cut spending from the FY2009 funding level
of $37 million set by the previous board.
However, Maynard said instead of cutting the
budget to $32 million, the board should take
steps to get it back down to the FY2002 funding
level of $17 million.
Local businesses like his have had to cut their
spending by 50 percent and the local govern
ments should follow suit, Maynard said.
“The financial ability of the people has gone
down since 2002, not doubled since 2002,’’
Maynard told the board. “If you guys don’t be
proactive in controlling spending, I think the
county as a whole ... is going to be bankrupt.’’
He said it isn’t right for the BOC to keep
spending for FY2011 the same as FY2010,
when members of the business community are
at 50-percent of their budgets and taxpayers
have had a 50-percent cut in their home values.
“I can tell you if don’t make drastic adjust
ments down, in the next few years that well is
going to dry up,’’ Maynard said.
Coley, Ginn set for broadcast debates
BY KRISTI REED
State Senate 47 candidates
Shane Coley and Frank Ginn
will participate in two radio
broadcast debates in advance
of the August 10 Republican
runoff.
The first debate, scheduled
to air on WJJC’s Straight Talk
with Ron Johnson, will be
held August 3 at 8:30 a.m.
WJJC broadcasts on 1270
AM.
The second debate, sched
uled for August 7, will be
broadcast on Winder’s WIMO
1300 AM from 11 a.m. to
1 p.m. Ginn and Coley will
be the guests on Views with
Gregory Howard.
Both shows will allow radio
listeners to call in with ques
tions for the candidates.
Districtwide, Ginn carried
44.5 percent of the vote to
Coley’s 26.7 percent in the
July 20 Republican primary.
In Barrow County, Coley
led with 37.5 percent of the
vote over Ginn’s 35 percent.
Last week, Coley picked up
endorsements from two of his
former rivals, Kelley Gary and
Doug Bower, who finished
third and fourth in the primary
respectively.
In endorsing Coley, Bower
said he and Coley share simi
lar views.
“While our campaign strat
egies were different, our phi
losophies are similar: limited
government, fiscally responsi
ble government, and free mar
kets,” Bower said this week.
“I therefore have made a com
mitment to help Mr. Coley in
pursuing a run-off victory.”
Gary described Coley
as a “solid conservative of
real substance that goes far
beyond political slogans and
rhetoric. “
Gary said he considers
Coley a friend and believes
he will be a strong taxpayer
advocate.
“As a businessman, I trust
Shane Coley to fight against
government intrusion into our
lives,” Gary said. “I know that
he will lead the fight against
higher taxes and more gov
ernment regulations that kill
small businesses and destroy
jobs.”
The winner of the Coley-
Ginn runoff will face Democrat
Tim Riley in November.
The 47th State Senate
District includes all of Barrow,
Madison and Oglethorpe
counties, most of Jackson
County, and half of Clarke
and Elbert counties.
Unemployment rate continues to climb
The unemployment rates in
Barrow and Jackson counties
aren’t getting any better.
The rate climbed in both
counties in June, setting the
stage for what many believe
could be a double-dip reces
sion.
In Barrow County, the rate
climbed from a revisted 9.9
percent in May to 10.3 per
cent in June, almost the same
rate as June 2009 in the depths
of the recession.
In neighboring Jackson
County, the rate hit 11 per
cent in June, up from 10.6
percent in May. That virtually
is the same in Jackson as June
2009 when the rate hit 11.1
percent.
The unemployment rate
Online tests turtorials available at libraries
Residents of all three coun
ties of the Piedmont Regional
Library System, Banks,
Barrow and Jackson, now have
access to Learning Express
Library free of charge. This
internet-based test prepara
tion resource can be accessed
through any of our 11 librar
ies, or from home with a
library card.
Learning Express Library is
an online resource that allows
users to take practice ver
sions of standardized tests.
Among the many tests avail
able are GED, SAT, GRE,
ACT, ASVAB, and Advanced
Placement (AP) exams. Other
exams available include
the Postal Exam, Nursing,
Police, Corrections Officer,
Firefighter and Civil Service.
For younger students,
Learning Express Library
includes elementary, middle
and high school tests in math,
reading and writing. These
tests are specifically geared
toward improving skills in all
these areas.
Also included are resume
and interviewing skills tests,
citizenship, and Test of
English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL). Many e-books are
available for downloading to
help users prepare for these
tests.
Tests are scored immedi
ately, giving the user feed
back on the areas that need
improvement. This resource is
particularly helpful for those
who like to use a computer,
but might be more reluctant to
study using a book.
A free account takes sec
onds to set up. All you need
is a free library card from
any of the eleven libraries
in Banks, Barrow or Jackson
Counties. Ask any staff mem
ber to give you a demonstra
tion. Visit www.prlib.org and
try Learning Express Library
today.
GED orientation schedule announced
climbed statewide in June to
10.3 percent.
The Winder campus of Lanier Tech will host
GED orientation on the following dates. Those
attending are asked to bring a picture ID, pen
cil and paper and to arrive 15 minutes early.
•July 23, Winder Library 9 a.m.-l:30 p.m.
•July 28-29, Lanier Tech 6-9p.m.
•August 6, Winder Library 9 a.m.-l:30 p.m.
•August 11-12, Lanier Tech 6-9p.m.
•August 20, Winder Library 9a.m.-l:30
p.m.
•Sept 10, Winder Library 9 a.m.-l:30 p.m.
•Sept. 15-16, Lanier Tech 6-9 p.m.
www.barrowjournal.com
Host an Exchange
Student Today!
<3
_ i
f .
Hanna from Norway. 16 yrs.
Like* skiing, swimming, dancing and
art. Hanna hopes to join a drama club
while in the USA.
Make a lifelong
friend from abroad.
Enrich your family with
another culture. Now you
can host a high school
exchange student (girl or
boy) from France. Germany.
Scandinavia, Spain,
England. Japan. Brazil. Italy
or other countries.
Becoming a host to a young
international visitor is an
experience of a lifetime!
basset j
Klaus front Germany 17 yrs.
Love* camping and pljying vocccr
Klaus dream has been lo spend a
school year in ihc USA.
Diona at 770-307-7955
or June at 1-800-473-0696 (Toll Free)
www.asse.com or email to hostinfo@asse.com
Founded in 1976
ASSE International Student Exchange Program is a public benefit, non-profit organization
What?
Barrow County's Largest Sale'
0A *
• Toys
• Strollers
• Games
• Books
• Clothes
• Maternity
Watt - lo - watt bargains
(over 6000 tq. ft.) for Lids,
moms, and momt-to-be on
the beat quality items at fard
tale price*.
DON’T MISS THIS SAIX!
When?
Nursery
• Bikes
Car Seats
Furniture
• Car Si
• Furni
Where? a
T~s
WB
August 21st
8:00 AM-2:00PM
L0£ATCP\*i FELLOWSHIP HALL
Fain or Shine
Air conditioned/Heated
Half price tale Noon to L OO PM
Winder Firtl United Melhoditl Lhurch
L80 N Broad St. Winder (Acrott from Ingles'
For information or to volunteer,
call Altieon Llarl: at 710-81/1-4514
Call for consigner code numbers: July 26-August 6
Christy (678-687-8072) - Last Names A-L
Leigh (770-725-2867) - Last Names M-2
BEN
HENDRIX
Commissioner
District 6
THANK YOU
I want to take this opportunity to say
thank you to everyone who supported me
during the recent election.
I particularly want to thank my wife,
Ellen, and my family for all of their
encouragement and support.
I am looking forward to continuing to
work as your commissioner and, as
always, I am committed to serving all of
the people of District 6 and Barrow
County. Again, thank you and God bless
you.
Sincerely,
Ben
Paid for by the committee to re-elect Ben Hendrix,
Hubert Briscoe, Treasurer, PO. Box 531, Winder, GA 30680
