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PAGE 14A
BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011
Historical Vote continued from 1A
“I had things I did, but the day-
to-day operations ran like a county
manager form of government where
Mr. (Larry) Price only brought to me
decisions he wasn’t supposed to make,
and it ran pretty smooth," Holliday
said. "I didn’t worry about what road
was going to be scraped, or what list
was prioritized for paving. I did do
hands on in the budget, but it was up to
(staff) to get it all compiled, and I went
through it and basically put it together
and gave it to the commission."
Holliday said he strongly favors
passage of Tuesday’s ballot question,
which would not affect Yearwood’s
current term but would change the
roles of future chairmen starting in
2013.
“This job is way beyond any elect
ed individual, even a businessman,
today,” he said. "I would hate to know
I had to run the county today without
a manager."
He said the biggest plus of having
a professional manager is the continu
ity it provides as the elected chairmen
move in and out of office.
“When you have a big turnover,
especially in the chairman, a lot of
things start over again at zero and there
is a lot of wasted money,” Holliday
said.
“Whereas if you have profession
al management, all that stays in the
works. It doesn’t mean it can’t be
changed, but somebody has a reason
for why it is being done and what
has been done to this point. There is
someone that knows where a project
is at, and you are not reinventing the
wheel."
To concerns about the cost of hir
ing a manager at the approved salary
range of $87,179-$135,127, Holliday
said, “You have to ask yourself, what
does a four-year changeover cost this
county in terms of programs and con
tinuity or lack of continuity, where the
next guy wants to come in and start
his own programs? And what is the
cost of the lack of experience, where
you elect somebody that does not have
any experience for the job? You can
see what it has cost us in the last three
years — anything from lawsuits to
anger management to getting rid of all
the (department managers)."
According to CFO Rose Kisaalita,
the county in FY2011 paid $110,582
more to the county attorney’s law firm
than it did in FY2008, the final year
that Garrison was in office.
In FY2008 the county paid Jarrard
& Davis LLP a total of $198,537.
In FY2011, the county paid the firm
$309,119. The figures do not include
fees paid to other attorneys.
Asked if a legal change is needed,
since previous chairmen utilized pro
fessional managers even under the
current law, Holliday said: "It’s not
needed, but what do you do with the
situation you have currently where
you have abuse of power with the
chairman? (The BOC) tried to hire an
administrator, and the chairman vetoed
it. So unless you make a change in the
charter, you still have a situation where
the chairman can control that.”
After refusing to hire a county
administrator from outside the county,
Yearwood did agree to promote pur
chasing director Bob Hohe to a newly
created position of “operations devel
opment manager.”
But Hohe, whose salary is just close
to $61,000, does not have the authority
of a county administrator or county
manager.
"He’s acting as a department head,
by project, rather than running the
county as a whole," Holliday said.
Holliday said he doesn’t know why
Yearwood vetoed his personal appoint
ment to the airport authority. But he
said his support for the ballot initiative
is based on more than his opposition to
the current chairman.
"It’s got nothing to do with
Yearwood, because Yearwood is
not going to be re-elected anyway,"
Holliday said. “My interest in seeing
the charter change is what is in the best
interest of the county.
"I know what a task it is and what
happens if you are not qualified to han
dle it. I know we would be much better
off with a professional manager."
If the county ballot question passes
on Tuesday, future county chairmen
will work part time in representing
the county and in presiding over BOC
meetings, and the position’s salary
will drop from $63,000 to $25,000.
The chairmen also will regain their
ability to make motions and to vote at
board meetings, which was what they
did before obtaining veto power 22
years ago.
Voting information
Early voting in the county and city
elections has been significant but does
not indicate that there will be a stampede
to the polls on Nov. 8.
As of Nov. 1, the Barrow County
Board of Elections has counted a total
of 910 early votes, with 581 cast in the
countywide referendum and 329 cast in
the municipal elections for either Auburn,
Bethlehem or Winder.
A handful of other early voters also
had voted in Braselton or Statham.
Early voting ends Friday, Nov. 4. That
also is the last day that absentee ballots
may be requested, and the paper ballots
must be returned to the county elections
office at 233 E. Broad St., Winder, before
the polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday. All vot
ing on Nov. 8 in the countywide special
election will take place in the county’s
regular polling locations.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
All voting on Nov. 8 in the municipal
elections will take place at city polling
places. Some Auburn and Winder voters
will be required to vote in separate city
and county locations in order to vote in
both elections.
SAMPLE BALLOTS
The listings below ore for informational purposes only and are not official ballots.
This sample shows contested races and issues only.
Town of Bethlehem
For Town Council Post 4 At Large
(Vote for One)
□ DOUG KOESTEL
□ SCOTT MORGAN(I)
□ C. L. WOOD JR.
City of Winder
SPECIAL ELECTION
Special Election Referendum:
Sunday Package Sales
“Shall the governing authority of the City of Winder be
authorized to permit and regulate package sales by
retailers of malt beverages, wine and distilled spirits on
Sundays between the hours of 12:30 P.M. and 11:30
P.M.?”
(Vote for One)
Yes
No
For Mayor
(Vote for One)
DAVID L. MAYNARD
GEORGE “CHIP” THOMPSON (I)
For Council Member At Large
(Vote for One)
TIM BOLT
LAMAR LARRY EVANS
For Council Member Ward 2
(Vote for One)
□ JAMES COOLEY
□ CHARLIE F. EBERHART (I)
Barrow County
Special Election Referendum:
Local Act
“Shall the Act be approved which provides for
appointment of a county manager for Barrow County;
for a part-time chairperson of the Board of
Commissioners of Barrow County, with a reduction in
pay; and for meetings, voting, and quorum of the
board?”
(Vote for One)
□ Yes
□ No
Special Election Referendum:
Sunday Package Sales
“Shall the governing authority of Barrow County,
Georgia, be authorized to permit and regulate package
sales by retailers of both malt beverages and wine on
Sundays between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 11:30
p.m.?”
(Vote for One)
□ Yes
□ No
City of Auburn
SPECIAL ELECTION
Special Election Referendum:
Sunday Package Sales
“Shall the governing authority of the City of Auburn,
Georgia be authorized to permit and regulate package
sales by retailers of both malt beverages and wine on
Sundays between the hours of 12:30 P.M. and 11:30
PM.?”
(Vote for One)
□ Yes
□ No
City of Statham
GENERAL ELECTION
FOR COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE
(Vote for Two)
□ PERRY A. BARTON
□ RUDY KRAUSE
□ HATTIE J. THRASHER (I)