Barrow Journal

Alan Harkness, the director of the Winder-based Piedmont Regional Library System, is leaving his position next month to work for the state library. [Full Story »] 

Several Barrow County commissioners learned Tuesday night that despite the county’s offer of 20 free acres off Hwy. 316, Lanier Tech officials are considering purchasing a different site for the future Barrow County campus.

At a joint meeting with the Barrow County Board of Commissioners, School Board Chairman Mark Still read a letter from Lanier Tech President Russell Vandiver disclosing that the technical college system’s board of trustees will consider a new proposal from Stan Coley.

Coley, who owns property south of Hwy. 316 and not far from the prestigious Georgia Club development, recently resigned his seat on the Georgia Bioscience Joint Development Authority due to a potential conflict of interest caused by his planned development of the land. [Full Story »] 

Alternative funding methods for Winder’s storm water services got little traction at an Oct. 14 meeting of a city council committee.

Mayor Chip Thompson and Councilman Bob Dixon, who in recent weeks have put on the table the idea of implementing a property tax instead of a storm water tax to cover the costs, did not attend the morning meeting.

There also was no discussion of the mayor’s suggestion that the council apply close to $600,000 in savings from an upcoming debt refinancing to cover the costs. [Full Story »] 

Winder officials and regional planners have scheduled a meeting in early November to find out how four older, but centrally located, neighborhoods could be revitalized.

The city government, the Winder Housing Authority and the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission are sponsoring the 6:30 p.m. meeting on Nov. 4 at White Oak Springs Baptist Church on East New Street just east of downtown.

“We want to hear from people who live in the neighborhoods,” said Hasco W. Craver IV, program manager for the regional commission’s local government services. “We are looking for suggestions from the community concerning how to revitalize and rehabilitate their residential areas, and we want to know what’s broken. We want them to tell us what’s broken.” [Full Story »]