Henry County Update - Newsletter

August 24, 2018

Board of

Commissioners.

County and City Leadership Take Specialized Emergency Management Training

Regular Meetings Sept. 5, 2018 9:00 a.m.

(Note: Date change due to holiday) Sept. 18, 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.

Several members of county leadership, along with officials from Hampton, Locust Grove, McDonough and Stockbridge travelled to Maryland last week for specialized FEMA training, made possible through the Integrated Emergency Management Coordinated grant.

The training was held from August 6 through 9 and included lectures, discussions, breakout groups and table-top exercises aimed at developing necessary plans and skills to mitigate outcomes of a complex coordinated attack.

The FEMA-funded grant allowed Henry County management teams, public safety, elected officials and critical stakeholders to travel to the National Training Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland to participate in an Integrated Emergency Management Course (IEMC) presented by FEMA.

During the week-long training, the Henry County delegation learned skills, operations and preparedness from the country’s top homeland security experts.

Don Ash, Henry County’s Emergency Management Agency Director, said that Henry County is the first county in the state of Georgia to be selected for this training.

Ash and his EMA team wrote for the grant and coordinated the trip for county and city staff.

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August 24, 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 Makes Appointments at BOC Meeting

The Henry County Board of Commissioners appointed members to the Henry First Board of Directors, the McIntosh Trail Community Service Board and the Zoning Advisory Board at the August 21 Commission meeting.

Commissioners approved the appointment of Vanessa Jackson to the Henry First Board of Directors for a term to expire in December of 2020. They approved the reappointment of Susan Craig as well as appointed Chuck Simmons to the McIntosh Trail Community Service Board with both appointments expiring in August of 2021. The Board also appointed Willie Brown to the Zoning Advisory Board for a term to expire in December of this year.

For a complete list of a Boards and Authorities, please visit www.co.henry.ga.us/Departments/AC/County-Clerk.

HENRY COUNTY SPLOST V COMMITTEE UPCOMING MEETINGS

The next 3 meeting locations for the SPLOST V Committee have been confirmed, they are as follows:

Thursday, September 6, 2018 @ 6:30 p.m. @ Ola Elementary – Cafeteria (District 3) Thursday, September 20, 2018 @ 6:30 p.m. @ JP Moseley Recreation Center – Community Room (District 4) Thursday, October 4, 2018 @ 6:30 p.m. @ Fairview Recreation Center – Community Room (District 5) Stephanie Braun County Clerk for the Henry County Board of Commissioners

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Training continued from page 1

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August 24, 2018 DA launching youth outreach program

Henry County District Attorney Darius Pattillo is launching Power Moves, a youth outreach and education program to deter students from crime.

The 12-week pilot program will be unveiled this month to select 7th and 8th grade students at Henry County and Stockbridge Middle Schools. Teachers, guidance counselors and school administrators will nominate student participants.

“We want to reach students before high school, so we have a real opportunity to make an impact in their lives,” Pattillo said. “We are targeting students who can benefit the most from a hands-on, interactive program that teaches positive decision-making.”

The curriculum has been developed by Montez Diamond, a civil mediator and conflict resolution instructor. Classes will be facilitated by Pattillo and Diamond, as well as guest speakers, to include attorneys, law enforcement and rehabilitated ex-offenders.

Classes will be one hour a week and focus on strategic decision-making, conflict resolution, taking pride in your community, police-citizen encounters and character development, as well as avoiding crime, drugs and violence. Power Moves will be held during the schools’ advisory period, so not to take away from any academic time. The first class will be held Monday.

“We have been visiting schools throughout the county, and found a need for something more comprehensive and consistent rather than just an annual school assembly or lecture,” Pattillo said. “We will start with a group of about 20 students at each school, so we can develop an influential rapport with these teens.”

Power Moves is part of Pattillo’s initiative to reduce juvenile crime through school outreach and mentoring. When he took office in January 2017, Pattillo started speaking at school events. In addition, he launched the county’s first Pretrial Diversion program to allow young, non-violent offenders an opportunity to have their charges dismissed by completing various rehabilitation programs.

Power Moves is funded by participation fees from the Pretrial Diversion program, so not to use tax dollars. The program is free to students.

“I believe it is my responsibility to not only prosecute criminals, but also to keep our community safe by tackling some of the factors that lead to criminal activity such as truancy & gang affiliation,” Pattillo said.

“If we can deter youth from making decisions that lead to a life of violence or narcotics addiction, then we can make a real difference in reducing crime in Henry County.”

Henry County BOC Sets Millage Rates

After three public hearings, the Henry County Board of Commissioners voted for the millage to remain at 12.733, in adoption of the 2018-2019 millage rate. In a 4-2 vote with District III Commissioner Gary Barham and District IV Commissioner Blake Prince in opposition, the action came at a called meeting held August 13.

During the previous hearings, County Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews gave a millage presentation with the tax effect, and how funds are allocated, noting that public safety accounts for nearly 54 percent of

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the budget, followed by the legislative and executive branch at approximately 13 percent of the budget and the judicial system roughly at 11 percent.

At the final meeting, Hobson-Matthews presented three options for funding the budget, including leaving the millage at its current rate of 12.733; rolling back the millage to 12.460; and rolling back the millage to 12.187. She stated that if either of the rolled back rates were adopted, there would not be funding for implementing the Employee Compensation and Classification study nor funding for the tax appeals.

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Henry Adds 5,800 People in Past Year, Remains a Regional Growth Leader, According to ARC’s 2018 Population Estimates

Henry County added 5,800 new residents in the past year and had the second-largest percentage increase (2.5%) in the 10-county Atlanta region, according to population estimates released today by the Atlanta Regional Commission. The growth brings the county’s total population to 234,800.

“With our strategic location and positioning near a major metropolitan city, the world’s busiest airport, a major corridor to the port of Savannah, our diverse population and rising economic opportunities, Henry County continues to be one of the most desired places to live in the country,” said Henry County Commission Chair June Wood. “We’re developing something for everyone - from millennials to seniors - Henry County is truly becoming a more wonderful community for all.”

Henry’s growth continues a recent trend in which the region’s outer counties have grown at the fastest rate. Cherokee County grew slightly faster, at a 2.9% rate. Since 2010, Cherokee has led the region with a 19% growth rate, while Henry has grown by 15%.

During that time, Henry has added 30,878 residents.

Overall, the 10-county Atlanta region added 75,800 people in the past year, the second-largest increase since the Great Recession formally ended in 2010. The region’s growth was down slightly from a year earlier, when population increased by 78,300.

The Atlanta region is now home to 4,555,900 people, more than that of 25 states.

Jobs growth fueled the region’s population boom. The 29-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA), as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, added more than 41,000 jobs between April 2017 and April 2018, ranking 9th in the nation.

“The Atlanta region had strong growth over the last few years as we emerged from the Great Recession,” said Mike Carnathan, manager of ARC’s Research & Analytics Group. “People are moving here because jobs are plentiful and because metro Atlanta offers a great quality of life.”

Each of the Atlanta region’s 10 core counties experienced population growth during the past year.

Fulton County added 17,570, Gwinnett added 16,700, and DeKalb added 10,630.

The city of Atlanta, which lost population between 1970 and 2000, is growing again amid a boom in multifamily housing. The city added over 10,000 residents in the past year, compared to 9,700 the year before, and has grown by 9% since 2010.

“ARC’s annual population estimates are a great tool to help local governments plan for the future and focus the region’s attention on key issues critical to our quality of life, like housing affordability and transportation,” said Kerry Armstrong, ARC Board Chair.

For more details about ARC’s population estimates, check out ARC’s latest Regional Snapshot.

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August 24, 2018 Youth Basketball Registration Opens September 1

Dribble and dunk your way into youth basketball registration with the Henry County Parks and Recreation Department, which opens on September 1 and runs through September 30.

Registration requires a copy of the child’s birth certificate and costs $85 for the first registered child of a Henry County household and $75 for each additional child. Out of county registration is $115.

Fairview teams will practice at the Fairview Recreation Center; Stockbridge teams will practice at the J.P. Moseley Recreation Center or elementary schools in Stockbridge; and South Henry teams will practice at elementary schools in McDonough, Locust Grove, Hampton or Ola.

The registration locations and times are as follows: Heritage Park Recreation Office

Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bear Creek Recreation Center Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Locust Grove Recreation Center Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

J.P. Moseley Recreation Center Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Fairview Recreation Center Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Participants can also register online at www.hcprd.org.

For more information on the Henry County Parks and Recreation basketball program or to apply, visit www.hcprd.org or call 770-288-7300.

Millage continued from page 4

District III Commissioner Gary Barham made a motion to approve rolling back the millage to 12.600 (utilizing Fund Balance for the $946,445 difference between 12.733 and 12.600), but the motion failed to garner approval.

The millage rate is a multiplier that is established to generate tax revenue based on real estate values.

As home values fluctuate, Commissioners may choose to adjust the millage rate to ensure adequate funding for government services. Taxes collected go toward a myriad of services, including, but not limited to, police and fire protection and emergency management, senior services, animal control, street construction and maintenance, parks and recreation facilities, community development, planning and zoning, support of library activities, building and inspections, and court administration and operations.

On May 24, Commissioners adopted a $161,535,766 budget for fiscal year 2018-2019. The budget called for a 6.3 million-dollar increase to fund henrycounty-ga.org

both the Class and Compensation study and tax appeals. Additional appropriations in this year’s budget consisted of increased premiums to the county’s health insurance, additional salaries for several departments including additional positions for the Technology Services Department to manage a new software system, a finance grant writer position and additional School Resource Officers for the Sheriff’s office.

The Board set the millage rate at 12.733 ($12.733) per thousand dollars of assessed valuation for unincorporated Henry County, 10.301 mills for the city of McDonough, 12.733 mills for the city of Stockbridge, 10.921 for the city of Hampton and 10.921 mills for the city of Locust Grove.

For more information on the millage rates or your tax bill, please visit www.henrytc.org.

To view any of the millage rate public hearings, as well as the regular Commission meetings, please log on to www.co.henry.ga.us/Government/ AgendaMinutes.aspx.

Growth continued from page 5

ARC’s population estimates for major jurisdictions are developed using a combination of data sources including building permit data, a demographic accounting equation generated by Carl Vinson Institute of the University of Georgia, school enrollment trends, occupancy rates and more. The base for each successive year’s estimates is the previous year’s estimate, with the starting point for the decade’s intracensal estimates the decennial Census count.

Note: ARC provides population estimates for the 10-county region and city of Atlanta. The agency

does not develop estimates for any other city in the region.

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the official planning agency for the 10-county Atlanta Region, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties as well as the City of Atlanta and 73 other cities. The Atlanta Regional Commission serves as a catalyst for regional progress by focusing leadership, attention and planning resources on key regional issues.

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August 24, 2018 Commissioner Holmes Presents Proclamation to Military Graduate

Henry County District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes presented a proclamation to PFC Keyi Hayes, a recent graduate of military boot-camp, on Friday, August 10 at the Henry County Administration Building.

Holmes congratulated Hayes on her graduation and expressed his sincerest appreciation to her for Hayes’ dedication and service to Henry County and the United States of America.

District V Commissioner Bruce B. Holmes presents a proclamation to PFC Keyi Hayes, recognizing her for graduating from the military and for her service to the county and country.

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August 24, 2018 Save the date for HOA Boot Camp

Henry County District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes and McDonough Councilwoman Sandra Vincent will be hosting a Homeowners’ Association Boot Camp from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 25 at McDonough City Hall.

The HOA Boot Camp will consist of comprehensive sessions and panel discussions

packed with information to empower homeowners and associations alike.

The HOA Boot Camp will have free admission and parking. Breakfast and lunch will also be provided.

McDonough City Hall is located at 136 Keys Ferry Street in McDonough.

SEE CLICK FIX henrycounty-ga.com/SeeClickFix henrycounty-ga.org

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