“You don’t get harmony when everybody sings the same note.” – Doug Floyd
I GREW up in Colorado, so am no stranger to snow and most of the time I think it’s lovely – even this heavy, wet, mushy, iceladen mess that passes for snow in Georgia has a certain festive appeal as it makes its annual appearance and the whole world shuts down.
This storm, however, has been nothing but a “Humbug!” for me.
Mr. Clark is in Wisconsin on business (talk about cold…), and, my grown kids are safety ensconced in Athens and Atlanta enjoying the heck out of what they are calling “Snowpocalypse.” That leaves me and the dogs and the cats and my poor, cold, wild yard birds slogging it out here in this drafty old barn of a house, sitting in the middle of a frozen tundra that used to be my yard. Instead of enjoying this snow, I have just been lonely and sad.
[Full Story »]
Entries by Lorin Sinn-Clark
Former AHS teacher waits for day in court
Ashley Payne is still waiting for her day in court and there is no word on when that might be. The then 24-yearold English teacher filed suit against the Barrow County School System for violation of the Georgia Fair Dismissal Act shortly after she resigned from her position at Apalachee High School in August, 2009.
She alleges that she was forced to resign under threat of suspension without being offered the due process hearing she was entitled to; the school system’s position is that she resigned without coercion.
The resignation occurred after then Superintendent Ron Saunders received an anonymous e-mail from someone claiming to be a Barrow parent stating concerns about two postings on Payne’s private Facebook page. One shows her holding a glass of wine and a beer while on summer vacation in Europe; the other mentions her going to a game of “Crazy Bitch Bingo,” a popular weekly game at a Midtown Atlanta restaurant.
The morning Saunders received the e-mail Payne was summoned to Apalachee Principal David McGee’s office, where she claims she was told it would be in her best interest to resign. No hearing was offered and Payne states she was unaware at the time that she had the right to one. [Full Story »]
She alleges that she was forced to resign under threat of suspension without being offered the due process hearing she was entitled to; the school system’s position is that she resigned without coercion.
The resignation occurred after then Superintendent Ron Saunders received an anonymous e-mail from someone claiming to be a Barrow parent stating concerns about two postings on Payne’s private Facebook page. One shows her holding a glass of wine and a beer while on summer vacation in Europe; the other mentions her going to a game of “Crazy Bitch Bingo,” a popular weekly game at a Midtown Atlanta restaurant.
The morning Saunders received the e-mail Payne was summoned to Apalachee Principal David McGee’s office, where she claims she was told it would be in her best interest to resign. No hearing was offered and Payne states she was unaware at the time that she had the right to one. [Full Story »]
Business as usual at BOE meeting
Continued energy savings, disappointing December SPLOST revenues, stabilized student numbers and streamlining school system policies were the topics the Barrow County Board of Education discussed at the January 6 meeting.
Haymon-Morris Middle School saved 20-percent in energy costs in the month of October, as compared to last year, assistant superintendent of facilities & operations, Jake Grant said. That earned the school a $270 rebate from Jackson EMC; the school can utilize the rebate for any purpose. Other facilities that used less energy in October, as compared to 2010 were: the Performance Learning Center, 18-percent; the Professional Development Center, 11-percent; Russell Middle School, 8-percent; Statham Elementary School, 6-percent; Yargo Elementary School, 2-percent; and, Winder-Barrow Middle School, 1-percent.
“In the face of rising energy rates and extreme temperatures on both ends (of the thermometer) this year, this is just amazing,” Grant said.
The school systems balance sheet is “right about” where executive director of business services, Ken Cato, said he “would expect it to be” this time of the fiscal year.
“Cash, at this point, is pretty strong,” he said.
SPLOST collections for December, however, were “a disappointment,” when compared to last December. Some $616,000 in SPLOST funds came in, which is $65,000 less than the $682,000 gained in December, 2009.
The school board will begin reviewing suggested policy revision made by several committees that evaluated current policies in an effort to take a “much more streamlined approach,” Superintendent Wanda Creel said. [Full Story »]
Haymon-Morris Middle School saved 20-percent in energy costs in the month of October, as compared to last year, assistant superintendent of facilities & operations, Jake Grant said. That earned the school a $270 rebate from Jackson EMC; the school can utilize the rebate for any purpose. Other facilities that used less energy in October, as compared to 2010 were: the Performance Learning Center, 18-percent; the Professional Development Center, 11-percent; Russell Middle School, 8-percent; Statham Elementary School, 6-percent; Yargo Elementary School, 2-percent; and, Winder-Barrow Middle School, 1-percent.
“In the face of rising energy rates and extreme temperatures on both ends (of the thermometer) this year, this is just amazing,” Grant said.
The school systems balance sheet is “right about” where executive director of business services, Ken Cato, said he “would expect it to be” this time of the fiscal year.
“Cash, at this point, is pretty strong,” he said.
SPLOST collections for December, however, were “a disappointment,” when compared to last December. Some $616,000 in SPLOST funds came in, which is $65,000 less than the $682,000 gained in December, 2009.
The school board will begin reviewing suggested policy revision made by several committees that evaluated current policies in an effort to take a “much more streamlined approach,” Superintendent Wanda Creel said. [Full Story »]
BOE approves personnel actions
The Barrow County Board of Education went into closed session after its meeting Jan 6. The purpose of the halfhour long closed meeting was to discuss personnel and the future acquisition of real estate.
When the board emerged, the following action was approved:
•Recommended Certified Personnel: Sandra Poss, Westside Middle School, eighth grade science.
•Recommended Classified Personnel: Sandy Albert, Holsenbeck Elementary School, special ed paraprofessional; Ned Cannon, bus driver; Elizabeth Compton, Haymon-Morris Middle School, special ed paraprofessional; Jerry Conners, bus driver; Bonnie Everett, school nurse; Theresa Ewing, bus driver; Karla Hamann, Bramlett Elementary School, special ed paraprofessional; Denise Schuler, County Line Elementary School, special ed paraprofessional and Jennifer Wallace, Bramlett Elementary, special ed paraprofessional.
•Recommended substitute personnel: Mary Allen, Tametra Bell, Richard Duncan, Steven Jarrell, Crystal Lockridge, Shareen McRae, Asha Nelson, Jill Payne, Noreen Richardson and Luis Rodas.
•Separations: Betty Arnold, June Blake, Steve Carter, Jeff Davis, Alice Drummond, Crystal Graham, Janis Gravely, Jelaine Johnson, Vivian Mathews, Tracy Moubray and Margaret Powell.
When the board emerged, the following action was approved:
•Recommended Certified Personnel: Sandra Poss, Westside Middle School, eighth grade science.
•Recommended Classified Personnel: Sandy Albert, Holsenbeck Elementary School, special ed paraprofessional; Ned Cannon, bus driver; Elizabeth Compton, Haymon-Morris Middle School, special ed paraprofessional; Jerry Conners, bus driver; Bonnie Everett, school nurse; Theresa Ewing, bus driver; Karla Hamann, Bramlett Elementary School, special ed paraprofessional; Denise Schuler, County Line Elementary School, special ed paraprofessional and Jennifer Wallace, Bramlett Elementary, special ed paraprofessional.
•Recommended substitute personnel: Mary Allen, Tametra Bell, Richard Duncan, Steven Jarrell, Crystal Lockridge, Shareen McRae, Asha Nelson, Jill Payne, Noreen Richardson and Luis Rodas.
•Separations: Betty Arnold, June Blake, Steve Carter, Jeff Davis, Alice Drummond, Crystal Graham, Janis Gravely, Jelaine Johnson, Vivian Mathews, Tracy Moubray and Margaret Powell.
OPINION: Keeping up with resolutions
“I am still learning.” – Michelangelo
‘TIS THE season for resolutions and if you are short on ideas, look no further than the sale flyers in the Sunday paper.
Based on what has been priceslashed and/or deeply discounted, we are supposed to begin the New Year by cleaning everything we own, using multiple products and recently-purchased tools. Then, we are to store it all away in plastic bins of various sizes, shapes and colors.
We are also supposed to organize our homes by buying an array of on-sale home organization aids. We are to weigh frequently (on our brand new scales) and buy exercise wear – lots of it. Once we don our gay fitness apparel, we should hop on the also deeply discounted exercise device of our choice – yoga mat? Balance ball? Stationary bike, abs torturer or Wii Fit? How does one decide? [Full Story »]
‘TIS THE season for resolutions and if you are short on ideas, look no further than the sale flyers in the Sunday paper.
Based on what has been priceslashed and/or deeply discounted, we are supposed to begin the New Year by cleaning everything we own, using multiple products and recently-purchased tools. Then, we are to store it all away in plastic bins of various sizes, shapes and colors.
We are also supposed to organize our homes by buying an array of on-sale home organization aids. We are to weigh frequently (on our brand new scales) and buy exercise wear – lots of it. Once we don our gay fitness apparel, we should hop on the also deeply discounted exercise device of our choice – yoga mat? Balance ball? Stationary bike, abs torturer or Wii Fit? How does one decide? [Full Story »]
OPINION: Family fun follows into rustic rural cabin
“She asked me when the season of joy was supposed to end and I said I didn’t really think there was an exact date, so we left the tree up ,’til June that year.” - Story People I AM a big fan of family, fun and festivity, so the holidays are a big deal for me. Lots of preparation, planning and anticipation, followed by the brief flurry of the actual event, followed by a bit of a let down. So much excitement and anticipation, so fleeting the joy. For this reason I am never in a hurry to undecorate after Christmas.
While my fastidious neighbors take their trees down and undeck their halls in a timely manner, I continue to bask in the glow of my Christmas tree long past the time it is considered appropriate. One year we left the tree up until Valentine’s Day. Why? It was a bleak year with some trials and tribulations going on and I really didn’t see the point of putting the only pretty thing in my life (or so it seemed at the time) out on the curb. [Full Story »]
While my fastidious neighbors take their trees down and undeck their halls in a timely manner, I continue to bask in the glow of my Christmas tree long past the time it is considered appropriate. One year we left the tree up until Valentine’s Day. Why? It was a bleak year with some trials and tribulations going on and I really didn’t see the point of putting the only pretty thing in my life (or so it seemed at the time) out on the curb. [Full Story »]
Auburn buys bucket truck and approves field light bid
The Auburn city council approved the $10,000 purchase of a “new” 1993 bucket truck, agreed to approve $54,500 to have ball field lights installed, set future dates for the city’s Independence Day celebration and agreed to spend $14,000 on the 2011 fireworks display at its December 16 meeting.
BUCKET TRUCK
In response to the demise of the city’s 1978 bucket truck during the installation of this year’s holiday decorations, public works director David Hawthorne went on an on-line shopping trip and found a $10,000 deal on a 1993 GMC replacement truck through govdeals.com, a website that offers governments a venue to sell unutilized equipment.
Hawthorne said the old truck “went kaput” before the city’s new $8,000 Christmas tree was erected and repairs to “that transmission — which it turned out was made in Brazil” would exceed $7,000 — more than the 2005 purchase price of $5,500 for the Ford truck. So, after some help from the City of Winder’s bucket truck and crew putting Auburn’s tree up, Hawthorne prioritized finding a way to get the city’s decorations down after the holidays.
The result of his search has 66,000 miles on it and was minimally used by the Fort Payne, Alabama City Electric Company before it converted to an all-diesel fleet. Prior to bidding on the truck, Hawthorne went to Fort Payne, test drove the truck and talked with city electric employees who had used it.
“It’s a good truck…and has all the equipment we need,” Hawthorne said. “It even has a longer boom on it than our old truck.”
Because of the expiring nature of the bid, the council authorized the purchase immediately and Hawthorne picked the truck up on Dec. 17. Funds to pay for the purchase came from the city’s Water Account.
[Full Story »]
BUCKET TRUCK
In response to the demise of the city’s 1978 bucket truck during the installation of this year’s holiday decorations, public works director David Hawthorne went on an on-line shopping trip and found a $10,000 deal on a 1993 GMC replacement truck through govdeals.com, a website that offers governments a venue to sell unutilized equipment.
Hawthorne said the old truck “went kaput” before the city’s new $8,000 Christmas tree was erected and repairs to “that transmission — which it turned out was made in Brazil” would exceed $7,000 — more than the 2005 purchase price of $5,500 for the Ford truck. So, after some help from the City of Winder’s bucket truck and crew putting Auburn’s tree up, Hawthorne prioritized finding a way to get the city’s decorations down after the holidays.
The result of his search has 66,000 miles on it and was minimally used by the Fort Payne, Alabama City Electric Company before it converted to an all-diesel fleet. Prior to bidding on the truck, Hawthorne went to Fort Payne, test drove the truck and talked with city electric employees who had used it.
“It’s a good truck…and has all the equipment we need,” Hawthorne said. “It even has a longer boom on it than our old truck.”
Because of the expiring nature of the bid, the council authorized the purchase immediately and Hawthorne picked the truck up on Dec. 17. Funds to pay for the purchase came from the city’s Water Account.
[Full Story »]
OPINION: Getting ready for Christmas
“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.” – Andy Rooney SO THE big day is nearly upon us and I say if it’s not done for Christmas by now, let it go. I will not, however, be following my own advice. I still have presents to wrap, a menu to plan and food to shop for – not to mention a rather lengthy list of last minute details to accomplish. But, that’s okay. A recent decision not to decorate the tree with anything butlights shinygarlandthisyear has freed up a bunch of time.
I like the cycle of Christmas, even though there is a predictable low point a few weeks in, where the spirit eludes me for awhile. I’m not alone in this; I’ve noticed it all over town. The happy excitement shopping generated right after Thanksgiving has been replaced with a sort of holiday slog, as people drag their kids and relatives up and down the store aisles, hoping to find something for that impossible person who is difficult to buy for.
Kids melt down and throw fits on the not-so-cleananymore store floors. The elderly move especially slowly. Moms, daughters and sisters begin to bicker; husbands and dads turn a strange yellowish color under the fluorescent store lights – similar to the pallor the flu casts. Everyone looks tired, feels broke and becomes a little pinched generosity-wise. And then the fun returns. [Full Story »]
I like the cycle of Christmas, even though there is a predictable low point a few weeks in, where the spirit eludes me for awhile. I’m not alone in this; I’ve noticed it all over town. The happy excitement shopping generated right after Thanksgiving has been replaced with a sort of holiday slog, as people drag their kids and relatives up and down the store aisles, hoping to find something for that impossible person who is difficult to buy for.
Kids melt down and throw fits on the not-so-cleananymore store floors. The elderly move especially slowly. Moms, daughters and sisters begin to bicker; husbands and dads turn a strange yellowish color under the fluorescent store lights – similar to the pallor the flu casts. Everyone looks tired, feels broke and becomes a little pinched generosity-wise. And then the fun returns. [Full Story »]
BOC requests audit of long-time airport tenant
The Barrow County Board of Commissioners has asked county financial auditor Marilyn Golightly to audit long time airport tenant Romanair for possible underpayment of fees to the authority. Romanair is the fixed base operator at the airport and handles fuel sales.
The move brings the BOC into an ongoing dispute between Romanair and airport authority chairman Frank Nocera. The request for the audit came from authority attorney John Stell.
“I just pay them what they bill me,” said Romanair owner and operator Rob Mancini. “One of the things my original lease, the consent order lease (from 1995) stated was that I would pay a fee annually, in addition to rent, that was based on this screwy formula that had to do with my gross income after my fuel sales...The airport authority calculates that and gives me a bill and I pay it... It’s not me doing the calculations; it’s the authority. If the calculations are wrong, they were done by the authority, not me.”
[Full Story »]
The move brings the BOC into an ongoing dispute between Romanair and airport authority chairman Frank Nocera. The request for the audit came from authority attorney John Stell.
“I just pay them what they bill me,” said Romanair owner and operator Rob Mancini. “One of the things my original lease, the consent order lease (from 1995) stated was that I would pay a fee annually, in addition to rent, that was based on this screwy formula that had to do with my gross income after my fuel sales...The airport authority calculates that and gives me a bill and I pay it... It’s not me doing the calculations; it’s the authority. If the calculations are wrong, they were done by the authority, not me.”
[Full Story »]
Is Nocera’s reign as chairman waning?
The Barrow County Airport Authority met on Dec. 7, for what some airport business tenants and pilots are speculating could be one or more members’ last meeting.
The entire authority is up for re-appointment in January 2011. Each Barrow County commissioner appoints one member; the chairman appoints a member at large. The board usually votes on the appointees at the second commission meeting in January, which will be Tuesday, Jan. 25.
In addition to possible changes in members, the authority could elect a new chairman. According to the authority’s 1990 charter, the chairman’s term is one year, which means if current chairman Frank Nocera retains his seat on the authority, he will have to be re-elected to continue to serve as chairman. He is Barrow County Commission Chairman Danny Yearwood’s appointee; the authority chose Nocera as chairman in 2009 and 2010.
But there has been controversy ever since. [Full Story »]
The entire authority is up for re-appointment in January 2011. Each Barrow County commissioner appoints one member; the chairman appoints a member at large. The board usually votes on the appointees at the second commission meeting in January, which will be Tuesday, Jan. 25.
In addition to possible changes in members, the authority could elect a new chairman. According to the authority’s 1990 charter, the chairman’s term is one year, which means if current chairman Frank Nocera retains his seat on the authority, he will have to be re-elected to continue to serve as chairman. He is Barrow County Commission Chairman Danny Yearwood’s appointee; the authority chose Nocera as chairman in 2009 and 2010.
But there has been controversy ever since. [Full Story »]
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