Downtown Winder may be about to get the biggest shot in the arm it has had since 2009, the year that the county’s judicial system moved to the new courthouse and jail off Highway 211.
The county’s health director, Dr. Claude Burnett, in a letter Wednesday told county officials that during a recent tour of the vacant jail in the historic courthouse complex he found many “positives” to the idea of relocating the health department there from its current location in the county's administration building at 233 East Broad St.
Burnett wrote: "The location and visibility in downtown Winder is excellent. The parking, as proposed, should be ample and there is certainly more square footage in the building as a whole. The current health department has 9,742 square feet for clinical services. Environmental health is located in a separate facility and needs 2,500 square feet."
His letter indicates that the $1 million in SPLOST funds collected for the health department would be enough to renovate only 10,000 square feet of the facility, and the department would need additional space set aside for future growth.
"For future expansion, the health department would eventually need more than the proposed 10,000 square feet," Burnett wrote. "Eventually we would need the entire first floor of the facility in order to incorporate environmental health as well as any future expansion of clinical services."
Also on Wednesday, a committee overseeing the ongoing renovation of the county's downtown courthouse complex took steps that could lead to county offices vacating the current administration building and moving there. The millions of dollars in funding for the project already is in place.
The committee directed the project's architects to create within about two weeks a plan for how to reuse the office space within the complex. And operations development manager Bob Hohe said the committee directed him to write county attorney Angela Davis to ask her to research the legal issues surrounding the potential abandonment of the current East Broad Street administrative building.
The tentative plan is to possibly relocate all of the East Broad Street offices to the renovated courthouse and annex. Sheriff Jud Smith plans to use only two of the four stories of the annex building. At a minimum, Hohe said, the thinking is to relocate the county departments that have high traffic volumes, such as the Tax Assessor’s Office and the Tax Commissioner’s Office.
Additional parking is planned adjacent to the complex, and the relocation of some or all of the county’s offices would bring thousands of citizens – and potential diners and shoppers – back downtown.
Hohe said the current timeline calls for the jail and annex renovations to be completed by September 2012.
Once the Sheriff’s consolidated offices relocate to the annex building, work would begin on the renovation of the courthouse, Hohe said.
The renovated courthouse then could house the offices of the county chairman and county commissioners, and future meetings of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners likely would be held in the courthouse's former Superior Court courtroom.
To read more about this issue, pick up the Aug. 17 edition of the Barrow Journal.
We do not have the money to do this! and NOBODY wants to go downtown because the traffic is horrible!
WHO came up with this brilliant plan? and how much is it going to cost US, the taxpayers?????????
more like kick in the rear!!!!
Bet Doug Garrison played SOME part in this shady deal!
.now he wants to be on winders city council? he is personaly responsoble for a huge percentage of city owned business to just dissappear.
Aside from the problems that garrison created when he did this it is a pipe dream to ever think about putting things back like they used to be, the money just isnt there anymore.
I KNEW Garrison had a hand in this!!!!!
oh, ps Jack: PLEASE use spellcheck, your "barra County edumacation" is way too evident.
**********$1,000,000 DOLLARS**************
for only 10,000 square feet
If you are retired then it really is not an inconvenience to you is it? After all, you don't work! Stop whining, and be glad there is still Social Security at all.
The BOC and Winder Government have done everything they can to hinder any Small businesses that do not meet their vision or offends their personal sensibilities. Their arrogance has made the citizens completely dependent on the government's table scrapes to create any kind of new money coming into the economy.
Until Winder and the County (BOC) get out of the way of Small business, you will have to look to the government for your pay check.
I thought this was a Republican county? I still don't see a dimes difference between a democrat and a republican in this county.
Ask the medical billing business they chased into Gwinnett county;
Ask the child care facility;
Ask the home salon owners;
Ask the local garage owner;
Ask the local horse stables;
Want me to go on? I can -- I can list many small business that offended the sensibilities of some BOC member in the past 10 years. What do you have now in Barrow County? Empty store fronts, Empty business parks, Empty commercial properties and a citizen subsidized county airport playground.
I still don't see a dimes difference between a democrat and a republican in this county.
I'd be interested in seeing in seeing just how pro business, pro AG, pro entrepreneur, Pro Free Market economy this republican county really is... "Free Market" is a simple concept, only the market will determine if an idea is good or bad... Welcome the entrepreneur, the market will say who says or goes. Not the Government
OK, how 'bout LEAVE the offices where they are!!!!
1.bulldoze the courthouse annex, and
2.build a beautiful downtown city park in it's place.
3. Kick ALL the "good ole boys" out of Barrow County Politics and start over with fresh ideas and perspectives.
4. prohibit tractor trailers from coming through downtown
5. market downtown to promote small businesses(see number 3 above)such as coffee shops, antique shops, boutiques.
6. make the "good ole boys" that own dilapidated property fix it up, or bulldoze it.(example: Old Peskin's Store...) There are many that are eyesores and embarrassments.
7. get rid of the "thrifty stores" and tacky "car washes" near the Community Center.
8. Synchronize the traffic signals so they IMPROVE the flow of traffic, not IMPEDE it.
9. Instead of paying city workers (who by the way took one HOUR each ribbon to put up yellow ribbons) use volunteers to decorate the Downtown area all year long! and No, I do NOT mean those ancient, outdated snowflakes and ugly santas that are up EVERY year.
We spent all that money to build the Community Center, then we have the arts building next to it, but in the SAME block there are run-down rat infested buildings. bulldoze them, and make that nice area into a plaza of some kind with outdoor dining, ice cream vendors, maybe even small arts festivals, etc.
The bottom line is Winder is an embarrassment to everyone! People laugh when I tell them where I live! Until we start over with fresh faces, ideas, and outlooks,and attitudes it will NEVER change! On the side where the fire dept. is we need businesses with balconies upstairs for dining, socializing and people watching. What about a FABULOUS fountain somewhere in the area???
Come on people get real. NOBODY wants to open a business in that crumbling, ancient, gridlocked downtown area.
Run for office; City Council, County Commissioner, Board of Education, etc. STOP complaining and take action. Though you must be more original than above. Start researching each of your thoughts above and you'll find out that 1) action already taken or 2) much tougher and costs to taxpayers too high. You're dumber than I originally thought. Go back to Atlanta and leave us Winderians alone.
These ideas MAY have been talked about, but they were NEVER acted on, and the cost would NOT be paid for by US, the taxpayers. Since our illustrous DA sees fit to give all the criminals probation and fines and community service instead of jail, THERE is our FREE labor force to tear down the courthouse annex. There is our FREE labor to build the park.
If we (see number 3) got some new, fresh faces in local offices that were NOT "good ole boys" we would have NO trouble marketing to businesses. Can you see Yearwood trying to get a company to move to Winder??? LMBO
If we (see number 3) would aggressively target these slumlords and MAKE them do something with the run down property they own, or bulldoze it, how is that COSTING us anything???? Fine them when they don't comply!
All fines would go directly into the "park" fund.
How much could it possibly cost to prohibit tractor trailers??? A few signs, and a few citations to violators....Hey, there is some more revenue! the fines would go directly into the "park" fund.
So, I HAVE researched my ideas, and no ACTION has ever been taken on ANY of them. (see number 3) "good ole boys" will not ever take action against other "good ole boys." THAT is why if we JUST did number 3 the rest would fall into place!
@nota dimes: I would LOVE to see the names of all the businesses chased out of Barrow! I KNOW about the medical billing co, and the home health care is obvious, but what are some of the others? It is obvious the BJ will not do a story on it, so why don't YOU??? Thanks.
@weighing my options: PLEASE tell about YOUR small business that was run out of the county... If we are to EVER change things we HAVE to call them on the carpet. Thanks
Also - please stop complaining about "the good 'ole boys" from barrow county. This isn't Dukes of Hazzard.
As for the "good ole boys": until Cletis T. Judd and Boss Hogg stay out of politics, and they stop running this town like Hazzard then I will CONTINUE to call them out! It is the "good ole boys" that GOT us into this mess, and it is the "good ole boys" who CONTINUE to keep this county in the dark ages!
and......are you the OFFICIAL spokesperson for the "good ole boys?"
Actually Dukes of Hazzard was MUCH more entertaining than this backwards place!
If I wasn't too busy running my small business chased out of Barrow, I'd consider chairman.
How much do you have personally invested in down town? Do you have the funds to fix or bulldoze any of the buildings? Can you pay the notes off on these buildings once the are bulldozed? Are you volunteering your time and money to purchase new Christmas decor and put it up? Are you going to pay the rent/note payment on these buildings when the current car washes and thrifty stores move out? Are you marketing downtown to up scales investors or are you just running down the town you call home? I agree with the others; run for office, invest, volunteer, or get out!
Again, I recommend we use inmate labor, and community service workers to demolish the annex, and build the park.
WE, the taxpayers are paying the notes off now, we would continue to do so, just makes it much more pleasant for our tax dollars to be spent paying for a beautiful park than a rat infested, dilapidated building.
If the owners of these run down buildings do not clean them up or tear them down-FINE them!! If tractor-trailers continue to go through Downtown-FINE them! ALL fines go into the park fund.
How do you figure it would COST us to prohibit 18 wheelers in Downtown?? A couple of signs, and a little extra patrol............
As to the decorations I would be more than happy to volunteer my time. I am saying it is a waste to PAY city workers to put up decorations! Seriously, I watched th guy that put up the yellow ribbons. It took him ONE HOUR for each little ribbon.(After he would take a break and smoke 2 or 3 cigarettes in a city truck)
For the LAST time, If we got all the "good ole boys" out of the positions they were in, and had some new innovative thinkers on board we COULD market downtown to upscale investors.
Once we figure that out, the city can work with the trucking companies to find a better route that doesn't go through Winder.
Unless Google Maps is way off, I-85 from Conyers through Lawrenceville is about a mile further. I think it would end up using less gas for them with the trucks not having to slow to a crawl in Winder's downtown.
Getting the companies who operate from there to use the different route (using gas savings to sell the idea) would help boost Winder's downtown, and the increase in tax revenue could fund a bypass for the trucks from Monroe.
By pass downtown Winder, fewer lights, few stop signs, less traffic.
My own GPS likes to suggest shorter routes with more traffic and slower posted limits when an empty highway is available.
The businesses will like it for the time and fuel savings. The drivers will like it for not having to crawl through Winder. Winder will like it for the improved QOL downtown.
It's a rare solution that satisfies everyone.
Good study conducted 1 year ago about Winder.
I am trying NOT to contradict myself....but....Those "car washes" across from the Community Center are not really even businesses! I am definitely pro small business! I just think we would be better served having attractive and unique offerings for people to come, shop, and spend $$$$
As far as inmate/community service labor I agree that we would have to have an experienced contractor to oversee the project, but under supervision it CAN be done by untrained workers. In my hometown the community (men, women, and children) got together and demolished a 70 year old 3-story factory to put in a city park.
There is no need for large trucks to come through downtown. Winder is the only small town I know of that allows this.
As far as fines go, I was not aware of this, but there is absolutely NO reason to continue to let these slumlords get by with their run down, shabby, eyesore buildings!
Maybe my ideas are not the best in the world, but they HAVE to be an improvement over the current state of Downtown Winder.
Also The Historic Granite Hotel would make a perfect Bed & Breakfast, or upscale hotel.
TITLE 36 - LOCAL GOVERNMENT
PROVISIONS - PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO COUNTIES, MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS, AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES
CHAPTER 91 - PUBLIC WORKS BIDDING
ARTICLE 2 - CONTRACTING AND BIDDING REQUIREMENTS. The problem again is work experience. Is the labor force experienced in this area or not? The answer is not. But using the existing human capital for decor is right on.
2) Truck traffic access is needed based on store locations in the downtown area. Creating alternative routes to those locations is expensive, time consuming, and disruptinve.
3) Light synchronization attempted several times previously. Another cost to taxpayers.
4) Park is in the planning stage. Use of inmate labor is a possibility here as well.
5) Buildings. If the owner doesn't have the money to fix the building they won't have it to pay a fine. What's the solution? Put them in jail, auction property (immiment domain issue), city take-over (imminent domain issue), etc. Some of these buildings are nothing short of albatrosses.
Beth-you have advanced the debate. Now, where does it go from here?
I would be more than happy to persuade the DOT. I don't think it will be a problem to get them to change it, due to the fact that school busses travel Broad St daily. There is also a fire station located right in the heart of downtown, and hopefully one day Broad St. will be pedestrian and bike friendly as well. So you see it really is a safety issue as well. THAT is how the leaders should have lobbied in the past to get it changed.
@Beth for County Chairman: Thank you for the vote of confidence. I suppose I DO have the abilties to "make things happen," but I don't have the "ideas." Those would come from all of US, the taxpayers............
Besides, The "Good ole Boys" wouldn't know what hit 'em! LOL
The "good ole boys" will fight you all the way, but you have the ideas, and I suspect the ability to make good things happen to Winder.
Shows you aren't an egotist