Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The Braselton News
Page 3A
Barrow County
Gwinnett Braves
Healan opposes England’s water legislation
BY KRISTI REED
Public Works Director Terry
Darragh told the Barrow County
Board of Commissioners at Tuesday
night’s meeting that the county’s
water situation has improved.
But at least one commissioner
voiced opposition to state efforts
led by local legislator Rep. Terry
England that would override local
government decisions on water
restrictions.
Darragh said the Bear Creek
Reservoir is now full and drought
conditions have improved to Level
3. Limited outdoor watering and the
fdling and maintenance of pools will
be allowed under the lesser restric
tions.
But Darragh told the BOC that
while the county has an adequate
supply of water, it must still meet
the state mandated 10 percent reduc
tion in usage.
“We’re hoping our citizens can
continue to conserve; it will be ben
eficial to everyone if they do,” he
said.
Darragh warned that if the county
is not able to meet the required
reduction, additional conservation
measures would have to be imple
mented.
Complicating the institution of any
new restrictions could be legislation
proposed by Rep. Terry England
(R-Auburn). HB 1281 would limit
local government’s ability to impose
any restrictions greater than those
instituted by the state.
District 3 commissioner Bill
Healan voiced his opposition to the
proposed legislation.
“We have to be able to control
our own destiny and we don’t need
someone in Atlanta telling us how to
do it,” he said.
Darragh also updated commis
sioners regarding an ongoing water
study. The study, which is expected
to be completed within six months,
will evaluate existing systems and
identify future needs.
Darragh said the county is meet
ing with cities to determine how best
to meet future demands. County
officials will meet with Braselton
representatives Wednesday in what
will be the last of the preliminary
contacts.
AIRPORT — continued from page 1A
extension was not going to happen. He reiterated that
there is no hidden agenda among board members.”
District 4 commissioner Isaiah Berry agreed with
Parks and Brown. Berry said teamwork and communica
tion between the BOC and citizens is important.
“We are trying to be more open to the public and
let the people understand what it is we want to do,” he
said.
District 3 Commissioner Bill Healan, a vocal oppo
nent of the proposed runway extension, maintained
that there is indeed a plan by the county to extend the
runway. Healan said his research indicated that a plan
has been in existence for years, referencing a 2005 let
ter written by Garrison which mentioned expanding the
airport. Healan also said the 3,500 foot buffer around the
airport was created for the sole purpose of supporting a
7,000 foot runway.
Ben Hendrix, District 6, said that while he was in
favor of safety, he opposed any runway expansion.
Hendrix also opposed the straw vote, saying it should
be a binding vote.
District 1 commissioner Jerry Lampp said he hoped
everyone could move forward and do what is best for
Barrow County.
“I love my county; I want to do the very best I can for
my county,” he said.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the board:
• approved the appointment of Stacy Reed to the
Leisure Service Board.
• approved the appointment of Meredith Cameron to
the Joint Development Authority.
• awarded a contract for $257,000 to R.J. Haynie and
Associates for the road and signal project at the intersec
tion of SR 81 and Carl Bethlehem Road.
• approved the expenditure of $14,000 to repair the
Trane Reciprocating Chiller at the county courthouse.
Line Mechanicals LLC will perform the work.
MADISON — continued from page 1A
he took from the Piedmont Judicial
Circuit, the majority of which was
taken from Banks County. The
circuit also includes Jackson and
Barrow counties.
Madison resigned last June as
district attorney following a series
of investigative articles published by
The Jackson Herald and Mainstreet
Newspapers. The Georgia Bureau
of Investigation Special Agent in
Charge John Cagle and Special
Agent Brian Whidby handled the
investigation.
Madison’s wife, Linn Jones,
and former assistant district attor
ney Brett Williams have also been
charged in the case. Their court
dates will be held March 25 in
Banks County.
Chapman said Madison thanked
Banks County law enforcement offi
cials for his good treatment during
his brief incarceration here.
Luck helps Gwinnett land minor league team
G winnett County would never have
gotten the Atlanta Braves AAA
minor league team had Richmond,
VA officials not dropped the ball.
Nick Masino, vice president of econom
ic development for the Gwinnett County
Chamber of Commerce, traced the events
leading to the acquisition by Gwinnett County
of the Richmond Braves. He was the guest
speaker Wednesday, March 5, at the Jackson
County Area Chamber of Commerce’s month
ly breakfast.
In reality, said Masino, landing a minor
league baseball team was but one “bullet
item” in “Partnership Gwinnett,” a five-year develop
ment plan aimed at bringing investment and improving
the overall quality of life in Gwinnett.
The baseball team was listed under the third of four
goals in Partnership Gwinnett, the goal of “strengthen
ing arts, cultural and recreational assets.”
In fact, Masino suggested greater announcements may
be forthcoming.
“In terms of recreational assets, there are some big
things, arguably bigger, that we are working on now,”
he said.
FINDING A TEAM
In reality, Gwinnett County never expected to land a
Braves’ affiliate, having been told by the Braves, Masino
said, that they would not allow a competing affiliate in
the area. Under Major League Baseball rules, the Braves
can limit any affiliate from locating within 50 miles.
And the process began two years ago, when Gwinnett
officials began their “partnership” program and set four
goals, each with a lot of sub-goals
“You all heard an announcement in January that the
Braves had made a commitment to move the Richmond
Braves to Gwinnett,” Masino said. “That didn’t happen
in December. It was a two-year process.”
The first step in that process was the hiring of a nation
al sports consultant, who surveyed the attitudes of sports
fans on Major League (Braves) baseball and about a
minor league team. Encouraged by those numbers, they
began negotiating in 2007 with three independent teams,
since the Braves “had made it very clear they would not
allow another affiliate team in the area.”
Part of the process was to take a 60-member team
to Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Lrisco, Texas, home of the
Texas Rangers’ AA affiliate, the Lrisco Roughriders.
There, said Masino, they learned that local attendance at
Rangers games actually increased due to the presence of
the Roughriders.
As late as the third quarter of 2007,
Gwinnett was negotiating with three devel
opment groups aligned with independent
leagues.
Then, they got lucky.
“Some other people messed something up
and we benefited from it,” Masino explained.
“The politicians in Richmond failed again
and again and again to commit to build them
a new stadium. Well, they (the Braves) knew
we were going to build a new stadium... We
were moving forward and they contacted us.
So, Richmond could simply not commit to it.
It was a political hot potato.”
Negotiations between Gwinnett and the Braves took
place in December and January, with the result that the
Gwinnett Board of Commissioners and the Gwinnett
Convention and Visitors Bureau entered an agreement.
They bought about 10 acres right off Georgia 20, across
from the Mall of Georgia, and signed a 15-year lease
with an automatic 15-year extension.
The economic impact from the ballpark is estimated at
$15 million a year in sales taxes and 200 new jobs creat
ing $6.5 million in payroll annually. It will seat 7,000 to
7,500 fans, Masino said.
“The development will have entertainment around it,”
Masino added. “When the game is over, there will be
other things to do.”
And, of course, it will be located in a prime retail
area.
An audience member asked Masino how the team
managed to get public support for the project, including
the bonds for the stadium.
“Literally, you make sure you cover all your bases,”
he said, making use of a baseball metaphor, “You get all
of the leaders involved and engaged. The second thing,
you have to have a need, which I like to call pain. When
you have pain, you do something about it.”
He also put a chamber spin on traffic congestion at
the Georgia 20 exit in response to a question about the
ballpark’s effect on an already congested area.
“We’re really excited about that opportunity,” he said.
“We now get to call all of that congestion ‘event traf
fic.’”
Speaking seriously, he said that traffic engineers are at
work on the issue.
“Congestion is an issue,” he added. “When you’re
successful, you have congestion. There’s nothing you
can do about it.”
MASINO
Submit your school or social news from Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Mill Creek,
South Hall or West Jackson by e-mailing news@mainstreetnews.com, faxing items to
706-387-5421 or calling 706-367-5986. Feature story ideas are also welcomed.
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