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Barrow County’s only award-winning Georgia Press Association member newspaper Wednesday, July 27, 2016 Barrow A Journal www.barrowjournal.com Barrow County’s Legal Organ Newspaper VOL. 8 NO. 40 24 PACES 2 SECTIONS, PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. WINDER, BARROW COUNTY GEORGIA 30680 50« COPY Saunders confesses to check forging Warrant says former Barrow superintendent stole more than $100K from Adult Literacy Barrow By Al ex Pace Journal Reporter Ron Saunders is facing charges of theft and forg ery after he allegedly stole over $100,000 from Adult Literacy Barrow. Saunders, a well-known community leader and former super intendent of the Barrow County School System, confessed to authorities last week that he forged signa tures on some of the organi zation’s checks. Warrants for Saunders’ arrest say he unlawfully took $111,160 from the organization. He was arrest ed by the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office last week for felony theft by taking and fourth degree forgery. Saunders was termi nated from his position as executive director of Adult Literacy Barrow shortly after the arrest. The arrest was made as part of a BCSO investiga tion into possible financial fraudulent activity of the finances of Adult Literacy Barrow. The organization’s board of directors was notified of some suspicious activity on July 18, and in turn notified the BCSO. The board suspected Saunders of forging signa tures of other board mem bers on checks and then having those checks cashed. Officers were given copies of this month’s checks. Saunders confessed to officers July 19 that he forged the signatures on the checks in question and to other bank transactions that the board wasn’t aware of. Because the investigation into the bank records was still incomplete, Saunders was allowed to leave, according to the arrest report. See Saunders on Page 12A RON SAUNDERS Barrow Briefs Wellness Expo set for Aug. 18 The Barrow Health and Wellness Expo will be Thursday, Aug. 18, at the Winder YMCA from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sponsorships and exhibitor booths are still available and may be reserved by contacting the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce at 770-867-9444. To be a gold sponsor, the cost is $1,500 and a silver sponsor is $600. Chamber members may reserve an exhibitor booth (8x10) for $250 or an over sized space (8x20) for $425. Non-member exhibitor booths are available for $450. Outside booths may be reserved for $100. Exhibitors will set up from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the Expo will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be ticket draw ings for prizes and a “Taste of Barrow” will be available with the purchase of a $5 wristband. Local restaurants will be offer ing samples from their menus. Inside: Index: Church News 10A Classifieds 4-5B Legals 6-11B Obituaries 11A Pets of the Week 10A Public Safety 6-7A Sports 1-3B, 12B Contact Info: Phone: 770-867-6397 Mail: 77 E. May Street, Winder, Ga. 30680 Fax: 706-621-4115 www.barrowjournal.com “Like us” on Facebook Mailing Label Below ^ \ Intersection Improvement EASIER TO TURN RIGHT Work has been ongoing for several weeks at the intersection of Broad Street and East Broad Street. The upgrade has made it easier to make a right turn onto Broad Street. Photos by Jessica Brown SPLOST 2018: Auburn reluctantly approves projects By Sliaron Hog'an Journal Reporter The Auburn City Council approved, with hesitation, the project categories and estimates for the proposed 2018 Barrow County Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). Barrow County voters will like ly vote on the sales tax referen dum this fall. After the unanimous vote was taken, Mayor Linda Blechinger said, “That was four reluctant yesses.” Blechinger said the county is including a Level 2 project on the list, which will allow the county to receive 20 percent of the proposed SPLOST proceeds off the top before the rest of the money is divided up between the county and its municipal ities. She said Winder officials were not in agreement that the county would be able to pay off debt on the jail and renova tion projects a third time and questions were raised about the sudden designation of an ath letic complex with soccer and lacrosse fields and recreational trails on property at Fort Yargo State Park. “It’s unfortunate that all of a sudden, there’s a Level 2 project that’s being pulled out for soccer fields and lacrosse and will take off the top,” said Blechinger. “And so every city will be affected by that, and that's unfortunate,” See Auburn on Page 12A Inside Today •County officials continue to iron out details of new budget — 2A •Analysis of Bethlehem’s audit — 3A School bells ring again: BCSS students return to class Monday By Al ex Pace Journal Reporter School bells will ring again next week as Barrow County School System students return to the hallways for the 2016-17 school year. School starts Aug. 1 for the system following a week of pre-planning. The highlight of the 2016-17 school year is the opening of a new middle school. The new Russell Middle School will open for its first school year. Two open houses are planned for this week for the new RMS location. These are scheduled for Thursday, July 28, from 5-7 p.m. and Friday, July 29, from 10 a.m. until noon for the new Russell Middle School facility. The new location for RMS is at the corner of Candler and McNeal. Anticipated enrollment is approximately 13,400 dis trict-wide. There will be 130 new certified employees, 34 clas sified employees, along with two new principals and three new assistant principals. Bethlehem Christian Academy will begin its new school year on Tuesday, Aug. 9, headmaster Rhonda Whiting said. ALL ABOARD FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR The Barrow County School System begins the 2016-2017 school year Monday. Photo by Jessica Brown