October 29, 2015
Board of
HCPD Unveils New Patrol Cars
Commissioners Regular Meetings November 3 at 9:00 AM November 17 at 6:30 PM 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 Departmnet unveiled 15 new police vehicles on October 29, 2015 at the Public Safety Building in McDonough. The new vehicles were mad epossible under SPLOST IV.
The Henry County Police Department unveiled 15 of its newly purchased 2015 Dodge Chargers on October 29. Police Chief Keith Nichols, District I Commissioner Bo Moss, District IV Commissioner Blake Prince and County Manager Lyndon L. Bonner were in attendance. During the event, Chief Nichols spoke about the equipment within the vehicles including new Panasonic Toughbook computers, in-car video packages, G2S radar systems and mobile radio packages. “I’m proud to say we finally have equipment that matches the caliber of our officers,” said Chief Nichols. These fully outfitted cars were made possible by the SPLOST IV referendum, which provided for a total of 30 new police patrol vehicles. The first 15 cars were put into service on December 8, 2014; these additional 15 vehicles complete the SPLOST IV project. “I would like to thank the citizens for approving SPLOST so that this is possible,” stated Commissioner Moss.
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October 29, 2015 Published by Henry County Communications Department The Henry County Board of Commissioners
Editor Melissa Robinson
Graphic Designer Meredith Butler Samantha Watson
Layout Designer Samantha Watson
Contributors Samantha Watson Melissa Robinson Kevin Williams
Governor Deal Honors Sheriff Keith McBrayer Sheriff Keith McBrayer was invited to the Capital October 21, where he was presented a Commendation from Governor Nathan Deal for his many years of dedicated law enforcement service to the citizens of Henry County. The Commendation briefly traced his Henry County Sheriff’s Office career from a radio dispatcher up through the ranks to Major before being elected as Sheriff. The document also acknowledges his innovative leadership and his support for families, youth and the communities of Henry County.
Free Gardening Mulch at The Recycling Center With fall in full effect, many of us are scrambling to get our gardens in order. With that in mind, the Henry County Recycling Center is pleased to announce that they will be giving away free mulch and compost on November 7 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Department of Transportation (DOT) yard off of the Henry Parkway Connector. The mulch consists of ground up soil and wood debris from the Recycling Center and the compost consists of green waste from the DOT and Stormwater projects. These products are purposed more for gardening than decoration. There are around 100 dump truck loads to be given away. County employees will be available with machinery to load citizen’s trucks and trailers with mulch or compost. henrycounty-ga.org
Henry County Sheriff Keith McBrayer received a commendation from Governor Nathan Deal earlier this month.
A New PATH Foundation Trail is Coming to Henry County Henry County and the PATH Foundation have entered into a budget agreement for the engineering and construction of a multi-use trail from Panola Mountain State Park to Austin Road Middle School, which was approved by the Board of Commissioners at the October 6 Commission meeting. The original agreement for the Panola Mountain Greenway Project was established in November of 2011 between PATH and Henry County. The initial estimate to construct the trail was projected at $928,000 but has since risen to $1,865,000 after the consideration of environmental factors and additional difficulties crossing SR 155. Due to the change in the project cost estimate, PATH increased its original contribution from $178,000 to $361,000 and Henry County has increased its original contribution from $50,000 to $368,400 of which $211,000 will be contributed in cash and $157,400 will be in-kind services. Henry County also repurposed a grant initially awarded for a trail in Nash Farm Park that will contribute $435,000 to the multi-use trail ending at Austin Road. The remaining $700,600 will be covered by grants. “This is a project that is going to benefit this
entire county. It is a good deal all the way around because it will increase property value and bring more revenue into this county. If we want other people to invest in this county then we have to invest in ourselves,� commented District V Commissioner, Bruce Holmes. The PATH Foundation has been building a network of off-road trails in and around Atlanta for more than 22 years. Its mission to build scenic greenways preserves forested character and offers opportunities for people to enjoy nature together. To learn more about the PATH Foundation visit, www.pathfoundation. org. To keep up with progress on the Panola Mountain Greenway Project be sure to check the Henry County website, www.henrycounty-ga.org, periodically for updates.
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October 29, 2015 First Public Meeting for Transportation Plan to be Held on November 12 The first public meeting for the Henry Joint County/Cities Comprehensive Transportation Plan (JCTP) will take place on November 12, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. at the Henry County Government Administration Building at 140 Henry Parkway in McDonough. The meeting will feature an open-house format where citizens can visit various booths and displays to learn more about the JCTP and voice their opinions and concerns. Booth topics will include traffic congestion, maintenance of roads, goals and objectives of the JTCP, transportation priorities and so on. The JCTP, including the cities of Hampton, Locust Grove, McDonough and Stockbridge, was originally adopted in 2007, and is undergoing its first update, which is expected to be finalized in April 2016. The plan is a comprehensive and functioning list of transportation priorities in the County and will help the County prepare for growth, plan future land use and apply for future grant funding. For more information on the JCTP and leave feedback about the plan, visit www.henryinmotion.com.
henrycounty-ga.org
Adult Winter
Basketball Registration Opens November 2
Y o u don’t have to be in the NBA to enjoy playing basketball as an adult. In fact, you can join one of Henry County Parks and Recreation’s adult winter basketball leagues and play your favorite sport all season long! Registration for the Competitive Church league and the Competitive Open league starts on November 2 and runs untill November 30. You can register a team Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fairview, Heritage, J.P. Moseley or Locust Grove Recreation Centers, or online at hcprd.
org. The registration fee per team is $450. All games will be played at the J.P. Moseley Recreation Center. Each league must have a minimum of six teams. The season consists of ten games and single elimination tournament at the end of the season, which begins in December. Co-ed teams are not allowed. For more information on the adult winter basketball leagues, contact Peggy Hesselbach a t 770-288-7294 or visit the Henry County Parks and Recreation website at www. hcprd.org.
Christmas Program in Need of Volunteers and Donations Preparations for Connecting Henry’s annual Community Cares Christmas Toy Shop, to be held on December 10 and 11, are underway and officials are looking for donations of toys, money and gift cards as well as volunteers for a number of positions. The toys and donations collected will stay right here in Henry County and go to families in need to make Christmas a little brighter for those that might not otherwise have anything under the tree. The Community Cares Christmas Toy Shop helps provide Christmas gifts and other resources for families in need. In years past, this holiday event has been a huge success, thanks in part to the generosity of donors and volunteers who made a difference in the lives of thousands of Henry County children. Unfortunately, the need this year is expected to be just as great. The Community Cares Toy Shop is a unique program in that it gives parents a place to “shop” for Christmas gifts for their children. More than just a toy giveaway, the Community Cares Christmas Toy Shop helps to empower families to feel like part of
the community, restoring pride and giving hope for the holidays, while helping families in need with other available resources. Susan Crumbley, Director of Connecting Henry, Inc. said it is the volunteers that really make the Christmas program such a great success. “Last year we had over 100 volunteers helping us,” said Crumbley. “We couldn’t do this without volunteers.” Volunteers are needed for a variety of jobs, including pre-event volunteering (sorting toys, decorating the warehouse, painting, etc…) as well as on the days of the event (hosting families, wrapping gifts, security, registration) to be held on December 10 and 11. For those who are interested in volunteering and to find out how your time and talents can make a difference this Christmas season, or for more information, call 770-288-6230 or email scrumbley@co.henry.ga.us.
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October 29, 2015
HELP ARC HH
HENRY COUNTY EMERGENCY VOLUNTEERS & LOCAL PARTNERS AMERICAN RED CROSS
Volunteer Recruitment
American Red Cross
Volunteer Information Session November 5, 2015 @ 7PM H e nry C ou n ty E me r g en cy Op e ra ti o ns Ce n t er 526 Industrail Blvd. McDonough, GA 30253
American Red Cross
Volunteer Training Session November 21, 2015 @ 9AM H e nry C ou n ty E me r g en cy Op e ra ti o ns Ce n t er 526 Industrail Blvd. McDonough, GA 30253
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for HELP ARC Please contact Henry County Office of Emergency Mangement Officer Shelita D. Broomfield @ 770-288-7865 or sbroomfield@co.henry.ga.us
The American Red Cross is hosting a volunteer recruitment event for Henry County residents Thursday, November 5, 2015 at the Henry County Emergency Operations Center. The event is for residents who are interested in helping others and giving back to their communities through the American Red Cross. Red Cross staff members and volunteers will describe the various volunteer opportunities that are available within the Red Cross lines of service: Disaster Services, Blood Services, Service to Armed Forces, and Health and Safety Services.
“The Red Cross is always looking for people with various backgrounds, talents and skill levels to join our team. American Red Cross volunteers play a crucial role in ensuring that the Red Cross delivers its services in our communities. Please join us to learn more about how you can serve your community as a Red Cross volunteer.� To RSVP for the event, please contact Shelita D. Broomfield Program Coordinator, at sbroomfield@co.henry.ga.us or (770) 288-7865. The American Red Cross Metro Atlanta Chapter covers 12counties and has responded to 40+ calls in 2014-2015 from Henry County Fire Department and/or displaced residents needing immediate assistance due to natural disaster (i.e. fire, flood). The 40+ cases were from Hampton, Locust Grove, McDonough and Stockbridge.
henrycounty-ga.org