Local News
Cherokee County Resident Appointed to ARC Lifelong resident Steve Stancil will serve as Cherokee County’s citizen representative on the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), beginning Jan. 1. He will succeed Dennis Burnette, who has served as the District 15 representative for more than decade. “Cherokee County greatly appreciates Dennis Burnette’s 14 years of faithful and diligent service as our citizen representative on the ARC Board. In particular, Dennis served on the Senior Services Committee of that board and ensured that Cherokee’s Senior Services programs have continued to be mostly funded through the ARC,” said County Commission Chairman Harry Johnston. Burnette began his service on the ARC Board Steve Stancil in 2008. His professional life included 45 years in the banking industry, with more than 30 years as a bank president. Before fully retiring, he worked as a certified mediator and arbitrator for businesses. Stancil retired from the state of Georgia in 2019, following 11 years as a state property officer. Previous to that, he oversaw the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority Board, as its executive director, and served as a representative in the Georgia House of Representatives, including minority house leader. Cherokee County is part of the 11-county Atlanta Regional Commission, a metropolitan planning organization that spearheads long-range planning from a regional perspective, disperses federal funding for transportation projects that impact the region, promotes a skilled workforce through training and skills development, and more. Also during the November meeting of the ARC board, an updated at-large district boundary map was adopted that takes into account the population growth since the 2010 Census. District 15 includes the majority of Cherokee County and a portion of Fulton County. District 14 includes a small portion of Cherokee County and onethird of Cobb County. 8
AROUND CANTON | January 2022
It took many helpers to spread more than 50 yards of wood chips before planting wildflower plugs.
Eagle Scout Project Benefits County Park
Boy Scout Noah Boynton achieved Eagle Scout rank by completing a service project at Cherokee Veterans Park. Boynton and a team of approximately 40 Scouts and their troop leaders worked to develop the Cherokee County University of Georgia (UGA) Extension Office’s Backyard Agriculture Education Station. The work entailed spreading more than 50 yards of wood chips over a bank before planting the nearly 400 rooted wildflower plugs. The education station, which is currently being developed, will serve as an outdoor learning space where citizens can attend classes and learn horticultural techniques from UGA Extension agents and trained volunteers. Classes and workshops are set to begin in the spring of 2022 and will include: Home Vegetable Gardening, Disease and Insect Management, Tree Planting, Pruning and Home Orchard Management. For more information, call 770-721-7803.
Marshal’s office representatives present statement of support to Chief Tim Prather.
Agency Workers Bond After Tragedy
Representatives of the Cherokee County Marshal’s Office recently visited the offices of Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services with a donation of $1,050 to the LGE Credit Union trust fund set up for Jacob Hicks, the 2-year-old son of Cherokee County firefighter Justin Hicks and wife Amber, who tragically were killed by a shooter last month. A letter on behalf of the Marshal’s Office, Cherokee County Probation and Animal Control was presented to Cherokee County Fire Chief Tim Prather: “We cannot put into words how heavy our hearts are for the loss of Justin and Amber Hicks. Nothing we say or do would ease your pain, but we wanted each of you to know that you have our support. The loss of two precious lives has changed our community forever.” “In October of each year we make a donation to one charity or foundation in Cherokee County, but this year we were uncertain about where we wanted the money to go, so we held onto it,” Deputy Marshal First Class Renae Goggans said. “However, when this tragic incident took place, we all came together and decided the money should go to Jacob’s trust fund.”
