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32 Pages 3 Sections, Plus Preprints A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County Georgia 50« Copy Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Barrow
Briefs
Offices
closed Friday
The offices of the Barrow
News-Journal and Mainstreet
Newspapers will be closed Fri
day, Dec. 30, and will re-open
Monday, Jan. 2 at 8:30 a.m.
Science
fair project
viewing
The Barrow County School
System's Professional Devel
opment Center will be open
from 1-4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6,
to the public for a viewing of
science fair projects by school
system students.
Pet
vaccination
clinic
set
There will be a low-cost pet
vaccination clinic Saturday,
Feb. 25 from 1-3 p.m. at the
Barrow County Animal Con
trol shelter. 616 Barrow Park
Drive, Winder. All proceeds
will benefit the Animal Alli
ance of Georgia's community
outreach programs. Services
provided will include one-year
rabies vaccine ($10). DHPPV
for dogs ($10). FVRCP for cats
($10), microchipping ($20),
two doses of dewormer ($5)
and nail trim ($5). All services
are cash only and all animals
must be on a leash.
Computer
class
An adult beginning comput
er class will be held at the
Statham Public Library from
5:30-6:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Dec. 29.
Index:
Church News
10A
Classifieds
4-5C
Legals
6-12C
Obituaries
11A
Pets of the Week
3C
Public Safety
7-9A
Sports 1-4,
6, 8B
Mailing
Label Below
Woman arrested after Statham meeting
By Ron Bridg'eman
News-Journal Reporter
Kelly Pickens of Atlanta, one
of the critics who are seeking the
firing of Statham police officer
Marc Lofton, was charged with
disruption of a public meeting
and disorderly conduct after the
Statham City Council meeting
last week.
The charges are expected to
go before Statham municipal
court.
Pickens was one of several
people who attended the council
meeting and tried to speak.
Mayor Robert Bridges told the
crowd only residents of Statham
would be allowed to talk. He
called several names and Pick
ens said, “Not here” to almost
all of them.
A group of 17 people attempt
ed to sign up to speak at the
council meeting. That led to
Bridges’ dictum that only resi
dents would speak. More than
half of the group were not resi
dents of the town.
While Bridges was calling
the names of Statham residents,
Pickens said they were not there
because they had been told they
would not be allowed to speak.
Complaints have been reg
istered about Lofton and his
arrests with the police depart
ment. the district attorney and
city council since the summer
of 2015.
Ten of those complaining
spoke before council at its
November meeting
Pickens said twice during the
meeting last week she should
be allowed to speak on a “point
of order” because Police Chief
Allan Johnston brought up
the controversy over Lofton's
arrests during his talk at the
meeting.
City attorney Thomas Mitch
ell said a “point of order” in
Robert’s Rules of Order is for
the city council only, not for
members of the public. He also
said council meetings are open
to the public, but not anyone
See Arrest on Page 34
2016 in review
SAUNDERS ARRESTED
Former Adult Literacy Barrow executive director Ron Saunders, seen here at the organiza
tion’s annual ball in January, was arrested July 21 on charges of theft and forgery after he
allegedly stole over $100,000 from the organization. File photos
Top local stories of the year in Barrow County
The following is a recap of several of the key
local news stories in Barrow County over the
past 12 months compiled by News-Journal editor
Scott Thompson.
NEW FACE
Michael Healan, right, was sworn in as Winder’s newest city councilman in January.
JANUARY
•Winder Mayor David Maynard and city coun-
cilmen Alfonsa Brown and Travis Singley were
all sworn in to new terms after winning re-elec
tion while Councilman Michael Healan was
also sworn in after unseating incumbent Larry
Evans. In Auburn, Mayor Linda Blechinger was
sworn in to begin her third term while incumbent
council members Peggy Langley and Jay Rie-
menschneider were also sworn in to new terms.
Meanwhile, the Barrow County Board of Edu
cation re-elected Mark Still as its chairman for
2016 while Lynn Stevens was elected vice-chair.
•The Barrow County Board of Education held
a groundbreaking ceremony for a new elementa
ry school ahead of its scheduled 2017 opening at
the intersection of McNeal Road and West Can
dler Street — the same site as the replacement
Russell Middle School.
See Year on Page 2A
y
POLITICAL COMEBACK
Four years after being ousted from his seat
in the Republican primary, Bill Brown won a
return this year to the Barrow County Board
of Commissioners.
Statham,
company
duel over
transfer
station
By Ron Bridg'eman
News-Journal Reporter
A company planning a
transfer station in Statham
fded an “amended” appli
cation for a grading permit
Dec. 20, but the mayor said
a permit would be issued
only if a judge compels him
to grant it.
Roll-Off Systems, a
waste management compa
ny, fded for the permit with
Statham’s planning and
zoning office.
Douglas Dillard, attorney
with Pursley Friese Tor-
grimson, an Atlanta firm,
filed the packet of informa
tion seeking the permit.
Statham Mayor Rob
ert Bridges said last week
when the city council
unanimously voted at its
May 19, 2015, meeting “to
approve the transfer station
in Statham Industrial Park,”
the council did not have all
the information it needed.
“I think the vote was just
to move ahead,” Bridges
said.
Statham issued a “timber
harvesting permit” May 26,
2015, to the company for a
“transfer station.” the firm's
application said.
He said the city issued a
permit “and then I repealed
it based on the information
that they did not disclose.”
City attorney Thomas
Mitchell said by email the
city’s building official has
the “authority to revoke or
suspend a permit issued
in error or on the basis
of incorrect, inaccurate or
incomplete information.”
Bridges said zoning for
the industrial park and cov
enants on the property in
the park would preclude a
transfer station from being
built.
He said the company did
not disclose the existence
of the covenants, which go
with each piece of property.
Mitchell said the com
pany’s failure to mention
the covenants in the indus
trial park at the initial pre
sentation is “an important
omission from the city's
perspective.”
The issue is “sure” to end
up in court, Bridges said.
The city will “fight it,” he
said.
Dillard was off work this
week and did not respond
to a phone call Tuesday.
Simon Garrett, who is list
ed as the applicant for Roll
See Station on Page 3A