Chatt Hills News ~ November 2022

Official Publication of the City of Chattahoochee Hills, GA

CHATT HILLS NEWS

Issue 11 Volume 3 www.chatthillsga.us

NOVEMBER 2022 Features

Events

Arts in Chatt Hills

City Government

Our Community Page 2

What’s Happening Locally?

Page 15

Local Artists Page 22

Stay Informed Page 27

High-Speed Internet Access Coming!

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IMPORTANT VOTING DATES Nov. 4 Nov. 8

Last day of Early Voting General Election 7:00am-7:00pm City Hall, 6505 Rico Road

MAYOR TOM REED

City of Chattahoochee Hills This is probably the happiest one of these messages that I’ve been able to write, as I have some huge and happy news, the result of a lot of work over the past couple of years with one of our best partners. As I have mentioned many times before, the lack of good internet connectivity is probably the single biggest quality of life and safety issue that faces the residents of Chattahoochee Hills. Especially in today’s world, the lack of good internet can interfere with so many important facets of a person’s life, from school to work, from shopping to accessing medical care, and perhaps most important, just being connected to the world in terms of public safety, information, friends, and family.

Chattahoochee Hills is a tough place to make the business case work, though. Our intentional stance on zoning—in that we are protecting most of the community as it is, and only allowing fairly dense development in a few concentrated nodes—means that the very expensive fiber network infrastructure required for high-speed internet just doesn’t make sense for most businesses, because the time to recover the cost of connectivity is too long for the rapaciously for-profit internet providers that govern the field. And while the Federal government has stepped in with funding aimed at connecting “everyone” withing the next 5 years, the company that provides for our area has gone dark entirely, so we have no more word on their plans than we did six months ago.

That’s the background for an ongoing conversation that I have been having for the past few years with CEO Gary Miller and Vice President of Engineering Nadia Faucette of Greystone Power and their staff. This began with a change in the State laws that allow for our local Electrical membership Corporations or “EMCs” to get into the Internet Service Provider or “ISP” business (unfortunately, under a set of ridiculous restrictions that folks like AT&T

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and Comcast have lobbied for to protect their poor-service monopolies, we have suffered from restrictions that have prevented the EMCs from providing the service so far).

And yet, because Greystone and the other EMCs are non-profit, member-driven companies, their mission is different, and their profitability timeline can also be different. Thus Gary and I and that fantastic team have continued to talk about what that service could look like in our rural area, and last week, we had a huge breakthrough: Gary was able to convince his board to go ahead with A PROJECT THAT WILL RUN FIBER OPTIC INTERNET TO EVERY ADDRESS IN CHATTAHOOCHEE HILLS IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS! (I’m sure the fact that one of those board members, Maribeth Wansley, who lives in Chatt Hills and knows the problems firsthand, also helped mightily!)

You’ll find a press release further back in this issue that gives more of the details, and a Q&A that will explain even further. In future columns, I’ll report on my ongoing work with friends in the Statehouse and at the Georgia Municipal Association to fix the bad laws that prevent Greystone from doing this work in-house, hopefully making corrections that will save them a ton of money in providing our service (and allow many other EMCs in the State to make this same leap, thereby providing internet to hundreds of thousands of rural Georgians who have the same problem).

But in the meantime? Yay for us—and a big thank you to Gary, Nadia, Maribeth, and the whole team at GreyStone for making this happen!

Mayor Tom Reed

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OUR COMMUNITY

GreyStone Power to Provide High-speed Internet Access to Underserved Areas GreyStone Power Corporation is launching a pilot project to provide access to high-speed internet to over 5,000 unserved and underserved locations within its service area.

To deliver the same excellent service its members expect, the electric cooperative is forming a subsidiary to operate the soon-to-be constructed fiber network.

Construction on the multimillion-dollar project will begin in 2023, with the first members expected to be connected later that year or in early 2024. The electric cooperative will own 100 percent of the fiber network and will lease the network to its subsidiary, which will operate the system.

The pilot project’s proposed route is expected to provide broadband access to members in areas of southern Fulton County, including the city of Chattahoochee Hills.

The proposed area of service also includes southern Douglas County, portions of eastern Carroll County and a small section of southern Paulding County.

The subsidiary will offer three speed tiers, including 100 megabits per second (Mbps), 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), and 2 Gbps. Although prices have not been finalized, the co-op is committed to delivering competitive prices and reliable service to its members. GreyStone Power will not see its electric rates impacted by the costs of its affiliate.

“Much like the electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) brought electric service to those unserved parts of the state in the 1930’s, today’s EMCs are now bringing high-speed internet to unserved or underserved areas. We decided to form the subsidiary because it was a unique opportunity to make life better for our members,” says GreyStone Power President/CEO Gary Miller.

Although the project is still within the planning stages, the subsidiary is expected to bring fiber-to-the-premises to over 5,000 locations, covering approximately 447 miles with aerial and underground fiber. Once the project area is finalized, look out for further communication from GreyStone on how to express early interest to become a future subscriber.

GreyStone Power Vice President of Engineering Nadia Faucette believes the co-op is well-positioned for a successful project. “As we’ve seen with electric co-ops throughout the state, we will have the infrastructure and

business systems in place to help communities access the benefits of high-speed internet, which includes better health, education, and economic outcomes,” she says.

Along with those assets, Miller says, is GreyStone Power’s proven record of member satisfaction: “We want to deliver the same level of excellent service with our subsidiary that our members have come to expect with GreyStone Power.”

Mayor Tom Reed of Chattahoochee Hills expressed his gratitude for Greystone’s project. “Good internet access is fundamental to so many aspects of life today, and the lack of it in so much of our community has been an ongoing problem. I am so grateful to Greystone’s team for their support of our community in this incredibly meaningful way.”

GreyStone will provide consistent updates on the project through its website, social media, and other communication avenues.

GreyStone Power is a member-owned cooperative providing electricity and related services to more than 125,000 members in eight counties, including portions of Paulding, Douglas, Fulton, Cobb, Carroll, Bartow, Fayette, and Coweta counties. Learn more at www.greystonepower.com.

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OUR COMMUNITY More Details on the GreyStone Power Highspeed Internet Project in Chatt Hills

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By Mayor Tom Reed

• What is the pilot project?

• GreyStone Power Corporation is launching a subsidiary that will provide access to high-speed internet services to part of the cooperative’s service area through a fiber-to-the-home network.

What type of service will the subsidiary provide and when and where will it be deployed?

• The pilot project’s proposed route is expected to provide broadband access to members in areas of southern Fulton County, including all of the city of Chattahoochee Hills. The proposed area of service also includes southern Douglas County, portions of eastern Carroll County, and a small section of southern Paulding County.

• The subsidiary is expected to provide access to high-speed internet to over 5,000 unserved and underserved locations.

• The projected fiber network is expected to cover approximately 447 miles with aerial and underground fiber.

• Specific fiber build-out routes will be announced later in the project.

• The project is expected to take at least a year to complete, with construction expected to start in 2023 and building out by the end of 2024, with service beginning in late 2023 or early 2024.

• The subsidiary will offer three speed tiers, including 100 megabits per second (Mbps), 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), and 2 Gbps. The lowest tier will be cost-competitive with the current DLS options, but should be both much faster and more stable.

What are the benefits of broadband?

• Broadband access is a vital component to modern society, akin to essential utilities like water and electricity.

• Although there is no silver bullet for success, high-speed internet access is a key foundational component to ensure both growth and revitalization of communities.

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High-speed internet is the critical foundation for better healthcare, education, workforce, economic development, and quality-of-life outcomes.

Broadband is vital to: o Economic development initiatives, such as global market connections and online job training. o Educational resources, such as homework resources for primary school or access to continuing education for those in the workforce. o Healthcare resources, such as telehealth access and online record keeping. o Quality-of-life opportunities, such as streaming services and online reading subscriptions.

What can GreyStone Power members expect?

• It is important to note that electric rates will not be impacted by the costs of GreyStone Power’s subsidiary.

• GreyStone will provide updates on the project through its website, social media, and other communication avenues.

• Members in the subsidiary’s service area will be notified when appropriate about how to sign up for high-speed internet service. Once the project area is finalized, look out for further communication from GreyStone on how to express early interest to become a future subscriber.

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Please do not sign any long-term (multi-year) contracts with your current broadband provider if you would like to have an opportunity to be an early subscriber to the subsidiary’s network.

I’d like to add a special emphasis to this last point – when AT&T and Comcast get wind of this, they will pull out all of the stops to ensure you don’t switch providers. But they have proven through their utter lack of concern and service how little they care about our community. PLEASE – do not fall for any last-minute gestures from these providers. GreyStone is preparing to do a big thing for Chattahoochee Hills and deserves as many of us as possible to reward that work with our business – please keep that front of mind!

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CHATT HILLS FALL FESTIVAL

Friends, Families & Neighbors Welcome the Season!

By Laurie Searle Mother Nature and a cast of hundreds painted a perfect picture in the Town Green Park behind city hall for the second annual Chatt Hills Fall Festival on October 15.

This year’s event, hosted by the city of Chattahoochee Hills with Taste of SoFu, included a free BBQ dinner, food and craft vendors, fun and games for the kids and adults, live music and entertainment, and municipal and county information.

Mayor Tom Reed opened the program, welcoming guests and giving thanks to the Chatt Hills Community Outreach Team (CHCO), led by Councilmember Ruby Foster, for organizing the event. He said it is the city’s pleasure to offer opportunities for friends, families, and neighbors to connect with one another and take time out of their busy lives to enjoy the day.

Councilmember Ruby Foster acknowledged city council members Laurie Searle and Camille Lowe for supporting the event, city manager Robbie Rokovitz and his many staff members for their support before and during the event, the CHCO volunteers, and the vendors. She then introduced Taste of SoFu founder Shelia Mants, event designer extraordinaire; and Michelle Taylor Willis, who created SoFu®, the term uniting the eight cities of South Fulton County (Chattahoochee Hills, Fairburn, College Park, East Point, Hapeville, Palmetto, Union City, and City of South Fulton).

Fun and Games for Kids The festival offered activities for all ages of children and included a high-energy dance competition, cake walk, face painting, crafts, and video games.

With all of the goings-on, you wouldn’t think the kids would sit still for a moment; however, the story time reading with interactive books had them seated cross-legged and spellbound – at least for a few minutes.

The Bear Creek Nature Center’s friendly baby alligator and turtle were also a kid-pleasing treat.

Entertainment Highlights Live music, karaoke, and audience-engaging games kept the fun going throughout the afternoon, but it was the Chatt Hills Fire Department that stole the show. They gave festival goers the opportunity to see what it’s like to be a fire fighter by dressing in the heavy gear, moving a 165lb person (simulated by moving a dummy), rolling and unrolling fire hoses, and racing with buckets of water.

Food and Vendors Church groups, food trucks, and arts & craft vendors lined the park’s green space. Community Brickworks – the local nonprofit that runs the foodbank and volunteer library – offered free books and videos. A number of other vendors offered tasty home-made treats and hand-crafted art.

Chattabee Farms sold honey and explained the bee-keeping process and what that means now that Chattahoochee Hills is an official “Bee City.”

Acknowledgements The city of Chattahoochee Hills thanks the following organizations for supporting the 2022 Fall Festival: Serenbe Art Farm, Community Brickworks, Southside Church Chatt Hills, Sardis Baptist Church, Providence Baptist Church, Bear Creek Nature Center, Taste of SoFu (Shelia Mants, Michelle Taylor Willis), Face Painting (Haley Dobbs), and the many vendors.

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Sponsorship Opportunity Christmas in Chatt Hills December 3 at City Hall For more information contact: Robert Rokovitz, City Manager, robbie.rokovitz@chatthillsga.us 770.463.8881 or Ruby Foster, ruby.foster@chatthillsga.us - Chatt Hills Community Outreach

CHATT HILLS FALL FESTIVAL

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All photos by www.benrosephotography.com

RayDay Sustainability Showcase Returns to Chatt Hills October 16, 2022 marked the post-pandemic relaunch of a Chattahoochee Hills tradition when the Ray C. Anderson Foundation hosted its “Return to RayDay” for a crowd of 1400+ eco-minded visitors in a Serenbe meadow.

RayDay is an annual celebration of the life and legacy of Ray C. Anderson (1934-2011), an industrialist turned environmentalist who was once called the “Greenest CEO” by Fortune magazine. Ray is best known for his efforts to shift his Georgia-based, global commercial carpet manufacturing company, Interface, to a sustainable and restorative enterprise.

“Between Ray’s famous epiphany in 1994 and the time of his passing in 2011, he spoke to thousands of business leaders and influencers across the globe and helped shift the paradigm to a more responsible, equitable business model,” said John A. Lanier, executive director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, and one of Ray Anderson’s five grandchildren. “Ray and his Eco-Dream Team played an integral role in advising Steve Nygren in the early days when Serenbe was

just a vision, and he visited Serenbe multiple times through the years as it was developed. We’ve always felt like Serenbe was the most appropriate place to gather like-minded folks and educate those who are new to the sustainability movement. We were proud to bring the tradition back to this community for its 8th year this past weekend.”

RayDay is the Ray C. Anderson Foundation’s gift to the community.

Entry to the event is always free,

and everyone is invited to register and attend. More than 1,400 people enjoyed the festival-like atmosphere over the weekend with 55 eco-exhibitor booths, carnival rides, hands-on kids’ activities, animal exhibits and electric vehicle displays, including a Blue Bird Corporation electric school bus made right here in Georgia.

In the days following the event, several attendees have referred to RayDay as “the biggest, best gathering of environmental organizations all year” and “a homecoming for the environmental community.”

RayDay is a climate neutral, zero food waste event hosted by the Ray C. Anderson Foundation and organized by idealand, a Georgia-based event production firm. Sunday’s event was catered by Simply Food Trucks, a network of food industry entrepreneurs out of Atlanta that is focused on reducing its carbon footprint while serving locally sourced food for all tastes.

Numerous initiatives were highlighted at RayDay that are related to projects taking place in the Chattahoochee Hills community.

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Liberty Tire Recycling One of the new exhibitors at RayDay was Liberty Tire Recycling. They collect and process about 10 million end-of-life tires in Georgia each year.

Many of them will be granulated into rubber powder that can be used to make higher value products like rubber mulch, playground materials, and sport surfacing. Some of the rubber powder will go into asphalt which makes the mix longer lasting and more resistant to cracking.

Liberty has partnered with The Ray in the past to demonstrate rubberized asphalt technology, and now has an opportunity to provide rubberized asphalt, called SmartMIX, that will beneficially reuse about 1,200 tires in a road paving project in Serenbe this Fall.

Better Earth Products and CompostNow Another exhibitor at RayDay was Better Earth Products, a sustainable solutions provider on a mission to make sustainability accessible and regenerative circularity achievable.

Better Earth Products provided the 8

commercially compostable plates, cups, napkins, and utensils used at RayDay. After use, the items were collected at well-marked waste collection stations staffed by friendly waste ambassadors.

From there, CompostNow, whose motto is “Creating a world without food waste, one scrap at a time,” gathered the food scraps and compostable serving ware and took it to an on-site commercial-scale composting operation at Serenbe Farms, where it was combined with other waste from residences and business operations at Serenbe to create compost for growing local produce on the community farm.

Citizen Farmers Academy Finally, a team from Citizen Farmers Academy teamed up with representatives from Captain Planet Foundation, Lifecycle Building Center and Roots Down to create a kids’ activity tent where youth entrepreneurs demonstrated how children are getting involved in farming and regenerative agriculture through after school programs offered to students from local

elementary schools, two days per week at Serenbe Farms. The students from Citizen Farmers Academy grew seedlings and provided them for free to children at RayDay, along with hands-on lessons in planting, composting, and what it takes for children to launch a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program.

About the Ray C. Anderson Foundation The Ray C. Anderson Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that seeks to promote a sustainable society by supporting and funding educational and project-based initiatives that advance knowledge and innovation in sustainability.

RayDay is an annual event hosted by the Foundation every October. http:// www.raycandersonfoundation.org

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OUR COMMUNITY VETERANS DAY: HONORING BROTHERS IN ARMS Fred and Doug Kearns By Laurie Searle

If Hollywood were to produce a country sequel to the 1950s television hit, “Leave it to Beaver,” it might feature brothers Fred and Doug Kearns and their charmed childhood growing up in Palmetto. Like the show’s young siblings Wally and his brother Beaver, Fred and Doug grew up during that sweet spot of time during the 50s.

When Charles Fred Jr. was born in 1938 and Douglas Wayne was born in 1944, the town of Palmetto and its neighboring countryside (now Chattahoochee Hills) had already seen many improvements. Palmetto had become part of Fulton County in 1932, its water works was completed in 1936, and by the time the brothers were of school age, the town was well on its way to recovering from the Great Depression.

Their family lived near the three-way intersection of Hutcheson Ferry Rd, Water Works Rd, and Toombs St. in a new home built in 1951. Their grandparents lived down the road a piece in the Goodes Community on their family farm, and their extended family lived nearby.

Fred and Doug both attended modern schools – at least compared to the more rural schools of their grandparent’s era. Charles Riley Elementary School, built in 1932, was one of the first in the area to offer a school lunch program, and Campbell High School in Fairburn was stateof-the art at the time.

Living in the moment, like most kids do, they didn’t realize just how good they had it. But through the lens of time, they see that their family and rural community provided a safe and loving place to grow up in, and contributed to building their strong family values.

Fred said, “As kids, we had as good a childhood as anyone. We’d explore the area and play in the woods – what’s now Chattahoochee Hills was our playground.

Sometimes we’d stay overnight and camp, sometimes a group of us boys would head up to Rico Lake and go fishing. It never crossed our mind to be afraid or worried about anything.”

Doug agreed. He said, “Growing up, we didn’t have to worry about predators. It was a carefree and wonderful time. We played mostly within walking distance of our home. I loved to ride my bike and would sometimes go

Pictured left is Fred and pictured right is Doug.

Pictured left is Fred and his wife Suellen. Pictured right is Doug and his wife Judy. over to the Cochran Mill Pond. Our daddy used to take his corn on a wagon pulled by a mule to be ground at the mill.”

Although six years apart in age, the brothers formed a strong sibling bond. A few years after Fred finished school and joined the U.S. Army, it wasn’t long before Doug enlisted. While they didn’t serve in the same unit, they stayed in touch and visited with one another while serving in Germany. After their tours of duty, they returned to their hometown and eventually both settled in homes on Hutcheson Ferry Rd where they raised their families.

Now both in their golden years, they continue to visit with each other often and enjoy being grandparents to the fifth generation of Kearns who have lived in Chattahoochee Hills.

In honor of Veterans Day, we thanked the Kearns brothers for their service and asked them to share a few of their military stories.

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OUR COMMUNITY Fred’s Military Service Fred served in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper and armored personnel carrier (APC) driver from 1962-1964.

He initially attempted to enlist when he turned 18 years old, but was turned away. “They told me I had a bad knee and classified me as 4F, physically unfit for military duty,” he said.

Fred Kearns served as Six years later, Fred was well an Army paratrooper into his adult life with a steady job and APC driver from working at Crown Cork & Seal in 1962-1964.

Palmetto and a 63 Chevy on order when he received a draft notice from Uncle Sam. “I guess the military had changed its mind and decided I was fit for duty after all,” he said. “I had been ready to go when I was 18, but not so much so at 24.” Fred canceled his order for his new Chevy and readied himself to trade civilian life for “3 hots and a cot” – military slang for three hot meals and a bed – and Uncle Sam’s salary of $75 per month.

Military service began for Fred with basic training at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia, followed by the Airborne School (jump school) at Fort Benning near Columbus, Georgia.

Jump school was divided into three phases. During the first phase, soldiers were taught about their equipment – the mechanics of a parachute, how to wear the harness correctly, and how to use the special training gear. They spent the majority of their time learning, practicing, and perfecting their parachute landing, proper exit techniques from the aircraft, and how to minimize the potential for injury. During the second phase, soldiers practiced jumping from various heights into sand or pebble pits, simulating the final stage of parachute landing. They learned the different phases of parachute flight; from aircraft exit, through opening shock and chute deployment, steering the chute, and landing. Once they mastered the basic skills, they progressed to the third phase of training, where they practiced jumping from a military aircraft.

In addition to learning about the military and his new duties as a paratrooper, Fred learned about the different cultures of his comrades in arms. Having grown up in a Southern rural community, Fred said, “I was blown away and couldn’t believe that everyone didn’t know what black10

Fred’s unit guarded the Amo Dump at the U.S. Military installation in Aschaffenburg, Germany. eyed peas were.”

Likely, black-eyed peas were the last thing on his mind, the one and only time he had problems with his equipment while on the job. Fred was in the middle of a jump when he heard an unusual noise coming from above. “It’s always noisy, what with the sound of the wind and the chute from above, but something just didn’t sound right,” he said. “I looked up and saw a hole in my parachute and thought, I’m in for a licking now.” But the hole didn’t seem to be throwing him off course or causing other problems, so he kept his cool and landed safely.

Fred spent a year on jump status, then was reassigned as an armored personnel carrier driver. While stationed at the U.S. Army installation in Aschaffenburg, a town in northwest Bavaria, his unit guarded the ammunition dump.

Fred especially enjoyed the camaraderie of his unit. “My roommate, James Liggett, was from Chicago, and he was always cracking jokes,” Fred said. “He had pretty large lips, and one time James joked that he didn’t need no ashtray, he’d just use his bottom lip.” Fred also enjoyed meeting up with his brother Doug who was stationed in Germany at the same time. Having these ties to family and friends made Fred’s military service more enjoyable.

After Fred’s tour of duty was over, he returned home to Palmetto in 1964 and married his sweetheart Suellen Landrum in 1965. In 1973, they built their forever home on Hutcheson Ferry Rd in the Goodes Community of Chattahoochee Hills.

Doug’s Military Service Doug served in the U.S. Army as a combat medic from 1963-1965. Like his brother Fred, Doug initially considered enlisting after he finished high school. “I had been driving

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OUR COMMUNITY for a dry cleaner in Palmetto when one of my friends and I looked into joining the Air Force,” he said. “But when I told my brother, he said I wouldn’t like it because the Air Force required a four-year commitment. The Army only required two years, so I enlisted as a combat medic.” Today Doug says that Doug Kearns served as an was one of the most life-changing Army combat medic from decisions he ever made because it 1963-1965. probably kept him out of Vietnam.

Military service began for Doug with basic training at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia, followed by 12 weeks of Combat Medic Training at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas.

Combat Medic Training provided the necessary skills required to save lives on the battlefield and assist medical officers in caring for soldiers within a unit. Most of the training revolved around triaging battle wounds, and learning basic medical procedures such as how to give shots, bandage and carry the injured, apply tourniquets, treat shock and administer an IV, as well as learning basic anatomy.

After medic training, Doug was assigned to the Fliegerhorst Kaserne in Hanau, Germany. He was a medic in an artillery outfit that protected the Fulda Gap, an area between the East German border and Frankfurt that offered one of the two obvious routes for a potential Soviet tank attack on West Germany from Eastern Europe. As Doug acclimated to military life, he remembered his father’s

advice, “Keep your mouth shut, do what they say, and don’t volunteer for nothing.”

Most of what he treated was non-life threating injuries.

“I saw a lot of busted lips and fingers,” he said. “I grew to hate payday and the week after, with all of the injuries resulting from soldiers being drunk and disorderly.” There were occasions, however, when Doug’s medical training fell short of what he needed to know. Like the time a pregnant lady came in to the base clinic already experiencing contractions. Doug said, “Lady, I don’t know nothing about delivering babies. Now if you had a sucking chest wound, I could fix you right up.”

Doug counts himself lucky that he didn’t serve in Vietnam. Many medics who treated soldiers with terrible injuries experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological issues that impacted the rest of their lives. While Doug never treated soldiers with bullet wounds, he did have a profound experience that changed his future career path.

“A military guy who had been drinking was walking outside of the base when he got hit by a taxi,” Doug said.

“The guy was flipped over the taxi and so severely injured he was bleeding out of every hole in his body. All we could do was put him on a stretcher and get him to the hospital, but he didn’t make it. This was the first dead person I had ever physically touched. I knew then, I wasn’t going to be an EMT when I got out of service.”

After Doug’s service, he returned home to Palmetto and married his sweetheart Judith Kearns in 1969. In 1971, they built their forever home on Hutcheson Ferry Rd, next door to his childhood home.

Doug served as a combat medic in Fliegerhorst Kaserne in Hanau, Germany.

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OUR COMMUNITY HONORING YESENIA CARRILLO and her work with the VA’s Homeless Veterans Program By Laurie Searle A recent trip to downtown Atlanta’s courthouse for jury duty was an enlightening experience. Not so much for the legal process of jury selection, but for the view across the street. Homeless people were everywhere – sleeping on the steps of buildings, congregating on the street, waiting in line at a food services facility.

In Chattahoochee Hills, as in many small towns, we don’t see this problem since we’re miles away from the urban centers that offer services for the homeless. That can result in “out of sight, out of mind.”

But Chatt Hills resident Yesenia Carrillo sees the homeless every day. “Serving the unsheltered is my passion and purpose,” she said. As a social worker for the Veterans Administration, she has dedicated the past 10 years to helping Veterans and their families obtain permanent and sustainable housing.

Yesenia’s journey to the Veterans Administration Originally from New York City, Yesenia had the opportunity to experience different occupations as a part of her high school’s work-study program. While working in the parks and recreation field, she learned that her supervisor worked in crisis management in the Henry Street Settlement.

“Everything about the Henry Street Settlement was transformative,” Yesenia said. “It started in 1893 with one person’s vision to serve children, families, and the poor on the lower side of New York; and the gift of a single building.

Over time more buildings were added and transformed to serve the greater community and provide social services, arts, and healthcare.”

Working at the Settlement sparked Yesenia’s interest in social work. She completed a Master’s degree in social work at the University of Albany then spent the next eight years working for Nazareth Housing, a community-based nonprofit that served vulnerable families and individuals of New York City.

Yesenia’s career eventually led her to work in the school system supporting teen parents and a high school daycare. After working in NYC for four years, she transferred to the Fulton County school system in East Point, Georgia, and moved to Chatt Hills in 2009.

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On this Veterans Day, we honor Chattahoochee Hills resident Yesenia Carrillo for her decade of serving homeless Veterans.

“I was a little nervous about the transfer because of the move and also because the position paid less,” Yesenia said. “But once I settled in, I found the work very rewarding.”

Four years later, the school system experienced budget cuts, and with an uncertain future, Yesenia began considering other options. “One of my colleagues told me I’d be perfect to work with the Veteran’s Administration in their Homeless Veterans Program,” she said. “That had never crossed my mind, but the more I thought about it, the more it occurred to me that I could make a greater impact in helping others.”

Veterans Administration – Collaborative approach to serving homeless Vets Yesenia began working for the VA’s Homeless Veterans Program in 2012. Just one year before, the VA had launched a new initiative to create “Homeless Patient Aligned Care Teams” (HPACT) to address the unique needs and distinct challenges homeless Veterans face. HPACT began with 32 pilot sites in 2011, and now serves 22,000 Veterans annually in 54 sites across the US located in VA Medical Centers, Community Based Outpatient Clinics, and Community Resource and Referral Centers, like the one where Yesenia works at Ft McPherson in East Point, Georgia.

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OUR COMMUNITY The goal of the HPACT care model is to: • Reduce barriers to care by providing open access and walk-in care in addition to community outreach to engage those Veterans disconnected from VA services.

• Provide one-stop, wrap around services that include housing solutions, health care, community employment services and other required supports.

• Engage Veterans in case management that is coordinated with community agencies, partners, and other VA services for continuous care with more seamless transitions.

Yesenia says one of the biggest obstacles is connecting homeless Veterans to the many services offered. “Part of that is Veterans are unaware of the VA programs,” she said. “But a bigger part relates back to the reason they are homeless.”

In addition to the complex set of factors influencing all homelessness – extreme shortage of affordable housing, livable income, and access to health care – a large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse, which are compounded by a lack of family and social support networks. Additionally, military occupations and training are not always transferable to the civilian workforce, placing some veterans at a disadvantage when competing for employment.

“Many Veterans feel they are in a unique situation and no one can understand what they are going through,” Yesenia said. “Some have had life-shattering experiences that have left them mentally or physically disabled. Still others simply distrust the government.”

Community Outreach The VA offers community outreach events as a way to connect veterans with each other and introduce the many services and partners available.

Operation Reveille offers services that Veterans need to successfully exit homelessness. It brings government agencies, faith-based organizations, housing providers, nonprofit agencies, and local businesses together in an effort to connect in-need Veterans with services like employment, legal assistance, and mental health counseling.

Army Veteran Georgia Jackson attended the September 15 Reveille in Atlanta and expressed his appreciation.

The Atlanta VA Health Care System, in collaboration with 27 community partners, conducted the Operation Reveille event for homeless Veterans at the Salvation Army Kroc Corps Community Center on September 15.

"As a veteran, you don't know how much it means to me to see these many people come together to offer housing, employment services, health care ,and financial counseling.

There are no words to say thank you.”

Team Approach to Wrap Around Services Community Resource and Referral Centers, like the one where Yesenia works at Ft McPherson, provides one-stop access to community-based, multiagency services to promote permanent housing, health and mental health care, career development and access to VA and non-VA benefits. This not only benefits Veterans by placing these services under one roof, it benefits the VA teams, who work collaboratively on behalf of the Veterans.

Yesenia recalled a Veteran who was seeking housing assistance. He had mentioned an incident while in service where another solider threw him down the stairs, which may have resulted in a traumatic brain injury; however, he had never reported it. As a result, he was now having difficulty keeping a job and his housing. As Yesenia explained the different counseling available, it occurred to her than another form of abuse may have taken place. She said, “I had to approach this in a sensitive way, so I explained the many different types of counseling the VA offered. He didn’t immediately respond, but in a later meeting, he asked for additional information and was able to get the help he needed.”

Housing Options for Homeless Veterans The VA and its collaborative partners provide a number of

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OUR COMMUNITY housing options for homeless Veterans.

• HUD-VASH Supportive Housing.

Through public housing authorities, HUD provides rental assistance vouchers for privately-owned housing to Veterans who are experiencing homelessness. VA case managers may connect these Veterans with support services such as health care, mental health treatment and substance use counseling to help them in their recovery process and with their ability to maintain housing in the community. Among VA homeless continuum of care programs, HUD-VASH enrolls the largest number and largest percentage of Veterans who have experienced long-term or repeated homelessness.

• Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program.

State, local, and tribal governments, and nonprofits receive capital grants and per diem payments to develop and operate transitional housing—including short-stay bridge housing—and/or service centers for Veterans who are homeless.

• Enhanced-Use Lease (EUL) Program Too many Veterans are without safe, affordable housing. At the same time, some VA campuses have real estate that is underused. That’s where VA’s Enhanced-Use Lease program may come in. EUL is a VA portfolio management tool that allows certain land and buildings to be leased to eligible private entities for approved supportive housing and related projects for homeless and at-risk Veterans. In addition to supportive housing, VA’s EUL partners often provide Veterans with job training, financial management, haircuts, computer and laundry facilities, fitness centers, and other services. Veterans and their families are prioritized for EUL developments, which are also convenient to VA health care facilities.

• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) For very low-income Veterans, SSVF provides case management and supportive services to prevent the imminent loss of a Veteran’s home or identify a new, more suitable housing situation for the individual and his or her family; or to rapidly re-house Veterans and their families who are homeless and might remain homeless without this assistance.

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Permanent Housing Placement National Challenge Between 2010-2020, the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States was cut roughly in half.

Despite this, data show that since 2016, progress towards ending Veteran homelessness stalled.

To support, revitalize, and streamline VA's investment in and commitment to end Veteran homelessness and ensure at-risk Veterans are safeguarded from this crisis, VA established a nationwide goal to house 38,000 homeless Veterans during calendar year 2022.

As of August 30, 2022, VA has achieved 26,554 permanent housing placements, meeting 69.88% of the goal. VA’s Homeless Veterans Programs are averaging 3,319 placements each month.

As of September 2022, Yesenia and the Atlanta VA Homeless Veterans Program team has 119 placements to reach its goal.

We thank Yesenia and the VA’s Homeless Veterans Program for their efforts.

Veterans can access support by calling the VA hotline Help for Homeless Veterans 877-4AID-VET (877) 424-3838.

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EVENTS

Sat & Sun, 2:00pm - 5:00pm Weekend Wine Flights at The Wine Shop at Serenbe 9135 Selborne Lane, Chattahoochee Hills, GA

Every Wednesday, 7-9:00pm Get in Your Creative Flow with Figure Drawing Sessions!

Excited to announce Weekend Wine Flights at the wine shop! Each week 3 new wines will be featured and paired with light bites. Served Saturday and Sunday, 2-5pm, $30 per person, no ticket or reservation needed. Stop by and see us!

StudioSwan llc | 6401 Campbellton Redwine Rd, Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268 Email you are coming to: info@studioswan.com

Fridays, 5:30-8:30pm Farmhouse Fridays: Live Music & Drinks On The Porch 10950 Hutcheson Ferry Rd, Chatt Hills, GA 30268 Free The Farmhouse invites you to start the weekend with them. Grab a drink from The Farmhouse Bar and enjoy the ambiance of warm weather and live music on the wraparound porch.

Saturdays , 4:00pm Wine Tastings at the General Store

10642 Serenbe Lane, Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268 Join me to taste wines from around the globe every Saturday $35/person with tasting notes and small bites.

Please email nadine@generalstoreatserenbe.com with any questions.

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EVENTS

November 5, 6:30pm glo November 5, 8:00pm Joshua Espinoza Trio Backyard at Jordan's Ridge 8400 Atlanta Newnan Road Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268 Tickets $25: https://bit.ly/3g3jULf The Joshua Espinoza Trio Possessing a wide color palette, the Joshua Espinoza Trio explores shimmering harmonies and shifting orchestral contours with the aesthetic of a chamber ensemble as much as a jazz trio. Stylistically, the trio draws inspiration from uniquely American musical traditions (jazz, folk, and blues) alongside classical impressionism, chamber music, and pop. Inspired by artists as disparate as Herbie Hancock, bassist Avishai Cohen, Gerald Clayton, and composer Maurice Ravel, the Joshua Espinoza trio takes listeners on a journey for the ears and mind alike.

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The Lake Pavilion at Serenbe, 10950 Hutcheson Ferry Rd. Chatt Hills, GA 30268 Free with RSVP: https://bit.ly/3rYrNo6 Free Bird Being is an evening-length live art in the round that consists of an ensemble of intergenerational women, and concerns growth: the immeasurable and the elemental.

It’s alongside, keeping pace in every area. Free Bird Being uses the body to stir up memory, possibility, and movement into warmth and closer relationship.

Free Bird Being follows artist Lauri Stalling’s longstanding inquiries addressing the lives of Southern people. It takes a cue from Poet Laureate Pearl Cleage’s poem “This Space That We Have Made Together.” The piece features an intergenerational band of Georgia musicians coming together for the first time.

Unfolding in three cycles over the next two years, the project will travel to communities in the Deep South in a series of site-based works, tailored through residencies with each of our partners. glo’s engagement with the Serenbe community marks the project’s official opening.

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Sat Nov 5, 10am to Sunset Free, bring chairs, BYOB

20 or more Live Bands on Porches & Lawns in Grange Hamlet Art Walk, Food Trucks, Drum Circle Free Community Music Event Brought to You by Our Neighbors Art by GW Harper

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November 5, 10:00am - Sunset Back for its second year, PorchFest has more bands, more art booths and more food trucks.

Chatt Hills PorchFest at Serenbe is a free community event to celebrate how music and the arts bring neighbors together. Join us on Saturday, November 5th from 10am until sunset. Activities start and end at the Grange Green near the General Store in Serenbe. Over twenty bands and musical acts from various genres will donate their time and talent to perform on porches in the Grange hamlet. There will also be an ArtWalk and Porch Art Show where local artists will display their art for purchase; an interactive drum circle; and multiple food vendors selling everything from BBQ, wings, and seafood to African fusion and hot chocolate. We hope to see you there!

Above: Musicians that will be performing.

Photos: From 2021, the first Serenbe PorchFest.

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EVENTS

IMPORTANT VOTING DATES Nov. 4 Nov. 8

Last day of Early Voting General Election 7:00am-7:00pm City Hall, 6505 Rico Road

November 12, 9:00am - 1:00pm Nature Walks and Talks Starting Location: The General Store at Serenbe Reserve Your Spot: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/naturewalks-and-talks-tickets-450528802777 The Environment Committee of the Art Farm is pleased to announce the launch of our new series - Nature Walks and Talks! Our inaugural event, a fall outing on the trails of Serenbe, will be led by Giff Beaton. This walk will feature a complimentary field journal provided by the Art Farm for all participants to begin their observational journey over the coming months and throughout 2023! We will be looking for and appreciating beauty in the forest in all its forms, so bring comfortable shoes and some curiosity!

Serenbe resident wildlife expert and nature photographer Giff Beaton stopped into Hills & Hamlets Bookshop to sign copies of the recently updated edition of his guidebook Birds of Georgia. A true renaissance man, Giff manages to find time to be a Delta Airlines pilot when he’s not identifying various birds, bugs, and critters for everyone in the neighborhood.

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November 12, 8:30-10:00am Bird Walk 10:00-Noon Workday & Dec. 3, 10-noon Riverlands Park Work Days

We’re partnering with GA Audubon for work days – removing invasive species from the Camp + Paddle Trail Sites

December 8, 5:30-6:30pm Tertulia returns with Vivaldi's "Four Seasons"

Workdays: Chattahoochee Hills RiverLands Park: Saturday, November 12th Bird Walk from 8:30 to 10:00 and Work Day 10:00 to Noon.

Campbellton Park: Saturday, December 3rd, 9:00 to Noon Work Day

The Lake Pavilion at Serenbe, 10950 Hutcheson Ferry Rd. Chatt Hills, GA 30268 Tickets $25: https://bit.ly/3rYrNo6 Tertulia by the Fireside Come cozy up to the fireplace with hot holiday beverages for a casual evening with Tertulia’s international performing artists. Learn more about them as we explore some of their favorites and preview what makes Vivaldi’s Four Seasons the world’s most popular chamber music performance.

Enjoy one free holiday beverage with ticket purchase.

December 17-18, 1:00pm and 3:00pm

December 9, 6:30pm

The Nutcracker Suite at Serenbe

The Oak Room at the Inn at Serenbe, 10950 Hutcheson Ferry Rd. Chatt Hills, GA 30268 Tickets $120: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tertulia-winter-weekend-events-tickets-428092495177

The Lake Pavilion at Serenbe, 10950 Hutcheson Ferry Rd. Chatt Hills, GA 30268 Ticket: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36381/production/1111521

Tertulia Presents Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" Bring your friends to enjoy a deliciously festive evening starting with cocktails and holiday hors d’oeuvres under the stars at the Inn before we move into the Oak Room for the full performance of the world’s most popular violin concertos. We’ll tantalize your palette again at intermission with a magical dessert offering. The artists are extraordinary, the food delicious, the evening magical.

Journey to the Land of the Sweets with Clara and Drosselmeyer! Terminus Student Company presents selections from The Nutcracker Suite, an immersive holiday ballet featuring Snowflakes, dancing Bonbons, and the Sugar Plum Fairy. The talented dancers of Terminus School of Modern Ballet bring to life the story and music in one magic-filled event.

Join us fireside as Drosselmeyer weaves a magical story for Clara and fellow young believers! **Serenbe residents 10 percent OFF Promo code: DANCE**

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Arts Section

Featured Artist Gail Foster A rare and visceral artist, Gail Fostercreates works that are passionately expressive renderings of complex ideas. Her latest endeavors include elemental photography of “trashto- treasure” assemblages, low-VOC acrylic paintings and mixed media on paper.

An uplifting and impassioned view of the human condition, regardless of gender, in the inner power of the spirit is celebrated in Gail Foster’s artwork. Foster’s art has always been concerned with change: Change within ourselves, within our personal relationships, and within the relationship to universal powers. Often surrounded by rich jeweled darkness, the figures themselves are a source of illumination. Inhabiting a deep indefinite space like that at night, this pulsing luminous symbolism invokes ancient mysteries.

The inclusion of her art in 12 museum solo and group exhibitions, 32 solo private gallery shows, 72 private gallery group shows, studio films, lifestyle and trade publications as well as private and public collections is a testament to her depth of talent.

To see more of her work contact: info@studioswan.com StudioSwan llc | 6401 Campbellton Redwine Rd, Chatt Hills, GA 30268 https://studioswan.com 22

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Adrienne Anbinder, Malinda Lively-Arnold, Greg Blount, Morgan Boszilkov, Logynn B Ferrall, Gail Foster, BJ Glick, Vinayak Godbole, GW Harper, Wanda Hughes, Ann Jackson, Mary H Johnson, Robert Lederman, Julie McKinney, Brandon Murphy, Ken Shepard, Karin Slaton, Lea Ann Slotkin, Tom Swanston, Judy Walker, Renae “R.D. Simmons” Walker, and Eileen Wilson 9057 Selborne Lane & Paint Space, 10625 Serenbe Lane Unit A

www.chatthillsgalleryserenbe.com CHATT HILLS NEWS - NOVEMBER 2022 - SUBSCRIBE TO CHATT HILLS NEWS

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Arts Section November Selections from Hills & Hamlets Bookshop and Underground Books: Hills & Hamlets Bookshop is a charming neighborhood bookstore in the Serenbe development of Chattahoochee Hills and was founded by the couple behind Underground Books in Carrollton.

Hills & Hamlets Bookshop is open Thursdays through Sundays from 11am to 5pm, and we’re open 24/7 online at www.bookshop.org/shop/undergroundbooks and www. bookshop.org/shop/undergroundbooks and info@hillsandhamlets.com.

New in Fiction: We Are the Light by Matthew Quick Josh: “We Are the Light is an emotionally riveting novel that will break your heart, then heal it. The town of Majestic, PA is recovering from a tragic massacre in their historic theater, as told in letters from survivor Lucas Goodgame to his Jungian therapist. As Lucas grieves for the loss of his wife, he takes in Eli, a teenager with an unfortunate connection to the shooting. Together they devise an unlikely plan to heal their broken community.” Megan: “I read the last pages of this quirky, powerful, and surprising novel through tears, reflecting on all the heartbreak we endure and all the healing we’re capable of as humans.” Out now, signed copies available in-store only!

Buy online: https://bookshop.org/a/45/9781668005422

New in Nonfiction: Inciting Joy by Ross Gay In these gorgeously written and timely pieces, prize-winning poet and author Ross Gay considers the joy we incite when we care for each other, especially during life's inevitable hardships. Throughout Inciting Joy, he explores how we can practice recognizing that connection, and also, crucially, how we expand it. In "We Kin" he thinks about the garden as a laboratory of mutual aid; in "Share Your Bucket" he explores skateboarding's reclamation of public space; and in "Through My Tears I Saw," he recognizes what was healed in caring for his father as he was dying. Full of energy, curiosity, and compassion, Inciting Joy is essential reading from one of our most brilliant writers.

Out now!

Buy online: https://bookshop.org/a/45/9781643753041

New in Middle Grades: The Luminaries by Susan Dennard For fans of Divergent and Vampire Academy, and from Susan Dennard, the New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series, comes a haunting and high-octane contemporary fantasy full of monsters and hunters, about the magic it takes to face your fears in a nightmare-filled forest, and the mettle required to face the secrets hiding in the dark corners of your own family. Out now, signed copies available in-store only. For ages 13 and up.

Buy online: https://bookshop.org/a/45/9781250194046

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Community

OUR CHURCHES Campbellton Baptist Church 8660 Campbellton Fairburn Rd Friendship Baptist Church 6090 Cochran Mill Rd www.friendshipbaptistchatthills.com Interfaith Fellowship at Serenbe www.facebook.com/ groups/1964824926878340/ New Hope United Methodist Church 7875 Atlanta Newnan Rd

Providence Baptist Church 6402 Campbellton Redwine Rd www.pbcrico.org Rico United Methodist Church 6475 Rico Rd Rivertown United Methodist Church 9325 Rivertown Rd Sardis Baptist Church 8400 Sardis Rd www.sardisbaptistch.com

Southside at Serenbe 915AM & 11AM at One Mado. We'd love for you to join us and invite your friends and family! If you have questions contact Cathy Gailey at cgailey@ remax.net or 404-456-6347.

Southern Crescent Unitarian Universalist Fellowship www.facebook.com/SouthernCrescentUUFellowship/ Vernon Grove Baptist Church 8440 Vernon Grove Rd.

Memorials Robert Otis Barnes, Jr.

Emily Paige Turner

Mr. Robert Otis Barnes, Jr., age 88, of Palmetto, passed away October 8, 2022. He was born February 10, 1934 to the late Robert Otis and Annie Mae Barnes, Sr. He was retired from Eastern Airlines and a member of Palmetto Baptist Church. Mr. Barnes was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Ann Jenkins Barnes; his sister, Sara Jean Gossett Lambert.

He is survived by his daughters, Rhonda Winkles and her husband, Danny; Renee Chastain and her husband, David; son, Mike Barnes and his wife, Stephanie; grandchildren, Jessica Winkles, Christopher Winkles and his wife, Jennifer; Ashley Chastain; Amanda Raabe and her husband, Joe; Cole Barnes and his wife, Natalie; Andrew Barnes; great grandchildren, Carter, Brooklyn, Eden, Bennett, and one on the way; special caregiver, Susan.

Ms. Emily Paige Turner, age 54, of Fairburn, Georgia passed away Sunday, October 9, 2022. She is preceded in death by her brother, Scott Northcutt. She is survived by her daughter, Harrison Turner; son, Dawson Turner; father, Harold Northcutt; mother, Myra Thurmond; sister, Suzanne Martin; brother, Chris Northcutt; father of her children and friend, Chris Turner.

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Community

BRICKWORKS REPORT

Community Brickworks 6505 Rico Rd., Chatt Hills, GA 30268, 770-463-6600

Tutoring:

Does your elementary age child need a little help with their homeCommunity Brickworks LIBRARY: We are now offering tutoring at the library!

Tuesdays from 4-5:30 send your elementary age children to us for help with homework packets, reading, and math.

With Covid downtime many kids have fallen behind. Your Brickworks team has volunteers to help your little ones with their homework and their reading habits. Healthy snacks, smiles, and free library books are included! Please text Amber Lightsey at (404) 731-3621 to sign your children up for this program.

CLASSES: Toddler Tuesday, November 1st at 10 am in the Library. Ages 1-4 with an adult present. Miss Nan will be talking about the alphabet, colors, and numbers with stories and songs for your little ones. Sign up on our website, communitybrickworks.org This is a free class.

Crochet/knitting class will continue until November 17th with instructor Haley Dobbs. Thursdays, from 4-6 pm in the library. The cost for the month of November is $18.00. Materials needed for the class: 1 skein of yarn, 5mm crochet hook, straight 26

work? Reading? Math? knitting needles, scissors. Please sign up on our website.

Just in time for Winter, we will have a fleece blanket making class in November. Check our website for date and time.

No game night for the month of November due to holiday gatherings.

Community Brickworks has tutors available every Tuesday from 4-5:30 to help! We offer free tutoring, free

All classes will end after November 17th for the holiday season. Classes will resume in January. Please check our website for class registrations and payment.

smiles, free healthy

FOOD BANK: We have several new clients, having served over 40 families during the month of October.

We are preparing Thanksgiving meals for our clients to be given out the middle of November. We are grateful for the contributions from Providence Baptist Church and Acton Academy. Your donations help us to prepare over 40 boxes of Thanksgiving meal items for families to prepare.

Our thanks to Southside Church of Chatt Hills for giving us over 50 boxes of healthy snacks for our families to enjoy during the winter months. These snacks provide a little something extra during the school day and much needed meals over the

take home. What could

snack, and a free library book to check out to

be better? Contact Amber Lightsey at (404) 731-3621 to sign up. weekends and holidays for our local families.

Thank you to all who are donating food.

Lisa Remley Community Brickworks CommunityBrickworks.org

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City Government Our City Communication Systems [The purpose of this month’s letter is to detail a significant improvement made to City communication systems in response to exigencies created by the pandemic and ongoing needs of our citizens.]

In late March of 2020, our operations had to shift a great deal due to the global pandemic. We still had to conduct business as usual, but we had to do it in a much different way. That way quickly became a virtual, using an online platform to conduct business meetings. When the meetings were 100% virtual, things seemed to work okay as long as everyone online had decent internet service as well as the proper equipment. Fortunately, we shortly transitioned to in-person meetings while following the CDC pandemic protocols. However, we continued to allow access via a virtual platform, which became a much more challenging hybrid way of facilitating meetings.

Initially, we stumbled through this process using my personal Microsoft Surface computer and our current audio-video configuration. The camera on the laptop that was being used in a very clunky manner was replaced with remote control camera in order to capture the Mayor and Council, staff and audience with video images. We seemed to do okay with this configuration, except for some deficiency in sound quality; those who were not accessing the meetings online had a hard time hearing the discussion.

We found a fix by using a small speaker to capture the sound for those who were online. This simple fix helped some, but we still struggled with clarity.

Another deficiency that has been highlighted as a result of the pandemic is our lack of technology to project and share presentations with those in-person and online.

To do so, we had to locate an older laptop that would connect to the outdated projector system, which could not be seen by those online. Viewing this one and only screen was also difficult for both those in attendance as well as the Mayor, Council, and staff. There was and is clearly a need for newer technology such as smart TVs that can be mounted and seen by all in attendance, cordless mics, and a multi-camera system to capture live video to stream.

Earlier this year, I began seeking quotes for a new AV system for the Council Chambers. I reached out to several entities, most of which were non-responsive. I was able to get a response and site visit from a Powder Springs

Robert T. Rokovitz, MPA, ICMA-CM

company, Above the Cloud Media, doing business with MG Systems, Inc. They provided a quote that would address all of our issues.

However, this was not a budgeted item and the cost was more than I was planning to spend. I received another quote from a company based in Panama City, Florida after that. Unfortunately, that quote was exponentially higher than the previous quote, so I continued to seek some in-house solutions.

During this time, we received notification that the State and Local Federal Relief Funds (SLFRF) as authorized through the American Rescue Plan ACT (ARPA), could be used for any governmental service for cities that received less than $10,000,000. We qualify as we received only $1,238,526. This updated and final rule provided us with the latitude to pursue the acquisition of a much-needed AV system that would address all of the deficiencies we experienced during the pandemic and ever since.

At the September City Council Meeting, staff recommended awarding MG Systems, Inc. a contract for the purpose of providing audio and video equipment and installation at a cost not to exceed $48,422.87. As I am writing this article, this new system is being installed.

This will be a game-changer for us with regard to visual presentations and sound quality for those in person as well as those remoting in from another location using a virtual platform.

Thus far, the Council has approved SLFRF for recruitment and retention bonuses for a total of $427,000 over fiscal year 2023 and the Audio and video equipment at $48,423 for the Council Chambers. Other uses of these funds include the renovations for City Hall to expand offices for Community Development at $21,693, and installation of carpet. That equates to a total of $505,088 spent or obligated, leaving $733,438 to be spent over the next four years. While the carpet installation was $7,972, the actual carpet was donated to the City. SLFRF are not required to be obligated until December 31, 2024 and must be fully expended by December 31, 2026.

[Hopefully this account offers a window into the kinds of decision-making processes and related accounting the administration works through on a regular basis. By responding flexibly to changing needs, we will maintain our forward momentum in Chattahoochee Hills.]

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City Government

Calls to 911, but no ambulance to help?

Grady woes impact south Fulton

By Dylan Jackson, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Oct 13, 2022 full article: https://bit.ly/3U5eKNJ Chattahoochee Hills Fire Chief Greg Brett invested in an ambulance several years ago to provide care in his South Fulton community where Grady is awarded transport license but with more than 30 minutes before arrival time, cannot provide for acute life and death situations in the area.

Chattahoochee Hills doesn’t have a state license to transport patients. That hasn’t stopped the city’s fire department from helping those in need. The department has used a provision in state law that makes an exception if there is not a licensed ambulance available to transport a critical patient.

Fire chief Greg Brett said his department purchased an ambulance dedicated to transporting patients who require immediate medical attention when there is no Grady ambulance available.

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Chief Brett is at the fire station Thursday, Oct 6, 2022 with the ambulance that transported 2 patients in September alone and was paid for partly by the community. (Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) On Sept. 14, a woman called 911 to report a severe car crash she witnessed in Chattahoochee Hills.

“The lady that we saw lying on the floor, she’s up and walking, but she’s in shock,” the caller said.

The fire department was dispatched and arrived within five minutes. They discovered one of the drivers was losing consciousness and had what appeared to be a broken arm. Firefighters and law enforcement on the scene requested an ambulance three times. Each time they were told there were none available — a level zero case, records show. The firefighters decided to use the city’s ambulance to transport the injured driver to AMC downtown, records show.

“Who wouldn’t do that?” Chief Brett said. “Whether its in your own personal car or a fire engine or a dump truck or an unlicensed ambulance, who wouldn’t want to be able to take a patient as fast as they could?”

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Action Minutes ~ Regular Meeting of the Mayor and Council City of Chatt Hills October 4, 2022 / 6:00 p.m.

City Government Call to Order All members present.

Review and Approval of Agenda Amended as follows: 1. Add Agenda Item No. 22-060, consideration to change the date of the October 27, 2022 Work Session. Passed 5-0

F Lots – property consists of three parcels on the west side of Watkins Road connecting to Hutcheson Ferry Road and three parcels on the east side of Watkins Road. Passed 5-0 2.

Item 22-051: Ordinance to amend the Official Zoning Map to Rezone 69.48 acres from the RL (Rural) District to the HM-MU (Mixed-Use Hamlet) District – property consists of multiple parcels on the west side of Atlanta Newnan Road surrounding the original first phase of Serenbe. First read only. No action will be taken.

3.

Item 22-052: Ordinance to approve a Special Use Permit for a Country Inn and a Special Use Permit for an Event Center, Large, in the RL (Rural) District and for all other purposes related thereto – property is located at 4450 Cochran Mill Road and 4777 Cascade Palmetto Hwy. First read only. No action will be taken.

4.

Item 22-053: Ordinance for a Variance to the Required Zoning District – request is to reduce the required district buffer from 150 feet to 60 feet in the front, 50 feet in the rear, and 25 feet on the sides for property located at 10455 Atlanta Newnan Road. First read only. No action will be taken.

5.

Item 22-054: Ordinance for a Variance to the Minimum Front Yard Setback in the RL (Rural) District – request is to reduce the minimum required front setback from 60 feet to 50 feet for property located at 9455 Glacial Lane. First read only. No action will be taken.

6.

Item 22-055: Ordinance for a Variance to the Minimum Side Yard Setback in the RL (Rural) District – request is to reduce the required side setbacks from 25 feet to 15 feet for 34 lots located 8999 Cedar Grove Road. First read only. No action will be taken.

7.

Item 22-056: Ordinance for a Variance to the Limitations on the Location of Accessory Structures in the RL (Rural) District – request is to allow an accessory structure in the first layer (front yard) of property located at 10100 Rivertown Road. First read only.

No action will be taken.

Approval of Minutes 1. Minutes of the Regular Meeting of September 6, 2022 Passed 5-0 Presentations / Proclamations 1. National Firefighters Memorial Day – October 9, 2022 Staff Reports Financial Update: Robbie Rokovitz Fire Department Report: Greg Brett Police Department Report: Jim Little Public Works/Parks Report: Darold Wendlandt Community Development Report: Mike Morton Public Hearing 1. Item 22-043: Public Hearing and Action on an Ordinance to amend the Official Zoning Map to Rezone 110.88 acres from the RL (Rural) District to the HM-MU (Mixed-Use Hamlet) District and for a Variance to the minimum required District Buffer in the HM-MU (Mixed-Use Hamlet) District – property consists of three parcels on the west side of Watkins Road connecting to Hutcheson Ferry Road and three parcels on the east side of Watkins Road. Passed 4-1, Bettis opposed 2.

Item 22-044: Public Hearing and Action on an Ordinance to approve a Special Use Permit for a School, Pre-K through 12, Large, in the HM-MU (Mixed-Used Hamlet) District and for all other purposes related hereto – the application is for six parcels located in the Serenbe Hamlet. Passed 5-0

Unfinished Business (None) New Business 1. Item 22-050: Approval of a Concept Plan for Serenbe

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City Government 8.

9.

Item 22-057: Memorandum of Understanding with Fulton County School System to cooperate in certain collaborative activities related to law enforcement on school property, as well as safety near school property.

Passed 5-0 Item 22-058: Consideration to amend Position Control to add an Economic Development and Convention and Visitors Bureau Director position. Motion to defer passed 5-0

10. Item 22-059: Consideration of a request from Serenbe Properties to add and fund a raised crosswalk on Watkins Road. Passed 4-1, Searle opposed 11. Item 20-060: Consideration to change the date of the October 27, 2022 Work Session. Motion to change the date to October 26 passed 5-0 Adjourn Meeting The meeting adjourned at 7:51 p.m.

IMPORTANT VOTING DATES Nov. 4 Nov. 8

Last day of Early Voting General Election 7:00am-7:00pm City Hall, 6505 Rico Road

Help Lines In light of the dramatic increases in the rates of suicide, and overdose we're seeing in our state due to COVID-19, the community could really benefit from having the support resources made readily available to them.

Georgia Crisis Hotlines GA CARES Warm Line: 1-844-326-5400 Peer2Peer Warm Line: 1-888-945-1414 Georgia Crisis & Access Line: 1-800-715-4225 The Crisis Text Line - Free text line that serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to 24/7 support and information via texting. Text HOME to 741-741 from anywhere in the USA or Canada, anytime, about any type of crisis.

National Crisis Hotlines Veterans Crisis Line - 1-800-273-8255 National Sexual Assault Hotline - 1-800-656-4673 National Domestic Violence Hotline - 1-800-799-7233 Suicide Prevention Stop A Suicide Today - Helpful website that provides suicide prevention information for someone experiencing suicidal thoughts, their friends, and family.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800-273-8255 This national lifeline provides free confidential support 24/7, 365 to anyone who is suffering from a mental health crisis that involves thoughts of suicide.

Overdose Prevention The Summit Wellness Group - An in-depth overdose prevention guide that includes over 30 different resources, as well as drug-specific signs of an overdose.

The Georgia Overdose Prevention Project - An advocacy and prevention organization that provides information on Georgia's amnesty laws when it comes to helping an overdose victim as well as providing free naloxone kits to Georgians through the mail.

Addiction Resources In The Rooms - Resource for finding virtual Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings 24/7.

National Institute on Drug Abuse - Helpful suggestions and resources on finding addiction treatment centers for friends or family members struggling with addiction.

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City Government City Hall Art Room Renovation Update A lot of work has gone into the room renovation by area residents: Peter Clemens, Joey Mitchell, Greg Sudmeier, Ishmael Holoman, George Danusis, and Chris Jones from the Bridge Group, plus Ted & Maribeth Wansley, Ken Shepard, Malinda Lively-Arnold, Mitchell Wilson and his great TLC Crew. Local interior designer, Mary H. Johnson, arranged for donated Benjamin Moore paint with their distributor at Village Paint, located at 935 W Lanier Ave #2000, Fayetteville, GA 30214. Thanks to all!

The Chatt Hills Artists Group is a registered 501(c)(3) charity, so we can receive qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from an IRA. The Chatt Hills Artist Co-op Inc. (CHAC) is organizing this fundraiser. We are member-supported and consist of The Chatt Hills Gallery at Serenbe and The Paint Space.

After attaining nonprofit designation in 2018, we immediately embarked on a mission to help Chattahoochee Hills residents explore their creativity and express their own voices through art.

Your tax-deductible financial contribution can make all the difference. The completed renovation will provide an artistic space that will offer a variety of art classes and workshops for Chattahoochee Hills residents.

Just $3,000 to go! We are almost there! https://donorbox.org/chattahoochee-hills-city-art-room-renovation

let’s vote

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Trending Topic

Community & City

City of Chattahoochee Hills, City Hall, 6505 Rico Rd, Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268, Phone: (770) 463-8881, www.chatthillsga.us

City of Chatt Hills: www.chatthillsga.us Chatt Hills Charter School: http://www.chatthillscharter.org/calendar Community Brickworks: www.communitybrickworks.org Serenbe Community: www.serenbe.com Acton Academy at Serenbe: http://actonacademyatserenbe.com/#ourstory

Event We will be scheduling Special Called City Council meetings as dictated by circumstances. These will be virtual and open to the public.

The City will take the following safety precautions: • The City Council room will be set up so that the council and staff are all at least 6’ apart.

• Any citizen attendees who want to attend in person will also be separated by at least 6’; capacity will be limited to the number of seats that can fit in the room under those conditions.

• The meeting will be streamed live. Check details on the City’s website.

About Chatt Hills News The official newsletter of the City of Chattahoochee Hills, Chatt Hills News, is published monthly. This publication is compiled from submissions from the community and is available in public locations around the City, at City Hall, or via email subscriptions.

Email Subscriptions: To subscribe via email, visit the City’s Website: www.chatthillsga.us Or subscribe directly at this link: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/w9cGwxA

City Council Meeting - Tues., Nov. 1, 6:00 pm City Hall - 6505 Rico Road, Chatt Hills, GA 30268 Parks Commission Meeting - Tues., Nov. 8, 6:00 pm City Hall - 6505 Rico Road, Chatt Hills, GA 30268 Planning Comission Meeting - Thurs., Nov. 10, 6:30 pm City Hall - 6505 Rico Road, Chatt Hills, GA 30268 Historic Commission Meeting - Mon., Nov. 14, 6:30 pm City Hall - 6505 Rico Road, Chatt Hills, GA 30268 Town Hall Meeting - Thurs., Nov. 17, 6:30 pm City Hall - 6505 Rico Road, Chatt Hills, GA 30268

by the 15th of every month for publication on the 1st of the month to: chatthillsnews@chatthillsga.us

2023 PARKING PASSES NOW AVAILABLE The parking passes for Cochran Mill Park are now available. Visit City Hall for your application. The fees are as follows: • Residents – free • Annual car/truck - $25 • Annual 3+ axels - $35

Print Copies: Residents of Chatt Hills who do not have Internet may request mailed copies by calling City Hall (770) 463-8881.

Article / Event Submissions: If you have a story, event, or suggestion for future articles, we’d like to hear from you. Please submit your information 32

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