January Newsletter
Jared Bailey
District 5 January 2014 Newsletter
Statesman Quote: “Popularity should be no scale for the election of politicians. If it would depend on popularity, Donald Duck and the Muppets would take seats in senate.” – Orson Welles
This newsletter is intended to keep the residents of District 5 informed about community matters. If you are not receiving this newsletter, please contact me at Jared....@athensclarkecounty.com and I will add your email address to the list. If you have any questions or concerns about community issues please contact me by email or at 706-338-9019.
Happy New Year District 5 Residents-
Here is another installment of news that affects the best district in Athens:
ACC FACT
Most of you may know that Athens-Clarke County is the smallest of Georgia’s 159 counties. ACC consists of only 122 square miles and yet has 425 mile of streams and rivers.
BOARD of ELECTIONS
Voting Precinct Plan
After the last Census the Athens-Clarke County Commission district lines were significantly changed by an Act of the General Assembly. As a result of the sweeping redrawing of district lines and the abolition of the two super district positions, many precincts’ numbers no longer matched the Commission district numbers within which they were located.
In an effort to reduce voter confusion and to account for the growth of early voting the ACC Board of Elections developed a plan to align precincts with Commission district lines. Initially their plan was to have those new precincts in place for elections in 2014. However, during their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, November 5, 2013 the Board of Elections voted to delay the implementation of the 2014 Voting Precinct Plan. This is because recent feedback from state and local election officials indicates that there are some issues with the redistricting component of ElectioNet, the newly implemented statewide voter registration software that would be used to reassign voters to their new precinct locations.
The Board decided that it would wait until after the State of Georgia has had sufficient time to make refinements to this component of the new election software before making changes to voter data in ACC. Due to this delay, 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.
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Master Composter Program
The ACC Cooperative Extension office will be offering Master Composter dates for classes on Wednesday evenings, January 29th – Wednesday, March 26, 2014 including two Saturday morning field trips on Saturday, February 22 and Saturday, March 15, 2014. The Classes are held from 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM at the ACC Solid Waste Department Administration Building Training Room, 725 Hancock Industrial Way, and the cost for the entire program is $145. To register for this Program please contact ACC Cooperative Extension at (706) 613-3640.
ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS
ACC is currently looking at the possibility of establishing some electric vehicle charging stations in partnership with the state or private organizations and I am involved with that effort. On a personal note I recently acquired a new Nissan Leaf which is all electric Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV) for my daily use and I am very excited about substantially reducing my use of fossil fuels and carbon footprint.
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
MLK Day of Service
ACC Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), formerly Human and Economic Development, staff assisted Community Connection’s HandsOn Northeast Georgia committee with preparations for the 12th Annual MLK Jr. Day of Service that will take place on January 20, 2014. Volunteers will have the opportunity to work at one of 30 different project sites along with over 1,000 of their neighbors to fulfill Dr. King's wish for a beloved community. Volunteer registration is now open! Go to www.handsonnortheastgeorgia.org for more information.
LEISURE SERVICES
Tennis Tournament at New Tennis Center
Athens-Clarke County has been chosen to host the Georgia 40 & Over League State Tennis Championship tournament in late May or early June of both 2014 and 2015. This is the first time the UGACC will host a United States Tennis Association (USTA) state adult league championship tournament, which is one of the largest amateur tennis events in the country.
The Clarke-Oconee Tennis Association (COTA) submitted the tournament bid with assistance from UGACC Leisure Services Department staff. The new Tennis Center at Southeast Clarke Park will serve as the main site for the event, with additional sites to include the Athens Country Club, Oconee County High School, Oconee Veterans Park, and Jennings Mill Country Club. UGACC Leisure Services Department staff will provide assistance to COTA to help ensure that Athens-Clarke County’s first Georgia Adult 40 & Over League State Championship tournament is a success.
A minimum of 42 courts at no more than five sites is needed to be considered as a host site. At the time of the bid, resurfacing of the Bishop Park tennis courts had not yet been confirmed; therefore, Bishop Park courts will serve as a practice site (practice sessions are not allowed on tournament courts). The tournament is expected to attract more than 750 participants to Athens for four days and three nights. The economic impact upon the local community is estimated at $337,500 for this type, size, and duration of tournament. Participating hotels include: the Holiday Inn Express; Courtyard by Marriott; Hilton Garden Inn; Hampton Inn; Country Inn & Suites; and the Foundry Park Inn & Spa.
MAYOR AND COMMISSION MEETINGS
January 7th - M&C Regular Meeting at 7:00 PM in the Commission Chambers in City Hall
January 14th - M&C Work Session at 5:30 PM in the Planning Department Auditorium
January 21st - Government Operations Committee Meeting at 5:30 PM- room 103 of City Hall
January 21st - Legislative Review Committee Meeting at 5:30 PM in room 303 in City Hall
January 24th - M&C Agenda Setting Meeting at 7:00 PM in Commission Chambers in City Hall
January 7th M&C Agenda
Consent Agenda
1. Carter Street parking restrictions: Waddell Street to Henderson Extension
2. Ordinance for traffic signal and permit application for Atlanta Highway at Jennings Mill Road
3, Qualifying fees for 2014 elections
4. Fleet vehicle donation to Clarke County School District
5. Homeless Assistance grant application
6. SPLOST 2011 Project #012 - Pedestrian Safety and Safe Routes to School Program –
Barrow Elementary and H. T. Edwards campus subprojects
7. Continue positions in Probation Office & Superior Court Clerk funded by STOP VAWA grant.
8. Reappointment to Oconee Rivers Greenway Commission
Regular Agenda
1. FY14 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) reprogramming recommendations for the Housing and Community Development Department (HCD)
MONSIGNOR DONOVAN SPECIAL USE PERMIT
Monsignor Donovan High School hosted an informational meeting with neighborhood representatives of Oak Grove, Nature’s Walk, Westgate, as well as the public to present their plan for expansion of the school and their recreational fields. The meeting was well attended and area residents were able to voice their concerns about the field lighting, security, removal of mature trees, erosion, and runoff into Turkey Creek. The school plans to submit their Special Use Permit Application to the ACC Planning Department soon with hopes it will be considered by the Planning Commission in February.
POLICE
Catalytic Converter Thefts
In November and December there have been at least a dozen
catalytic converters stolen in Athens from Honda CRVs (2003 to 2007 models) and
Honda Elements (2007 to 2009 models). Earlier this spring, there were over two
dozen incidents reported in the Atlanta area. These type vehicles are targeted
due to the ease of removing the converters. If you own one of these types of
vehicles, please take steps to park your vehicle in a secure location, use
common sense, and follow these tips:
• Always park in well-lit areas
• At shopping centers and other similar parking lots, park close to the
entrance of the building or near the access road where there's a lot of traffic
• If you own or work at a business or factory, park within a fenced area that's
busy during the day and secured at night
• Engrave your license plate number on the converter to make it traceable
• Purchase a vehicle security system and make sure it’s set to trigger with
just the slightest motion
• Visit a local muffler shop and have the converter secured to the vehicle’s
frame with a couple of pieces of hardened steel welded to the frame
• Check out the different types of catalytic converter theft deterrent systems
at your local auto parts store or online
Please forward any suspect information to either Det. Lamar Glenn (West
Property at 706-353-4218
X138) or Det. Ron Mills (East Property at 706-613-3888 X 290).
Citizens Police Academy
The 31st session of the ACCPD’s Citizens Police Academy will begin on Thursday, February 13th, 2014, at 6:15 PM at the ACCPD’s East Precinct, 3035 Lexington Rd. This is a 12-week course with classes held for three hours one night a week. Instruction includes career development and training, patrol functions, criminal investigation, communications and 911, crime prevention, SRT (Special Reaction Team), and many other functions of the police department. Applicants must live or work in Athens-Clarke County, be at least 18 years of age, and pass a criminal background check. The deadline for registration is Thursday, February 6, 2014. The application is available online at www.athensclarkecounty.com/police. Questions should be directed to Lt. Nick Soriano at 706-613-3358 X226 or via email at nicholas...@athensclarkecounty.com.
Home Invasion Robbery M.O.
The Athens-Clarke County Police continue to investigate incidents of home invasion type robberies and/or aggravated assaults, which appear to have common characteristics. Arrests have been made in two instances where both male and female offenders have worked in consort to commit these violent crimes. In both incidents, the victims had an existing association with the female perpetrator. In one instance, female offenders were allowed inside the dwelling by the unsuspecting male victim. The female accomplice gained consensual admittance to the residence and insured the victim was distracted and vulnerable to attack. Once inside the female created a diversion and an opportunity for her male cohorts to enter the residence while the victim was distracted and less likely to defend himself or call for help. In a similar instance, a female knocked on the door and when the victim answered, multiple male offenders rushed inside and attacked the unsuspecting victim. In both of these incidents, the victims were believed by the female accomplices to have drugs or valuables in the residence at the time of the attack.
Don’t be a victim of a crime; for your own safety it is vitally important that
you know and trust individuals that you allow in your home before you open the
door or allow them in. Providing or helping others possess controlled
substances illegally is a crime. Participating in other high-risk behavior
cannot only lead to criminal prosecution, but exposes all participants to
serious injury or even death.
Additionally, individuals who participate in a high-risk behavior such as drug
distribution, drug use, solicitation, and over consumption of alcohol are more
likely to be a victim of violent assault and/or robbery. Don’t allow others to
become victims either. If you see something, say something. Be a good neighbor
and look out for each other. Please call 911 to report all suspicious activity.
Neighborhood Communication App
There is a new iPhone application that may be of use to your neighborhood group. Nextdoor is a social network for neighbors, letting you post messages, upload photos, blast out crime warnings, find a babysitter, ask for advice on good restaurants and more. 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
SOLID WASTE
Downtown Recycling Containers
After a nine-year hiatus, pedestrian recycling containers are making a comeback in the downtown business district. The ACC Recycling Division worked with The Classic Center, Athens Downtown Development Authority, and the ACC Solid Waste Department Collections staff to get a functional and aesthetically pleasing pedestrian recycling container without a hefty price tag. During September, there were 32 recycling containers placed in the downtown business district. Seven containers were placed around the exterior of The Classic Center, and the remaining 25 containers were strategically placed in high-traffic areas throughout the downtown district. The recycling containers are used by pedestrians to dispose of recyclables, such as plastic bottles and cups, aluminum cans, glass bottles, paper bags, and newspaper. Help Athens recycle MORE by using these containers! Please do NOT place the following items into the downtown recycling containers: diapers, food, paper cups and plates, cutlery, pet waste, Styrofoam of any kind, and plastic bags.
Electronics Recycling
If you received a new computer for the Holidays and are wondering what to do with your old one, then you might be interested in donating it to Free IT Athens. Free IT Athens is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN # 27-2381518) which refurbishes computers for reuse by individuals and community groups. The group will accept: desktop and laptop computers with a Pentium IV/AMD Athlon or newer processor (anything older will be recycled; please bring the power supply if you have it); LCD and CRT Monitors; laser and inkjet printers; computer speakers; PS/2 or USB keyboards and mice; hard drives & disc drives; grounded extension cords; power strips; battery backups; tools for repairing and testing computers; and office supplies (printer paper and pens are always appreciated!). Not only are these recycled computers put to good use but they are also kept out of our landfill, thereby extending its life and saving taxpayers money. Donations may be taken to 160 Winston Drive, Suite #9 (off Chase Street) on Wednesdays 6-8pm, Fridays 3-7pm, and Sundays 1-5pm. For more information, visit www.freeitathens.org or contact Joel Izlar at jo...@freeitathens.org or (706) 202 6053. Other types of electronics can be recycled at the Landfill or ACC Recycling facility (for more details please see http://athensclarkecounty.com/1337/Electronics).
Leaf and Limb Schedule
Jan 6-10:Beechwood, Briarcliff, Homewood Hills, Whitehead Road, Country Club Estates, Knottingham, Forest Heights Drive
Jan 13-17: Zone 1-Neighborhoods include, but are
not limited to - Shadow Moss, Cedar Creek, Spring Lake, Green Acres, Crestwood,
Ashton Place, University Heights, and Clarkdale.
Jan 20-24: 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.
Jan 27- 31: 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.
ACC Solid Waste Dept. will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2014 for the MLK
Holiday.
For further information regarding zones, please click on the district maps below or call 706-613-3501.
ToolShed Program
Keep Athens-Clarke County Clean and Beautiful is now offering the Athens Area ToolShed Program which features a large inventory of tools, ranging from gardening to renovation tools, to assist with community improvement projects. Quantities of tools are loaned on an as-available basis, and those using the tools must schedule a time with KACCB staff to meet at the ToolShed to pick up and return the tools. Visit www.keepathensbeautiful.org to reserve your tools.
Your Commissioner,
Jared Bailey
District 5 Commissioner, Athens-Clarke County Unified Government
145 Marsha Court, Athens, GA 30606
706-338-9019, Jared....@athensclarkecounty.com