Henry County Update - Newletter

April 7, 2016

Board of

Commissioners Regular Meetings April 19 at 6:30 PM May 3 at 9:00 AM

10th Annual Geranium Festival Wheelchair Tennis Tournament Set for April 22-24

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.

Year after year the Annual Geranium Festival Wheelchair Tennis Tournament is a smashing success. Pictured (l. to r.) are tournament referee Denise Hanson, player Veronica Grove and Tournament Director Harlon Matthews from 2013.

Let the Geranium Festival Wheelchair Tennis Tournament serve you up a good time on April 22-24 at Richard Craig Park in McDonough.

The tournament is celebrating its 10 year anniversary with its largest participation rate yet. Sixty-four players from across the country, eighteen of which are women, will compete in the largest letter division only tournament in the United States for a $6,000 prize.

In accordance with the tournament’s theme, staff will be Servin’ it up, Southern Style to the men’s A, B and C divisions, novice division and women’s A and B divisions. This is the inaugural year of the tournaments women’s B division, thanks to the increase in women participants.

Singles and doubles competitions will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and end at 6 p.m.

All spectators who come out to support the competitors will be entered to win a Continued on page 2

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April 7, 2016 Geranium Festival from page 1

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

series of door prizes. There will also be three drawings for three separate pairs of tickets to the BB&T Atlanta Open Semi-finals Evening match between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 23.

The Geranium Festival Wheelchair Tennis Tournament is presented by Henry County Parks and Recreation and was made possible by the County’s support and generous community sponsors, including the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association, Luxottica, the Bennett Taylor Family Foundation, the Burns Family Foundation, Active Pest Control, R&R Mobility, Melwood Springs Water, ABC Medical, NuMotion and the Walton Foundation.

For more information, contact Harlon Matthews at 404-308-2414 or hmatthews@co.henry.ga.us.

Melissa Robinson Samantha Watson Kevin Williams

Tomato Growing Lunch and Learn on April 12

Bees are buzzing, buds are blossoming and pollen is in the air; it must be spring! While you’re arranging the perennials in your garden, try adding some tomato plants. You’ve never grown tomatoes? No worries! The Henry County Extension Office is offering an upcoming tomato growing Lunch and Learn on April 12 at noon in room B of the Extension Office in Heritage Park.

Bring an appetite for tomato sandwiches and spend an hour with Garden Delights co-star Frank Hancock. He will be explaining how to grow different types of tomatoes during this month’s Lunch and Learn session.

For more information on the tomato Lunch and Learn please visit www.caes.uga.edu/extension/henry. henrycounty-ga.org

Previous competitors at the Geranium Festival Wheelchair Tennis Tournament including Tournament Director, Harlon Matthews.

Geranium Sale at the Henry County Extension Office

Add a pop of color to your garden this year with McDonough’s favorite flower, Geraniums. The Henry County Extension Office is holding its annual Geranium plant sale from April 5 to May 7, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Extension Office in Heritage Park.

Eight inch pots will be on sale for $8 in a variety of bright and beautiful colors. All the proceeds will support 4-H programs for Henry County youth. On Monday, April 18, sale hours will be extended, lasting from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. There will also be a Saturday sale on May 7 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information, contact the Henry County Extension Office at 770-288-8421. The Henry County

Extension Office is located at 97 Lake Dow Road (Heritage Park) in McDonough.

Sheriff’s Office Implements Iris Scanning

The Henry County Office of the Sheriff recently became the first Sheriff’s Office in Georgia to implement the Inmate Recognition and Identification System (I.R.I.S.™) for all inmate intake and release processing at the County Jail.

This National Sheriffs’ Association endorsed system is based on the most accurate biometric technology available – the human iris – enabling jail staff to positively identify a previously enrolled individual in seconds, regardless of when and where they were originally arrested and enrolled in the national I.R.I.S.™ repository.

Henry County Sheriff Keith McBrayer believes in the use of reliable technology to insure accuracy, safety and expediency. Sheriff McBrayer previously implemented inkless electronic fingerprinting for inmate processing and for public background checks.

“Accurate and timely identification of offenders is a fundamental and critical responsibility of every Sheriff,” stated Sheriff McBrayer. “This innovative iris scanning technology has been seamlessly integrated into our Jail Management System, and is already paying

dividends in quick and error-free data entry for our staff processing repeat offenders into our facility.”

Sheriff McBrayer continued, “As sworn law enforcement officers, we do everything we can each day to protect the citizens of our communities.

We constantly strive to embrace new and proven techniques and technologies to improve public safety.

Iris biometric technology is an excellent example of this innovation.”

Visit the Henry County Sheriff’s Office web site at www.henrycountysheriff.net.

Iris recognition biometric technology positively determines the identity of an individual by capturing a high-resolution digital photograph of an individual’s iris.

The technology can tell the difference between twins or even an individual’s right and left eye. The technology is non-intrusive. Simply looking into the camera captures an image of the iris. Biometric Intelligence & Identification Technologies (BI2 Technologies) of Plymouth, Massachusetts developed the technology.

For more information please visit BI2 Technologies’ web site at www.bi2technologies.com.

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April 7, 2016

2015 Development Authority Year-end Review

Henry County Development Authority Director, Charlie Moseley, gave a year-end review of his department at the April 5 Commission meeting where he stated that in 2015, over 600 jobs were brought to Henry County.

The highlights of the Development Authority’s 2015 accomplishments go on to show that over $175 million was invested into businesses within the County and over 3.5 million square feet was claimed in new speculative projects. There are currently 45 active development projects in the County.

Knowing that real job growth lies in existing and small business expansion, the department continues to provide business retention and expansion services to industries in the County like export assistance, networking opportunities, events and luncheons. The small business Lunch and Learn programs held in 2015

Spring Book Sale on April 16

Emails, Facebook messages, Tweets, oh my!

Try spring cleaning your stress by taking a break from the busy buzzing of your cell phone or laptop and picking up a tried and true pastime from the Friends of Henry County Library Spring Book Sale.

On April 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the McDonough Public Library there will be a large selection of Christian fiction, Inspirational non-fiction, Sci-Fi and Fantasy fiction along with new fiction and children’s books and movies.

Books are a great way to exercise your mind, cleanse your mood and give back to your community since all proceeds from the Spring Book Sale will benefit the Henry County Library System’s upcoming summer reading programs.

For more information, please contact Cassandra Ryan at ryanc@mail.henry.public.lib.ga.us. henrycounty-ga.org

averaged 35-40 attendees.

Last year the department launched a new marketing campaign, which included a bold and easily usable website, www.choosehenry.com. The new site is part of an 18-month marketing strategy to strengthen the department’s mission of promoting economic development by attracting new investments and jobs and retaining and expanding existing industries. In only four months, the website’s digital ads reached over 1.2 million people.

The Development Authority’s social media presence also improved in 2015, with an increase of 3,357 Facebook fans and 609 Twitter followers.

For more information on the Development Authority and all that they do for Henry County’s economic growth, visit www.choosehenry.com.

Kickin’ it Old School Summer Day Camp Registration Open

Summer is the time for fun in the sun, not the time for binge watching Netflix and Nickelodeon.

Be prepared for when school lets out by registering students aged 5 to 13 for the Henry County Parks and Recreation’s eight week Kickin’ it Old School Summer Camp.

Registration is open at any Parks and Recreation office, Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for eight, one week sessions of summer day camp taking place May 31-July 1 and July 11-July 29, Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The registration fee for one child is $100 per week.

Each week of camp will offer a field trip and swim day. Week one, May 31-June 3, will feature a trip to a Braves game.

For week two, June 6-10, campers will go to Pin Strikes bowling. During week three, June 13-17, participants will visit the World of Coke. For week four, June 20-24, campers will enjoy a trip to Sky Zone Trampoline Park, and to wrap up week five, June 27-July 1, inflatables and karaoke will be set up at a Parks and Recreation office location. Week six, July 11-15, will feature a trip to Medieval Times. For week seven, July 18-22, chaperones will take the campers to Starlite Skating Center and for week eight, July 25-29, a field day will be set up at the J.P. Moseley Recreation Center.

For more information on the Kickin’ it Old School Summer Camp, visit www.hcprd.org or call Henry County Parks and Recreation at 770-288-7300.

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is April 10-16

At the April 5 Commission meeting, a proclamation was presented in recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), which reaffirmed Henry County’s commitment to creating a victim service and criminal justice response that assists all victims of crime during the week of April 10-16 and throughout the year.

This year’s NCVRW theme—Serving Victims.

Building Trust. Restoring Hope.—underscores the importance of early intervention and victim services in establishing trust with victims, which in turn begins to restore their hope for healing and recovery.

A large part of NCVRW is assisting communities and local governments in raising awareness of crime victims’ rights and helping address any of their unmet needs.

For more information, or to download a 2016 resource guide, visit ovc.ncjrs.gov.

Chairman Tommy Smith presents a proclamation in recognition of Crime Victims’ Rights Week to staff from the District Attorney’s and the Solicitor General’s offices, along with various public safety directors. Pictured in the first row (l. to r.) are Temnit Kidane-Bailey, Joela Purys, Lorraine Bunn, District Attorney James Wright, Tommy Smith, Evelyn Roberts, Kim Parrish, Vilma Valdivia, Kiauna Rosemond, Fire Chief Brad Johnson and EMA Director Don Ash. Second row (l. too r.) Shannon Duffey, Solicitor General Trea Pipkin, District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes and Police Chief Keith Nichols; Third row (l. to r.) District IV Commissioner Blake Prince, District II Commissioner Brian Preston, District I Commissioner Bo Moss, District III Commissioner Gary Barham and Sheriff Keith McBrayer.

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April 7, 2016

National Crime Victims’ Rights Annual Memorial Service Set for April 14

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week takes place April 10 through April 16. On Thursday, April 14 there will be a Community Awareness and Networking Event at 6:30 p.m. before the 14th Annual Memorial Service to be held at 7 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church.

The memorial service is held every year to honor and remember victims of crimes and their families as well as recognize outstanding law enforcement efforts and officers and victim service providers.

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is a program sponsored by The National Center for Victims of Crime and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime that aims to stop the cycle of violence through awareness and education.

To R.S.V.P. contact the Office of District Attorney Jim Wright at 770-288-6351 or lbunn@co.henry.ga.us or the Office of Solicitor-General Trea Pipkin at 770288-7176 or sduffey@co.henry.ga.us.

Shiloh Baptist Church is located at 262 Macon Street, McDonough, GA 30253.

henrycounty-ga.org

April is Fair Housing Month

Gail L. Williams, Executive Director of Metro Fair Housing Services, Inc. accepts a Fair Housing Month proclamation from Henry County Commission Chairman Tommy Smith at the April 5, 2016 Commissioner meeting. Pictured in the first row (l. to r.) Williams, Smith and Henry County Community Development Director Shannan Sagnot; second row (l, to r.) District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes and District II Commissioner Brian Preston; third row (l. to r.) District III Commissioner Gary Barham, District IV Commissioner Blake Prince and District I Commissioner Bo Moss.

A proclamation recognizing April as Fair Housing Month was presented at the April 5 Commission meeting.

The document stated that Henry County is in pursuit of the shared goal and responsibility of providing fair housing opportunities for all persons and that the County encourages all agencies, institutions and individuals in Henry County to abide by the letter and the spirit of the Fair Housing law.

April is the anniversary of the passing of the Fair Housing Act, which aided in eliminating housing discrimination and creating equal opportunity in every community.

Fair housing means that communities are open, welcoming and free from housing discrimination and hostility. But this also means that everyone, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability, has access to neighborhoods of opportunity that offer quality schools, economic opportunities and personal wellness growth.

$10 Pet Microchipping in the Month of April

You feed them, play with them and care for them; pets are a part of the family and it’s heartbreaking when a member of your family gets lost or goes missing.

With a simple microchip, you’ll be able to find exactly where your fur babies have run off to.

In honor of National Pet ID Week, Henry County Animal Care and Control is offering microchipping for only $10 (cash only) to the pets of Henry County residents for the entire month of April. Microchipping is available Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.

The $10 includes microchipping and the microchip registration. For more information contact the Animal Care and Control Office at 770-288-7387.

Proclamation Naming the Week of April 18 as “Made in Henry” Week

Front row, l. to r.—Leah Brown, Henry County Development Authority’s Director of Marketing and Existing Industry, Tommy Smith, Henry County Commission Chairman, Charlie Moseley, Executive Director for the Henry Count Development Authority and Geoffrey Cauble, Board of Directors Chair for the Development Authority; back row, l. to r.—District III Commissioner Gary Barham, District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes, District IV Commissioner Blake Prince, District I Commissioner Bo Moss and District II Commissioner Brian Preston.

The Board of Commissioners issued a proclamation recognizing the week of April 18 as “Made in Henry” week, which coincides with the Governor’s statewide proclamation of Georgia’s Manufacturing Appreciation Week.

Joining the Henry County Development Authority, Commissioners acknowledged the pioneering history, resilient spirit and sustained economic impact of manufacturing and industry in the County.

Georgia’s Manufacturing Appreciation Week was developed by the Technical College System of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Economic Development. For more information visit, www.georgiamaw.org.

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