Newspaper Page Text
24 Pages, 2 Sections
A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County, Georgia $1.00 Copy Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Submitted photo
PNK Group locating at former Trinity Rail site, locat
ed next to the Barrow County Airport.
Multi-million
dollar industrial
project locating to
old Trinity Rail site
PNK Group, a leading
manufacturer of main
structural elements for
industrial warehousing
facilities, is locating to
the former Trinity Rail
site beside the Barrow
County Airport, east of
Winder. The company
will initially invest $15-
20 million in the new
project. This site has
been a major job produc
er for the area for over
half a century, including
Rohr, who manufactured
jet engines for Lockheed
Martin and later transit
cars for the DC Metro,
Por-Tec, Thrall Car and
Trinity Rail.
PNK Group is build
ing two buildings within
the area including the
new Archer (vertical
transportation of peo
ple/ drone taxis) facil
ity in Covington and a
building in Social Circle
for Rivian, an electric
vehicle manufacturer.
The new facilities are
expected to bring up
to 120 new jobs to the
area once they are at full
working capacity.
“I want to thank Will
Cobb from the Norton
Agency for bringing this
project to Barrow Coun
ty,” said Ben McDaniel,
economic development
administrator for Bar-
row County. ‘“This site
has meant so much to
Barrow County over the
years, and we are excit
ed to see it continue to
be a major job provider
for the area.”
Statham mayor and council spar over
former accountant’s severence pay
A handful of concerned citizens in
Statham are calling for Mayor Joe
Piper to resign due to a severance
agreement he and former city ac
countant April Stephens entered into
following her resignation last month.
The severance documents signed
by Piper on March 10 offered Ste
phens six weeks’ salary in the
amount of $8,685.27 and the sum
of her total paid leave (PTO) accu
mulated, for a total of 164.76 hours,
in exchange for a full release of all
claims against the city.
Absent the agreement, Stephens
told Piper she would have no choice
but to take legal action against the
city due to a hostile work environ
ment. Had the city been sued on such
allegations, it would be required to
pay a $25,000 deductible at the onset
of a lawsuit, no matter the outcome
of the case.
Piper said before unsealing the
envelope containing the severance
agreement, he and Stephens dis
cussed its terms. Piper then dis
cussed the terms of the agreement
with city attorney Jody Campbell.
Although Campbell was informed
of the details agreed upon, he didn’t
see the document before it was
signed, putting Piper’s signature in
violation of the city’s charter. Coun
cil was also unaware of the agree
ment until several days later.
According to the city’s purchas
ing policy. Piper can spend up to
$25,000 without council approval.
This policy also aligns with the city
charter, which identifies the mayor
as the city’s purchasing agent.
Since Piper didn’t exceed his dis
cretionary spending limit as mayor in
the agreement with Stephens, Camp
bell advises that Piper’s oversight
hardly warrants punishment. How
ever. a handful of Statham residents
aren’t letting the mishap go unno
ticed. In fact, some see it as grounds
for his resignation and voiced their
concerns during the city’s April 12
council meeting.
According to Rudy Krause, hus
band of councilwoman Deborah
Krause, who recently hinted at a
mayoral run this fall during the city’s
St. Patrick’s Day parade, “the best
thing that could happen right now for
this city is to have an interim may
or and have the mayor we have right
now replaced.”
Former Statham councilmember
Dwight McCormic said the handling
of Stephens’ severance package was
an “exit strategy” that “exposes us.”
McCormic also questioned Ste
phens’ allegations against the city.
He pointed out that former employ
ees who worked in the same environ
ment as Stephens never made such
allegations.
“I think in lieu of what is happen
ing we have got to change the char
ter where the city council is strong,”
said resident Tim Terilli during pub
lic comment. “Is there any way to
get him off the bank account? How
can he willy-nilly pay somebody
$16,000? The city is going to sink if
this person is elected again.” he said.
Stephens was hired as a city ac
countant in September 2020. The
previous council-approved job de
scription of “city administrator/city
accountant” was dissolved and Piper
electively assumed all roles and re
sponsibilities as city administrator
and created the position of city ac
countant, which Stephens was hired
to fill. No severance agreement was
included in her employment con
tract.
Over the three years Stephens
worked for the city, she also as
sumed the responsibility of planning
and zoning administrator. She was
given an additional $2,000 salary for
the added responsibility.
“Throughout the entire duration of
my employment, I have been disre
spected (in my own presencejby all
but one city elected official regarding
my salary and position, I have been
repeatedly dismissed of the amount
of work I do for this city, dismissed
of my education and dismissed of
my knowledge and experience in lo
cal government.” Stephens wrote in
a letter to the mayor on Jan. 31.
As part of Stephens’ letter to the
mayor, she requested her own salary
reduction and relief from her respon
sibilities as planning and zoning ad
ministrator. She also provided a rec
ommended course of action for the
city in overcoming the change.
“I hope this change will create
a more peaceful and less stressful
work environment for everyone,”
Stephens wrote.
According to Piper, council mem
bers often referred to Stephens using
terms like “that girl” and “that thing”
and made comments such as “she
makes too much money,” and “she’s
just a numbers girl.” directly to her
face. These comments were a regular
occurrence, he added.
“They would constantly ask for
more bank information than what
she supplied them with, despite re
ceiving far more information than a
bank statement provides,” said Piper.
Since Stephens’ resignation, the
city has subcontracted with Jerry
Weitz and Associates for planning
and zoning. Piper is serving as inter
im city administrator while staff re
cruit for several open administrative
positions.
Art in the Park lights up Winder
Winder’s Art in the Park was held April 14 and showcased a variety of local artistry
including a fire show and other unique performers including a Granite Goddess
living statue and a lantern parade and live music.
More photos, see page 12A
MAILING LABEL
O
High school FFA
spring plant sales
FFA Spring plant sales are still open through April
22 at Apalachee and Barrow Arts & Sciences Acad
emy.
Sales benefit the FFA programs at each high school.
•APALACHEE HIGH SCHOOL
Sale extended through April 21 from 5-7 p.m.
• BARROW ARTS & SCIENCES ACADEMY
April 20 & 21 from 8am-5pm
April 22 from Noon-2pm
A young woman who received an Adventure Bag like the one pictured gave her
touching testimony with her foster mom at the gala.
Adventure Bags
hosts inaugural gala
Adventure Bags, Inc. raised over
20,000 to go toward its mission of serv
ing Georgia’s children during its inau
gural fundraising gala on April 15.
The event consisted of sharing what
Adventure Bags, Inc. is and the work
the organization does in the local com
munity and throughout the state.
The program began with a short vid
eo called, “Removed Trailer,” which
shows what children go through when
being removed from their homes due to
domestic violence situations.
The chairman of the board, Tracey
McMahon, thanked all of Adventure
Bags’ supporters, donors, sponsors,
guests and presenters for coming out
for the Inaugural event. McMahon went
on to share her story of how Adventure
Bags, Inc. began in 2011 and how her
mother, Debbie Gori, took the organi
zation and single-handedly served over
137,000 children across the state before
her passing in 2019.
The event’s presenting sponsor, Judy
Paul, put out a challenge to all of the at
tendees to have 200 bags “adopted” by
guests attending the gala. A guest could
adopt a bag by scanning the QR code
on the back of paper cutout backpacks,
making their payment, then proceeding
A challenge was given at the gala to have
200 bags “adopted” by guests attend
ing the gala. A guest could adopt a bag
by scanning the QR code on the back of
paper cutout backpacks, making a pay
ment, then proceeding to a display where
the backpacks would cover garbage bags
up on a board. The big goal that evening
was to completely cover the garbage
bags, signifying replacing the bags with
Adventure Bags.
to a display where the backpacks would
cover garbage bags up on a board. The
big goal that evening was to completely
cover the garbage bags, signifying re
placing the bags with Adventure Bags.
“We had 62 backpacks adopted
throughout the evening,” said Misty
Manus., executive director of Adven
ture Bags, Inc.
Awards were presented to:
•Esther Mass, Employee of the Year
•Linda Morrison, Volunteer of the
Year
See Adventure Bags, page 2A