GwinnettForum | Number 21.102 | Jan. 7, 2022
NEW OBJECTIVE: Today GwinnettForum adds a new item to its List of Continuing Objectives for Gwinnett County: “Remove chewing gum on sidewalks at entrances of post offices and other governmental buildings.” For details, see Elliott Brack’s Perspective below.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Delegation seeks redistricting with fair process, fair maps
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Reviewing the Continuing Objectives for Gwinnett County
SPOTLIGHT: Gwinnett Banking Company
FEEDBACK: Column brought back flood of memories about cooking
UPCOMING: New Gwinnett budget up 8.1%, but no tax increase
NOTABLE: Republic Services temporarily suspends recycling services
RECOMMENDED: Powers and Thrones by Dan Jones
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Augusta’s Morris Museum houses the Center for Southern Paintings
MYSTERY PHOTO: Clues about in this iconic photo: where is it?
CALENDAR: Gwinnett Historical Society to hear storyteller on Monday
Delegation seeks redistricting with fair process, fair maps
A snipped of one new school board map.
By State Rep. Sam Park
Chair, Gwinnett Legislative Delegation
NORCROSS, Ga., | As the 2022 legislative sessions begins on Monday, January 1, one of the first major tasks we will work on is local redistricting. As members of the Gwinnett State House and Senate Delegations, our shared goal is to have a fair process to produce fair maps for the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners and Board of Education.
Park
At a minimum, a fair process should be transparent and inclusive. To ensure transparency, we will hold multiple public committee hearings on the proposed maps over the coming weeks. To be inclusive, we are working to make certain that local elected officials, state legislators, and the public have an opportunity to engage and participate in the local redistricting process.
Over the past few weeks, the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners and Gwinnett Board of Education drafted their proposed maps for consideration by Georgia state legislators. These maps are publicly available online for public input and consideration.
Commission map
The Gwinnett Board of Commissioners’ proposed map was created based on public input that prioritizes and values keeping together voting precincts, cities, residential neighborhoods, school zones, and overlay districts such as community improvement districts. Their proposal improves the integrity of each of these facets from the existing map.
For example, the proposed map has no splits in voting precincts per the State of Georgia’s analysis, and preserves the integrity and character area of Gwinnett’s cities accommodating for their growth over the past decade. This proposed map also represents the demographic makeup of Gwinnett County, whereby each proposed district closely represents the demographics of the county in its entirety.
The Gwinnett Board of Education proposed two maps for consideration by the State Legislature and public. Map 1 provides minimal changes to the existing school board district boundaries established in 2010 and focuses more on reapportionment or making sure each district is equal in population. Map 2 presents school board districts that are more compact and provides closer alignment to school cluster boundaries.
As required by state law, these proposed maps must now go through the state legislative process and be signed by the Governor. These maps must also comply with the U.S. Constitution, Georgia State Constitution, Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, applicable state law, the rules of the Georgia House and Senate, and the bylaws of the Gwinnett State House and Senate Delegations.
On Thursday, January 13, 2022 at 7 p.m., the Gwinnett State House and Senate Delegations will convene its first public committee meeting on the proposed maps for the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners and Board of Education. We will have a hybrid (in-person/ virtual) meeting at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center (GJAC) located at 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville. Please come or watch online, and share your thoughts.
As your elected representatives and your voice in your government, please let us know what you think about these maps that will shape our future for the next 10 years.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Reviewing the Continuing Objectives for Gwinnett County
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JAN. 7, 2022 | At the start of this new year 2022, GwinnettForum steps back and takes a look at our Continuing Objectives for Gwinnett, which we publish in each issue. These are the larger issues of the day, and not the day-to-day minor changes that government is always going through. We post them in each issue to keep reminding our governmental leaders that going about matters in the same old fashion way can stymie good government. Government must forever be looking for improved ways to serve the Gwinnett constituents, and be open to change.
We are pleased to see that Gwinnett has made a little progress with our Continuing Objectives in 2021. Gwinnett has seen the Objective, “More diverse candidates for appointment to local boards,” greatly improved in this last year. We applaud the various governments of Gwinnett in selecting more diverse candidates for appointment to the many local boards of the county. With this step, local boards are beginning to reflect better what the population of the county looks like. This is good. It means that our citizens will have more confidence in their government, since decisions are made by people will look more like them.
We happily remove “More diverse candidates for appointment to local boards”from this list.
Other previous objectives remain. They are:
Move statewide non-partisan judge election runoffs to the General Election. Why judges, and only judges, are elected in primaries remains a mystery. After all, this is when the fewest people traditionally vote. Why elect judges when fewer people vote? It makes no sense. The Gwinnett Legislative delegation needs to introduce this change to benefit the entire state. - MARTA rail for Gwinnett from Doraville station to Gwinnett Arena. Gwinnett desperately needs an alternative to automobile travel. Until another proposal comes along, we think MARTA rail is the best alternative. We yearn for the day when the voters will see this, as we all suffer with auto traffic continually.
- More creative efforts to support the arts in Gwinnett. We’re glad to see a developing arts presence within the county. Yet with the growth in Gwinnett, the arts community needs an even bigger presence, led by an emerging resourceful community. The business community needs to step up its financial support to ensure this creative community is funded adequately.
- Advancement and expansion of city historical societies. Only three cities, in addition to the county, have historical societies: Buford, Snellville and Duluth. Lilburn had a historical society once, but since has folded. With each of Gwinnett cities having its own rich heritage, citizens of other towns could benefit from understanding their unique contribution to Gwinnett history. We urge local leaders to come together and learn more about themselves and their history by creating local historical societies.
- Require establishments that serve alcoholic beverages to halt sales of such products at 2 a.m., and close by 3 a.m. We reiterate that few good things happen at these establishments during these late hours. Reducing hours at these places of spirits would be a first step in making our county a better and safer place. Who’ll step up and lead this effort, and become a hero at the same time?
- Require the Georgia Legislature to meet only once every two years. We say again: Georgians get concerned every time the Legislature meets, afraid what it might do (pass unnecessary laws) this time to them. So, reduce the time they are allowed to meet, as some other states do. In true conservative fashion, less government can be better government.
- 21st century salary for the Gwinnett County Commission members. In the year when legislative districts are redrawn, it’s the perfect time to re-write what the county commissioners, and especially the full-time chairman, are paid. The present salaries are unreasonable. Upgrade them to substantial increases to the level of other Metro Atlanta counties, for better government.
In this issue, we’ll add a new objective for 2022. Take a look at the sidewalks as you enter U.S. Post Offices and other government buildings in Gwinnett. Notice the unkempt appearance of wads of old chewing gum on the sidewalk entrances. This is unsightly, unsanitary and unnecessary. Each government should find ways of removing this gum from its sidewalks, and keeping them clean and neat. It’s a simple way of making our communities better.
Therefore, we add “Remove chewing gum on sidewalks at entrances of post offices and other governmental buildings” to the List of Continuing Objectives.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Georgia Banking Company
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Georgia Banking Company (GBC) is Gwinnett’s newest commercial bank with offices just opened in Duluth, at 6340 Sugarloaf Parkway, and in Lawrenceville, at 690 Collins Hill Road. Investments have been made at every level to provide the best of technology and product offerings, to ensure customer experiences are efficient and high quality, and to ensure communication is clear and accessible. A team of relationship-driven bankers with a focus on exceptional service will provide the expertise business owners in Gwinnett need from a local bank. Other notable members of the team include Tyler White, director of Community Banking; Jennifer Bridwell, Gwinnett market president; Brittany Vickery, commercial relationship manager; Wanda Weegar, branch manager (Duluth); and Kevin Jones, branch Manager (Lawrenceville). The vision of GBC is to be the bank of choice by meeting the needs of small to medium sized companies, including not-for profit companies, while delivering an exceptional customer experience. Visit www.geobanking.com to learn more.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
Column brought back flood of memories about cooking
Editor, the Forum:
Holly Moore’s “memoir” brings back floods of memories…delicious and not so. The cookies in Grandma Brall’s kitchen (green and white linoleum). My mother’s pies and pasta; Aunt Rhea’s pot roast; Aunt Judy’s vegetable soup…the special holiday feasts. Thank you for 80 years of fond and delicious memories!
– Keni Woodruff, Lithonia
While editing, two gridiron teams were wrongly identified
Editor, the Forum:
I must correct a mistake in the football side. The University of Michigan is not the Spartans, that is the Michigan State mascot. Michigan are the Wolverines.
– Jim Savadelis, Duluth:
Dear Jim: You are right. Sometimes it’s confusing to remember consistently what you know, but misplaced. And we watched both teams in bowl games and should have known better.–eeb
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.
New Gwinnett budget up 8.1%, but no tax increase
The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a $2.07 billion budget for 2022, up 8.1 percent from last year. The newly approved budget does not require a millage rate increase.
The adopted spending plan consists of a $1.6 billion operating budget and a $455 million capital improvements budget, which includes funds from the County’s voter-approved SPLOST program.
Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson said the budget continues the county’s long tradition of conservative spending while addressing the many needs of one of Georgia’s fastest growing counties.
Two-thirds of the operating budget is dedicated to the areas of public safety and public works. The capital budget will pay for new facilities, roads and parks as well as maintenance for existing assets and infrastructure.
Budget highlights include:
- Funding to support the 2022 mid-term elections in addition to $4.4 million in expanded election services – eight new positions in the Elections Division, an increase to poll official pay, four new advance voting satellite locations, the cost of postage for mailing in absentee ballots, and voter outreach mailings;
- $2 million for a multi-year expansion of the Gwinnett County Transit system that will bring new routes to a wider area of the county, including micro transit. After three years, this expansion will increase local bus services by 58 percent, commuter bus services by 20 percent, and paratransit services by 40 percent;
- $2.4 million for 30 additional sworn police officer positions;
- $6.3 million for the Eastern Regional Infrastructure Project in the eastern part of the county, which will include five miles of new public greenway trails, two trailheads, upgraded and expanded water service, and expanded sewer service.
County sends redistricting proposal to Gwinnett delegation
After hosting a series of open houses on redistricting, Gwinnett commissioners met on Tuesday. This proposed redistricting now goes to the Gwinnett legislative delegation to submit to the General Assembly.
Commission map
The Gwinnett legislative delegation will discuss the proposed map during the upcoming session. The General Assembly will ultimately make a final decision on how the County’s district lines are redrawn. The new district lines will be in place by the next election cycle.
Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson says: “The Board of Commissioners took deliberate steps to obtain public input by hosting open house events in each commission district. It was important to get feedback from our constituents to better understand what they value as redistricting priorities.”
Residents’ asks were simple: Keep geographic areas together while compacting districts and create districts that represent an accurate makeup of the County’s diverse population.
Extension Service annual plant sale now underway
Gardeners, get those green thumbs ready! UGA Extension Gwinnett has its annual Plant Sale Fundraiser. The plant sale, which runs through March 4, supports the 4-H youth development program and Master Gardener projects. The sale offers a variety of fruit and ornamental plants that thrive in Georgia soil.
Mary Black, division director of UGA Extension Gwinnett, says: “Each year, we offer a fantastic variety of locally grown fruiting plants; flowering plants that add a splash of color or fragrance to your yard; plants perfect for pollinators; and Georgia natives. Availability changes every year, so be ready to shop.”
This year’s sale features 22 fruit plants, from Fuji apple and Baldwin blueberry to Dwarf pomegranate and Magnolia muscadine, as well as 17 ornamentals, including the native azalea Tallulah Sunrise, Japanese Holly fern, Frostproof gardenia and Snow Queen hydrangea.
Pre-ordered plants can be picked up March 17 from 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds, 2405 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville. Additional plants that are not available as pre-orders as well as selections of popular, hard-to-find native plants will be available for purchase onsite that day.
- For information about placing orders for the plant sale fundraiser, visit www.GwinnettExtension.com.
Republic Services temporarily suspends recycling services
Republic Services’ trash and recycling customers in unincorporated Gwinnett County can expect uninterrupted, on-schedule trash collection. However, because of the significant impact that a spike in COVID-19 infections is having on Republic’s workforce, recycling services will be suspended until their workforce begins to normalize. Bulky items and yard waste pickup are also suspended temporarily. On-schedule trash collection remains a top priority.
During this temporary service interruption, Republic Services customers in Gwinnett County may take their recycling, bulky items or household trash to a drop-off site at one of the following locations:
- Recyclable Materials Only – 75 Curtis Road, Lawrenceville, Ga. (6 a.m. – 6 p.m.);
- Household Trash/Bulky Items – 51 Patrick Mill Road SW, Winder, Ga. (Monday – Friday, 6 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Saturday 6 a.m. – noon);
- Household Trash/Bulky Items – Richland Creek Landfill, 5691 S. Richland Creek Road, Buford, Ga. (Monday-Friday, 6 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Saturday 6 a.m. – noon); and
- Household Trash/Bulky Items – Oak Grove Landfill, 937 Carl Bethlehem Road,
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
No recommendation today, since our readers have recently have not sent new reviews. See if you can write150 words about what you have enjoyed recently, from trips at the holidays, to cultural events, or something else which gave you pleasure. Help! We need new recommendations badly!
- What books, restaurants, movies or websites 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
Morris Museum houses the Center for Southern Paintings
(From previous edition)
In addition to its permanent collection, the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta presents temporary exhibitions drawn from or inspired by works in the museum’s collection. Other exhibitions offer a broader context, highlighting American art or international art movements that influenced artists who lived or worked in the South. The museum also organizes traveling exhibitions. Select pieces from the collection have toured institutions in locales as diverse as Seattle, Wash.; Akron, Ohio; Amarillo, Tex.; and Ardmore, Okla.
In conjunction with its exhibitions, the museum publishes catalogs as well as monographs and other books on southern art and artists. Complete lists of publications and past exhibitions can be found on the museum’s Web site.
The museum’s Center for the Study of Southern Painting, also located at the Augusta Riverfront Center, houses more than 9,500 volumes and periodicals relating to general art history and southern art and culture, and more than 2,100 files on artists who have worked in the South, as well as letters and other primary materials on southern artists. The center serves in a reference and research capacity and receives inquiries from around the world through the museum’s Website. Because the art of the South is as complex and diverse as the South itself, the museum actively supports research and publication.
The museum’s award-winning education department offers a variety of services for students in preschool through the university level, an annual literary competition for grades K-12, and internships for secondary and postsecondary students. “Georgia Studies: Images and Artifacts,” a collaborative program with the Augusta Museum of History, includes tours of both museums and a teacher resource package containing books, videotapes, and curriculum-based lessons in social studies and visual arts.
“Draw on Nature,” a student tour program, integrates science, technology, and art through the study of nature. The collaborative program with Fort Discovery features museum tours, a self-guided tour of the Riverwalk, and a Website with interactive lesson plans. Through in-service training, such as the National Faculty–Morris Museum of Art Professional Development Initiative, and curriculum-based resource materials, teachers can integrate works of art into the classroom. The museum also sponsors community programs, including “Artrageous Sunday” family programs and lecture series. Newly introduced classes in art history and appreciation provide in-depth experiences for the lifelong learner.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Clues abound in this iconic photo: Where is it?
Look at all the clues you see in today’s Mystery Photo. Now for the tough part: making an identification of this photo. Send your answer to elliott@brack.net, and include your hometown.
Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex. identified the most recent Mystery Photo: “This is the Miami International Airport in Miami-Dade County, Fla. First opened in 1928, the airport currently serves over 100 different carriers, of which 60 are international carriers, making it the top US carrier for international freight and the third-busiest airport for international passengers. It is the largest airport in Florida and serves as the central hub for 17 different carriers, most notably American Airlines and American Eagle Airlines. Miami offers more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport. It is the primary connecting point for cargo between Latin America and the rest of the country.” Also identifying the photo was George Graf of Palmyra, Va. The photo came from Rob Ponder of Duluth.
Last week we failed to identify the Mystery Photo of December 28. It was of the Christianborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, sent in by Mickey Merkel of Berkeley Lake. Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill wrote: ““This is Borsen, a former stock exchange, which is beside Christiansborg Palace (seat of the Danish parliament) on the island of Slotsholmen in Copenhagen, Denmark. The spire is supposed to look like four dragons twined together.” Also identifying it were Lou Camerio of Lilburn and George Graf of Palmyra, Va.
Gwinnett Historical Society to hear storyteller on Monday
Gwinnett Historical Society will meet Monday, January 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Historic Courthouse in Lawrenceville. Storyteller Mary Williams will be the speaker. Her topic will be “Her Story.” a collection of stories about famous American women. Over 20 years ago, during a weekend storytelling retreat, she realized that she’d rather tell stories than give speeches. She is a past president of the Southern Order of Storytellers Board of Directors.
Surviving the Sandwich Generation will be Tuesday, January 11 at 6:30 p.m. at theSuwanee Library Branch. The Sandwich Generation is positioned in the middle with the complexities of caring for aging parents while supporting their own children. In this workshop series, a panel of experts will provide insight to survive and thrive for those who currently are, or anticipate becoming, a member of the Sandwich Generation.
Project RESET 2.0 Emergency Rental Assistance Program will be held on Wednesday, January 19 at the Norcross Branch Library and Wednesdays, January 12 and 26 at the Centerville Branch Library. Both programs will start at 10 a.m. and finish at 3 p.m. Bring a sandwich and learn. Project RESET 2.0 will provide rental, utility, and internet services relief for eligible renter households who have become housing insecure as a direct result of the impacts of COVID-19.
Author visit: join GCPL and the Friends of the Library as Patti Callahan discusses her book, Once Upon a Wardrobe, which pulls back the curtain on the early life of C.S. Lewis.This will be Thursday, January 13, at 7 p.m. at the Peachtree Corners City Hall. Complimentary wine and a silent auction sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Books will be available for sale and signing at the event.
Day trips in Georgia: Learn more about exciting and educational Georgia day trips for you and your family on Sunday, January 30 at 3 p.m. at the Suwanee Branch Library, 361 Main Street, Suwanee. Author Tom Poland will revisit disappearing traditions in his book, The Last Sunday Drive: Vanishing Traditions in Georgia and the Carolinas. Books will be available for sale and signing at the event.
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