Henry County Update - Newsletter

December 16, 2016

Board of

Commissioners

Community Partners Help Make Christmas Toy Shop a Success

Regular Meetings (Cancelled) December 20 at 6:30 PM January 3 at 9:00 AM 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.

Santa’s elves were busy this month at the Community Christmas Toy Shop.

For the past several years Lois Reed, an Ola Middle School 8th grade teacher, has spearheaded efforts encouraging her teams’ students to work and earn money to purchase toys so that other Henry County children can have a brighter Christmas.

The students who earned the most had the honor of going shopping and helping to select the toys for the toy shop, as they did this year.

“Ms. Reed is sowing the seeds of altruism in her young students and creating a legacy of giving back to the community. I want to thank Ms. Reed, the other teachers, and current and former students. We are honored by your commitment. Our hearts overflow with gratitude,” said Susan Crumbley, Director of Connecting Henry and coorganizer of the Community Cares Christmas Toy Shop.

The Community Cares Christmas Toy Shop provided new, unwrapped toys and books to children in our community who might not otherwise have something under the Christmas tree. The program also provided help and resources to families Continued on page 2

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December 16, 2016

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

Toy Shop from page 1

in need, through Connecting Henry. Organized through Connecting Henry, this year partnering with Henry County Government employees and receiving assistance from volunteers from churches, civic groups, schools and individuals, the Christmas Toy Shop provided Christmas gifts to more than 500 local children in need. Those families in need are identified through counselors within the Henry County School System, and were invited to pick up gifts at the Toy Shop in early December.

Crumbley said that she is so grateful to the many people who help make this a success and recognizes that it is made possible through the generosity of the many wonderful volunteers and donors.

Melissa Robinson Samantha Watson

DUI/Drug Court Receives State Funding From Governor

The Henry County DUI/Drug Court was approved to accept a $13,941 grant from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council at the December 6 Commission meeting.

The Council operates out of the Office of the Governor, which has allocated state discretionary funding for Accountability Courts with in Georgia.

The funds provided require a $1,549 match and will be used for drug testing and indigent treatment for participants in the accountability program.

For more information, please visit www.henrycounty-ga.org/statecourt/duicourt. henrycounty-ga.org

Community and County volunteers help community members shop for gifts for their children and families. All gifts were donated through the Fill the Bus campaign and donations made to Connecting Henry.

The Henry County Board of County Purchases Furniture Commissioners wishes you and yours a for New Hampton Senior/ Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Recreation Center Joyous Holiday Season.

Commissioners approved a resolution Senior Services Awards Contract for In-Home Services

At the December 6 Commission meeting Henry County Senior Services was approved to move forward with contracting its in-home services respite care and personal care to Southern Home Care Services, Inc.

In home services is a program within Senior Services that involves case management as well as provides services to seniors in their homes, specifically in three categories that include respite care, personal care and homemaker services.

Respite care, which provides temporary relief for the primary caregiver of senior adults, and personal care, where Certified Nursing Assistants help seniors with bathing and grooming tasks, both require licensure with the State of Georgia and therefore will be contracted to Southern Home Care Services, Inc. for an estimated annual cost of $151,500.

Henry County Senior Services’ primary goal is to assist senior adults so that they are able to remain independent at home for as long as possible. The department provides in home services, home delivered meals and case management, and also operates three Senior Centers within the county.

The Senior Centers offer a variety of social, educational and recreational opportunities for local seniors and also provide information and assistance to senior adults and their families.

For more information on Henry County Senior Services, please visit www.henrycounty-ga.org/seniorservices.

to purchase furniture for the new Hampton Senior/ Recreation Center located at 56 McDonough Street during the December 6 regular meeting.

With an approaching March 2017 open date, SPLOST Capital Projects staff recommended to purchase furniture for the center from Impact Office Interiors, based on their bid to furnish and install furniture for an amount not to exceed $119,362.20.

Ground was broken for the center earlier this year in February and 75 percent of the construction has been completed.

The new joint senior/recreation center sits on five acres and is the first of its kind in Henry County, with an overall square footage of 20,800, with 9,900 square feet dedicated to the senior center, 6,100 square feet utilized by the recreation center and 4,800 square feet to be shared.

The senior center features its own covered, drive-up entrance; lobby/lounge with gas fire place; game room, card room, craft room and multi-purpose room; full service kitchen and dining room; adjacent outdoor porch and patio area; restrooms and staff offices; and direct access to the shared fitness area.

The Recreation Center includes a separate entrance; two large multi-purpose activity rooms; a vending area; restrooms; office and breakroom; direct access to the shared fitness area; and adjacent land to accommodate future growth.

The shared space includes an aerobics room, fitness area to include several pieces of cardio/weight equipment and an indoor walking track.

To keep up with this and other SPLOST IV projects, please visit www.henrycounty-ga.org/splost.

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December 16, 2016

Sirens for Santa Brings Cheer to Children’s Christmases

Wondering why there were so many police cars at the Locust Grove Wal-Mart yesterday morning with their sirens blaring and lights shining? A Henry County child could tell you all about it! They’d be happy to describe how Henry County Police Officers took them through the store, letting them pick out what they wanted for Christmas.

Exactly 37 County children were able to have presents under the tree this year, because of the 18th annual Sirens for Santa shopping event, sponsored by the Henry County Fraternal Order of Police, whose purpose is to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community.

With the assistance of Walmart, the children were allowed to buy approximately $140 worth of gifts for themselves and others.

Funding from donations and volunteer hours at varied events dictated the number of children selected for this program. Every year, the children are selected from a list that is compiled through references and callin requests. Priority is given to those who have not been

Inauguration Ceremony set for December 20

The Henry County Board of Commissioners will hold an Inauguration Ceremony for the newly elected members of the Commission on Tuesday evening, December 20, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Community Room of the Henry County Government Administration Building.

New members to be sworn-in include Chair June Wood, District I Commissioner Johnny Wilson and District II Commissioner Dee Clemmons. The public is invited to attend.

The Henry County Administration Building is located at 140 Henry Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253. henrycounty-ga.org

past participants, are of good moral character and who are from households struggling to make ends meet.

“All participants left with smiles, the holiday spirit and the hope for a better relationship between law enforcement and the community,” commented Sergeant Wayne Bender.

Henry County Discusses Permit Process at Filming Seminar

Henry County Planning and Zoning planner, Juli Yoder, was recently chosen as a panelist for the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Business of Entertainment seminar, held earlier this month at the Fox Theater’s Egyptian Ballroom.

The business breakfast event featured film and production insiders, as well as a select few experts in the field of filming and state, county and city representatives to speak on the filming industry in Georgia. Yoder was asked to present her perspective as a metro Atlanta county planner in helping film and production companies best navigate the permitting process in counties such as Henry.

For her part, Yoder spoke on Henry County’s special events permitting process. As part of the Planning and Zoning Department, one of Yoder’s roles is to organize special event permit meetings, bringing representatives from various departments together to help facilitate and process filming requests in the county. During the seminar, she noted that flexibility is key when dealing with the increasing number of requests.

For more information on the Planning and Zoning Department, please visit www.henrycounty-ga.org/planningzoning.

Henry County LEPC Hosts Annual Holiday Luncheon

The Henry County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) held its annual holiday luncheon and meeting earlier this week, where members were recognized for their efforts and dedication to the group’s mission.

The purpose of the LEPC is to establish an organization, comprised of public officials, industry representatives and private citizens, to respond to the hazardous chemical environment, develop a comprehensive emergency plan for the community, receive information about accidental chemical releases, and collect, manage and provide public access to information on hazardous chemicals in the community.

Jonathan Burnette, LEPC Chairman and Henry County Fire Department Battalion Chief, recognized Colonial Pipeline, who sponsored the lunch, along with members of the organization. He thanked members for their dedication to the committee and safety of citizens and businesses.

Burnette reminded the attendees about the importance of the reverse notification system available in the county. EMA Director Don Ash also reminded those in attendance to be aware and prepared for severe weather as we approach the winter season.

Lunch was provided by Hunters Café.

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