Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2011
BARROW JOURNAL
PAGE 3A
ON THE SPOT
Tom Moreland, the former president of Moreland Altobelli Associates Inc., explains
to the Barrow County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night why his firm
needs another $55,000 in order to complete environmental work for the West Winder
Bypass. Photo by Susan Norman
Engineering firm seeks additional money
By Susan Norman
snorman@barrowjournal. com
The owner of one of Georgia’s leading trans
portation engineering firms gave a command
performance at Tuesday night’s meeting of the
Barrow County Board of Commissioners.
Tom Moreland, the former president of
Moreland Altobelli Associates Inc., appeared
at the meeting with two top executives of his
Norcross firm in order to explain the need for
an additional $55,000 to complete a feder
ally mandated environmental document on the
future West Winder Bypass.
The BOC previously approved a $139,000
contract with the company for the completion
of the environmental document. In addition,
the company used $75,000 for some related
environmental work under an original 2005
engineering contract for the bypass. That con
tract was recently canceled.
Commissioner Steve Worley asked for com
pany representatives to attend the meeting to
explain the new funding request.
Moreland and the other executives said the
money is needed due to changes in the scope
of the transportation project and also because
of recent regulatory changes that require addi
tional work.
But Worley said he could not agree to spend
another $55,000 for the document. He recom
mended that the county negotiate with the
company to reduce that amount.
Moreland attempted to negotiate on the spot,
but Worley wouldn’t do it.
Worley worked for the Georgia Department
of Transportation in the 1980s and early 1990s
when Moreland ran that agency.
BOC Chairman Danny Yearwood then told
Moreland that the matter would be tabled, and
the county would get back to him to see if an
agreement could be worked out.
After a closed meeting to discuss “personnel
and litigation,” Yearwood asked the board to
go ahead and take some action to resolve the
Moreland contract issue.
Commissioner Larry Joe Wilburn made a
motion for the chairman to set up a committee
to negotiate with Moreland Altobelli represen
tatives. Yearwood appointed Worley, opera
tions development manager Bob Hohe and
county engineering manager Darrell Greeson.
The motion authorized Yearwood to execute
whatever agreement the committee can work
out for up to $55,000.
In other business, the BOC voted unani
mously to approve:
•a special use permit for Dolly’s Personal
Care Home at 555 Cotton Creek Lane. Agnes
Taylor has operated the home for nine years
without the permit.
But both the planning staff and the plan
ning commission recommended approval of
her application. The BOC’s motion, which
passed unanimously, requires Taylor to have
an inspection by the county’s fire marshal and
also to obtain a business license. The home is
licensed by the state to provide care for four
developmentally disabled adults.
•the rezoning of 109 Arnold Road SE in
Statham from AG to R1 to allow the applicant
to sell a portion of his property.
•the sale of a 1997 surplus “sign truck” to
the City of Auburn at a price of $25,000, which
will be paid in two equal payments over two
years. The proceeds are to be set aside for
the purchase of new equipment for the roads
department.
•the sale on govdeals.com of three 2000-
model ambulances that are no longer opera
tional. The BOC previously had approved the
sale of two of the three vehicles.
i
TRIP TO PERRY
Recently the Russell Middle School Chapter of FCCLA (Family, Career and
Community Leaders of America) attended the 2011 Georgia FCCLA Fall Leadership
Rally at the Georgia National Fair in Perry, Georgia. Members learned how to put
their “Imaginations in Action” with the help of the state officers. Kent Julian, the
keynote speaker, helped members think about their future and how to accomplish
their goals. RMS FCCLA also won second place in the State Projects Brochure
Event. After the rally, members got to meet other FCCLA members from around the
state while enjoying what the fair had to offer.
WBHS students to trick or treat for needy
The International Thespian Society (ITS), a division of
the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), announces
the participation of Winder-Barrow High School’s Thespian
Troupe #2194 in the “Trick or Treat So Kids Can Eat”
program.
“Trick or Treat So Kids Can Eat” is a national community
service program for ITS-member schools to collect canned
and dry goods for local charities and food banks.
Theatre students from WBHS will join with students
from the Beta and Key Clubs for this event. They will be
dressed in costumes to collect food donations during the
local trick or treat activities Monday, Oct, 31, from 6-7:30
p.m.
These donations will go to benefit The Barrow County
Food Pantry. Thousands of pounds of food will be collected
in one night across the state, giving organizations the ability
to help thousands of local people.
COLLECTING FOOD
Taylor VanDette and Calvin
Bottoms will help lead the
WBHS “Trick or Treat So Kids
Can Eat” fundraiser.
Board removes 182 Winder voters
By Chris Bridges
cbridges@barrowjournal.com
After initially having thousands of voters
on its challenge list. City of Winder officials
learned Tuesday night only 182 voters were
removed from the list of those eligible to vote
locally.
The Barrow County Board of Elections &
Registration removed 58 Winder voters whose
letter was returned to the elections office
marked undeliverable with no forwarding
address or with a forwarding address outside
the county.
Another 124 Winder voters were removed
after not responding to the mailed hearing
letter.
Seven names on the Winder list will remain
on the Barrow County voter list but are now
removed from the city. The three remaining
Winder voters required no action from the
board during a 25-minute meeting Tuesday
night.
In other Barrow municipalities:
•The City of Statham had 29 challenged
voters. The board voted to remove 21 voters
whose letter was returned to the elections
office with no forwarding address or with
the forwarding address outside of Barrow
County.
Six voters, which the elections office had
no response from after a hearing letter was
mailed, were also removed from the Statham
list.
One voter was already in delete status and
the board took no action.
One Statham voter advised the elections
office that he was still a resident of the city
but was between addresses. He advised he
would update his information as soon as pos
sible. The board took no action and he remains
eligible to vote in the city.
• The City of Auburn presented 244 chal
lenged voters. The board voted to remove 63
voters whose letter was returned to the elec
tions office undeliverable with no forwarding
address or the forwarding address is outside
Barrow County.
It also voted to remove 171 voters who
the elections office had no response from the
hearing letter that was mailed.
Nine of the 244 challenged voters will be
removed from City of Auburn voter list but
remain on the county list.
One voter advised the elections office that
he had moved to Gwinnett County and the
board voted to remove him.
•The Town of Carl had one challenged
voter and the board voted to remove him from
the list.
•The Town of Bethlehem had one chal
lenged voter and the board voted to remove
her after attempts by the city clerk to verify
her residency were unsuccessful.
No contested voter spoke to the board
Tuesday night.
Principals share views on upping test scores
By Katie Cofer
katie @ barrow journal, com
Principals of three Barrow County schools
each gave 20-30 minute presentations Tuesday
night to the Barrow County Board of Education
addressing areas of school improvement.
Cindy Propst of Bramlett Elementary School,
Jan Masingill of Yargo Elementary School and
Sheila Kahrs of Haymon-Morris Middle School
shared their goals on how to increase 2011-12
school year student test scores, while focusing
on particular schools’ weakest areas, both in
subjects and demographics.
The principals discussed programs in place
they hope will improve students' scores, includ
ing volunteer tutors, virtual programs available
both at school and at home, video conferenc
ing with partnering schools and curriculum
that focuses on higher-level thinking. Other
programs discussed include teacher-to-teacher
observations, single gender remedial classes and
homework help.
The presentations also focused on negative
media.
“I think it is important for us to help re-edu
cate the community,” said Masingill, addressing
the board. “Our results are not declining. The bar
is being raised... I think the media right now is
often very negative about us and there are lots of
wonderful things going on in our schools and the
thing I think you could help us with is invite peo
ple into our schools.... People need to get in and
see what we’re doing and see what it’s all about.
The negative press really drags us down. It does
a number on the morale of our teachers.”
Previous standardized test scores for each
school are available to view online at http://
www.barrow.kl2.ga.us/.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the BOE discussed:
•contracting for the new middle school in
Statham. Staff reported it put out a request for
general contractors. Jobs will be advertised
beginning on Friday, Oct. 28 and deadline for
requests will be received by Nov. 29.
•bids for a proposed sale of property located
at 173 Highland Drive in Winder. According to
staff reports, the only sealed bid received was
from The Tree House as a cash offer of $99,000
with no contingencies.
•selecting a BOE participant to attend the
Georgia School Board Association Annual
Winter Conference Dec. 2-3. According to
School superintendent Wanda Creel, the system
will be recognized for an award at the confer
ence.
•a list of board meeting dates for 2012.
Following a 15-minute closed meeting, the
BOE voted unanimously to approve the follow
ing human resources recommendations:
CLASSIFIED
PERSONNEL
•Michael Jones, Digital Media Production at
the Performance Learning Center
•Stephanie Waters, Title I paraprofessional at
Kennedy Elementary School
•Melissa Banner, Pre-K paraprofessional at
Auburn Elementary School
•Jennifer Mask, Special Education paraprofes
sional at Statham Elementary School
•Patrick Davis, custodian at Winder-Barrow
High School
•April Mobley, school nutrition food assistant
at Bethlehem Elementary School
•Meranda Vandeford, school nutrition food
assistant at Kennedy Elementary School
SEPARATIONS
•Susan Clark, Paul Thomason and Margit
Dietz
The board will hold a closed meeting next
Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. prior to its regular
meeting at 7 p.m. at 179 W. Athens Street,
Winder.
Spending continued from 1A
County clerk Michelle Sims provided the
newspaper a copy of that memo on Monday
but could not turn up a similar memo that for
mer BOC chairman Doug Garrison told the
newspaper last week that he too had signed.
“It’s in writing somewhere,” said Garrison,
who said the policy has been long estab
lished.
What this means is that the county has had,
for at least seven years, a written policy that
requires BOC approval of all purchases of
$10,000 or more. The memos also clarify that
while the county's purchasing agents may
sign purchase orders, it is only Yearwood and
Hohe who have the authority to approve all
purchases below $10,000.
PURCHASING PRACTICES
TO BE REVIEWED
Commissioner Steve Worley, who obtained
the 2010 memo from Hohe and later for
warded it to the Journal in response to a
request for help in tracking down any exist
ing documents, said this week that he also
has requested additional information from
the staff.
Worley said he plans to request that the
issue be discussed at the BOC's next meet
ing on Nov. 8. He said he wants to explore
several potential changes to current practices,
such as (1) establishing a road-paving priority
list that the BOC approves at the start of each
fiscal year; (2) requiring the roads depart
ment to obtain multiple price quotes before
buying asphalt for the approved projects; and
(3) ending the practice of splitting purchase
orders in order to eclipse the need for BOC
approval.
As the Journal reported last week, the
purchasing department in September issued
three purchase orders on the same day to the
same company for the purchase of asphalt for
a single project.
Two purchase orders were for $9,999 each
and the third was for $6,000 — bringing to
$25,998 the chairman's authorized purchase
of asphalt. That was more than twice the
administration’s spending authority.
One of the three purchase orders was not
used, because the roads department decided
to use the asphalt on a smaller project. But
the actual purchases still amounted to almost
$4,000 more than the chairman's allowable
spending limit. And that asphalt was used to
pave a dirt road that intersects with the road
where Yearwood resides.
In addition, the roads department paid
$17,374 for asphalt to fix a road where
Yearwood owns multiple parcels. The repaired
areas on Beech Creek Circle were not imme
diately adjacent to Yearwood's properties,
however.
The roads department in FY2011 also paid
$15,082 for asphalt to fix a portion of Ernest
Elder Road. Commissioner Eva Elder owns
property on that road, but the material was not
placed immediately adjacent to her property.
Those two repairs were among seven that
apparently followed January’s massive win
ter storm, according to Darrell Greeson, the
county’s engineering manager.
Unlike the Ferguson Road paving, Greeson
said he knew of the storm-related repair work,
and he assisted the roads department in deter
mining how much asphalt to buy.
Worlely said the BOC, which has the ulti
mate financial responsibility for the county,
needs to know about it all.
“If there is a priority paving list and every
body is aware of it, and that list sets the
cost of the repairs or a new road, and if it
is approved by the BOC, then we would all
know where those roads are, and everything
could be checked out from the beginning, and
then we wouldn’t have those issues come up
later. Because it was not done that way, that's
why those issues came up.”