March Newsletter
Jared Bailey
District 5 Newsletter
March 2013
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Statesman Quote: “Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.”- Johan Wolfgang von Goethe |
UPCOMING MAYOR AND COMMISSION MEETINGS
The next M&C Agenda Setting Meeting will be on Thursday March 21st at 7:00 PM in City Hall.
Meetings are open to the public and citizen comment is allowed on items on the agenda.
The next M&C Voting Meeting will be on Tuesday April 2nd at 7:00 PM in City Hall.
Meetings are open to the public and citizen comment is allowed on items on the agenda.
The following items are on the agenda for that meeting:
Georgia Accountability Court funding program grant – State Court DUI/Drug Court
Pulaski Creek Greenway & Park (SPLOST 2005) – construction contract
Declaration of surplus items for internet auction
Rocksprings Park Pool Renovations (SPLOST 2011) – public art recommendation
Appointments to the Oconee Rivers Greenway Commission
FY14 Annual Action Plan for the Human & Economic Development Department (HED)
Georgia Public Defender Standards Council for Indigent Defense Services FY14 contract Renewal
Jail Expansion (SPLOST 2011 Project #01) – construction contract award
ZONING ITEMS ON VOTING AGENDA
Request of Koons Environmental Design, Inc., as agent for Clarke County School District from RS-5 (Single-Family Residential) and G(Government) to RM-1 (PD) (Mixed Density Residential Planned Development) on 5.58 acres known as 205 Bray Street and a part of 715 Fourth Street. Proposed use is multi-family dwellings and day care.
Request of Terry Stephens, as agent for Stephens Storage, LLC, for special use in RS-15 (Single-Family Residential) on 3.21 acres known as 614 Vaughn Road. Proposed use is commercial outdoor recreation.
COMMUNITY NOTES
BUENA VISTA VETO
The Mayor has been quoted in the press as saying that she might veto the 6-4 vote from the March 5th M&C Meeting that approved the Buena Vista Historic Neighborhood Designation. She has until the close of business on March 19th to do so. If she does veto it, the Commission can vote again to approve designation but must have a 7-3 vote to override her veto. At this point in time it does not appear that she will veto this protective measure despite having stated that she does not think that the neighborhood has anything historic worth saving.
COMMUNITY TREE COUNCIL
The Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County is seeking qualified candidates to fill three (3) positions on the Community Tree Council (CTC). The CTC provides information and recommendations on community tree policy and procedures to Athens-Clarke County officials, staff, and the public, and offers educational opportunities and activities promoting responsible management of community tree resources. The CTC meets monthly on the second Monday from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. and additional committee work is conducted between these meetings. See www.athenstrees.com for more information on the CTC's mission and activities.
Applicants must be Athens-Clarke County residents and registered voters. The deadline for receiving applications is Monday, April 1, 2013 (deadline extended). Based upon the applications received, the CTC Nominations Committee will select a number of individuals for brief interviews. After making their final selections, a recommendation for appointments will then be sent from the CTC to the Mayor and Commission for final approval. The terms of office will begin in May 2013. Members may be nominated for additional terms.
Applications can be submitted online. Printable versions may be obtained from the Landscape Management Division office at 350 Pound Street, on the Athens-Clarke County Community Tree Program Web site at www.acctreeprogram.com, on the CTC website at www.athenstrees.com, or by calling the Landscape Management Division office at 706-613-3561. Completed applications not submitted online should be returned to the Landscape Management Division office via mail (350 Pound Street, Athens, GA, 30601), hand delivery, or fax to 706-613-3566.
ENVIRONMENTAL COORDINATOR
Andrew Saunders has accepted the position of Environmental Coordinator. Initially hired as a community forestry intern straight from graduate school, he has been our Community Forestry Coordinator during the past five years. After an extended search period, Andrew emerged as the top applicant. Saunders has a Bachelor of Science in wildlife ecology and management and a Master of Forest Resources from the University of Georgia.
During his time with Athens-Clarke County, Andrew has been responsible for the management of public trees in and around parks, facilities, and along the rights-of-way. He has provided approximately 2,500 resource management consultations to local citizens and over 1,500 consultations on county projects. He has worked closely with the Community Tree Council, the University of Georgia, the Georgia Urban Forest Council, and other community groups to craft and implement natural resource policy. As an intern, he pioneered a Global Positioning System (GPS)-based tree inventory system that has since been adopted by the U.S. Forest Service, the Georgia Forestry Commission, and the University of Georgia.
The Environmental Coordinator's work plan includes supporting Unified Government departments on environmentally-related projects and programs; interacting with community and university groups and agencies on environmental topics; monitoring planning and zoning requests for potential environmental issues; serving as the LEED policy coordinator on Unified Government construction and renovation projects; leading the development of a Sustainability Plan; providing interdepartmental coordination of the Green Space Program; and working on electric vehicle readiness initiatives.
KEEP ATHENS CLEAN & BEAUTIFUL
Keep Athens Clean & Beautiful is accepting Nominations for KACCB Citizen of the Year. Winners will be notified in early April and will be publicly recognized with an award and certificate during the GreenFest Awards Ceremony held April 19, 2013 at the UGA Warnell School of Forestry Flinchum’s Phoenix, in the Whitehall Forest. Winners will also receive recognition on the Athens-Clarke County Recycling Division website, Facebook, ACTV Cable Channel 7, and in the ACC Recycling Division quarterly newsletter One Man’s Trash which is distributed to 13,000 Athens-Clarke County residents.
Nominees must be a resident of Athens-Clarke County. Nominate someone at www.keepathensbeautiful.org by March 30th, 2013. Or call 706-613-3501 x312 for more information.
LEAF AND LIMB
March 25 - 29:
The Newtown,
Boulevard, Hospital, Brooklyn, East Athens, Hancock, Rocksprings neighborhoods
and surrounding areas
April
1 - April 5:
The Beechwood, Briarcliff, Moss Side Drive, Homewood Hills, Whitehead Road, Country Club Estates, Knottingham, and the Forest Heights Drive neighborhood and surrounding areas
April 8 - April 12: Zone 1
Neighborhoods include, but are not limited to, Ashton Place, Cedar Creek,
Clarkdale, Crestwood, Green Acres, McDuffie Drive, Shadow Moss, Spring Lake,
University Heights, Victory Estates, Wakefield Drive
April 15 - April 19: Zone 2
Neighborhoods include, but are not limited to, Bar-H Estates, Idlywood, Hunter's Ridge, Epps Bridge Crossing, St. Ives, Berkley Hills, Timothy Estates, Skyline Park, Renfrew Estates, Waverly Woods, Ansley Park, Villas at Snapfinger, Rock & Shoals, Old Lexington Garden, Old Lexington Trace, Brookstone, Georgian Hills, McNutts Creek, Fox Trace, Brittain Estates, Shoal Creek Farms, Wyndfield, River Oaks, and Plantation Estates
POLICE DEPARTMENT ALERTS
If you are interested in receiving emergency alerts on your cell phone from ACCPD relating to information concerning everything from BOLO’s (Be On the Look Out) relating to suspects the Police would like to apprehend to information about traffic accidents and road blockages, then you can do so by texting your ZIP CODE to 888777. You should check with your service provider, though, about charges that you may incur for receiving texts.
TALLASEE ROUNDABOUT
The controversial redesign of the intersection of Tallassee and Whitehead Roads as a roundabout has hit a snag in moving forward. The budget for this project was projected based on T-SPLOST passing last November and some of the funds coming from that special tax. As we all know that referendum failed and it will have consequences for several transportation projects including the roundabout. The ACC Transportation and Public Works Department has assigned a consulting firm the task of reviewing the plans to see if it can be done for less money than originally projected. If not, the roundabout design could be scrapped in favor of an intersection with traffic signals.
WASTE REDUCTION AWARDS
The ACC Recycling Division is accepting applications for awards in four categories for area business, industry, individual and school recyclers who have proven to be innovative or a champion of the environment by implementing waste reduction techniques or increasing an existing program in waste reduction during 2012.
Winners will be notified in early April and will be publicly recognized with an award and certificate during the GreenFest Awards Ceremony on April 19 at the UGA Warnell School of Forestry Flinchum’s Phoenix in the Whitehall Forest. Winners will also receive recognition on the ACC Recycling Division website and Facebook page, ACTV Cable Channel 7, and in the ACC Recycling Division quarterly newsletter One Man’s Trash, which is distributed to 13,000 Athens-Clarke County residents.
All entries must be postmarked or hand delivered to the ACC Recycling Division, 725 Hancock Industrial Way, Athens, Georgia 30605 by Friday, March 22, 2013. Applications can be found online at www.athensclarkecounty.com/recycling or requested electronically by e-mailing rec...@athensclarkecounty.com.
WATER RECLAMATION TOURS
Interested parties are welcome to tour the ACC North Oconee Water Reclamation Facility on Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 4:00pm. Go to www.athensclarkecounty.com/FormCenter/Public-Utilities-22-22/Quarterly-Tour-of-Public-Utilities-Facil-153-153 to sign up. The North Oconee Water Reclamation Facility is located on North Oconee Access Road, off College Station Road.
Your Commissioner,
Jared Bailey
District 5 Commissioner, Athens-Clarke County Unified Government
145 Marsha Court, Athens, GA 30606
706-338-9019, Jared....@athensclarkecounty.com