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Gwinnett Tech to become host of Senior Leadership Gwinnett
By Dana Urritia
Special to GwinnettForum.com

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., Oct. 26, 2007 -- Gwinnett's Senior Leadership program has gained new life -- and program days for the new Senior Leadership class will begin in September 2008, after a one year hiatus.

The new host for the Senior Leadership program is Gwinnett Technical College. Sharon Rigsby, president of Gwinnett Technical College, says that the College welcomes the opportunity to host the program.

"We are delighted to be coordinating the Senior Leadership program and to lend our staff and resources to this great effort," Rigsby adds. "The program is a wonderful way to support and encourage these leaders as they continue to share their talents and experience for the betterment of our community."

Planning is underway for the new 2008-9 program year under the guidance of Elliott Brack, chairman of the Senior Leadership Board of Trustees, and Steering Committee Chair, Pat Swan, Senior Leadership Class of 2003. Senior Leadership alumni and community partners are involved in program day planning and alumni activities events.

The program offers those over age 55, whether working or retired, a variety of opportunities to learn in detail about life in Gwinnett. The program seeks to draw upon the experiences of its class members to stimulate them to participate fully in Gwinnett life

The program began in 1998 under the guidance of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, which did not continue the program in 2007. Since its inception, approximately 200 people have participated in the program or are among its alumni.

The program is accepting nominations for class members for the 2008-9 program year which begins with a reception on August 24, 2008, and an orientation on September 17, 2008. A total of eight one-day sessions will be held at different locations throughout the county, and the graduation of the 2008-09 class is set for May 20, 2009. Interested individuals may nominate themselves for the program. Generally, classes are held to a minimum of 30 persons, though more may be included. There is a cost of $500 for each individual included in the program, with partial scholarships available.

Meanwhile, alumni of Senior Leadership Gwinnett are planning a covered dish picnic on October 28 at the home of Grace and Robert Cain in Lawrenceville.

For further information on the program, contact Pat Swan, chair of the Steering Committee, at: 770 623-6002 x210, or by email at sbp6388@aol.com or Senior Leadership Coordinator Lorri Christopher, by email at lchristopher@gwinnetttech.edu, or by phone at 678 226-6316 at Gwinnett Technical College.

Gwinnett has plans for giant water reservoir near Buford
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher

OCT. 26, 2007 - - While the metro area is suffering through the drought of 2007, Gwinnett County has already purchased land to build a water storage reservoir to lessen the impact of future droughts and provide a more stable water supply.

The county's Department of Water Resources put forward a plan prior to 2000 for a giant 223 acre raw-water (untreated) reservoir. Land was purchased in 1999 and 2000 at a cost of $5 million. The property is located behind Buford Elementary School and the American Legion within the cities of Buford and Rest Haven. The site is bound by the Norfolk-Southern Railway and runs parallel to Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. At its closest point, it is 1,700 feet from the Lanier water plant.

When completed, some two years after earth-moving of 800,000 cubic yards begins, the reservoir will be able to store 1.5 billion gallons of water….enough to last Gwinnett County from 12-18 days. However, permits must be obtained from both the Corps of Engineers and from the Environmental Protection Agency of Georgia. Obtaining the permits could take up to two years, but have not been sought as yet.

Currently the county uses approximately 82 million gallons of water a day. Estimated cost of the proposed reservoir is $50 million, to be financed by Gwinnett water and sewer bonds. No increase in a customer's water bill is expected.

The main reason to build the project, says Conrad Gelot, director of the infrastructure system for the Department of Water Resources, is redundancy. "We are always concerned with redundancy in all our systems. If there is any break down, we want to provide a level of service in case there are problems at the lake." However, he said that the reservoir is not in the current six year plan, but that an evaluation of water needs, now under way, would consider the reservoir as one of its projects.

A major benefit of the reservoir is that it will allow the county to pump water into the reservoir at times when energy costs are low---at night, and benefit from peak shaving costs on electricity. In effect, it gives the county more flexibility when it withdraws water from the lake. "It will help even the amount of water we take from the lake during the day."

Gelot also cites the safety aspect of having more back-up storage. The county at present has 64 million gallons of treated water storage in the system, and another 37 million gallons of raw water, but must replenish the supply by continually withdrawing from the lake. The filling of the reservoir, which will take approximately nine months, will take place within the current Gwinnett withdrawal permit limits during low demand periods.

Two earthen dams will be built. The raw water surface area will be approximately 129 acres, with the water at a depth of 50 feet. A 7,200 foot 72 inch pipeline will connect the reservoir and the Lanier Filter plant. This distance is necessitated since the pump station will be on the opposite side of the reservoir from the plant. The county is presently undergoing an evaluation to determine the timing of the construction. It was originally planned to begin in 2002, but delayed because of affordability and prioritizing of projects. (Garland Smith, chairperson of the Water and Sewer Authority, notes that during this time, the water department expanded the Hill Water Reclamation plant and built the new Shoal Creek Filter Plant.)

The reservoir will be purely for water storage, with no recreational elements in the plan.

We applaud the Water Department for its foresight in planning a raw water reservoir, but now wish that the county had pushed the funding and building process. With the current drought a prime example, Gwinnett needs adequate storage of water, which this reservoir will provide.

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today's sponsor is the Gwinnett County Public Library, named Library of the Year 2000. GCPL currently operates 14 branches throughout the county. Library hours are: Monday through Thursday 9a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 1p.m. to 6 p.m. GCPL offers traditional books, magazines, CD books, downloadable audio, music and video, plus online databases such as Morningstar, Science Resource Center, LitFinder and Heritage Quest. GCPL also offers Live Homework Help for students in 4th through 12th grade. It is available online from 2 p.m. until midnight daily, with homework help available for math, science, language arts and social studies. There is no charge for the service and it is available remotely. Many online resources are available. All branches except Centerville offer wireless Internet, serving as a remote office via your computer. The Gwinnett County Public Library also sponsors a number of yearly programs, including the Vacation Reading Program, Gwinnett Reads and, beginning in October of 2007, the Gwinnett Reading Festival. For more information, visit any branch, www.gwinnettpl.org, or call 770-978-5154.

The Snellville Parks and Recreation Department will host the City's annual Fall Carnival sponsored by Emory Eastside Medical Center on Saturday, October 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. at T. W. Briscoe Park. Among the activities will be carnival games, a petting zoo, pony rides, moonwalks, hayride, a storyteller, and costume contests for all ages. The Snellville Lions Club will be selling hamburgers, hotdogs and other treats. Come join the City of Snellville for an evening of community fellowship and family fun!

Volunteers are needed for this event. Those wanting to volunteer should call 770 985-3535.

It's also time in Snellville for the return of the annual Native American Indian Festival, "Touch the Earth with Native People." This event will be held on October 31-November 1 at T.W. Briscoe Park in Snellville between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Among the exhibits will be animals, educational activities and native souvenirs. Learn how native people touched the earth in harmony and balance. Call 1-800-353-7243 for ticket information.

Pinckneyville Park Community Center will sponsor a dual exhibition, "Introspective of Two Spirits," from November 2 through January 24, 2008. An opening reception is set for November 8 from 7 p.m. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. The exhibition will feature two-dimensional works by artists Billie Mathis and Erin McIntosh.

Mathis has been painting watercolors for 37 years. Her paintings have been juried into many regional and national exhibits. She is a signature member, a life member, and the coordinator of the Regional Directors of the Georgia Watercolor Society.

McIntosh graduated with a BFA from the University of Georgia in 2003, and was awarded a painting residency at the Vermont Studio Center in 2004. She served as Exhibitions Coordinator at Tannery Row Artist Colony, and now serves as director of education on the board of The Painted Lion Society. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Drawing and Painting and is teaching as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Georgia State University.

In addition, Pinckneyville Park Community Center will be simultaneously sponsoring a solo exhibition, "Blooming Autumns." The exhibition will feature three-dimensional ceramic works by artist Tameka Hill, who has been working in ceramics for seven years. She holds a BFA with a focus in ceramics from Georgia State University.
The Pinckneyville Park Community Center is located at 4650 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. in Norcross. For more information call 770-417-2200 or visit www.gwinnettparks.com.

On Saturday, October 27, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., the City of Norcross will be holding its bi-annual Clean-up Day. This event is held every fall and spring to assist residents in yard cleaning.

The city will aid residents in disposing of unwanted items. The city will provide dumpsters at the Public Works Barn and at Rossie Brundage Park. Residents can bring items to either of these locations and staff will be on hand to help residents with the unloading of items.

Items not allowed to be disposed in this manner will include auto batteries, large car parts, motors, tires, paint, concrete, and household chemicals. Residents are asked to bring a form of identification to show that they are a Norcross resident.
For questions or additional information, call 770-448-7327 or email probertson@norcross-ga-gvt.com.

Aurora Theatre's Monster Mash Bash has become a Halloween tradition. The fourth annual Monster Mash Bash is also the first in the new Aurora Theatre, set to make this year the biggest one yet. Aurora Theatre will feature the best of Broadway's spooky side in a musical presentation featuring performers from many of their hit musicals with the addition this year of the Peachtree Symphonic Winds performing music from the popular Harry Potter films.

Guests are encouraged, but not required, to come in costume. This spooktactular event includes selections from The Phantom of the Opera, Little Shop of Horrors, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Wicked and much more! The show will be October 30 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20, though $15 to Aurora subscribers.

Georgia Gwinnett College celebrated the opening this week of its new student services center with a GGC-green ribbon-cutting ceremony. From left are: GGC Student Government Association President William Johnson; University System of Georgia Regent Richard Tucker; Regents Chief of Staff Rob Watts; GGC President Daniel J. Kaufman; and GGC Foundation President Gordon Harrison.

Brand Banking Company has expanded its branch network, opening new offices in Buford and Duluth last weekend.

Bartow Morgan, Jr., chief executive officer, says: "We're excited to be expanding our presence into these two growing markets, offering both new and existing customers more service and convenience. We've been growing with Gwinnett for more than a century now and these two new branches certainly represent key locations for us."

The Duluth office anchors the Sugarloaf Corporate building, located at 6224 Sugarloaf Parkway (at I-85 and Sugarloaf Parkway), in the midst of Gwinnett's growing business corridor. The full-service location is on the ground floor of the three-story facility. Susan Davis is the Duluth branch manager. The Brand Bank Building at Sugarloaf Corporate is also home to the Brand Mortgage Group, a subsidiary of the bank.

Abby Petty will serve as the branch manager of the Buford office, located at 2255 Buford Highway (across from Buford City Hall) in Buford Village, a premier mixed-use development featuring professional, retail and commercial offices and residential properties. As part of the Family Fun Day grand opening celebration, Debbie Hill, of Buford, won a $2,500 prize.

Established in downtown Lawrenceville in 1905, The Brand Banking Company's main office is still located on the historic courthouse square. The bank's branch network now includes seven locations, in Buford, Duluth, Flowery Branch, Grayson, Lawrenceville and Snellville, all offering comprehensive personal and business financial services.

The bank's leadership has stayed in the Brand family for more than 100 years. Brand Bank CEO Morgan is the great, great grandson of bank founder E. M. Brand, who started by loaning money from the courthouse steps in Lawrenceville.

Jackson EMC Foundation recently awarded a $5,000 grant to Gwinnett Community Clinic (GCC) as part of their community investment process. The Clinic is a non-profit medical unit providing low cost healthcare to uninsured, indigent residents of Gwinnett County. From left are Akil Raheem, GCC administrator; Margo Hunt, GCC board member; Joyce Britt, Jackson EMC Foundation board member; and Roger Willis, Jackson EMC-Gwinnett district manager. All health care treatment at the clinic is provided by volunteer physicians, nurses, phlebotomists and other allied health providers. For more information about GCC you may contact the clinic office at 770-985-1199.

As part of the University of Georgia's Year 2000 millennial celebration, the University Libraries established the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame-a public awards program and a permanent Internet exhibit honoring Georgia's most influential writers. Although there are a few award programs in the state that recognize specific books, the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame is the first to honor Georgia writers for their overall contribution to our culture.

The organizers also conceived the Hall of Fame as a library reference, or "gateway," program. The annual induction process and the corresponding Internet Hall of Fame exhibit are designed to introduce interested groups to the university's unparalleled collections of Georgia literature and literary source materials.

The Hall of Fame online presence includes a virtual pantheon or "cyberhall" of digital portraits, capsule biographies, and bibliographies of the authors' published works. These lists of published works are compiled from the catalogs of the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library. The staff manages the nomination process of the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame awards program.

The program annually solicits nominations from the public. The Hall of Fame officially opened in April, 2000. At that time the board of judges selected a charter membership of 12 famous writers from Georgia's history. Since then, judges have convened annually to select two new members from among the nominations.

The Georgia Writers Hall of Fame includes Conrad Aiken (1889-1973), Elias Boudinot (ca. 1804-39), Erskine Caldwell (1903-87), Jimmy Carter (b. 1924), Pat Conroy (b. 1945), Harry Crews (b. 1935), James Dickey (1923-97), W. E. B. Du Bois (1868-1963), Henry W. Grady (1850-89), Joel Chandler Harris (1845-1908), Terry Kay (b. 1938), John Oliver Killens (1916-87), Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-68), Sidney Lanier (1842-81), Augustus Baldwin Longstreet (1790-1870), Carson McCullers (1917-67), Ralph McGill (1898-1969), Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), Flannery O'Connor (1925-64), Byron Herbert Reece (1917-58), Lillian Smith (1897-1966), Jean Toomer (1894-1967), and Alice Walker (b. 1944).

From the time of their selection, all living writers are invited to serve three-year terms as ex officio members of the board of judges.

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