Henry County Update - Newsletter

May 25,2018

Board of

Commissioners

Town Hall Meeting Centered on Transit and the ATL Legislation

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

June 19, 2018 6:30 p.m.

Workshop Meeting June 26, 2018 9:00 a.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.

Citizens came out to learn more about the recently passed legislation, HB-930, regarding the new Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority (ATL). The town hall meeting was held on May 24 at the Henry County Administration Building where a panel of experts discussed what the ATL legislation will mean for counties.

Henry County Commission Chair June Wood opened the meeting and provided details about Henry County’s current, on-demand transit system. She then introduced a panel of experts, including David Haynes, Principal Planner with the ARC; Dana Lemon, the 13th Congressional District GDOT Board Member; and Charlotte Nash, Chairman of Gwinnett County.

Haynes gave a presentation overview of the legislation and how it could impact Henry County. Lemon spoke of the relationship between transportation and transit, and said that the same planning and implementation process used by GDOT is similar to what the ATL Authority will utilize. Nash briefly detailed Gwinnett’s journey to expanding its transit system, citing the similarities between the two counties, particularly the considerable growth that Gwinnett experienced decades earlier and that Henry County continues to experience. She also spoke of the parallels between the two counties, including the interstate accessibility, economic development and increased traffic.

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May 25, 2018 Published by Henry County Communications & Public Information Department Henry County Government

Sheriff’s Summer Camp Accepting Applications

Editor Melissa Robinson

Graphic Designer Meredith Butler

Layout Designer Melissa Robinson Meredith Butler

Contributors Melissa Robinson Erika Richards Kevin Williams

HOLIDAY CLOSING Henry County Government buildings as well as the Recycling Center will be closed Monday, May 28, 2018 in observance of Memorial Day and wll reopen on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at 8:00 a.m.

REMINDER 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.

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As part of his ongoing commitment to our youth, Sheriff Keith McBrayer has developed a week long program consisting of a mix of indoor and outdoor activities with a strong emphasis on ethics and decision making. This annual tradition has been made available to the youth of Henry County residents since 2009.

The Sheriff’s Summer Camp strives to provide an interesting and entertaining way to reach these goals by providing social, educational and recreational activities. The program is designed for youth ages 12, 13, and 14.

The 2018 Summer Camp will run daily from June 11, 2018 until June 15 from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm at the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s staff consists of a core of certified law enforcement professionals specially trained to provide educational programs for children in our schools.

The cost of camp is $50.00 per week per child.

No refunds will be given after the 1st day of camp. Payment is due with registration.

Applications will only be accepted in person at the Sheriff’s Office at 120 Henry Parkway, McDonough 30253

Use this link for details on camper rules and the application: Sheriff’s Summer Camp.

Bear Creek Senior/Rec Center Opens New Pavilion

Members of the 2018 Leadership Henry Class and Henry County citizens help cut the ribbon on the new pavilion at Bear Creek Senior/ Rec Center last Wednesday.

The Henry County Bear Creek Senior and Recreation Center is the recipient of a new pavilion thanks to the Leadership Henry Class of 2018. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the center in Hampton

by Leadership Henry on May 16 to officially open the new pavilion and thank the class members, volunteers and generous sponsors for helping to bring the class’s vision into a reality.

Leadership Henry, a leadership development program designed by the Henry County Chamber of Commerce, built the new Bear Creek Outdoor Pavilion as their Legacy project, a component of the program

that requires each class of Leadership Henry to work collectively to complete a project that will leave a lasting and positive impact in Henry County.

According to organizers, the outdoor pavilion project at the Bear Creek Senior Center will serve a need for seniors who frequent the Senior Center in order for them to utilize the outdoor space located adjacent to the main building.

For more information on the legacy project and Leadership Henry, please visit www.leadershiphenry.com.

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May 25, 2018 Paint Recycling Event Collects Nearly 900 Gallons of Paint

The Henry County Stormwater Department’s Paint Recycling event collected a total of 861.75 gallons (781.625 latex-based; 80.125 oil-based) earlier this month, ensuring the proper and safe disposal of unused paint from county residents

Stormwater staff was assisted in their collection efforts by members, leaders and parents from Girl Scout Troop 17022. According to Angelo Teachout, Stormwater’s Environmental Outreach Coordinator, the Girl Scout troop has partnered with the department on previous storm drain marking projects and the entire department is grateful for their contributions.

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Teachout said that in addition to the Girl Scouts, Atlanta Paint Disposal dropped off and picked up crates. He said he was also pleased with the community’s participation.

“We are looking to hold another event this fall after the summer building and renovations season is over,” said Teachout. “We hope to continue to provide opportunities for citizens to engage in social and environmental stewardship.”

For more information on the Henry County Stormwater Department, please visit www.henrycounty-ga.org.

Commissioners Adopt 2019 Budget

The Henry County Board of Commissioners adopted a $161,535,766 budget for fiscal year 20182019 at the called Commission meeting held on May 24, 2018. The final budget adoption came on the heels of a previous budget hearing, held earlier this month culminating from a budget process with staff that began at the start of the new year.

County Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews and Assistant County Manager Brad Johnson presented a resolution detailing the proposed budget, citing the highlights and expenditures for the coming fiscal year, along with a summary of accomplishments and major projects.

The general fund combined with other funds total $187 million. Appropriations in this year’s budget consist of increased premiums to the county’s health insurance, salaries for the Bear Creek Recreation and Senior Center in Hampton and Locust Grove Event Center, new positions for the Technology Services Department to manage a new software system, a finance grant writer position and additional School

Following the presentations, County Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews read questions from the audience, and the panelists had an opportunity to answer.

Wood said she expects this to be the first of several town hall meetings and urged citizens to get engaged and involved, underscoring the importance of Henry County having representation in the process.

The Transit Town Hall meeting is available on Spectrum Channel 180, AT&T U-verse Channel 99 and on-demand through the county website at www. henrycounty-ga.org by clicking the Watch Henry TV button and scrolling to Special Programming.

For questions or comments, please contact HCTransit@co.henry.ga.us.

Resource Officers for the Sheriff’s office. Expenditures also include phase two of the public safety reset increasing public safety salaries and certification increases, funding the pension and an employee clinic.

The increases will take effect at the start of the new fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2018.

More than half of the County’s general fund appropriations budget funds public safety, listed at 53.58 percent; the legislative and executive branch will receive 13.07 percent of the budget; the judicial system is listed at 10.92 percent; public works will receive 7.8 percent of the budget; health and welfare is listed at 4.16 percent; other uses is 2.82 percent of the budget; housing and development is at 2.2 percent; and unallocated is at 1.23 percent.

For more information or to view the budget in its entirety, please log onto www.henrycounty-ga.org.

Henry County Commission meetings are available on demand through the County website at www. henrycounty-ga.org/budget.

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