July 16, 2015
Board of
Commissioners
Henry County and Cities to Temporarily Close Dog Parks
Regular Meetings July 21st at 6:30 PM August 4th at 9:00 AM Meetings held at: Administration Building Community Room 140 Henry Parkway McDonough, GA 30253 Regular Commission meetings will air Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays on Henry TV Channel 180 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, at 9 a.m. & 7 p.m.
Alexander Park’s dog park in McDonough will be closed for 30 days
As the number of cases of Canine Influenza Virus (CIV) continue to mount in surrounding counties, Henry County Animal Care and Control, along with the cities of McDonough and Stockbridge, have made the decision to temporarily close three dog parks in the county. The Mt. Carmel Bark Park located in Hampton, the dog park at Alexander Park in McDonough and the dog park at Clark Park in Stockbridge will be closed for the next 30 days as a preventative
measure against the dog flu, which has affected several surrounding counties. According to Henry County Animal Control Officer Vince Farah, there have been no reported cases of canine influenza in Henry County and he is hoping to keep it that way. “A healthy animal is a happy animal,” said Farah. “It’s our responsibility to protect the county’s animals and by closing the public dog parks, we are taking proactive steps in preventing the spread of Continued on page 3
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July 16, 2015 Published by Henry County Communications Department The Henry County Board of Commissioners
Editor Melissa Robinson
Graphic Designer Meredith Butler
Layout Designer Samantha Watson
Contributors Samantha Watson Melissa Robinson Kevin Williams
Stormwater Launches New Outdoor Activity App Henry County Stormwater Management has developed a new web mapping application that allows users to search for outdoor activities in and around Henry County. The app is useful in pinpointing park sites, nature preserves, reservoirs and outdoor education centers. Users can also search for specific activities like “fishing” or “walking trails” within the app. The Stormwater Management Department believes the best way to promote environmental awareness is to get citizens outside enjoying the County’s natural resources. “The great thing about this web map is that it provides our citizens, and people visiting our area, with the capability to quickly and easily find outdoor activities that they may have otherwise never known existed,” said Henry County GIS Analyst Chris Reagan. The web map works best on desktops but is also mobile friendly. To access the map visit, www. hcswgis.com/OutdoorLocator/. For more information contact Chris Reagan at chrisreagan@co.henry.ga.us.
Henry County Police Department Promotes Three Officers A ceremony was held on July 8, 2015 at the Henry County Police Headquarters for the promotion of Lt. Joey Smith, Lt. Chuck Simmons, and Officer Cassandra Shannon. Smith was promoted to Captain in the Internal Affiars unit, Simmons was promoted to Captain in Special Operations and Shannon was promoted to Sergeant in Uniform Patrol. Chairman Tommy Smith, Commissioner Gary Barham, several members of the Police Department as well as friends and family were all in attendance for the ceremony.
henrycounty-ga.org
A promotion ceremony was held at the Henry County Police Department on July 9, 2015. Pictured (L. to R.) is Deputy Police Chief Mark Amerman, Capt. Chuck Simmons, Sgt. Cassandra Shannon, Capt. Joey Smith and Henry County Police Chief Keith Nichols.
Bark Park Closing from page 1 this disease to our county pets. I urge pet owners to also use caution in other situations of socializing their pets, whether at a kennel, a groomer or at the vet’s office.” According to the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association, canine influenza is a highly contagious respiratory infection in dogs, and unique to the most recent outbreak is that it is not the same strain as the one seen nationwide. Although the disease is highly communicable, most dogs will recover quickly with supportive care. A veterinarian might prescribe medications, such as an antibiotic (to fight secondary infections) and/or a nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory (to reduce fever, swelling, pain). Dehydrated pets may need
fluid therapy to restore and maintain hydration. Other medications or hospitalization may also be necessary for more severe cases. The GVMA has made several recommendations on preventing the disease as well as treating the disease if a pet contracts canine influenza. More information and recommendations may be found at http://www.gvma.net/ canine-influenza. The dog parks will be closed for 30 days and if no cases of canine influenza are reported, they will then reopen. Signs announcing the closings are expected to go up at the parks within the next 24 to 48 hours. www.natw.org.
The Henry County Police Department is now using YouTube! The purpose is to work in partnership with our citizens in solving and reducing crime.
www.youtube.com/user/HenryCountyPoliceDpt
Henry County Transit to Purchase Dispatching and Scheduling Software At the July 7, 2015 Commission meeting the Henry County Board of Commissioners authorized an award of contract to purchase dispatching and scheduling software for Henry County Transit from Reveal Software, Inc. Through a three-year contract with the vendor, Henry County Transit will obtain Reveal Software licenses, remote backup, implementation and training, 25 units of tablets and hardware, software installation and on-going technical support and maintenance. The software package and two years of annual support fees will cost $162,200. A Federal
Transportation Authority 5307 grant will cover $129,760 of the initial costs which leaves $32,440 to be matched by the county. Reveal Software will replace the existing Route Match software that the County has been using since 2004. Reveal Software partners with Google Maps to ensure accurate geographical information. This new software also works in conjunction with tablets which will provide drivers with up to the minute information. In addition to software updates, the Transit Department will be hiring one part-time and two fulltime drivers to increase efficiency. Continued on page 4
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July 16, 2015 Transit from page 3
Fleet of Henry County Transit buses
The goal of the Department is to provide safe, reliable, accessible and affordable transportation for the citizens of Henry County. Transportation is provided for medical appointments, shopping, social activities and employment by making a reservation up to seven days in advance. Rides are available Monday through
henrycounty-ga.org
Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for all Henry County residents. Fare for residents under 60 years old is $4 and fare is $2 for residents 60 years old and older. For more information or to schedule a ride, contact the Henry County Transit office at 770-2887433 or visit www.henrycounty-ga.org/transit.
County Saves Millions in Refinance Plan The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution at a called meeting held on July 8, 2015, to authorize the refinancing of certain bonds, saving County taxpayers more than $3.3 million. County Finance Director Fred Auletta presented the refinancing plan to the Board to refund $10 million in bonds presently being paid at a 4.4 percent interest rate and due to mature in July, 2032. The new bonds are at an effective yield of 1.47 percent and will reach an earlier maturity in August, 2021. This proactive measure resulted in a savings to the county of more than $3,344,000. Auletta said that as a result of shortening up the maturity on this bond, after the final August, 2021 payment, the county will be virtually out of debt. After the last payment, the County’s only remaining debt will consist of two bonds, having at that time, less than $3,000,000 outstanding in principal and interest. The final payment on the jail bond will be made in April, 2023 and the remaining principal and interest on the other bond will have payments of less than $150,000 per year, through 2032. With this minimal amount outstanding in 2022, the County could pay them off at less than the present annual debt payments. This refunding accomplishes the goal of the Commissioners to get the county debt free. “This is a great day for the county,” said Auletta. “Even though today’s debt structure is minimal in relationship to the size of our County, this refunding just
further amplifies our existing sound financial position, and makes Henry County’s future financial picture just awesome.” This most recent refunding effort brings the total savings from refunding/refinancing debt over the past year to nearly $4.2 million. For more information on Henry County Government’s finances, please visit www.henrycountyga.org/finance, where you will find the award-winning Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
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