July 2012 HCCC Newsletter by Henry County Chamber of Commerce

a henr y co u nt y chamber of commerce p u blication

JULY 2012 in this issue Chairman’s Message

Business Profile

Calendar 4 It’s Happening in Henry

T-SPLOST Project Review

June Chamber Briefs

TransForm Atlanta FAQ’s 10 Business Boosters Luncheon 11 Business After Hours

New Chamber Website 13 Ribbon Cuttings

Edward Jones

The Henry County Chamber of Commerce serves as the voice for the business community, provides quality services and programs that meet the needs of its members, improves the economic environment of the community and creates a legacy of leadership for the future.

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YOUR BUSINESS IS OUR BUSINESS

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Everyone agrees – Metro Atlanta, including Henry County, has a serious traffic problem Metro Atlanta drivers have one of the longest commutes in the country, averaging over an hour round-trip. Henry County residents know it can take as much as two to three hours on some days to commute to and from their jobs. Although our region ranks in the top 20 percent for congestion cost to the consumer, we are 48th in the nation when it comes to transportation funding. Traffic impacts us all – whether it is our inability to get home in time for a family dinner, or a child’s soccer game,

or a midweek church service, it creates additional stress in our lives and diminishes our quality of life. In the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, our region’s transportation problems have reached crisis levels. Many believe that Metro Atlanta must invest in transportation to address this crisis because improved transportation throughout our region is key to our future economic competitiveness. Gas tax revenue, our primary source of transportation funding, is steadily

declining as cars and trucks become more fuel efficient. In fact, 70% of the metro Atlanta region’s current transportation funding will be spent to simply maintain the existing roads and systems over the next 30 years. If metro Atlanta does not improve regional transportation, congestion will worsen. Already too long commute times will lengthen and our quality of life will continue to suffer. By 2015, 90% of Metro Atlanta’s senior citizens will live in neighborhoods with poor or no access to mass transit.

Atlanta is the worst in the nation in this category as well. Other American cities – Charlotte, Denver, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, to name a few – have already invested in transportation. These communities have taken proactive steps to enhance their economic competitiveness and quality of life. The Transportation Investment Act (TIA) provides a plan for Metro Atlanta to address our clear and pressing transportation problem.

What should we do to start fixing it? The TIA gives Metro Atlanta residents the opportunity to vote on a 1% sales tax to fund transportation projects throughout the metro Atlanta region – Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties. If approved by Metro Atlanta voters, this additional penny will raise $7.22 billion in 2011 dollars over a 10-year period. 85% of this amount, or $6.14 billion, will fund specific interstate highways, state roadways, transit, sidewalks, bike paths and other projects. 15% of the proceeds, $1.08 billion, will be allocated to every city and county in the region for local projects to be selected by such governments. All funds raised within the region will stay in the region and can only be used to implement transportation projects. A 21-member Regional Roundtable, comprised of Mayors and County Commissioners throughout our region, approved the $6.14 billion project list. The roundtable, which consisted of leaders of large and small local governments, unanimously approved the project list on October 13, 2011. The process which led to the adoption

for years to come. Do you want to be a proactive part of the solution? You DID YOU County leave a legacy for your children, grandchildren and future generations. We reap KNOW...

You have the power. Your decision to vote (or not) will shape the future of Henry

of the project list had an unprecedented level of public participation. Thirteen public meetings were held, covering the City of Atlanta and every county in the region. Over 200,000 Metro Atlanta residents participated in the process and provided the Roundtable with substantive input, which helped shape the final project list. The TIA ensures that public participation and oversight will continue if voters approve the penny for transportation. A five-member Citizens Review Panel will oversee the governance and administration of the projects list and will provide an annual report to the State Legislature on the progress of the projects. Annual audits will be conducted to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget. Citizens will have immediate access to information via the internet where they can monitor the progress of each project. Now the decision whether this funding will be approved for the list of Metro Atlanta transportation projects resides with the voters of Metro Atlanta. On July 31, 2012, residents will decide whether to approve a penny sales tax to support these projects. We owe it to ourselves and to our fellow residents to learn about the choice before us so we can decide for ourselves whether it is a good solution to Metro Atlanta’s traffic and transportation problems and the right way to reduce congestion, create jobs and improve our quality of life.

benefits as well as consequences determined by those who came before us… and we’ll pass on either a great legacy or more severe transportation challenges for those who come behind us.

All the revenue from the T-SPLOST will stay in our region and support more than 200,000 jobs. For more information, visit www.transformmetroatlanta.com

Metro Atlanta Regional T-SPLOST Referendum • VOTE July 31

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Chairman’s Message Danny Brown

If we wait on perfect, we’ll get nothing Though we don’t surf much here in Henry County, the current debate around the Regional Transportation Referendum reminds me a little of a crowd of surfers sitting on their boards waiting on the perfect wave to catch. Too fast, too slow, too big, too small. With each idea that has been floated to start addressing our congestion issues, the naysayers jump out of the woodwork and find whatever flaws exist in the plan, just like those surfers analyzing each wave that comes through. Do I think the project list created by the Regional Round-

table is perfect? No. But what I’ve come to realize is there is no perfect list. It doesn’t matter what list is put together, the naysayers are going to say nay. That’s what they do. We can’t let the pursuit of perfection get in the way of progress. This paralysis of analysis has choked off our region’s ability to solve the biggest problem holding us back. As you see in this newsletter, this referendum will fund solutions for some of Henry County’s most frustrating bottlenecks. As business owners, we know the impact traffic congestion has on our employees, our customers and our ven-

dors. But it also addresses some of the most aggravating choke points in our region: I-285 at Georgia 400, I-285 at I-85 (Spaghetti Junction), I-285 at I-20 on the west side of Atlanta and many others. We’ve discussed and debated how to fund transportation improvements in the region, and the time for talk is over. They say the best time to plant a tree was 50 years ago, the second best time is today. Let’s plant the seeds of our region’s future by voting yes on July 31. If we wait any longer, we run the risk of not having any waves at all to choose from.

ional in nature, The referendum project list is reg Metro Atlanta. but has something for everyone in next 10 years, the By making these improvements innow, these projects rather than 20 or 30 years from portation more trans can be built cheaper, can improve mic impact sooner. quickly and have a positive econo

t/CEO Danny Brown, Presiden ties un Co n yto Cla alding & SERVPRO of Henry, Sp & SERVPRO of Decatur

Danny Brown and his wife, Patti, are owners of SERVPRO® of Henry, Spalding and Clayton Counties, as well as SERVPRO® of Decatur, all headquartered in McDonough. SERVPRO is the nation’s leader in fire & water damage cleanup and restoration.

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Business Profile Sacred Journey Hospice

About the Company Sacred Journey Hospice, located on Peach Drive just off Jodeco Road, has been offering comfort, care and compassion for patients facing terminal illness as well as their family members for over ten years. Whether in their home or at the 12-bed in-patient unit located on the Sacred Journey Hospice campus, this company has served over 4,000 patients and families to date. Sacred Journey began providing in-home hospice care in 2002, expanding their operations to include in-patient, on-site care at the McDonough facility in 2004. The hospice was founded by a group of oncology nurses and a physician assistant who shared a vision to fill a need for quality end-of-life care in the south Atlanta area. Lauretta Nester, MS, PA-C, is a Founder & CEO; Debra Parks, RN, OCN is a Founder & Director of Nursing; Tammy Jester, RN is a Founder; Robin Stanton, RN, OCN, CHPN is a Founder & CFO; and Gwendolyn Parks, RN, MSN, OCN, CHPN is a Founder & Director of Business Development. Sacred Journey initially provided hospice care in patient homes or in assisted living or nursing facilities. Within two years, however, the founders successfully opened the 12-bed inpatient facility in McDonough, which continues to be operated by these same

dedicated healthcare professionals. The Hospice employs 41 full-time employees and 38 part-time workers and volunteers. Patients come not only from Henry County, but from throughout the metro Atlanta surrounding counties as well. Community Support Through the Sacred Journey Hospice Foundation, nursing scholarships are awarded annually to eligible nursing students. The Hospice also offers a grief camp for children and sponsors a number of other local projects such as partnering with civic clubs to build wheelchair ramps where needed. Sacred Journey offers a “Vet to Vet” program, providing military veteran patients with certificates of appreciation presented by local veteran volunteers. For many recipients, it is the first, and perhaps only, recognition they receive for their duty to country. While these services tend to be as meaningful for the veteran(s) presenting the recognition as for the recipient, they are always significant events that are treasured by the veteran patient and their family members. Chamber Involvement Sacred Journey has been an active member of the Chamber since 2002. “The Henry County Chamber of Commerce provides a perfect foundation for networking, meeting fellow business members and having the opportunity to share our business and services while learning about the principles and services of other businesses in Henry County” says Volunteer Coordinator/ Hospice Liaison Annette Rogers.

ajor transporm 7 es d lu c in , a nd a s the T-SPLOST I am pleased nt projects within Henr y County utes to e m tation improvem enr y County residents who com pleased H y one of the 70% of each day to work , I am equall metro re ta and from Atlan being addressed across the enti is that congestion l of 157 major projects! a region with a tot Rober t Dunn, up Operations ro G – t n e id res Vice P ruction New South Const

bra Parks; L to R: Lauretta Nester; De Stanton; bin Tammy Jester; Ro Gwendolyn Parks

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Sacred Journey Hospi

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JULY 2012 Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

thursday

Friday

Saturday

Independence Day Chamber Closed

8:30 AM Golf Comm, Bd Rm

8 AM CVB BOD 10 AM Membership Comm, Bd Rm 11:30 Executive Comm, Bd Rm 3:30 PM Media Relations Comm, Bd Rm

TIP Luncheon

8 AM Youth Leadership Henry, Bd Rm

Noon - Ambassadors Luncheon

5:30 PM Business After Hours, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Chamber Staff Kay Pippin, President Laura Luker, Director of Tourism Diane Ide, Director of Communications Gary Sparrow, Membership Director Phyllis Reeves, Information Specialist 2012 Board of Directors Executive Committee Danny Brown, Chairman, SERVPRO® of Henry, Spalding & Clayton Counties & Decatur Eddie Ausband, Chair-Elect, The Ausband Agency, Inc. Leonard Moreland, Secretary/Treasurer, Heritage Bank Taylor Rice, Immediate Past Chair

Brad Thomas, Vice Chair for Economic & Cultural Development, Snapping Shoals EMC Charlie Scott, Vice Chair for Chamber Development, Piedmont Henry Hospital June Wood, Vice Chair for Government & Education, Georgia Power Julie Hoover-Ernst, CVB Chair, Henry County Board of Commissioners Kay Pippin, Henry County Chamber of Commerce President CLASS OF 2012 Herschel Arant, Central Georgia EMC Danny Brown, SERVPRO of Henry & Spalding Counties Steve Moore, Moore Bass Consulting, Inc. John Newman, Classic Landscapes, Inc. Laura Turner, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta June Wood, Georgia Power

CLASS OF 2013 Eddie Ausband, The Ausband Agency Greg Cannon, Cannon-Cleveland Funeral Directors Steve Nail, Nail Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Shane Persaud, Building Design Partnership, LLC Rhonda Segers Denise Sowell, Capitol Street Financial Services CLASS OF 2014 James Chafin, Judge, Henry County State Court Lisa Kinchen, Owner/Editor, H Magazine Leonard Moreland, President & CEO, Heritage Bank David Pittman, CFO, Bennett International Group William Strickland, President, Bellamy-Strickland Chevrolet Brad Thomas, President/CEO, Snapping Shoals EMC

Ex Officio Members Chairman Elizabeth “B.J.” Mathis, HC Board of Commissioners Mayor R.W. Coley, City of Hampton Mayor Robert Price, City of Locust Grove Mayor Billy Copeland, City of McDonough Mayor Lee Stuart, City of Stockbridge Ethan Hildreth, Superintendent, Henry County Schools Charlie Scott, CEO, Piedmont Henry Hospital Vickie Loper, Chairman, Henry County Development Authority Roderick Burch, Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority Michelle Nunnally, Leadership Henry Jake Carter, Chair Appointee Peto Fallas, Chair Appointee Gerald Hudgins, Chair Appointee

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Comfortably South of Atlanta

it’s happening in Henry July 4th Ice Cream Social July 4 - 7:00 pm McDonough Square

Mountain. As the sun sets we will enjoy a panoramic view of Atlanta’s fourth of July Night. We may glimpse fireworks in the The City of McDonough will commemorate distance and the full moon. Bring water Independence Day with a traditional and bug spray. Register in advance. $7 summertime dessert – ice cream. Join us for plus $5 parking. 770-389-7801. an Ice Cream Social on the Square! Celebrate freedom with a patriotic program and cool Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine & Fireworks, July 6 - 6:30 p.m. off with friends and neighbors.

Atlanta Motor Speedway

Henry County Extension Farmers Market

Thurs. May 31- September 27, 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. -- Heritage Park

Hampton Friday Farmer’s Market

Fri. June 1 – Sept., 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 2 West Main Street Visit the Farmer’s Market for fresh produce, jams, honey, breads, sweets, and arts and crafts! Please call 770-946-4306 for more information.

Locust Grove Farmers Market Sat. - June – Oct. – 8:00 a.m. - Noon Downtown Locust Grove

Each Saturday fresh produce will be available in the gravel lot across from the downtown business district. Call 770-692-2320 for more information.

Pick Your Own Blackberries & Blueberries • June & July Southern Belle Farm

Pick ripe, plump blackberries right from the plant! Visit www.southernbellefarm.com for hours and availability.

Pick Your Own Blueberries June – July Yule Forest Hwy 155

Visiting the Yule Forest Blueberry Farm is a fun way to get blueberries with family and friends. You will enjoy the quality of every bite from the blueberry field. So what are you waiting for? Grab your bucket and let’s get picking! All berries are pick your own. Berries are $1.50 a pound. Call 770-954-9356 for additional information.

The NeverEnding Story presented by The Henry Players June 28-30, 7:30 p.m. & July 1, 2:30 p.m. Henry County Performing Arts Center

Told with all the thrills of a classic adventure, the story begins with Bastian, a lonely boy, Henry County fireworks Extravaganza / who stumbles into a curious bookshop Firecracker 5K/10K where he discovers a curious book—The July 4, 8:00 a.m. Neverending Story. Bastian hides in the attic Nash Farm Park of his school and begins to read, and a huge Kick the July 4th festivities off with a bang adventure surges into life. Rated – G by participating in the Firecracker 5K/10K. Not a big runner? Sign up for the 1 mile walk and enter the little ones in the “tot trot.” Prizes will be awarded to the most patriotic costumes. Want to enjoy a whole day of fun after the run? Upgrade to an allday wristband. The fun ramps up at 11:00 a.m. when gates open for the afternoon activities. Plan to spend the day at Nash Farm participating in a cornhole tournament (with Thursday Thunder cash prizes), enjoying a car show, watching July 4, 5, 12, 19 & 26 the kids bounce on inflatables, devouring Atlanta Motor Speedway delicious festival food and listening to live Running every Thursday night from June music. When the sun goes down, sit back, 7 until July 26, NASCAR’s stars of tomorrow relax and enjoy Henry County’s Fourth of compete each week in Legends, Bandoleros, July Fireworks Extravaganza. The fireworks and Buzz Cars. Family-oriented fun in a will begin at approximately 9:00 p.m. kid-friendly environment which includes autograph sessions, a rock climbing wall, Hampton July 4th Celebration clowns, face painters and more. Nightly July 4, 10:00 a.m. special events include Root Beer chugging McBrayer Park contests, trivia games, a belly-flop contest and more. Kids ages six to 11 are admitted for The parade will begin at 10:00 a.m. at just $2 while adults pay only $6; admission is Hampton Elementary School and continue free for children ages five and younger. Visit through downtown Hampton and end www.atlantamotorspeedway.com for more back at the Elementary School. The festival will take place at McBrayer Park and will information or call (770) 946-4211. include inflatiables, a watermelon eating contest, a hula hooping contest, sack races, Special Thursday Thunder a water balloon toss, a DJ and T-Shirts will Featuring Papa John’s Pizza be available for $3. Bring a picnic and the Fireworks Extravaganza family!! This is a Main Street Program event, July 4 – 6:00 p.m. please contact Candy Franklin at 770-946Atlanta Motor Speedway 4306 for more information. Racing in Legends, Bandolero and Buzz Cars! Gates open at 6 p.m., feature races Fourth of July Night Hike at 7:30 p.m. Papa Joh n’s Pizza Fireworks July 4 - 8:30 p.m. Extravaganza to follow the last race. Panola Mountain State Park

America’s Birthday Celebration and Atlanta’s south side biggest and best fireworks display! Pit Area Tailgate Party! Bring the grill and chill on the infield for the closest place to see the fireworks! Before the fireworks enjoy heads up, street-style drag racing series on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s eighth-mile pit road. Pit gates open at 6:00 p.m. for competitors and grandstand gates open at 6:30 p.m. for fans. Show-N-Shine entries are accepted until 7:30 p.m.

Friday Night Drags and Show-N-Shine July 6,13, 20 & 27 Atlanta Motor Speedway

Competing nearly every Friday night from April through August, local competitors power up for weekly drag racing among several divisions. Everything from full-blown dragsters to grandma’s grocery-getter will compete in side-by-side, heads-up drag racing along the speedway’s pit road eighthmile drag strip. The Show-N-Shine Car Show offers fans a chance to show off their rides in the comforts of the NASCAR garage. Participating Show-N-Shine vehicles will be displayed on the frontstretch prior to the start of opening ceremonies, allowing fans an opportunity to walk on the track and look at the show cars up close. Admission is only $8 and children five and under are free. Visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com for more information or call (770) 946-4211

NASCAR Racing Experience July 6-8, Atlanta Motor Speedway

For more information visit: www.nascarracingexperience.com or call (877) RACE-LAP.

include hiking, fishing, frog hunting, bug Rockerz combine a mix of old school groove catching, bird watching, craft making, with timeless professionalism that stands out geocaching, orienteering and more. Bring from the crowd! lunch and snacks. Badge ceremony and family picnic will be held July 13 at 11:30. Tracks Unlimited Register in advance. $60 plus $5 parking. July 21-22 770-389-7801. Atlanta Motor Speedway Tracks Unlimited, LLC sponsors and hosts Richard Petty high-performance driving events, car control Driving Experience clinics to teach drivers how to make their July 12-15 car behave in a particular way based on external circumstances combined with driver Atlanta Motor Speedway For more information visit www. inputs, and ultimately even developing and drivepetty.com or call (800) BE-PETTY. operating a low budget racing series.www. tracksunlimited.net

Cinema on the Green July 28 – 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm McDonough Square

Stars Over Stockbridge: Moonlight Movie Series: “The Smurfs” July 15, Dusk Clark Community Park

Bring your blankets, coolers and the entire family out to enjoy the movie, “The Three Stooges,” displayed on the big screen in historic downtown McDonough.

You are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair and a picnic. Alcohol is not allowed in the park. For more information visit www. cityofstockbridge.com.

Noah’s Ark Arts & Crafts Fair July 21 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Noah’s Ark

Crafters, artists, gardeners, and home canners – register now to have a booth at the Noah’s Ark Summer Arts & Craft Fair! The fairs will be held the third Saturday April September. The fairs are open to the public 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

SpeedTech Racing School July 28-29 Atlanta Motor Speedway

For more information visit www. speedtech500.com or call (877) 80-SPEED.

Stockbridge Sounds of Summer: Concert Series Stevie G & The Rockerz July 21, 6:00 p.m. Stockbridge City Hall Lawn

Since 1995 Stevie G & The Rockerz are based in Henry County and have established themselves as one of the most popular classic acts in the southeast. The Rockerz deliver Junior Ranger Day Camp a top notch, energetic live show that thrills July 9-13 • 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. crowds and keeps them on their feet all Panola Mountain State Park night long! The band is made up of veteran Slow down this July 4th and join a ranger This 5-day program will introduce kids ages musicians who have worked with some of the for a leisurely stroll to the top of Panola 6-12 to the wonders of the outdoors. Activities biggest names in the music business. The

Dottie WISE

Associate Broker dottie.wise@metrobrokers.com metrobrokers.com/dottie.wise 404.843.2500 Office 678-443-8407 Direct 404.683.0912 Mobile METRO BROKERS 1401 Highway 20 West McDonough, GA 30253

Each Firm is independently Owned and Operated

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Finally, A Plan For Traffic Relief It wasn’t long ago that Henry County was recognized as one of the fastest growing counties in the entire country. Catching up with that kind of growth is kind of like chasing Olympic gold medalist sprinter Usain Bolt – no matter how hard you run, you won’t catch him until he slows down. The recent Great Recession has allowed that process to start; however, traffic congestion still traps commuters in their cars. While the state of Georgia has rightly focused on fixing the I-75 corridor, the upcoming July 31 Regional Transportation Referendum will finally allow the connecting roads that most local businesses use to be addressed. There is no better example of this than the area around the Tanger Outlet Center in Locust Grove. The center draws an incredible estimated five million visitors per year, resulting in a major economic boost for nearby stores, restaurants and other local businesses. However, the road infrastructure serving the outlet mall has not been upgraded in years. The interchange improvements at I-75 and Bill Gardner Parkway, as well as the widening of the parkway from I-75 to State Route 155 will finally grant shoppers access to and from their favorite discount stores (particularly around the holidays and other busy shopping days). “We are encouraged by the city, county and state authorities’commitment to resolving traffic issues in our immediate area. Tanger Outlets is completely supportive of every endeavor to improve the shoppers expe-

rience and make every shopping trip enjoyable,” said Holly Duffey, General Manager of Tanger Outlet Center in Locust Grove. Another major corridor that is overdue for an extreme makeover is US 23/SR 42 from Stockbridge to McDonough. Though we don’t expect to see ABC’s Ty Pennington performing his makeover magic on this road, business owners will certainly be glad to see a widened, efficient roadway allowing customers and shipments to arrive on time (and in a better mood). Much of Georgia’s thriving economy has been driven by the Port of Savannah and the flow of goods up I-16 and I-75 to the Atlanta region. A recent University of Georgia study commissioned by the Georgia Ports Authority showed that more than $8 billion of goods shipped through Savannah end up in the Metro Atlanta region each year. Henry County has used its strategic location along that shipping corridor to its advantage, creating thousands of jobs in distribution centers, with many of those centers located near the I-75 interchange and State Route 155. Truck traffic in the area is proof that economic activity is thriving, but it also a headache for truck drivers and locals as well. The widening of SR 155 from Bill Gardner Parkway to Racetrack Road will allow more efficient access to those distribution centers from I-75. With many north-south routes included in the project list, roundtable members also knew eastwest connectivity is critical to area employers. The recent completion of the Eagle’s Landing Parkway widening project offers a parallel corridor to SR

a new tax. But we are Some people say we can’t afford n tax, spent by every tio already paying a tax – a conges sted fuel and lost time. metro commuter on wa erage metro driver The congestion tax costs the av we don’t invest in $924 a year – and if ll only rise. transportation, that number wi

Bank sident/CEO, Heritage Leonard Moreland, Pre

138 in the northern part of the county. The regional referendum offers some badly needed additional east-west improvements, such as widening of SR 81 (Keys Ferry Road) leaving the city of McDonough and extending out to Bethany Road as well as the completion of the east-west one-way pair project on SR 20/SR 81 through downtown McDonough. An additional project will offer an alternative for local traffic on those when days I-75 is clogged (which is just about every day) — the Western Connector running parallel to the interstate from Hudson Bridge Road to Jonesboro Road. Finally, the entire Southern Crescent will be

served by continued progress on the Atlanta to Lovejoy and Griffin commuter rail line. The $20 million included in the Metro Atlanta referendum for the commuter rail line gets drivers one step closer to having a fast, efficient commuting alternative to US 19/US 41 and I-75 through Clayton, Henry and Spalding counties. This rail line also crosses regional boundaries, and if votes in other regions are successful, there could be as much as $80 million (including existing federal funding) available to jumpstart the long stagnated commuter rail service from Atlanta to Griffin and eventually to Macon.

What’s in the T-SPLOST for Henry County? $193 million in direct investments for 7 major transportation infrastructure projects with significant regional impact. These projects are: • US 23 / SR 42 from SR 138 to SR 155 Widening $44 million (TIA-HE-001) • SR 155 (North McDonough Road) from Bill Gardner Parkway to Racetrack Road m u d n - Widening (Phase 1 Road Widening) re spor tation refe ded by n a tr e th l $48 million (TIA-HE-003) il w Not only projects fun ill e th t bu s, • Bill Gardner Parkway from SR 155 d oa r unclog our our region w in h it w t (North McDonough Road) to I-75 en sp $8 billion being r region’s economy and is proSouth – Widening (Road Widening) a $27 million (TIA-HE-OO5) pump life into out and sustain over 7,000 jobs • SR 20/81 (Hampton Street / Keys jected to suppor year between 2013 and 2040.. Ferry Road) from Jonesboro Road at t en id , Pres Kay Pippin mmerce Norfolk Southern Railroad to Lemon f Co Chamber o ty n u Street - Extension and Upgrade of o C Henry One-Way Pair through McDonough $11million (TIA-HE-008)

• Western Parallel Connector from Hudson Bridge Road to SR 920 (Jonesboro Road) - New Alignment $17 million (TIA-HE-01) • I-75 South at Bill Gardner Parkway - Interchange Improvements $19 million (TIA-HE-015) • State Route 81 (Keys Road) from Lemon Street to Bethany Road (Road Widening) $27 million (TIAHE-016) PLUS 15% share of funds raised within our community for local projects in addition to the major transportation investments listed above. An additional 15% will be designated to each jurisdiction. This investment will provide more than $74 million over 10 years for local transportation projects like intersection improvements, repaving, improved signal timing, sidewalks and more. Here’s how these funds will be allocated annually: City of Hampton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $208,013 City of Locust Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $254,592 City of McDonough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $492,521

City of Stockbridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $478,028 Unincorporated Henry County . . . . . . . . . . $6,036,768 PLUS $11.8 million for continuation of Henry County’s GRTA Xpress Bus Service (no other funding exists for this program and bus service will end if referendum does not pass) That’s a total return of $278 million to Henry County! “The Metro Atlanta Regional T-SPLOST, a one-cent sales tax to be levied over a ten-year period, is projected to yield over $7 billion in revenue with $279 million of it generated in Henry County. Over $278 million will be returned directly to Henry County for transportation projects,” said HCCC Chairman Danny Brown, “that’s a 99% return on our investment in regional transportation funding.” AND THE REFERENDUM INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL $20 MILLION for the Atlanta to Griffin Commuter Rail (Fulton, Clayton and Henry Counties) $20 million (TIA- CL-002)

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Call or Come in Today! 16 Hampton Street McDonough, GA 30253

770-957-9005

July Chamber Briefs ... Congratulations to: State Representative Andy Welch (R-McDonough) on receiving the 2012 “Champion of Georgia’s Cities Award” from the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) at the Locust Grove council meeting on June 4. This award is given at the end of every two-year legislative term to state legislators who actively support major GMA initiatives and goals. Of particular note is that Rep Welch, a partner at the law firm of Smith, Welch, Webb & White, was honored with this award in his first term. Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority on being named “Plant of the Year” for its Bear Creek Water Reclamation Facility operations by the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP) at their Spring Conference & Expo. HCWSA also received the GAWP Platinum Award for the fifth straight year for having 100% permit compliance at its Towaliga and Tussahaw Water Treatment Facilities. The HCWSA Bear Creek, Springdale, and Walnut Creek Water Reclamation Facilities all received Gold Awards for 100% permit compliance during 2011.

Sign*A*Rama-McDonough, Kenn and Katherine Yancey owners, on celebrating three years and for being one of the leading franchisees in the worldwide Sign*A*Rama system. The store achieved 2011 sales of $1.2 million, ranking them 22 among Sign*A*Rama’s 830+ global locations. Renaissance Organics, a food distributorship recently opened its doors in McDonough. The company, under the leadership of Dee Dee Digby, distributes

organic and sustainably grown produce and natural foods from all over the world with a focus on the SE United States. Courthouse Square Market, an open-air market, has also opened between the Chafin Furniture building and the McDonough Welcome Center. The market is open Saturdays from 8:00 am to 12 noon and sells locally grown vegetables along with artisan crafts. They also feature certified 100% organic fruits and vegetables from Renaissance Organics.

Piedmont Henry Hospital for generating $326 million in revenue for local and state economy in 2010, as recently reported by the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA).

Henry County School System for work resulting in students’ increased CRCT results that pertain to meeting or exceeding standards and ranking above state averages.

H Magazine for winning Bronze for “Best Photography” for their January/February 2011 article on “Dean Patterson Survivor” and for “Honorable Mention” for having the “Best Single Cover” for their July/August 2011 “Art is the Heart of Henry County” issue at the 23rd Annual Gamma Awards hosted by Magazine Association of the Southeast (MAGS). H Magazine took these honors in a pool that consisted of many well-known magazines like Veranda, Southern Living, Lake Oconee Living, South Magazine, Alabama Magazine and others.

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Publication of Henrycounty.com is made possible in part by the support of the Board Members of the Henry County Chamber of Commerce. Thank You!

City of Stockbridge

erful new state-of-the-art system for finding the best site or building for your company, our

FIRE & WATER- CLEANUP & RESTORATION 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE

770-957-6601 770-914-6178 FAX

team of professionals provides world-class service to meet all your site location needs. We are here to be part of your team by providing our expertise, products, and services to you free of charge. From target industry knowledge to site analysis to visit coordination, we do

Danny Brown General Manager

it all. Contact us. We’re ON so you can be.®

ethan.hildreth@henry.k12.ga.us

770-389-7910 Henry County Chamber of Commerce Convention & Visitors Bureau 1709 Highway 20 West Westridge Business Center McDonough, GA 30253

770-957-5786

City of Hampton R. W. Coley Mayor

P.O. Box 400 17 East Main Street South Hampton, Georgia 30228

City Hall: 770.946.4306 Fax: 770.946. 4356

934 DAILEY MILL ROAD McDONOUGH, GA 30253 dbrown@servpro8537.com

22 N. Zack Hinton Parkway McDonough, Georgia 30253

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 75 FIFTH STREET NW, SUITE 175 ATLANTA, GA 30308 ECONDEVGA@SOUTHERNCO.COM WWW.SELECTGEORGIA.NET

City of McDonough 770-957-3915

Superintendent

If you’re looking for the perfect location, we can help. Along with SelectGeorgia, our pow-

Lee Stuart, Mayor

Billy Copeland, Mayor

OF CLAYTON COUNTY OF DECATUR OF HENRY & SPALDING COUNTIES

Ethan Hildreth

(770) 997-5689 (404) 378-9998 (678) 432-3003 FAX: (770) 914-1078

Nationally Known - Locally Owned

Companion Care Cremation Services

Eddie Ausband, CFP 4920 N. Henry Blvd Stockbridge, GA 30281 Phone: 770-507-401K 770-389-9060 x 102 eausband@revanta.com

Henry County’s choice for

770-775-7857 www.cgemc.com

Henry County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Proudly Serving Henry County

Every LIFE has a story. Celebrate it!

Greg Cannon

770-914-1414

www.cannonclevelandfunerals.com

910 Dailey Mill Road McDonough, GA 30253

770-692-3819 Greg Cannon owner

“Lillie”

www.companioncarega.com

Q. What areas are covered in the metro Atlanta Region for this referendum? A. The region consists of the City of Atlanta and Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties. Q. What is TSPLOST? A. Some refer to the Transportation Investment Act as a TSPLOST or a Transportation Special Local Option Sales Tax. It is actually a regional tax that has specific projects rather than categories like a county SPLOST list. Q. How much money will be raised by the transportation referendum? I hear so many different amounts. How much is it really? A. Georgia’s state economist estimates that the total amount raised would be $7.2 billion in 2011 dollars. This amount would be split into two separate pots of money: $6.1 billion for the regional projects that were selected by the Regional Roundtable (which represents 85% of the total amount). The remaining 15% would be allocated to each county and the municipalities within the counties for local projects. Q. Is this tax permanent? A. The penny tax will be in place for ten years or until the funding level is reached, whichever comes first. By law, the tax cannot be extended unless approved by voters. Q. Can the money collected be used for items not related to transportation, such as education? A. No. Unlike other state and local taxes, revenues raised from this penny tax can only be spent on the

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specific project list approved by the Regional Roundtable on October 13, 2011 (85% of the revenue) and on local transportation projects selected by local counties and municipalities (15% of the revenue). Q. How will the money be divided and spent throughout the region? A. The transportation money raised in our region will only fund projects in Atlanta and our 10-County region. The majority of the money would be used for regional projects. However, 15 percent of the funds raised will be distributed to counties and municipalities for them to use, as they determine, on their own local transportation and infrastructure projects. Q. What is the dollar amount of the 15% that counties and cities will get and what can it be spent on? A. The discretionary 15% funding can be spent on any new or existing airports, bike lanes, bridges, bus and rail mass transit systems, freight and passenger rail, pedestrian facilities, ports, roads, terminals, and all activities and structures useful and related to providing, operating, and maintaining the same. The dollars can also be spent as a local match for state or federal funding. This chart can be found at http://www.atlantaregionalroundtable.com/documents/discretionary_Money.pdf. Q. Is it guaranteed that the money will be spent only on the selected projects? A. The Transportation Investment Act requires strict accountability. A Citizen Oversight Committee of

non-elected officials would be appointed by the Speaker of the House and Lieutenant Governor to help ensure that projects are completed on time and on budget. An annual audit published on a public website will report progress on individual projects and keep citizens apprised of project spending. Q. Who selects the transportation projects? A. After gathering an unprecedented amount of public input from over 200,000 metro Atlanta residents, the Atlanta Regional Roundtable selected the list of projects that would be funded if the referendum passes. This list was chosen by the Roundtable using the following criteria: reducing traffic congestion, creating jobs, and improving quality of life. The 21-member Roundtable consisted of the county commission chair and one mayor from each of the 10 counties plus the Mayor of Atlanta. The Roundtable unanimously approved the project list on October 13, 2011. Q. How does this funding source connect with other funds for transportation projects? A. The TIA project list is designed to maximize federal and state dollars. Every project submitted for consideration and ultimate approval on the final list had to come from an existing plan. As a result, projects funded through TIA either complement an existing project or jump start a new phase of a plan to enhance mobility. If the sales tax is passed, it will free up funds already programmed and those will now be eligible for additional regional priorities. Q. If the projects come in under cost, what happens to the remaining dollars? A. The law requires that any excess dollars will be apportioned back to the local jurisdictions to be used on local transportation projects based on the percentage of population and lane miles in each jurisdiction. Q. I’ve heard that the money collected will not pay for the entire project in some cases – what happens to that project when TIA money runs out? A. All of the projects have been scoped to meet the funds available through this process. An an-

nual audit will track progress and citizens will be able to monitor which projects are on budget and those that may have run into additional roadblocks. Q. What happens if the regional sales tax doesn’t pass? A. Today, local governments must provide a local match in order to receive their state local maintenance grants. If the voters turn down the transportation referendum in 2012, the local match increases to 30%. If the project list is adopted and the voters pass the transportation referendum in 2012, the local match drops to 10%. In addition, the region cannot try again for at least two years. Jurisdictions will have to use additional sources of revenue to fund transportation projects such as grants, toll roads, local tax or bond referendums and federal money. Q. Can changes be made to the project list and if so, when is the last date to make changes? A. The Roundtable has approved the final list and no further changes can be made. Local governments are working now to determine how they will spend the 15% of funds that will be allocated to local projects. Q. Are the transportation projects chosen by the Roundtable the best solution? A. That’s for the voters to decide. The priorities set by the Roundtable will be the subject of public debate between now and Election Day and there are strong-held views on both sides. Q. Are any of my sales tax dollars going to be spent outside the region? A. No. By law, all sales taxes collected in the metro Atlanta region must

be spent within Atlanta and the 10-county region. Q. Will bonds be issued to pay for these projects? A. Currently, the legislation is silent on the issuance of bonds. Q. Are there any items or sales that are exempt from the regional sales tax? A. Exemptions from the tax include: motor fuel; jet fuel; offroad fuel for heavy-duty, farm, or agricultural equipment; locomotive fuel; public mass transit fuel; the sale or use of energy used in manufacturing or processing tangible goods; and, building and construction materials. In addition, the tax is only levied on the first $5,000 of any transaction involving the sale or lease of a motor vehicle. Q. What about other counties outside the 10-county metro Atlanta region? A. The state has been divided into 12 regions. Each region will vote on July 31, 2012 for their regional transportation referendum. For information about the other 11 regions across Georgia, visit www.ConnectGeorgia2012.com. Q. How can I get more information about the referendum and project list in the 10-county metro Atlanta region? A. Visit www.TransformMetroAtlanta.com or www.AtlantaRegionalRoundtable.com to read more facts and information about the referendum and transportation project list. Q. When is the referendum scheduled? A. The Transportation Investment Act (TIA) referendum is scheduled for July 31, 2012 during the General Primary Election.

BELLAMY-STRICKLAND

Chevrolet • Oldsmobile • Pontiac • GMC Trucks BELLAMY STRICKLAND I-75 5 . 15 Hwy McDonough

I-75 • Exit 216 145 Industrial Blvd. McDonough, GA

770-954-3000

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business

Boosters luncheon

June BBL – Contracting with Local Government Organizations June’s Business Boosters Luncheon featured a topic of interest to several member businesses that seek to win business with the county, the school system, and our city governments. They gleaned valuable insights from Dr. Ethan Hildreth, Henry County Schools Superintendent, Tim Young, City Manager of Locust Grove, and Rod Gray, Henry County’s Director of Purchasing. Dr. Hildreth was unable to participate in the presentation, however, he provided a list of instructions for doing business with HCS. Mr. Young outlined the approval process for gaining work with Locust Grove, outlining the various levels requiring approval. He explained the process for putting work out for bid, the difference in approving capital items, lowest bidder importance and ended with advising attendees to get on the city’s bid list. Mr. Gray explained that the county has a Purchasing Division authorized to

handle all purchases under $10,000 and outlined the process for obtaining sealed bids for other work and how the responses are evaluated and ultimately awarded. He enlightened the group with the county’s position on “Henry First” vendors, whereby Henry County vendors meeting qualifications receive preference for purchases of $100,000 or less. Mr. Gray spoke about how Requests for Proposal (RFPs) are sent to qualified registered vendors and advised that RFPs are posted on the Georgia Local Government Access Marketplace at the statewide level. He also advised that a special

Reminder: Help Welcome our New Teachers/ Promote Your Business Items for the 125 Teacher Induction Program (TIP) gift bags are needed by July 13. Please drop items off at the Chamber. Items specific to teachers are desired; no printed advertisements unless they contain coupons for FREE items and do not require a purchase to be made by the teacher. Thanks for all your support for education!

bonding and insurance provision is made for small, minority and woman-owned businesses. He made a listing of current bid opportunities available to those present and advised that the new Fiscal Year is about to start, so more opportunities should open in the next few months.

e no There will b sters Business Boo ... July Luncheon in ume l res meetings wil in August.

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May’s Business After Hours was the Triple Crown of Car Racing at the AMS!

business AFTER HOURS

July Business After Hours Thursday, July 26 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Hosted by

1510 Hudson Bridge Road Stockbridge (404) 785-8660

Lucky Grand Prize Winner, Michelle Williams with Greg Walter

Yulanda Beauford, President, Clayton County Chamber; Kay Pippin, President, Henry County Chamber; Bonnie Pfrogner, President, Griffin-Spalding Chamber and Greg Walter, AMS VP of Sales

July’s Business After Hours will spotlight a newcomer to Henry County as we tour the facilities of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s new Urgent Care Center in Stockbridge. Managing more than half a million patient visits annually at three hospitals and 17 neighborhood locations, Children’s is one of the largest clinical care providers for children in the country. Children’s at Hudson Bridge will offer the same great quality of care for minor illnesses and injuries 365 days a year. Join us on July 26 to learn more about the services offered at Children’s at Hudson Bridge and get a sneak peek at the new facility opening August 1. Be sure to bring plenty of business cards to network with other Chamber members and for the door prize drawings.

Eula Rodney happy with winnings

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Club One was a beautiful and exciting setting for the May 22 Business After Hours as the venue played host to nearly 300 eager participants from three neighboring Chambers of Commerce (Henry, Clayton and Griffin-Spalding.) The first 96 to arrive and sign up were treated to pace car rides on the track – which meant that several people showed up early! Forty-four member businesses donated great door prizes – thanks to all who made a donation! The grand prize was donated by AMS and consisted of two Champion grandstand tickets, two pre-race concert passes and Sunday pre-race pit passes – all won by Michelle R. Williams with P&D Enterprises Fleet Repair & Sales, Inc, a member of the Griffin-Spalding Chamber. To add to the fun and as a way to give back to the community, a 50/50 Raffle resulted in lucky winner, Eula C. Rodney with MaidPro and a member of the Clayton County Chamber, winning $282. $282 also went to Speedway Children’s Charities. Guests feasted on delicious food prepared and served by the Speedway’s caterer, Levy Restaurants, while enjoying the sights of the racetrack through the views afforded by Club One. It was a night of fun filled with many winners – of prizes, money, and pace car rides – a memorable Business After Hours – thanks especially to Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Kristi Wilson, Tiffany Trahan and Greg Walter.

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The Chamber has a New Website! Friday, May 25th, was not just the last workday preceding a three-day Memorial Day weekend, it was also the long-anticipated launch date for Henry County Chamber’s new website, www.henrycounty.com. The new website offers a wealth of information about the Chamber, the county, the four cities, and numerous other references in an organized and easy-to-find manner. It offers members several opportunities to: • Create a unique web presence on the site (and can even serve as a website for member businesses without one) • Post events in addition to jobs and member-tomember discounts • Register online for Chamber events • Increase the likelihood your business will be found when visitors are looking for your type of services • Pay Chamber dues, event registrations and other items online – and much more! Kudos to Tony Moye for being the first person to join and pay dues online from the new website! Advertising opportunities for July – December 2012 are now available on the Chamber website for members. Ad spaces are limited and available on a first-come / first served basis – so make the decision today to include the Chamber website as part of your marketing strategy – call 770-9575786 to request pricing, specifications and an Ad Request Form.

Vote Yes July 31 Untie Atlanta TRANSPORTATION REFERENDUM

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CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP Welcome to our NEW Members

4 Rivers Ministry / Feed My People Allyson Lewis 6045 N. Henry Blvd. Suite C, Stockbridge GA 30281 (678) 565-7800 Bear Creek Consulting, LLC Arley Lowe 171 Lake Hampton Drive, Hampton GA 30228 (678) 458-1061 City of Hampton Downtown Development Authority May 18 Ronnie Huggins Sears Hometown Store P.O. Box 400, Hampton GA 30228 Griffin (770) 468-7895 1503 Highway 16 W Sundance Creek Griffin, GA 30223 Jill Browning Contact: Randy Pollard (770) 227-9402 575 McDonough Pkwy, McDonough GA 30253 www.searshometownstoreg.com (770) 898-2424 A Better Plumbing Service Rick Ingram 1216 Green St SW, Conyers GA 30012 (770) 929-8360 Advanced Comfort & Energy Heath Tanner 400 Thorne Hill Ct, Hampton GA 30228 (678) 345-4302 Associated Fuel Systems, Inc Doug Patterson P.O. Box 67, Conley GA 30288 (404) 361-1361 Cherry Berry June 1 Lou Evilsizer State Farm Insurance 4926 Bill Gardner Pkwy, Locust Grove GA 30248 Brian Brakefield 30 East Main Street N (404) 435-8294 Hampton, GA 30228 Healing Hands Chiropractic and Wellness Center Contact: Brian Brakefield Dr. Patricia L. Evans (770) 626-5284 550 Eagles Landing Parkway, Suite 205, Stockbridge www.brianbrakefield.com GA 30281 (770) 389-4325 Hughes Supply Brian Wisener 120 Westridge Industrial Blvd., McDonough GA 30253 (678) 432-2253

Henry County Branch of the NAACP Eugene Edwards P.O. Box 1452, Stockbridge GA 30281 (404) 433-3290 KIK Georgia, LLC David Caisse 75 Pine View Drive, Hampton GA 30228 (770) 707-8304 American Family Insurance / Connie Zbikowski Agency Connie Zbikowski 4930 Bill Gardner Parkway, Locust Grove GA 30248 (678) 734-3210 CrossFit Essentials Zack Marler 177 Kendra Drive, McDonough GA 30253 (404) 372-4973 Henry County Rodeo Association Sam Davis 127 Racetrack Road, McDonough GA 30253 (770) 318-7917 Gold’s Gym - McDonough Louis Governo 1090 Regency Plaza Boulevard, McDonough GA 30253 (770) 957-0804 Sears Hometown Store - Griffin Randy Pollard 1503 Highway 16 W, Griffin GA 30223 (770) 227-9402 Eagle’s Landing Family Practice Jeff Mitcham 62 Kelly Road, McDonough GA 30253 (770) 914-0116 Courthouse Square Market James Chafin 240 Chafin Dr., McDonough GA 30252 (770) 355-9064 Brittany L Montrois, CPA PC Brittany Montrois 2116 Jodeco Road West, McDonough GA 30253 (770) 474-6116

CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP Thank You to our RENEWING Members

June 6 MediCrest Home Care

15-R Jonesboro Street McDonough, GA 30253 Contact: Tova Nieves (404) 946-3313 www.medicresthomecare.com

Seniors Helping Seniors Vulcan Materials Company Georgia’s Own Credit Union Personnel Options, Inc. Sutherland’s Foodservice, Inc. Coldwell Banker / Bullard Realty-Steve Bullard GoldenCrest at Eagle’s Landing McDonough Woman’s Club Brown, Nelms & Company, P.C. F & F Floor Covering & Carpet, Inc. Accent Window Tinting & Alarms, Inc. Fairfield Inn & Suites Greer Agency, The Harding Plumbing & Supply, Inc. Heritage Bank Jones & Kolb C.P.A.

Mary M. House, LLC Strong Rock Christian School W. D. Lemon & Sons Funeral Home Bellamy - Strickland Chevrolet, Buick-GMC Lady Fencer, Inc. Loggins & Associates, P.C. ALPLA, Inc. Bank of North Georgia Campbell’s Equipment Company Charles Sims Meadowlark Apartments The French Market American Family Insurance - Tracy Thompson Haven House United Way Georgia Sheriffs’ Association

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FINANCIAL FOCUS

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Don’t take a vacation from investing Summer is here — which means a vacation most likely isn’t far away. Whether you’re hitting the road, jumping on a plane or even enjoying a “staycation” at home, you’re probably looking forward to some down time with your family. But not every aspect of your life should be relaxed. Specifically, you don’t want to take a vacation from investing — which means you need to become a diligent, year-round investor. Here are a few suggestions that can help: • Keep on investing. Don’t head to the investment “sidelines” when the financial markets experience volatility. You don’t want to be a nonparticipant when things turn around because, historically, the early stage of any market rally is generally when the biggest gains occur. (Keep in mind that past performance of the market is not a guarantee of

future results.) • Keep learning. In just about any classroom, the best students are the ones who get the most out of their education and put their learning to the best use. And the same is true of the investment world: The more you know about the forces that affect your investments’ performance, and about why you own the investments you do, the more likely you are to make the right moves — and the less likely you’ll be to make hasty and unwise decisions. • Keep your focus on the long term. As an investor, you need to look past those events — such as natural disasters, recession fears and political instability abroad — that may have noticeable short-term effects on the financial markets but little impact over the longer term. So instead of making investment decisions based on today’s headlines, think about what you

want your financial picture to look like in 10, 20 or 30 years — and take the appropriate steps to help make that picture materialize. These steps include following a long-term, disciplined investment strategy that’s suitable for your individual needs, making adjustments as time goes on and working with a professional financial adviser who knows your situation and can help you make the right choices. • Keep looking for growth opportunities. To achieve your longterm goals, such as a comfortable retirement, you’ll need to own growth-oriented investments, such as stocks and other investments that contain equities. The percentage of your holdings devoted to stocks should be based on your risk tolerance, time horizon and proximity to retirement. But no matter what your situation, you want a portfolio

that’s designed to help you meet your investment goals. • Keep relying on “hardworking” investments. To help ensure your investments are working hard for you, choose those vehicles that can help you in multiple ways. For example, when you invest in a 401(k) or other employersponsored retirement plan, your money grows on a tax-deferred basis, which means it can accumulate faster than if it were placed in an investment on which you paid taxes every year. (Keep in mind that taxes are due upon withdrawal, and withdrawals prior to age 59? may be subject to a 10% IRS penalty.) Plus, you typically fund your 401(k) with pretax dollars, so the more you put in each year, the lower your taxable income. Furthermore, with the choices available in your plan, you can create a good mix of investments.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY As we enjoy this Independence Day, let us also celebrate our freedom. We are free to set goals, make choices and take steps to prepare for the future we want to live.

Enjoy your vacation this summer. But no matter what the season, don’t take a break from investing. Your efforts may pay off nicely for you in the future.

Call today to start taking steps toward your financial independence

Financial Advisor John H. Dorminy 190 Turner Street McDonough, GA 30253 (770) 957-0250

Member SIPC

www.edwardjones.com

Financial Advisor Lin Watts 305 Olde Towne Way McDonough, GA 30252 (678) 583-1325

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