Harry Johnston

A Year in Preview: Plans for 2022

BY HARRY JOHNSTON

Happy New Year! Let’s pray and work together to make it a great one.

Last month, I covered what the board of commissioners completed in 2021. Now, let’s look at the 2022 to-do list.

First, voters approved renewal of the school SPLOST, and we expect to put the renewal/continuation of the county SPLOST for nonschool projects, for 2024-2030, on the November ballot. That’s the last scheduled election before the current six-year SPLOST expires. At least half of the proceeds will go to county road improvements. The Cherokee County Justice Center, which seemed huge when it was finished 27 years ago, now is packed to the rafters and also must be expanded. Remaining funds largely will go to parks and public safety facilities and equipment.

Next, state funding for the Bells Ferry widening and bridge work has been delayed, postponing those projects at least a year. We must make sure there are no further delays to those projects. We need to line up funding for the rest of our planned interim improvements to Highway 140, to allow it to function acceptably until the state can widen it in the mid 2030s. We must make the most of the update to our Comprehensive Transportation Plan, our long-term guide to road work, and the funding necessary for it.

It’s time for a state-mandated update to the county’s Land Use Plan (the guide for managing the county’s growth and development during the next 25 years, and the template for future zoning decisions). We need to join with the cities to make it a true countywide plan. Full citycounty cooperation on growth will be far more effective than our often-disjointed efforts of the past.

Additionally, we need to figure out how best to leverage available federal dollars to help the homeless people in our county, and get that work started. We need to determine the best location for the courthouse parking deck, building it to make way for the main expansion. We need to implement a planned adjustment to the county’s pension plan for new employees, to lower its long-term cost.

Overall, we must never let up and continue to pursue our triple goals: 1. Manage the county’s growth to preserve quality of life. 2. Keep infrastructure and services up with the growth. 3. Keep taxes among the lowest in Georgia. As always, I’m interested in your thoughts. Email me at hjohnston@cherokeega.com.

Harry Johnston is chairman of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners. He's a retired CPA and accounting manager, and a former district commissioner.

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CELEBRATING THE

A New Year & A New Clinician

As Judith McKernan and her husband, Dr. J. Barry McKernan, celebrate the 20th anniversary of A New You Skin & Body Clinic, she is staying busier than ever. The most exciting news is the recent hire of Lisa Alexander, NP-C, a nurse practitioner with more than 26 years of experience.

This move is a part of Judith’s ongoing goal of training and managing more clinicians to accommodate current and potential clients from Cherokee County and nearby areas. Judith sees Lisa as a visionary and great listener. “I share the clinic’s philosophy of creating natural beauty so that you look like you, only better,” Lisa said.

When the McKernans opened the clinic in Woodstock in 2001, their goal was to find a location between Dr. McKernan’s surgery center in Canton and his office in Marietta. In 2010, she took the helm of A New You, and grew the business from its initial single skincare line, facials and laser treatments.

The clinic’s growth through the years required a larger space and expanded services, prompting a move to Towne Lake Parkway in 2006, a spot that’s convenient to exit 8 off Interstate 575.

Judith, who celebrates 38 years as a nurse, is thankful for the community’s support, and the loyalty of her clients, some of whom have been with the clinic since the beginning.

Beauty, Inside and Out

The clinic’s core values keep the focus on making a difference in each client’s life, whether it’s a teen with acne and self-confidence issues, a woman seeking a rejuvenation of her appearance and mood, or a man maintaining his appearance to stay relevant in the workplace.

While clients range in age from 45 to 82, Judith’s favorite clients are the over-70 group, because they share so much wisdom and still care about their appearance. She’s inspired by their advice never to retire, saying that if she keeps busy, she’ll be happier and healthier; great advice that helps her get through the longer days.

Judith values each client, but there are a few who stand out. • A young Hispanic man with deep facial scars who couldn’t make eye contact. “When we finished treatments, he was smiling and looking right at me.” • A middle-age woman who cried and jumped up and down at the big reveal after she had fillers to add volume and create lift. She felt pretty when she saw the results. • A young woman who passed out because of the

CELEBRATING THE NEW!

A New Year & A New Clinician

needles, but asked Judith to keep going because she loved the finished result. Years later, she didn’t break a sweat. • Women who just need someone to say “You are beautiful. Let me tell you what I see.” Their body language changes immediately. • A woman who drove from Carrollton for years.

When she passed away, her husband told us how happy coming to see us made her feel.

“I’m always looking for a way to pay it forward, and have provided services to people in need,” she said. “They would never ask for anything, but are so grateful for a kindness that helps them feel better about themselves.”

Services and Education

The services available at A New You range from deep laser treatments and other nonsurgical methods that lift, firm and change skin texture to body contouring, dermaplaning and waxing.

Lisa brings her expertise as a nurse injector to new treatments, including PRP hair restoration, which uses the patient’s blood components to stimulate the follicle. She also will offer QWO® to smooth cellulite.

Judith and her staff are proud of the quality of their services, and being named among the top 3% of medspas in the United States. However, it’s the consultations — the learning processes — that are most valued by the clinic’s owner.

“It’s not about money. It’s truly about educating the individual on what the possibilities are to help them feel confident and look their best,” Judith said. “Whether they book the full works with injectables, buy starter skin care from one of our knowledgeable medical estheticians, or don’t book anything, we know we have provided our patients honest, educational information.” LISA AND JUDITH PERFORM A BEAUTY TREATMENT.

The Future Looks Beautiful

Judith is taking the advice of her favorite clients and staying busy not only at the clinic, but by caring for the animals on her and Dr. McKernan’s farm and cheering on her grandson at his soccer matches.

Dr. McKernan, Judith and the staff are excited about what awaits them in the new year, especially with the addition of Lisa, and are looking forward to “maintaining great faces and discovering new ones!”

145 Towne Lake Parkway, Suite 101 678-739-0040 anewyouclinic.com