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Chamber recognizes MLK Day with week of service FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce commemorated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a community-wide week of service Jan. 11-18. The chamber’s OneForsyth initiative encouraged businesses and residents to engage in service projects
for local nonprofits at work and at home. Nonprofit partners in the week of service included Meals by Grace, The Place of Forsyth County, Furkids Animal Rescue and Family Promise of Forsyth County. The week of service culminated
with a celebration at the Forsyth YMCA Jan. 15. The 2 p.m. gathering offered on-site service opportunities and information about Forsyth County nonprofits. The initiative was presented by SYNESQO. “By being part of the MLK Week of
Service, we believe that we are part of a society that respects all people and values people based on their character, not on any visible or invisible difference,” SYNESQO Alpharetta Site Manager Donna Drake said. — Shelby Israel
County approves $114 million for new administration campus
FORSYTH COUNTY/PROVIDED
At a Jan. 9 work session, the Forsyth County Commission approved $114 million to construct a new administration building and employee center. Construction of the whole health building, at left, remains unfunded.
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FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — After more than four years of planning and anticipation, Forsyth County has approved $114 million for construction of its new administration building and employee center on Freedom Parkway. At a Jan. 9 work session, the County Commission awarded Carroll Daniel Construction the contract to construct the two buildings. The vote will be finalized in the consent agenda at an upcoming formal meeting. The Board of Commissioners began reserving funds in 2019 to move operations from the current 55,000-square-foot Administration Building to a larger, new facility. When the current building opened in 1996, the population of Forsyth County was around 68,000. Today, it is home to more than 260,000 residents. The new administration building, estimated to cost some $81 million as
of August, is funded completely through surplus capital outlay funds and will not put the county in any debt. The cost was previously estimated at $47 million in 2022. The employee center is funded through surplus dollars in the county’s employee benefit fund. The facility will serve as a place for recruitment and retention efforts. County Manager David McKee said the campus will serve as a 40-year investment in the community. The county aims for the new administration building to serve as a one-stop shop for all resident needs, with 17 departments consolidated into one location. Currently, McKee said, many offices are spread across the county, with some in leased spaces. McKee estimated the county will save $420,000 annually by eliminating the need for leased space. “Another big, key component that we
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By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com