Henry County Update - Newsletter

June 23, 2017

Board of

Commissioners Regular Meetings July 4, 2017 Cancelled July 18, 2017 6:30 PM

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.

Sheriff to Temporarily Head HCPD National search to commence to replace retiring Henry County Police Chief

Henry County Sheriff Keith McBrayer will temporarily assume management of the Henry County Police Department upon the departure of outgoing Police Chief Keith Nichols, who is set to retire at the end of this month.

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the Sheriff’s Office and the county regarding the management of the Henry County Police Department for a six-month term beginning June 26, 2017 to ensure the continued effective and efficient operations of the police department.

Deputy County Manager Brad Johnson presented the item during the June 20 Commission meeting where he detailed the Henry County Police Management Transition Plan. In that presentation he noted the terms of the Memorandum and a six-month plan in which the Sheriff will evaluate operations of the Henry County Police Department. The Sheriff will be compensated an additional $2,000 per month during the six-month term. There will also be a budget amendment to supplement the costs of performing these additional services.

The search for a new police chief will commence on October 1, 2017 with the expectation that the position will be filled by January 1, 2018.

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June 23, 2017 Published by Henry County Communications Department The Henry County Board of Commissioners

Editor Melissa Robinson

Graphic Designer Meredith Butler

Layout Designer Melissa Robinson Meredith Butler

Contributors Melissa Robinson Erika Richards Kevin Williams

Connecting Henry Accepts Grant Connecting Henry will be accepting additional funding for the Family Connection operating grant after the approval at the June 20th Board of Commission meeting.

Connecting Henry is a non-profit organization that provides services and programs for children in need. The organization receives funds through a reimbursement grant from the Georgia Department of Human Services and the revised total approved contract amount is now approximately $49,000.

Henry County Approves Grants for Fiscal Year

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The Henry County Board of Commissioners a p p r o v e d acceptance of a $239,811 grant from the Office of Governor/ Criminal Justice Coordination Council for the Juvenile

Court’s Functional Family Therapy Program for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, after the approval at the regular Board of Commission meeting held on June 20th.

Several other grants were also approved during Tuesday night’s meeting. The Adult Felony Drug Court received nearly two hundred thousand dollars, the Resource Court was awarded over $97,000, the Drug/DUI Court was given approximately $41,000 and more than $22,000 will go to the Juvenile Court’s Mental Health Program.

Fortson Public Library Celebrates Unique Minds

Stimulate your brain this summer and experience the Activity Fair, the Bio-Bus and the Extraordinary Movie Talk at the Fortson Public Library in Hampton

The “Stim”ulating Activity Fair will begin at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, June 30 where teens and young adults with developmental and neurological learning differences can enjoy different stations that show how the brain works using digital resources, ways to reduce noise, recipes on how to make homemade slime and more.

The Bio-Bus will be at the library on Friday, July 7 with sessions at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. During those times children eight years and older as well as young adults can learn about Chemistry and the states of matter on the mobile laboratory. The Extraordinary Movie Talk will take place on Thursday, July 20 at 5:30 p.m. where guests can enjoy a movie, snacks and discussion.

While these events are specifically tailored for teens and young adults with developmental and learning differences, everyone is welcome to attend any of Fortson Public Library programs.

For more information or to sign-up for the BioBus, please stop by the Fortson Public Library or call 678-432-5353, ext.

5. Fortson Library is located at 61 McDonough Street, Hampton GA 30228.

Firecracker Road Race to be Held July 4

The 6th annual Firecracker Road Race 5K/10K to benefit Henry County Parks and Recreation’s Special Olympics will be held on Tuesday, July 4, 2017 at Nash Farm Park in Hampton.

The event features a 5K and 10K race, as well as 1 Mile Walk and Tot Trot. Pre-registration for the 5K is $25 or $30 on race day; 10K is $30 and $35 on race day; and the one-mile is $20 or $25 on race day. The Tot Trot is free to ages six and under.

Registration on-site will take place from 6:45 to 7:45 and the race will begin at 8 a.m. Register by June 24 to guarantee a teeshirt.

Participants may register online at www.getsetgrow.com.

Registration forms are also available at the Henry County Parks and Recreation Department at Heritage Park in McDonough.

Checks should be made payable to Henry County Parks and Recreation Special Olympics.

For more information, visit henrycounty-ga.org.

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June 23, 2017 Commissioners Recognize Chief Keith Nichols

The Board of Commissioners recognized Henry County Police Chief Keith Nichols for his successful 26-year career at the regular Commission meeting Tuesday night.

Chair June Wood along with all the commissioners shared their gratitude and appreciation

to Nichols wishing him and his family the very best in retirement.

Nichols is celebrating his retirement with a party on June 30, starting at 11:00 am at the Shiloh Baptist Family Life Church Center located at 262 Macon Street in McDonough.

LGRMS Offers HCPD Safety Driver Training

Through the county’s Local Government Risk Management Services (LGRMS), the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) is providing public safety driver-training classes through the month

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of June for the Henry County Police Department.

The LGRMS is offering both classroom instruction and behind the wheel training with the use of a DORON Precision driving simulator. The driving simulator gives the driver a chance to train for a variety of different circumstances in a dynamic training environment.

There are over eighty scenarios available, each being several minutes long to represent the different set of driving conditions and situations.

This driving-training course is provided through a membership with the Association County Commissions of Georgia organization at no cost.

For more information on this public safety driver training, please contact Lieutenant Randy Lee at rlee@co.henry.ga.us.

S.W.A.G. Program Receives a Donation

Connecting Henry’s Students Working to Achieve Greatness (S.W.A.G.) Program received a $10,000 donation on June 19, from Wells Fargo Bank.

The S.W.A.G. Program was awarded the donation through Connecting Henry, who submitted a grant proposal to Wells Fargo.

Funds from this donation will be used to pay for official GED Tests, graduation fees, increased instruction and work experience opportunities and coaching.

The money will also go to classroom materials and

supplies, specialized tutoring, motivational incentives, workshops, emotional counseling, Microsoft Office training classes, an educational field trip, and student uniforms.

Furthermore, S.W.A.G. is holding a commencement ceremony on June 29, at Heritage Park to honor 30 of their graduates. If interested in attending, please call Cheryl Walker at 770-288-6230 to RSVP.

Wells Fargo representatives (Karen Fariss and Debbie Dickinson), Connecting Henry staff and students accept a generous donation designated for the S.W.A.G. Program.

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June 23, 2017 Henry County to Be Part of the Smokey and the Bandit Celebration

It’s been 40 years since Burt Reynolds and Sally Field made their way through the roadways of Georgia running from the pesky “Smokey,” Buford T. Justice, played by Jackie Gleason. To celebrate the milestone anniversary of this iconic movie filmed in and around the metro Atlanta area, including Henry County, the Atlanta Motor Speedway is hosting a Bandit Jump on June 24, as part of the city of Jonesboro’s two-day Smokey and the Bandit festival.

District II Commissioner Dee Clemmons recently attended a planning session with officials from the city of Jonesboro, who are hosting a Smokey and the Bandit 40th Anniversary Festival, and she wants resident to know that Henry County will be a part of the celebration.

T h e festival in Jonesboro takes place on Friday June 23 and Saturday June 24 in Downtown Jonesboro and Lee Street Park, and on Saturday, June 24, a convoy of Trans Ams will cross into Henry County for The Bandit Jump at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. The convoy will be a sight in itself and this spectacular event will feature a Southern

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rock concert by the Atlanta based band, Convoy.

An elite team of Hollywood professional stuntmen will recreate several memorable car stunts from the movie including the infamous bridge jump in a 1977 Trans Am. All of the Bandit Jump proceeds will benefit American Veterans.

There is a full slate of events that will take place in Jonesboro including a street BBQ, a Q&A with Burt Reynolds, a Bert Reynolds look-alike contest, a screening of the original movie and more.

For information on The B a n d i t Jump at AMS and ticket information, please visit www.thebanditjump.com. For more information on Jonesboro’s Smokey and the Bandit 40th Anniversary Festival, purchasing BBQ tickets and the full list of events, visit http://www.jonesboroga. com.

Henry County Supports World Elder Abuse Awareness Month

Diane Reed, Senior Services Director accepts World Elder Abuse Awareness Month Proclamation. Pictured from l. to r. on first row: District II Commissioner Dee Clemmons, Diane Reed, Chair June Wood and District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes. Second row: District IV Blake Prince, District I Commissioner Johnny Wilson and District III Commissioner Gary Barham.

The Board of Commissioners recognized June as World Elder Abuse Awareness Month with a proclamation on June 20, at the regular Commission meeting.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day marked its eleventh anniversary on June 15. This month provides opportunities for communities around the world to promote and understand abuse and neglect of older

persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.

The proclamation reads in part, “WHEREAS, Henry County includes a valued community of older Americans who deserve to be treated with the utmost respect, admiration and appreciation…”

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