Fire Station #15

5225 Yellow Creek Road, Ball Ground, GA 30107

Opening 2023

Construction of a new fire station in the Mica Community is underway. The Board of Commissioners awarded the $5.3 million construction contract to Cooper & Company in February 2022, with construction beginning in March. The new fire station is expected to open in 2023 and includes three apparatus bays, six bunks, and a 2,500-square-foot community room. Upon completion, Cherokee Recreation and Parks will manage the community room rental for the public.

The department boosted crime-fighting abilities across the county by increasing the number of Flock Safety Security Cameras from 10 to 38 and outfitted the Field Operations Division and jail deputies with body cameras in 2022.

A Special Operations Precinct on Chattin Drive will break ground in early 2023. Two new buildings will house a Traffic Enforcement Unit, a K-9 Unit, the coroner’s office, and a forensic garage.

Thirty new patrol vehicles were purchased during 2022, improving the quality of an aging fleet.

The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office was awarded its 9th Advanced Accreditation Award from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2022. The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office became internationally accredited in 1996 and must be re-accredited every four years to maintain that certification. Less than 5% of law enforcement agencies in the United States are CALEA accredited.

The American Correctional Association (ACA) recommended re-accreditation of the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office following an audit visit in 2022. The visit is required every three years to remain in compliance with ACA regulations. The Sheriff’s Office received a perfect score (100%) on both the ACA mandatory and nonmandatory standards.

The Sheriff’s Office improved the safety and sound mitigation at the firing range with construction of a bullet trap.

ACA Accredited Cherokee PATH Sound Mitigation

The Sheriff’s Office partnered with Highland Rivers Behavioral Health to develop a co-response program that assists residents in behavioral health crises by pairing a uniformed law enforcement officer with a mental health clinician. The program, funded through a $678,000 grant, is named Cherokee Partnership for Assistance, Treatment, and Health (Cherokee PATH).

Reynolds Sheriff

Sheriff Frank Reynolds is second the 39th Sheriff of Cherokee County. His focus from the beginning has been service to the community. In 2022, the Sheriff reinstituted his town hall meetings, holding them across Cherokee County and giving residents and business owners the opportunity to ask questions of the Sheriff and the precinct commander of the area. term

& PLAN REVIEWS

Kathy Lambert Human Resources Director

Cherokee County’s Human Resources Department provides expertise and leadership in the activities and services of employment, benefits, administration, classification and compensation, employee relations, and performance management. The department has five employees and is led by Director Kathy Lambert.

Members of the National Information Officers Association

Moving Forward Together

Erika Neldner

Communications Director

The Communications Division is responsible for external and internal communications for departments that fall under the Board of Commissioners. The two-person team also assists other offices like the Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney and Tax Commissioner, when requested. The department manages the official county government social media pages, issues press releases and newsletters on behalf of the Board of Commissioners, creates social media videos, and creates marketing materials. It is led by Director Erika Neldner.

Comprehensive Plan

In 2022, Cherokee County launched a five-year update of the Comprehensive Plan with multiple opportunities for public input. The Comprehensive Plan is a long-range plan that highlights intended land uses over 20 years, is updated every five years, and serves as a guiding document for county planners, leaders, property owners, and developers to utilize in the development process.

The Transportation Engineering Department continues to provide connectivity to increase the ability to respond to and monitor traffic signals in real time. While communicating with all traffic signal controllers, the department began implementing CCTV Cameras at many intersections to collect live footage that assists in monitoring and adjusting signals when necessary. The department expects cameras at 100% of the county’s intersections by mid-2023. Additional connections to various devices inside the signal cabinet provide valuable information before responding to any traffic signals in flash mode. These technological upgrades will continue to strengthen traffic signal operations.

Completed/Started Projects for 2022:

East Cherokee Drive at South Holly Springs Road/Thornwood Road

Intersection improvement project to add left turn lanes to East Cherokee Drive and South Holly Springs Road. Sight distance along East Cherokee Drive was also improved as part of the project. Stamped thermoplastic crosswalks were added as part of the pedestrian improvements.

Project Cost: $2,392,707.76 Status: Complete

Highway 140 at East Cherokee Drive

Intersection improvement project to add right turn lanes to all sides of the intersection. Sidewalks and pedestrian improvements were added on all sides of the intersection. Sight distance along East Cherokee Drive was also improved.

Project Cost: $3,897,015.76 Status: Under construction. Expected completion— January 2023

Wiley Bridge Road at Cox Road Hames Road

Three-way skewed intersection converted to a roundabout for safer, more efficient intersection operation.

Project Cost: $859,592.98 Status: Under construction. Expected completion— March 2023

Bells Ferry Road at Kellogg Creek Road and Victory Drive

Roadway reconstruction between Highway 92 and Jamerson Road. Project includes the construction of roundabout at the intersection of Hames Road and South Jett Road. Modifications to flatten hills and straighten curves will be made to improve safety. Curb and gutter, drainage improvements and sidewalks were added to Hames Road.

Project Cost: $5,028,160.19 Status: Under construction. Expected completion— December 2023 Intersection improvement project to add turn lanes and sidewalks. Additional new traffic signal installed at the intersection of Kellogg Creek Road and Victory Drive. The project improves safety by flattening hills and straightening curves.

Project Cost: $2,216,588.41 Status: Under construction. Expected completion— March 2023

Union Hill Road over Canton Creek

Replacement of a substandard bridge over Canton Creek. The new bridge will have 12-foot travel lanes and 10-foot shoulders.

Project Cost: $1,677,999.99 Status: Completed— December 2022

Technology Ridge Parkway, Phase 1

New alignment roadway between Bluffs Parkway and the intersection of Heard Road and Fate Conn Road. Project includes roundabouts at the intersection with Bluffs Parkway and the intersection of Heard Road and Fate Conn Road. Roadway consist of 12-foot travel lanes and a 14-foot center turn lane. A 10-foot side path and 6-foot sidewalk are also included as part of the project. The project is part of a multi-phase new alignment roadway that will extend to the airport.

Project Cost: $9,074,620.00 Status: Under construction. Expected completion—June 2024

Rhine Road

Roadway reconstruction of a substandard roadway between Highway 20 and Upper Sweetwater Trail. Construction will include vertical and horizontal modifications to improve sight distance. Drainage improvements and ditches are included along Rhine Road.

Project Cost: $2,747,862.71 Status: Under construction. Expected completion—December 2023

2024 Splost

Due to the support of the Cherokee County voters, the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax was renewed during the November 2022 General Election. This decision allows the county to continue to fund capital projects and keep property taxes among the lowest in Georgia.

Projects Planned for the 2024 SPLOST

• Courthouse Addition

• Ball Ground Bypass

• Corridor Improvements—Bells Ferry Rd/East Cherokee Dr/Arnold Mill Rd/Trickum Rd/Highway 5

• Fire Station Replacements—Stations 7, 18, 27 and 28

• Fire Safety Village

• Southwest Cherokee Community Park & Community Center

• E.W. and Edith Cochran Park in Free Home