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YEAR IN REVIEW

2017

A MESSAGE FROM THE

CITY M NAGER 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

City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017 — 2

CED RTOWN CITY COMMISSION

2017 Cedartown City Commission Jordan Hubbard, Chairman Andrew Carter Matt Foster Dale Tuck, Chairman Pro-Tem Larry Odom

3 â€” City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS Operations & Administrative PAGES 6-19 During 2017, 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 6 LICENSING, PERMITS & CODE ENFORCEMENT 6-7 PUBLIC WORKS & WASTEWATER 8-10 PUBLIC SAFETY 11-14 PUBLIC INFORMATION & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 15-16 RECREATION DEPARTMENT 17 CEDARTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 18 DOWNTOWN CEDARTOWN ASSOCIATION 19

City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017 â€” 4

Table of Contents Special Projects & Events PAGES 20 - 23 During 2017, the City of City of Cedartown participated in several special projects beyond the scope of normal operations.

Employee Spotlights PAGES 24-26

5 â€” City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017

CITY HALL ADMINISTRATION RECORD DIGITIZATION & AUTOMATED PHONE PAYMENT SYSTEM

Administration staff scanned all water applications into a secure digital system. This saves time with paper application processing, money and physical storage space. The City also implemented an automated phone payment system for customers.

ORDINANCE CREATION

Several ordinances have been created in-house. These include the City’s recently adopted animal tethering ordinance and an in-progress ordinance regarding breweries and brew pubs.

INACTIVE METER CAMPAIGN & METER AUDIT

Water meters that have been inactive for more than two years were pulled and then reused in new locations. The result is reduced cost for new meters. City staff conducted a meter audit over the summer months. Meters that ceased to record water usage were either repaired or replaced.

GRANT SECURED

Administrative staff worked in conjunction with the Cedartown Performing Arts Center to apply for the Doc Ayers-Ray Beck Community Foundation Grant. The $1,000 grant was received and helped pay for the CPAC’s summer art camp.

CERTIFICATE AWARDED AND TRAINING HOURS EARNED

Mitzi Allen earned the Municipal Revenue Administration Certificate from the Georgia Municipal Association in November. HR manager MITZI ALLEN HEATHER MASON Heather Mason continued her pursuit to become a GLGPA Certified Human Resource Manager. Classes taken include Ethics in Local Government, Managing Human Resources in a Political Environment, Effective Performance Appraisal Systems and Discipline and Grievances.

BUDGET & FINANCE FINANCIAL STANDING

The City of Cedartown’s Finance Office received ‘clean’ audit report for FY 2016.

NEW CREDIT CARD PROCESSING PLATFORM

The Finance Office, supported by City Hall Administration, implemented new credit card processing platform that provides more options to citizens. The new system allows customers to pay their water and tax bills online or by phone. The change has been well recieved by the public.

LICENSING & PERMITTING BUSINESS AND ALCOHOL PERMITS

City administration issued 35 alcohol permits in 2017, totaling $49,000 in revenue. 491 business licenses were issued this past year, totaling $92,000 in revenue.

City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017 — 6

BUILDING & CODE ENFORCEMENT PERMITS ISSUES The City issued 237 building permits since November 2016 to November 2017. The valuation of these permits totaled $19 million dollars, resulting in $79,000 in collected fee revenue.

PERMIT BREAKDOWN Sign permit

Erosion/sediment conrtrol permit

Re-roof permit

Plumbing commercial permit

Plumbing residential permit

Mechanical residential permit

Mechanical commercial permit

Electrical residential permit

Electrical commercial permit

Demo permit

Building commercial

Building addition (remodel, renovate)

28 0

Series1

332

CODE VIOLATION CITATIONS WERE ISSUED BY OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN 2017. (HIGH GRASS, JUNK CARS, BLIGHTED STRUCTURES)

252

CODE VIOLATION CITATION CASES WERE CLEARED IN 2017. (OWNER CORRECTED)

7 â€” City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017

CODE VIOLATION CITATION CASES WERE TURNED OVER TO THE MUNICIPAL COURT.

PUBLIC WORKS STREET DEPARTMENT STREET PAVING

In 2017, the following streets were paved under the LMIG Project: John Hand Road .94 miles of from the railroad to Cave Spring Road .43 miles of Blanche Road from Shelia Drive to East John Hand Road .42 miles of Lakeside Drive from College Street to John Phillips Road

VEHICLE ACQUISITION

A new knuckle boom truck was ordered in 2017, as of printing, the department is awaiting delivery. A new transit bus was received and the old transit bus was purchased for City use.

SPECIAL EVENT ASSISTANCE

The Street Department assisted with the 2016 Cedartown Wheelchair 5K Road Race. Several repairs were made to City streets and employees assisted with race day set up.

WATER MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT GRANTS & SURVEYS

The Water Maintenance Department received a special grant to have some of the City’s larger water meters tested. The City’s sanitary survey was conducted by EPD for our water system. The inspection was passed with high marks. The City received the CDBG sewer project grant for the Goodyear Village area. Work is still under way on that project.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Work began earlier this year on the Vinings at Oxford apartment complex and the new sewer pump station and force main was installed. The City furnished sewer service for the new Tractor Supply and shopping center being built on the Hwy. 27 Bypass next to Home Depot. The City is in the bidding process of having an 8” main sewer line installed to serve the new Catholic Church Complex on Evergreen Lane and sewer service for any possible future growth in that area. The department furnished the water and sewer service for the new Bojangles restaurant that was completed this fall.

STATE EXAM PASSED

Seth Carter, pictured at right, passed his state exam and earned his Water Distribution Licenses.

SETH CARTER

City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017— 8

WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT GOLD AWARD EARNED

The City of Cedartown Wastewater Pollution Control Plant received the Georgia Association of Water Professionals Goal Award for NPDES Permit compliance for 2016. The award means that the Cityâ€™s control plant had 100-percent permit compliance in 2016. The GAWP Gold Award is a very difficult achievement to attain simply because of the many factors involved beyond the operators and managers control.

INTERNAL DEPARTMENT IMPROVEMENTS In 2016, the Wastewater Plant:

-Purchased new Water Pollution Control Plant influent, effluent, and wasting Meters (planned to installation in 2018) -Installed new flow meter charts for return activated sludge (RAS), wasted activated sludge(WAS), and plant influent (meter charts will be operational once the new meters are installed) -Repaired and painted safety rails inside Main Lift Station -Took control over plant growth at all lift stations -Purchased and installed new No. 3 blower motor at Plant Basin -Repaired exhaust fans inside blower room at Water Pollution Control Plant -Purchased new water distiller for Wastewater Laboratory -Purchased & installed new belts on belt press filter at Water Pollution Control -Wastewater Maintenance started a manual/log library for equipment; also began a repair & PM log for equipment -Purchased study books for operators, operators in training, and continued education. -Purchased new return pump motor at Water Pollution Control Plant splitter box -Purchased and installed new chlorine Injector -Purchased and installed new sump pump at effluent channel of Water Pollution Control Plant -Purchased new dissolve oxygen (D.O.) meter for Laboratory/Operations -New Stenner Pump for sodium bisulfite, dechlorination chemical (this type of pump will aid in lowering dose of chemical used) -Purchased new motors for head works rotary screens at Water Pollution Control Plant (headworks are not in operation due to other mechanical failures) -Refurbished motor at thickener clarifier -Installed water sprayers on No. 1 and No. 2 clarifiers -Purchase and installed correct fire extinguishers at all buildings/areas at the Water Pollution Control Plant -Installed airline at thickener clarifier -Purchased and installed new polymer mixer and polymer sensor at belt press filter -Moved aluminum chloride solution (A.C.S) feed line for more optimal performance (this chemical is used for phosphorus removal or aid in removal) -Installed new relay of both No. 1 and No. 2 return pumps at splitter box at Water Pollution Control Plant -Set up sampler stations at influent and effluent of WWTP for weekly permitted composite/grab samples -Purchased new dishwasher for wastewater laboratory glassware -Installed new main breaker for thickener clarifier -Purchased pallet jack, hand trucks, and some other much needed tools for work trucks and WWTP -No. 1 and No. 2 clarifier arms welded on at Water Pollution Control Plant

9 â€” City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017

LIFT STATION IMPROVEMENTS

New external electrical control panels were installed at the Haney’s/North Main Street and Cave Spring Lift Stations. In addition, the No. 2 shutoff valve at the Haney’s/North Main Lift Station was replaced. Both pump motors located at the Haney’s/North Main Lift Station were refurbished twice -- once due to a rag and trash issue, the second time due to a transformer power surge. Winding was also replaced on pump No. 2 at the Main Lift Station

PUBLIC FOG EDUCATION

In the last year, a education campaign was launched in order to inform residents and business owners about the dangers of FOG (fats, oils and grease) in the City’s wastewater system. The program will continue.

WATER EXAM PASSED

TRACY MARLOW

Water and Wastewater Chief Lab Tech, Tracy Marlow, passed the Class III Drinking Water Exam.

City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017 — 10

PUBLIC SAFETY TURNOUT GEAR REPLACEMENT PROGRAM

The Cedartown Fire Department is taking part in a turnout gear replacement program. Through this program, the department will replace two sets of turnout gear every year for 10 years. This keeps Cedartown firefighters compliant with NFPA 1851.

REPLACEMENT OF SCBA BOTTLES

The CFD replaced 11 SCBA air bottles. The new bottles have a 15-year lifespan under NFPA 1852.

FIRE SAFETY PROGRAM

This year, the CFD educated 1944 school children and adults on fire prevention and fire safety.

FIRE INSPECTOR PROGRAM COMPLETED

Kyle Watters completed the Fire Inspector Program this year. The CFD now has two national certified inspectors and have completed 77 inspections to date.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONDER TRAINING

Josh Fenley completed 48 hours of Emergency Medical Responder training. KYLE WATTERS

11 â€” City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017

JOSH FENLEY

FIRE INSTRUCTOR I

Mark Watters and Lance Green completed Fire Instructor I certification. This is a national certification.

EMT SCHOOL COMPLETION

Deric Jones and Steven Trammell completed EMT school in 2017.

FIRE DEPARTMENT SUPERVISION

Jason Shuman completed fire department supervision training in 2016.

EMT SCHOOL COMPLETE, TEST PASSED Jeffery Morton completed EMT school and passed his national EMT-B test this year.

JEFFERY MORTON

JASON SHUMAN

MARK WATTERS

DERIC JONES

LANCE GREEN

STEVEN TRAMMELL

FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR

Firefighter Jerry Jackson (right) was honored as the Exchange Club’s Firefighter of the Year. Jerry has given nine years of service to the Cedartown Fire Department. Prior to that, he worked for a year in the City’s street department.

City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017 — 12

PUBLIC SAFETY MOBILE SOFTWARE

The Cedartown Police Department continued with the implementation of mobile software that began in 2016. Officers utilize in-car computers to access driver history and warrant information, but they can now access Computer Aided Dispatch records created by Polk County 911 directly from cars and office computers. This greatly increases efficiency allowing officers to obtain 911 dispatch records anywhere and any time.

SCHOOL CAMARADERIE

The Police Department worked closely with Polk School District in many ways in 2017. The police department provides the school resource officers for Cedartown High School and Cedartown Middle School; these officers are paid by the school system. There is a constant police presence at the schools that benefit the City, the police department, and the school system in many ways both seen and unseen. Chief Newsome is a member of the Board of Directors for the Polk County College and Career Academy. The Police Department also had several CHS seniors complete internships to comply with their senior project requirements for graduation. The police department participated in career fairs at several schools this past year, interacting with students to create a positive image of law enforcement and plant the seeds of career interest in public safety. Chief Newsome also teaches Alcohol and Drug Awareness to all CHS freshmen. This course is a prerequisite for a Class D driver’s license. The police department hosts tours each year for elementary school children. The automotive class of the Polk County College and Career academy has worked on the Police Department’s military surplus Hummer. This saves the City money as the City only pays for parts and it allows the automotive students an opportunity to be trained in diesel repair.

PHASE ONE DEPARTMENT RENOVATIONS COMPLETE

Phase one of renovations to the Police Department are now complete. The entire police department was painted using inmate labor provided by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Two former cells off of the main hallway were re-purposed into a state-of- the-art interview and interrogation room. One room is designed for an interview to take place and the other is for real-time supervision or viewing of the interview via computer technology. The computer system that provides for surveillance, viewing, and recording of the interview room was purchased from a company named “CaseCracker” and was purchased using condemnation funds from drug related seizures at no cost to the city. The department also renovated the bathroom and provided individual lockers for all officers. New carpet and ceiling tiles were also installed as part of the renovation.

TWO MOTORCYCLE UNITS NOW IN USE

The police department has had a Harley Davidson motorcycle out of use for some time and it has been repaired and was placed back on traffic enforcement duty in 2017. The PD now has two motor units: one Harley Davidson and one BMW. Both of the these were outfitted this year with Panasonic Windows Tablets to allow motorcycle officers to interface with the same mobile software and electronic ticketing as the patrol division. Both of these officers were also equipped with body cameras as the camera systems used in patrol cars are not appropriate for the motorcycle application. The tablets and body cameras were also purchased with drug seizure funds at no cost to the City.

FULL TIME SECRETARY FOR INVESTIGATIVE DIVISION

In 2017, the Cedartown Police Department realigned the assignments of our office personnel to provide a full-time secretary for the investigative division without adding manpower to the agency.

13 — City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017

THREE USED VEHICLES PURCHASED

The police department obtained three used vehicles in 2017 -- two Chevrolet Tahoes and one Chevrolet Suburban. One vehicle was purchased from Brannen Auto in Unidilla, Ga. and the other two were obtained from Federal Excess Property. All three were low-mileage and purchased with SPLOST funds. These purchases allowed the police department to replace vehicles with extremely high mileage without the cost of buying new cars. No new cars were purchased in 2017 by the Police Department. One of these used vehicles was equipped with emergency lights and siren by using a safety grant from Georgia Municipal Association. Cedar Stream added auto decal services to their business and the Police Department is now using that company to keep that service local.

SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM PURCHASED, MEETUP SPOT PLANNED

The Cedartown Police Department purchased a video surveillance system for the police department and city hall parking lots that should be installed in the near future. When this install is complete, CPD will provide a “Meetup Spot” -- an Internet purchase exchange location -- for the use of our citizens.

OFFICERS AWARDED FOR SERVICE, DEDICATION

Officer Scott Greene was honored with the Exchange Club Officer of the Year Award for Polk County. Sergeant Josh Jackson received the Arthur Kaplan Public Safety Award from the Scottish Rite Valley of Atlanta.

SCOTT GREENE (RIGHT)

JOSH JACKSON (SECOND FROM RIGHT)

K9 TRAINING CONFERENCE

The Cedartown Police Department partnered with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, Rome Police Department, and Polk County Police Department to host the annual training conference and recertification testing for the North American Police Work-dog Association. Close to 50 K-9 handlers and their dogs from across the southeastern US attended the conference.

DRUG TASK FORCE

The Polk County Drug Task Force continues to operate in great harmony with local police agencies, including the Cedartown Police Department. 2017 was a year of positive results.. The Sheriff of Polk County and local police chiefs are working well together to staff and equip the unit. There is no micromanagement or interference from the agency heads but rather assistance, oversight,accountability, and support.

City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017 — 14

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT UPGRADES

In 2017, the IT department connected the Cedartown Fire Department to the City Complex network. This resulted in a cost savings of $1,200 per year. In addition, it increased network security, bandwidth and reliability and allowed the City to connect VOIP phones at the fire department into the City’s phone system. Increased security and reliability was a direct result of an upgrade to both the fire department’s and the police department’s wireless network. New printers were installed for Fire Chief Darrell Stephens and Detective Craig Payton and a multi-function printer was installed at the police department.

MOBILE TICKETING AND PERMITTING

This past year saw the addition of a mobile ticketing system for the Cedartown Police Department’s motorcycle officer. This allows the officer to utilize real-time information, digital ticketing and wireless printing, increasing efficiency and productivity. A tablet, docking station and wireless printer was installed on the City’s motorcycle. A mobile roll-out for the Cedartown Code Enforcement was also debuted in 2017. This upgrade included a new laptop, office printer and mobile printer. The IT department designed a digital building inspection form and streamlined the process for issuing permits remotely.

NEW PHONE SYSTEM INSTALLED

The IT department coordinated and installed a new VOIP phone system for the City Complex. This included installing a new network rack and two new SIP speakers for the fire department. The installation required multiple ethernet cabling projects in order to eliminate desktop switches. The new system reduced the number of analog lines by switching to PRI (Primary Interface Rate dial tone and allows phone operators to manage calls using a software application.

PUBLIC WORKS UPGRADES

A surveillance system was installed at the City Shop and a new printer was installed for Hollis Jackson at One Door Polk.

CITY HALL/ADMINISTRATION UPGRADES

The IT department installed new credit card readers (EMV) for City Hall. The new readers provide debit capabilities and the ability to read chip cards. They also provide encrypted transactions for increased security. A new receipt printer was installed at the back payment window and a new projector was installed in the City Commission Meeting Room.

15— City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017

PUBLIC INFORMATION NEW DIGITAL BRAND

The Public Information Office introduced a new digital brand for the City of Cedartown in 2017. The clean and simple design is used predominately for online projects, but has also been applied to promotional items like Tshirts and cups. The design was created in-house, using public input from the 2013 UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government resident surveys. The in-house creation and use of the survey gave the City an estimated cost savings of $40,00 to $100,000.

NEW SITE DESIGN: CEDARTOWNGEORGIA.GOV

The Public Information Office launched a redesign of the City’s website in 2017. Included in the redesign was the City’s new digital brand, along with a simplified navigation and an image-heavy landing page. News and Twitter tickers are a feature on each departmental page and an online calendar is featured for residents wishing to use one of the City’s rental facilities. The site also features accordion style FAQs and a page designed to help visitors enjoy the City.

NEW SITE DESIGN: DOWNTOWNCEDARTOWN.COM The Public Information Office redesigned the Downtown Cedartown Association’s website. The new design is a modern update, with featured visuals and graphics.

SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH

The City of Cedartown’s Facebook page has 5,500 followers, an increase of 1,400 over last year. Our Twitter feed has grown dramatically in the last year -- from 380 in 2016 to 544 this year. Our Youtube channel has garnered 23,000 views.

FACEBOOK REACH

Facebook reach is determined by the number of people your message is “served” to, or in other words, appears in their news feed. Our 2016 Facebook total reach is estimated at 120,000.

FOURTH FRIDAY SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

The Public Information Office hosted the fourth annual summer concert series in 2017. These three concerts take place in historic downtown and an average of 200 to 250 residents attend each concert. The Public Information Office asks local businesses and industries to financially support the event. This year, $3,000 was raised to cover the cost of band performances, security and promotional items.

City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017 — 16

RECREATION DEPARTMENT 384 LOCAL YOUTH BENEFITED FROM THE CEDARTOWN REC DEPARTMENT

2016 Fall Sports including soccer, tackle football, flag football, and cheer leading had a total of 384 youth participants.

TEAM WINS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In tackle football, the recreation 7and 8-year-old team won the C Class Kiwanis Bowl, the 9 and 10-year-old team won B Class Kiwanis Bowl and the 11 and 12-year-old team earned the A Class Kiwanis Bowl runner-up title, losing only one game all season. The 9 and 10-year-old GRPA All-Star team advanced to the Regional Championship game in Calhoun. The rec department saw three soccer all-star teams participate in the GRPA District Season after a successful regular season. Recreation basketball numbers continue to improve each season. The department had three 7 and 8-year-old boys teams, three 9 and 10-year-old boys teams, and four 11 and 12-year-old boys teams. They had two 9 and 10-year-old girls teams, and one 5 and 6-year-old coed team. The Cedartown Rec Department produced four basketball all-star teams that participated in GRPA District tournament. The rec department enjoyed a successful girls spring softball season playing in the West Georgia Dizzy Dean League. The rec department had four teams total participate this season. In spring soccer, the department enjoyed huge participation. There were four 5 and 6-year-old coed teams, three 7-yearold coed teams, three 8 and 9-year-old boys teams, three 8 to12-year-old girls teams and four 10 to 12-year-old boys teams.

FACILITY AND EQUIPMENT IMPROVEMENTS

This past year, the pavilion at Peek Park was painted and a new roof was installed. Fencing at Turner Street park was painted and a new pavilion was added at both Turner Street Park and the Big Spring Park. New heaters were added to the Nathan Dean Gym at Bert Wood Park and two new lawnmowers were purchased -- one for Parks and Recreation, the other for the Cemetery Department.

17â€” City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017

CEDARTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FACILITY UPGRADES

The Performing Arts Center purchased six new wireless microphones to use for shows instead of renting them at a higher cost per event. More than 140 lights inside the building were converted to energysaving LED lights. The thermostat system was updated in order to become more energy efficient and allow for remote controlled operation. New exterior doors were installed, courtesy of City Manager Bill Fann and the City of Cedartown.

EVENTS AND SHOWS

The Cedartown Performing Arts Center installed an art gallery system and hosted a very well attended first annual art gala in March 2017. A successful childrenâ€™s theatre summer camp (The Lion King) was hosted and a young adult summer show (Heathers: The Musical) was directed locally and performed. Comedian James Gregory performed, as well as Katie Deal (Patsy Cline tribute show). A Lifetime Production team filmed an episode of their show in the Performing Arts Center as well.

City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017 â€” 18

DOWNTOWN CEDARTOWN ASSOCIATION | DDA 500K INVESTED IN DOWNTOWN

More than a half-million private dollars were invested in the Historic Downtown Cedartown area in 2017. This money was spent to purchase upgrades and renovations that included new storefront awnings, painting, repair and property acquisition.

MAIN STREET PROGRAM RE-ACCREDITED

The Cedartown Main Street Program was re-accredited as a 2017 National Main Street Program for meeting the ten standards of performance for a Main Street Program in 2016.

VISITOR ACTIVITY

The Welcome Center received 8,123 + visitors from September 2016 through September 2017, according to the electronic counter at the main entrance. The month of April 2017 was not included because of a power failure which caused a counter reset.

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

In December 2016, the City Commission approved the recommendation from the DDA for the appointment of Charles (Chuck) Morris and Edward Graves to the Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors in lieu of the expiring terms of Allen Hunt and Jean Crane. The Cedartown Welcome Center/Depot exterior was repainted. Additionally, 1,600 new multi-colored LED Christmas lights were purchased by the Downtown Development Authority through the City for the two Christmas trees in the passive park on South Main.

FACADE GRANTS The DCA presented several facade grants to downtown businesses during 2017. These included:

-Front facade recovered awning at Holmes Clothing, 235 Main: DCA approved the façade grant application in the amount of $755.57. -Side facade of 232 Main, Southern Sass Boutique to repair all wood, pressure wash and paint. DCA approved the facade grant application in the amount of $1,000. -Rear facade of 232 Main, Southern Sass Boutique to repair all wood, pressure wash and paint- DCA approved the facade grant application in the amount of $1,000. -North side/Grace Street facade of Kiela’s Photo Lab to repair and replacement of brick that fell in 2016 (work completed), lowest bid $ $16,000. DCA approved the facade grant application in the amount of $ 800. -The DCA agreed to provide Mrs. Shay Bentley Griffin a facade grant in the amount of $437.50 for the repainting and sealing of the mural on the south facade of 518 Main Street which houses Vase Floral Expressions.

TRAVEL WRITERS VISIT CEDARTOWN

Our downtown was included in the Travel Media Marketplace (TMM) FAM (familiarization) tour of travel writers on April 24, 2017. This is an annual event sponsored by the Georgia Department of Tourism to bring in travel writers and bloggers from all over the nation to showcase Georgia. The purpose of the FAM tour was to bring a firsthand experience to journalists and bloggers who in turn are looking for content for articles and posts. They visited the Cedartown Museum of Coca-Cola Memorabilia, the Polk County Walk of Fame, Polk County Historical Museum, Big Spring, West Theatre and the Welcome Center.

19— City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017

SPECIAL PROJECTS AND EVENTS

CEDARTOWN GEORGIA INITIATIVE FOR COMMUNITY HOUSING TEAM GRADUATES

Cedartown closed out three years of active participation in the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing program (GICH. The Cedartown GICH Team, comprised of City of Cedartown officials and local community leaders, graduated from the program last week at a conference in Athens, Georgia. In short, participating in GICH has helped Cedartown sharpen its focus on eradicating blight and find ways to provide attractive and affordable housing to current residents. Over the last three years, nine blighted structures have been demolished (at no cost to taxpayers), ONE home has been brought up to code and two more blighted structures are slated for demolition this year. Cedartown Housing Authority (one of our GICH partners) began a $20 million dollar rehabilitation project in 2015. That project included acquisition, rehab and equipping of a 100-unit apartment project and 140 housing units in Cedartown. Vantage Development (another one of our GICH partners) began construction of a townhome development in 2015. The 62 unit development was completed in November 2017.

TELEVISION SERIES SEASON SHOT IN DOWNTOWN CEDARTOWN

In September, Stu Segall Productions, a unit of AMC Studios, began filming scenes for the third season of Sundance TV’s popular, “Hap and Leonard” series at various locations in downtown. The story for the third season is set in a fictitious East Texas town just before Christmas, 1989. Production finished in November.

City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017 — 20

ONE DOOR POLK CONTINUES TO ATTRACT POSITIVE ATTENTION

Cedartown’s One Door Polk continues to pique the interest of local and state leaders. This summer, representatives from the Georgia Department of Community affairs, including Appalachian Regional Commission Program Manager Annaka Woodruff, toured One Door Polk. One Door Polk, located where the former Polk Medical Center once operated, is a network of services, contained in a centrally located, easily accessible facility, that strives to offer the best in ‘whole person’ care — from cradle to career and beyond. One Door Polk brings together a variety of social services in one facility. This reduces the chance of “getting lost in the shuffle” for those who seek services.

WELCOME CENTER DIRECTORS TOUR CEDARTOWN

In September, the Development Authority of Polk County hosted a group of Welcome Center Directors from the Georgia Department of Economic Development to showcase the tourism attractions throughout our county. Of course, they made a stop in Cedartown and we were happy to welcome them. Cedartown City Manager Bill Fann greeted them at the Cedartown Museum of Coca-Cola Memorabilia and gave them walking tours of the Cedartown Welcome Center Silver Comet Trailhead, the Polk County Sports Walk of Fame and Cedartown’s Big Spring Park

21— City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017

HUBBARD SELECTED AS GMA PRESIDENT FOR DISTRICT ONE

Cedartown Commission Chair Jordan Hubbard was elected to the Board of Directors for the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) during the association’s annual meeting in Savannah June 25. Hubbard served as President of GMA’s District 1 during 2017. The district includes cities in the following counties: Dade, Catoosa, Whitfield, Fannin, Murray, Gilmer, Walther, Chattooga, Gordon, Pickens, Floyd, Bartow, Polk, Haralson and Paulding. Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, non-profit organization that provides legislative advocacy, educational, employee benefit and technical assistance services to its 520 member cities.

JORDAN HUBBARD (LEFT) AND GMA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LAMAR NORTON.

ANNUAL COMMUNITY EVENTS

The Downtown Cedartown Association hosted the annual Fall Festival in October and the annual kids Trick-or-Treat event on Halloween. Both events take place in historic downtown. The DCA also hosted the annual tree lighting ceremony and the City of Cedartown hosted their annual Christmas Parade. These events attract thousands of residents to our downtown.

City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017 — 22

INDUSTRY INVESTMENTS WORTH $25 MILLION

In the last six months OF 2017, $25 million dollars has been invested in Cedartown via industrial growth and expansion. Kimoto Tech opened their new LC3 film coating line (an investment of $6 million), and the Cedartown HON Company announced that they will invest $14.5 million in new expansion plans. The Cedarstream Company, currently housed in Historic Downtown Cedartown, announced in August that they would be building a new, larger facility in the Cedartown North Industrial Park. Their community investment is estimated at $4.5 million.

80+ EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES BROUGHT BY GROWTH

Industry expansion in 2017 brought new job opportunities. The Cedartown HON expansion will bring 60 new jobs to the area. The Cedarstream Company, once relocated, is expected to bring 15 to 20 new jobs in the next year -- and more to come over the next several years.

NEW SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH

Tractor Supply Company is currently under construction, with an anticipated open date of February 2018. Cedartown added Little Caesars Pizza in 2017, along with two new businesses -- Second Steps Dance Studio and the Cedartown Academy of Performing Arts -- in Historic Downtown. The Cedartown Bojangles demolished their old facility and rebuilt a larger one; two businesses in Historic Downtown also expanded their business footprint.

SMALL BUSINESS RENOVATIONS

Several businesses renovated their facilities in 2017. Huddle House, Dominoâ€™s Pizza and Pizza Hut completed a full renovation. The College Street Apartment Complex is under new management and will undergo renovations in the coming months. The old Coaches Corner building and the old Southern Flavor building, both on Main Street, have been purchased and will be renovated and refurbished.

$27 MILLION INVESTED IN THE CEDARTOWN HOUSING MARKET

Vantage Development now operates and manages a new 62-unit townhouse project in Cedartown -an investment of $8 million. The housing units opened in the winter of this year. The Cedartown Housing Authority is wrapping up a multi-year $19 million renovation project. The project included acquisition and rehabbing of a 100-unit apartment complex and 140 additional housing units. A new permit was issued for an additional apartment complex in Cedartown just off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

23â€” City of Cedartown Year in Review 2017

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS DAVID MASON

“Water is life,” so the old saying goes, and David Mason wholeheartedly agrees. David serves as water plant superintendent for the City of Cedartown. Added to the city team in September 2016, David has spent upwards of 22 years working with municipal and county water systems. Prior to working with the City, David worked with both Haralson County Water and the Polk County Water Authority. A Cedartown High School graduate of 1979, David became interested in the water service field by initially performing distribution tasks. After that, everything thing else just fell into place. “Water operations is a 24-7 job,” David said. “I enjoy doing it and take pride in helping provide something that everyone needs every day of their life.”

DAVID MASON

The Cedartown Water Plant, a historic structure that recently received a much needed outside makeover, is in operation every hour of every day. Six employees, including David, work to ensure Cedartown residents receive the best quality water every time their faucet is turned on. “A lot of folks will be surprised to know that two million gallons of water are treated every day at our plant. That’s a lot of water.” Water is supplied by Cedartown’s Big Spring (the south’s second largest limestone spring) that’s literally located in the water plant’s back yard. When he’s not busy running the day-to-day operations of the water plant, David enjoys fishing and hunting. He has three children, two grandchildren and is married to Heather Mason.

RACHEL HOWARD

She’s chatted with folks from Canada, Utah, Louisiana, Tennessee, New York and California -- and that’s without leaving her office at the Cedartown Welcome Center. Rachel is a part-time employee at the welcome center with a full-time friendly personality. She’s been there since 2010, taking care of clerical tasks, but her favorite part of the job is visiting with Silver Comet Trail users. You would be amazed at the places they come from,” Rachel says smiling. “I’ve had people in here from as far away as Canada, right here in Cedartown. They are always so friendly and I’ve never had anyone say anything but good things about the trail.” Prior to working for the City, Rachel served as a testing administrator at Georgia Northwestern Technical College. She was employed there for 12-and-a-half years. In fact, she was the college’s first full-time secretary.

RACHEL HOWARD

When she’s not engaging with visitors, Rachel stays busy answering the phone, entering paperwork into the computer system and keeping things “tidy.” After work hours, you can find Rachel quilting up a storm with friends. She’s part of a quilters group called “Loose Threads.” They’ve donated dozens of quilts to those who have lost their homes, or those who are battling an illness. The group even sent quilts to Japan after the devastating tsunami in 2011. Rachel and her husband Billy will celebrate 58 years of marriage in May. They attend the Church of God of the Union Assembly; they have three daughters and six grandbabies.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS TIMMY LEDBETTER

Hard-working. Dependable. Helpful. Those are three words that describe boom truck operator Timmy Ledbetter. Timmy has given 18 years of service to the Cedartown of Cedartown, and according to his supervisor, Public Works Director Kelvin Garmon, “is always willing to help work whenever he is needed.” Timmy says he feels more like family than an employee here at the City of Cedartown. “We all get along well. We joke and cut up with each other but we also get a lot of work done and done well.” Timmy operates one of the two boom trucks the City uses to pick up debris like limbs, leaves, and other yard waste on a weekly route. He can operate all of the other equipment in his department as well, Garmon said.

TIMMY LEDBETTER

Timmy started out in the Water Maintenance Department, but transferred to the Street Department later. Timmy is crossed trained to help maintain the water distribution system and sewer collection system as well as street department operations. A resident of Cedartown, Timmy is married and has two children. When he’s not working, he enjoys fishing. He also spends a good bit of time walking and biking along the Silver Comet Trail.

RANDY WRIGHT

There’s a saying that technology works great ... until it stops working. We’ve all been there before! But that’s when folks like Randy Wright step in. Randy does more than just fix hiccups in computer software here at the City. There is a lot of behind the scenes work that goes into making sure the City is “wired.” While software and hardware installation and operation keep him busy on a daily basis, large scale projects -- like updating the City’s entire phone system -- involve a lot of planning. “Upgrading the phone systems here is one of the bigger tasks I’ve worked on this year,” Randy explained. He’s worked in the information technology field since 1990.

RANDY WRIGHT

“We were very fortunate to get someone with Randy’s knowledge and expertise to manage our IT department,” said City Manager Bill Fann. “He’s a great asset to our organization.” Most recently, 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. A new server was installed at the Cedartown Police Department, providing the network for new software compatibility and 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. Of course, none of the new software would work properly without power. Randy took the lead on deploying an un-interruptable power supply for the City Complex -- routers and switches were replaced with modern, faster, and safer equipment. When Randy’s not in front of a computer, he likes to spend time with his wife, Tracie, and son, Seth. He enjoys fishing, playing guitar and attending church at New Hope Fellowship.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS JOHN PILGRIM

When Cpl. John Pilgrim was just a rookie cop, he came face to face with the wrong end of a pistol. Arriving on the scene, the assailant turned and brandished a shotgun in one hand and a handgun in the other. Pilgrim recalls that the shotgun was shoved into the belly of another person on the scene, while the pistol was put in his face. “There I was, just a few months on the job, a rookie, and I ended up in that situation,” he said shaking his head from side to side. “Thankfully, that experience ended well.” Another experience that ended well for Pilgrim is his 24-year stint as a local law enforcement officer. That chapter of his life officially came to a close on June 30, when he retired from the Cedartown Police Department.

JOHN PILGRIM Though many may know him from his days on patrol, most recently he’s won the respect and trust of thousands of students that have walked through the doors at Cedartown High School. A tried and true CHS Bulldog himself (class of 1966), Pilgrim’s spent the last 11 years serving as the school’s resource officer, a job that he says has been enjoyable. “I liked the idea of being around kids. I was able to watch five of my grandkids grow up as I worked there and I’ve gotten so attached to the school.” Pilgrim has spent the majority of his working life in law enforcement, though he started out as an engineer. It was now retired officer Jimmy Newsome that encouraged him to work for the Cedartown Police Department. The CDP is where he initially started his policing career, but not without a few detours along the way. He spent some time as a supervisor at a local industry and then opened his own service station and wrecker company. He also worked for a time at Advanced Auto Parts, then moved on to the county police department and the Sheriff’s Office. He eventually landed back at the place where it all began, and picked up where he had left off. “I felt like it was an opportunity to really serve the city that I’d grown up in. I was never one for ticket-writing. Some folks said I was too soft, but I felt that it’s an officer’s duty to serve and protect. We’ve all driven a little too fast or rolled through a stop sign when we’ve had a bad day or a lot on our mind before. I always approached it as a way to inform people of what they did wrong and spread good will instead of making someone’s bad day even worse.” “I think Cedartown is a wonderful place,” Pilgrim said. “I’ve seen it change a lot – some for the good and some not so good, but I have been honored to serve this town.”

KATIE ALLRED

Officer Katie Allred first started working five years ago as a jailer at the Polk County Sheriff’s Department. Ever since that initial dive into the law enforcement field, Officer Allred said she feels the badge is something she will always wear. “I never set out to be in the law enforcement field, to be a cop, but it just feels right. It’s a good fit and I think it’s going to be a lifelong career for me,” she said. Officer Allred joined the Cedartown Police Department in May of 2017 and quickly settled right in. “I knew everyone at the Cedartown department anyway, through my job at the jail, so it feels like I never really left my first law enforcement family. I’m just wearing a different uniform now is all.”

KATIE ALLRED

At CPD, Officer Allred has basic policing duties -- and she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I love my job and I love what I do. I like getting out there and helping people and just letting people know there is someone willing to help them when they need it is why I love police work.” A resident of Cedartown, Allred graduated from Kennesaw Mountain High School. When she’s not on duty, she enjoys spending time with her family.