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Experience Gwinnett Place again and
see vast improvements
By
Mark Williams
Chairman, Gwinnett Place CID
Special to GwinnettForum.com
DULUTH, Ga., Nov. 27, 2007 -- The holiday season is yet upon us.
These busy times bring with them a heightened interest in finding
that perfect gift or the right location to hold that extra-special
family or corporate gathering.
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Williams
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The Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District (CID) has been
busy making changes and upgrades just in time for the holidays.
It includes removing illegal signs and collecting trash in the public
right-of-ways, to maintaining area landscaping and planning for
long-range traffic upgrades. Also on tap in the future is replacing
the Pleasant Hill Road/I-85 bridge, as well as crafting a redevelopment
strategy to transform the area into Gwinnett's urban center. The
Gwinnett Place CID is working full-time to support Atlanta's most
vibrant and energetic community.
We believe this year's holiday season will be one of the most exciting
in the history of Gwinnett Place as families visit our retail stores,
hotels, restaurants and other attractions. With world-class shopping
destinations just a short drive from your home, you can choose from
thousands of shopping venues at Gwinnett's foremost retail super
center, and you will be sure to find something for everyone on your
holiday list. While you are shopping, treat yourself to one-of-a-kind
dining from the grand to fast food. And, if you have guests coming
in town for the holidays, be sure to check-out one of Gwinnett Place's
hotels and enjoy all the comforts of home with first-class amenities,
great location and value.
Those coming to Gwinnett Place will find many new stores and renovated
establishments that you have enjoyed for years. Our area is benefiting
from millions of dollars in reinvestments being made by commercial
property owners and business leaders that realize the strength of
Gwinnett's foremost retail super center. Businesses are finding
success at Gwinnett Place and are making a reinvestment back into
the area.
And the CID itself is meeting the communitywide enhancement needs
of the District. Among the many improvements area commercial property
owners have funded, the CID has added streetscape enhancements and
colorful "welcome" banners along all of our major roadways
and new gateway monuments along with new sidewalks to make the area
more pedestrian friendly. We have added enhanced landscaping along
the roadways and at the ramps along Steve Reynolds Boulevard and
Pleasant Hill Road. Of course, we continue to plan for the complete
reconstruction of the Pleasant Hill Road/I-85 interchange into a
new single-point urban interchange.
Business leaders are eager to share in the excitement of everything
taking place in greater Gwinnett Place. At the forefront of the
CID's efforts are the members of its Board of Directors: Marcy Adams
of the Atlanta Marriott-Gwinnett Place; Casey Coffey of Gwinnett
Place Ford and Gwinnett Place Nissan; James "Nick" Nicolosi
of Simon Property Group/ Gwinnett Place; Tom Wheeler of Wheeler/Kolb
Management Company; Leo Wiener of Glenwood Development Company LLC;
and Glenn Wisdom of JC Penney.
And our Board of Directors invites you to let us know what you
think about the Gwinnett Place District. We invite you to visit
GwinnettPlaceCID.com to participate in an on-line survey that will
help guide our efforts as we take Gwinnett Place to even greater
success in the heart of Gwinnett County.
Paying for unfunded needs of county could
get hairy
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
NOV. 27, 2007 -- When county commissioners headed to Brasstown
Valley Resort for their retreat November 4-6, they heard detailed
descriptions of how the county is doing, and what is needed for
the future.
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One thing they heard over and over: Gwinnett could not be in the
position it is when it comes to infrastructure without the continual
voter approval of the one-cent sales tax for county operations.
This special purpose local option sales tax brings in $13 million
each month, helping fund the always rising cost of governmental
projects in a county that keeps growing.
Yet with all this money being spent on vital infrastructure improvements,
still there are areas where there are insufficient tax monies to
fund other projects that are sorely needed to help this county move
forward.
Among them:
Transportation: extension of Ronald Reagan Parkway to
Interstate 85; Phase II of the Sugarloaf Parkway extension; improvements
to State Highway 316; widening of Georgia Highway 124 and Harbins/New
Hope Roads; and adding HOV lanes on U.S. Highway 78.
Parks: More open space and greenway acquisition, and completion
of existing community and open space parks.
Public Safety: new police precincts, relocation of existing
and more fire stations; and new medical units.
Library: New branches, relocation and expansion of other
libraries.
Judiciary: A major detention center expansion; relocation
of a Service Center in the Norcross area; and court expansion.
These unfunded capital needs, required in the years 2008-2012,
will cost at least $1.9 billion. If a new SPLOST is approved to
last for four years, that would bring in $797 million, leaving over
$1.1 billion still unfunded.
How would the county meet such obligations?
The county heard discussion of a possible general obligation bond
issue, the collection of impact and use fees, and the possibility
of raising property taxes. It might take all these methods for the
county to get past these immediate, real problems, and offer the
services that Gwinnett citizens demand.
Another possibility exists: the cutting of some county services.
However, in a county that is moving so well, this would be perhaps
as unpopular as raising property taxes, or requiring a bond issue.
Then there raises another possibility: the health of the Gwinnett
economy. While businesses in the county have been running at a high
level of confidence in the last few years, the reality that the
county could be faced with reduced revenues because of business
slowdown must be accepted.
And there is always another scenario to scare the county commission
(and the school board, too). The SPLOST tax is one that sunsets.
It is not a tax that continues forever. Voters give their approval
for a specific list of projects, to be funded if the sales tax collections
are high enough to produce that limited amount of revenue. Voters
could, at any SPLOST proposal, turn down that idea.
That makes it more important than ever for the county commission
to demand and ensure that every SPLOST project is both needed and
efficiently built. Gwinnett has had an exemplary record in spending
SPLOST funds in the past, which should ensure voter approval. It
would be a sad day, and put the county in emergency straits, without
continued SPLOST approvals.
Holding a retreat is good for our commissioners. It lets them take
a long look at where our county is going, and how we will pay for
its needs, plus puts on the table the tough issues. Now the job
is to work hard to solve these issues.
 The
public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com
to you at no cost to readers. Today's featured sponsor is The
Gwinnett Center, which is home to three distinct facilities
right here in Duluth. The Convention Center offers patrons the opportunity
to host or attend a wide variety of events; from corporate meetings
and trade shows to social occasions. The Performing Arts Center
has an intimate capacity of 700 guests, which is home to many local
events, family shows and even the occasional comedic performer.
The Arena, coming up on its fifth year, has experienced tremendous
success. The fall lineup included American Idol, The Cure, Bob Dylan,
So You Think You Can Dance, Maroon 5, The Blue Man Group, Casting
Crowns, Hannah Montana, and the ECHL American Conference Champions
Gwinnett Gladiators. We welcome the return of the Georgia Force
for their 2008 season. We are also proud to announce that the Gwinnett
Center is now completely wireless to meet your technological needs.
Visit www.gwinnettcenter.com
for updates on events at the three great facilities.
Pedestrian
infrastructure and walkability enhancement for all
Editor, the Forum:
Excellent article
on sidewalks! Thank you for raising awareness about the wisdom
of building pedestrian infrastructure.
Walkability enhances safety, health and commerce. It seems like
more and more people are coming around to the idea that walking
is a legitimate, and maybe even favorable, mode of transportation
that must be supported with transportation funding and infrastructure.
Our public spaces have long been designed in a way that limits access
to walkers.
Even drivers who want to walk across the street for lunch choose
to drive rather than risk crossing where there are no sidewalks,
ramps, crosswalks or signals in sight. It's more expensive - in
terms of money and lives lost - to retrofit roadways with pedestrian
facilities and right of way than it is to install them in the first
place. Thank you!
-- Michael Orta, Decatur
Ex-pat says sidewalks
common in rural areas of Europe
Editor the Forum:
Interesting item on sidewalks, especially since I and my family
and others who have lived overseas for any time and are so used
to having sidewalks in the most rural of areas, have commented about
it when back in suburban United States, including Gwinnett. My daughter
especially notices it when visiting friends in Gwinnett and thinks
it quite odd, the absence of the sidewalks.
-- Larry Zani, Kaiserslauten, Germany
Feels Lilburn council
talking out of both sides of mouth
Editor, the Forum:
Allow me to agree with you on backing Lilburn on its policy on
art (Nov.
13, '07). Many clean and beautiful developments include art
in their location. One may even argue a developer-designed landscape
is an artistic impression already.
However, the city of Lilburn has to accept the real definition
of art. If art is expression, then why do they ban one form of expression?
Art galleries throw galas that include alcohol. In Lilburn, Karaoke,
a form of artistic expression, is banned in places that serve alcohol,
so the City Council appears to be talking out of both sides of their
mouth. This does not paint a pretty picture on the residents.
Therefore, until Lilburn allows the freedom of expression (Karaoke)
in Lilburn restaurants, there is only one word that describes Lilburn's
stance: hypocritical.
-- Adolfo Ponce de Leon ("Tito Latino"), Lilburn
Gwinnett
Tech plans 3rd wellness fair on Thursday
Gwinnett Technical College is hosting a health and wellness fair
on Thursday, November 29, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., offering
an array of free health screenings and services to students and
the community on the college's campus in front of Building 100.
In addition to the free health services, the fair will also feature
complimentary massages, facials, a relaxation room, healthful snacks,
entertainment and raffle prizes.
The third annual health and wellness fair is expected to be the
biggest one yet. The fair provides GTC students hands-on experience
using applicable skills they learn in class and in return, provides
a necessary service to the community. For instance, students from
the surgical technology program will be taking blood pressure before
and after participants enter a relaxation room. Similarly, cosmetology
students will be offering free makeovers, and respiratory therapy
students will be testing participants' oxygen levels and educating
them on how the various levels relate to their overall health.
Local businesses will also be participating in the fair, offering
free services and samples to health fair participants. Some of the
business/organization participants include:
BeautiControl
Breast Cancer Survivor's Network
Chick-Fil-a
Goodman Chiropractic Clinic
GNC
Isogeniz
Lash Agency
LifeLink of Georgia
ProChiropractic of Gwinnett
Sevanada Natural Foods
State Farm
Super Cool Smoothie Company
The Vitamin Shoppe
The Woodhouse Day Spa
For more information on the Gwinnett Tech health and wellness fair,
contact Rachel Mariano at (678) 226-6341.
Duluth Hometown Holidays
plans lots of special events
Get into the spirit of the season at Duluth's Hometown Holidays
by taking part in the special events offered throughout December
in downtown Duluth.
An Enchanted Forest, train rides, Holiday Shops, visit with Santa,
arts and crafts, carolers, food and our annual Lighting of the Tree,
will all help bring the holiday spirit to Duluth! The Enchanted
Forest is a festival of trees sponsored by local businesses, civic
and other groups. Take a stroll with your family and vote for your
favorite.
Hometown Holidays takes off with the Hometown Holiday Festival
on December 1 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on December 2 from 10 a.m.
to 6 p.m. To cap off the night on Saturday, December 1 the annual
Duluth tree lighting (sponsored by the Duluth Fall Festival Committee)
begins at 6:30 p.m. Santa will arrive in a surprise fashion! Entertainers
will include BB Harris Elementary Chorus, vocalists.
On Sunday, December 2 enjoy a wine tasting sponsored by the Park
Café and Atlanta Classic Cars of Duluth from 2 p.m. to 6
p.m. in addition to all the other activities continuing with the
Hometown Holiday Festival.
The Enchanted Forest will be open on December 1-2, and 8-9 (Saturday
and Sunday) as will train rides. Additionally, Radio Disney will
be sponsoring "Jingle Jam" at the Duluth Festival Center
and Amphitheater on Sunday, December 23 at 2 p.m. For more information
and a complete schedule of events visit www.duluthga.net.
New art exhibit at
historic courthouse is from Kudzu artists
Pinckneyville Park Community Center and the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse
will sponsor a group exhibition titled "Frost on the Kudzu"
from December 4 to February 27. The exhibition will be presented
at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse in downtown Lawrenceville. Hours
are 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. until
2 p.m. on Saturday.
The exhibition will feature two-dimensional works by members of
the Kudzu Art Zone organization. It is an innovative non-profit
artist organization in Gwinnett County whose goal is to offer a
forum and strong voice for the local artist community.
Exhibiting artists are Rigsby Barnes, Lois Coburn, Cynthia Corbin,
Charlotte Erickson, Susan Faircloth, Jeanine Fortin, Ellie Harold,
Kathy Kitz, Anne LaBaire, Jim Mengasen, Beth Moody, Ron Percio,
Harilee Santoro, Kati Sellers, Melanie Chesnutt Sheldon, Shirley
Shepard, Debra Barnhart Smith, Neva Spell and Rosemary Benavides
Williams.
For more information call Pinckneyville Park Community Center at
770-417-2200 or visit www.gwinnettparks.com.
Sugar Hill LDS choir's
3rd Yule concert is Dec. 16
The Sugar Hill Latter Day Saints Choir will perform its annual
Christmas concert, themed "God Bless Us Everyone," on
Sunday, December 16, at 7 p.m. This marks the third year the choir
has performed the free community concert.
The performance will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, Sugar Hill Stake Center, at 4833 Suwanee Dam Road. Taking
their theme from the Dickens Christmas Carol, the concert will feature
classic Christmas pieces with a different twist and guest musical
performances.
The 60-voice Sugar Hill LDS choir, named in 2006 as one of the
top church choirs in Gwinnett County, is directed by Pamela Gates
and draws its members from Dawson, Hall, Gwinnett and Forsyth Counties.
The choir draws participates from Buford, Cumming, Dahlonega, Dawsonville,
Flowery Branch, Gainesville, Lawrenceville, Oakwood, Sugar Hill
and Suwanee. The all-volunteer choir always performs for free and
is accompanied by Eric Kristjanson of Lawrenceville and Michelle
Whetten of Suwanee.
The Sugar Hill LDS Choir has performed for key holiday celebrations
for the cities of Norcross, Suwanee, Sugar Hill and Gainesville
with musical events including July 4th, Memorial Day and Christmas.
The choir's springtime performance includes a joint, two-day concert
with the 50-piece Gwinnett Community Band under the direction of
Ron Brooks.
For more information, contact Cindi Pickett at 678.714.0036 or
Visit the choir's website at www.sugarhillldschoir.com.
Youth
Cowboy Poetry Contest deadline is Feb. 1
The Booth Western Art Museum of Cartersville announces the 2007-2008
Annual Georgia Youth Cowboy Poetry Contest for students in grades
5-12. Entries are being accepted now through Feb. 1, 2008. The contest
is being held in conjunction with the fifth Annual Southeastern
Cowboy Gathering sponsored by the Booth Western Art Museum.
The contest is open for students throughout the state of Georgia
in the following grade levels: five and six, seven and eight, and
nine through twelve. Students will select from topics relative to
the theme, 'The Spirit of the American West.' The top 15 finalists
in each grade category will compete at the Booth Western Art Museum
on Saturday, March 8, 2008 as part of the Cowboy Gathering. Three
finalists will then return to the Booth to compete for cash prizes
in the final competition on Saturday, April 19, 2008 in honor of
National Cowboy Poetry Week.
Doc Stovall, entertainment and sponsorship manager at the Booth
Western Art Museum, says: "Cowboy poetry is an art form that
brings out the creative side of students. It enables them to hone
skills of reading, research, writing, self-expression and memorization.
It improves their confidence, poise and public speaking skills."
In addition to the contest, the Booth Museum will offer free cowboy
poetry workshops conducted by working cowboy poets that will cover
several topics including the basic structure of poems, rhyme schemes
and patterns, and presentation of the poetry.
Entry applications are available online at www.boothmuseum.org.
For more information on the 2007-2008 Annual Cowboy Poetry Contest,
contact Doc Stovall at 770-387-1265 or at DocS@boothmuseum.org.
- An invitation: What
Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your
best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have
read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus
what book you plan to read next. --eeb
Georgia
Archives date back to 1918 to preserve records
The Georgia
Archives, a division of the office of the Secretary of State,
was created in 1918 by the Georgia General Assembly. The mission
of the archives is to serve state and local governments and the
people of Georgia by identifying, selecting, preserving, and making
accessible the records that constitute the state's recorded history;
by documenting state government decisions; and by aiding local government
to meet open records requirements.
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Georgia
Archives
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Among the items collected at the archives are colonial and state
laws dating to 1755, official records, Civil War records, land records,
private manuscripts, and the Vanishing Georgia Project. Highlights
of the collection include a rare signature from Button Gwinnett
(a signer of the Declaration of Independence from Georgia), a letter
from George Washington, and a copy of the royal charter establishing
the colony of Georgia in 1732.
From the mid-1940s until the mid-1990s, the archives used microfilm
to make preservation and access copies of records. Current technology
enables the archives to scan records and make digital copies more
widely accessible. David Carmicheal, named director of the archives
in 2000, envisioned making images available through an online database.
In 2005 the archives launched the Virtual Vault, a database available
on the Georgia Archives Web site that includes digital images of
maps, photographs, plans, drawings, and other documents.
The present-day Georgia Archives, located on Jonesboro Road adjacent
to Clayton State University in Morrow, is housed in a building that
received a 2005 Library Building Award, given by the American Institute
of Architects/American Library Association. The four-story structure,
completed in 2003, comprises 177,000 cubic feet and is large enough
to contain the archives' holdings, which include 10,000 state and
county maps; 20,000 books and periodicals; 30,000 reels of records
on microfilm; 100,000 photographs; and 1.5 million land grants and
property maps.
The southeastern branch of the National Archives and Records Administration
is located next door to the archives. The partnership between the
Georgia Archives and the National Archives is unique in the nation;
genealogists and historians are able to conduct research at both
the state and national archives on the same visit.
Two ways you can count
on our government going
"You will find that the State is the kind of organization
which, though it does big things badly, does small things badly,
too."
-- Economist, Author, Professor, Presidential Counselor and
US Ambassador to India John Kenneth Galbraith (1908 - 2006).
Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves
or comments on any issue to Gwinnett
Forum for future publication.
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MORE: Contact Gwinnett Forum at: elliott@gwinnettforum.com
© 2007, Gwinnett Forum.com. Gwinnett Forum
is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible
social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett
County, Ga. USA.
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