Henry County Update - Newsletter

June 27,2018

Board of

Commissioners

Building and Plan Review Holds Grand Opening for New Office

Cancelled Meetings July 3, 2018 9:00 a.m.

Regular Meetings July 17, 2018 6:30 p.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.

The Henry County Building and Plan Review Department held a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for its Fairview satellite office in Stockbridge on June 26.

The new office allows the Building and Plan Review Department to provide better customer service to the Ellenwood, Stockbridge and Kelleytown communities for upcoming projects.

George Patterson, Director of Building and Plan Review expressed another purpose of opening the Fairview satellite office.

“The most important purpose of opening this office space is because of future growth and construction that is going to happen on the north end of the county from Ellenwood all the way to Kelleytown,” said Patterson. “We just want to be proactive and ready for that large swing of construction that will be going on.”

One development inspector and two commercial inspectors will be working out of the Fairview office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and a permit technician will be available Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to process permits and answer any questions.

The newly renovated Fairview office shares building space with Fire Station No. 6 and is located at 680 Fairview Road in Stockbridge.

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June 27, 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 Melissa Robinson Erika Richards

Board Approves 2019 Grants for Accountability Courts

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a grant for the Henry County Veterans Treatment Court from the Governor and

Criminal Justice Coordination Council for fiscal year 2019. The action came at the June 19 Commission meeting.

The Veterans Treatment Court has been awarded an $82,534 grant in efforts to reduce the court’s dependency on Drug Abuse Treatment and Education funds.

The Veterans Treatment Court provides a program and practices for individuals who have struggled with life after serving in the United States military. Research has shown that practices learned in similar programs have proved to reduce recidivism in the local community, save taxpayer dollars, increase safety and improve the quality of life.

The Board also approved grants for the DUI and Drug Court, the Adult Felony Drug Court, the Resource Court and the Juvenile’s Mental Health Program and Functional Family Therapy Program.

The DIU and Drug Court was awarded $45,112; the Adult Felony Drug Court received $214,256; the Resource Court was granted $162,111; the Juvenile Mental Health Program received $27,952 and the Functional Family Therapy Program was awarded $300,000.

For more information on Henry County court programs, please visit henrycounty-ga.org/ government/courts.

District II Commissioner Dee Clemmons Addresses the Council for Quality Growth

District II Commissioner Dee Clemmons was the guest speaker at the Council for Quality Growth’s luncheon held on June 20 at the Henry County Administration Building.

Clemmons gave a presentation on economic development and opportunities and highlighted many of the jewels of District II. In her presentation, she outlined several premier amenities including Nash Farm Park, the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Atlanta henrycounty-ga.org

Speedway Airport and the Luxottica Group, and shared why they are unique to the county and their importance to the community.

“District II is a jewel and I like to call it the economic engine of this county,” said Clemmons.

Clemmons also spoke of her vision and efforts for District II and answered questions from the audience.

Continued on page 3

Quality Growth continued from page 2

District II Commissioner Dee Clemmons shares her vision with attendees of the Council for Quality Growth luncheon.

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June 27, 2018 Henry County Commissioner Earns ACCG Certification

The Henry County Board of Commissioners recognized District I Commissioner Johnny Wilson at the June 19 regular Commission meeting for completing the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia’s (ACCG) Lifelong Learning Academy Certified County Commissioner Program.

Wilson was recognized for his efforts and hard work in completing the certification process and

received a plaque provided by the ACCG.

To earn the ACCG Lifelong Learning Academy core certification, commissioners are required to complete nine courses for a total of 66 credit hours.

Wilson attended classes and completed rigorous coursework, which included County Government 101, County Government Law, Finance, Human Resources, Ethics, Property Appraisal and Taxation, Economic Development, Public Health & Safety, and Leadership.

District I Commissioner Johnny Wilson is presented with his Certified County Commissioner certificate from the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government and the ACCG’s Lifelong Learning Academy by Chair June Wood. Pictured in the front row (l. to r.)

District II Commissioner Dee Clemmons, District I Commissioner Johnny Wilson, Chair June Wood and District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes; Back row (l. to r.) District III Commissioner Gary Barham and District IV Commissioner Blake Prince.

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Henry County Receives Dividend to Lower Premium

Henry County has received a dividend in the amount of $110,951 from the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia—Interlocal Risk Management Association (ACCG – IRMA).

The dividend is Henry County’s share of a $3.25 million dividend, as declared by the Board of Trustees of the ACCGIRMA. The dividend will be applied in the form of a credit toward Henry County’s property and liability insurance premium for the 2018-2019 policy year.

The ACCG-IRMA is a non-profit, Georgia county government-owned insurance fund providing property and liability coverage to its members since 1987. The program was established in 1987 and currently has 171 members, comprised of Georgia’s counties and authorities. Georgia law authorizes county governments to form non-profit insurance funds which operate like mutual insurance companies. This insurance fund allows Georgia county governments to purchase insurance coverage at rates that are typically better than a county could negotiate on its own. The fund is owned by the Georgia county participants and managed by a Board of Trustees who represent participating Georgia counties. It is an efficient method

of financing insurable risks, which ultimately reduces insurance costs for participating county governments and benefits the taxpayers. Participants also receive extensive loss control and safety services to help mitigate claims.

Any insurance premiums remaining after paying actual claims and operating expenses, as well as any investment income earned on the premium while it is held to pay claims, belongs to the member county governments. The dividends are possible because of favorable results in these areas, as well as the successful and dedicated management efforts on the part of Henry County in promoting safety and implementing loss control techniques.

“The ACCG-IRMA has returned a total of 31.6 million in dividends to its members,” said David C. Uhlman, Deputy Director of the ACCG’s Property & Casualty programs. “In addition to long-term savings through dividends, this program provides a costeffective source of broad insurance coverage and outstanding, professional loss control and claims services to the Georgia counties and authorities it serves.”

Work on Lake Dow Road Repair Progressing

Crews with Henry County Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the Henry County Stormwater Department, continue to assess and make repairs to the damaged roadway and underground pipes on Lake Dow Road in McDonough.

The roadway was shut down late last month after it was discovered that several metal pipes running beneath a portion of Lake Dow Road had corroded, causing damage to the roadway. During the assessment, engineers discovered that there are compaction issues with the surrounding ground and additional pipes also need to be replaced.

Henry County Public Works Director Ron Burckhalter estimates that the original pipes are several decades old.

“Over time, metal pipes can corrode and need to be replaced. Right now, we are working with engineers on the best course of action to fix the issues underground and replace the pipes,” said Burckhalter.

“As soon as we have the final recommendations from the engineer, we can give a timeline to the repair.”

The affected roadway encompasses approximately 1,500 feet, however detours are in place to keep traffic flowing.

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June 27, 2018 Henry County School Superintendent Speaks at Connecting Henry Collaborative Meeting

Connecting Henry hosted a Community Collaborative Meeting on June 12 at Heritage Park in McDonough.

The superintendent of Henry County Schools and keynote speaker of the event, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Davis, shared the Board of Education’s three strategic priorities for the school system and stressed the importance of having a unified community. After Davis’s presentation, community partners had an opportunity to ask questions about the Henry County school system.

Attendees also donated nearly 40 boxes of

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cereal for Connecting Henry and Southern Grace Hospice’s Cereal Box Challenge. The goal of the Cereal Box Challenge is to collect cereal for local nonprofits that benefit needy children in the community.

The Cereal Box Challenge concludes at the end of this month and those who would like to participate can donate cereal to Connecting Henry. Connecting Henry is located at 66 Veterans Drive in McDonough.

The next Collaborative Meeting will be held on July 31, 2018 beginning at 9 a.m. at Heritage Park, which is located at 99 Lake Dow Road in McDonough.

HCWA educates students about Clean Water during Children’s Water Festival

The Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) continues to serve as an advocate for clean water, most recently through its partnership with the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (MNGWPD or Metro Water District) and the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP) to host a Children’s Water Festival for south metro Atlanta students.

Approximately 300 fourth grade students, the majority of whom were from Henry County Schools, took part in the 15th annual Children’s Water Festival during National Drinking Water Week in May. The Festival was held at the Shamrock/Blalock Reservoirs and Community Use Facility in Jonesboro to help advance the goals of the Metro Water District’s Clean Water Campaign.

The annual Children’s Water Festivals – two events are scheduled each year, with one targeting north metro schools and the other south metro schools

– provide hands-on educational opportunities for students in an outdoor setting to remind them of the importance of water quality and quantity issues.

The Festival’s water professionals, which included staff from the HCWA, taught students about watershed protection, water quality, the proper disposal of FOG (fats, oils, and grease), utility trucks and large equipment, as well as wetland wildlife.

“As a utility within the footprint of the Metro Water District, we look at an event like the Children’s Water Festival as an opportunity to reach our customers with the message about the importance of being good stewards of our natural resources,” says Tara Brown, HCWA Environmental Compliance Coordinator, who helped to recruit volunteers from her utility to assist with the Festival.

HCWA employees brought a truck and large equipment to display for the kids, in addition to leading them in the FOG relays and lessons in watershed protection.

“Our employees do an outstanding job of sharing the exciting and important role our utility plays in providing clean water for our community,” adds Brown.

“I think the kids come away with a better understanding and appreciation for how they can protect our water resources that provide them with clean drinking water every day.”

The Metro Water District’s Clean Water Campaign builds awareness among citizens of the importance of preventing nonpoint source pollution – which is any pollution on surface that may be carried by storm water to a local water body – while developing solutions to protect the water quality of the region’s rivers, lakes and streams.

Media contact: Chris Wood, Ph.D. Phone: 770757-1681 Email: chris@jwapr.com

HCWA Maintenance Mechanics Chris Kuhn (far left) and Robert Sims explain the use of the utility’s truck and crane in the field to fourth grade Henry County students at the annual Children’s Water Festival held during National Drinking Water Week.

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HCPD Welcomes Newest Officers

Nine new officers joined the Henry County Police Department. Pictured in the back row (l. to r.) Sean Moore, Andrew Broadway, Eddison Moore, Chief Mark Amerman, Logan Baldino and Willis Bryant; Front row (l. to r.) Steven Wilson, Maya Robertson, Justin Lawrence and Devonta Richardson.

The Henry County Police Department held a ceremony for its new graduating class, welcoming nine officers to its force after their graduation on June 22, from the Georgia Public Safety Center in Forsyth.

Sean Moore, Andrew Broadway, Eddison Moore, Logan Baldino, Willis Bryant, Steven Wilson,

Maya Robertson, Justin Lawrence and Devonta Richardson were welcomed to HCPD during the ceremony. The Leadership Award and class flag was presented to Officer Baldino.

For more information on Henry County Police Department, please visit henrycounty-ga.org/police.

Senior Services Sets schedule for L.G. Center Re-opening

After months of construction, the new kitchen renovation at the Locust Grove Senior /Event Center is complete and Senior Services will have a soft opening on July 2 and for the remainder of the week, serving breakfast only. No transit will be running to the center that week, and the center, along with all Henry County Government offices will be closed on July 4 for the Independence Day holiday.

Beginning July 9, the Locust Grove Senior Center will serve breakfast and lunch and offer its regular senior activities, as well as transit transportation through the Henry County Transit Department.

A grand opening celebration and open house is being scheduled for early August where citizens will be able to sample refreshments, take tours, see class demonstrations and meet the staff.

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June 27, 2018 Henry County SPLOST to Fund Traffic Signal

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a SPLOST resolution aimed at increasing safety and mobility through a busy intersection in Henry County. Commissioners approved a resolution at the June 19 Commission meeting to keep a temporary traffic signal located at the intersection of McDonough Parkway and Highway 20/81 originally placed by the Georgia Department of Transportation. GDOT has placed the signal there to be used for three days during a phase of construction on the one-way pairs in the city of McDonough, however the county and city will share the cost of the signal and keep it in place until the GDOT SR 20/81 widening project is completed.

SPLOST Transportation Director Roque

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Romero said he does not have a timetable for when GDOT will turn on the signal since the work depends on the Jonesboro Road railroad track crossing portion of the state’s project, however he said once the signal is turned on it will remain in operation for approximately two years while the GDOT road widening project and roundabout are completed on McDonough Parkway and SR 20/81.

According to Romero, the cost to purchase the signal is $86,155 and will be evenly split by county and the city. The action is pending an intergovernmental agreement between Henry County and McDonough for the purchase of the signal.

ARC Board Approves $14 Million in Transportation Projects for Henry County

The Atlanta Regional Commission Board today approved $14.5 million to buy the right-of-way to widen and improve two major Henry County thoroughfares.

SR 81 – Right-of-way will be purchased for the eventual widening of SR 81 along a 3-mile stretch from downtown McDonough east to Bethany Road. The new roadway will be four lanes with sidewalks on each side and a raised median. Right-of-way will be purchased beginning in 2020, with construction starting as soon as 2024.

Rock Quarry Road – will be widened to four lanes with a multi-use path along a 2.5-mile stretch between Eagles Landing Parkway and SR 42/138 near the I-75 interchange. Right-of-way will be purchased beginning in 2020, with construction starting as soon as 2024.

ARC developed the project list in close consultation with local governments to meet the Henry County community’s greatest needs. All projects are scheduled to be under construction by 2023, with funding from federal, state and local sources.

“We are excited to see the progress, funding and support from the state and its related agencies and

are grateful to the ARC for their continued efforts on Henry County’s behalf,” said Henry County Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews. “Our elected officials, along with staff have worked diligently to address our infrastructure needs and challenges and we look forward to continued success in finding opportunities and solutions.”

The Henry projects are among more than 100 across the region funded as part of an update to the short-term portion of ARC’s Regional Transportation Plan, The Atlanta Region’s Plan, at a total cost of $400 million. The ARC board approved the update on June 27.

“These projects address some of the most significant local transportation needs and will help people get where they need to go safely and efficiently,” said Doug Hooker, ARC Executive Director. “This will provide more options for many residents and will strengthen our economic competitiveness.”

For more information contact: Jim Jaquish, Sr. Communications Coordinator, Center for Strategic Relations with the Atlanta Regional Commission|; 470-378-1511; 404-323-5634; jjaquish@atlantaregional.org

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