Winder Mayor Chip Thompson and the Winder City Council fielded questions from Greenvalley Drive citizens Kay Pierce and Bob Dixon, two citizens who spoke at the Thursday 5 p.m. public hearing on the budget.

See Sunday’s print edition of the Barrow County News for an indepth look at the budget proposal for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2010.

At the hearing, the major budget issue raised by Pierce, who has addressed the council at several recent sessions about natural gas pricing and billing, her frustration at the inability to get suitable answers to questions and the city procedural giudelines for council response to public comments, was the proposed $199,272 expenditure planned for the community television station.

Pierce asked if Barrow County could be called on to assist with funding the station operations.

Bob Dixon, who has announced he intends to run for a council seat, said he desired a more accessible city council and budget.

Mayor Thompson encouraged an open-door policy.

The June 18 public hearing was the second on the budget. The first come the day after the memorial Day holiday.

About WTV

The community television station falls under the city’s Community Development activities along with Winder Main Street, Licensing and Permitting and Planning and Development, and its purpose is to enhance community awareness of local government` activities and services and to promote the City of Winder and surrounding communities as a whole.

The station’s objectives include providing quality programming that educates, entertains and informs viewers.

Also provided is comprehensive, in-depth coverage of the operations and services provided by the City of Winder, and gavel-to-gavel coverage of Barrow County Board of Commissioners’ meeting. Winder City Council meetings are not broadcast.

In the event of a disaster, pandemic outbreak or other event requiring widespread communications, the station can assist with enhanced emergency communications.

Promoting a better sense of community by producing programs that highlight local businesses and organizations and which star the people and places viewers know and providing a positive, family-friendly alternative to other programming currently available on television are other objectives.