About StarNews. (Carrollton, GA) 20??-current | View Entire Issue (April 14, 2024)
APRIL 14, 2024 • VOLUME 30 NUMBER 4 www.starnewsgaonline.com A FREE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER IS VITAL TO A FREE COUNTRY StarNews monthly traditionalprinr/StarNews Online daily local news CARROLL COUNTY, GEORGIA'S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED / LOCALLY OPERATED NEWSPAPER Above, Villa Rica City Manager Tom Barber busied himself either with his cell phone or writing on a piece of paper while council and mayor discussed firing him due to his behavior since the December election of the new mayor whom he openly opposed and stated in writing that he had “no interest in working with”. Villa Rica council and mayor continue to wrestle with defiant city manager On March 4th, council instructed City Manager Tom Barber to terminate Deputy City Manager (immediate past mayor) Gil McDougal; Barber ignores that instruction and instead creates new position for McDougal as Special Projects Manager On April 2nd, council passes resolution to abolish Special Projects Manager position and instructs Barber to terminate McDougal by noon the next day (April 3rd): he did Gil McDougal’s salary was $125,000 yearly and was employed for 7 weeks : $16,827 story by Sue Horn and Janice Daniel Mayor and Council of the City of Villa Rica met for a Special Called Meeting Tuesday, April 2, 2024, 4:00 p.m. with all council members pre sent. There were two items on the agenda. The first item was a Resolution to adopt an agreement with the Department of Public Health regarding the WIC building’s relocation to Powell Park with a lease of S5.00 per year. That was approved by council unanimously. It was the second item that sparked an open discussion among council and mayor: a Resolution that City Manager Tom Barber ter minate past city mayor Gil McDougal from his compensated position as Special Projects See DEFIANT CITY MANAGER page 8 Above, Villa Rica City Mayor Leslie McPherson and Council Member Danny Carter listen to Council Member Stephanie Warmoth who minced no words in her criticism of City Manager Tom Barber. Photos by Sue Horn County Board of Health drafting letter to EPD to “do something” about the raw sewage flowing from Carrollton Nursing and Rehab: one full year since flow was discovered story by Sue Horn At the March 26, 2024 Carroll County Board of Health meeting, discussion was held concerning the raw sewage spill from the Carrollton Nursing and Rehabilitation facility. The decision was made to draft a letter to EPD to “do something about the problem”. StarNews first learned of and reported on this long time large spill - 13,000 gallons a day - last October. At press time, the spill continues. See 13,000 GALLONS A DAY page 10 Dr. Fred Richards January 12,1939-March 27, 2024 A “Celebration of Life” is scheduled for September Richards The community lost a benevolent and uniquely sagacious longtime leader with the passing of Dr. Fred Richards, Carrollton. Fred Richards, 85, died March 27, 2024. He was bom January 12, 1939 in Baltimore, MD, son of FRED RICHARDS page 15 NAACP Environmental Climate Justice Event: “Addressing Environmental Equity as a Community” April 20,2024,9:30-noon at Legends West Park from press release The Carroll County NAACP’s Environmental Climate Justice Event will be held Saturday, April 20th, 9:30 a.m. until noon at Legends West Park, Carrollton. “Addressing Environmental Equity as a Com unity” has the goal to bring together resources empowering access to sustainable housing, fresh local food, healthy lifestyle choices, and interfaith creation care connections - resources that the See CLIMATE JUSTICE EVENT page 15 All-volunteer Carrollton Wind Ensemble seeking donations for “Day of Music” for children/women displaced by Ukraine war stoiy by Wayne J. Reynolds « „,/// be around Every Tuesday evening, a group of local volunteers 2()() children meet for two hours to practice and rehearse as part of The w ... . , IV- Carrollton Wmd Ensemble. Tins resident ensemble of the . s Carrollton Center for the Arts was founded m 2011 and is Up CUt "oranum under the direction of Carroll Symphony Orchestra a eac concer o Conductor Terry Lowry. They perform 30 to 40 concerts ra,se money to give a year in concert halls, schools, nursing homes, churches, *° ^ le International area businesses and veteran’s park events. Rescue Committee See SEEKING DONATIONS page 4 " Terry Lowry’ ffr<C Gre^frrntmMltoliDV ByroS^gffipyant, B'ob Winiafezyk;4sind™irown, KempjTi^^^^^^rookjM^^zzell, Heather Garjj|3 MPin flfeTlTl cffiitM Mfl I I fjMwW.WSMlONEERFORD. COMM PIONEER Expedience the V HWY 27 Subscription Drive StarNews Your locally owned newspaper Mail $35 for a two year subscription to: StarNews PO Box 680 Carrollton, GA 30112 Be sure to include the name and address where you would like the newspaper to be mailed each month starnewsgaonline.com Call 770-722-7227 waynereynolds.starnews @gmail.com suehorn.starnews @gmail.com
