Henry County Update - Newsletter by Henry County Government

March 21, 2022

Board of

Henry County Cuts Ribbon on Airport FBO

Commissioners Regular Meetings April 5th, 9:00 a.m. April 19th, 6:30 p.m. Meetings held at: Administration Building Community Room 140 Henry Parkway McDonough, GA 30253 Regular Commission meetings air daily on Henry TV Charter Channel 180 at 9 a.m. & 7 p.m.

Henry County celebrated the long-awaited opening of its new FBO/Terminal Building at the Atlanta Speedway Airport on March 17 with a ribbon cutting ceremony henrycountyonline.com for more viewing options and celebration. District II Commissioner Dee Clemmons, Chair Carlotta Harrell, District I including Facebook and Commissioner Johnny Wilson, District III Commissioner Dee Anglyn, and District YouTube. V Commissioner Bruce Holmes were in attendance, along with staff, leaders, city officials and residents to celebrate the grand opening of the new facility. Harrell welcomed those in attendance. “Welcome everyone. What a great crowd we have here this morning and what a wonderful day it is,” said Harrell. “I want to thank all of our staff, thank Commissioner Clemmons for her vision and hard work, and seeing this through, and all of our commissioners. I just want to thank each and every one of them for supporting this effort.” District II Commissioner Dee Clemmons thanked all parties involved in the project, particularly Lynn Planchon, Capital Projects Director, and detailed the future vision for the airport. Please visit

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March 21, 2022 Published by Henry County Communications & Public Information Department Henry County Government

Editor Melissa Robinson

Graphic Designer Meredith Butler

Layout Designer Melissa Robinson Meredith Butler

Contributors Melissa Robinson Nicholas Ivey

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Ribbon Cutting - continued from page 1 “We’ve worked since 2017 and Commissioner Wilson and Commissioner Holmes, you all were on the board when I came in 2017 as a new commissioner, they know I was gung ho about this airport and called all over the state of Georgia trying to figure out where we’re going to get money to make our airport better,” she said. “We went from cleaning up broken down airplanes to renewing leases. And some of our tenants are here today and I just want to thank those of you, who’ve been around this airport forever, believed in this airport. You all just don’t know how important this economic engine is in our county. This is the beginning.” The new Field Base of Operations is an

upgraded replacement for the original terminal building and offers a modern, comfortable 4,500 square foot facility that features a covered drop-off entrance, a large lobby area and service counter, a pilots’ lounge with 24/7 access, an outdoor covered patio, staff offices and restrooms. Located at 474 Speedway Blvd. in Hampton, the $2,324,756.74 project was made possible under the SPLOST IV initiative and construction was completed by J.R. Bowman Construction Co. of McDonough, GA; engineer was Croy Engineering, LLC of Marietta, GA; and The Howell Group Inc. of Marietta, GA was the architect.

March 21, 2022 Tax Commissioner Offering Homestead Application Online Henry County homeowners now have another option to apply for the Homestead Exemption through a new feature on the Tax Commissioner’s website. Homeowners can now apply for the homestead exemption online, saving time and adding convenience. The purpose of the homestead exemption is to reduce the tax burden for homeowners, as Henry County has exemptions that exceed the state’s exemptions. If you own your home and reside in it from January 1 of the year you are applying for the exemption, the exemption helps to reduce the tax on your home. Tax Commissioner Michael Harris said this will ease the burden and make the

process easier on Henry County residents. “Over the past year we have been working to expand our online services, and the addition of the Homestead Application now being available to submit online is another example of our commitment to easing the burden of our residents and making it easy as possible to take advantage of the tax discount offered through the County’s Homestead Exemption Program.” said Harris The deadline to file is April 1, 2022 to receive Homestead exemption for the current calendar year. To access the application or for more information, please visit www.henrycountytax.com

District IV Commissioner Vivian Thomas Named Commissioner of the Year by the GMBA

Henry County Vice Chair and District IV Commissioner Vivian Thomas was named Commissioner of the Year by the Georgia Minority Business Awards committee, in partnership with the Atlanta Business Journal Magazine. She was honored at the 24th annual 2022 Georgia Minority Business Awards Dinner and Reception on March 17. In her nomination letter, GMBA officials highlighted Thomas’ exemplary leadership in Henry County Government and her initiatives in developing programs for youth and college students to take an active role in the community. She founded the Junior Commissioner GAME On Youth Program, in which young people from Henry County have opportunities to be mentored, participate in volunteer activities and receive hands-on experience in local government. The Georgia Minority Business Awards’ mission is to develop relationships that reach out to all cultures by hosting and rewarding Georgia’s top business, civic

and organizational leaders who have promoted and demonstrated diversity in the workplace. The GMBA commended Thomas for being a leader in the political and business community and said that her presence helps bring awareness to the networking opportunities that could be developed between Henry County Government and the community. Thomas said she is honored by the recognition and will continue to serve her community and work for more economic opportunities from which everyone can benefit. “I am truly honored to be named Commissioner of the Year by the Georgia Minority Business Awards. And I will continue to work to bridge the gap between small businesses and government,” said Thomas. “Most importantly, I will continue to develop and expand opportunities for our young people to become the trailblazers and leaders of tomorrow.”

March 21, 2022 Commissioner Vivian Thomas hosted a night out for the Henry County Special Olympics

Vice Chair/District IV Commissioner Vivian Thomas hosted a night out for the Henry County Special Olympics Team at Urban Air McDonough yesterday evening in recognition of the team’s recent athletic achievements. The GAME On Junior Commissioners, a youth involvement initiative of Thomas were on hand to volunteer to make sure the athletes had a great time. Congratulations to our athletes! henrycounty-ga.org

Chair Carlotta Harrell Recognizes Legacy Ford for 30th Anniversary

Chair Carlotta Harrell presented State Senator Emanuel Jones with a proclamation honoring the 30th anniversary of Legacy Ford and its long-standing commitment to the Henry County community on

March 16, 2022. Harrell was joined by District I Commissioner Johnny Wilson, Sheriff Reginald Scandrett, and Stockbridge Mayor Anthony Ford.

March 21, 2022 Board Approves Agreements and Purchases

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a several resolutions at the March 15 Commission meeting. Items approved include: • Juvenile Court resolution – approved allowing Henry County Juvenile Court to apply for the Delinquency Prevention Grant offered by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to fund evidence-based programs for first time juvenile offenders for an amount up to $41,500 in the first year and up to $50,000 each year thereafter. • Leisure Services resolution – authorized the purchase of upgrades to the wireless internet at the four senior centers, the purchase of five laptops and the purchase of material aids for income eligible senior adults who currently

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receive in home services totaling $28,336.74. • Police Department resolution – approved the purchase of a used truck for the Task Ford Officer assigned to the U.S. Postal Inspectors Narcotics Task Force in the amount of $37,495. • Sentence Enforcement resolution – approved the Henry County Sentence Enforcement Probation Service Agreement. • SPLOST resolution – approved a supplemental agreement for Moffatt & Nichol in the amount of $48,574 on the design of SR81 Widening. For more information or to view the meeting in its entirety, visit co.henry.ga.us/watchTV or log on to the Henry County Facebook page.

HCWA 2022 Fishing Season is Underway

The Tussahaw and Upper Towaliga Reservoirs are open for fishing and boating

With the temperatures during the first week in March reaching 80 degrees, anglers are surely digging out their rods and reels to enjoy fishing on Georgia waters. The Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) has pristine reservoirs primed to accommodate local anglers looking for an ideal setting to catch a variety of fish. The 2022 Fishing Season at select HCWA reservoirs began this month, and it extends through the end of November. During this season, the Authority’s Tussahaw and Upper Towaliga Reservoirs will be available once again to Henry County residents, property owners, and HCWA customers, on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Daylight Saving Time). Fishing also will be open on Memorial Day (Monday May 30), Independence Day (Monday July 4), and Labor Day (Monday Sept. 5). The Authority does reserve the right to close either reservoir during a public fishing day in the event of an emergency, inclement weather, or for maintenance. To fish the HCWA Tussahaw and Upper Towaliga Reservoirs, anglers must obtain a Reservoir

Use Permit for $45 at the Authority’s Headquarters, located at 1695 Highway 20 West in McDonough, during operating hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Citizens with disabilities, senior citizens, and military active duty or veterans can purchase a Reservoir Use Permit for just $25. HCWA Reservoir Use Permits are good for an entire calendar year from the date of purchase, and those holding a Permit can bring one guest with them for free. Anglers with HCWA Permits can fish the Tussahaw and Upper Towaliga Reservoirs from the bank or by boat, but only from those with electricpowered or trolling motors, since no gas-powered engines are allowed on drinking water reservoirs such as those owned and operated by the Authority. In addition to accommodating local anglers for public fishing, the HCWA Reservoirs are ideal for canoeing and kayaking. Reservoir customers and guests must sign a waiver/release form and adhere to all rules and regulations established by the HCWA and Georgia Department of Natural Resources for fishing on Georgia waters, and they must possess an active Georgia Fishing License. Continued on page 6

March 21, 2022

Fishing - continued from page 5 The public can access the Tussahaw Reservoir, which has a boat ramp and accommodations for citizens with disabilities, through the public use area on the Tussahaw Island, which has an outdoor pavilion for picnics and a walking trail as well. Tussahaw Island is located at the end of Collins Way off of Peeksville Road. The Upper Towaliga Reservoir is accessible for bank fishing or via the boat ramp located at 160 Hunter Road in Locust Grove, which is off of Weems Road, from Hampton-Locust Grove Road. The HCWA Tussahaw and Upper Towaliga Reservoirs are the two largest of five drinking water reservoirs owned and operated by the Authority. The henrycounty-ga.org

1,466-acre Tussahaw Reservoir opened in 2007, and it has a storage capacity of 9.78 billion gallons at full pool. The 1,100-acre Upper Towaliga Reservoir, also referred to as the Ed Cole Reservoir, holds 6 billion gallons of raw water storage at full pool. Both reservoirs serve as ideal habitat for a variety of fish, including bass, catfish and bream. More information on the 2022 Public Fishing Season at HCWA Reservoirs is available on the Water Authority’s website at hcwa.com/community-education/ fishing-and-reservoir-use.cms. Media contact: Chris Wood, Ph.D. P: 770-757-1681 E: chris@jwapr.com or john.wood@gcsu.edu