GwinnettForum | Number 21.91| Nov. 19, 2021
SHOWCASING THOSE who dare to start, sustain, and succeed, the Gwinnett Chamber held its Small Business Awards recently. Ten category recipients were recognized for exhibiting best business practices and embodying the entrepreneurial spirit. Nick Masino, Gwinnett Chamber president, is at left with the winners. They include: Dr. D. Glenn Cannon, and Darcie Johnson, of Launch Pointe at Gwinnett Technical College, support system award; Anthony Chen, Lighthouse Financial Network, emerging entrepreneur recipient; Jim Lloyd and Maureen Kornowa, Home of Hope at Gwinnett Children’s Shelter, community contributor recipient; Chris Theus, American Painting and Renovations, founder recipient; Barry Adams, Peachtree Awnings, 25+ employees winner; Donna Linden, Trinity Staffing and Career Resources, 0-5 employees award; Daniela and Paul Salamanca, Preferred Roofing Supply, 6-24 employees award; and Jonathan Holmes, Mighty 8th Media, culture creator recipient.
TODAY’S FOCUS: New national infrastructure bill welcomed by wide majority
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Norcross and Buford homeowners benefit from leaf vacuuming
SPOTLIGHT: The Gwinnett Stripers
FEEDBACK: Gwinnett League of Women Voters issues statement on legislation
UPCOMING: Wade Trim is first sustaining partner in Gwinnett’s Water Tower
NOTABLE: County budget for 2022 up 7.8 per cent, but no millage increase
RECOMMENDED: Republican Rescue by Chris Christy, and, Betrayal by Jonathan Karl
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Max Cleland wins close race for seat in U.S. Senate
MYSTERY PHOTO: Big clue awaits you in today’s Mystery Photo
CALENDAR: Frank Sharp’s new photo shows opens November 22 at Duluth Library
New national infrastructure bill welcomed by wide majority
“All Republicans who voted for (the infrastructure bill) should be ashamed of themselves.” — Donald Trump.
By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. | The signed “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” by President Joe Biden is liked by a wide majority of the American voting public with only 24 percent opposing it. Even among Republican voters, only 44 percent are in opposition, despite Trump’s comments and those of other right wingers.
This majority of Trump voters support the infrastructure bill for good reason. According to a 2021 infrastructure report by ASCE (the American Society of Civil Engineers) scoring system, eleven (of 17) category grades of infrastructure were stuck in the “D range” (A range being perfect, and F failing miserably) of facilities or structures needing significant repairs.
But I cringe every time I hear this vital infrastructure bill described by television pundits as “bi-partisan.” Rep. Lauren Opal Boebert of Colorado described the GOP members who voted for it as “RINOs” (Republicans in name only). In fact, “13 traitor Republicans” is how Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia described the GOP House members (none from the South) who voted for the infrastructure bill versus the 200 who voted against it. My own representative was one of these unenlightened Republicans who are obviously opposed to working in a bi-partisan fashion.
GOP House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy, under pressure from conservatives to take action against those Republican House members who supported the bill, did not rebuke Ms. Greene. Does he, therefore, agree that they are traitors because of this one vote? Or is he just gutless and afraid of President Trump, who also criticized the 13?
What’s in the bill that the Democrats passed with almost no GOP House support? Per the non-partisan ASCE, this new law includes major investments in: roads/bridges ($100 billion); rail ($66 billion); broadband internet access ($65 billion); assistance to states/localities in preparing for fires, draughts, etc. ($46 billion); public transit ($39 billion); and ports/waterways ($17 billion).
For the above reasons, the bill was strongly supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which explained why the bill is good for all Americans. Among their reasons are:
- Assisting our competitiveness with China;
- Cutting red tape;
- Ensuring internet access for rural Americans;
- Strengthening agriculture; and
- Addressing the challenges of climate change.
President Biden’s original proposal would have more than paid for the cost of our infrastructure improvements in part by raising corporate taxes. That funding source was pulled out because of conservative opposition, fueled by the usual self-interested corporate interests. As it is, the bill is funded through unused Covid and unemployment monies, as well as superfund fees and increased tax enforcement.
The new law will negatively impact the deficit, says the Congressional Budget Office, the only adverse impact. However, I do not know of any GOP leader (McCarthy, McConnell or Trump) supporting the corporate taxation which would have avoided this deficit issue. Passing a bill which does not negatively affect the deficit will only happen when we have a truly bipartisan proposal plus have responsible leaders in both parties.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Norcross, Buford homeowners benefit from leaf vacuuming
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
NOV. 19, 2021 | Norcross and Buford residents enjoy a special “Cadillac service” three months out of the year. These two cities send around a truck to vacuum up leaves raked to the curb. No other Gwinnett homeowners enjoy such a service. The different county waste haulers require homeowners in other areas to bag their leaves before pick up.
This leaf-vacuuming service is no new service. It’s been going on for over 30 years in Norcross, and much longer, as much as 50 years in Buford. And homeowners love it. The leaves are hauled away to be turned into compost. In Norcross the leaf service runs three months a year, from November 1 until the end of January.
Norcross gets its leaf-hauling through its garbage hauler Waste Management, which in turn contracts with Imagescapes of Duluth for the service. It is part of the city’s garbage fee. Blake Manton of Imagescapes runs his leaf service through Norcross residential areas once a week. He has two trucks, but mainly relies upon one larger truck. Sometimes he has to run as much as seven days a week, “If the leaves are wet after rain. We staff the leaf truck with three people full time during the season,” he adds,“and can usually complete the route in five days.”
Manton’s been collecting leaves in Norcross for over 10 years. “I bought the machine the city was using, and it was a 1992 model. We soon got a new system, and it’s much better. Norcross produces a tremendous amount of leaves. It has much more leaves than Buford, because of Norcross’ dense tree canopy. One of our trucks can hold about 15 cubic yards, and we fill that up often, at least four time a week.
“By the time Christmas gets here, the leaves have stopped falling so heavily, and we don’t pick up as often. Some of the oak tree leaves fall later than others, though we pick up fewer leaves toward the end of the season.” He estimates that it cost him about $45,000 a year to run the leaf truck “not counting equipment.”
To dump the leaves, Imagescapes has to pay Downey Trees of Cumming to accept the leaves, which are combined with other yard waste to become compost. “None of our leaves go to the landfill,” he adds. “It’s part of Norcross being a green community.”
Buford City Commission Chairman Philip Beard says that his city has been vacuuming up leaves “as long as I have been on the Council, and that’s 47 years. And it started well before that. It’s part of our waste hauling, and came from the time about 1973 when we doubled our garbage fee from $1 to $2, where it still stands today.”
Buford’s waste hauling originally stemmed from the time when the Buford area had a “second sheriff” for the Sugar Hill Precinct, and its own precinct court. People sentenced to jail by this court were put to work on the trash detail, costing the city nothing for labor. Eventually the legislature struck down the precinct sheriff, and the city then relied on its paid staff for the trash detail.
Beard says: “We pick up everything our citizens put at the curb as part of our garbage system, trimming, discards, limbs, other trash, and of course leaves during the season. And it still only cost our residents $2 a month.”
One person who lives in another of Gwinnett’s 16 cities who knew about this leaf service in Norcross and Buford says: “I wish our city had that service.”
One problem: both city officials ask residents to avoid blowing leaves into the street, as this results in leaves getting into storm drains.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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Gwinnett League issues statement on legislation
On Monday, the League of Women Voters of Gwinnett issued a statement in response to the proposed legislation in the Special Session of the Georgia General Assembly SB 5EX and SB 6EX, altering school board districts and increasing the number of County Commissioners of Gwinnett County. It read:
“We, the League of Women Voters, believe our democracy is based on active citizen participation. We believe government entities should protect the rights of citizens to know of changes through adequate notice of proposed actions, and to hold open meetings about these proposals. The secretive and rushed processes used for SB 5EX and SB 6EX run contrary to these foundational principles. The promise of American democracy requires including the voices of the people, not excluding them. The brazen attempt to rush through changes to our most local forms of government, our school board and our county commission, not only demonstrates an absence in the merit of the proposals, but a foundational disrespect for democracy itself.
“We will not stand silently in the face of undemocratic dealings. We call on every member of the Georgia Senate to oppose this proposed legislation and allow the local entities and people of Gwinnett to thoroughly consider district lines and organizational structure following the standard process for local legislation, and after citizens have been given adequate notice, and the opportunity to provide input and feedback.”
— Diane Fisher, Peachtree Corners, and Stephanie Wright, Duluth, co-presidents, League of Women Voters of Gwinnett County
Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 300 words, and include your hometown. The views of letters are the opinion of the contributor. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net.
Wade Trim is first sustaining partner in Water Tower
Wade Trim civil engineering firm will be the first sustaining partner and second tenant at The Water Tower Innovation Center, a 55,000 square foot research collective on The Water Tower Global Innovation Hub Campus located in Gwinnett County.
The campus will serve as an accelerator for water innovation by bringing together utilities, technology providers, educational institutions, and other industry partners to conduct applied research, technology innovation, workforce development, and community engagement.
Melissa Meeker, CEO of The Water Tower, says: “Wade Trim’s commitment to advancing the water industry through thought leadership and technical expertise fits perfectly with our mission and we look forward to what our collaboration will bring.”
Based in Detroit, Mich., Wade Trim has offices in nine states, and has had an office in Alpharetta since 2018, which will continue. Consistently ranked in the top 500 design firms, top 200 environmental firms and nationally recognized for innovative solutions, Wade Trim’s operations spans 20 offices in the U.S.
Known for its Wet Weather capabilities, the firm’s focus also includes decades of planning, modeling, treatment, pumping and conveyance projects for water, wastewater, and stormwater projects using conventional or collaborative delivery methods.
Wade Trim is also the first Sustaining Partner of The Water Tower, contributing to the advancement of the water industry through leading-edge programming across the four pillars of applied research, technology demonstration, workforce development, and community engagement. For their first joint endeavor, the partnership between Wade Trim and The Water Tower will support development of an interactive ‘career mapping’ application that will help guide students, mid-career pivoters, and others discover and plan their career in the water industry.
The Water Tower, scheduled to open in March 2022, will have 15 employees at the Water Tower says Christopher M. Haney, senior vice president and director of client services, adding: “Our space will be used to deliver engineering projects with Gwinnett County, support the Water Tower R&D programs, serve other Metro Atlanta client needs and continue to strengthen Wade Trim’s presence in Metro Atlanta” A conveyance network will bring process streams from F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center to the facility to support bench-scale, full-scale, and pilot studies.
Lilburn pop-up farmers market coming on Nov. 20
Lilburn Farmers Market hosts the fourth annual Holiday Pop-Up Market on Saturday, November 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1400 Killian Hill Road. Buy local for the holidays! Food vendors selling produce, mac n cheese, baked goods, jam/jellies, spice mixes, decorated cookies, Cajun sausages, Cajun inspired dishes, Guyanese foods, and honey to make your meals extra special.
Looking for gifts to give? Local pottery, bath/body products, skin care, t-shirts, hot chocolate bombs, spices blends, jewelry, candles, ornaments, cutting boards, and so much more. Don’t forget your pets – we have goodies for them too!
Order online at https://www.localline.ca/lilburn-farmers-market before midnight Thursday. Pick up at the market after 11 a.m. on Saturday. Lilburn Farmers Market is a community event co-sponsored by Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church.
Clark launches campaign to win U.S. Senate seat
Clark
Former Republican Georgia State Representative Josh Clark of Flowery Branch has launched his campaign for U.S. Senate. A lifelong Georgia Republican, he married his childhood sweetheart, Chelsey, and together they’re raising six children, ages 6 to 18, on a small farm in Flowery Branch; Josh has coached them in baseball, basketball, football, and most recently cross-country.
At age 18, he became a distributor for an international nutrition company. Later he launched a successful real estate firm. Today, he is an executive for NeoLife North America, the company for which he began working when 18.
Clark served two terms in the Georgia House of Representatives before returning to private life. He and his family attend Christ Peace Church in Flowery Branch. He grew up on a farm in Gwinnett County, the oldest of ten children.
County budget for 2022 up 7.8%, but no millage increase
Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson presented her proposed budget on Tuesday to guide County government spending for the 2022 fiscal year. The proposed budget for 2022 totals $2.06 billion, up 7.8 percent from the 2021 budget. It consists of a $1.6 billion operating budget and a $454 million capital improvements budget, which includes funds from the county’s voter-approved SPLOST program. She says that the proposed budget does not contemplate a millage rate increase.
The chairman adds: “Building on the County’s historically fiscally conservative approach, we have a budget that is balanced, fiscally sound, and makes intentional investments in our community to address core services, health and human service needs, and ongoing recovery efforts of this pandemic.”
Two-thirds of the operating budget, which funds everyday expenses such as employee salaries, benefits, equipment and repairs, is dedicated to the areas of public safety and public works. New initiatives to be funded by the operating budget include the expansion of mental health response teams in the Gwinnett Police Department in partnership with View Point Health and additional training staff in the Sheriff’s Office. The capital budget will pay for new libraries, roads and parks.
The proposed 2022 budget resolution is available online at GwinnettCounty.com.
Commissioners will hold a public hearing on December 6 and residents can offer input on the County’s website through December 31. Commissioners will consider the new budget on January 4, 2022.
Lawrenceville offering Geographic Info System hub
The city of Lawrenceville is offering a new Geographic Information System (GIS) Hub that utilizes interactive maps and real-time information that help make finding resources a breeze.
The GIS Hub provides a wealth of highly accurate geographic data including, but not limited to, parcels, zoning, street centerlines, addresses, lakes and streams, parks, city limits, and public parking. This resource, available to everyone, can be used in many ways, including identifying sanitation service schedules and public parking and to communicate power outages to utility customers and the current status of important infrastructure improvement projects by city staff. Dozens of map layers combined with descriptive data allow citizens and visitors to visualize and interact with important information within Lawrenceville’s city limits.
Learn about current development projects in Lawrenceville by viewing the Capital Improvements Projects map. This showcases the construction, maintenance, and renovation of public facilities and infrastructure in the city.
Sherman working in communications with chamber
Sherman
Lisa Sherman is the new vice president of marketing and communications for the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, working also with Partnership Gwinnett. Previously Sherman worked as the vice president of external affairs for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. She also was earlier employed at the City of Lawrenceville and worked also at the Chamber and managed product development marketing initiatives for AGCO Corporation in Duluth.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Republican Rescue by Chris Christie, and Betrayal. by Jonathan Karl
From Norm Zoller, Sandy Springs: GwinnettForum has previously recommended Peril, the Woodward/Costa book, which I look upon as a public service. Now I would add that Jonathan Karl’s new book, Betrayal, and Chris Christie’s new book, Republican Rescue, and the House Select Committee’s current hearings about events leading up to and following January 6, all add important information about who did what, when, how, and why concerning the nature and future of our democracy. And more writings and perspectives will doubtless follow. In my opinion we are at a precarious point in our nation’s history, and people need to be and remain informed: more than perhaps in a long time, facts critically matter so that principled judgements may be made.
- An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (150 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. Send to: elliott@brack.net
Cleland wins close race for seat in U.S. Senate
(From previous edition)
Shortly after Max Cleland began his fourth term as secretary of state, U.S. Senator Sam Nunn announced that he would not run for reelection in 1996. Cleland, who had seriously considered a run for governor in 1990, decided that the time was right for him to make a bid for higher office and resigned from his post to campaign for the Senate. Cleland had much less money to spend than his Republican opponent, Atlanta businessman Guy Millner. Cleland won the election by less than one percent of the votes.
Cleland
Once elected, Cleland, as one of six Vietnam War veterans serving in the Senate, became a part of an unusual coalition. The six, despite being divided along party lines, often worked together and developed close friendships. With Republicans John McCain (Arizona) and Chuck Hagel (Nebraska), Cleland worked on campaign finance reform. With Democrats Chuck Robb (Virginia) and John Kerry (Massachusetts), Cleland discussed military policy and made several impassioned pleas on the floor of the chamber to use caution in U.S. peacekeeping efforts in the Balkans.
The sixth member of the coalition, and Cleland’s closest friend in the Senate, was the maverick Democrat Bob Kerrey of Nebraska. With Kerrey, who had lost a leg in the war, Cleland worked on tax and commerce issues. For the whole of his six years in the Senate, Cleland was a tireless advocate for improving the conditions of armed services personnel. He also concentrated efforts on maintaining a competitive air travel industry and promoting broad and fair access of citizens to their government through voting reform and the use of technology.
In his 2002 reelection campaign Cleland appeared to be in a commanding position, popular among Georgians and well respected in Washington, D.C., by his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. The Republican nominee that year was a congressman from Moultrie, Saxby Chambliss. As polls began to indicate that Cleland was vulnerable, U.S. president George W. Bush made three trips to the state on behalf of Chambliss. During the campaign, Cleland was also the target of an infamous attack ad, which pictured him alongside Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein and questioned his commitment to national security. Cleland lost the election in November 2002.
Following his defeat, Cleland struggled with anxiety and depression but ultimately returned to his public affairs career in Washington. He was named to the bipartisan panel investigating the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., but resigned in 2003 to serve on the board of the United States Export-Import Bank.
Cleland campaigned for Democrats around the country and was an early and key supporter of John Kerry’s bid for the presidency in 2004. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Cleland Secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission—a position he would hold for eight years. Also in 2009, Cleland published his second memoir, titled Heart of a Patriot: How I Found Courage to Survive Vietnam, Walter Reed and Karl Rove.
Cleland’s Senate papers are housed at the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies at the University of Georgia, and his Veterans Administration papers are housed at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Big clue awaits you in today’s Mystery Photo
Today’s Mystery Photo has a major clue staring you in the face. Figure it out and you’ll be on your way to identify this mystery. Send your ideas to elliott@brack.net, and include your hometown.
Channing Haskell, Peachtree Corners, came in first with the right answer to the recent mystery: “It’s the Aerial Lift Bridge spanning the Duluth (Minnesota) Ship Canal allowing the Great Lakes freighters to transit in and out of the Duluth Harbor at the western end of Lake Superior.” The photo came from Robert Forman of Grayson.
Others recognizing it included Dan Mackaben, Lawrenceville; Lou Camerio, Lilburn, who said: “It has been modified several times and reminds me of the Tower Bridge in London;” Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex. and George Graf of Palmyra, Va. Graf added: “The Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge is a span-drive configuration movable lift bridge constructed in 1901-1905 and modified in 1929. It spans the Duluth Ship Canal, which connects the city of Duluth with Minnesota Point. The bridge was designed by Thomas F. McGilvray and C.A.P. Turner, and constructed by the Modern Steel Structural Company to allow ships to pass underneath and vehicles to cross the span. Four 125-horsepower Westinghouse Induction motors are used to move the bridge. Only two motors are needed to actually move the bridge; one at each end. The other two are back-ups. The motors are attached to winching drums (two at each end) that wind the bridge up or down on eight 1 1/4-inch wire ropes (two per winching drum).”
Photographic show at Duluth Public Library by Frank Sharp. It’s entitled as “Six Continents in One Lifetime” and will run from November 22 through January 31, 2022. Hours are from Mondays to Thursdays, 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays from noon until 5 p.m.
Silent Auction at the Norcross Gallery and Studios is now underway. Bid on 100 original paintings, all 12×12 inches, during this annual FUNdraiser. You may view these paintings in many styles and genres through December 4 at the gallery, at 116 Carlyle Street in Norcross.
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