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PAGE 2A
BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2011
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VISIONARIES
Auburn city planner Larry Lucas led an informational
meeting on the adoption of a redevelopment plan last
week. Behind Lucas sits the city appointed advisory
team, which is tasked with drafting the plan. They are,
from left to right, Janet Jeanes, Billy Parks, Connie
Ross, Guy Abernathy and Ron Griffith. Lucas is also
a member of the advisory team.
Auburn plan draws fire
By Katie Cofer
katie @ mainstreetnews. com
More than 20 people attended the first of several meetings
scheduled to come up with a redevelopment plan for the City
of Auburn, but it turned out to be a sounding board for unhappy
property owners.
Several people expressed concerns about having rights taken
away, or having to pay higher taxes.
Three public hearings are scheduled for drafting of the plan
and the city council will discuss it at its upcoming works session
and next meeting.
The next public hearing is scheduled for Thursday, May 26, at
7 p.m. in the council chambers.
One resident complained about the cost of building permits
and the threat of eminent domain, as well as having been "fol
lowed” by the police.
“It cost me $110 to get a building permit for a building that
didn’t cost me a single penny,” he said. “Barrow County at that
time only wanted $10 [for a permit]. The City of Auburn wanted
$110. I see it like I’m getting forced out. It's a sneaky way.
They’ll just keep picking on you until finally you’re going to
move. I have made the decision to move out of that house. I'm
not going to sell it though. The City of Auburn won. I moved.
But they ain’t getting my property unless they take it from me.
I’m going to keep it and rent it out. If it sits vacant, I’m going
to have a family member come over there and pay me rent...
instead of eminent domain, which is a legal way to do it... just
harass them until they finally move,”
Another person expressed concern with the potential rise of
property taxes if the city adopts a plan and is only eligible for
loans and no grants.
“My concern is if the grants don’t come through, the property
tax will go up,” the man said. “This plan is going to go whether
you get a grant or get a loan. I would hate for my property taxes
to go up to put a sidewalk in at a trailer park.”
Adopting a plan will make the city eligible to apply for state
and federal loans in order to build “quality” rental housing. It
could also bring new businesses into the city.
The city plans to use the money for redevelopment, including
financing public improvement projects, such as new sidewalks,
streetscaping, road improvements, employment tax incentives
and new construction.
Money could possibly be available in order for “adaptive reha
bilitation projects,” or projects funded by a grant for individual
property owners.
Last Wednesday's meeting lasted an hour and was intended
to be only informational for owners of what city leaders have
deemed blighted properties or underdeveloped areas.
Blighted or slum areas include Carter Road, Main Street and
Parks Mill. Underdeveloped areas identified were Auburn Station,
the city’s proposed mixed-use development, the Downtown
District and the Auburn Business Park.
Earlier this year. Auburn joined the Georgia Initiative for
Community Housing (GICH) Association.
That move enrolled the city in a plan with a six-month time
line to appoint a local volunteer advisory team to develop and
adopt its redevelopment plan.
Once developed, the city council will have to approve the
plan.
Larry Lucas, city planner and member of the GICH advisory
team, led the meeting and introduced the following volunteer
members tasked with drafting the plan.
“We could use this money to expand sewers and build streets.
We could also use the money for economic development... to
attract business and to enhance business through job credits,”
said Lucas.
Lucas also provided a summary of Georgia's Urban
Redevelopment Act, a list of possible indicators of blight, and
the city’s proposed redevelopment plan.
The Georgia Urban Redevelopment Act, which was adopted
in 1955, gives cities with charters “broad powers to redevelop
blighted or threatened areas of the community” and can use
“eminent domain to work with property owners when specific
public uses are needed to buy and assemble blighted property for
revitalization and resale,”
The act outlines a general blueprint for redevelopment and
targeting of public investments in the redevelopment area. The
process includes drafting the plan, holding a public hearing,
adopting the plan, appointing an organization to implement the
plan and finally, implementing the plan.
In Auburn’s situation, Lucas said the city would be the orga
nization tasked with implementing the plan, unlike neighboring
cities with Downtown Development Authorities, such as Winder.
Once approved, any project the city pursues would be subject to
a public hearing.
City of Maysville
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
The City of Maysville will be accepting sealed
bids on the following surplus property. Bid
packets can be picked up at city hall.
2001 Ford Crown
1996 Ford Crown
Bids are to be turned into Barbara Thomas at
city hall marked “Surplus Property Bid” no later
than MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2011, 5:00 p.m... Bid
opening will be Monday, June 6, 2011, 7:00
p.m. at the Maysville Library.
24-hour walk to benefit Rape Crisis Center
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A GOOD CAUSE
People are encouraged to join Steve Power — shown
above during his recent Spartan Race — on May 21 for
his 24-Hour PRCC Benefit Walk.
By Blair Spiva Rivkin
mbspiva@yahoo.com
S teve Power is no
stranger to pushing his
body to physical extremes.
On May 21st, the lifelong
Barrow County resident
will once again test himself
with a 24-hour walk to raise
awareness and funds for the
Piedmont Rape Crisis Center.
The 42-year-old plans to
begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday
morning at the old Channel 12
station building on N. Broad
Street in Winder and trek his
way along The Summer’s End
5K route for a full 24 hours.
“I wanted a personal
challenge,” Power said.
“Something extreme. So, I
thought, why not let it benefit
a charity or organization?”
Power chose the PRCC
as that organization because
the funding that they receive
comes primarily from grants
and donations, and because he
believes that the work they do
is vital for the area.
“The senseless crime of
rape touches people we don’t
even know about,” he said.
“They are severely in need of
funding.”
Power said that the group
was a bit overwhelmed when
he proposed his idea to them,
requesting some time to
“absorb it.”
“They were shocked at first
because of the extremeness
of it,” he said. “Sometimes,
that's what it takes to get
attention in a positive way.”
Power said that, overall, his
family and friends have been
incredibly supportive of his
efforts.
“I did get a couple of ‘Are
you crazy?’ reactions thrown
at me,” he laughed. “I couldn't
do it without them and their
support.”
The community is rallying
behind him through financial
donations, as well as busi
ness donations such as bottled
water for the event. Power
said that a woman had even
contacted him to donate a Web
site to the PRCC after learning
of his efforts. Citizens are also
signing up to join with him at
various points along the walk.
Power said that his sister and
girlfriend are determined to
have someone with him at all
times on the course.
Power is not concerned
about his physical endurance
for the task at hand.
“My feet have been the
hardest thing to get adjusted
as far as comfort goes,” he
said. “My biggest challenge
will be mental endurance. But
with everyone around me,
hopefully, it shouldn't be a
problem.”
Power has been an avid
exercise enthusiast for over
20 years, with various weight,
aerobic and anaerobic rou
tines being the focus of his
workouts. In the last year, he
has “stepped it up” in these
workouts and has also par
ticipated in several 5K races.
Recently, he took part in his
first Spartan, an adventure
race spanning the length of
3.7 miles, littered with obsta
cles that the competitors must
conquer along the way.
In preparation for his
24-hour walk. Power said
that he has included much
more walking into his regular
exercise regimen, and that he
has been getting in six to
eight hours of general training
To donate:
Mail donations to:
Piedmont Rape
Crisis Center
P.0. Box 391
Winder, GA 30680
every other day.
“This walk is a learning
experience, and I will carry
that on to future adventures,”
he said. “I'm a strong believer
in ‘Live and Learn.’”
Though this is the first time
that Power has attempted a
challenge of this nature, he
hopes that it will become an
annual benefit for the PRCC.
He also hopes that he can
approach other charities and
organizations for which a sim
ilar event would be useful.
“I also want to raise aware
ness for being healthy,” he
said. “I’m walking 24 hours
so that you will walk 30 min
utes. Being healthy and taking
care of your mind and body
is a must, and a way of life.
There are no excuses; just
make it happen.”
He also explained that it’s
his way of showing gratitude
for the people who support
him every day, whether it’s
through his relationships
with them at “work, home or
play.”
“I want to show everyone
that they can accomplish any
thing they put their minds
to.”
To join Steve Power on his
benefit walk, email him at ste-
vepowerl969@yahoo.com, or
Stacy Schuler at stacyshul-
erl969@yahoo.com to sign
up for a specific time.
Troops to be honored
‘Traveling Tribute’ to make stop in Auburn
By Katie Cofer
katie @ mainstreetnews. com
The City of Auburn will
pay tribute to U.S. military
and veterans with a series of
events to extend throughout
the coming weekend.
Centering on a traveling rep
lica of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial that arrives on
Wednesday, this weekend’s
events include a ceremonial
motorcycle ride and a parade
through downtown Auburn.
THE
WALL
The American Veteran’s
Traveling Tribute (AVTT) is
a non-profit project run by
veterans that travel the coun
try with an 80-foot replica of
the original 360-foot memo
rial wall in Washington, D.C.,
along with collections and
memorials to wars and con
flicts overseas and in-country
law enforcement tributes.
The AVTT self-stated mis
sion is “to provide a forum for
communities to honor, respect
and remember the country’s
fallen.”
According to its website,
the replica wall stretches over
380-feet long from end to end
and contains all 58,253 names
of those who died during the
Vietnam War.
It is slated to arrive by an
AVTT escort in the city today,
Wednesday, May 18. A recep
tion will be held immediately
following its arrival.
Other memorials expected
to be present include: A time
line of the Vietnam war; a
“Walk of Heroes” collection;
a World War II tribute col
lection; a 9-11 tribute collec
tion; a collection of conflict
photos and listing of names
of casualties between 1980-
2000; a golden dog tag collec
tion for Global War on Terror
casualties; a Commander in
Chief Presidential collection;
a police and fire tribute and a
Fort Hood tribute which will
be set up in different areas
adjacent to the wall.
“Our traveling tribute is a
true depiction of the great sac
rifices made throughout the
history of our country,” the
AVTT website states.
Traveling nearly 200 miles
from a showcase in Marion,
N.C., it will be staged in
the Athens Home Depot on
Wednesday afternoon. The
wall will leave Athens at 4
p.m., by way of Ga. Hwy. 316,
enter Winder by way of Hwy.
11 and enter Auburn.
Auburn's Armed Forces
Day Committee will hold a
small welcoming reception on
May 18.
Barrow Regional Medical
Center sponsored the recep
tion on Wednesday.
Georgia Power, Republic
Services, the City of Auburn,
Am Vets Post 12, Athens
Regional Physicians Services
and the Gwinnett Daily Post
sponsored the wall.
An official grand opening
of the wall and memorial col
lections is set for Thursday,
May 19 at 4 p.m., which will
f Orthodontic
Assistant School
706-206-3838
Classes start June 3 • Running for 8 Fridays from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Call for appointment at our Commerce location.
DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM
Last year, the inaugural Defenders of Freedom Ride
hosted by AmVets Post 12 and American Veterans
Riders, saw more than 100 participants. Proceeds
from last year’s ride helped families of Barrow County
National Guard troops with the Operation Patriots
Call and AmVets Post 12. The money raised from this
year’s ride will be donated to two families of fallen
Georgia Marines Lance CpI. Ryan Geise from Barrow
County and Lance CpI. Raymond Johnson from Walton
County.
include several Barrow County
officials. American Legion
Post Buford will provide the
Brandon
Apalachee High School
It's just wonderful to
see you graduate! Seek
your dreams and make
them come true. We are
proud of you and love
you very much.
Love,
PawPaw & MeMaw
colors for this ceremony.
See Troops on Page 13A
Adam
Apalachee High School
The big day has arrived!
All the hard work has
paid off. We are so
proud of you and we
love you very much.
Love,
PawPaw & MeMaw