Harry Johnston

In the northeastern portion of Cherokee County, Ball Ground is nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains.

Giving Thanks for Cherokee County

BY HARRY JOHNSTON

We truly are blessed in Cherokee County. Starting with Godgiven blessings, our geography is gorgeous, with rolling hills in the south growing to mountains in the north. We have abundant rainfall that supports beautiful natural forests, and a reliable water source in the Etowah River, from which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was able to create Lake Allatoona. Our weather is just about perfect, with four distinct seasons. Three are fantastic; the fourth is mild and short, a taste of winter that makes us appreciate the other three.

In real estate, location is everything. Ours is our greatest asset, literally where the metro meets the mountains. We’re right in the shadow of a big and thriving city, close enough to take advantage of all those economic benefits, yet far enough away to enjoy a safe and comfortable small-town, and even rural, lifestyle. Of course, that attractiveness threatens its existence.

Over the last 30-plus years, we’ve become increasingly protective of our precious lifestyle. The protection hasn’t been perfect. The short-term economic benefits of growth are a powerful force. We only gained a consistent responsible-growth majority on the county’s Board of Commissioners about 15 years ago. The tools available to manage growth have natural and legal limits. City leadership understandably continues to want their cities to grow. But, the county started working on it earlier in our growth cycle and has managed it better than other fastgrowth counties, like Gwinnett, Clayton, Henry, Douglas and Forsyth. I am thankful we’ve been able to cut our growth rate in half and put ourselves in the position to remain a rare jewel, retaining our great lifestyle as we continue to grow moderately.

We also enjoy the best “value proposition” of excellent county services and low taxes. The property tax rates controlled by the Board of Commissioners are the 29th lowest of 159 counties in Georgia, and our sales tax rates are in the lowest four. Combined, we have the second lowest overall tax rates in the state.

We enjoy some of the best public safety and other services in the state, and even the nation. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office achieved advanced national accreditation with honors, putting it among a handful of the nation’s most elite agencies. Every three years since its initial accreditation in 1996, the Sheriff’s Office has been re-accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Our fire service has come from being mostly volunteers, just 24 years ago, to one of the state’s best today, especially in the critical area of training. Our E-911 Center and Marshal’s Office are nationally accredited models that others follow.

There’s always work to do on roads. But, except for some state highways that now are being addressed, our road team has kept up with the growth admirably. Our school system, managed separately by the Board of Education, is one of the state’s best.

There are a lot of great places in the world to visit, but truly none better to come home to than Cherokee County. I’m so thankful for what we have here, and that I get to be part of it.

Harry Johnston is chairman of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners. He’s a retired CPA and accounting manager, and a former district commissioner. Email him at hjohnston@cherokeega.com.