City of Cedartown Year In Review
2016
A publication from the City of Cedartown ©2016 Public Information Office 201 E. Avenue Cedartown, Georgia 30125 www.cedartowngeorgia.gov
A message from the
City Manager
Nearly 10,000 people call Cedartown their home -- and it’s a town as special as the people who live here. With a historic Main Street that houses decades-old mom-and-pop shops that continue to flourish, to a business park that creates hundreds of local jobs and clean energy via a state-of-the-art solar farm, Cedartown is a perfect mix of modern progress meets quintessential “Small Town, USA.” It is the City of Cedartown’s mission to provide excellent, comprehensive services to our citizens and our businesses. Our residents and businesses are the heart of our community, and we aim to support them in any way possible. Additionally, we strive to provide ongoing stimulus for sustainable economic development and growth. We know that smart expansion paired with careful planning is the key to Cedartown’s future success. Lastly, we will uphold these goals while remaining as fiscally responsible stewards to the taxpayers of our city. Serving as Cedartown City Manager is a responsibility that I take seriously. It is an honor to lead and serve alongside the great employees of the City of Cedartown and to work closely with our Board of Commissioners, ensuring that the absolute best decisions are made for the ultimate good of all our residents. Whether you are a resident or a visitor in our wonderful city, we hope you find Cedartown to be a perfect place to spend your time. Explore our website to find out more about what Cedartown has to offer. We may be a small town, but we have a rich history, a surprising number of local attractions and exciting plans and projects on our horizon. If I can be of assistance to you, please don’t hesitate to contact me using the information listed below. Bill Fann
City Manager, City of Cedartown 770-748-3220 ext. 222 bfann@cedartowngeorgia.gov
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Cedartown City
Commission
2016 Cedartown City Commission Jordan Hubbard Andrew Carter Matt Foster Dale Tuck, Chairman Pro-Tem Larry Odom, Chairman
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Table of Contents Operations & Administrative PAGES 2-14 During 2016, the City of City of Cedartown executed day-to-day operational tasks while implementing new policies and procedures designed to better serve our residents and our employees. BUDGET & FINANCE Financial Standing Employee Purchasing Card System LICENSING, PERMITS & CODE ENFORCEMENT Business License Issuances Building Permit Issuances Code Enforcement Eradication of Blighted Properties PUBLIC WORKS, PARKS AND REC, CEMETERIES City Water Tanks Receive Inspection, Cleaning New Leaf Machine Increases Efficiency Water Maintenance Benefits Park Foundation Sewer Lines Replaced LMIG Paving Grant Improves Local Streets Record Year for Participation PUBLIC SAFETY $14,000 Grant Buys Patrol Cameras, Safety Equipment Unused Jail Cells Converted to Useful Space SPLOST Funds Put Two New Patrol Cars into Action Fire Department Updates and Adds Equipment WATER & WASTEWATER Completion of 2015 Water Audit and Watershed Protection Plan PUBLIC INFORMATION & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Social Media Management Public Information Office Continues Strategic Communications IT Upgrading, Streamlining Resources Uninterpretable Power Supply Protects City from Tech Failure New Software for Patrol, Investigations Communicates with Outside Agencies
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Table of Contents Special Reports & Events PAGES 15-18 Industrial and Commercial Growth Downtown Development and Tourism Cedartown Historic Waterworks Plant Renovation Big Spring Park Renovations Georgia Initiative for Community Housing One Door Polk
Employee Spotlights PAGES 18-24
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BUDGET & FINANCE Financial Standing The City of Cedartown continues to keep fiscal responsibility and planning at the forefront of all operations. The City received a clean audit report for FY 2015 and reports that the FY15 ending fund balance was $3,280,479. The City did not increase taxes and did not reduce services. Department heads continue to bid out goods and services and make wise planning decisions in order to keep costs in line. For the third consecutive year, the City did not take out a Tax Anticipation Note.
Employee Purchasing Card System The City implemented a new purchasing card system for department head and employee use. The system allows for greater financial control as well as detailed documentation.
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LICENSING, PERMITS & CODE ENFORCEMENT Business & Alcohol Licensing City administration issued 476 business licenses since January 2016 through December 1, 2016, which is a 4% increase over last year. 36 alcohol licenses were issued for a total of $54,500 in fee collection. Building and New Construction Permits The Building Inspection Department issued 274 building permits from January 2016 to December 1, 2016 -- a 10% increase over last year, resulting in $60,000 in revenue. Total valuation of these permits were listed at $14,375,393. Code Enforcement Citations A total of 77 Code Enforcement Citations have been issued since March of 2016. Of those 77 citations, almost half have been resolved either through court or resident compliance. Eradication of Blighted Properties Since 2013, 13 blighted properties have been removed from within the City Limits of Cedartown.
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PUBLIC WORKS City’s Water Tanks Receive Inspection, Cleaning The City maintains four water tanks -- three holding one million gallons of drinking water, the other holding 200,000 gallons of water. All four tanks were inspected and cleaned by a certified team based out of North Dakota. New Leaf Machine Increases Efficiency The Public Works Department purchased a new leaf machine in the fall of 2016. The new machine replaces the 10-year-old machine and allows employees to pick up thousands of leaves in a more efficient manner.
Water Maintenance Benefits Park Fountain The City’s water maintenance staff replaced the sump pump at the Peek Park Dancing Fountain as well as made improvements to the popular attraction. These improvements included modifying, repairing and relocating control panels above ground, thus making access easier and time efficient. Sewer Lines Repaired Our water maintenance crew replaced more than 600 feet of 8-inch sewer line and added three new manholes in the area of Georgia Lane and John Hand Road. LMIG Paving Grant Improves Local Streets Our Public Works Department received a $93,996 grant from the Department of Transportation. Roads benefiting from that grant include: East Avenue, Marietta Street, Thompson Street, Central Street, Elizabeth Street and Woodall. City of Cedartown Year in Review 2016 — 8
PUBLIC SAFETY $14,000 Grant Buys Patrol Cameras, Safety Equipment The City received a $14,000 LGRMS/GMA Safety Grant. The grant was used to purchase two in-car cameras for police cars and signs, barricades and safety gear for our Public Works Department. Combined $6,000 in Grant Money Provides Officer Protection The Cedartown Police Department received a $5,000 bullet-proof vest grant this year. Additionally, K9 Officer Bear received a bullet and stab-proof vest from Massachusettsbased organization Vested Interest in K9s. The donated vest is valued at $1,050.
Unused Jail Cells Converted to Useful Space Our police department is undergoing renovations in order to make their facility more efficient. Old jail cells no longer in use are being converted to an interview room, restroom and a locker room. 9 — City of Cedartown Year in Review 2016
SPLOST Funds Put Two New Patrol Cars into Action Two new Patrol SUVs are in service thanks to SPLOST funding. The SUVs offer more storage space and more room and comfort for officers while on patrol.
Fire Department Updates and Adds Equipment Thanks to a Georgia Municipal Association Safety Grant, the CFD purchased special uniforms for the Cedartown Fire Department. All of the department’s 18 firefighters now own two sets of Nomex clothing that provides an extra layer of fire protection. These uniforms are worn underneath the department’s turnout gear, providing firefighters with an additional barrier against heat and flames. The Cedartown Fire Department also replaced 10 self-contained breathing apparatus bottles and replaced 15 sections of one and three-quarter-inch fire hose.
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PARKS & REC Record Year for Participation The Cedartown Recreation Department experienced record enrollment in 2016. The department rolled out a successful new soccer program in the spring; a program which saw 180 participants. For all fall sports combined -- football, cheer and soccer -- more than 380 children in Polk County are participating in Cedartown Rec programs. Two district and two state championships in both basketball and football were earned this year.
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WATER & WASTEWATER Completion of 2015 Water Audit and Watershed Protection Plan: The Watershed Protection Plan serves as an action plan that the City of Cedartown will follow in partnership with the community to protect local water resources and sustain a high quality of life for its citizens. The Watershed Protection Plan is based on the results of a comprehensive watershed assessment of local streams as well as consideration of current and future land use, and other sources of pollutants to local streams. Successful implementation of the watershed protection plan will result in improved water quality, increased protection of stream buffers and aesthetic improvements of the City’s critical water resources for future generations.
PUBLIC INFORMATION & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Social Media Implementation & Management The City of Cedartown’s Facebook page currently has 4,070 followers. Our engagement continues to grow week after week as we post relevant content produced in-house. Over 50,000 people have positively reacted to our messaging in 2016. The City’s Youtube channel has garnered 18,000 views and the City has just over 380 followers on Twitter. FACEBOOK REACH IN 2016
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TOP FACEBOOK VIDEOS AND VIEW COUNT
Public Information Office Continues Strategic Communications The Public Information Office communicates with the community via several channels: traditional media as well as digital and social networks. The City’s website, which has received 68,000 views this year, has undergone minor redesigns so that residents can access the most important information with ease. The Public Information Office worked closely with administration staff to create a quick and easy water service FAQ page. This year, to date, a total of 60 media releases have been disseminated to local and state media, resulting in coverage across various platforms.
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Information Technology Upgrading, Streamlining Resources A new server was installed at the Cedartown Police Department, providing the network for new software compatibility. A new router was installed for the City Complex, which provides increased security and LAN (Local Area Network) and makes data easier to recover in the event of a disaster.
Uninterruptible Power Supply Protects City from Tech Failures An uninterruptable power supply was deployed for the City Complex -- routers and switches were replaced with modern, faster, and safer equipment. All personal computers and laptops were installed with upgraded security software.
New Software for Patrol, Investigations Communicates with Outside Agencies New software has been installed at our police department and benefits officers and investigators, as well as the community they protect. The software has the ability to communicate with other departments -- Rockmart PD, Polk PD and the Sheriff’s Office -- in order to streamline data and information.
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SPECIAL REPORTS & PROJECTS INDUSTRIAL & COMMERCIAL GROWTH
The City of Cedartown experienced growth in industrial and commercial endeavors in 2016. Most notably, Kimoto Tech announced a $6 million investment to increase the facility’s technology capabilities. Additionally, the City acquired 240 acres of land in the Cedartown North Industrial Park for future planning and growth. Cedartown’s Polk Medical Center continues to experience success in its new location and this year, the facility saw the addition of rehabilitation services. Commercially, Cedartown will see the addition of large retailer Tractor Supply Company. The business will open next year in a location near the Home Depot.
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM
Our Historic Downtown Cedartown District has seen the addition of six new businesses and was re-accredited as a 2016 National Main Street Program for meeting the 10 standards of performance for a Main Street Program. The Cedartown Welcome Center, located on South Main Street, received 7,365-plus visitors from September 2015 through September 2016. The Cedartown Museum of Coca-Cola Memorabilia opened in the summer of 2016 and has seen local and out-of-state attendance, as well as hosted several tours and private events. The City continues to organize the Fourth Friday Summer Concert Series, an event in its fourth year that attracts music lovers and classic car collectors to downtown.
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CEDARTOWN HISTORIC WATERWORKS PLANT RENOVATION
A population boom in the late 1800s required Cedartown to construct a water and light plant. City officials issued bonds to fund the project and the Cedartown Waterworks Building/Electric Light Plant was constructed in the spring of 1892. The Romanesque Revival-style building, detailed with brick pilasters and a corbel table, was constructed for the sum of $32,000. The electrical service in the plant was phased out in the 1930s, but the City of Cedartown continues to use the facility to provide nearly two million gallons of water per day to its residents. The water comes from Cedartown’s Big Spring, the second largest limestone spring in the Southeast. The spring is located a stone’s throw away from the water plant. In 2000, the Cedartown Waterworks Building was named by the American Water Works Association as an American Water Landmark and was listed on the United States National Park Service National Register of Historic Places. Over the years, the plant had been neglected. Layers of blue-gray paint coated the historic structure. Crumbling mortar was also an issue. In the summer of 2016, the City of Cedartown removed the old paint, revealing the structure’s original historic brick facade and mortar was repointed.
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BIG SPRING PARK RENOVATIONS
A treasured historic site, Cedartown’s Big Spring is in the early stages of a total makeover. In mid-October, the City began the removal and replacement of the spring’s retaining walls. Constructed in the 1930’s, the walls were in a state of disrepair, crumbling and falling into the spring’s channel. As work progresses on the makeover, residents can expect to see the addition of historical nature trails and generalized beautification of Cedartown’s most famous landmark.
GEORGIA INITIATIVE FOR COMMUNITY HOUSING
The goal of the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing is to improve quality of life and economic vitality through the development of locally-based housing and revitalization strategies. The City of Cedartown is currently in its second year of GICH’s three-year program. This year, the City partnered with the Polk County Sheriff’s Inmate Detail to remove and cover graffiti in the Goodyear Village. Since the spring of 2016, Cedartown Code Enforcement issued 77 citations, of those 42 have been resolved either through court appearance or compliance. The City is excited about the latest housing project that will soon be underway. Vantage Development is set to break ground this year on a 62-unit townhome project. In addition, the Cedartown Housing Authority is well into their $20 million rehab project, which will vastly improve living conditions for hundreds of residents.
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ONE DOOR POLK
Cedartown’s most unique project which began in 2014, is enjoying continued growth and success. The One Door Polk Network Project, which included the renovation of a 52,000 square foot hospital building, has improved access to health and wellness services for residents of the Polk County community. Several new tenants have made ODP their home, including the Department of Juvenile Justice, Our House, Medicare, Polk Foster Parents Association and Court Appointed Special Advocates. Primary Healthcare Center, saw the addition of a new pediatrician that will serve the children in Cedartown and Polk County. Primary Healthcare is one of ODP’s anchor tenants. Highland Rivers Health is another anchor tenant that occupies 22,000-square feet of the facility. This year, large outdoor signage has been added and the facility’s community meeting room is constantly utilized for training, education and civic organizations.
POLK COUNTY SPORTS WALK OF FAME
Hundreds of residents and visitors braved the heat and came out for the exciting reveal of the Polk County Walk of Fame statues in June. We had an amazing turnout -- Vince Dooley and former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue showed up to celebrate. The statues honoring six local Georgia Hall of Famers are located on the courthouse lawn just off of Main Street. The statues pay tribute to Howard “Doc” Ayers, Edgar Chandler, Jimmy Hightower, Doug Sanders, Whitlow Wyatt and Ray Beck.
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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS ANDRE NICHOLSON really can’t remember a time in his life when he didn’t want to be a police officer. “I think I was always interested in being an officer and working in law enforcement,” Andre recalled. “For me, the best part of it is helping people.” If we had a time machine, we could fly back to 1997, when Andre was a junior in high school. We would watch a young(er) Andre sign up for the Cedartown Police Department Explorer Program and witness the spark of dedication that would soon set fire to a lifelong career. The Explorer’s program caters to middle school and high school boys and girls who are interested in law enforcement. Needless to say, the program was a perfect fit for Andre. He was one of the program’s first members. Within two years of graduation from high school — two years that included service as the city’s dog catcher — Andre completed and graduated from the police academy and was hired on as an officer at the Cedartown Police Department. These days, Andre serves as a sergeant. In his role, he ensures that other officers have the training and certifications needed to be the best
they can be. And as fate would have it, Andre now coordinates the very program that started him off on his police career — the Explorer Program. “I have about 10 or 11 boys and girls that I work with in the program,” he explained. “All of them seem genuinely interested in continuing in law enforcement work.” Most folks have seen the Explorers out and about, serving the community while learning about the duties of an officer. When he’s not serving the residents of Cedartown or mentoring future cops, Andre enjoys cooking. He’s well known for firing up the grill outside the police precinct, sizzling and serving up burgers and steaks.
HEATHER VENABLE joined the staff at Cedartown City Hall in January 2016. She oversees human resources management and accounts payable. A native of Alexander City, Ala., Venable and her son, Jackson, are residents of Rockmart. She graduated from Horseshoe Bend High School in 1996 and attended Southern Union State Community College on a cheerleading scholarship. Venable later transferred to Jacksonville State University, where she studied business administration and accounting. She came to the City after working for 13 years for the Polk County Water Authority. There, she managed payroll and accounts payable, so the transition into her new position is familiar. “I enjoy working and interacting with employees, and I am looking forward to getting to know everyone here at the City,” Venable said.
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Venable filled the position formerly held by Lisa Barker. Barker accepted a position in the City’s water department. Outside of work obligations, Venable is an active member of New Hope Fellowship Church and enjoys antiquing and thrift store bargain hunting.
MITZI ALLEN joined the City of Cedartown team in February 2016. In her role, Mitzi is responsible for providing excellent customer service, recording utility payments, issuing business and alcohol licenses and managing outside fire protection for residents living beyond the city limits. Mitzi said it was easy to fit in at the City. “It just feels like a family here and I am really enjoying it,” she said. “I love working with customers and the ones I have met since I started here have been so nice.” A 1995 graduate of Cedartown High School, Mitzi and her husband live in Cedartown with their two children. She is currently enrolled as student in the College of Adult and Professional Programs at Shorter University where she is slated to graduate in December 2017 with a degree in business administration.
She previously worked at Charter Communications in the customer service and sales department. Mitzi takes the position formerly held by Edward Guzman. Guzman received a promotion and now serves as assistant city clerk. Away from work, she enjoys spending time with her family and their four dogs and watching her daughter play tennis.
ASHLEY LEWIS Lewis has quickly become a familiar face with customers. Hired in March, she assists those who come in to pay water and tax bills and handles phone calls as well. Lewis also oversees the rental of the City’s public facilities. Just a few short weeks into her duties, Lewis has discovered that once you’re hired by the City, you become part of a team. “It’s so great that everyone here gets along and is friendly. That really helps us accomplish our tasks,” Lewis said. “I am looking forward to learning more about the City and how it operates, along with learning other skills and getting to know our customers.” A 2012 graduate of Cedartown High School, Lewis earned her associate’s degree in business administration at Georgia Highlands College. While there, she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for two-year colleges and academic programs. Lewis is currently in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in business administration
from Shorter University. She will complete requirements for her degree in August 2017. Lewis is a lifelong resident of Cedartown and is the daughter of Mike and Becky Lewis. In her free time, she enjoys singing and mastering make-up techniques.
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OSCAR GUZMAN has spent 2016 settling into his new role as director of the Cedartown Civic Auditorium. He was appointed in January 2016 by unanimous vote of the Cedartown City Commission. As director, Guzman oversees the general operation of the auditorium, including budget management. He brings years of technical experience to the auditorium and is well trained in theatre lighting, sound and visuals. Marketing and promotion of events also fall under Guzman’s responsibilities, and already, the auditorium has seen two examples of recent success. “The Funniest Man in America,” also known as James Gregory, performed to a crowd of 500 in March and just a few weeks ago, Mickey Gilley entertained an audience of more than 600. “We were very pleased with the turnout to those shows,” Guzman said. ‘We’re hoping to build on that momentum and bring more shows like that to
Cedartown and Northwest Georgia.” A 2010 graduate of Cedartown High School and current senior at Georgia State University, Guzman says that his desire is to see the auditorium flourish. “I want to bring it back to its glory days and make it the No. 1 tourist attraction in the county.”
What do you get when you mix kids, a little bit of yellow-dyed leather, red stitching, and field grass together? It’s a recipe for KAYCI MOATES’ dream job. Kayci works in the Cedartown Recreation Department as softball coordinator during the season. She stays busy handling sign-ups and tryouts, as well as maintaining equipment orders and working with coaches. She also works the concession stand during games and makes sure it’s well stocked. Kayci said the job is a perfect fit. ‘I love kids and working with them and I love softball. I really couldn’t ask for a better job,” she said. During the off-season, Kayci takes care of signups for other Cedartown Rec sports programs, helps with the concession stand and does whatever else is asked of her. “Lee [Hayes] and Joe [Colquitt] and I work together well. We help each other out when it’s needed.” “We’re a good team.”
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A life-long resident of Cedartown, Kayci graduated from Cedartown high School in 2010. She attended Georgia Northwestern Technical College where she played on the inaugural women’s basketball team. She is married to Jeremy Moates. In her free time, she enjoys playing slow-pitch softball on the weekends with her husband and attending the Cedartown Church of God.
JAMIE RICE was welcomed as the City of Cedartown’s water billing clerk in May 2016. She joined the City family after longtime billing clerk Cheryl Davis retired. As part of her duties, Rice handles the billing of residential and commercial water service and is in charge of leak adjustments, late charges and arranging bank drafts. You could say that water billing and customer care is her specialty, as Rice comes to the City with eight years of previous experience at the Polk County Water Authority. While there, she performed many of the same tasks that occupy her days at City. “The aspect of my job that I most enjoy is helping customers with issues they may have,” Rice said. “I like working with them to answer questions or resolve a billing issue.”
Rice, a 1999 graduate of Cedartown High School, lives in Cedartown with her husband Steven and their children. When she’s not busy working at City Hall, you can find her spending time with her family on their cattle farm and attending New Hope Fellowship.
A 16-year veteran at the City of Cedartown Wastewater Treatment Facility, TRACY MARLOW works in a small building off Branch Street and carries out a hugely important job. She’s part of a team that takes your dirty water and makes it clean again and the task is more complicated than you might think. In simple terms, once wastewater goes down the drain, it travels through your pipes, zooming along to the treatment plant thanks mainly to gravity. There are many areas in the City that are low-lying where gravity bottoms out and just isn’t enough. Several sewer lift stations around town come to the rescue, and the sewage gets a motorized boost and then it’s back on the way to the treatment plant. Once there, the sewage comes in to what is known as the headworks. Trash is removed and then it’s on to a large basin, where the wastewater gets cleaned up by a cocktail of digestive bacteria and oxygen, all while monitoring the proper pH balance. Then it heads to the clarifiers, where the wastewater is chlorinated, then dechlorinated and tested before being released into Cedar Creek. A lot of precision goes in to properly treating wastewater, that’s why Marlow continues to expand her education. She received her Wastewater Operator II Certification in August, a difficult task that requires great dedication, knowledge and skill. Two years of experience in a wastewater treatment plant is required before attempting to attain a Level II classification.
Wastewater Operator I is the highest level of education you can attain in the State of Georgia, Marlow explained. It requires additional years of experience and a final exam that covers advanced treatment topics, lab work and analysis, troubleshooting and management. In addition to her wastewater certifications, Marlow is also certified to work in the water lab facility at Big Spring Park – that’s where the City’s drinking water comes from. Marlow wants to branch out and learn additional tasks at the water plant as well. To City Manager Bill Fann, that sounds like a perfect plan. “We are encouraging our employees to cross-train across similar departments. It makes for a stronger and more knowledgeable staff. Tracy is very focused on increasing her education and earning different classifications and that’s something we as a City are very proud of. She’s a great example of an employee that shows determination and drive.”
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