Henry County Update - Newsletter

February 26, 2018

Board of

Henry County Launches SeeClickFix Application

Commissioners Regular Meetings Mar. 6, 2018 9:00 a.m.

Mar. 20, 2018 6:30 p.m.

Workshop Meeting Mar. 27, 2018 9:00 a.m.

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.

Henry County is now using the SeeClickFix application that will allow citizens to report quality-of-life issues and request County services, all at their fingertips.

With the free mobile app and web tools, Henry County citizens will now be able to connect with Henry County staff through pictures, videos and specific descriptions to log concerns or report issues. In addition, the SeeClickFix platform provides Henry County officials with a centralized issue management system to manage issues from creation to resolution — engaging County citizens throughout the process.

County Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews said SeeClickFix provides an easy and convenient way for people to connect with county departments in order to resolve issues and address concerns, in a timely fashion.

“We’re most excited about being able to track concerns and issues and see them come to full resolution,” said Hobson-Matthews. “It helps us be more responsive to our citizens and visitors and allows for greater accountability on our end.”

This partnership will not only allow Henry County citizens to report problems, but also to pay taxes online and even search for local restaurants from a smartphone.

The SeeClickFix mobile app is available for download in Android’s Google Play Store and iPhone’s App Store. In addition to the mobile apps, citizens can send reports to Henry County’s website at henrycounty-ga.org/seeclickfix.aspx.

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February 26, 2018 Published by Henry County Communications & Public Information Department Henry County Government

Editor Melissa Robinson

Graphic Designer Meredith Butler

Layout Designer Melissa Robinson Meredith Butler

Contributors

Board Approves District III Council on Aging Appointment

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved the appointment of Gina Riffey as a District III representative to the Henry County Council on Aging.

The action came at the February 20 Commission meeting.

The Council on Aging is comprised of 15 members, with three appointed from each district.

The Council on Aging supports programs that serve Henry County senior citizens, including Meals on Wheels, nutritional supplements, in-home services, senior centers and volunteer activities.

Riffey’s term is to expire on February 20, 2022.

For information on the Senior Services, please visit www.co.henry.ga.us/Departments/S-Z/ SeniorServices.aspx.

Melissa Robinson Erika Richards Kevin Williams

Board Approves Bear Creek Senior Activity Center Pavilion

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution allowing Leadership Henry to build a pavilion at the Bear Creek Recreation and Senior Activity Center. The action came at the regular Commission meeting on February 20.

Implemented by the Henry County Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Henry is a development program that requires each class to work

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collectively to complete a Legacy Project intended to leave a lasting positive impact on the Henry County.

According to the resolution, the Leadership Henry Class of 2018 is responsible for funding the project, and will organize scheduling and construction of the project with the county manager to ensure that all plans are in agreement with the guidelines set by Henry County.

BOC Approves HCPD and HCFD Donations

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a donation of two Dell OptiPlex desktop computers valued at $700 for the Henry County Police Department at the February 20 Commission meeting.

The Henry County Fire Department also received a $495 donation from the Georgia Burn Reconstruction Centers of America LLC., after the

approval from the Board.

The donation will be used for the annual fire department banquet.

For more information about Henry County Public Safety, please visit www.co.henry.ga.us/ Departments/PublicSafetyEmergencyServices.aspx.

Commissioner Bruce Holmes Youth Foundation to provide a life changing experience for Henry County Youth

Bruce Holmes Youth Foundation will host a trip to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, April 3rd

The Commissioner Bruce Holmes Youth Foundation will host its first out of state exposure trip during the Henry County School system’s spring break.

Students from both Project Exposure and Project Blossom mentoring programs will travel to Washington D.C. to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture on Tuesday, April 3rd. This field trip will serve as its premier exposure trip for the mentoring programs this year.

Commissioner Holmes announced this trip during the 2017 Youth Foundation’s Gala in November and thanks to Michael Russel, his vision is now a reality.

This highly anticipated field trip is an opportunity for the youth of Henry County and surrounding areas to participate in a life changing event through the exposure of history from a national perspective, which promotes education and awareness.

“Mentoring has been proven to have a positive impact on youth development and we continue to have a high demand for quality, and caring community

leaders that have a passion for making a difference,” said Toni Holmes, CBHYF President.

“Every young person should have an opportunity to experience this historic display of artifacts and history. My visit to D.C. last year was impactful and life changing. I immediately thought that it was imperative to bring Henry County Youth to D.C. to learn and live history first hand in its past and current form. I am very appreciative of Michael Russell, CEO of H. J. Russell & Company for providing this opportunity to the youth of the Commissioner Bruce Holmes Youth Foundation (CBHYF), which makes it even more special that the foundation received this news during black history month. This experience will have an impact on these 75 youth and their families for generations to come.

We are so happy that we can provide this opportunity with no charge to these children,” said Commissioner Bruce Holmes, CBHYF Founder.

Thanks to CEO, Michael Russell, H.J. Russell & Company.

CBHYF is committed to making a difference

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February 26, 2018 Henry County Fire Department Accepting Applications for Citizens’ Fire Academy

The Citizens’ Fire Academy is an eight week program designed to educate and inform citizens about fire and emergency services; achieving a greater understanding of the inner workings of the Henry County Fire Department. The academy will begin March 22, 2018 and run for eight weeks ending May 17, 2018. Academy classes will be held on Thursdays, from 6:00 until 9:00 p.m. Classes will be at the Henry County Fire Headquarters located at 110 South Zack Hinton Parkway in McDonough. The instruction includes practical demonstrations that all participants are encouraged to participate in. However, because of the voluntary nature of the program, physical limitations of applicants will not be considered a reason for exclusion from the academy.

It is imperative that all participants understand that the Citizens’ Fire Academy is intended to be an informative experience to provide insight into how the fire department functions and what services it provides.

The goal is also to provide an enjoyable, interactive

atmosphere in which fire department members and citizens can share information and concerns. It is not intended to train participants as firefighters or to assist at any fires. We hope the graduates of the Citizens’ Fire Academy become more aware and better informed about how the fire department operates, and will encourage others to join the Henry County Fire Department in this rewarding program.

Potential candidates for the Citizens’ Fire Academy must be a minimum of 18 years of age, live in Henry County, and have no prior felony arrests or misdemeanor arrests within six months of the application process. Class sizes are limited to sixteen students per session. For more information on the Citizens’ Fire Academy, please contact (770) 288-6641 or visit our web page at henrycounty-ga.org. Download the application and fax the completed forms to (770) 2886776 or email tmitchell@co.henry.ga.us. Applications must be returned no later than Wednesday, March 14, 2018.

Youth Foundation Continued from page 3 in the lives of youth with a focus on Healthy Living, Education, Athletics & Leadership (H.E.A.L.). CBHYF’s mission is to establish youth development programs and partnerships which help young people reach their fullest potential. CBHYF was established in 2011 as a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization and has successfully created measurable change through program development and partnering with existing institutions in the community to deliver activities which create meaningful, sustainable and positive outcomes.

“We strongly believe that young people are one of our most vulnerable groups in society as well as a precious resource. We are so excited about our community supporters for this year’s signature exposure trip who have demonstrated a strong henrycounty-ga.org

commitment to youth development. The exposure field trip will take place at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.,” said Holmes.

ABOUT COMMISSIONER BRUCE HOLMES YOUTH FOUNDATION (CBHYF)

Within a very short span of time the organization has successfully created measurable change through program development and partnering with existing institutions in the community to deliver activities which create meaningful, sustainable, and positive outcomes. www.cbhyf.org/.

For more information about the trip to Washington D.C., please contact Dr. Rita Bailey at 404-308-1081 or DrRita@cbhyf.org.

Hydro Systems Chooses Henry for New Manufacturing Facility

Hydro Systems announced last week that they have purchased and will soon be opening a new manufacturing facility in McDonough, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta located in Henry County. This new operation will create 60 manufacturing jobs initially and hopefully increase to 100 within the first year.

Furthermore, this plant allows Hydro Systems to have a new hub for manufacturing and shipping to the Eastern United States.

“With over half of the United States population living east of the Mississippi we have been looking to expand our operations for the last couple years and finally found the right location. This new facility will allow us to reduce the lead time on all bathtub orders placed in the Eastern United States by weeks and save our customers money with reduced shipping costs.

This a big expansion for our family-owned business, and we are excited to be making this move during our 40th year in business” said Hydro Systems President & Owner Scott Steinhardt.

Hydro Systems expects this facility to be fully operational during mid-year 2018. Additionally, it will allow orders placed by east coast customers to still be hand-crafted and custom made but delivered in about a week instead of waiting 3-4 weeks for products to be shipped from the California manufacturing facility.

“We are excited that California-based Hydro Systems has chosen Henry County for their new East Coast hub,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Georgia is a premier location in terms of logistics infrastructure and accessibility, and I am confident that Hydro Systems will have access to a skilled workforce to fill the available

positions.”

“Hydro Systems’ decision to locate its east coast manufacturing operation in Henry County is a huge success,” said David Gill, Chairman of the Henry County Development Authority. “The Henry County Development Authority has consciously worked to attract more manufacturing companies to the County that will benefit from our outstanding workforce and strategic location near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and the Port of Savannah. Hydro Systems is a welcomed addition to our community.”

About Hydro Systems Inc.

Hydro Systems (www.hydrosystem.com), a family owned and operated business, has been manufacturing hand-crafted and custom-made whirlpool bathtubs and accessories since 1978.

Featuring four unique collections – Maestro, Metro, Studio and Designer – Hydro Systems strives to introduce cutting edge products and designs proudly found in distinguished homes and hotels around the world.

Press Contact: Ken Steinhardt, kenny@ hydrosystem.com, 661-775-0686 ext. 126

About the Henry County Development Authority

The Henry County Development Authority is the lead economic development agency for Henry County, Georgia. The Authority works to help retain local companies and to foster new relationships and opportunities with companies looking to relocate or grow their operations into Henry County. www. choosehenry.com

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February 26, 2018 HCPD Holds Demonstration for New Body Worn Cameras

The Henry County Police Department held a demonstration of their recently purchased body cameras on February 14 at the Public Safety Headquarters in McDonough.

Captain Randall McGlamery shared the technical aspects of body camera capabilities and how important this tool is for the community.

“We really enjoy this product and now that we have fully implemented this it, we are seeing that the officers are using it in a lot of ways that I was not expecting,” said McGlamery. “The photographic images that we are getting are incredible. We are able to see in real time information about GPS locations of officers, and are able to tap in and livestream images of officers.”

Last month, the Henry County Board of

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Commissioners approved the purchase of the Kyocera Duraforce Pro Smartphones that are equipped with a digital body camera and have access to cloud storage with Visual Labs Inc. application, an audio and video recorder, a GPS tracking device and 24-hour mobile access to departmental email and text messaging. All evidence from the phone is immediately uploaded to the cloud-based system through the Verizon network.

Chief Mark Amerman believes that with the purchase of the smartphones Henry County Public Safety will increase officer safety, assist with documenting violations, reduce court time and much more, as well as provide transparency for the public.

For more information on the Henry County Police, please visit henrycountypolicedepartment.org

County Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews Recognized with Public Service Award

Henry County Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews recieved the W. L. Billy Carter Public Service Award at the Henry County Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet. Pictured (l. to r.) Henry County Chamber of Commerce’s Past Chair Rod Meadows, Cheri Hobson-Matthews, State Representative Andy Welch and Henry County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO David Gill.

Henry County Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews was awarded the W. L. Billy Carter Public Service Award by the Henry County Chamber of Commerce at its 51st Annual Awards Banquet and Dinner held at Eagles Landing Country Club on February 10.

Georgia State Representative Andy Welch made the presentation in recognition of her significant and lasting contributions to Henry County. The W. L. Billy Carter Public Service Award is presented to an individual who serves in an elected, appointed or employed public position in Henry County. The award is based on services and benefits rendered to other people and to the community as a whole, beyond excellence, in one’s own position. The recipient must have compiled an extraordinary record of public service in Henry County, and lifetime accomplishments

are considered with particular emphasis on the last five years.

Hobson-Matthews has an exemplary record of service in government and was promoted to County Manager last year after more than 15 years of working in Henry County Government, where she has held a myriad of leadership positions. She is a graduate and Eisenhower Fellow of Alabama A&M University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Planning and Urban Studies specializing in Environmental Planning, and a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning specializing in transportation planning. Hobson-Matthews has been a member of the American Planning Association since 1995, and previously worked with the City of Decatur in Alabama and the Federal Highway AdministrationContinued on page 8

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February 26, 2018 Award Continued from page 8

Department of Transportation in Washington, DC.

She began her career in Henry County in 2002 as a Planner II and was promoted within the organization to Chief Planner, then to Assistant Director and Director of Planning and Zoning and Director of Transportation Planning, managing a $1.2 million Comprehensive Transportation Plan, which won top honors from the Georgia Planning Association for Outstanding Planning Document. While serving as the Interim Division Director for the Community Development Division, she was promoted to Assistant County manager in 2014 and now leads the county as its manager, overseeing the operations of more than 35 departments and nearly 1,700 employees.

Hobson-Matthews said she was surprised yet elated by the honor.

“It is truly an honor to receive the W.L. Billy

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Carter Public Service Award. As a public servant, you are held to a higher standard, which comes with a number of expectations, most importantly to be effective and accountable. I cannot express how grateful I am to receive this recognition. I hold the responsibility of public service in the highest regard and it is near and dear to my heart to help every citizen in Henry County, as well as people throughout the surrounding areas,” she said.

“It is a truly humbling experience to be recognized for helping a community where all can thrive and flourish.

None of this would have been possible without the help of the entire Henry County family.”

The Henry County Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards and Dinner Meeting recognizes excellence by presenting awards to recipients chosen for their exemplary leadership and dedication to improving the community.