Newspaper Page Text
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Barrow N ews-Journal
Barrow County News Est. 1893 • Barrow Journal Est. 2008 Merged August 2016
16 Pages, 2 Sections, Plus Preprints A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County, Georgia $1.00 Copy Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Year-in-review
Superintendent Chris McMichael speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony.
Newsmaker of the Year:
Dr. Chris McMichael
By Morgan Ervin
Dr. Chris McMichael’s de-
cade-long tenure as Superintendent
of the Barrow County School Sys
tem (BCSS) can be characterized by
one word: Innovation.
As we reflect on the Newsmaker of
the Year for 2023, Dr. McMichael’s
legacy is etched in the innovative
programs, educational excellence
and forward-thinking initiatives that
have defined his leadership.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
At the core of Dr. McMichael’s
vision lies a commitment to innova
tion as BCSS evolved into the 24th
largest school system in Georgia,
with 15,237 students, over 2,000
dedicated employees, 17 schools,
and three cutting-edge programs.
The learner profile developed un
der Dr. McMichael’s guidance has
serves as the cornerstone of student
development and success at BCSS,
emphasizing critical thinking, prob
lem-solving, collaboration, empathy
and resilience. These competencies,
instilled from pre-K through grad
uation, place emphasis on a com
mitment to shaping well-rounded,
future-ready individuals.
CULTURE OF INNOVATION
Communication, culture and com
munity engagement have thrived
under Dr. McMichael’s leadership.
The BCSS school board’s recogni
tion as an Exemplary School Board
and the flourishing Partners in Ed
ucation program highlight effective
governance and community collab
oration.
Innovative partnerships, such as
the Cultural Connections perform-
See Newsmaker, page 3A
Political Story of the Year: Barrow voters
elect four new mayors in Nov. 7 election
By Morgan Ervin
The municipal elections held on No
vember 7,2023, in Barrow County were
marked by significant changes as four
mayor seats were contested and subse
quently filled by new mayors.
WINDER
In Winder, the mayoral race featured
two sitting members on the Winder City
Council, Jimmy Terrell and Shannon
Hammond. Terrell, who was reelect
ed as councilman of Ward 3 in 2021,
emerged victorious with 1,088 votes,
defeating Hammond who garnered
708 votes. This outcome led to a spe
cial election for Terrell’s vacant Ward 3
council seat, which was won by Power
Evans with 436 votes. Councilman Tra
vis Singley retained his Ward 4 seat with
383 votes, overcoming a challenge from
David Arnold. Kobi Kilgore ran unop
posed in Ward 2. The at-large council
seat election went into a runoff between
Taffy McCormick and John Bums, with
McCormick securing victory with 802
votes over Bums’ 677.
AUBURN
Auburn saw a shift in leadership with
Mayor Linda Blechinger not seeking
reelection. Rick Roquemore won the
mayoral race with 426 votes, surpass
ing councilwoman Peggy Langley who
received 243 votes. Councilwoman Ja
mie Bradley retained her seat with 265
votes, and Josh Rowan secured the oth
er open seat with 299 votes. The council
election was closely contested, with Jer
emiah Outwater (244 votes), Bo Bland
(240 votes), and Leandro Silva (204
votes) narrowly missing out.
BETHLEHEM
In Bethlehem, Mayor Sandy McNabb
faced his first challenger in quite some
time, Christopher Lelle, who clinched
the win with 43 votes over McNabb’s
36. Additionally, councilman Scott
Morgan sought reelection but was de
feated by challenger Sharon Johnson,
who received 52 votes to Morgan’s 28.
See Poltical, page 3A
Statham bids
farewell to mayor,
councilwoman
By Carole Townsend
During Tuesday’s coun
cil meeting, the last coun
cil meeting of 2023, both
Mayor Joe Piper and coun
cilwoman Hattie Thrasher
conducted their last busi
ness in the city’s govern
ment.
Thrasher served for 32
years on the city’s council.
Piper served one four-year
term as mayor.
Near the end of Tues
day’s meeting, Piper pre
sented Thrasher with an
award commemorating her
service. And Betty Lyle, for
mer Statham councilwom
an who served for 40 years,
presented Thrasher with an
iron bench that will soon be
placed in a park near city
hall. Statham’s Sunflower
Festival, headed up by Lyle,
funded the bench.
Piper took a moment to
bid his colleagues goodbye.
“My wife and I moved here
in 2016, and we fell in love
with what we saw. I attend
ed a few meetings, and I
didn’t like what I was see
ing, so I ran for mayor,” Pip
er said. During his tenure,
the city’s accounting was
brought into alignment with
state and federal guidelines,
and now Statham receives
much-needed grant money
as a result.
“My wife and I put up
with a lot of negativity over
the past four years, but we
dedicated our lives to this
city,” Piper added. “The city
is in a lot better shape now.
It’s not perfect, but we’re
going to be far better off in
the future.”
SIDEWALK
AMENDMENT
APPROVED
Following the fourth
reading of a proposed or
dinance to amend the city
charter regarding sidewalks,
council members voted to
“remove from the corpo
rate powers the authority to
require property owners to
maintain sidewalks.”
Credit: BCSS
Interim superintendent Rob Johnson sworn in on
Thursday, Dec. 21.
Rob Johnson sworn in as
interim superintendent
Rob Johnson was sworn courthouse. His first day
in as the interim superin- as Interim Superintendent
tendent of Barrow County will be Tuesday, Jan. 2.
School System on Thurs- A Board of Education
day, Dec. 21 in Judge work session will be held
Brown’s chambers at the that evening at 6 p.m.
Auburn mayor, council
member conclude
their service to city
By Carole Townsend
Auburn’s mayor Linda
Blechinger and council
member Peggy Langley
sat in service to the city
for the last time at last
week’s city council meet
ing.
Blechinger was elected
mayor of Auburn in 2007,
after having served the
city as a council member
for a year before that. She
has led Auburn's progress
with the building of the
city’s library, improve
ments to parks, planning
and construction of the
See Auburn, page 5A
MAILING LABEL
Infrastructure and Development
Story of the Year: T-SPLOST passes
By Morgan Ervin
Barrow County voters
faced a critical decision at the
polls Nov. 7 as a TSPLOST
referendum appeared on bal
lots.
TSPLOST received a re
sounding “yes” from with
3,401 voters who supported
the referendum and 1,888
who voted against it, a deci
sion that will determine the
next steps toward improving
transportation infrastructure
— one of Barrow’s biggest
growing pains.
A Transportation Spe
cial Purpose Local Option
Sales Tax (TSPLOST) is a
unique taxation mechanism
with a focus solely on fund
ing transportation projects.
Unlike property-centric tax
es, TSPLOST applies to all
purchases made within the
county. Its broad application
ensures that all consum
ers, regardless of property
See T-SPLOST, page 5A
CreditCity of Winder, Jacob Lincoln
Pictured (from left): David Brock, Mayor of Carl; Linda Blechinger, Mayor of Auburn; Da
vid Maynard, Mayor of Winder; Barrow County Board of Commissioners Chairman Pat
Graham; Joe Piper, Mayor of Statham and Sandy McNab Mayor of Bethlehem
Credit: City of Auburn
FLAG RAISED AT AUBURN
MUNICIPAL COMPLEX
A flag at the Auburn Municipal Complex was raised
Dec. 18, signifying the official relocation of the city
hall and police department to their new home. The
Auburn Municipal Complex, located at 1 Auburn Way,
is open and ready to serve residents weekdays from
8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. The drop box for after-hour water
bill payments is still accessible at the former city hall
location, and it will be checked daily until further no-
