Newspaper Page Text
24 Pages, 2 Sections
A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County, Georgia $1.00 Copy Wednesday, September 28, 2022
STATE SUPERINTENDENT VISITS
YARGO ELEMENTARY
Yargo Elementary had a special visitor Wednesday, Sept. 21
as state superintendent Richard Woods visited and distribut
ed pocket Constitutions of the United States to fourth grad
ers. Woods visited classrooms, received a tour from student
leaders and heard the Star Spangled Banner sang by fourth
graders. Along with Woods was Barrow County School Sys
tem’s Board of Education members Bill Ritter, Jordan Raper,
Lynn Stevens, Beverly Kelley, superintendent Dr. Chris Mc-
Michael, assistant superintendent Ken Greene, State Senator
Frank Ginn, Barrow Tax Commissioner Jessica Garrett and
BCSS director of communications Shenley Rountree.
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LEADERSHIP BARROW SERVES
AS PRINCIPALS FOR A DAY
Credit: HES
Holsenbeck Elementary welcomed Miranda Deaton and county commissioner Alex
Ward from Leadership Barrow last week as they served as the “Principal for a Day.”
This was Leadership Barrow’s latest challenge, which assigned members of Lead
ership Barrow to different schools around the county to tour the campuses, visit
classrooms, help out during lunch, attend meetings and gain insight into the day-
to-day life of a school principal and the hard work being put into the success of
local children.
BCSS considering new academy for
4th and 5th graders in Apalachee cluster
The construction of
Barrow County School
System's (BCSS) tenth
elementary school is cur
rently underway at the In
novation Campus and will
open to students in Aug.
2023.
Discussions among
school and district lead
ers and the School Gov
ernance Teams (SGTs)
MAILING LABEL
Construction site of new elementary school at the
Innovation Campus. The school will open its doors to
students Aug. 2023.
'0 4879 14541 7
from each school in the
Apalachee High School
(AHS) cluster are in the
works regarding ideas for
the new school.
A survey was sent to
families and staff in the
AHS Cluster to get feed
back on whether they pre
fer the traditional or alter
native option. According
to Barrow County Board
of Education chairman
Bill Ritter, the results
of the survey came back
50/50.
“I was hoping the par
ents would favor one over
the other and its not com
ing out that way,” said Rit
ter regarding the surveys.
“I think trying the fourth
and fifth grade would be
a great test to see how
it works. It would cause
less disruption across the
school district as well,” he
said.
“Fourth and fifth grade
students are much more
advanced and having
them in an element away
from the younger kids
may prove to be a winning
ticket.”
The following is a
breakdown of the two
options on the table and
some important factors to
consider for each option:
See Academy, page 2A
Winder vs. Barrow County
Winder challenges comfy’s authority
to sell water to Accent Springs development
By Morgan Ervin
morgan@barro wne wsj ournal .com
An ante litem no
tice was sent to Barrow
County from the City of
Winder Aug. 11, alleging
the county’s sale of wa
ter to the Accent Springs
development violates
the spirit of the Service
Delivery Act (SDS) by
allowing the duplication
of services. The city also
alleged it would be a vi
olation of the county’s
transmission permit is
sued by the Department
of Natural Resources,
Environmental Protec
tion Division (EPD).
The Accent Springs de
velopment was approved
for rezoning by the Bar-
row County Board of
Commissioners in May
2021. The large residen
tial development spans
43.7 acres in unincor
porated Barrow County
and will consist of 288
apartment units and 150
townhomes. Since its
approval, a dispute over
who will provide water
to the development has
ensued.
In its ante litem notice,
the city demanded the
county cease and desist
the solicitation and ap
proval of the sale of wa
ter to customers “outside
the legal authority of the
transmission permit.”
The transmission per
mit only authorizes the
county to transmit water
for wholesale to the City
of Winder, Statham and
Auburn, as well as the
B aiiow County Water
and Sewerage Authority
using the Upper Oconee
Basin Water Authority’s
Bear Creek Reservoir as
its resource.
The county advised
to the city in a letter
Aug.24 that it isn’t the
transmission permit that
authorizes the county to
engage in the retail sale
of drinking water.
Instead, the county
derives its authority to
engage in retail sales
through the Barrow
County Water System
permit.
Upon review of the
county’s water system
permit, the EPD con
firmed it allows the
county to sell water to
retail customers.
“Had Winder brought
these concerns to the
county at the onset, and
in a spirit of cooperation
and goodwill, the county
could have spared Wind
er the embarrassment of
asking EPD to review a
transmission line permit
to determine whether the
county was authorized to
engage in retail sales,”
wrote G. Aaron Mey
er, the on behalf of the
county in response to the
city’s ante litem notice.
“Winder’s ignorance
of the permitting frame
work has caused the
county unnecessary trou
ble and expense, it was a
waste of time and ener
gy for all involved, and
it reflects poorly on the
community.”
The water districting
issue was the subject of a
Superior Court Case be
tween the county and the
city, which a trial court
ruled that the county is
authorized to provide wa
ter in the unincorporated
areas, which is where the
Accent Springs develop
ment lies.
The city has appealed
that decision and cur
rently awaits a ruling
from the appellate court.
“If the City of Winder
follows through on its
threat to litigate these
matters, the county will
have no choice but to
pursue sanctions and the
attorney’s fees against
Winder,” said Meyer.
October festivities
AUBURNFEST
Auburn Fest returns
Saturday, Oct. 1 to
downtown Auburn from
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This
year, the city is celebrat
ing 130 years with food
trucks, craft vendors,
live music and pie bak
ing, canning, quilting
and knitting contests.
Area backyard barbecue
competitors will also be
showcasing their smok
ing skills in a barbecue
competition. Prizes will
be given away to all
contest winners. Au
burn’s hometown fes
tival will also offer lots
of activities for kids at
its Kids Zone, which
will include face paint
ing, inflatables and free
crafts at the Auburn
Public Library.
FALL PLANT SALE
AND FAMILY
FUN DAY
The Winder-Bar-
row High School FFA
is hosting a fall plant
sale Sept. 30 and Oct.
1. The Sept. 30 sale is
from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
The Oct. 1 plant sale is
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. , fol
lowed by a Fall Family
Fun Day from 12-4 p.m.
Cash, card and check
will be accepted at the
sale.
TRUNK-OR-
TREAT CAR AND
BIKE SHOW
Pharaoh’s of Georgia
annual flunk or treat car
and bike show will be
held at the Whistlestop
Shops in downtown
Auburn Saturday, Oct.
15 at 4 p.m. Admission
is $20, plus donation
of one bag of candy.
Pharaoh’s Cream of the
Crop 15, Best Modern,
Vintage and Custom
Bikes, Best in Show and
Best Decoration will be
awarded.
WINDER LIONS
TRUNK-OR-TREAT
The Winder Lions
is hosting a trunk-or-
treat and outdoor movie
night Saturday. Oct. 22
at 5 p.m. The event will
feature a movie, treats,
concession and prizes
for best trunk and best
costume. Reach out to
the Winder Lions to par
ticipate by decorating a
flunk and give out can
dy. Players will have the
opportunity to pie their
favorite coach in the
face with a $1 donation.
To donate candy and
canned whipped cream
to the cause, drop them
off in the Lions conces
sion stand. All the pro
ceeds will benefit Rally
Foundation for Child
hood Cancer Research.
WINDER’S
SPOOKTACULAR
Winder’s Spooktacu-
lar 2022 trick-or-treat
ing event will be held
Oct. 28 from 5-9 p.m.
In addition to trick-or-
treating downtown, the
event will offer carnival
Credit: Statham Halloween
A life-size skeleton fea
tured at Statham Hallow
een’s booth at the Sept. 17
Sunflower Festival.
rides and bouncy hous
es in the grassy area on
Athens Street across
form Jug Tavern Park.
The Community Cen
ter parking lot will host
multiple food trucks
and live music perfor
mance begins at 7 p.m.
at Jug Tavern Park.
Those attending the live
show are encouraged to
See October, page 2A
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