NEWS BRIEFS: Lilburn’s first leadership class is already full

Leadership Lilburn is to be the city’s signature program for residents and business owners who are ready to make a meaningful contribution to the area’s growth and success. Its mission is to educate, equip, and engage local leaders and inspire civic engagement, building the next generation of leaders. 

The program will give participants a first-hand look at city operations, from budgeting and finance to code enforcement, policing, public works and governance in general. Mayor Johnny Crist says he hopes that “Leadership Lilburn will further engage residents and business owners in our local government. This will also build relationships between city staff and future city leaders.”

He adds:  “Engagement leads to better understanding and even more transparency.” The program is free and open to any city residents or business owners over the age of 18. The comprehensive program will consist of seven weekly sessions that last an hour and a half on consecutive Thursdays. The classes will begin September 30 and conclude November 11. Join the group for fireside chats with local leaders and learn how involvement can transform the Lilburn community. 

Enrollment is limited to 15 students, with a priority given to individuals living in the city limits and/or business owners who operate businesses within the city limits. This year’s Academy is full but the city anticipates holding other sessions. 

  • To register for next year’s class, call 770-638-2225 or email Rick Badie at rbadie@ cityoflilburn.com. Include your mailing address along with your name, phone number and email address. 

NOTABLE

For a fee, you can renew driver’s license on a kiosk

A growing collaboration between the Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner’s Office and Intellectual Technology Inc., a motor vehicle kiosk provider in North America based in Fort Wayne, Ind., and the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) is allowing Gwinnett County to increase services to its motor vehicle customers.

ITI recently equipped tag renewal kiosks in two Kroger stores in Gwinnett County, one in Norcross and one in Suwanee, with hardware from the DDS. The hardware provides an upgrade to the machines that allows customers to renew their Georgia driver’s license or ID card on a second screen. The Kroger at 6050 Singleton Road in Norcross and the Kroger at 2121 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road are up and running with the hardware. The motor vehicle kiosk at Kroger’s Duluth location at 3093 Steve Reynolds Blvd was part of ITI’s pilot program last year.

Amity Caserta, account manager for ITI, said the new technology uses facial comparison checks. A customer’s face is scanned at the kiosk and compared to the photo on record at the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles. Caserta said the security feature protects the customer and combats fraud. The transaction takes approximately four to five minutes. DDS charges a $27 digital fee to renew, plus a $3.95 service fee and a 2.25% credit card fee.  The machine will print a temporary paper driver’s license. Customers will receive the driver’s license card in the mail. 

The new feature on the machines comes on the heels of Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner Denise R. Mitchell partnering with Publix to bring tag renewal kiosks to their stores in Gwinnett County. 

Over the summer, ITI installed a tag renewal kiosk in Publix’s Peachtree Corners location at 3200 Holcomb Bridge Road. The Publix in Snellville at 3550 Centerville Highway was the first of the company’s stores to house the machines in Gwinnett County, making it the first Publix in the metro Atlanta area to have a tag renewal kiosk.

Mitchell says: “We value our long-standing partnership with Kroger stores. It is fitting that they are the first to house the multiservice kiosks in the county. I am also extremely pleased that we are the first county in metro Atlanta to partner with Publix in the interest of increasing access to services for our customers.” Mitchell said plans are in place to equip all motor vehicle kiosks in the county with dual functionality.                                                                                          

Lilburn Woman’s Club helps with school meals

From left are Lucy Torp of Lilburn Elementary School and club members Barbara Brooks, Karen Snavely, Kathy Mattox, Kenny Venegas and Jenny Nall.

The Lilburn Woman’s Club has recognized that families experience additional costs in August and September when children return to school. Fees, clothing, supplies, and school meals add stress to many families. 

After checking  with the Parent Liaison at Lilburn Elementary School,  Lucy Torp, the club established a Parent Pantry that  supports needy students with food supplies for weekend meals. The club also found that 93 students had outstanding charges for student meals this year that had reached $747.60. Once a student has reached three charges, they do not receive the regular lunch.

Realizing that some students no longer had lunch, the Lilburn Woman’s  Members donated 56 pounds of food to the Lilburn Elementary School pantry, along with a check for $1,000 to the Care Team to cover charges and additional needs focused on reducing food insecurity.

The Woman’s Club is collecting food for the Lilburn Co-op and urge the community to consider making a donation to the Co-op this September.   

The Club is a member of the General Federation of Women’s Club, which has over 60,000 members, dedicated to actively improving the lives of others. 

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