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Barrow News-Journal
Barrow County News Est. 1893 • Barrow Journal Est. 2008
Merged August 2016
16 Pages, 2 Sections
A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Winder, Barrow County, Georgia
$1.00 Copy
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Qualifying ends
Contested races around the county
With the departure of current mayors in three of
Barrow’s municipalities - Auburn, Statham and
Winder - some councilmembers are
relinquishing their council seats in hopes of
securing the mayor’s office, while others face
challengers vying for their open council seats.
In Winder, the mayor’s seat and three council
seats are up for grabs. By the end of qualifying,
incumbent Kobi Kilgore (Ward 2) was the only
candidate able to secure her seat without
opposition. Incumbent Travis Singley’s Ward 4
seat is being challenged by David Arnold. Other
sitting council members Jimmy Terrell (Ward 3)
and Shannon Hammond (at-large) qualified for
the mayoral position. Those vying for
Hammond’s at-large seat, are Taffy McCormick,
John Bums and Pam Powell. Also, a special
election was called to address the vacancy in
Ward 3 created by Terrell’s mayoral run.
In Auburn, for sitting councilwoman Peggy
Langley and Rick Roquemore qualifying. Five
candidates qualified for two open seats on
Auburn’s council, making it one the most
competitive races across the county. Running for
Auburn’s two at-large seats are Jeremiah
Outwater, Timothy “Bo” Bland, Josh Rowan,
Leandro Silva and incumbent Jamie Bradley.
In Statham, Debi Krause resigned from her
council seat in order to qualify for the mayor’s
seat, which she qualified for without opposition.
In Bethlehem, incumbent Mayor Sandy McNab
is being challenged by Christopher Lelle. On
council, Councilmember Doug Koestel (Post 2)
is running unopposed and Councilmember Scott
Morgan and Sharon Johnson both qualified for
the Post 4 seat.
Winder Crumbl
Cookies opens Sept, 1
Winder is about to get a
whole lot sweeter on Friday,
Sept. 1, when locally owned
and operated Winder Crum
bl Cookies, located at 916
Loganville Hwy„ Suite 360,
Bethlehem, opens its doors.
The store is open from
8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on week
days and 8 a.m. to 12 a.m.
on Fridays and Saturdays.
Community members and
city officials are invited to
join the celebration.
Aside from satisfying
your sweet tooth, the store
is also providing over 40 ca
reer opportunities to Winder
locals.
The grand opening week
menu will contain six of
the 200+ weekly rotating
flavors, including Crumbl’s
award-winning milk choco
late chip. Some of Crumbl’s
specialty flavors include
internet favorites such as
combread, cookies and
cream, s’mores, key lime
pie, peppermint bark, car
amel popcorn, buttermilk
pancake, galaxy brownie
and many more. A weekly
flavor is announced Sun
days at 4 p.m. all of Crum
bl’s social media accounts.
Customers can order in
MAILING LABEL
Tabitha and Donny Wilson,
owners of Crumbl Cookie in
Winder
person during the first five
business days of the grand
opening. Starting Wednes
day, September 6, delivery,
curbside pickup, catering
and nationwide shipping
will be available via the
Crumbl App and online at
crumblcookies.com. Cus
tomers can also enjoy a
brand new feature on the
Crumbl App called the
Cookie Journal, where they
can rate and track cookies,
share their tasty takes with
other Crumbl reviewers and
earn achievements. Down
load the award-winning app
to start collecting Loyalty
Crumbs toward free cook
ies today.
ABOUT THE OWNERS
It was love at first bite
for Crumbl store owners
Tabitha and Donny Wilson.
After sinking their teeth into
a Galaxy Brownie cookie,
which brought them back to
their childhood, they were
instantly hooked. The Wil
sons have spent months per
fecting the Winder location
to provide an irresistible
experience for customers.
“As local business owners,
we are looking forward to
sharing delicious cookies
with our neighbors!” the
duo stated. Together with
their crew, they are thrilled
to finally open their doors to
bring the people of Winder
together over a box of the
best cookies in the world.
Mapping the future of transportation
Photo Credit City of Winder Jacob Lincoln
Local leaders met Thursday at the Barrow County Historic Courthouse to review and finalize the intergovernmental agree
ment, authorizing a TSPLOST referendum for the upcoming November election. Pictured are David Brock, Mayor of Carl;
Linda Blechinger, Mayor of Auburn; David Maynard, Mayor of Winder; Barrow County Board of Commissioners Chairman
Pat Graham; Joe Piper, Mayor of Statham and Sandy McNab, Mayor of Bethlehem. Braselton Mayor Kurt Ward was not able
to attend.
TSPLOST to appear
on November’s ballot
By Morgan Ervin
morgan@barrownews j ournal. com
In a significant stride toward en
hancing transportation infrastructure
across the county and its municipali
ties, county officials and city leaders
banded together to sign an intergov
ernmental agreement (IGA) in support
of a Transportation Local Option Sales
Tax referendum for the upcoming No
vember election.
“By signing this intergovernmental
agreement all together, we are ensur
ing that the voice of our citizens is
heard in the coming November ballot.
The introduction of a transportation
sales tax isn’t merely a financial deci
sion; it’s a commitment to the future
and improving the roads, dealing with
the issues we call generational,” said
Winder Mayor David Maynard. “If
passed, this will ensure Winder has
approximately $18 million dedicat
ed to projects that will improve our
city’s transportation infrastructure,
keeping us connected, vibrant and
forward-moving for generations to
come,” Maynard said.
TSPLOST entails a specialized sales
tax dedicated to funding transportation
endeavors, spanning roads, bridges,
public transit, rails, airports, buses
and seaports. This tax can be im
posed for up to five years, capped at
a 1% rate.
Differing from property-centric
levies, TSPLOST is an inclusive tax
applicable to all purchases within
the county, ensuring that all road us
ers contribute, regardless of property
ownership.
The proposed sales tax holds the
potential to augment road mainte
nance capabilities for both munici
palities and the county, without ne
cessitating an increase in property
taxes. Additionally, the adoption of
this tax could cut the current 40-year
repaving cycle in half, aligning it
more closely with the recommended
10-15-year pavement lifespan.
Local TSPLOST can be strategi
cally employed to match transporta
tion grant funds offered by state and
federal governments.
According to Barrow County
Board of Commissioners Chairman
Pat Graham, the Georgia Depart
ment of Transportation (GDOT) will
advance the schedule of state road
projects if local governments can
partner with them by doing prelim
inary environmental studies or pre
liminary engineering work.
“The West Winder Bypass was
done this way,” Graham said, adding
that Barrow used $4 million in 2008
SPLOST funds to pay for the envi
ronmental and engineering portion
of the project, then GDOT paid for
land acquisition and construction.
It is anticipated that the projected
$130 million in sales tax revenue
will likely attract additional grant
funding.
Currently, TSPLOST has been ad
opted by 106 counties. Among them,
43 counties uphold a single county
TSPLOST, while regional county
TSPLOSTs are operational across
four regions, comprising 63 coun
ties.
In North Georgia, four counties are
actively contemplating the adoption of
TSPLOST.
. As proposed, the allocation of
funds between the county and munic
ipalities will be determined by road
miles, with the following breakdown:
• Barrow: 480.96 miles (72.49%)
• Auburn (Barrow); 42.64 miles (6.43%)
• Bethlehem: 8.45 miles (1.27%)
• Braselton: 10.4 miles (1.57%)
• Carl: 3.66 miles (0.55%)
• Statham: 22.36 miles (3.37%)
• Winder: 95.06 miles (14.33%)
The potential projects that stand to
benefit from a TSPLOST encompass
a diverse range of vital infrastruc
ture enhancements aimed at elevating
transportation standards within the
county and its municipalities. These
transportation projects would other
wise be paid for with general fund and
property tax revenues.
“Several of these GDOT projects
are long range and Barrow County
needs them done much sooner than the
current schedule,” said Graham.
In 2022, Mayor David Maynard and
the Winder City Council initiated talks
regarding TSPLOST, with hopes of
securing its placement on the Novem
ber 2022 ballots. However, the county
opted to postpone the referendum to
facilitate a comprehensive transporta
tion study but pledged that the matter
would be revisited once a more de
tailed plan could be formulated.
With the transportation study com
plete, local government leaders re
grouped over the summer and set their
sights on creating an intergovernmen
tal agreement ahead of the Nov. 7 elec
tion.
If approved, the Barrow County
sales tax amount per dollar will in
crease from 7 cents to 8 cents.
In comparison to nearby counties,
the sales tax rate per dollar in Hall and
Jackson is 7 cents, Oconee and Ath-
ens-Clarke is 8 cents and Gwinnett is
6 cents.
Winder Councilwoman Kobi Kilgo
re said November’s ballot will provide
the community the chance to make
“lasting changes.”
“This penny sales tax will fund a
future where transportation isn’t just
better—it’s the best it can be,” she
said.
TSPLOST PROJECTS
BARROW COUNTY
BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS: Boss Hardy Road Bridge
over Little Mulberry River; Covered Bridge Road
Bridge over Mulberry River; Manning Gin Road
Bridge over Marbury Creek; Smith Mill Road Bridge
over Marbury Creek
ROADWAY CAPACITY WIDENING ($7 MILLION):
Dee Kennedy Road from Gwinnett Co. to SR 211;
Rockwell Church Road from SR 53 to Carl Cedar Hill
Rd.
INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS ($12.56
MILLION): SR 211 at Cedar Creek Road and Hal
Jackson Road; SR 211 NW at SR 124; Rockwell
Church Road at City Pond Road; Jefferson Highway
at Pendergrass Road; SR 211 at Holsenbeck School
Road; Bill Rutledge Road at Matthews School Road;
Haymon Morris Road at Tom Miller Road
ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ($2.35 MILLION):
Sidewalk improvements
ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS ($10.16 MILLION): SR
211 from Winder Bypass to N Broad Street; Atlatna
Hwy. from Gwinnett County line to Carl Midway
Church Road; Atlanta Highway from Carl Midway
Church Road to Patrick Mill Road; Bankhead
Highway; Rockwell Church Road from SR 11 to SR
53; Pearl Pentecost Road
ROADWAY RESURFACING ($30 MILLION)
STATE STRATEGIC TRANSPORTATION PLAN: SR
211 widen to four lanes from north of Winder/West
Winder Bypass; SR 81 from Walton County line to
Carson Wages Road; Carl Bethlehem Road from US
29 Business to SR 316; SR 211 at Bowman Mill
Road/Double Bridges Road; Atlanta Highway at
Bowman Mill Road SE; Pleasant Hill Church Road at
SR 211; SR 211 at SR 82; SR 53 N at Mulberry
Road; SR 81 at Tom Miller RoadVTanners Bridge
Road; intersection safety imrpovements
WINDER
INTERSECTION AND ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS
- $4 MILLION: Safety and operational improvements
to several intersections and roadways in the general
vicinity of E. Athens St., Midland Ave., MLK Jr. Dr. and
N. Williams St. -
SIMS ROAD REALIGNMENT AND DRAINAGE
IMPROVEMENTS - $2.25 MILLION: Abandonment
of the existing curved bridge and realignment of the
roadway drainage improvements and installation of
sidewalks and other improvements to meet identified
safety and operational needs.
INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS ($1.5 MILLION):
Safety and operational improvements at the
intersection of Midland Ave., Sims Rd., Miles Patrick
Rd. and St. Anthony Dr.
MIDLAND AVE. OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS
($1 MILLION): Safety and operational improvements
along Midland Ave. between N. Broad St. and Miles
Patrick Rd., and may include the intersections of
Woodlawn Ave., N. Center St. and 5th Ave.
ROAD, STREET, BRIDGE, SIDEWALKS, TRAILS AND
BICYCLE PATHS ($4.8 MILLION): Including but not
limited to equipment used for construction and
maintenance and all necessary accompanying
infrastructure and services
AUBURN
STREET PAVING PROJECTS: County Line-Auburn
Road, College Street, Main Street, 6th Street, Mt.
Moriah Road, Mt. Moriah Road, Apalachee Church
Rd, 6th Ave, 5th St., 3rd Ave, 4th Ave., and 7th St.
INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS:
Etheridge Rd and Hwy 8, Apalachee Church Rd
and Hwy 8, County-Line Rd and Hwy 8, and Parks
Mill Rd and Auburn-County Line Rd. Sidewalks.
Projects may include: Auburn-County Line Rd to
Parks Mill Rd., Mary Carter Rd., Mt Moriah Rd., 5th
Street (Children’s Park) to 3rd Ave. (Library), 6th Ave
to College St., Van St. to 3rd Ave., and 4th Ave. to
Parks Mill Rd.
BRASELTON
• Construction of roads, bridges, sidewalks,
multiuse paths, intersection improvements, traffic
safety enhancements, and stormwater projects
pertaining to roadway and other transportation
projects. Projects may include: Highway 211,
Highway 124, Beaver Dam Road, Thompson Mill
Road, Liberty Church Road, Braselton Parkway
Extension, and other related projects.
• Resurfacing, including full depth reclamation, base
and paving, culvert repair, traffic markers, patching,
shoulder preparation, and related projects. Projects
may include: resurfacing of approximately 3 miles of
Braselton maintained roads based on the
established annual road rating criteria and scoring
system; and other related projects.
STATHAM
• Repair, resurfacing and restriping of Mulberry
Street from Atlanta Hwy to Broad Street; 8th Street
from Atlanta Hwy to Broad Street; Railroad Street
from 2nd Street to 1 st Street; Second Street from
Broad Street to Railroad Street and municipal roads
BETHLEHEM
• Road, street, bridge, curb and sidewalk projects.
Stormwater improvement projects.
CARL
• Repair, resurfacing, and restriping of East Avenue
and 4th Avenue.
• Rehabilitation and repair, resurfacing, and
restriping of Carl Midway Church Road and adjacent
road as required.
• Addition of sidewalk to Bankhead Highway and
Carl Cedar Hill Road.
