Henry County Update - Newsletter

May 16, 2018

Board of

Commissioners

ATL Town Hall Meeting Set for May 24 Discussion will center on the Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority

Workshop Meeting May 22, 2018 9:00 a.m.

Called Meeting May 24, 2018 6:00 p.m.

Regular Meetings June 5, 2018 9:00 a.m.

June 19, 2018 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 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, at 9 a.m. & 7 p.m.

A town hall meeting has been scheduled to discuss recently passed legislation, HB-930, regarding the new Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority (ATL). The town hall will be held on Thursday, May 24 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Henry County Administration Building, immediately following a called meeting scheduled for 6 p.m.

The purpose of the town hall meeting is to bring in a panel of experts to discuss with citizens the recent legislation regarding the new Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority (ATL) and how it will impact metro counties such as Henry County. The town hall meeting will consist of a panel of representatives from various agencies, including the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Attendees will also have an opportunity to take part in a Q&A session.

The Henry County Government Administration Building is located at 140 Henry Parkway in McDonough.

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May 16, 2018

Barnesville Youth Council, Region 4 Youth Summit, and numerous other programs.

The Memorial Day service will also include a presentation of the colors by the Ola AFJROTC Color Guard. The Pledge of Allegiance, welcome and opening remarks will be led by Fredric Wilcox, with American Legion Post 516 and the invocation and benediction will be given by Chaplain Charles Jackson, LTC U.S. Army (Retired). A wreath will be presented

by CPO Richard McLeod, USN (Retired) and SSG Darrell Woodall, Senora Lee with Detroit, MI Police Department (Retired) will perform the National Anthem and the service will be peppered throughout by various musical interludes provided by bagpipe musician David Gregory, and Jim Houston, with Bugles Across America, will close the service with Taps.

The Veterans Wall of Honor is located in Heritage Park at 101 Lake Dow Rd. in McDonough.

For more information, please contact Jim Joyce with Henry County Parks and Recreation at 770-2887300 or visit www.hcprd.org.

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 Erika Richards Kevin Williams

Memorial Day Service Set for May 28

In honor and remembrance of the lost service men and women, this year’s Memorial Day service will be held at the Veterans Wall of Honor, May 28 at 11 a.m. Heritage Park in McDonough.

The Keynote Speaker will be Craig Cooper, Chief of Police of Barnesville, GA who served in the United States Army for 4 years as an Aircraft Repairman. After completion of his military service, he began his career in law enforcement with the city of Barnesville Police Department. Chief Cooper has received over 2,500 hours of law enforcement training courses and schools relating to investigations, information technology, and management. He has been involved with community projects such as Missing and Exploited Children,

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Fire Department Focused On Summer-Time Safety

The Henry County Fire Department is offering free safety classes beginning this month through September. The new program, 101 Days of Summer Safety was developed by the department’s Fire and Life Safety, educators to remind citizens to stay safe while having fun in the sun.

The program targets adolescents through senior adults and centers around eight summer related topics. Classes are being offered from May 29 until September 3 to all community groups, social and religious organizations and homeowners’ associations throughout Henry County.

101 DAYS OF SUMMER SAFETY TOPICS Heat Related Emergencies, Grilling Safety, Swimming Safety, Fireworks Safety, Boating Safety, Severe Weather Safety, Bicycle Safety and Safe Travel Tips

Any organiztion wishing to participate in the 101 Days of Summer Safety Program or for more information, please contact the HCFD’s Community Relations Division at 770-288-6621 or 770-288-6619.

The Henry County Fire Department Collected Nearly $58,000 For Burn Foundation Firefighters grateful to citizens for their generosity

The Henry County Fire Department collected $57,958.00 for the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation during its three-day “Give Burns The Boot” drive held April 13, 20 and 27.

“We would like to thank all of our citizens for their generous support,” said Captain Michael Black, Boot Drive coordinator for the Henry County Fire Department.

Funds collected through the boot drive will be used to support the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation’s mission of partnering with the fire service and burn care community to provide fire safety and

prevention education, support medical facilities and assist burn survivors in their recovery.

A portion of the total funds raised is returned to the HCFD to support local education and prevention efforts. The GFBF recognizes the hard work done on their behalf and began the incentive program in an effort to thank and honor the firefighters.

Ten percent of each department’s total dollar amount raised is returned to the department for fire safety and burn education efforts. By supporting the Boot Drive, the public is also supporting their local fire department and their own community.

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May 16, 2018 Chair Gives State of the County to Council for Quality Growth

Henry County Commission Chair June Wood presented the Henry County State of the County Address to the Council for Quality Growth at the Merle Manders Conference Center in Stockbridge on May 9, during a luncheon event.

In her address, Wood detailed the county’s demographics and population growth, and stressed the importance of having diversity among people and industries within the county. She focused on Henry County’s future endeavors regarding transportation infrastructure, economic development and quality of life initiatives.

She spoke on efforts addressing traffic and transportation issues as well as outdated road infrastructure concerns, particularly in light of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s statistics on expected population growth through 2040.

Wood also shared the county’s many accomplishments of the year including public safety’s new vehicles and updated equipment, openings of new fire stations and a new 911 communications system.

During the speech, she expressed the

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importance having a “seat at the table” with the state when it comes to finding funding for major projects and she highlighted the 52 DOT and SPLOST road projects and Henry County’s first fixed route that provides transportation for North Henry residents.

She also identified opportunities for citizens to help those less fortunate in the community including those who are homeless and hungry, children in need, and the county’s veteran population, imploring everyone to get involved in helping to make Henry County the most desired place to “live, work, learn and play.”

Wood expressed that she is proud of the progress that Henry County has made this past year.

“I see a great future, I embrace a phenomenal future, I see our children and future generations so proud that Henry County is their home to live, work, learn and play,” said Wood.

The State of the County Luncheon was hosted by the Council for Quality Growth.

For more information on Henry County, please visit henrycounty-ga.org.

Henry County Supports the I-75 Corridor Coalition

Henry County will have an open line of communication with other south side counties in the state that are along the I-75 corridor after the approval from the Henry County Board of Commissioners to support and authorize to allocate $500 in dues for the I-75 Corridor Coalition. The action came at the May 1 Commissioner meeting.

The Coalition works to expand coordination through public and private entities throughout the corridor and by coordinating transportation

investments, local government planning and economic development.

“We want to help the jurisdictions south of here, including Henry County all the way down to Macon and Warner Robins work better together to understand the future of what is going to happen along the I-75 corridor,� said Dan Reuter, a member of the Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners organization.

County Moves to Quell Misinformation About Recycling Center

While there have been some questions and concerns from a few citizens on the operations of the Henry County Recycling Center, Henry County Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews wants to assure residents that the county recycling center will not be closing on July 1 as has been rumored for the past several weeks.

Matthews said that county management and department leaders have been engaging in ongoing conversations regarding the sustainability of the recycling center, based on the operational expenditures cost versus the revenues, but that a final recommendation has not been presented

to the Henry County Board of Commissioners.

Matthews said that at this time staff has been asked to evaluate surrounding jurisdictions, develop a fee schedule and to assess all other options.

The Public Works Department is also researching to ensure that trash disposal companies doing business in Henry County are also offering recycling services as mandated by Henry County Code of Ordinances.

If and when any next steps are decided, the public will be made aware of those decisions through official channels.

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May 16, 2018 Board Approves Purchase of Laptop Computers for HCPD

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the police department to use the Narcotic Justice Account Funds to purchase eight Panasonic Tough Book laptop computers and accessories for the Code Enforcement Division in the amount of $34,222 from the CDW Government Contract.

Prior to this approval, the Code Enforcement Division did not have laptop computers for their officers to complete investigation reports while in the field, and presently have to hand-write reports once back in the office.

Henry County Police Captain Phillip Bratton said that having laptop computers mounted into the Code Enforcement vehicles will increase the overall efficiency in the field and will give Code Enforcement

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officers the same field reporting capabilities as the Uniform Patrol Division officers.

Officers will now have the ability to edit, correct and complete preliminary and supplemental reports while out in the field and also electronically submit their reports to supervisors and remain in the field to respond to calls as needed.

“My division received body cameras and one feature of it is that it has a mobile hotspot that will allow us to transmit data that was taken on the laptops and send it back to the field supervisor while keeping the officers in the field,� said Bratton.

For more information on the Henry County Police Department, log on to henrycountypolicedepartment. org.

Commissioner Dee Clemmons and Commissioner Bruce Holmes To be Honored at Black and Gold Gala

Henry County District II Commissioner Dee Clemmons and District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes have both been selected as honorees of the Rho Sigma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s 10th annual Black and Gold Gala which is scheduled to take place on July 21, 2018.

Clemmons will receive the Thurgood Marshall Leadership Award and is being recognized as a person who has “demonstrated outstanding leadership skills within the community and has engaged in community activities that have expanded opportunities to the underprivileged.”

Holmes is receiving the Martin Luther King Jr., Community Service Award and is being honored for “demonstrating extraordinary commitment to uplifting the community through his volunteerism.”

The 10th Anniversary Black and Gold Gala will be held at the Atlanta Airport Marriott in Atlanta.

The evening will celebrate the Chapter’s founding and recognize community leaders for their outstanding achievements and contributions in the areas of business, social justice, education, non-profit, community service and civic accomplishments. For more information please visit www.rsl1906.org.

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May 16, 2018 Henry County Fire Department Recognizes EMS Week

The Henry County Fire Department will be recognizing the 44th Annual National EMS Week from May 20-26, 2018. First authorized by President Gerald Ford in 1974, EMS Week is an opportunity to celebrate the important contributions of EMS practitioners in safeguarding the wellbeing, health, and safety of their communities. EMTs and Paramedics are committed to delivering high quality pre-hospital care, when a quick response time during a medical emergency can mean the difference between life and death.

This year’s EMS Week Theme “Stronger Together” was chosen to emphasize the strength and unity of the EMS family and how EMS professionals work with other public safety entities for the patient’s benefit. The same high standard of continuing education placed on EMS training is carried over to fire training to ensure firefighters perform effectively and safely on the fire ground.

Coinciding with EMS Week activities, the Henry County Fire Department will be conducting a live-fire training burn located at 1325 Highway 42 South in

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McDonough, GA. Known as the Southern Gateway at Lambert Farms, the site will soon be home to a 3-million square foot logistics project. Located on the property were several homes slated for demolition, and the homes have been donated to the department for training purposes by PNK Group Developers.

Live-fire training follows the recommendations of the NFPA 1403: Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions, as well as the state’s EPA guidelines to ensure a powerful and safe training experience.

The training allows firefighters to gain valuable knowledge and practical experience while operating in a safe environment that closely resembles realistic emergency situations.

All Henry County firefighters are certified EMTs or Paramedics. Firefighters and EMTs are held to a higher standard and must be prepared at all times to perform at the highest possible standards set by the fire professionals industry. HCFD proudly recognizes the devotion that emergency medical technicians and paramedics bring to the job each and every day.

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