Henry County Update - July 18th, 2013

July 18, 2013

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Kiwanis Donation Will Assist Police With Prescription Drug Disposal

Called Meetings July 23rd at 9:00 a.m.

July 25th at 6:00 p.m.

July 29th at 6:00 p.m.

August 5th at 10:00 a.m.

Regular Meetings August 6th at 9:00 a.m.

August 20th at 6:30 p.m.

Meetings held at: Administration Building Community Room 140 Henry Parkway McDonough, GA 30253 Regular Commission meetings will air Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays on Henry TV Channel 14 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, at 9 a.m. & 7 p.m.

Tony Moye with the Henry County Kiwanis Club (front row, right) presents a pill disposal box to Henry County to launch a Pill Take Back Program in Henry County. Pictured with him are Henry County Commission Chairman Tommy Smith (front row, left), (second row, from left to right) Major Mark Amerman, District 3 Commissioner Gary Barham; (third row, from left to right) District 4 Commissioner Reid Bowman, District 5 Commissioner Bruce Holmes, District 1 Commissioner Bo Moss and District 2 Commissioner Brian Preston.

At its regular Tuesday meeting, the program. The bins were originally donated Henry County Board of Commissioners by the McDonough Post Office and accepted the donation of two Prescription refurbished by the Kiwanis Club.

Drug Take Back receptacles from the Henry When it comes to prescription County Kiwanis Club on behalf of the Henry drugs, abuse is at an all-time high. Often, County Police Department to assist law these medicines remain in the home after enforcement with its drug disposal they are no longer needed by the patient and Continued on Page 2 the henry county update

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Commissioners Amp Up Emergency Notification System for Citizens The Henry County Board of Commissioners took several steps Tuesday night during its regular meeting to help ensure citizens’ safety during emergency situations. The first was the approval of the purchase of early warning storm sirens, and the second step was the purchase of an emergency notification system.

“Both of these projects enhance our ability to provide citizens with the earliest possible warning of severe weather, understanding that early notice saves lives,” said Don Ash, Director of the Henry County Emergency Operations Center.

Henry County’s current weather sirens were installed in 1995, when the County’s population was less than half what it is today.

Consequently, previously uninhabited areas of the County are now densely populated but completely lack storm siren coverage.

While the current sirens can only transmit sound in a single direction, the nineteen new sirens by Sirens for Cities of Jonesboro, Georgia can transmit sound 360 degrees simultaneously with a 5,200 ft. radius, and they have a battery back-up, ensuring they will still be operational, even if the power goes out.

The nineteen new sirens will be positioned strategically throughout the County to help create a blanket of coverage that maximizes public safety. They are expected

to be installed within 120 days.

The total cost of these sirens was $340,100; however, a federal grant will provide $253,125, leaving $84,375 to come from the Capital Lease Funds and $2,600 to come from the 2012 PPA grant funds.

To coincide with the new sirens, Henry County will also be implementing an emergency notification system that will enable citizens to sign up for free to receive emergency alerts to their home phone, cell phone and other mobile devices.

Subscribers will receive advance weather warnings, as well as information and instructions in the event of other crises or disasters.

The emergency notification system will be provided by Emergency Management Telecommunications of Melbourne, Florida, at a cost of $19,995.

A federal grant will pay 75 percent, with a local match of just $4,998.75 to be paid for with Capital Lease Funds.

To sign up to receive these emergency alerts, simply click on the Emergency Notification System link on the right hand side of the county’s home page, www.henrycountyga.org. You will be redirected to a form where you can provide the email addresses and phone numbers to which you would like the alerts sent. Alerts will not begin until August 1 at the earliest.

HENRY COUNTY D.O.T ROAD RESURFACING SCHEDULE For the week of July 22nd, 2013 Greenwood Industrial Parkway will be resurfaced.* *Weather permitting.

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Focus will be on Education The July Town Hall will focus on the future of Henry County Public Schools and Henry County School Superintendent Ethan Hildreth will be the featured guest speaker.

July 27, 2013 • 9am Cross Road Christian Church 5365 North Henry Blvd. in Stockbridge Across from the QT

DRUG DISPOSAL From Page 1 then become susceptible to misuse or abuse and studies process after the Safe and Secure Drug Disposal Act of 2010 show that the majority of teens who abuse prescription drugs was signed into law. With the acceptance of this donation of obtain them from family and friends, even from the home disposal boxes, Henry County will be one of the first medicine cabinet. jurisdictions in Georgia to participate in the Pill Take “Henry County ranks in the top five for most Back Program. controlled substances prescribed in the State, and 80 percent The receptacles will enable residents to dispose of of the medications that the kids pass around come from mom unused or expired prescription drugs in special receptacles and dad’s house,” explained Tony Moye, retired pharmacist in a safe and convenient manner. Residents may drop off and founder of Moye’s Pharmacy, and member of the State these unwanted prescription medication from 8 a.m. to 5 Board of Pharmacy. p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays, at two Experts say that many people simply don’t know how convenient locations in the County: to dispose of prescription drugs and end up flushing them • The Henry County Police Department down the toilet or throwing them away in the trash. Both of Headquarters located at 108 S. Zack Hinton these methods can pose safety and environmental hazards.

Parkway in McDonough Flushing drugs can leach chemicals into the water table and • The Henry County Police Department North Precinct located at 4545 North Henry Blvd. turn up in nearby lakes and streams. Throwing drugs in the in Stockbridge trash can also leach into the environment.

Syringes will not be collected. Drugs will be “Even a multivitamin is considered toxic waste by federal standards, so people are stuck,” said Moye, who is incinerated along with the police department’s routine disposal of street drugs during the normal course of business also a member of the Henry County Kiwanis Club.

To address this growing problem, the Drug and at no additional cost to the County.

Enforcement Agency (DEA) developed a drug disposal

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Competing Blood Drives for a Good Cause Every day donated blood is used to save the lives of countless patients in Henry County and across the state, and blood donations of all types are always needed.

To help support the life saving measures of providing blood, the Henry County Police Department and the Henry County Sheriff’s Department are hosting a Battle of the Badges Blood Drive, to be held on Tuesday, July 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Each law enforcement department will have their own convenient donation site set up at their respective offices.

Donations for the Police Department will be held at the Henry County Government Annex (Public Safety Building in the training room) located at 108 S. Zack Hinton Parkway in McDonough. The donation site for the Sheriff’s Office will be held on the second floor of the Sheriff’s Administration

Building located at 120 Henry Parkway in McDonough.

Come support the great cause of life-saving blood donation and as a thank you, each presenting donor will receive a free tee shirt and be entered into a drawing for a $1,000, and if at least the goal of 37 pints is reached, there will also be a drawing for four $25 gift cards.

“Our goal is to definitely exceed that,” said Sgt. Jimmie Spence, with The Henry County Sheriff’s Office.

Individuals who are 17 years of age or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. To schedule an appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code hcgvt.

If you have questions about eligibility, please call 1.800. RED CROSS.

NATASHA • German Shorthaired Pointer Mix www.petfinder.com/petdetail/26682376 Natasha is a very amazing smart friendly and humble girl. She is a kennel favorite. Tasha is healing from an ingrown collar, we are glad her wounds are not worse. She was found with her chain stuck to the Water Treatment plants fence. Who knows how long she had been tangled there in the wooded part of the property. She had dug a hole to lay in trying to keep cool. We hope her forever home is out there somewhere, we want to see this great soul make it out! (770) 288-PETS. My I.D. # 7/2-1792please refer to this number when inquiring about me. Lost and stray animals are held at the Henry County Animal Care and Control Shelter for four (4) calendar days (excluding Sundays and county holidays) in order to give their owners a chance to reclaim them. After that time period, adoptable animals are held as long as space allows.

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