GwinnettCounty, GA

Community emergency volunteer courses available to residents

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT

The Gwinnett County Office of Emergency Management is offering free Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT training to Gwinnett County residents beginning June 11, 2013. These courses educate residents about disaster preparedness for emergencies that may impact their community. Residents are trained in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.

Courses are open to all Gwinnett County residents 18 years and older who pass a background check provided by the Gwinnett County Police Department. The training consists of eight sessions that take place from 6:30pm to 9:30pm on Tuesdays. A course review and disaster simulation will take place on Saturday, July 27 from 8:00am to noon. For more information or to sign up for the course, please email ema@gwinnettcounty.com. Please sign up soon; class size is limited to 25 participants.�

Board adopts balanced budget

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST

On January 3, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners adopted a balanced budget for fiscal year 2013. The budget totals $1.463 billion, which is 7.1 percent lower compared to last year’s budget. It was prepared with input from six county residents and business people who served on the Chairman’s budget review committee and worked alongside elected officials and County staff to review departmental business plans and projected revenues.

The budget preserves core services, maintains necessary reserves and addresses changes in legislation. It also adjusts for the loss of revenues resulting from a drop in property values, changes mandated by the consent order that ended the Service Delivery Strategy (SDS) litigation between the County and its cities, and the creation of the new city of Peachtree Corners.

Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash said, “Thanks to strong support and insight from my fellow board members and other elected officials, candid input from the residents who served on the budget review committee and staff’s hard work, we have adopted a budget that maintains core services. Despite the loss of millions of dollars in revenue in 2013, we have worked hard to minimize the impact on property owners.”

The budget for daily operations in fiscal year 2013 totals $1.058 billion, excluding one-time appropriations, up slightly more than one percent from the previous year. The capital budget is $404.7 million, a 21.6 percent decrease over 2012 that is primarily attributable to the completion of SPLOST projects in earlier years and the resulting decrease in SPLOST project budgets for 2013.

The budget includes only $1.5 million in service improvements despite requests totaling $6.8 million; nearly 80 percent of the funding for these new items is due to the impact of legislative changes. It provides funding to handle the implementation of state-legislated tax and judicial reform, but very little else in the way of improvements could be funded. County employee pay raises are not included in the budget for the fourth consecutive year, and a 90-day hold on vacant positions will continue.

The budget also includes increased revenue from the E-911 and streetlight fees, which the Board adjusted prior to the end of 2012 in order to keep those funds self-supporting.

The SDS consent order required the implementation of new service districts for police, fire and emergency medical, and development and enforcement to provide these services and collect revenues only within certain geographic areas of the County rather than countywide. For example, the police service district includes unincorporated Gwinnett and the cities that do not have their own police departments. A fourth district, funded through a contract with the County, provides emergency medical services to residents of incorporated Loganville who live in Gwinnett. Creation of the police service district will have the greatest revenue impact, reducing the tax digest supporting this service district by approximately 20 percent.

County revenues are down about $274 million since the recession began in 2008 due to a 25 percent decline in taxable property values, which puts the current tax digest at the 2005 level. Even as property values have declined, Gwinnett’s population has continued to expand, growing by about 130,000 residents between 2005 and 2012.

Commissioners will set the millage rate for property taxes this summer, after assessments and appeals are completed in the spring. A millage rate will be associated with each of the new service districts; rates will depend on a property’s location, which determines what services are provided by the County. Under current estimates, the rate for residents who live in unincorporated Gwinnett County will increase by less than 1 mill, while residents in cities that operate a police department will experience a more than 1 mill decrease. Residents of cities that do not operate a police department should see an increase of less than .5�mill. The greatest reduction in rates will occur within the city of Loganville, where property owners will pay County taxes only for the general fund, recreation district, and general obligation debt.

Learn more about the 2013 budget by checking out the documents and video in the following links:

Look both ways: How you can keep our roads safe

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT

Walking and running outside are both fun and healthy ways to stay fit while enjoying the warmth of summer! Pedestrians are the most vulnerable users of the road, but with help from drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians combined, we can keep our streets safe for everyone. Below are some ways you can share the road and keep yourself and others free from harm:

For drivers and cyclists:

Always yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk – it’s the law!
Don’t pass other vehicles stopped at a crosswalk; a pedestrian may be crossing.
Watch for pedestrians when turning right on red, and proceed with caution.
Be careful and go slow when large groups of people are around.
Follow all rules of the road and always stay alert.

For pedestrians:

It’s always safest to walk on the sidewalks. If there aren’t any, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic.
When crossing the street, look both ways, especially for turning traffic, and only cross at intersections or crosswalks.
Obey all traffic signals, and cross the street only on green or when the pedestrian signals say it’s safe to walk.
Wear light colors and reflective clothing when walking or running, especially at night.
Hold the hands of children when walking, and don’t let them play in the streets.
Pay attention to your surroundings and make eye contact with drivers whenever possible.

County offices closed for Memorial Day holiday

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT

All Gwinnett County government offices, with the exception of those operations required for the comfort and safety of the citizens of the County, will be closed Monday, May 27 for the Memorial Day holiday. County offices will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, May 28. A Magistrate Court judge will be available at the Gwinnett County Detention Center during the holiday.

Memorial Day is not a trash and recycling holiday for solid waste providers in unincorporated Gwinnett County, so trash and recycling collections are scheduled as normal. The Gwinnett County Solid Waste and Recycling Call Center will be closed that day, but hauler call centers will be open. Residents can search for their solid waste hauler to find their hauler’s contact information.

Residents who live in a city should contact their city to find out if trash and recycling will be delayed due to the holiday.�

Swim safely this summer

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT

Summer is just around the corner, and there’s no better way to make a splash this summer than enjoying the pool or visiting Lake Lanier! Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation pools will open for the summer on Saturday, May 25. Let’s� keep Gwinnett healthy and safe this summer; check out these videos from Fire and Emergency Services, and follow these easy tips to make sure you’re swimming safely all summer long:

Lock gates and doors to limit pool access, and use a pool cover when not in use.
Always supervise children around water, and if a child goes missing, check the water first.
Teach children to swim, and remind them of the dangers of unsupervised swimming.
Make sure adults and experienced swimmers still swim with a buddy and in public areas.
Wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket if you’re going to be around water or on a boat.
Be careful around lakes and rivers, even if you don’t plan on going for a swim.
Keep emergency telephone numbers and rescue equipment within reach.
Learn CPR and how to use the rescue equipment at your pool.
Cover pool drains and vents to prevent entanglement of hair or body.
Mark water depths clearly, and use a float line to separate the deep and shallow ends.
Always follow all pool rules and instructions from lifeguards.
Don’t mix alcohol and water – it can impair your judgment, balance, and swimming skills.
Check in advance for inclement weather, and take shelter accordingly.

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Gwinnett Celebrates Older Americans Month

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT

Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation (GCPR) in partnership with Health and Human Services is celebrating Older Americans Month in May to honor and recognize older Americans for their contributions to our families, communities, and society.

This year's theme, Unleash the Power of Age, highlights the significant contributions made by thousands of older Americans across our nation. GCPR will kick off the month with the Senior Art Showcase on May 1, featuring local senior artists showcasing their exclusive works of art in the atrium of the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. The exhibit includes artwork from patrons at Gwinnett’s Health and Human Services Centers and GCPR Community and Senior Recreation Centers. To see a list of the other events during the month of May, click here.

Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation is proud to support Older Americans Month and the opportunity to show appreciation and commitment for our senior residents. For more information, call 770.822.8840 or visit www.gwinnettparks.com.

Weekend construction will close Pleasant Hill Road Bridge June 7–10

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT

The�Gwinnett County Department of�Transportation will close the I-85 at Pleasant Hill Road bridge for the Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) crossover.�The project involves shifting traffic to the opposite side of the bridge, which will make left turns onto the interstate easier and improve the flow of traffic across the bridge.�

The closure will begin at 9:00pm�on Friday, June 7, weather and conditions permitting. The bridge will open to traffic by 5:00am�on Monday, June 10 with the new DDI�configuration.

The bridge will be closed to all through-traffic during the weekend, although construction will not impact right turn access to or from I-85.�Drivers and pedestrians should take the planned detour: Pleasant Hill Road to Satellite Boulevard to Steve Reynolds Boulevard to Shackleford Road to Pleasant Hill Road and the reverse.�

Pedestrian traffic should continue to use the detour route for at least one month following crossover during the construction of�pedestrian walkways.

“We ask that drivers in this area be especially�cautious and alert during construction," said Transportation Director Kim Conroy. "We understand this�is�an inconvenience, so Gwinnett DOT staff will closely monitor traffic flow and signals during the crossover weekend to help keep traffic moving.”

After crossover, construction will continue on the center median and pedestrian facilities, while crews will finalize the signals, interchange lighting and pavement markings. The project is expected to be substantially complete in September, with landscaping�to begin in the fall. Once the project is complete, the bridge at Pleasant Hill Road and I-85 will be Gwinnett County’s first DDI and the second in Georgia.

Gwinnett Place CID Director Joe Allen said,�“The Gwinnett Place business community is thrilled about this investment in our�area.�The end result of closing the Pleasant Hill Road bridge for a weekend will be improved mobility in this area.”

To view a map of the detour route or for more information on how to drive the diamond including a video rendering of the completed project, visit www.gwinnettDDI.com. �

Burn ban in Gwinnett through September 30

Tue, 07 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT

The Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services will observe a total burn ban on all outdoor burning from May 1 – September 30, 2013, in Gwinnett County. All types of outdoor or open burning are prohibited during this time period, including the burning of trees, limbs, or any other yard waste, and the use of air curtain destructors for land clearing. For unincorporated residents, please contact your hauler to ask about adding yard waste service.��

For additional information concerning the burn ban, please contact the Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services Community Risk Reduction Division at 678.518.4980 or visit www.gwinnettfiremarshal.com.

The Burn Ban is issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) and includes 54 counties within the state of Georgia. During the summer months, the ozone in the air we breathe can reach unhealthy levels. The EPD has identified outdoor/open burning as a significant contributor of the pollutants that form ozone. Consequently, open burning in metro Atlanta and larger counties is restricted during the warm weather season.

FOCUS ON: Grants and Neighborhood Stabilization Program

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT

FOCUS ON is a monthly feature that tells how your county government employees focus on providing high-quality services to you each and every day.

Our Grants Business Unit: Collaborating to meet the needs of the community
Collaboration is essential to many of the functions in Gwinnett County Government, so it’s no surprise that the Department of Financial Services’ Grants Business Section collaborates with a variety of different departments and local agencies to seek funding opportunities to support programs that meet our community’s critical needs. Read more about the Grants Business Unit’s efforts to provide grant funding for Gwinnett County’s departments and local nonprofit agencies.

Our Neighborhood Stabilization Program: Fighting Foreclosures One Home at a Time
When disabled Navy veteran Darrell Lowery bought his new home in Lawrenceville in February, it was Gwinnett’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) that made the mortgage possible. The program helps neighborhoods where housing values and conditions are deteriorating due to foreclosures. Created by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, NSP provides affordable housing to Lowery and many others by buying vacant, foreclosed homes in targeted areas, making repairs, and selling the houses to eligible new homebuyers. Read more about the Neighborhood Stabilization Program’s work to combat the foreclosure crisis.

Past Articles:

County hosts workshop for potential vendors

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT

The Gwinnett County Purchasing Division will host the seventh annual Supplier Symposium on June 6, 2013, from 8:30am to 11:30am at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center.��

Attendees will meet buyers and contracting officers from the Purchasing Division and other metro Atlanta agencies to take advantage of networking opportunities designed to create relationships and obtain information on current and upcoming projects.��

To register for this free event, please visit the Purchasing Symposium registration page.��

To view current projects open for bidding and explanations of bidding procedures, visit the Purchasing Division’s webpage.