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 Steve Stancil service on the ARC Board 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.

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.”

New Signs Mark Adopt-A-Mile Sites

The county’s Keep Cherokee Beautiful (KCB) organization is replacing current signs that mark the areas where volunteers are working to keep the county clean.

KCB officials replaced signage for Peggy Simpson and Bo Wallace, who recently adopted a section of roadway in the Sutallee area, and currently are planning their third roadside cleanup event.

Simpson, who had participated in the old program with her children, Rocky and Ree, was given the old road signs by KCB officials. “I plan to give the old signs to my children for them to have as keepsakes, because the signs have their names on them,” she said.

The new Adopt-A-Mile program began earlier this year, and several local families and organizations have committed to keeping sections of roads across Cherokee clean. Those interested in adopting a mile will need to identify a section of county road they want to adopt and sign an agreement committing to maintain the section for 12 months and hold a minimum of four roadside cleanups.

Once a cleanup has been scheduled, volunteers will be provided with cleanup supplies from Keep Cherokee Beautiful and Cherokee County, which include safety vests and grabbers. Trash and litter retrievals can be scheduled with the Cherokee County Recycling Center, or volunteers also can arrange for the disposal of the litter in private dumpsters.

For additional information on adopting a mile, email cleancherokee@gmail.com.

Students and instructors take a minute out of the water.

First Responders Earn Open Water Certification

Six Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services (CCFES) personnel recently were certified as Scuba Diver International (SDI) open water divers. The new divers are Capt. Jeff Adamek, Fire Apparatus Operator (FAO) Brad McDonald, FAO Drew Turner, Lt. Joe Ray, FAO Brandon Watkins and Lt. Philip Carlisle.

“The open water certification course is the initial step in becoming a CCFES public safety diver. This is the first time this course has been instructed in-house by fire department personnel. This new program will increase the number of trained divers available to respond to water emergencies,” said dive instructor chief Ricky Collett.

The course also consisted of online learning and more than 20 hours of in-water skills. The pool and classroom portions of the class were conducted at the Cherokee County Aquatic Center. The final certification dives were completed in Williston, Florida at the Blue Grotto Springs.

Retirement Ahead for Library System Director

Anita Summers, executive director of the Sequoyah Regional Library System (SRLS), has announced her plans to retire on Feb. 1. The new executive director, who is chosen by the board of trustees, will be named this month.

Summers joined the Sequoyah system in July 1989 as branch manager of the Gilmer County Library in Ellijay. She was named assistant director of the library system in 2008, and executive director in 2014. Anita Summers As executive director, she oversaw all aspects of public library operations in the three-county system, covering Cherokee, Pickens and Gilmer counties. Under her leadership, the system experienced growth in circulation and program attendance, expanded service hours and digital resources, increased staff pay, expanded staff development and training, increased library outreach and visibility, established new partnerships, began the growth of a Library of Things collection, and added new library technology.

During her tenure, the library system obtained state capital outlay grants to supplement special-purpose local-option sales tax funds for the upcoming expansion/renovation of the Hickory Flat Public Library. In 2020, Summers led the system’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included virtual programming, outdoor Wi-Fi, sidewalk service, and a phased approach to the restoration of full library services and hours.

“I am very blessed to have been part of a forward-thinking system with supportive trustees, dedicated staff and library-loving communities,” Summers said.