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28 Pages, 2 Sections, Plus Preprints A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County, Georgia $1.00 Copy Wednesday, December 18, 2019 New Statham officials talk spending ‘freeze’ By Ron Bridgeman ron@mainstreetnews.com A “freeze” on spending may be coming in Statham. The incoming new mayor and an incoming city council member favor some kind of spending halt until the budget is reviewed. Mayor-elect Joe Piper, who will take of fice Jan. 2 said Monday, Dec. 16, he would favor a “freeze” on all spending. Any ex ceptions, he said, would have to be ap proved by him. Piper and incoming council member Gary Venable said the city’s budget should be reviewed. Venable said at the council’s work session Dec. 12 the revenue is behind and spending is above the budget limits. The subject was not on the council’s agenda Tuesday. Dec. 17, and was not raised. Piper said he believes a budget review can be done by new officials in 30 days. Venable presented some budget numbers to the council Dec. 12. He said the city needs “to tackle” its financials. He called the financial statement as of Dec. 6 “alarming” numbers. Venable had a printout of the budget from July 1 to Dec. 6. Numbers that got attention included wa ter billed of about $175,000. compared to $867,358 that was budgeted and the amount spent for water of $233,069, compared to the $70,000 budgeted. City administrator Mai Chang told the council the amount spent is so high because See Budget, page 10A Barrow Briefs ANNUAL LIVE NATIVITY SET IN BETHLEHEM The annual Live Nativi ty on the downtown Beth lehem Square will be held under the “Star” Sunday and Monday. Dec. 22-23, at 7:30 p.m. each night. Bethlehem First United Methodist Church has coor dinated the event since 1963 and has traditionally held two showings per night, but this year there will only be one showing, leaders state. The church’s first Christ mas Pageant was held in December 1963 through the idea of the Rev. Wayne Fears. The star above the town square predates the pageant. According to lead ers, around 1951 Methodist minister L.G. Martin first conceived the idea of a large, lighted star in a public place at Christmas. He erected the star at the Methodist church and it was later moved to the town square, where it is easily visible from Highway 11. AGAPE INK CHRISTMAS DINNER Agape Ink, 669 Atlanta Hwy. SE. Winder, will hold its annual Christmas dinner and presents with Santa for families in need at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24. Families can sign up for the dinner by texting Agape owner Shane Whelchel at 470-422-9608 and listing the ages and gender of their children so organizers can get appropriate gifts. The elderly are also invit ed. See Briefs, page 10A Index: Public Safety 8-9A Church News 13A Classifieds 4B Legals 5-9B Obituaries 14-15A Opinion 4-5A Sports 1-3, 10B MAILING LABEL Christmas time in Winder y / y • | Scn. ’ *J)X Ml 1 i! / VVW Photos by Wesleigh Sagon WINDER HOSTS 71ST ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARADE The City of Winder hosted its 71st annual Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 14. The two-hour parade began in the front of Ingles and traveled South on Broad Street and ended on East Athens in front of the Winder Community Center. The Winder Police Department led the parade followed by the Barrow Brigade JROTC and Northeast Georgia Medical Center Barrow carrying the Winder Christmas Parade banner. There were over 100 parade registrants, vehicles and marchers and Santa and Mrs. Claus ended the parade riding through in the Winder Fire Department’s second motorized firetruck, the 1940 Peter Pirsch Pumper Truck. After the parade Santa and Mrs. Claus listened to children’s wish list during a meet and greet session at the Winder Community Center. There were also craft and food ven dors available in the gazebo parking lot area before and after the parade. See more photos on page 11A. A young one got her candy bag ready as Winder’s Christmas parade approached. Jessica Flores, 3, was playing tug of war over a Santa hat with her sister and brother, Evianna Flores, Dante Flores and Reyle Pesina, when she took a spill at Winder’s Christmas parade on Sat urday, Dec. 14. Children were having a bit of fun picking at one another while waiting on the Christmas parade to make its way through downtown Winder on Saturday, Dec. 14. Statham gets police head after closed sessions By Ron Bridgeman ron@mainstreetnews.com The Statham City Council approved a new acting po lice chief Tuesday, Dec. 17, but it took four closed ses sions over three meetings. The council continued to fuss over differences be tween current and new offi cials. The meeting degenerat ed at the end when council member Hattie Thrasher presented a bench for outgo ing mayor Robert Bridges. Catherine Corkren, a critic of Bridges and the city gov ernment, was shouted down and drowned out by hissing when she tried to say, “On behalf of the people you hurt Thrasher said the bench was from the Sunflower Festival Committee and the council. The police chief saga started when chief Allan Johnston turned in a brief letter of resignation Dec. 2. However, according to one official, Johnston turned in his cruiser and person al items Dec. 3 and did not work out his notice. His last day on the job was to be Dec. 15. The council hired John Davis as the acting chief, but some council members were confused about what position was being hired. The position was referred to as the “assistant chief’ and the “interim” chief. John Wood, who had been the assistant chief, declined to be named chief after a closed session Dec. 11 — when two closed sessions were held for the same pur pose in the same meeting. Wood also resigned as the assistant chief and took a patrol position. Council member Betty Lyle made a motion to hire Wood for a year and to pro vide him with six-months salary if he was fired with out cause. That motion did not pass. Wood declined the job af ter the closed session. A fourth closed session was held for about 13 min utes Tuesday night before Davis was hired. The council held closed sessions to discuss the po lice Dec. 11 (two), Dec. 12 and Dec. 17. AGENDA The assistant chief and an update on the city’s audits were added to the agenda Tuesday. Mai Chang, city admin istrator, said the FY2017 audit is on schedule to be completed by the end of the year. See Statham, page 10A o