Newspaper Page Text
16 Pages, 2 Sections
A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County, Georgia $1.00 Copy Wednesday, July 5, 2023
BCES
engine
crew
recognized
for acts of
heroism
The Barrow County
Board of Commissioners
and Chief Alan Schuman
recognized three mem
bers from Barrow County
Emergency Services En
gine 4 crew last week for
their heroic efforts and
willingness to go above
and beyond to serve resi
dents of the county.
On June 7, BCES En
gine 4 was near the Au
burn Ingles when the
group encountered an
accident. Among the
injured was an elderly
woman who had just fin
ished shopping for food
and medicine for her
husband. When the wom
an was informed that she
needed to go to the hos
pital, she anxiously told
crewmembers of Engine
4 that she needed to get
home to deliver her hus
band his medicine. The
engine crew offered to
take the medicine to her
husband. Acting officer
Alexandra McCain and
firefighters Jeremy Mix
on and and John Park
delivered the food and
medicine to the woman’s
home, where they met
her husband and another
family member.
Shortly after leaving
the home, the Engine.4
crew was dispatched to
return as the husband
was unconscious. Upon
returning, the crew found
him in cardiac arrest.
They initiated CPR and
other advanced medical
life support efforts and
he regained a pulse while
in the ambulance.
“They truly went
above and beyond their
duties on this day and I
am very proud of them,”
said Shuman. “Although
the husband passed away
several days later while
in the hospital, they gave
the family the opportuni
ty to gather around him
and say goodbye.”
“This is a shining ex
ample of the mission and
core values of Barrow
County,” said interim
county manager Vickie
Short.
MAILING LABEL
o
4th of July in Barrow
Credit: Ben Munro Credit: Enchanted Events
Sons of the American Revolution dressed as America’s Captain America and Wonderwoman pose with local patriots
Founding Fathers in Braselton’s Independence Day parade at Star Spangled Statham on July 3.
on July 4.
Partying like its 1776
Fireworks were heard around the county over the weekend as the community celebrated Independence Day. The
county’s cities threw festivals and hosted fireworks shows that drew crowds from all over the region. Auburn’s famous
Independence Day Celebration kicked off the festivities on July 1, followed by Star-Spangled Statham on Monday, July
3. On the 4th, Braselton held an America-themed parade, festival and a fireworks show at dusk. Winder will have its
firework display Friday, July 7 during its Celebrate Winder birthday bash at Jug Tavern Park.
Barrow Area Rotary Club officially chartered
Pictured (from left): Rotarians Beth Ratliff, Bel Outwater, Beth McIntyre, Julia
Simpson and Kelli McDaniel
A new chapter
of service begins
Rotary International announced
the chartering of its newest club,
the Barrow Area Rotary Club
(BARC). This marks a significant
milestone in the expansion of Ro
tary’s mission of service above self
in the Barrow area and beyond.
The Barrow Area Rotary Club
was officially chartered with 38
members, including some of the
most dedicated and service-minded
individuals in the community. The
club’s formation is a testament to
the growing need for service-ori
ented organizations that transcend
geographical boundaries.
Club President, Ben McDaniel,
expressed his enthusiasm about the
new club: “We felt that there was a
need for something different in our
community and I am excited that 37
of the finest folks you’ll ever meet
have decided to undertake this new
journey as the Barrow Area Rotary
Club. The word ‘Area’ is signifi
cant for us because it allows us to
serve a much larger footprint than
just within the boundaries of coun
ty lines.”
The Barrow Area Rotary Club’s
inaugural meeting is scheduled for
July 12 at noon on the third floor of
Northeast Georgia Medical Center
Barrow. The club will continue to
meet on the first and third Wednes
days of each month at noon.
For more information about the
Barrow Area Rotary Club, its mis
sion, and upcoming events, please
visit the club’s Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/BarrowAre-
aRotaryClub.
ABOUT ROTARY
Rotary is a global network of 1.4
million neighbors, friends, lead
ers, and problem-solvers who see a
world where people unite and take
action to create lasting change -
across the globe, in our communi
ties, and in ourselves.
BOG approves $155 million
budget for FY24
The Barrow County Board of Commissioners approved the
county’s budget for fiscal year 2024, which began July 1. The
budget is based on rolling the millage rate back to 4.489 mills
for unincorporated and 5.109 mills for incorporated M&O.
By Morgan Ervin
The Board of Com
missioners passed the
county’s fiscal year 2024
(FY24) budget totaling
$155,693,582 during its
June 27 meeting.
The budget is based on
rolling the millage rate
back to revenue neutral
at 4.489 mills for un
incorporated and 6.109
mills for the incorporat
ed M&O.
Compared to the
$123,403,850 budget in
fiscal year 2023, the lat
est budget represents a
26.17% increase in ex
penses.
The FY 24 gener
al fund budget totals
$58,110,833, which
represents a 10.13% in
crease compared to 2023.
The budget includes
$57,439,444 for capital
improvement projects
and $10,231,494 for the
fire fund, which rep
resents a 24.5% increase
from FY23. The county’s
enterprise funds total
$51,668,116. The enter
prise funds include the
water and sewage fund,
which more than dou
bled from $24,913,677
in FY23 to $50,314,190
in FY24.
The BOC also commit
ted $645,592 out of the
general fund unassigned
fund to be used for the
County Line-Auburn
bridge construction proj
ect, totaling $584,592,
and for the professional
services for hiring the
county manager, totaling
$60,000.
In addition to the
fire fund, other spe
cial revenue funds that
significantly increased
this fiscal year include
an additional $258,056
from the Opioids Set
tlement Fund and $1
million from the school
camera safety program,
representing a 99.8%
increase compared to
2023.
FY24 began July 1,
2023, and ends June 30,
2024.
OTHER BUSINESS
Also during the June
27 meeting, the board
voted on the following
See Budget, page 2A
The Swingin’ Medallians are
set to perform at Celebrate
Winder at 8 p.m.
City of
Winder
celebrates
130 years
Thank Goodness It’s First
Friday presents Celebrate
Winder on July 7 to cele
brate the city’s 130th birth
day.
The birthday bash will be
an evening of celebrating
Winder’s past and present
momentum with live mu
sic, delicious food and fire
works.
A live performance by the
legendary Swingin’ Medal
lions at 8 p.m.
In addition to the Swingin’
Medallions, there will be a
variety of food vendors, ac
tivities for kids and plenty
of opportunities to dance the
night away.
Admission to the event is
free and everyone is invited.
County
to hold
TSPLOST
meeting
July 11
The Barrow County
Board of Commissioners
will hold a meeting with all
six municipalities within
Barrow County to discuss
possible projects to include
in a Transportation Special
Purpose Local Option Sales
Tax (TSPLOST) referen
dum along with the rate of
the tax and other topics re
lated to the TSPLOST.
A TPLOST is a sales tax
to fund capital projects pro
posed by the county and
municipal governments
where the projects consist
of transportation purposes
only.
The county is propos
ing an intergovernmental
agreement be entered into
with the cities and towns of
the county.
The meeting will be
held on Tuesday, July 11
at 2:30 p.m. at the Barrow
County Historic Court
house, located at 30 N
Broad St. in Winder.
11 county
roads to
receive
makeover
By Morgan Ervin
Paving and resurfacing
on 11 county roads total
ing 1.93 miles will soon
begin following the BOC’s
approval of a contract with
Allied Pacing Contractors,
Inc.. The cost of the proj
ect is $902,939.75.
The project list includes:
• Mulberry Trail — from
Chicken Lyle Road to
Loop cul-de-sac — 0.50
miles
• McCarty Road — from
SR 316 to Statham city
limits — 0.11 miles
• Autumn Avenue — from
Giles Road to cul-de-sac=
-0.15 miles
• Brent Way — from Au
tumn Avenue to cul-de-sac
— 0.09 miles
• Fort Street — from Mat
thews School Road to end
— 0.37 miles
• Yargo Lane — Fort Street
to end — 0.07 miles
• Lois Lane — from Fort
Street to end — 0.07 miles
• Hiram Way — from Fort
Street to end — 0.07 miles
• Ruswood Road — Dee
Kennedy Road to cul-de-
sac — 0.36 miles
• Ruswood Court —
Ruswood Road to cul-de-
sac — 0.07 miles
• Ruswood Circle — from
Ruswood Road to cul-de-
sac -0.07 miles
Also during the BOC’s
June 27 meeting, the board
approved the County Road
Construction Services
Agreement for Holbrook
Asphalt, LLC to apply
HA5 application on Dool
ey Town Road, Punkin
Junction Road and Dia
mond Ridge Road. HA5
is a high density mineral
bond designed to increase
the life expectancy of a
paved road to seven to
10 years. The project will
also include street split
ting, use of flaggers, crack
repair, crack sealing and
paint and striping. The
project cost is $313,378.
