District 5 November Newsletter
jared bailey
District 5 November 2014 Newsletter
Statesman Quote: “In our age there is no such thing as 'keeping out of politics.' All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia.” – George Orwell
This newsletter is intended to keep the residents of District 5 informed about community matters. If you are not receiving this newsletter, please email me at Jared....@athensclarkecounty.com and I will add your address to the list. If you have any questions or concerns about community issues contact me by email or at 706-338-9019.
Dear District 5 Residents-
Here is another installment of news that affects the best district in Athens:
BOARDS, AUTHORITIES & COMMISSIONS
Candidates Sought by November 7th
ACC is seeking qualified candidates to fill the following terms on five important policy-making boards:
· Three positions on the Athens-Clarke County Library board for a term of five years.*
· One position on the Board of Health for a partial term expiring December 31, 2016. This person should be an advocate for consumers.
· One position on the Board of Assessors for a term of six years.*
· One position on the Construction Board of Appeals for a term of five years. This position must be an architect/engineer holding the appropriate State of Georgia license; one partial term expiring November 30, 2018. This position should be a HVAC contractor holding a valid and current State of Georgia unrestricted conditioned air contractor's license.*
· One position on the Industrial Development Authority for a term of two years.*
* - incumbents may apply
Applicants for any board, authority, or commission positions must be Athens-Clarke County residents and registered to vote in Athens-Clarke County. Applications can be filled out online at www.athensclarkecounty.com/clerkofcommission or obtained from the Clerk of Commission's office in Room 204 of City Hall, 301 College Avenue. The deadline for receiving applications is Friday, November 7. The Mayor and Commission is tentatively scheduled to make appointments at their Regular Session meeting on Tuesday, December 2. For more information, call Jean Spratlin, Clerk of Commission at 706-613-3031 or visit www.athensclarkecounty.com/clerkofcommission.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Fall Report Now Available
Produced by the Athens-Clarke County Economic Development Department, the Fall 2014 issue of Economic Development Quarterly (EDQ) features articles on the Loop 10 improvements, Manufacturing Day at Power Partners, UGA as an economic engine, the Southern Brewing Company, startup IS3D, the Great Promise Partnership, and more. Current and past EDQ issues can be found online at www.athensclarkecounty.com/edq. To request printed copies of the Fall 2014 issue of EDQ, contact Denise Plemmons at denise....@athensclarkecounty.com or call 706-613-3233.
FEDERATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS
The Federation of Neighborhoods will return to their regularly scheduled first-Monday-of-the-month format and will be holding a second forum on public education in Athens. Mark your calendars now for Monday, November 3rd at 7:30 pm at Cine in the Lab.
HEALTH SCIENCES CAMPUS
Acquired by the University of Georgia in 2012, 85% of the Health Sciences Campus (HSC) is fully engaged in the education of under-graduate, graduate, and medical school students. The College of Public Health and the GRU/UGA Medical Partnership are the two primary units housed at the HSC. However, the entire UGA community has access to classrooms, event space, the dining hall, residence halls, and recreational space.
The College of Public Health currently has over 700 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled. The Medical Partnership has an enrollment of 160 students, and graduated its first class of 40 medical students in May of this year. There are currently 262 students living on the campus, close to the maximum capacity of 296. Seventeen of the 20 primary structures on the HSC, seven of which are historic, are fully functioning and are being used by students, faculty, and staff. Five buildings are either currently under renovation or scheduled to be renovated:
· Pound Hall – in partial use; renovation scheduled to be completed in October 2014
· Wright Hall – in partial use; renovation scheduled to be completed in December 2014
· Carnegie Library – renovation scheduled to be completed Summer 2015
· Commissary – renovation TBD 2015
· Quarters A – renovation TBD 2015
MAYOR AND COMMISSION MEETINGS
November 4th - M&C Regular Meeting at 7:00 PM in the Commission Chambers in City Hall
November 11th – M&C Work Session at 5:30 PM in the Planning Department Auditorium
November 18th - Legislative Review Committee Meeting at 5:30 PM in room 303 in City Hall
November 18th – Government Operations Committee Meeting at 5:30 PM in room 103 in City Hall
November 20th - M&C Agenda Setting Meeting at 7:00 PM in Commission Chambers in City Hall
NEIGHBORHOOD PARKING PERMIT PROGRAM
There has been a little bit of confusion about the upcoming ACC Commission vote to add Normal Avenue, Georgia Avenue, and Willow Run to the list of streets in the Neighborhood Parking Permit Program. Due to complaints about Health Sciences Campus (HSC) students/staff parking on these streets the Commission is voting to put them on a list that makes them eligible for the Neighborhood Parking Permit Program. If those streets are added to the list of eligible roads does not mean that it is mandatory for residents to participate in the program.
Once a street is on the list it will be up to the residents to apply to make their street permit only. If one block wants to be included and another doesn't then that is up to the residents of that block to decide. Residents need to have 65% written approval to make their street or block permit only. I am not sure that many people are going to pursue this despite the fact that several area residents contacted us and requested that we do something to stop the students from parking on their streets.
Earlier this year at the request of some residents of Normal Avenue I pushed
ACC to repaint all the existing yellow curbs on the first few blocks of Normal
and to add any more yellow curbs deemed necessary. I then contacted the ACC
Police and had them do some ticketing on those newly painted curbs. I have also
had several concerned citizens tell me that we need to get UGA to “make the
students” park on the HSC campus. I spoke to Pat Allen, UGA’s Director of Community
Relations about their stance on trying to get HSC students to park on campus
and he gave the following synopsis:
“We
believe UGA and ACC have already worked cooperatively in this regard. At
ACC’s request we agreed to continue HSC bus route and are servicing the campus
every 20 minutes from 7:00AM – Midnight. Our students do not have to pay
an additional boarding fee for this extended route as it’s already covered in
their transit fee. This service provides a dependable alternative
transportation option and supports our mutual environmental goals.
We have established an hourly parking lot at HSC to accommodate persons who wish to come to the campus occasionally to dine or visit. The rate for this lot is only $1.00 per hour - less than we charge in any of our hourly decks. And as with most of our permitted lots, those visiting campus after 5:00PM and on weekends enjoy free parking. There is plenty of availability in both the hourly lot and the permitted lots so capacity is not a problem.
UGA has created an adequate supply of parking plus an alternative transportation option for HSC. But we cannot “make our students” take advantage of these. As you know, over the years we’ve had a number of similar complaints in the Five Points/Milledge Avenue neighborhoods. The voluntary Residential Parking Permit Program that you are discussing seems to have been effective in those areas.”
POLICE
Community Survey
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is committed to continual
improvement in its service delivery as it seeks to form partnerships with law
abiding persons that result in every neighborhood being safer as residents
enjoy a higher quality of life. At all times our vision remains to eliminate
crime, the fear of crime, and general disorder in our communities. To
accomplish these goals, community feedback is critical as to allow for the
maintenance of the services provided by our personnel.
To this end, The Carl Vinson Institute at The University of Georgia is assisting the Athens-Clarke County Police Department in its tri-annual survey of citizens’ opinions about the police department and its services. Potential participants, drawn from households located within Athens-Clarke County, will be contacted via telephone. Individual responses shall be kept strictly confidential by The Carl Vinson Institute, and only aggregate reports will be forwarded by The Carl Vinson Institute to criminal justice stakeholders.
Participation is strictly voluntary and at no point in
time will callers be asked to provide any in-depth personal financial
information and/or to provide any form of financial support.
Should citizens have any questions concerning the survey, please feel free to
call the ACCPD’s Public Information Assistant Hilda Sorrow at 706.613.3330
extension 248.
Interim Police Chief
Manager Alan Reddish has appointed Athens-Clarke County Assistant Police Chief Carter Greene as the Interim Police Chief effective November 8. Chief Greene has served the Athens-Clarke County community for over 30 years and has supervisory experience in both operation and support functions of the Police Department.
"I am confident that Chief Greene will provide the quality leadership that is needed during this transitional period," said Reddish. "Many of his leadership skills were developed under the mentorship of Chief Lumpkin, which will help provide a smooth transition of department leadership. Chief Greene has built a strong network within the community that will serve the citizens and the department well during this interim period."
Greene will take over the position vacated by Police Chief Jack Lumpkin, who is retiring from service with Athens-Clarke County on November 7 and will assume the position of Police Chief for the Savannah Chatham (GA) Metropolitan Police Department. Chief Greene has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from George Mason University and a Master of Public Administration degree from Columbus State University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
On-Officer Cameras
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD)
strives to continually incorporate established best practices as it seeks to
eliminate crime, the fear of crime, and disorder in our community. A developing
best practice within today’s law enforcement environment may be found in the
greater use of digital video recording systems, specifically on-officer camera
systems.
The ACCPD has evaluated the use of on-officer camera
systems in various service delivery modes for a number of years. Over the
course of the previous 12 months a variety of possibilities were tested, with
the TASER Axon Flex camera system being the preferred option. As of 13 October
2014, all officers assigned to Traffic and Downtown Operations have been issued
a TASER Axon Flex Camera. In addition, due to alignment with operational needs
and existing infrastructure the ACCPD has issued TASER Axon Flex cameras to all
officers assigned to the East Precinct’s Evening Shift. As infrastructure and
resources allow, the ACCPD will continue to expand the deployment of on-officer
cameras to officers of various shifts and assignments.
The expanded use of digital video recording devices by ACCPD officers will allow for continued transparency, the continued maintenance of public trust, as well as meet general operational requirements including the timely sharing of information to criminal justice stakeholders.
SOLID WASTE
Cell Phone/Inkjet Recycling Drive
You can clean up your space and raise money for Keep Athens Clarke Clean and Beautiful’s (KACCB) community beautification programs by:
- Dropping off your any old cell phones or ink cartridges
at 725 Hancock Industrial Way.
- Picking up a free collection box for your school, business, or organization.
- Printing a free shipping label and mailing them yourself.
See http://athensclarkecounty.com/1391/Cell-Phone-Inkjet-Laserjet-Recycling for a list of items that are accepted including calculators. They collect year-round. Or contact the KACCB office at 706-424-1310 x309 or by email at stacy...@athensclarkecounty.com.
Dirty Dance Family Party
Keep Athens Clarke Clean and Beautiful (KACCB) is hosting its 4th annual DIRTY DANCE BENEFIT. This event will raise funds for KACCB’s mission of working toward a cleaner, more beautiful environment. It's time to show your support for the organization that provides Athens with the Litter Hotline, Christmas tree recycling, the Community Toolshed, Adopt-A-Highway, cigarette butt receptacles, school planting and beautification…and many other initiatives!
The event will start at 5:00 PM and will feature dinner for sale from Barberito’s and Hip Pops. Dance performances, a dance contest, and a hula hoop off will get you out of your seat with plenty of time for you and your kids to shake it yourselves! Treehouse Kid and Craft will be on hand to craft with kids and there will be a great collection of silent auction items that you won’t want to miss!
A $5.00 suggested donation (and $3.00 for kids) will grant you access into this fun, family event. It will also buy you time in Buck’s Litter Hotline Photo Booth and enter you for a chance to compete in the dance and hula hoop contest! Tickets can be purchased at the door. Find more information at www.keepathensbeautiful.org.
Happy Hour November 15th
The ACC Recycling Facility at 725 Hancock Industrial Way will have extended hours from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Happy Hour) on November 15th to take batteries, bulbs, TV’s and other electronic devices. Sponsored by Coca-Cola and ACC Recycling Division.
Leaf and Limb Schedule
Nov 3 - Nov 7
- Zone 1-Neighborhoods
include, but are not limited to - Shadow Moss, Cedar Creek, Spring Lake, Green
Acres, Crestwood, Ashton Place, University Heights, and Clarkdale
Nov 10 - Nov 14 - Zone 2-Neighborhoods include, but are not limited to -
Bar H Estates, Idylwood, Hunter's Ridge, Epps Bridge Crossing, St. Ives,
Berkley Hills, Timothy Estates, Skyline Park, Renfrew Estates, Waverly Woods,
Ansley Park, Villas at Snapfinger, Rock and Shoals, Old Lexington Garden, Old
Lexington Trace, Timber Creek, Brookstone, Georigan Hills, McNutts Creek, Fox
Trace, Brittan Estates, Shoal Creek Farms, Wyndfield, River Oaks, and
Plantation Estates
Nov 17 - Nov 21 - Zone 3 - Neighborhoods include, but are not
limited to - Weatherly Woods, West Winter, Winter Hills, Oakmont, East Meadow,
and all households within Winterville City limits
Nov 24 - Nov 28 - Leaf and Limb service is suspended for the week
For further information regarding Leaf and Limb collections, including guidelines for pickup, please call 706-613-3501 OR visit www.athensclarkecounty.com and search “Leaf and Limb.”
TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC WORKS
The contractor began initial clearing for the construction of the Tallassee Road and Whitehead Road Roundabout and Intersection Improvement Project.
Your
Commissioner,
Jared Bailey
District 5 Commissioner, Athens-Clarke County Unified Government
145 Marsha Court, Athens, GA 30606
706-338-9019, Jared....@athensclarkecounty.com