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20 Pages, 2 Sections A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County, Georgia $1.00 Copy Wednesday, April 26, 2023 State of the Communities Barrow Chamber of Commerce hosts annual luncheon Barrow County and Elected officials across the county informed chamber members about projects, events and other happenings in the county and its munici palities during the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the Communities luncheon April 11. Credit: City of Winder Pictured (from left): Braselton councilman Richard Harper, Barrow County chairman of the Board of Commissioners Pat Graham, Au burn mayor Linda Blechinger and Winder mayor David Maynard. By Morgan Ervin morgan@barrownewsjournal.com The Chamber of Commerce held its annual State of the Communities luncheon Tues day, April 11, where local lead ers updated chamber members on projects completed over the last year, projects currently un derway and the opportunities and challenges anticipated as the county and its municipalities look to the future. BARROW COUNTY As the eighth fastest grow ing county in Georgia, with a growth rate of 20%, lots of in dustry continues to show in terest in relocating to Barrow County. “ It’s a very busy time in Bar- row County, “said Pat Graham, chairman of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners. To prepare for what’s ahead, county leaders use local indica tors, such as Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) revenue and busi ness permitting, as tools to plan for future growth. “We want to be prepared if there’s a down turn in the economy,” Graham said. Over the last year, Graham re ported the county’s LOST rev enues grew, while business per mitting slightly decreased. Graham cited additional sta tistics, which show the county has added an average of 463 homes each year over the last four years, which she said is “very moderate over time.” Meanwhile, the average price of buying a home in Barrow County has doubled in four years. In 2019, the average cost of a home in Barrow County was $162,000. In 2022, the average cost of a home was $358,000. Graham also noted that the county’s rollback tax rate has been used for the last 12 years. She also mentioned the feder al stimulus during the pandem ic and its major impact on the economy in recent years. In December 2022, Spring Mountain Center (SMC) held a ribbon-cutting for Phase I of its multi-phase project, represent ing a $45 million investment in the county. SMC’s Phase I includes a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing and assembly fa cility. Phase I will be followed by the construction of two 500,000 square foot (sq. ft.) buildings at Park 53 South during Phase II and III of the project. Upon completion, SMC is expected to bring 205 new jobs to the coun ty. Also in December 2022, Northeast Georgia Health Sys tem held a ribbon-cutting mark ing the groundbreaking of its 34,000 sq. ft. Medical Plaza in Bethlehem, which will add around 20-25 new jobs to the county. U.S. Lumber is also relocating in Barrow County and is cur rently laying the foundation for a nearly 400,000 sq. ft. facility. To provide railroad access, U.S. Lumber is paving a new road connecting to the old Bird Ham mond Road. The project has an investment of $31.5 million and will bring 125 new jobs to the county. Graham said major sites of interest for industrial growth include Park 53 South and Park 53 North, which together span roughly 120 acres. Other sites of interest in the county include: • Gateway at West Winder Bypass — a built-to-suit site lo cated at the corner of the West Winder Bypass and Carl-Beth- lehem Road • One University Parkway — a roughly 360-acre site in Statham along Wall Road and S.R. 316 • Euphoric 316 — over one million square feet of industri al space along Kilcrease Road and S.R. 316 consisting of four buildings ranging from 122,000 to 520,000 sq. ft. • Braselton Crossroads — a distribution center recently purchased by Westcore consist ing of three buildings that total 460,000 sq. ft. • Gateway at West Winder Bypass — a built-to-suit site lo cated at the corner of the West Winder Bypass and Carl-Beth- lehem Road • One University Parkway — a roughly 360-acre site in Statham along Wall Road and S.R. 316 • Euphoric 316 — over one See Communities, page 2A BRASELTON’S GATEWAY SIGN AT 1-85 COMPLETE Credit: Ben Munro The 1-85 gateway signs at Exit 126 in Brasleton are complete. The town partnered with Barrow and Jack- son counties to design, permit and fund the ramp way finding signage and its associated landscaping in an effort to beautify interstate exits. CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES AT AUSTIN ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Credit: BCSS Construction continues on the additional academic building at the Barrow Arts and Sciences Academy. The new building will include a weight room. A temporary weight room will be available near the BASA gym for next school year as well. Construction at the new school — Austin Road Elementary — is on time and on budget. Currently, sidewalks are being installed, along with as phalt paving. Paint is being completed and ceiling tiles will go up next. MAILING LABEL Celebrating the Class of2023 Seniors in Barrow County graduate graduate May 24-26 at 8 p.m. The Barrow County School Sys tem recently announced graduation dates and times for the Class of 2023 at Apalachee High School, the Bar- row Arts and Sciences Academy and Winder-Barrow High School. APALACHEE HIGH SCHOOL The AHS graduation ceremony is scheduled for May 26 at 8 p.m. Graduation will be live-streamed on the AHS YouTube channel located at https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCS67K747Nf8eShuTqrgSbZg. For other school events celebrating se niors, check the school website and social media. The valedictorian is Zane Sylvester and the salutatorian is Sunena Patel. BARROW ARTS AND SCIENCES ACADEMY The BASA graduation ceremony is scheduled for May 24 at 8 p.m. Graduation will be live-streamed on the BASA YouTube channel located at https://www.youtube.com/@basablaz- ers. For other school events celebrat ing seniors, check the school website and social media. The valedictorian is Savannah John son and the salutatorian is Andrew Wooten. WINDER-BARROW HIGH SCHOOL The WBHS graduation ceremony is scheduled for May 25 at 8 p.m. Graduation will be live-streamed on the WBHS YouTube channel located at https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCpzxSk3NnhdGvlOzTJQsqfg. For other school events celebrating se niors, check the school website and social media. The valedictorian is Ema Clair Caine and the salutatorian is Isaac Sanders. Braselton sign wholesale water agreement By Morgan Ervin morgan@barrownewsjournal.com B atiow County will begin selling water to the Town of Braselton follow ing the Barrow County Board of Commission ers’ approval of a 10-year agreement with the town Tuesday evening. In the contract, B arrow County agrees to make available a minimum of six million gallons per month, or 200,000 gallons per day (GPD), at a rate of $2.80 per 1,000 gallons, which is contingent upon the completion of neces sary water system facility upgrades and modifica tions currently underway. Until completion of the ongoing upgrades, the parties have agreed that Barrow County will only provide an average of 100,000 GPD, or six million gallons per month. Once B arrow determines that its system can accom modate a 200,000 GPD average, Braselton will be notified and begin paying the higher monthly mini mum fee. Should Braselton need more than the daily firm amount established, Bar- row County agrees to excess water purchases based on water availabil ity. The purchase price of water supplied under the contract is determined by the county. It’s subject to modification depending on water availability and the provision of whole sale water to the county’s existing customers with minimum purchase obli gations. The point of delivery is located at the connection point of Braselton’s wa ter system and the Barrow County line. Residual water pressure on the B arrow County side of the meter cannot drop below 20 pounds per square inch (PSI). B atiow County will provide sufficient meter ing equipment needed un der the contract near the end of the existing B atiow County line. The contract is for 10 years, but either party may limit the term to only five years and opt out of the remaining five years by providing a termination notice to the other party no less than 90 days be fore the five-year anniver sary of the agreement. The same rule applies in the eighth year of the agree ment. Should the parties agree to continue the agreement after ten years, they must enter into a new agree ment.