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APRIL 14, 2024 • VOLUME 30 NUMBER 4
www.starnewsgaonline.com
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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’
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HWY 27
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