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BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021
Auburn council candidate
questionnaire: Taylor Sisk
Editor’s note: Incum
bent councilmen Bill
Ackworth and Robert Vo
gel III did not respond to
questions sent by the Bar-
row News-Journal.
BNJ: Please provide a
brief background/biog
raphy of yourself.
Sisk: I moved to Auburn
from Gainesville, where
I spent my earlier years
growing up. One day, out
searching for homes in my
CJ5 Jeep with my fiance,
we came across the quaint
and lovely town of Auburn
and immediately knew
this is where we wanted
to start our roots. From
walking at Shackleford
Park with our two dogs, to
watching the train pass at
RH Burel Park, we fell in
love with the small town
of Auburn. Once getting
settled in, I felt the calling
to run for city council and
represent the great folks
here in town.
the interest of many oth
ers, and with the interest
there has been substantial
growth. In order to sus
tain the inevitable growth,
maintaining and expand
ing infrastructure and
amenities is an absolute
necessity.
Taylor Sisk
ble time, having a rep
resentative that has the
community in their best
interest is what small town
government needs, and by
voting for me that is pre
cisely what the citizens of
Auburn are getting. I per
sonally believe that I am
no more or no less qual
ified than any other citi
zen of Auburn wanting to
represent such a wonder
ful town. Government is
made of the people, by the
people, and for the people.
BNJ: Aside from
growth, what do you
consider to be the top
three issues the city is
facing and will face in
the coming years? If
elected, how would you
work to address those
0?
BNJ: Why did you de
cide to run for election,
and what in your back
ground makes you the
most qualified candidate
for this seat?
Sisk: In such an unsta-
BNJ: What should the
city’s approach to the
continuing growth in
population be? How can
the city best position it
self to handle the inevi
table continued growth?
Sisk: Auburn is a fantas
tic town and has sparked
issues t
Sisk: Maintaining a
clean source of water,
smooth working road
ways, and providing lei
surely amenities is what’s
going to keep this town
suitable and ready for the
growth, while maintaining
that small town comfort
everyone loves about Au
burn. If elected, it will be
my honor to provide the
community with integri
ty, honesty and loyalty.
Whether I am blessed with
the opportunity to serve
my city or not, I hope ev
eryone gets out and per
forms their God-given
right to vote!
Pair of Barrow elementary schools
to benefit from nonprofit grant
Statham and Winder
elementary schools will
benefit from a feder
al grant awarded to one
of the Barrow Coun
ty School System’s
non-profit partners fo
cused on promoting
arts-integrated education.
ArtsNOW, which has
worked with BCSS since
2008 and collaborated
with the district to form
the Center for Innovating
Teaching (CFIT), was re
cently awarded a $2.78
million Assistance for
Arts Education grant by
the U.S. Department of
Education for its “STEM
+ the Art of Integrated
Learning (SAIL)” proj
ect.
BCSS is one of five
school districts in Geor
gia partnering with
ArtsNOW on the proj
ect, which, according to
a news release, is aimed
at developing and testing
the use of arts-integrated
lessons that are:
•aligned with grades
3-5 content standards for
math and science, sup
ported by standards in
the arts, and
•incorporate inqui
ry-based activities to sup
port the development of
students’ critical thinking
skills.
Overall, the SAIL proj
ect will last five years and
will include the develop
ment of 18 inquiry-based
math and science units
supported by teacher pro
fessional development,
according to the release.
“I’m thrilled to see our
longstanding partnership
with ArtsNOW and the
great things they have
brought to our curricular
improvement continue in
the form of this exciting
grant opportunity,” BCSS
superintendent Chris Mc-
Michael said.
“I’m very proud of
the staff of Statham
and Winder Elementa
ry schools for being a
part of this. We’re look
ing forward to the great
learning opportunities
for both our students and
teachers.”
Submitted photo
Pictured, from left to right, are Zaxby’s of Winder general manager Steve Re
ich and owner Todd Faulkner and Bethlehem Zaxby’s general manager Vickie
Gaddy and owner Sam Smith.
School board recognizes
recipients of Zaxby’s grants
During the Oct. 12 Barrow County
Board of Education meeting, school
district officials and the board recog
nized the recipients of 22 “Urgency
to Serve” grants awarded to district
teachers and staff by Zaxby’s.
The grants, totaling $9,804, went
to teachers and staff members across
numerous schools and are expected to
impact more than 6,000 students, of
ficials said. It was the third year that
Zaxby’s, one of the district’s “Partners
in Education,” awarded the grants.
Recipients included: Kayla Brand,
Auburn Elementary School); Suzanne
Rowley, Bethlehem Elementary;
Amanda Durant, Holsenbeck Elemen
tary; Cindy Bryan, Holsenbeck; Tam
my Privette, Winder Elementary; Scott
Moore, Yargo Elementary; Patrice Ben
nett, Yargo; Sandy Bradshaw, Yargo;
Christy Towers, Yargo; Sandra Crane,
Yargo; Amanda Jill Woolery, Bear
Creek Middle and Holsenbeck; Cin
dy Deaton, Bear Creek, Tonia Harbin,
Bear Creek; Kaylan Littleton, West-
side Middle; Amanda Pugh, Apalachee
High; Anne Locke Ridgeway, Barrow
Arts and Sciences Academy (BASA);
April Balenger, BASA; Casey Nissen-
baum, BASA; Charles Clark, BASA;
Gretchen Hollingsworth, BASA; Amy
Bostdorff, Winder-Barrow High; April
Sims, Winder-Barrow; Ashley Bailey,
Arts and Innovation Magnet (AIM)
and BASA; Kristin Fuqua, AIM; and
Anabel Snyder, Sims Academy.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at its Oct. 12 meet
ing, the school board:
•heard from Jennifer Houston, as
sistant superintendent for business
operations, that the district brought in
$1.43 million in ELOST collections in
September — down from nearly $1.48
million, a record, in August, but more
than $200,000 over September 2020.
•approved allowing schools to ex
empt purchases of literacy and media
center books and materials from the
district’s bidding process for the re
mainder of this school year. The dis
trict will purchase the books and ma
terials as needs arise through the use
of federal American Rescue Plan funds
and funding from the state’s L4GA
(Literacy for Learning, Living and
Leading in Georgia) grants, and the
board approved a maximum amount of
$1.53 million to spend for those as well
as additional library books for BASA
through yearly consolidated funds and
General Fund monies. Houston said
most book purchases typically come
from sole-source providers (book pub
lishers, distributors, agents, etc.). She
said the district will obtain quotes for
any purchases that aren’t sole-source.
•approved an amended contract for
$80,004 with Golden Productions for
management of events at Innovation
Amphitheater during fiscal year 2022.
The district will pay Golden Produc
tions $25,000 more for those services
during this fiscal year. The board also
approved a provision that it will have
to approve any future increases during
or its before its budget adoption pro
cess.
770-867-9026
www.maynardrealty.com
SOCIAL SECURITY
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Call 678-935-3923 • SSIHelp.org
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October 13, 2021
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Winder Moose Lodge 262
will host an Open House
October 23, 2021
10:00am to 12:00 pm.
Come check out our facilities and learn about
our fundraising efforts for children, seniors
and our community. We will be serving coffee,
tea, doughnuts and pastries.
Join us for Trunk or Treat
October 28, 2021 • 6:00 to 8:00pm.
This is a free family-friendly event with a night
of candy, games, prizes, face painting, food
and MORE!
All ages are welcome!
Winder Moose
Lodge 262
434 Highway 211 NW
Winder, GA 30680
770-867-9943
CITY OF STATHAM
AD VALOREM TAX RATE
The City of Statham has tentatively adopted a millage rate which will require an increase
in property taxes for the 2021 tax year. The City of Statham anticipates the property tax
levies will be set at 4.345 mills, which is a 16.64% increase from the proposed rollback
rate of 3.725.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held on
Tuesday, October 19th at 7:00 p.m. and Tuesday, November 4th at 6:30 p.m. at Statham
City Hall, 327 Jefferson St., Statham, Georgia 30666.
The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $225,000 is approximately
$55.80, and the approximate tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $300,000
is $74.40. A Tax Report from the City’s Finance Department is available on the City’s
website, or may be obtained by contacting Statham City Hall.
The City will set the millage rate at the Regular Meeting on Tuesday, November 16th at
7:00 p.m. at Statham City Hall, 327 Jefferson St., Statham, Georgia 30666. The five-year
tax and levy history will be published no less than 14 days prior to its adoption.