Planning for the Future with Gwinnett Commissioners

By Our Town Gwinnett Staff

During their annual strategic planning session held in Athens, Georgia, the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners promised to reimagine how they do government as a national benchmark community. The sessions featured conversations around the County’s strengths, opportunities for growth, objectives, and risks associated with attaining these goals. Key takeaways for commissioners and county leadership included leadership, providing exceptional services as the County continues to grow and evolve, and funding resources.

According to the Atlanta Regional Commission’s population and development forecast, by 2050 the average age of Gwinnett residents will be seventy-five years old, while households with families will experience a sharp and steady decline. Still, the forecast predicts the County’s population growing in diversity and the professional, technology, and scientific industries dominating the workforce. Currently, health care and social work is the largest sector to employ people. The Commissioners said their strategies and goals must focus on the changes happening now and in the future.

Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson said that as a growing and aging community, there are many challenges ahead of us.

“We are striving to turn those challenges, like affordable housing and workforce development, into opportunities by making solid decisions and implementing commonsense best practices,” said Hendrickson. “For instance, it’s time to rethink housing as a new form of economic development, and it’s time to rethink our reputation as a bedroom community by focusing on attracting employers from sectors that offer high-wage jobs.”

“Our exceptional employees are the reason Gwinnett is positioned as an innovative force across the country,” Vice-chair and District 2 Commissioner Ben Ku said. “We’ve successfully streamlined processes and plans, while creating a robust network of public and private stakeholders who embrace the County’s vision to rethink how we stay at the forefront of progress.”

“Strategic partnerships are our hallmark and how we will continue to support our community for years to come,” said District 1 Commissioner

Happenings at Vecoma at the Yellow River: James L. Davis Celebrates 100th Birthday

By Our Town Gwinnett Staff

James L. Davis, a World War II Veteran, celebrated his 100th birthday at Vecoma at the Yellow River, surrounded by family, friends, and special guests. Davis has led a remarkable life of service, courage, and leadership. When asked his advice for a long life, Davis said, “You’ve got to keep moving.”

Davis was born in St. Louis, Missouri on March 31, 1923. He grew up during the Great Depression and worked as a projectionist for segregated movie theaters in the city. But his life took a different turn when he was drafted into the United States Army in 1943.

During his time in the military, Davis rose to the rank of sergeant, winning numerous awards for outstanding leadership. He served in the Pacific theater during World War II in Saipan. Furthermore, he was also sent to Jungle Nair camp in Hawaii, where he trained all soldiers heading

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Kirkland Carden. “We are only as strong as the people we serve and their successes in their daily lives will be a measure of our success.”

“While looking to the future of Gwinnett, we must also be willing to get behind nontraditional concepts,” said District 3 Commissioner Jasper Watkins. “These meetings challenged my colleagues and me to embrace best practices and implement unique ways to reimagine how we move forward.”

“This was my first retreat, and I am thrilled to bond with my fellow board members and department directors to help implement how Gwinnett’s future looks,” said District 4 Commissioner Matthew Holtkamp. “With this forward-thinking and data-driven mindset, we are truly setting ourselves up as a benchmark community.”

The retreat yielded additional highlights:

• Gwinnett’s landscape is changing: The board has prioritized redevelopment to manage growth and shrinking land availability. Affordable housing tops that list.

• Workforce: The County’s job vacancy rate is a little more than 18%, placing retention efforts at the forefront.

• Parking lots into places: County developers say empty parking lots are full of promise. Greenspace, multi-use buildings, and walkability are just a few ways those empty lots can be used. More information at GwinnettCounty.com

Pet Perch: Is Your Cat Suffering from Whisker Fatigue?

By Terie Hansen

I feel as though I am pretty knowledgeable regarding cats. I’ve owned cats all my life, and up until recently, I had never heard of Whisker Fatigue. I’ve always known that whiskers are sensitive and they help cats determine if they can fit through or in something (whiskers are usually about as long as a cat is wide). But in researching the topic of Whisker Fatigue, I learned some new things as well.

Most people know that a cat’s whiskers are thicker, longer hairs, but did you know they are more deeply rooted than regular fur and the area around each has a generous supply of nerves and blood? Cats typically have 8 to 12 whiskers on each side of their nose as well as above their eyes. They also have whiskers on their chins and on the lower back of their front legs.

Whiskers are super sensitive because each has a sensory organ at the end called a proprioceptor. This organ can detect the slightest vibration or change in air movement, which helps cats when catching prey as well as navigating in the dark based on how air currents change.

But because of these ultrasensitive proprioceptors, it is painful for your cat to eat if his or her food and water dishes are not shallow enough.

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