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Whole health building gains support at public forum ► PAGE 3 Fe b r u a r y 1 5 , 2 0 2 4 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 2 8 , N o . 7
Elections Board considers allowing public comment By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Board of Voter Registrations and Elections is set to consider revisions that would allow public comment at future meetings. At its Feb. 6 meeting, the Elections Board unanimously voted to consider updates to its public comment rules when it meets March 5. If approved, the new procedure will take effect immediately. The proposed amendments allow 20 minutes of public comment for up to 10 speakers who will each have two minutes to address board members. Vice Chairman Joel Natt suggested the input period be held after the adoption of the minutes but before the old business section on future agendas. Board Member Anita Tucker proposed the Elections Board implement
More information on qualifying can be found at forsythco.com. Click on “Departments” and scroll to “Voter Registrations & Elections.” a comment period that allows speakers to voice their concerns about any election-related topic that is not listed on the agenda. Tucker had previously proposed following the example of the Forsyth County Commission and Gwinnett County Elections Board, which allow three minutes for speakers to discuss any topic. The Forsyth County Commission allows up to 10 speakers in two public comment periods at regular meetings. Currently, the Elections Board only reserves time for public comment on certain agenda items.
See POLICY, Page 8
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The Forsyth County Voter Registrations and Elections Office at 1201 Sawnee Drive hosts monthly Elections Board meetings. If approved March 5, the Elections Board will update its policy to allow public comment on elections topics at future meetings.
County seeks $25 million for Keith Bridge Road widening By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County is applying for a $25 million grant to help widen Keith Bridge Road between Ga. 400 and Parks Road, a project aimed at relieving congestion for more than 22,000 daily drivers. At a work session Feb. 6, the County
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Commission unanimously voted to apply for the U.S. Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Discretionary Grant. Commissioner Todd Levent was absent. Local governments can use the RAISE grant to finance infrastructure projects that may be difficult to fund through other DOT grants. The grant requires a 20
percent match, but County Manager David McKee said the funding source of the $5 million match has yet to be determined. If the county receives the grant money, McKee said staff will work with the Georgia Department of Transportation to determine the exact split. Capital Project Manager Jordan Wallace said the county has not completed a final design of the widening, but there is a
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finished concept report from 2020. The county plans to widen the two-lane road to four lanes. Initial design also calls for 5-foot-wide sidewalks, shared-use bike lanes and a raised median. GDOT estimated annual average daily traffic on the stretch at 22,700 in 2022. Original plans called for adding lanes
See WIDENING, Page 15
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California man charged for Dairy Queen burglary FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 36-year-old California man Jan. 27 in connection with a burglary at Dairy Queen on Keith Bridge Road. Deputies reported responding to the restaurant around 9 a.m. Jan. 13 and finding the drive-thru window shattered. An employee reportedly provided deputies with surveillance footage, which showed the suspect smashing the drivethru window with a rock and opening it to climb inside. The suspect allegedly stole the nightly deposit box containing $930 and another $480 in petty cash, the report states. Deputies reported the suspect was then seen going to Hollywood Feed behind Dairy Queen. He appeared to go behind the store before returning to his vehicle and leaving. The suspect was a former Dairy Queen employee who had been fired a week earlier because of a pending theft investigation, the report states. He was charged with felony forced non-residential burglary in the second degree, as well as misdemeanor criminal trespass, giving false name to law enforcement officers and theft by taking. He is being held at the Forsyth County Jail on a $1,175 bond.
Deputies arrest 3 men found with stolen mail FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested three men Jan. 31 on stolen mail and forgery charges.
PUBLIC SAFETY Deputies reported spotting a suspicious vehicle driving east on McGinnis Ferry Road around 1:30 a.m. The vehicle reportedly turned onto Kemp Road, then returned to McGinnis Ferry Road less than a minute later. Deputies stopped the vehicle and interviewed the three suspects, and their stories were inconsistent, the report states. One of the suspects, a 28-year-old Atlanta man, reportedly had an outstanding warrant in Troup County. While searching the suspect, deputies reported finding a clear plastic baggie containing MDMA in his right sock. Because of the narcotics, deputies searched the vehicle and found mail addressed to business parks in Forsyth County, as well as a bag of marijuana, the report states. Two of the suspects, the Atlanta man and a 28-year-old Snellville man, reportedly had transaction cards that were not in their names. The Atlanta man was charged with five felony counts of forgery in the third degree, seven counts of theft by possession of stolen mail and one count of possession of a schedule one controlled substance. He also received a misdemeanor charge for possession of marijuana under 1 ounce. He is being held at the Forsyth County Jail with no posted bond amount. The Snellville man was charged with five felony counts of forgery in the third degree, one count of forgery in the second degree, seven counts of theft by possession of stolen mail and one count of identity fraud. He is being held at the Forsyth County Jail. There is no bond information available. A third suspect, a 22-year-old Athens man, was charged with five felony counts of forgery in the third degree, one count of forgery in the second degree, seven counts of theft by possession of stolen mail and one count of identity fraud. He is being held at the Forsyth County Jail with no posted bond amount.
Police investigate death in tree-cutting accident JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police were dispatched to the scene of a fatality accident Jan. 30 when a 30-year-old Johns Creek man was killed while working with his father’s tree company. A woman who was on the scene off Medlock Bridge Road provided police with a recording of the incident, showing a white pickup truck pulling a large tree in the woods and a tree falling toward the area where the victim had been working. An employee of the tree company told police he, another employee, the victim and the victim’s father were cutting down a tree when a branch fell and hit the victim in the head. The employee told police he did not believe the victim was wearing a hard hat. The employee told police he checked the victim’s heart and felt it still beating but that the victim did not respond when spoken to. The employee said there had been a 10 to 15-minute delay before police and EMS arrived, according to the incident report. The victim was declared deceased at the hospital, the report says.
Norcross driver cited for speeding near school JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police clocked a Norcross man traveling 54 mph in a 45mph speed zone on State Bridge Road near Johns Creek High School Feb. 3. Police paced the car from the school to Skidaway Drive at 71 mph, the incident report says. As the vehicle continued to pull away, police sped up to nearly 90 mph to catch the driver, who eventually pulled over. Police found more than 23 grams of marijuana in the vehicle and discovered the driver did not have active car insurance. The driver updated and activated the policy on the scene. Police cited the driver and released him on charges of speeding, disorderly conduct and no insurance.
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This rendering shows a proposed design for the whole health building, at left, on Forsyth County’s future administration campus. Dozens of residents have opposed the county’s decision to move forward with construction plans that exclude the health facility.
Whole health building gains support at County Commission public forum By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County officials postponed a vote on funding a whole health building at its new administrative campus after hearing from dozens of residents who favor having a local mental health center. The Forsyth County Commission held a listening session Feb. 5 to field local mental health issues and concerns. Commissioners are weighing whether the proposed building, estimated at around $38 million, should be included as part of a new county administration headquarters planned on Freedom Parkway. They were scheduled to discuss and possibly vote on the whole health building Feb. 6. But, after two hours of comment supporting a mental health facility, County Manager David McKee requested the item be moved to the March 12 work session agenda to allow staff more time to meet with stakeholders. The whole health building was one of three buildings proposed for the county’s new administration campus slated to open in summer 2026. A new administration building, estimated to cost some $81 million, is designed to serve as a one-stop shop for all resident needs, with 17 departments consolidated into one location. The cost of the administration building was previously estimated at $47 million in 2022, but the price tag rose to $81 million in 2023. The county’s project page for the campus has not been updated to reflect the change. The Board of Commissioners began reserving funds in 2019 to move operations from the current administration building in downtown Cumming to a larger, new facility to match the county’s growing population. The administration building is funded
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County leaders misplace priorities on mental health. Page 12 through surplus capital outlay funds. Campus plans also call for an employee center, funded through surplus dollars in the county’s employee benefit fund. The facility, estimated to cost $21 million as of August, will serve as a place for recruitment and retention efforts and offer health and wellness options to maintain employees’ health and reduce insurance costs. According to the county’s project timeline, a mental health request for proposal was added to the plans in October 2021, and over time, the building’s scope has grown to include more comprehensive services. The whole health building would house the County Health Department, a mental health center operated by Avita Community Partners and a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) unit. The county’s current Health Department on Canton Highway was built in the 1960s. The county intended to use some $38 million American Rescue Plan dollars to fund the whole health facility, but County Commission Chairman Alfred John previously said the funds were not committed to the use. At a Jan. 9 work session, the County Commission awarded Carroll Daniel Construction a $114 million contract to construct the employee and administration buildings. Because the cost came in $12 million over budget, commissioners elected to postpone a vote on the health building to reassess funding options. That decision has sparked backlash from residents and mental health professionals, who argue the building is a necessity.
See FORSYTH, Page 13
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February book events filled with valentines By KATHY DES JARDINS CIOFFI newsroom@appenmedia.com From romance-themed events to author announcements fiction fans are bound to adore, February is a month for book love galore. As something of a valentine to metro-area supporters, Roswell Reads revealed that Charles Frazier, National Book Award-winning author of “Cold Mountain” and four other novels, will be the one-city-one-book organization’s first featured writer of 2024. For information about Frazier’s April appearance, go to RoswellReads.com. Till then, at right are details of February book events aplenty.
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Saturday, Feb. 17, Jermaine Alexander. The local author will detail, "Back 'N' Balance: Keys to Staying Healthy & Fit.” Free. 1 p.m. Johns Creek Books, 6000 Medlock Bridge Road, 770-696-9999. johnscreekbooks.com Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 17-18, Love Y’all Book Fest. Suwanee’s Read It Again Bookstore will support the Atlanta romance book festival featuring 60-plus authors. Decatur Conference Center, 130 Clairemont Ave., Decatur. loveyallfest.com Tuesday, Feb. 20, A Novel Idea’s Valentine’s Celebration. ANI’s supper club-styled evening will feature Vera Bell, author of “Through the Veneer of Time,” and Alice Takawira with “Turning Tables.” Bookmiser will sell the writers’ works. 7 p.m. Free. Brimstone Restaurant & Tavern, 10595 Old Alabama Road, Alpharetta. 770-509-5611. bookmiser.net/ book-events.html Thursday, Feb. 22, Amy Pedersen. An Atlanta-based Realtor, house flipper, designer and investor, Pedersen will explore, “Empathy and Understanding in Business.” 5 p.m. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770-797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com
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Saturday, Feb. 24, Lora Bunch Carr. The local poet and author recounts her joys, heartaches, grief, self-discovery, growth and rebuilding in “Roots to Light.” Free. 3 p.m. Johns Creek Books, 6000 Medlock Bridge Road, 770-6969999. johnscreekbooks.com Monday, Feb. 26, Julia Skinner. A food historian, professional fermenter and Georgia Author of the Year finalist, Skinner will examine, "Our Fermented Lives: A History of How Fermented Foods Have Shaped Cultures & Communities.” 7 p.m. Free. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770232-9331. read-it-again.com Tuesday, Feb. 27, Jennifer Moorman and Love Hudson-Maggio. The Friends of Sandy Springs Library will host the authors’ magic and karma tour featuring Moorman’s novel, “The Magic All Around,” and Hudson-Maggio’s “Karma Under Fire.” Bookmiser will sell the writers’ works. 6:30 p.m. Free. Sandy Springs Library. 395 Mount Vernon Highway Northeast, Sandy Springs. 770509-5611. bookmiser.net/book-events.html To submit an author event for the upcoming month, email Kathy Des Jardins Cioffi at kathydesjardins3@gmail.com by the 15th.
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Georgia Politics Podcast Season 5 – Episode 145 & 147
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Althea Foster, program director and curator for the Johns Creek Arts Center, describes a mixed media piece titled “Leap” by Karen Phillips, one of 17 artists featured in “No More Hidden Figures,” the center’s 10th annual recognition of Black History Month.
Julian Bond – Father, Leader and Renaissance Man, Parts 1 & 2 This week on The Georgia Politics Podcast, Atlanta City Councilman Michael Julian Bond joins Craig to talk about the legacy of his late father, civil rights leader Julian Bond. Julian Bond was a prominent American civil rights activist, scholar, and politician. Bond became a key figure in the struggle for civil rights during the 1960s. He co-founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and played a crucial role in organizing protests against segregation and discrimination. Bond’s commitment to justice extended beyond activism; he served in the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate for over two decades, making history as the first African American to be nominated for Vice President of the United States by a major party in 1968. As a professor, Bond taught at various institutions, including the University of Virginia and Harvard University. Throughout his life, Julian Bond remained a tireless advocate for equality, leaving an indelible mark on the civil rights movement and American history. His legacy continues to inspire future generations in the ongoing pursuit of social justice.
Connect with The Georgia Politics Podcast on Twitter @gapoliticspod or email gapoliticspod@appenmedia.com
Perspectives on Blackness carry Arts Center exhibition By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The still life images that fiber artist Aisha Lumumba was assigned as a young art student weren’t relatable. “For me as an African American person, that was not what I saw in my house,” Lumumba said. Growing up in McDonough, Georgia, Lumumba said if she wanted fruit, she’d pick it off the tree and eat it right there. She said her “answer” to a still life was her grandmother sitting on her front porch. “Those kinds of things are gonna have to be validated,” she said. “I want to be one of those artists who help validate us.” Lumumba is one of 17 artists in “No More Hidden Figures,” the Johns Creek Art Center’s 10th annual recognition of Black History Month. Winning honorable mention, her quilt titled “Just Between Us” shows two girls running through a field catching butterflies, wearing their Sunday best. Coming to terms When she began quilting full time more than 20 years ago, Lumumba started to incorporate scenes from her own life, though she had subconsciously tried to bury those images. “In your mind, when you turn on TV, when you do something else, it’s the city, it’s the bright lights, and that’s what you’re striving for, not this red dirt road that I
was running up,” Lumumba said. “I had to come to terms with that and know that that was okay.” Lumumba’s quilts are intricate, taking anywhere from six months to two years to make. The quilt itself is sewn with a machine, but embellishments are handstitched. On one quilt depicting Aretha Franklin, seen on her website obaquilts. com, she said the sequins alone took eight months to sew. She thought she’d never use the techniques her aunt taught her growing up, but she uses them all. Lumumba started with traditional patchwork quilts as a young woman, revisiting the craft when she had her third child, looking to fill the two-hour wait time of her maternity appointments. Over the years, Lumumba has sewn at least 200 quilts, once filling one room but eventually taking over her whole basement. “I just found that love spot, and it just takes over,” Lumumba said. “I’m always thinking about a quilt. I’m always looking, and saying, ‘Oh, that’s how the shadow hits that.’” Black art Althea Foster, program director and curator at the Johns Creek Arts Center, created the exhibit out of a desire to feature a diverse group of artists “whose work spoke to the essence, spirit and soul of Blackness but approached the topic from different
See EXHIBIT, Page 8
NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS 7 | Forstyh Herald | February 15, 2024 Name of Business: The Smile Design Owner: Adrienne Perry, DDS Description: We are excited to announce the grand opening of The Smile Design, Alpharetta’s boutique orthodontics practice. Whether you have your heart set on traditional braces with a twist or you’re looking to explore the world of clear aligners, we’ve got you covered. Our office also provides growth and development support for our younger clients. We are located at 5530 Windward Parkway, Suite 410 between Einstein Bagels and the Big Peach Running Company. Opened: January 2024 Address: 5530 Windward Parkway, Suite 410 Alpharetta, GA 30004 Phone: 404-850-5025 Web Address: thesmiledesignofatlanta. com
Name: Roswell Grief Counseling LLC Owner: Margaret Pendergrass, LCSW, GC-C Description: Roswell Grief Counseling provides individual, family and group counseling for grief, chronic illness and caregiver support. If you have experienced a loss, you do not have to go through it alone! Services provided
in person in Roswell and online throughout Georgia. Grief support groups and caregiver support groups coming soon. Opened: January 2024 Phone: 678-250-3996 Address: 114 Sloan Street, Suite 201, Roswell, GA 30075 Website: roswellgriefcounseling.com
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Safety Poster Contest Exhibit: opens to third graders FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Fire Department is accepting submissions for its annual Safety Poster Contest through March 1. The contest invites resident third graders to submit an original poster themed around smoke alarms, two ways out or pedestrian safety. Smoke alarm topics include changing batteries, testing, sounds and placement of alarms, and the two ways out theme recognizes the importance of finding two exits in every room. Pedestrian safety includes crossing the street, waiting for traffic signals and cars must stop.
Policy: Continued from Page 1 In other action Feb. 6, board members voted 4-1 to begin opening absentee ballots cast in the presidential preference primary March 7. Natt cast the dissenting vote. The Board of Voter Registrations and
Submissions end March 1, and winners will be announced by March 11. Contest winners will receive a certificate of accomplishment from the fire chief; a dessert party with their class and firefighters; and have their artwork displayed in county government buildings. Participants must fill out a release form and attach it to the back of their poster. More information on themes, rules and release forms can be found by visiting forsythco.com, then navigating to the Fire Department page. — Shelby Israel Elections also set qualifying dates for the upcoming primary and general elections. The Elections Office will host candidate qualifying from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 4 through 7. Qualifying will run from 9 a.m. to noon March 8. The qualification period is for the May 21 general primary and nonpartisan general election, as well as for independent candidates in the Nov. 5 general election.
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Continued from Page 6 perspectives determined by their individual experiences and personal aesthetics.” In a tour of the exhibit, Foster emphasized that Black art is not all the same. There’s different mediums, styles and subject matter throughout, from classical painting to abstract sculpture. “Not everyone is doing a jazz musician,” Foster said. “Not everyone has a lady with a big church hat.” She also intentionally featured artists of all backgrounds, including White photographer Marla Puzis who works internationally. “I think that people can appreciate a culture without necessarily being part of the culture,” Foster said. ‘Divided Woman’ For a different perspective, the exhibit also features Diyah Najah’s “Divided Woman Series,” linocut images of women, whose bodies are halved. “What you’ll notice in that series is that the women are separated because we have to use so many different pieces of ourselves and so many different areas of life,” Najah said. “It’s just kind of like walking through the world not fully whole because of the way we have to contort sometimes and overextend or manage
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so many sectors that we kind of lose a centering.” As a woman standing 6-foot-2, Najah often creates images of larger women. “In my work, I’m trying to fight against all the names I’ve been called when I was young,” Najah said. “I’m making a larger testament to people finding beauty and determining beauty in themselves, despite any stories you’ve been told that were meant to diminish you.” Her work generally centers around invisible disabilities, mental health and wellness of people of color. As someone with ADHD, Najah said she is an advocate of neurodiversity and often incorporates images of hands, which speak to how she interprets communication. “I don’t often always understand what people say, you know, social constructs … I’m really direct,” Najah said. “I’d rather look at what people do than what they say.” Her diagnosis is why she became immersed in the printmaking process — it’s kinesthetic, process- and routine-oriented. She picked it up in 2018, a “calling.” “It gives me structure,” Najah said. “It’s also, a lot of times, monochromatic, so there’s not a lot of distraction in printmaking.” But, she also works in mixed-media, to engage her more natural state that sifts through the many open tabs in her mind. “I have two sides, or three or four,” Najah said.
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Planning for long-term care Brought to you by – Geerdes & Associates One overlooked part of estate planning is long-term care. That may seem strange - after all, most people think their spouse or children will take care of them, or that Medicaid will cover their costs. In fact, people often underestimate how costly long-term care is, and they also overestimate the quality of care provided under a Medicaid subsidization. According to the Congressional Research Service, an annual $64 billion in long-term care costs is personally paid by consumers. An average of $7,000 a year is paid out-of-pocket by adult children who are the primary caregivers of their elderly parents. Twothirds of these children end up having to use their personal savings or retirement funds to cover the medical and nursing expenses for their parents, and that’s excluding the time and energy needed for caregiving. Medicaid (long-term care subsidization) isn’t any better. First, a strict five-year-lookback is performed to ensure the applicants haven’t transferred their assets elsewhere in order to qualify for Medicaid. If an individual has income and assets above
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1 Brag 6 Rank 19 17 18 11 Starchy tuber 21 22 20 14 Coincide 23 24 25 26 27 15 Muscat native 16 Flightless bird 28 29 30 31 32 33 17 Male heir 34 35 36 apparent to a throne 40 41 42 43 37 38 39 19 French 46 47 44 45 possessive 20 Skirt part 48 49 50 51 21 Release me 52 53 54 55 words 22 Sty cry 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 23 Seasonal visitor 65 66 67 64 26 Black cat, maybe 69 70 68 28 Take by force 72 73 71 30 High regard 34 Stockpile Copyright ©2024 PuzzleJunction.com 36 Rip up 11 Himalayan 69 Utopian 41 Jimmy 37 Rush inits. legend 70 Chessman 42 Coiffure 40 Kind of 12 Prayer word 71 Watering hole 45 ___ Baba infection 13 Perfume scent 72 School ___ 47 Caffeine source 43 Rabbit ___ 18 Public squares (teachers, Pl.) 49 Docket 44 Devilfish 22 Furtively 73 Borders 51 Golf course 46 Mild oaths 24 Ocean feature feature 48 Number one 25 Tiny ___ Down 53 More rational Hun 27 Sharp curve 55 Fem. relative 50 Traffic sign 29 Time zone 1 Ger. composer 56 Animal shelters 52 Uses a spade 31 Historic period 2 Monsters 57 Above 54 Synthetic fabric 32 Always, in 3 Bouquets 58 Etna output 56 Chip’s cartoon verse 60 Thailand, once 4 Stitch up chum 5 Gymnast’s goal 33 Docs, for short 61 Congers 59 Relaxed 35 Dejected 6 Golfer’s cry 63 Some votes 62 Actress Scala 7 Discharge 37 33 Down’s 65 Goal 64 Gr. letter group 8 Argentine dance 66 King Kong, 65 Sharpshooter 9 Salary 38 Convened e.g. name 39 Emmet 10 Expire 67 Young goat 68 Fall mo. See solution Page 12
AIKENOMICS
Waiting on lower interest rate could end up costing you more Last week, Fannie Mae came out with their projections that 30-year fixed rates would fall below the magical 6% mark later in 2024. Their projections pretty much validated my D.C. AIKEN projections of rates Guest Columnist dcaiken.com breaching below 6% this year and heading into the mid-5% mark or lower by year’s end. While I believe we will continue to see a gradual slide to lower mortgage rates throughout the year, waiting for rates to fall .50%-1% lower may cost you in the long run. I have run these figures before and will use the home price increase figure I projected for 2024 in last week’s Weekend Update/Aikenomics of roughly 5% for the Metro ATL. Using a 5% housing increase, which could be even more if we get to below 6%, we could see the price of a $600,000 home rise to $630,000 by year-end. Let's look at two comparisons. Below is a breakdown of sample scenarios using the national average of 6.75% for scenario 1 and predicting a 5.875% national average in August 2024 for scenario 2. Rates and payments are not advertisements of available offerings. Payments do not include taxes and insurance. Sample Scenario 1: Purchase January 2024 • $570,000 30-year fixed rate mortgage, 5% down payment at 6.75% = $3,700 principal and interest
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payment Sample Scenario 2: Wait until August 2024, when rates are expected to fall • $598,500 30-year fixed rate mortgage, 5% down payment at 5.875% = $,3540 principal and interest payment On the surface, you save about $160 per month (whoo-hoo!). But do you? Your home price rose by $30,000, or a breakeven of roughly 150 months without compounding interest. If you buy now, you don’t run the risk of prices moving 5% higher or more this year. If I am correct in my forecast, you will most likely refinance to a rate below 6% by the end of the year, which will get you the best of both worlds! The only way you should wait is if you believe house prices and mortgage rates will fall this year. Remember, the best rate is a locked rate… with a float-down option! Ensure you're ready to make an offer by getting pre-approved. Thank you for reading my column. D.C. Aiken is vice president, producing production manager for BankSouth Mortgage, NMLS # 658790. For more insights, you can subscribe to his newsletter at dcaiken. com. The opinions expressed within this article are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of BankSouth Mortgage or its affiliates. BankSouth Mortgage Company, LLC, NMLS #690971, is not a bank or other depository institution and is not FDIC-insured. Equal Housing Lender.
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OPINION
County leaders misplace priorities on mental health MARY SHAFFER
As a concerned citizen and a leader in the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Forsyth, Dawson, Lumpkin, I am writing to let you know how concerned I am about the future of the Whole Health Building in Forsyth County along with the legacy we are leaving for future generations. The Whole Health Building was to be paid for by $30 million in American Rescue Plan Funds. It was conceived over two years ago, voted on 6-8 times, and over $2 million has already been spent on the project. The mental health system in this country is broken. This building will not fix the mental health crisis, but it was a ray of hope for those families and individuals suffering with a mental health diagnosis. Suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10-14, and 25-34. It is third leading cause of death among those 1524 and fourth of those between 35-44. One out of five people will experience a mental health diagnosis within their lifetime. And when they do, it affects at least 10 others. I am concerned about the priorities of leadership in Forsyth County. A camGuest Columnist
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pus was designed over two years ago for Freedom Parkway which was to include a County Administration Building, an Employee Building and the Whole Health Building. Until Jan. 9, 2024, the three were tied together. On that day it was voted on to continue the Administration and Employee buildings with all of their amenities. These included balconies for executive offices, rooftop amenities, shopping and a gym for employees, at a cost of $114 million in construction. The county is now looking into bringing The Gathering hockey venue to Forsyth to provide entertainment. When someone has a mental health crisis, about half of the time they are brushed aside because we do not have beds for them. Many find a bed in jail, which leads to future arrests. These citizens need crisis stabilization, an evaluation, medications and ongoing therapy. Forsyth County has zero mental health beds. Northside Forsyth Hospital does not treat psychiatric conditions. It can only offer to hold a person while waiting on a mental health bed somewhere in the state to become available. At times they may need to hold someone in their ER for up to six days with no treatment. I wonder about our priorities. Have we lost sight of needs over wants? When
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facebook.com/ForsythHerald DEATH NOTICES Robert Danuser, 75, of Roswell, passed away on January 30, 2024. Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Jancy Reavis, 55, of Roswell, passed away on January 28, 2024. Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
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we bring a newborn baby home, we understand the needs of that vulnerable infant. Our priorities are to keep them safe, feed them, clothe them, house them and give them medical attention. And of course, love. Parents understand that these needs must come first, ahead of shopping for a nicer house, with a bigger nursery and luxurious space. That comes only after we ensure their basic needs are met. Then we can look for a larger space surrounded by beautiful buildings, first class restaurants and great entertainment venues. During a mental health crisis a person is at their most vulnerable, they are not safe, often do not have housing, are hungry, in dirty, ragged clothing, and lack the medical attention they need. Many come from families who have exhausted their resources and so the person needs to turn to public assistance. Is it not our responsibility as humans to care for those who cannot care for themselves? What is the value of a human life? When we begin to put other priorities ahead of this, I believe we are putting ourselves in a very precarious position as a society. Is this what Solution we want our legacy to be? B O A S T F E T I D Y A M O M A N I E M U A G R E E T E S C R O W N P R I N C E L E T G O O I N K H E M S A N T A O M E N S E I Z E E S T E E M A M A S S S H R E D S T A P H E A R S A S A P M A N T A D R A T S A T T I L A Y I E L D D I G S R A Y O N D A L E E A S E D G I A A N N I E O A K L E Y E T A I D E A L P I E C E N O V M A R M S E D G E S S P A
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Forsyth: Continued from Page 3 A growing need The Feb. 5 forum was not the first time a crowd rallied in support of the whole health building. After commissioners approved the construction contract without the health facility, residents flocked to a Jan. 18 County Commission meeting to oppose the decision. At the February meeting, Avita Community Partners CEO Cindy Levi presented statistics illustrating mental health crisis responses in Forsyth County. Avita Community Partners provides mental health, addiction and developmental disability services in 13 counties across northeast Georgia, including Forsyth. Avita currently operates an outpatient clinic in Forsyth County and would also provide inpatient, outpatient and crisis services at the whole health building. Between 2021 and 2023, Levi said there were 3,377 crisis calls in the county, and 1,560 of them required a dispatch. From there, Levi said licensed clinicians may refer a person to a crisis bed if it was determined they needed a higher level of care. She said there were 1,026 referrals to crisis beds. Of those, just over half of Forsyth County residents received their recommended treatment. Levi listed the four challenges faced by the behavioral health delivery system in Forsyth County. She said Avita’s outpatient clinic is too small, which limits the services it can offer, and the county’s response teams do not have a place to take people who are experiencing a crisis. “So, if that level is needed, the closest units are in Gainesville, Lawrenceville, Marietta and Decatur,” Levi said. “So that can take the units out of service for several hours in a round trip transporting individuals to those locations.” She said the Northside Hospital Forsyth emergency department is a holding location for people experiencing a crisis, and while they are there waiting to be accepted into a bed, they are not receiving psychiatric services. Levi said this is expensive and leaves many without treatment. Finally, she reiterated that only half of those in need of crisis stabilization are admitted. Levi, who was involved in the design of the whole health building, presented three options to move the project forward. She said the facility footprint could be reduced by decreasing the number of temporary observation chairs and stabilization unit capacity for children and adults. To trim things further, the
SCREENSHOT
Cindy Levi, CEO of Avita Community Partners, shares mental health crisis statistics in Forsyth County at a Board of Commissioners meeting Feb. 5. Levi said just over half of county residents referred to a crisis bed are admitted because of the lack of resources.
VISUALIZATION BY JACOB TOMBERLIN/APPEN MEDIA DATA PROVIDED BY CINDY LEVI, CEO OF AVITA COMMUNITY PARTNERS
This graph illustrates responses to crisis calls in Forsyth County between 2021 and 2023. Professionals referred 1,026 residents to a crisis bed, but 561 were admitted. adolescent stabilization unit could also be eliminated. Levi said the county could also build a facility or renovate an existing one near Northside Forsyth for behavioral health outpatient services and a crisis center with an assessment area, peer living room and temporary observation unit. Other speakers recognized the rise of mental health concerns among young people. Elizabeth Johnson, executive director of Jesse’s House, said the nonprofit has served 1,094 girls. Jesse’s House offers emergency shelter for adolescent girls who have experienced abuse and neglect. “This county continues to grow at a fast pace, only to be outpaced by the increasing mental health needs of those who live here,” Johnson said. The county’s response County Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills, a vocal supporter of the whole health building, said a smaller option is unacceptable, and the facility
should be a priority. “If we take care of the most vulnerable, then our whole community rises up,” she said. Commissioner Todd Levent, who did not attend the Feb. 5 forum, has also come out in support of the whole health building. Mills’ comments flew in the face of sentiments expressed by three other commissioners at the Jan. 18 meeting. Commissioners Laura Semanson, Kerry Hill and Chairman Alfred John said if American Rescue Plan money is used to construct the whole health building, it would be required to operate as a state facility, and there is no guarantee Forsyth County patients would be given priority. That concern continued at the Feb. 5 forum. Semanson said she acknowledges there is a mental health problem, but it is the county’s responsibility to ensure its funds are being spent on its citizens. She said she thinks the Board of Commissioners is committed to finding solutions that are respon-
sive to the community, and she is ready to move forward on that. “But I think we have to be rational in how we are conducting this,” Semanson said. “And I think we have to really look for a solution that if we are throwing county resources behind it, that we’re assured a return on that for our citizens.” Hill said she agrees there is a mental health issue, but she disagrees with the solution on the table. “If the state needs a crisis center, the state should build a crisis center,” Hill said. “I think Forsyth County can take this money that we have allotted for this and work with [the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities] to come up with Forsyth County solutions that mainly target and support our Forsyth County citizens. That’s what our role as local government is.” Hill said DBHDD and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office have identified other community solutions, and she is also committed to addressing the issue locally. John agreed, saying the county is dedicated to addressing the issue, but local resources should not be used to supplement the state’s lack of a facility. He said he asked whether DBHDD would build a facility if Forsyth County found 10 acres of land, and he said he received a resounding “no.” “So, what are we doing when the state has $1.5 billion in surplus, and they have acknowledged that they are short 1,000 beds?” John said. “What we’re doing is, we’re using county funds to supplement state. I’m not sure if that’s the best use of county resources.” The Board of Commissioners will discuss options and possibly vote on the whole health building at a work session March 12.
14 | February 15, 2024 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
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Widening: Continued from Page 1 between Browns Bridge Road and Ga. 400. But, County Communications Director Russell Brown said if the county receives the RAISE funds, Ga. 306 will be widened from Ga. 400 to Parks Road. The overall cost of the widening, including design, right-of-way acquisition, utilities and construction, is estimated at $47.9 million. If the U.S. DOT approves the grant application, the county will receive the funds no later than June 27. Also at the meeting, commissioners approved some $176,000 in parks improvements on the Big Creek Greenway and for the Central Park Recreation Center. Commissioners approved $140,000 to repair the boardwalk on the path near Kelly Mill Road. “Every time I think we’ve got this fixed and that it will not come apart again, we’re turning around and doing it again,” Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills said. County staff said the repairs are budgeted, and the boardwalk is just like a road that will require continuous maintenance in the future. In June 2023, the Board of Commissioners approved $75,000 to add fasteners to prevent warping and repair the boardwalk between the Fowler Park and Union Hill trailheads.
Commissioners also approved $35,946 to continue work on the Central Park Recreation Center expansion. The change order covers minor adjustments, including roofing, a gas line relocation and painting. In 2022, the County Commission approved a $7.4 million contract with general contractor Cooper and Company to renovate the recreation center, which includes two buildings off Keith Bridge Road. The center’s annex building, built in 2007, will be renovated to become the county’s new senior services building, with improvements mostly focusing on the kitchen and fitness rooms. The main building is slated to receive the bulk of improvements, including a new downstairs fitness room, a meeting space, a new gymnasium and two new aerobic rooms. In other action, commissioners certified the Sheriff’s Office’s 2023 Equitable Sharing agreement. The Equitable Sharing Program is an asset forfeiture program run by the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of the Treasury that allows assets or proceeds from federal crimes to be liquidated. The Sheriff’s Office reported receiving $113,265, including interest, in Department of Justice funds in 2023. It reported spending just under $31,000 on equipment, training and education. The County Commission will formalize the votes at an upcoming regular meeting.
Parks Road
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MAP BY JACOB TOMBERLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Forsyth County is seeking $25 million to help widen Keith Bridge Road (Ga. 306) from Parks Road to Ga. 400. The County Commission voted Feb. 6 to apply for a federal grant to move the project forward.
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WE BUY ALL JEWELRY! Your estate jewelry & diamond specialists for 60 years. Schedule a private appointment.
Paying Premiums for Vintage Rolex and Omega Watches
770-751-7222 Call or Text www.iroff.com
3960 Old Milton Pkwy #300 (1.5 miles East of 400)
Restyle or Custom Make Something New! We Take Trade-Ins.
Gold is at a 8 year high!
You get the best price in town, and immediate payment! Over 75% of Our Business Comes from Satisfied Customer Referrals! Jewelry
Gold
Silver
Diamonds
Gemstones
Coins
Watches
Estate jewelry Fine Jewelry Platinum Jewelry Diamond Jewelry Gemstone Jewelry Designer Jewelry David Yurman Tiffany & Co. Cartier
Gold Jewelry Broken Jewelry Gold Watches Dental Gold Gold Coins Gold Bars Gold Nuggets
Sterling Silver Silverware Flatware Bowls Silver Jewelry Silver Bars
All Sizes All Shapes All Cuts All Qualities Loose or Set Chipped/Broken
Sapphires Rubies Emeralds All Precious Semi-Precious Loose or Set Jade
All Gold Coins All Silver Coins All Platinum Coins Silver Dollars Collectable Coins Paper Money
Rolex Cartier Omega Patek Audemars Piguet Tagheuer and other brands Paying up to $150,000
2008-2023 GA 4 00
FREE CASH EVALUATION
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Tuesday – Friday: 10AM – 5PM Saturday: 10AM – 2PM • Sunday & Monday: Closed *Appointments may be available outside of traditional store hours.
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WINNER
Best Of North Atlanta Presented By
y Brian Iroff GIA Graduate Gemologist