March Newsletter

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Jared Bailey

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Mar 7, 2014, 10:33:09 AM3/7/14
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District 5 March 2014 Newsletter

 

Statesman Quote: “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” – Plato

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:

Perhaps the most important information I need to relay you is that I have decided to run for re-election for District 5 County Commissioner. The work of the Commission is crucial to the success of this community and during the past three years I have proven that I have the skills and experience that the job requires. Therefore I qualified to run for that seat yesterday.


I wish to thank all of the people who encouraged me to run for Mayor instead. While I would welcome the opportunity to take on that role, at this time I feel compelled to stay in my seat on the Commission. Now that I have qualified I will need help from members of the community to get re-elected. That help can take the form of volunteering to work on my re-election committee, making a campaign contribution, or both. If you are interested in helping you can contact me at 706-338-9019 or by email at Jared....@athensclarkecounty.com.    

If you wish to send a donation please mail it to:

Committee to Elect Jared Bailey

145 Marsha Court

Athens, GA 30606

ACC FACTS

Demographics

• Population: 120,266 (includes students) (2012 est.)

• UGA enrollment (Athens): 32,411 (Spring 2014)

• 19th most populous of Georgia’s 159 counties

• 5th most populous of Georgia’s 535 cities

• 15% population increase (2000-2010)

• Median age: 25.9 years old

 

BOARD OF ELECTIONS

Election Dates

The May 20, 2014 General Primary Election will be conducted using the existing precinct boundaries and voters will cast ballots at the election day polling sites that have been in effect for several years. The anticipated In-Person Voting Period (i.e., early voting) for the General Primary Election is April 28 to May 16.

 

CHASE STREET ELEMENTARY

Chase Street Elementary School was recently named a National Title 1 Distinguished School for academic achievement and improvement in academics. This makes it only one of only 59 such schools in the entire nation. Chase Street will receive $20,000 from the federal government for being so recognized.

LEISURE SERVICES

Awards

The Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County’s Leisure Services Department recently received several awards from the Georgia Recreation and Park Association (GRPA), including the prestigious “Agency Award” for a city with a population of 80,001-150,001. This award is based upon the provision of outstanding programs and accomplishments made during the previous 12 months and this is the seventh time in the past nine years that the Department has won this award. In addition, the Athens Creative Theatre program “Monologues and More for the Cognitively Disabled” was chosen by GRPA as the Therapeutics Section’s “Innovative Program” for having created a theatre-based program for individuals with disabilities. Leisure Services also received a Publication Award recognizing visual appeal and creativity in an official publication for its “Sandy Creek Nature Center Expansion Dedication Invitation”. Lyndon House Arts Center staff received the Special Event Award for the “India Festival” which celebrated Indian culture. Finally, the “Teen Top Chef Art Camp” held at the Lyndon House Arts Center won the Innovative Camp Award.


Summer Jobs

Leisure Services is currently seeking to hire for more than 100 summer positions. Applications are being accepted for camp counselors, lifeguards, park assistants, and pool staff. Applications and job listings are available online at www.athensclarkecounty.com/jobs and at the Athens-Clarke County Human Resources Office, 375 Satula Drive, during regular business hours. For more information, call (706) 613 3090.

 

MAYOR AND COMMISSION MEETINGS

March 18th - M&C Work Session at 5:30 PM in the Planning Department Auditorium

March 20th - M&C Agenda Setting Meeting at 7:00 PM in Commission Chambers in City Hall

April 1th - M&C Regular Meeting at 7:00 PM in the Commission Chambers in City Hall

 

MONSIGNOR DONOVAN SPECIAL USE PERMIT

At the March 4th Mayor and Commission meeting the Commission voted to pass a Special Use Permit for Monsignor Donovan High School’s (MDHS) plans for expansion of their school and recreational fields. As the Commissioner representing the area I met with representatives of Oak Grove, Nature’s Walk, and Westgate neighborhoods and staff and Board members of MDHS. The area residents voiced concerns about the field lighting, security, removal of mature trees, erosion, and runoff into Turkey Creek. The school recognized those concerns and agreed to conditions brought forth in a Commission Defined Option that I authored which placed a 3 year moratorium on construction of the softball fields an a5 year moratorium on the installation of lights on that field. The rest of the project which included football and soccer fields, a track, and tennis courts as well as increased instructional space and a multi purposed gym was passed by the Commission unanimously.  

 

POLICE

Speed Limit Reductions

Speed limit reductions are now in place on three well-traveled Athens-Clarke County roads:

1. The first reduction is on College Station Road, between Research Drive to 185 feet west of Riverbend Road. The speed limit in this area has been lowered from 45 miles per hour (MPH) to 35 MPH and now matches the rest of College Station Road from Research Drive to Barnett Shoals Road. This change was required due to the upcoming replacement of the bridges over the North Oconee River. The new bridges are designed for 35 MPH speeds.

2. The second speed limit reduction is on the Atlanta Highway between Monroe Highway and Cleveland Road. The speed limit has been lowered from 55 MPH to 45 MPH in order to address potential crashes that could result from high-speed vehicles overtaking large trucks exiting from Dozer Drive.

3. The third speed limit reduction is on Whitehall Road between the Oconee County line and South Milledge Avenue. The speed limit has been lowered from 50 MPH to 40 MPH as the existing measured speed limit in this section of roadways is 40 MPH.

The speed limit reductions on Atlanta Highway and Whitehall Road were approved by the Mayor and Commission in July 2013, while the speed limit reduction on College Station Road was a Georgia Department of Transportation requirement due to the upcoming bridges replacement. For addition information, please contact Steve Decker of the Traffic Engineering Division at 706-613-3460 or visit www.athensclarkecounty.com/publicworks.

 

 

Neighborhood Communication App

Nextdoor is a new iPhone application that may be of use to your neighborhood group. It provides a social network for neighbors, letting you post messages, upload photos, blast out crime warnings, find a babysitter, get restaurant advice, etc. Neighbors must verify their addresses and use their real names so everyone gets to know each other, and the service can be accessed on the web as well as through its mobile apps. Check it out at Nextdoor  

 

PUBLIC UTILITIES

Fix-a-Leak Week

The Water Conservation Office is now accepting nominations for organizations to receive the 2014 Fix-a-Leak Week Water Saving Retrofit. Last year Action Ministries was the winner of the retrofit receiving new toilets, aerators, kitchen faucet, and a pre-rinse spray valve. In 2012, the Athens Community Council on Aging received the retrofit and has since cut their water use in half!

Fix-a-Leak Week is an educational campaign on the importance of finding and fixing household leaks. This year Fix-a-Leak Week runs March 17-21, and is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program and the Athens-Clarke County Water Conservation Office.

The Water Conservation Office invites residents to nominate their favorite non-profit organization to receive the 2014 Water Saving Retrofit. The winner will be chosen based on water saving potential, cost, and capacity for public education and outreach. For more information and to nominate a non-profit organization, go to www.thinkatthesink.com. Nominations are due by Friday, February 14, 2014.

 

As part of the Fix-a-Leak Week the Water Conservation Office is asking residents to check, twist, and replace:

1. Check for leaks. Look for dripping faucets, showerheads, and fixture connections. Also check for toilets with silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank and seeing if it appears in the bowl before you flush. Don’t forget to check irrigation systems and spigots too.
2. Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save more water without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator.
3. Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for WaterSense labeled models, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.
The Water Conservation Office will also be holding a “Fixing Leaky Toilets” workshop in March to teach individuals how to identify leaks and to encourage home water use audits. For more information on Fix-a-Leak Week, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/our_water/fix_a_leak.html and thinkatthesink.com.

 

SOLID WASTE

Leaf and Limb Schedule

March 10-14: -Beechwood, Briarcliff, Homewood Hills, Whitehead Road, Country Club Estates, Knottingham, Forest Heights Drive 
March 17-21:  Zone 1 -Shadow Moss, Cedar Creek, Spring Lake, Green Acres, Crestwood, Ashton Place, University Heights, and Clarkdale.
March 24 - 28:  Zone 2- 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, Georgian Hills, McNutts Creek, Fox Trace, Brittan Estates, Shoal Creek Farms, Wynfield, River Oaks, & Plantation Est. 
March 31 - April 4:  Zone 3 - Weatherly Woods, West Winter, Winter Hills, Oakmont, East Meadow, and all households within Winterville City limits. 
For further information regarding zones, please call 706-613-3501.

 

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS

Loop 10 Speed Limit Change

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has announced a speed limit change to the State Route 10 Loop in Athens-Clarke County. Currently, the speed limit on the Loop in Oconee County is 65 miles per hour but only 55 miles per hour in ACC. After an engineering study, GDOT bowed to the reality that most drivers are already driving at 65 mph or faster and has decided to make the speed limit a uniform 65 mph on the entire Loop. Keeping traffic flowing at a consistent speed, GDOT believes, will increase safety along the corridor. Another issue is the fact that after completion of the interchange under construction at Peter and Olympic Streets the corridor will have limited access with no at-grade intersections. The change affects a 7-mile section of the SR 10 Loop from east of North Avenue to the ACC-Oconee County Line. Signs alerting motorists to the upcoming change will go up on Monday, March 3. The 65-mph speed limit will become effective Monday, March 17. The new speed limit change will not affect the work zone on the SR 10 Loop at Peter/Olympic Streets and the speed limit there will remain reduced until construction is complete.


Your Commissioner,

Jared Bailey
District 5 Commissioner, Athens-Clarke County Unified Government
145 Marsha Court, Athens, GA 30606
706-338-9019, Jared....@athensclarkecounty.com

 

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