Henry County Update - Newsletter

March 6, 2015

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Henry County to Hold Seminar and Networking Session on Doing Business with the County

Regular Meetings March 17th at 6:30 PM April 7th at 9:00 AM

Rod Gray, Purchasing Department Director, will be hosting a “How to Do Business with Henry County” seminar on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at 10 a.m. with a networking session to follow. This free event can help your company learn the proper steps to take when trying to work with Henry County Government, and is an outreach effort to businesses to make sure they understand how to do business with the County and where to look to find jobs or projects available for bid.

“This seminar and networking session is an excellent opportunity for businesses to make themselves aware of the steps required to participate in the County’s procurement process,” said Gray. “Participants will also have the opportunity to network with the Purchasing Department and other firms that have been successful in the County’s solicitation process.”

Interested parties are encouraged to contact Gray’s office and reserve a spot in this informative and important discussion on “Doing Business with Henry County.”

Please RSVP to this event by

Meetings held at: Administration Building Community Room 140 Henry Parkway McDonough, GA 30253 Regular Commission meetings will air Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays on Henry TV Channel 180 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, at 9 a.m. & 7 p.m.

Each year Henry County Government awards millions of dollars in contracts to companies for a variety of projects, including capital and transportation projects, infrastructure, human services and more. There is no secret to doing business with Henry County Government, but taking advantage of available opportunities and being aware of the open and transparent procurement process is critical to maximizing the potential for success.

The Henry County Purchasing Department constantly strives to make sure that Henry County follows proper procedures when vetting and hiring firms to perform work for the County, and takes great strides to ensure fairness and equality when evaluating the thousands of purchase requests that are processed through the department.

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March 6, 2015 Ball Field Park in District 1 Moving Forward

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved the award of a bid for the construction of a concession/restroom building for the baseball field park located on Tanger Boulevard in Locust Grove.

The action came at the March 3, 2015 Commission meeting.

The concession stand project is part of a larger SPLOST IV park project in cooperation with the city of Locust Grove to complete a baseball-softball field park in District 1.

Nine vendors responded and the bid to construct the concession building was awarded to Earth 1st Construction out of Fayetteville GA in the amount of $116,233.

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According to SPLOST Capital Projects Director Ron Burckhalter, cost of the new ball field park project is funded under SPLOST IV and will be split between the County and the city of Locust Grove, with the county paying 70 percent and the city contributing 30 percent.

The fields have already been graded and sodded and both the fencing and field sports lighting are in progress.

Construction on the building is expected to begin by the end of March and the entire project is expected to be completed by the end of May. For more information on this or any SPLOST project, please visit www.henrycounty-ga.org/splost.

Doing Business from page 1 phone at 770-288-6027 or by email at henrycountyrfp@co.henry.ga.us and mark your calendars: How To Do Business With Henry County Tuesday, March 24, 2015 10:00 -11:00 a.m.

The Henry County Community Room, Henry County Administration Building

Vendor Networking Session Tuesday, March 24, 2015 11:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon Conference Room B, Henry County Administration Building

The Henry County Administration Bldg.is located at 140 Henry Parkway in McDonough, GA 30253.

County Manager Contract Extended for Two-Year Term

Jim Walker, County Manager

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approved an extension of County Manager Jim Walker’s employment contract for a two-year term. The action came at the March 3, 2015 regular Commission meeting, after Commissioners reconvened from executive session.

The contract extension calls for a salary increase to $155,000 for the first year of renewal and a salary of $165,000 for the second year.

In other action, Commissioners appointed Stephanie Braun to the County Clerk position for a term to begin March 16, 2015. Braun was appointed to serve as County Clerk, Open Records Custodian and Legal Liaison to the Board of Commissioners.

Commission meetings are available to view on Charter Channel 180 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, as well as on demand through the County website at www.henrycounty-ga.org.

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March 6, 2015 Commissioner Bruce Holmes To Host Town Hall Meeting

Special guest speakers include Georgia State Rep. Sandra Scott (D) and Rep. Brian Strickland (R) who will give citizens information and updates about

District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes, in various bills and legislation being discussed during this conjunction with officials with the city of Stockbridge, legislative session. will hold his monthly Town Hall Meeting on Saturday,

The Town Hall Meeting is open to the public March 28, 2015 at 9 a.m. at the Merle Manders and all are encouraged to attend. The Merle Manders Conference Center. This month’s meeting will feature Conference Center is located at 111 Davis Rd. a legislative update with Georgia state representatives. in Stockbridge.

Focus will be on a Legislative Update from State Officials

The Henry County Police Department is now using YouTube! The purpose is to work in partnership with our citizens in solving and reducing crime.

www.youtube.com/user/HenryCountyPoliceDpt

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Mark Your Calendar - Registration for Rock Eagle Summer Camp for Henry County 5th Graders Set for Saturday, March 7, 2015

Campers learn the Native American history of Rock Eagle.

Friends and fun abound at 4-H camp.

For more information, visit www.ugaextension.com/henry.

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March 6, 2015 Small Fruit Plant Sale Benefits 4-H

The Henry County Extension Office wants to remind residents that warm weather will be here before you know it, which means spring planting and the season’s bounty that comes with it. With that in mind,

be sure to order your small fruit plants from the Henry County Cooperative Extension Office’s “Small Fruit Plant Sale,” with proceeds going to support various extension programs. The plants available for sale this year include asparagus, blackberry, blueberry, muscadines, strawberries and raspberries, as well as fig trees.

Blueberry bushes are $10 each; blackberry bushes, fig trees, muscadines and raspberry plants are $7 each; and both strawberry plants and asparagus plants are sold in quantities of 25 plants for $25.

Plant orders are being taken from now until Thursday, March 13, for pickup on March 21 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. at Heritage Park. Order forms may be found online at www.henrycounty-ga.org and click the rotating ad in the top right corner. Checks should be made payable to Henry County 4-H.

Heritage Park is located at 97 Lake Dow Rd. in McDonough. For more information, contact the Extension Office at 770-288-8421.

Henry County Fire Department Reminds You to “Change Your Clock, Change Your Batteries”

Daylight savings time begins this Sunday, March 8, and with those longer days comes a reminder from the Henry County Fire Department to test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, to make sure they are in working order. While “springing” forward an hour on the clock, it’s also a perfect time to change out the batteries in all alarms and detectors.

Changing smoke alarm batteries at least once a year, testing those alarms on a monthly basis and reminding others to do the same are some of the simplest, most effective ways to reduce tragic deaths and injuries from fire. Additionally, the National Fire Protection Association recommends that smoke alarms in homes be replaced every 10 years and should

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include both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms to alert people to all types of home fires.

“A working smoke detector is your first line of defense in surviving a fire, allowing for valuable minutes in order to escape, especially because peak time for home fire fatalities is between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most families are sleeping,” said Henry County Fire Chief Bill Lacy. “Working smoke alarms are a simple, effective way to reduce home fire deaths and save lives.”

For more information about fire safety or assistance acquiring a smoke alarm, contact the Henry County Fire Department at 770-288-6614 or visit www.co.henry.ga.us/Fire/.

HCPD Offers Women’s Self-Defense Course

The Henry County Police Department will be offering a three-day Women’s Self Defense Class on several occasions throughout 2015. The free class is designed to empower women by teaching them basic techniques to defend themselves against violence.

The course incorporates classroom instruction, with hands-on defense tactics and firearms training.

The comprehensive course begins with classroom instruction in risk awareness, risk reduction, crime prevention strategies, and defensive concepts, followed by hands-on training in physical defense techniques. Class instruction and demonstrations will help to decrease a woman’s vulnerability, and instill a sense of confidence and personal power. The next class will be held from March 26 to 28 and application for that class must be completed by March 20, 2015.

Dates for all sessions in 2015 are: • March 26-28. 2015 • May 21-23, 2015 • August 13-15, 2015 • October 8-10, 2015

Classes are open to women who live or work in Henry County and are held on Thursday and Friday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday morning from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday will be a weapons safety class.

These classes are held at various Police facilities within Henry County.

For more information or to apply, please visit henrycounty-ga.org/police/womensselfdefense.shtml Please fill out and return original copies to Henry County Police Dept., 108 S. Zack Hinton Pkwy, McDonough, GA 30253. You will be contacted after your information is processed. If you have questions, please contact Joni Miller at jmiller@co.henry.ga.us or call 770-288-8285.

Agenda Item Removal

Please note that agenda item RZ-14-01 Meredith Homes of McDonough, GA for property located at 354 Wilson Drive, will not be heard at the March 17, 2015 Board of Commissioners meeting.

It has been rescheduled and will be heard at the April 21, 2015 Commission meeting.

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