March 03, 2016
Board of
Commissioners
HCPD Unveils Team of Police Dogs
Regular Meetings March 15 at 6:30 PM April 5 at 9:00 AM Meetings held at: Administration Building Community Room 140 Henry Parkway McDonough, GA 30253 Regular Commission meetings air daily on Henry TV Channel 180 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, at 9 a.m. & 7 p.m. Member of the Henry County Police Department K-9 unit with their four-legged partners.
The Henry County Police Department recently introduced its newest fourlegged crime stoppers with the unveiling of its fleet of K-9 police officers and vehicles. The Henry County K-9 Unit currently consists of four officers who have each been assigned a Belgian Malinois canine “partner”. All four canines are dual purpose dogs that are trained in narcotics detection, criminal apprehension, tracking, article/ area searches, building searches and handler protection. “Canines are an integral part of the police department for the simple fact that they can sniff the drugs out, find them and get them off the street. The newest dogs, Lucas and Leroy, came to the Police Department in October of 2015 and went through rigorous training with their handlers. The canines and their handlers train several weeks for certification, but train continually throughout their terms of service, which is roughly eight years. The average cost of a dually-trained canine, including officer training and certification, is approximately $14,500 each. Continued on page 4
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March 03, 2016
Published by Henry County Communications Department The Henry County Board of Commissioners
Editor Melissa Robinson
Graphic Designer Meredith Butler Samantha Watson
Layout Designer Samantha Watson
Contributors Melissa Robinson Samantha Watson Kevin Williams
Commissioner Bruce Holmes To Host Town Hall Meeting District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes will hold a Town Hall Meeting on March 19, 2016 at 9 a.m. at Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Stockbridge. The town hall meeting will feature a discussion on doing business with Henry County led by Rod Gray, Purchasing Director for Henry County Government. This discussion will help companies and businesses learn the proper steps to take when looking to work with Henry County Government. Subtopics will include details on procurement methods that the county utilizes and much more. There will also be a presentation by Atala James, the State Program Manager for Georgia at Experience Works, Inc., who will speak on employment opportunities and training for the 55 and older population, as well as other available services such as job counseling, career development assistance and referrals to community resources. The Town Hall Meeting is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend. Mt. Olive Baptist Church is located at 469 Mt. Olive Rd, Stockbridge, GA 30281.
Bid Awarded for SPLOST Road Projects The bid for triple surface treatment of approximately 9 miles of county roads located in District I and District III was awarded to Middle Georgia Paving, Inc. at the March 1 Commission meeting. Middle Georgia Paving, Inc.’s bid was the only bid to be received and totaled $487,227.20. In District I, 7.5 miles of roads will receive treatment for $417,256.92 and approximately 1.5 miles of roads in District III will receive treatment for $69,970.28. For a list of roads being treated and to keep up with all SPLOST projects, visit www.henrycounty-ga.com/splost. henrycounty-ga.org
DOT to Use Environmentally Friendly Construction Method
Henry County Library System Update
Henry County Library System Director, Carolyn Fuller, gave an update of the Henry County Library System at the March 1 Commission meeting that revealed the successful growth of libraries in the county.
The Henry County Department of Transportation is reducing its carbon footprint with a new road improvement method called Cement Stabilized Base Reclaimed Base Construction that is environmentally friendly and cost effective. This process utilizes the existing roadway materials and mixes them with cement to form a roadway base that will be topped with an asphalt finish. A bid to improve 21 roads with this new method was awarded to Atlanta Paving & Concrete Construction, Inc. for $853,870 at the March 1 Commission meeting. Of these roads, 16 will be funded through the Local Maintenance Improvement Grant and the remaining 5 will be paid for with SPLOST IV funds. For more information and to keep up with all SPLOST projects, visit www.henrycounty-ga.org/splost.
Small Fruit Plant Sale Benefits Extension Programs The Henry County Extension Office wants to remind residents that warm weather will be here before you know it. With that in mind, be sure to order your small fruit plants from the Henry County Cooperative Extension Office’s “Small Fruit Plant Sale,” with proceeds going to support various extension programs. Blueberry bushes are $10 each; blackberry bushes, fig trees and muscadines are $8 each; raspberry plants are $7; and 5-gallon pear trees are $16 each. Plant orders are being taken from now until Friday, March 11, for pick up the following week at Heritage Park. Order forms may be found online at http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension/henry/ from the menu on the right.
In the fiscal year 2015, the Henry County Library System added 8,000 new items to its collection, which now holds 267,132 items. The library system received and responded to 245,952 reference inquiries and checked out approximately 30,000 digital items’ such as downloadable eBooks and audiobooks. There were 374,704 visits to libraries in Henry County that offer access to 193 public computers as well as unlimited access to free wireless internet. In addition, Henry County libraries hosted 737 educational programs that accommodated 13,000 participants. One such program, Coder Dojo, is a free coding class for children and teens that is offered at the McDonough Public Library. This is the only public library in the state of Georgia to offer this program. The Henry County Library System was also able to apply for and received grant funding. The library system received over $60,000 in grant funding from state and federal agencies as well as local foundations. This money allowed for repairs to the McDonough Library front door, provided support for STEM programming, allowed for physical copy upgrades to thousands of books and provided support for summer programming and camps. For information on current programs and events with the Henry County Library System please log on to www.henry.public.lib.ga.us.
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March 03, 2016 Police K-9 Unit from page 1 The K-9 Unit, which operates under the Special Operations Division, has kept busy the past year, posting outstanding numbers in drug searches, drugrelated arrests and assets seized. In the year 2015, the K-9 Unit was responsible for 105 misdemeanor arrests and 101 felony arrests. The unit also helped find more than $49,000 in seized cash, over $43,000 in seized assets and $675,045 in seized drugs, removing both drugs and criminals from the streets. “Most of our police department’s drug and cash seizures come from the K-9 Unit, so they more than pay for themselves with the work they do,” said Prince. “They are also a great deterrent.” Prince cited a recent case in Clayton County where a perpetrator shot at a Clayton County police officer. Prince said that HCPD assisted in the search for the shooter, and it was Sergeant Torbush and his canine who eventually found the alleged gunman and forced him to surrender. Along with a complete team of dogs, new vehicles were put on the road in October of 2015. The SUVs are conducive to the work and welfare of the K-9 police dogs, allowing more room for the dog to move. The vehicles are also equipped with special alarms that activates a warning if the vehicle becomes too hot inside. The new SUVs were paid for with salary savings from the department’s budget. The K-9 Unit consists of Sergeant Steven Torbush with K-9 Lucas, Officer Nick Jackson with K-9 Jester, Officer Phillip Dillard with K-9 Sam, and Officer Kyle Ramsey with K-9 Leroy, under the leadership of Captain Chuck Simmons.
henrycounty-ga.org
Telephone Fraud Growing in Henry County The Henry County Sheriff’s Office is getting calls and emails from an increasing number of concerned residents. They are receiving phone calls from persons saying that they are with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and are requesting personal information. In reality these phone calls are intended to deceive Henry County residents. This is an ongoing scam! Sheriff Keith McBrayer stated, “These scammers are well rehearsed and they don’t care if the person they call doesn’t take the bait, they just dial another number and start their act over again.” It starts with a phone call and is perpetrated by using a variety of deceptive scenarios all of which are intended to end by fraudulently getting money from the victim. They may even camouflage their phone number to look like it came from a local IRS office. The intended victim is told they will be prosecuted if they do not pay. The deceptive caller tells the targeted victim that if the debt is paid immediately by credit or debit card the case will be closed. They sometimes know personal information which makes the call seem even more credible. “I want our citizens to know that the Internal Revenue Service does NOT solicit payment over the telephone. We are unaware of any other law enforcement agency or court system that does this form of transaction.” Sheriff McBrayer added. “If you receive a call like this, don’t engage in conversation, just hang up and report it to your local law enforcement immediately.” Please share this information with others and help law enforcement keep more innocent people from becoming victims.
Henry County BOC Committed To the Safety of Its Citizens The Henry County Board of Commissioners wants to assure citizens that the Henry County Police Department will fully continue its excellent record of providing policing and public safety services for Henry County, including unincorporated Henry County and the City of Stockbridge. Over the past year, the Henry County Commission has worked diligently with City of Stockbridge officials to come to a contract on the Service Delivery Strategies (SDS) agreement. Although an agreement has not been ratified at this time, the Henry County Police Department will continue to provide services to the City of Stockbridge and places the safety and security of its citizens, businesses and visitors in the highest priority. The HCPD will continue to serve and protect the County and its citizens regardless of the state of negotiations with any entity. The Henry County Board of Commissioners is committed to the welfare of it citizenry through public safety efforts, to ensure the well-being of all residents.
Calling All Vietnam Veterans For the Vietnam Veterans Day
The Henry County Parks and Recreation Department is presenting a Vietnam Veterans Day “Welcome Home” ceremony and celebration to honor the valiant Vietnam Veterans who fought for our country. In an effort to offer a proper “homecoming” that many felt was not offered at the end of the war, Parks and Rec officials are reaching out to Vietnam Veterans. The ceremony will take place on March 29, 2016 at 1 p.m. at the Veterans Wall of Honor in Heritage Park in McDonough. Sponsors of the event, including the Andrew McBride Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation, the American Legion Post 55 and 56, the Marine Corps League Detachment 1339 and the U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration, wish to celebrate and welcome every Vietnam Veteran in the county. If you are a veteran who would like to be formally recognized for your service during the “Welcome Home” event, please register in person at the Heritage Park Museum or any Henry County Recreation Center or call the Henry County Parks and Recreation Department at 770-288-7300. The community is welcome and encouraged to attend to show their support and gratitude for those that were robbed of a welcoming 50 years ago—because every solider deserves a welcome home.
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March 03, 2016 Commission Approves Resolution Opposing Annexation of Property near Jodeco Road The Henry County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a resolution opposing annexation into the city of Stockbridge two parcels of property, including .53 acres and 163.06 acres on the western side of I-75 near Jodeco Rd. After a lengthy discussion and public comment, Commissioners voted to oppose the annexation. During the discussion period, Commissioners made it clear that they support the development of the property known as Jodeco-Atlanta South, which has the potential to become a $300 million retail, dining and residential complex in the future. Several commissioners and county staff met with developers last week to discuss the County’s positive support of the project. Commissioners echoed that support during yesterday’s BOC meeting, citing the long history Henry County has had in building an infrastructure to help
accommodate a proposed major development on the site. County officials also recently received word from the Georgia Department of Transportation that funds in the amount of more than $16 million have been identified to finance the I-75 Western Parallel Connector from Hudson Bridge Road to Jonesboro Road, which will allow for road improvements and enhanced traffic flow in the area. County attorney Patrick Jaugstetter said that the main opposition to the annexation was that it may not meet the requirements of contiguity, meaning that the land in question to be annexed does not join other property owned by the city of Stockbridge. The view the meeting in its entirety, please use the link below. http://henryga.granicus.com/MediaPlayer. php?view_id=2&clip_id=1104
Henry County Finance Department Awarded Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting The Henry County Finance Department was recently awarded Certificates of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for the fiscal year 2015 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. This is the eleventh consecutive year that Henry County has earned the Certificate of Achievement in Financial Reporting, having been judged and evaluated by an impartial panel, meeting high standards and demonstrating a spirit of full disclosure to clearly communicate Henry County’s financial story. “The continuing annual award of the County’s PAFR shows not only the County’s desire to produce a document that allows the citizens of Henry County to henrycounty-ga.org
understand the financial position of the County without the need for a finance degree, but also shows the keen ability of the Finance and Communication Department staff, to not only produce a document most counties don’t, but also be acknowledged at the highest level for its work,” said Henry County Financial Services Director, Fred Auletta. The GFOA is a nonprofit, professional association dedicated to the sound management of government financial resources, which serves approximately 17,500 government finance professionals. To view the 2015 Henry County Popular Annual Financial Report, visit http://www.co.henry.ga.us/pdf/ PopularAnnualFinanceReport_2015.pdf
Adopt-A-Stream Program Engages Citizens and Saves the Environment Henry County Stormwater has been using the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream program to educate and involve students and citizens in the monitoring of water quality in County streams. The Stormwater staff has been working with Denise Martin’s Environmental Science class at Eagles Landing Christian Academy this school year to help them earn their volunteer certification in chemical, bacterial and macroinvertebrate (insects and crayfish that live in streams) monitoring. They are using these certifications to monitor a section of Wolf Creek which runs adjacent to the school.
In addition to the monthly monitoring of the stream, each student also submitted a water quality related project to be considered for presentation at Confluence, an annual conference for professionals and volunteers who meet to network and learn more about water quality issues. This year three student projects were accepted to present at the conference. “As an educator, I was introduced to Adopt-AStream by my local Stormwater office. The coordination between the two programs has been an awesome resource and extension of my environmental science classroom! My students and I received training, supplies and expert assistance while beginning our program. The experience has brought real-life, hands-
on science to my students, and a knowledge of our local community and environment that connects us to current problems and envisioned solutions,” said Martin. Citizens can attend workshops to become certified volunteers to monitor streams in three fields including chemical, bacterial and macroinvertebrate. Chemical monitoring workshops teach participants how to test levels of dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature and conductivity. These factors influence water quality and relate how pollution or contamination in the stream impact organisms living there. Certification in bacterial monitoring teaches volunteers how to take proper samples of water from the stream for analysis, techniques for testing the sample, how to accurately read the results and the importance of the test itself. Certification in macroinvertebrate monitoring teaches volunteers to collect and identify macros such as crayfish, aquatic insects and snails in order to determine the quality of water in the stream as many are sensitive to pollution. The Department plans to hold several Adopt-AStream training workshops throughout the year. Henry County Stormwater will be holding a Chemical Monitoring Volunteer Workshop Saturday, March 26 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Stormwater Management Department on 347 Phillips Drive in McDonough. This training is open to all citizens. Interested individuals are encouraged to sign up online at www.co.henry.ga.us/stormwater/ContactUs.shtml or call 770-288-7248 for more information.
Henry County Stormwater staff members teaching Adopt-a-Stream participants how to conduct chemical monitoring of a stream.
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