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A very busy, and often dangerousintersection in McDonough will soon bemuch safer.

Henry County Commissioners,together with the McDonough City Counciland the Henry County Department ofTransportation, broke ground Monday, June10 on an intersection improvement project

at Phillips Drive and Highway 20/81. Morethan 20,000 vehicles enter the intersectioneach day, and it has been the site of severalaccidents over the past three years.

To alleviate these conditions, theintersection has been redesigned, allowingfor the realignment of Phillips Drive tointersect SR20/81 further east, across from

the henry county update 1

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Regular MeetingsJuly 16th at 6:30 p.m.

Canceled MeetingsJuly 2nd at 9:00 a.m.

Meetings held at: Administration Building

Community Room140 Henry Parkway

McDonough, GA 30253

Commission meetings will air Fridays, Saturdays,

Mondays and Wednesdayson Henry TV Channel 14,

at 9 a.m. & 7 p.m.

Groundbreaking Signals Progress at a BusyMcDonough Intersection

We are now onAT&T U-Verse Channel 99 & Charter Channel 14

June 20, 2013

Henry County Commissioners, together with the McDonough Mayor and City Councilman, County staff and othersparticipated in a groundbreaking for the intersection improvements at Phillips Drive and Highway 20/81.

On May 31, the Henry County CommunityDevelopment Block Grant (CDBG) Program announced therelease of the draft federal fiscal year 2013 Annual ActionPlan as part of the fiscal year 2012-2016 Consolidated Plan.Since the release of the draft plan, the U.S. Department ofHousing and Urban Development (HUD) has published itsCommunity Planning and Development Program FormulaAllocations for FY 2013. As a result of this publication, thecounty has amended its CDBG funding proposals to reflectHUD’s formula allocation for Henry County.

The 2013 allocation is $971,360, about $121,000more than in 2012. The draft Annual Action Plan establishesthe proposed use of these funds for the FY 2013 CommunityDevelopment Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The proposedactivities include the funding of Public Services, HousingRehabilitation, Public Facilities and InfrastructureImprovements and Program Administration.

The County anticipates expending its CDBG FY 2013allocation as follows:

• Public Facilities/Infrastructure Improvements: $471,384

• City of Hampton – Storm Water Improvements $113,000• City of Stockbridge - Community Pool $150,000• Henry County/Municipalities $208,384• Housing Assistance: $160,000• Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity $160,000• Public Services: $145,704• Connecting Henry, Inc. – Operating Assistance $49,704• Hands of Hope Clinic, Inc. – Operating Assistance $30,000• A Friend’s House, Inc. – Operating Assistance $30,000• Flint Circuit Council on Family Violence, Inc. dba Haven House – Operating Assistance $36,000• Planning and Administration: $194,272Citizens and other interested parties are encouraged

to review the draft FY 2013 Annual Action Plan and submittheir written comments during the public comment period,which has been extended thru Friday, July 12, 2013. Areceipt of all comments received will be submitted in the FY2013 Annual Action Plan to HUD on or about Monday,

July 22, 2013. Any comments on the draft Annual ActionPlan must be received in writing by 5 p.m. on Monday, July12, 2013, at the address listed below:

Henry County Board of CommissionersCommunity Development Block Grant Program140 Henry Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253E-mail: sbuckner@co.henry.ga.usCopies of the draft FY 2013 Annual Action Plan as

part of the FY 2012-2016 Consolidated Plan are available forreview at the following locations:

• www.henrycounty-ga.org/CDBG• Henry County Administration Building• Heritage Senior Center• Hidden Valley Senior Center• Fairview Recreation Center• J.P. Moseley Recreation Center• Locust Grove Recreation Center• McDonough Public Library• Fairview Public Library• Fortson (Hampton) Public Library• Cochran (Stockbridge) Public Library• McDonough City Hall• Locust Grove City Hall• Hampton City HallThe Board of Commissioners will hold two Public

Hearings on the FY 2013 Annual Action Plan:• Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. • Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. Citizens are encouraged to attend and participate.

The Board will consider adoption of the FY 2013 AnnualAction Plan during the second Public Hearing, which will takeplace during its regularly scheduled meeting in theCommunity Meeting Room of the Henry CountyAdministration Building.

The Administration Building is located at 140 HenryParkway in McDonough. The building is handicap accessible.Persons requiring special accommodations can makearrangements by contacting the Henry County GovernmentCommunity Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program at770-288-7525. The Henry County TDD number is 770- 288-6819.

Henry County Commissioners to Allocate Nearly $1M in CDBG FundsHearings Scheduled to Garner Public Input

www.hen r ycoun t y -ga .o rg

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Remember to whensummer nights meant kickballgames with friends until thestreetlights came on? Well,summer fun on the kickballfield isn’t just for childrenanymore, as CommissionerBruce Holmes AthleticAssociation and Henry CountyParks & Recreation welcomethe 2013 Sweet Lady KickersSummer Kickball League toHenry County, for adult womenbetween the ages of 21 and 50.

Registration for the Sweet Lady Kickers will beheld at Hidden Valley Park on Mondays, June 3, 10, 17and 24 from 6-8 p.m. and on Saturdays, June 1, 8, 15 and22 from 1-3 p.m. The ten-week season begins Saturday,August 3 and runs through September 28, with gamesplayed on Saturdays between 4 and 6 p.m., and playoffsin October.

All games will be held at Hidden Valley Parklocated at 100 Spraggins Memorial Parkway inStockbridge. The fee to register is $115, but space islimited. To enjoy a season of fun and fitness, call678.732.5688 for more information.

Benefit Run/Walk to be Held July 4 Henry County Employees to ReceiveFirst Pay Raise in Five Years

In May, the Henry County Board of Commissionersadopted a FY2014 General Fund Budget of $122,078,834,which included $1.2 million for extra compensation foremployees. At that time, it had not yet been determinedwhether the added compensation would come in the form ofa bonus OR a pay raise of up to 2 percent. At the June 18meeting, Commissioners approved a 1.8 percent across-the-board pay raise for all fulltime and “permanent” part-time employees.

“Our employees work very hard and do a terrific jobfor the County. They deserve a raise,” said Chairman TommySmith. “After a number of years of going without so muchas a cost of living adjustment, and even furlough days, wewanted to do what we could to let our employees know thatthey are valued and appreciated. We wish we could have done more.”

Certain employees will be excluded from receiving thepay raise, however. Elected officials and constitutionalofficers will not receive the raise, nor will temporary and perdiem employees, those employees who receive supplementsor those whose salaries are funded by grants or DATE funds.

The raise will take effect in July, the first month of thenew fiscal year. If this step had not been taken, this wouldhave been the sixth year the employees would have gonewithout any type of pay increase.

For more information about the FY2014 budget,please visit www.henrycounty-ga.org/finance.

HENRY COUNTY D.O.TROAD RESURFACING SCHEDULE

For the week of June 17, 2013Fox Run Lane, Fox Run Court, and Upchurch Road will be resurfaced.*

*Weather permitting.

www.hen r ycoun t y -ga .o rg

With the County seeing a resurgence in constructionand overall building permits up by 36 percent, Countyofficials want to make sure that planning and zoningstandards and conditions continue to be met, by clarifyingHenry County’s Unified Land Development Code (ULDC).

The Henry County Board of Commissioners approvedan amendment the ULDC which will allow the BuildingDepartment’s Director or his designee to withhold permits insituations where zoning conditions have not been met. Theaction came at last night’s regular Commission meeting.

Michael Harris, Division Director for Henry County’sPlanning and Zoning Services Department, said that theamendment clears up any ambiguity that may have existedpreviously in the ordinance and said that clarification wasnecessary because of the uptick in building and constructionprojects throughout the County.

He said have been several cases where a developerbegan the construction, and because of the economicdownturn, stopped building or lost the property to bankforeclosure. He said that when a new developer takes over

the property, they are held to same planning, zoning and codestandards of the original builder.

District IV Commissioner Reid Bowman addressedthe issue during the meeting and said that builders areresponsible for doing their due diligence when purchasingsuch properties and that the onus of meeting zoningconditions remains with the property.

“There are conditions on the property that wereimposed at the time the zoning requests were done and thoseconditions stay with the property,” said Bowman. “That’s thefair way to do it. Conditions stay with the property.”

District II Commissioner Brian Preston also weighed in and said that the County is interested in protecting everyone’s rights, including the builders and the homeowners.

“It’s good for the public to recognize that we’re tryingto also protect the citizens. We have a lot of citizens who livein these subdivisions and we’re trying to make sure everyoneis treated fairly and equitably and make sure that everybodyis represented,” said Preston.

ULDC Amended in Light of Building Resurgence

WIGGLES MARIE • Terrier Mixwww.petfinder.com/petdetail/25965884

I am a sweet and loving soul that needs a lifetime companion to giveme the home that I deserve. I was picked up as a stray, so my friendshere at the shelter do not know anything about my past. If you wouldlike to meet me, then please call my friends at (770) 288-PETS. My I.D.#3/26-0688 please refer to this number when inquiring about me. Lostand stray animals are held at the Henry County Animal Care and ControlShelter for four (4) calendar days (excluding Sundays and county holi-days) in order to give their owners a chance to reclaim them. After thattime period, adoptable animals are held as long as space allows.

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Focus on Transportation ProjectsSpecial guests include Bert Brantley, Deputy Executive Director for the State

Road & Tollway Authority, McDonough Councilwoman Sandra Vincent, Roque Romero, Henry County SPLOST Transportation Director and Terry

McMickle, Henry County Public Works Division Director.

June 22, 2013 • 9am Cross Road Christian Church

5365 North Henry Blvd. in Stockbridge

INTERSECTION From Page 1

Autumn Lake Drive, as well as the installation of a trafficsignal and turn lanes for all directions at the intersection. Asa result, this project is expected to dramatically improve thesafety for all those traveling through this area of McDonoughand make it easier to enter Highway 20/81 from Phillips Drive.

“It is so important to the citizens of McDonough andall county residents. This has been a bad intersection. Theyhave had numerous accidents at this intersection, so this isa project that the City and the County is working together onand it’s so important to everybody,” explained CommissionerGary Barham.

Touting the project as “One Henry at work,”McDonough City Councilmen and Commissioners bothshared their gratitude for the partnership, which has enabledthe project to move forward after being “on the books” for anumber of years. The two entities have an intergovernmentalagreement to split the cost of the $1.5 million intersectionimprovement project as follows:

• Henry County: $642,580.41• City of McDonough SPLOST: $300,000• City of McDonough (via LMIG): $600,000*“We have been working as a partner on this since

2006, and more particularly, the last six months, to developa master plan for this intersection, which is probably one ofthe most serious in Henry County, and certainly for the Cityof McDonough,” said McDonough Mayor Billy Copeland. “I

am so excited about this event today. I applaud TerryMcMickle, the Chairman of the County Commission, and allthe Commissioners for their support for City Officials, whocame together for a partnership, and once you have apartnership you have a win-win situation, and that is what wehave here today.”

The project was designed by McGee Partners and willbe constructed by Southeastern Site Development. It isexpected to be complete by early Spring 2014.

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