Henry County Update - Newsletter

July 24, 2017

Board of

Commissioners

Henry County Police Department Appoints Officers to the Command Staff

Regular Meetings August 1, 2017 9:00 AM August 15, 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.

Pictured from L-R Deputy Chief Mark Amerman, Major Mike Ireland, Captain Vance Rosen, Captain Jason Bolton, Captain Randall McGlamery, Captain Jeff Maddox, Major Chuck Simmons and Sheriff Keith McBrayer.

The Henry County Police Department expanded the command staff by promoting four Lieutenants to Captains. Joining the command staff are Captain Vance Rosen, Captain Jason Bolton, Captain Randall McGlamery and Captain Jeff Maddox.

Major Chuck Simmons and Major Mike Ireland were already members of the command staff before this promotion. Captain Joey Smith and Captain Phillip Bratton are also current members of the staff.

The newly added personnel and titles are listed below: Captain Mike Ireland was promoted to Major and will remain in Internal Affairs as the Division Commander.

Captain Chuck Simmons was promoted to Major and will assume the duties as Uniform Patrol Division Commander.

Continued on page 2

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July 24, 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

Command Staff Continued from page 1 Lieutenant Randall McGlamery was promoted to Captain and will assume the duties as the South Precinct Commander.

Lieutenant Jason Bolton was promoted to Captain and will assume duties as the North Precinct Commander.

Lieutenant Vance Rosen was promoted to Captain and assume duties as the Support Service Division Commander.

Lieutenant Jeff Maddox was promoted to Captain and will assume duties as the Special Operation Division Commander.

Contributors Melissa Robinson Erika Richards Kevin Williams

Inmate Labor Contract between Henry and Spalding County is Approved

The Board of Commissioners approved a contract between Henry and Spalding County at the July 18th Commission meeting.

The contract between the counties allows Spalding County to provide an inmate work detail providing labor services on public work projects within Henry County.

Utilizing inmate labor assists the county with

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labor needs while saving taxpayer dollars.

The Henry County Stormwater Department and Department of Transportation currently uses three Spalding County Inmate Labor Crews. Funds for each crew are budgeted from their respective fiscal year 2018 budget. This is a renewal of a yearly contract.

The agreement ends on June 30, 2018.

Parks and Recreation Launches 2017 Photography Contest

Do you have a knack for snapping great pictures? Henry County Parks and Recreation wants your photos for their photography contest that ends on October 6.

As you and your family enjoy Henry County Parks for your leisure activities, bring along your camera and document the fun! You can submit your best digital or film recreation photos to win over $400

in prizes.

Categories for submission include sports and action, nature and wildlife as well as people, pets and play. Outstanding photos also have a chance to be featured in the 2018 Parks and Recreation calendar.

The contest rules and entry form are available at www.hcprd.org. For more information on how to submit photos, visit the website or call 770-288-7312.

Community Development Plans Approved at Commission Meeting

The Board of Commissioners approved the fiscal year 2017-2019 Three-year Consolidated Plan and the fiscal year 2017 Annual Action Plan for the Henry County Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG).

The action came at the July 18th Commission meeting.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has advised the county that it is eligible to receive a CDBG entitlement in the amount of $1,066,118. The funds will be used to assist in public service activities, infrastructure, housing rehab demolition, administrative expenses and fair housing training and outreach.

Furthermore, Cooperation Agreements with

the cities of Hampton, Locust Grove, McDonough and Stockbridge to requalify as an urban county for participating in the CDBG program for the 2018-2020 fiscal years were approved as well.

The agreement allows Henry County to receive funds for the three consecutive fiscal years regardless of changes to its population or boundaries during that time period provided that the funds are set aside by Congress.

For more information regarding the Community Development Block Grant Program please visit h t t p : / / w w w. c o . h e n r y. g a . u s / D e p a r t m e n t s / A - C / CommunityDevelopment.aspx.

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July 24, 2017 Commissioners Approve Mechanism to Address Category I and II Dams

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution allowing for the creation of a Special Tax District Program (STDP) for the rehabilitation of Category I and II dams throughout unincorporated Henry County. The action came at the July 18 regular Commission meeting.

The ordinance for the STDP outlines the steps necessary for a private land owner or community to petition Henry County to create a self-taxing district among a proposed group of predefined users for the purpose of long-term repayment of the cost to repair the dam structure.

The mechanism allows those in a lake community to tax themselves in order to make repairs.

Category I dams are where dam failure would result in probable loss of human life. Category II dams are those which have the potential to impact County roads or other critical public infrastructure. According to DOT Director and former Stormwater Director Wade Stroud, there are currently 16 Category I dams and 47 Category II dams identified in unincorporated Henry County.

In September 2015, the Board of Commissioners approved the award of an RFP (Request for Proposal) for Phase II, approving a consultant to study the issue and make recommendations on the most effective way to proceed with creating an ordinance. Phase I had been completed the previous year.

During Tuesday’s discussion some concerns

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raised by members of the Commission included the legality of the ordinance using public funds for a private entity and whether or not some lake communities have the means to fund the necessary feasibility study, possibly cutting out a segment of applicants based on economic status.

County attorney Patrick Jaugstetter addressed concerns and said that if the County assists communities with bonding, then the dam owners will be required to deed the dam to the county and the county would own the dam.

Stroud said that the Special Tax District Program is not a static document, but a dynamic and complex one that will see multiple changes as the county goes through the process.

“This ordinance is unique to the state of Georgia and I’m not aware of another ordinance of its kind in the United States. We are being trendsetters, which I think is a great thing for Henry County. We recognize there are some challenges and we know we will have to make some modifications as we go to best fit communities,” said Stroud.

Commission meetings are aired live and in rebroadcast on Spectrum Channel 180 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99, as well as on demand through the county website at http://www.co.henry.ga.us/ Government/AgendaMinutes.aspx.

Henry County Fire Accepts Donation

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved acceptance of a $1,283.97 donation from the American Legion Post 55 and 516 and the Heritage Park Veterans Museum, after the approval from the regular Commission meeting held on July 18, in McDonough.

Funds from this donation will go towards Samsung Video Security Systems for the Henry County Fire

Department.

“The generosity of our veterans will assist in our efforts to provide for the safety of our firefighters,” said Fire Chief Nish Willis. “On behalf of the dedicated men and women who help protect our community, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the American Legion and Veterans Museum, for their support to our department.”

Henry County PD and SO Compete in Battle of the Badges Blood Drive

Every day donated blood is used to save the lives of countless patients in Henry County and across the state, and blood donations of all types are always needed.

To help support the life saving measures of providing blood, the Henry County Police and Sheriff’s Departments are hosting a Battle of the Badges Blood Drive, to be held on Monday, July 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Each law enforcement department will have their own convenient donation site set up at their respective offices. Donations for the Police Department will be located at 108 S. Zack Hinton Parkway in McDonough. The donation site for the Sheriff’s Office

will located at 120 Henry Parkway in McDonough.

Come support the great cause of life-saving blood donation and as a thank you, each presenting donor will receive a free gift and if at least the goal of 42 pints is reached, there will also be a drawing for two $25 gift cards.

Individuals who are 17 years of age or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. To schedule an appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code hcgvt.

If you have questions about eligibility, please call 1-800-RED CROSS.

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July 24, 2017 Animal Care & Control’s “Operation Cool Down” is Heating Up

With warm temperatures upon us, Henry County Animal Care & Control is once again stepping up patrols to be on the lookout for pets left in hot cars.

Too often, beloved pets are left in dangerous situations where owners leave them locked inside of their vehicles during the heat of the day, while they stop by a store or restaurant or run other errands.

To combat this distressing trend, Henry County Animal Care & Control is now in its sixth year of implementing “Operation Cool Down,” reminding people not to leave their pets in hot vehicles.

Any animal that is found unattended in a vehicle, that is in distress, will be removed from that vehicle by Animal Care and Control officers by whatever means necessary, as permitted under Henry County Ordinance. Violators of the ordinance may face fines up to $1,000 or 60 days in jail.

Although since the implementation of Operation Cool Down, calls have been reduced a little each year. Supervisor Vince Farah, Henry County Rabies Control Officer, said that every year his department still receives calls regarding pets left in hot cars, and that even one death from this dangerous practice is unacceptable. He said that the temperature inside a car on a hot day spikes higher than what the barometer

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reads on the outside, for example, on a 90-degree day, temperatures inside a car can quickly reach up to 120 degrees.

Farah said officers from Animal Care & Control will be patrolling parking lots for animals that are left in vehicles and they won’t be giving warnings, they will be writing citations.

“Animal Care and Control officers will respond expeditiously after receiving a call. This is a very serious matter and it is important that citizens know it doesn’t matter how long they are in a store, leaving pets in vehicles is unacceptable,” said Farah.

Officials at Henry County Animal Care and Control advise residents to keep their pets at home if their pets cannot be with them at all times. Experts say that a dog naturally has a higher body temperature than a human and that leaving them in a hot car could be deadly. In addition, owners should make sure that their pets have a constant source of clean, drinkable water at all times and have adequate shelter from the heat.

For more information about Henry County Animal Care & Control, please visit www.hcacc.org.

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July 24, 2017

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