BOE Approves Districting Proposal, Names New Executive Director of Business Services

The Barrow County Board of Education approved a political district proposal at a meeting Tuesday, Aug. 2.

The proposal was created using Census Tracts, which are the basic building blocks of Census geography and are composed of several Census Blocks.

Another proposal used voting precincts to outline the districts and had fewer “splits,” or precincts that include more than one district.

For a split precinct, there are more ballot types, creating increased election costs, as well as more voter and election worker confusion, a document on the board’s website said.  

In each proposal, the location of each commissioner and board of education official was plotted and the districts were created around those locations. Therefore, all current election officials will remain in their respective districts. 

The Barrow County Board of Commissioners approved the same proposal. 

New executive director of business services hired

The board hired Chris Griner as executive director of business services to replace Ken Cato, who announced his retirement in June.

With a background mostly in the banking industry, Griner has experience as a chief financial officer and a senior accountant responsible for external, internal and governmental audits.

He has also served on the board of directors for The Tree House Inc. and Extra Special People. 

Griner was welcomed at the board meeting Tuesday and said he was excited to start work here, but knows he has "big shoes to fill."

Cato and his wife Terri, the district’s nutrition director, have both been working for the school system since 2005, an article in the Barrow County News said. They are retiring together.

Cato has agreed to assist Griner in the transition and said he will stay around as long as he is needed.

In other business, the board:

• Acknowledged Shawn Williams, principal of , for the school’s recent recognition by the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals. Williams was named a Georgia Distinguished Principal, and the school was awarded a School Bell award for its Arts NOW program. The Barrow Journal published an article about the school's achievements last month.
• Approved an easement to Jackson EMC in front of the ag farm and along the edge of the Ga. Highway 81 right of way. The purpose is to remove crossing power lines from the school system's property. 
• Changed the date of its scheduled October meeting to Oct. 11 due to fall break.