September 23, 2016
Board of
Commissioners Regular Meetings October 4 at 9:00 AM October 18 at 6:30 PM
Police Department Purchases 30 New Vehicles
Meetings held at: Administration Building Community Room 140 Henry Parkway McDonough, GA 30253 Regular Commission meetings air daily on Henry TV Channel 180 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, at 9 a.m. & 7 p.m.
The Henry County Police Department was approved to purchase 30 Dodge Chargers from Akins Ford Dodge Jeep Chrysler of Winder, Georgia at the September 20 Commission meeting. The new vehicles will help meet the operational needs for fleet replacement for the department and will cost $700,477 in total. A budget amendment to transfer $700,477 from the General Fund Balance to the Capital Asset Fund for the Police Department was also approved to provide the necessary funding for the purchase. In related public safety news, a bid for the remounting and refurbishing of two emergency medical vehicles belonging to the Fire Department was awarded at the September 20 Commission meeting. The bid was awarded to Custom Truck and Body Works, Inc. of Woodbury, Georgia for $222,176. Additional funding for vehicle equipment in the amount of $52,824 was approved at the regular meeting, as was a budget amendment that transferred $275,000 from the General Fund Balance to the Capital Asset Fund for the Fire Department. To keep up with public safety news, log on to www.henrycounty-ga.org.
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September 23, 2016
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Commissioner Thanks Citizen for Community Efforts
Henry County Communications Department The Henry County Board of Commissioners
Editor Melissa Robinson
Graphic Designer Meredith Butler Samantha Watson
Layout Designer Samantha Watson
Contributors Melissa Robinson Samantha Watson Kevin Williams
Commissioner Bruce Holmes recognized Stockbridge citizen Otis Wilkins on Friday afternoon for his efforts to clean up the roadways of District V. Holmes presented Wilkins with a proclamation and thanked him for his efforts over the past seven years. Wilkins said he bikes and walks more than 50 miles a day, Friday through Sunday, collecting cans left on the side of the roadways.
BOC Contributes Additional Funds to Libraries The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a motion at the September 19 joint meeting with the Henry County Library Board to transfer $500,000 from the general fund to the Henry County Library System. In addition to the most recent contribution, the Library System received $1.8 million in funding from the County in the FY 2016/2017 budget. According to Carolyn Fuller, Director of Henry County Library Services, the additional funds will be used to expand service hours as well as bring on and train additional staff. The library system operates five branches, which includes the Fairview, Hampton, Locust Grove, McDonough and Stockbridge libraries. henrycounty-ga.org
Long Delays Possible on I-75 through Henry County with Express Lane Work
The Georgia Department of Transportation announces Express Lane work south of Atlanta on Interstate 75 is progressing and another project milestone will occur this weekend. A traffic shift to the final configuration will begin near Exit 224, Hudson Bridge Road along the southbound lanes of I-75. The contractor is allowed to install lane closures at 3.5 mile intervals and will progress southbound as work is completed to Exit 216, SR 155. With the weather expected to be near perfect this weekend; the contractor will begin at 9 p.m. Friday, September 23 with a single lane closure then at midnight a double lane closure will be installed and will be continuous throughout the weekend until 7 a.m. Monday morning, September 26. Delays are expected as the contractor removes and replaces striping for the
new alignment. Motorists are strongly encouraged to find alternate routes as this work must be completed. “Please slow down and use extra caution through the area as motorists get used to these changes and work through the learning curve of these alterations to the roadway,” urged Georgia DOT District Engineer, Michael Presley. The I-75 South Metro Express Lanes project will add 2 toll lanes along I-75 south of Atlanta. The project corridor extends 12 miles, from SR 155/McDonough Road to SR 138/ Stockbridge Highway. These new lanes are being built within the median of the existing roadways. Every day Georgia DOT employees work on roadways in close proximity to travel lanes. Whether they’re in maintenance, in construction or are HEROs, it’s dangerous. Fifty-eight Georgia DOT personnel and many more motorists, passengers and contractors’ workers have been killed in work zone crashes since 1973. When you drive in a work zone, obey the rules: Pay Attention - Slow Down - Watch for Workers. It can make the difference between life and death. Visit www.dot.ga.gov/DS/SafetyOperation/Workzone.
Commissioners Make Three Board Appointments Commissioners made two appointments to the Division of Family and Children Services Board and one appointment to the Henry County Council on Aging Board at the September 20 regular meeting. Commissioners appointed Detective Bess Simpson-Baugh with the Henry County Police Department and Major Chad Rosborough with the McDonough Police Department to the Division of Children and Family Services Board.
District IV Commissioner Blake Prince made a motion to appoint Mary Jo Blount to the Henry County Council on Aging Board. For more information on the Division of Family and Children Services Board, visit http://dfcs.dhs.georgia.gov/. To learn more about the Henry County Council on Aging Board, visit www.henrycounty-ga.org/ seniorservices/councilonaging.
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September 23, 2016 SPLOST Projects Approved at Commission Meeting
One SPLOST capital project and three SPLOST transportation projects were approved at the September 20 Commission meeting, including the purchase of sports field lighting and budget approvals for the construction at SR81. The Board approved the purchase of sports field lighting for Cochran Park in Stockbridge from Techline Sports Lighting who provided a proposal to furnish and install poles, light fixtures and associated hardware and wiring for a total cost of $498,200. Due to the construction of Old Highway 3 at SR81, it is necessary for the Henry County Water Authority and the Georgia Power Company to relocate a portion of their facilities. The estimated cost to relocate the water authority’s facilities is $203,516.86, which is 8.8 percent of the total cost of construction. The estimated cost to relocate the Georgia Power Company’s facilities is $291,243, which the county will reimburse after the actual cost of the relocation is calculated. The widening of SR81, along with the widening of Rock Quarry Road, required a funding commitment of up to $1,200,000 from the Georgia Department of Transportation which awarded funding to the county for both projects. A budget amendment in the amount of $599,740 was approved for both the District I and District 3 accounts for the widening of SR81. A separate budget amendment for the widening of Rock Quarry Road was approved in the amount of $1,171,484. henrycounty-ga.org
DUI/Drug Court Applies for State Funding The Henry County DUI/Drug Court was approved to apply for a supplemental grant from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, a part of the Office of the Governor at the September 20 Commission meeting. If awarded, the grant would require a ten percent match from the county and would assist the court in its mission to enhance public safety and promote healthier lifestyles for substance abusing repeat offenders.
The Henry County DUI/Drug Court is an accountability court that follows proven best practices and State guidelines to decrease incarceration days in the county jail and reduce recidivism among those residents of Henry County whose addiction to alcohol and/or drugs brings them repeatedly into the criminal justice system. The program works to break the cycle in helping them get their lives back on track while making the roads safer for those traveling in our county, by keeping repeat offenders off the roadways. The program includes weekly reporting to probation, random and routine drug and alcohol testing, home visits by a surveillance officer, required weekly reports to the court, exhaustive therapy and curfew hours. Within the program there are incentives for timely completion of tasks and sanctions for failure to follow the rules. For more information, please visit www.henrycounty-ga.org/statecourt/DUIcourt.
Commissioner Helps a local American Legion
Early voting for the November 8 General Election/Special Elections will begin October 17 at the following locations and times: Elections & Voter Registration Main Office: October 17th – 21st: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm October 22nd: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm October 24th – 28th: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm October 29th: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm October 30th: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm October 31st – November 4th : 7:00 am – 7:00 pm Merle Manders Conference Center: October 24th – 28th: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm October 29th: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm October 30th: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm October 31st – November 4th : 7:00 am – 7:00 pm Fairview Library: October 31st – November 4th: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm Fortson (Hampton) Library: October 31st – November 4th : 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
District IV Commissioner Blake Price is joining with a local American Legion with fundraising efforts to bring a long lost soldier home to rest in peace. Prince participated in a recent motorcycle run to raise funds to bring back the remains of World War II soldier Willie B. Hatcher. Members of the Willie B. Hatcher American Legion Post 516 are looking to raise $10,000 to bring Hatcher back from the Philippines to be laid to rest in Henry County. In 1944, Hatcher was the first Henry County resident lost in combat in World War II. To learn more about this effort or to donate, call American Legion officials at 678-782-5466 or visit http://www.wbhlegion.com.
Locust Grove Library: October 31st – November 4th : 7:00 am – 7:00 pm Polls will be open Election Day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at your local precinct. For further information or to request an absentee ballot, call 770-288-6448. The Elections Office is located at 40 Atlanta Street in McDonough.
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