http://www.rockdalecounty.org/ Rockdale County Top Stories Fri, 12 Aug 2011 18:47:00 EST en-us http://www.rockdalecounty.org/main.cfm?ID=4292 Thurs, 11 Aug 2011 17:10:00 EST ROCKDALE – The Nancy Guinn Memorial Library has been selected as the culmination destination for the renowned exhibit “Manifold Greatness: the Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible” in May of 2013. The exhibit’s U.S. tour launches in late fall of 2011, in commemoration with the King James Bible’s 400th anniversary. “I’m proud that Rockdale has received the opportunity to host such a celebrated exhibit,” said Chairman Oden. “While Rockdale is home to many Christians, citizens of all beliefs can benefit from the rich culture and history the exhibit offers.” Drawing on the deep resources of the Folger Shakespeare Library and Oxford University's Bodleian Library, Manifold Greatness tells the little-known story of one of the most widely read and printed books in the history of the English language. Beginning in Washington D.C., the exhibit will travel for two years throughout major cities in the U.S. and will conclude in Rockdale in 2013. The Nancy Guinn Memorial Library is one of only three locations selected in Georgia to host this prestigious exhibit, along with the Kennesaw State University Research and Service Foundation and the Tifton-Tift County Public Library. All entries were submitted to the National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH), where applicants endured a rigorous review process based upon a facility’s ability to host the exhibit, as well as offer educational programs related to the exhibit. The NEH approved Rockdale’s Nancy Guinn Memorial Library as an official destination and included a $2,500 grant to assist with future costs. Rockdale County’s Grant Writer, Alice Cintron, proactively pursued and completed the County’s application, noting that the County was a prime candidate for the tour due to the library’s major expansion and renovations funded through SPLOST and completed last year. The enhanced library can ably host large-scale art and cultural exhibitions in its redesigned meeting room, measuring nearly 3,000 square feet. “Opportunities to host an exhibit of this magnitude are scarce,” said Cintron. “The specific improvements we made allowed our library to stand out from the competition and take advantage of this historic occasion.” In conjunction with the exhibit, the library intends to develop five educational programs around the following themes: The Bible as Religion, The Bible as Literature, The Bible as Family Artifact, The Bible as History and finally, The Bible as Artistic Object. Securing an exhibition of this significance and particular interest to the local population will help the library reach its goal of attracting every Rockdale County resident to the library. “We are extremely pleased to have been chosen to host this exhibition,” said Daryl Fletcher, Interim Director of the Conyers-Rockdale Library System. “The library is one of the few institutions that is truly for everybody, regardless of age, income level, or personal interests. We see this as the beginning of many good things to come on a variety of different subjects." Located squarely in the Bible Belt, Rockdale boasts nearly 300 churches within its borders, or roughly two churches per square mile. Cintron added that the vast array of religious institutions in Rockdale County played a pivotal role in securing Rockdale’s approval. “The Chairman has always shared his vision for an interfaith community,” said Cintron. “When I was informed of this unique grant opportunity, I knew pursuing it would further support the Chairman’s vision. Notwithstanding, the positive financial impact to the County and national exposure are added bonuses.” Several local church leaders, theology experts, library organizations and historical societies wrote letters to the NEH, expressing their support and desire for the exhibit to come to Rockdale. “The whole community rallied together,” said Cintron. “We’re a really diverse county in terms of religion, but our varying denominations kept the momentum going to win this grant.” While the exhibit will highlight and interpret the King James Bible as a sacred text, the exhibit will appeal to citizens of all beliefs, as it seeks to communicate on both a spiritual and an educational level. The exhibit and related programs will be free and open to the public. Exhibit hours will coincide with normal library operating hours: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. "The King James translation has had a tremendous impact on the fine arts as well as on popular culture,” said Fletcher. “Whether it be the lyrics of Handel's Messiah or common phrases such as 'out of the mouths of babes', 'how the mighty have fallen', and 'at my wit's end', its influence is undeniable." For a complete list of written supporters, see attached file; and for more information on the Manifold Greatness exhibit, please contact the Nancy Guinn Memorial Library at (770) 388-5041. Press Releases http://www.rockdalecounty.org/main.cfm?ID=4293 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:50:00 EST WHEN: Starting Monday, August 29, 2011 WHERE: 985 Taylor Street, Conyers, Georgia 30012 WHAT: Influenza (“flu”) vaccinations will be available at the Rockdale County Health Department beginning August 29th. Fluzone, a higher dose for ages 65 and older, will also be available. Vaccines may require up to two weeks for protection to develop, with protection lasting about a year. Each year, thousands of people die from influenza and even more require hospitalization. All people 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine to prevent this contagious disease, which can be spread by coughing, sneezing or nasal secretions. Flu can cause high fever and pneumonia, and even make existing medical conditions worse. Anyone can get influenza, but rates of infection are highest among young children. People ages 65 years and older, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions such as heart, lung or kidney disease are more susceptible to flu attacks. While most influenza occurs from October through May, citizens are encouraged to get flu vaccinations as soon as possible to provide protection in the event flu season comes early. By getting a flu vaccine, you can protect yourself from influenza and also avoid spreading influenza to others. Health Department Hours of Operation: Mon, Wed, Fri 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tues, Thurs. 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. For more information, consult your doctor or contact the Rockdale County Health Department at (770) 785-4345. Media Advisory http://www.rockdalecounty.org/main.cfm?ID=4265 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:20:00 EST ROCKDALE – Chairman Richard A. Oden appeared as the guest speaker at the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce Board of Governors meeting Wednesday to discuss the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Plan 2040 and voice his support for the project. Plan 2040 is a regional blueprint that seeks to accommodate economic sustainability and population growth in the metro Atlanta area over the next 30 years. The proposal addresses several imminent concerns such as land use, transportation, housing, economics, human services, green space and water and air quality -- all critical issues considering that the metro Atlanta population is estimated to grow by nearly 3 million people over the next 30 years. “Supporting HB 277 sends a positive message to the ARC that Rockdale County is proactive and that we’re a team player,” the Chairman said. “Such a complex undertaking requires our support and participation in order to succeed.” If approved, Plan 2040 will work in conjunction with HB 277, a measure authorizing regions to vote on transportation funding. Chairman Oden emphasized the significance of Plan 2040 and HB 277 in his presentation Wednesday and said he endorses both initiatives as they seek to bolster Rockdale’s economy. “Chairman Oden addressed our Board with a thorough presentation regarding ARC and the new developments that will impact Rockdale County,” Conyers-Rockdale Chamber Chairman, Mo Talley stated. “We are dealing with real issues that affect Atlanta, Rockdale and the entire state of Georgia. Doing nothing is a luxury that we cannot afford; it’s time to make real transportation decisions for the future of our County and especially our children.” Chairman Oden concluded his presentation by stating that the clear economic advantages from Plan 2040 will quickly help Rockdale County reestablish a balanced digest model.“We can’t continue to balance the tax digest on the backs of the residents,” he said. “We must encourage business development and commercial economic growth, if we are to succeed in the global market.” Rockdale County is located in ARC’s Region 3 which includes metropolitan Atlanta, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Henry counties. Over 50 percent of all Georgia residents reside in Region 3, positioning Rockdale as a hub for economic development. Press Releases http://www.rockdalecounty.org/main.cfm?ID=4294 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:54:00 EST Ben Young published August 2011 Manufacturing and movies Rocked by exurban Metro Atlanta growth, Rockdale County has maintained its remarkable assets and unique brand that has borne it through recent challenges and should propel it forward into new opportunities, say local leaders. Awareness of a staggering problem is the first step to solving it. The county grew from 40,000 in 1995 to 70,000 in 2000, says County Commission Chairman and CEO Richard Oden, yet the amount of commercial property declined from 25 to 17 percent by 2005, while the industrial digest declined from 12 to 7 percent. Residential boomed from 55 to 65 percent, with potential to edge up to 70. “No community can survive on a digest that imbalanced,” says Oden, underscoring the need for more revenue-producing commercial properties. Correcting the tip is tricky. Almost all the industry in Rockdale is in its one city, Conyers, which has a population that makes up a fifth of the county population. In terms of infrastructure, residential is a natural for unincorporated Rockdale. However, Interstate 20 bisects the county, with several exits that are thriving commercial nodes. The generally slow economy is giving the county a chance to correct the imbalance, while industrial growth is revving back up in the Conyers community, keeping the county and city in the spotlight. A little bit of a Hollywood connection isn’t hurting, either. Georgia has a $1.4-billion film industry, and several projects, including Fast Five and American Reunion, were recently shot in Rockdale County. “We will take all of the movie business we can get and go out of our way to make them welcome,” says Conyers-Rockdale Economic Development Council Executive Director Glenn Sears. “Numerous films shoot here, all based on the Georgia tax credit for the movie industry,” says Sears. “The tax reform proposed last year would have eliminated that, so they would have gone elsewhere. We’re talking about some 25,000 jobs – even if it’s only for two to eight months, they’re still jobs.” Sears believes the fact that actresses Holly Hunter and Dakota Fanning are from Conyers has helped strengthen the connection, but the Conyers-Hollywood link goes back to the 1970s, when Burt Reynolds’s Smokey and the Bandit and the Dukes of Hazzard franchise helped make country Conyers cool. “It became more competitive when [former Gov.] Joe Frank Harris created the film industry tax credit in the eighties,” says Oden. Oden adds that it helps that there are only two governments to deal with and says, “In any given moment, if we’re all in town, we can assemble decision makers in an hour or two.” That is a situation that applies to other businesses as well. Job Opportunities The teaming up has led to success in converting a large distribution presence into manufacturing facilities, says Sears. “We were recently successful in bringing corrugated box and packaging company Pratt Industries, creating 120 jobs in the $45,000 to $65,000 range, into an existing space.” Other job creators include Solo Cup, expanding by more than 100; Golden State Foods, expanding by 60; and BioLab, growing by 35, says Sears. “I can remember when I heard of the impending sale of Sweetheart Cups [now Solo Cup] when I was commissioner. We courted them as strong as we could,” says Sears. “We were fortunate they were one of the [companies that] stayed in and expanded.” Looking ahead, says Oden, the county will seize on opportunities and strengthen regional ties to correct the unincorporated county’s tax imbalance and improve infrastructure. “Rockdale is almost 80 to 90 percent septic [tanks],” says Oden. “You can’t put industries on septic. It doesn’t work. The city has the sewer capacity so they have that piece, and we have to catch up.” Rockdale borders DeKalb County to the west and Newton County to the east. “On our borders we have an intergovernmental agreement with other counties with sewer to bring capacity in on the fringes. We have partnered with DeKalb County to increase our waste capacity to 175,000 GPD (gallons per day) with peripheral capacity to support commercial and industrial use.” Oden seeks to bring clean jobs to the borders. “We have vacant property on the West Rockdale/East DeKalb side for a potential technology center with light commercial amenities, and at the same time, on the eastern border, we should be able to do the same thing with our Newton County colleagues. Both intersect Interstate 20, which is why we say we are a perfectly positioned community,” says Oden. To create the workforce, Oden again turns to regional resources. “There was no college in Rockdale a couple of years ago. Now we have brought in a Clayton State University master’s program, a Mercer University undergraduate program, DeKalb Technical College and Georgia Perimeter College [satellite campuses], all of it in harmony with our Rockdale Career Academy, in which we teach our youth to build the workforce. All of it is located on the same campus, which was a strong move for us. It gives us a foundation to build on going forward.” “DeKalb Tech has been simply invaluable in this effort,” adds Sears. “At the Parker Road facility, they now provide skill-assessment testing, and we were successful in obtaining a grant to add a new wing to Rockdale Career Academy, all staffed by DeKalb Tech and Perimeter College instructors. We are trying to establish an even larger DeKalb Tech presence here.” The synthesis with companies has also been beneficial, says Sears. “The Quick Start program [administered through the Technical College System of Georgia] is dynamite,” he says, “allowing existing industries to train when they expand, in association with DeKalb Tech and Georgia Perimeter, to prepare people for the job market.” Additionally, the Georgia Depart-ment of Economic Development’s En-trepreneur Friendly program, which encourages and recognizes communities that have established a welcoming environment for entrepreneurial efforts and developed programs for small businesses, was based on the Conyers-Rockdale County Chamber of Com-merce homegrown effort. “We just try to show people what they are getting into,” says Chamber Presi-dent/CEO Fred Boscarino of the program. “Many don’t realize how many resources you need to start a company. The governor [former Gov. Sonny Perdue] liked it so much that we were the first to be certified in Metro Atlanta.” Ready For Growth Rockdale has every reason to believe growth will come back when the recession is over, and it wants to be ready. “When I-20 bifurcated Conyers in 1962, it brought the business out,” says Conyers Mayor Randal Mills. “Whether it’s trucks coming in and out to Texas and Columbia or travelers, I-20 has been a huge asset. But on the negative side, as communities grow, you get [people who] travel 20 to get in and out of Atlanta, and it becomes a public safety issue.” The Atlanta Regional Commission Liveable Centers Initiative (a grant program for infrastructure that reduces traffic congestion and improves air quality) awarded Conyers $100,000 in 2000 to examine the feasibility of mixed-use and connectivity in areas such as those surrounding the Rockdale Med-ical Center, says the mayor, and “a lot of that is coming into play now. We could actually take an area and plan around it, creating walkways, bike paths and retail at the intersection of Highway 138 and I-20.” “Rockdale Medical Center was a stand-alone community hospital and was bought by Lifepoint Hospitals two years ago,” says Sears. “That kind of strength to do the right things has given it leverage and created an excellent medical community.” Over the past decade, Rockdale Medical has expanded to include enhanced services, new medical equipment and a two-story parking garage. The potential for medical-related growth is not lost on the county, which seeks to mitigate its “bedroom-community” status with higher-paying local jobs like medical manufacturing. With a population of 87,000, Rockdale is physically the second smallest county in Georgia – after Clarke. “Our population is much bigger now, which is good because we live on the sales tax,” says Sears. To stimulate more business investment, the Conyers Downtown Development Authority has a grant program for up to $20,000, says Mills. “It’s a 50/50-type deal, and we have been very aggressive about bringing businesses there to stimulate that local economy. We still have our vision of what to do on the other side of town, in terms of rooftops. That has been scuttled because of the economy, but we have purchased dirt,” he says, referring to vacant property for future development. “Like the city of Alpharetta, we may ask voters to approve a bond to stimulate commercial as well as residential.” With a bond providing seed money, the match investment project could be “mixed-use, small lots, cluster homes, senior citizen development, modeled like Decatur, Marietta, Suwanee, Alpharetta or Duluth,” says Mills. “These models are the best to create a critical mass of people, where you can park your car on the weekend and walk around – that’s the type of thing we want that will drive local business here.” Alpharetta structured its bond by paying $5 million up front and asking voters to put $5 million back in, says Mills. “We have not gone that route. We have bought our property with reserves and greenspace money, working within budget and not levying new tax to property. Grantees are required to improve the economy with their project and be able to find a backer and to market it. Lenders have shied away from development like this based on demand so a bond is a great way to go about it, but we need the private side to come in and partner with us.” Housing Inventory In the unincorporated county, “we have a lot of existing inventory and will pursue any resources we can to stabilize, retool and rebuild” foreclosed homes, says Commissioner Oden. “Anything to put people in homes at the right price – we want the type of homeowners here who can afford it. We don’t discriminate, but the buyer needs to qualify for the neighborhood stabilization program from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). We received $3 million, purchased 25 homes in the last two years, have already sold 21 and have contracts on the other four.” Aggressive outreach has brought success for homeowners, says Oden. “Those homeowners had to get their own financing and attend homebuyer seminars and credit training. We held community workshops and partnered with the real estate industry and builders, who asked us to help identify future homebuyers. Then we went to faith-based organizations to ask parishioners if they wanted to apply; then we went to schools, the city, fire department, sheriff and other branches and asked if they wanted to take part in seminars to help make them homebuyers – working people. And hopefully with more revenues, we can buy more homes – we’ve made a couple million [dollars] already that can be reinvested.” Prior to 2005, Rockdale had an inventory of 200 surplus homes a year; from 2006 to 2008, the number of available homes on the market jumped to more than a thousand. “We changed the code to increase our greenspace in 2008, but we probably have five or six years worth of inventory out there,” says Oden. “We’ve been through the mother of all recessions,” says Mills. “So if we don’t want to sacrifice service, we have to prioritize. We are still buying dirt [land] through the Development Council, using our reserves – 15 to 16 acres in the last two or three years – to advance our plan once the market turns around. We were fortunate enough to see it coming – no one knew how deep, but we knew the recession was on the horizon, planned in advance, and built reserves in 2003 and 2004. Our finance committee and council helped us dodge a lot of bullets that hit cities, and we haven’t had to reduce services.” Rockdale residents’ commitment to pre-recession plans showed last year when another Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) for transportation passed. “It will provide $30 million for six years to maintain and beautify our roads so that going forward, we can improve and enhance our fire stations,” says Oden. The SPLOST allocates $12.14 million to public safety, which includes the Fire Division. “For us it was an economic development issue – it will bring our ISO rating [used by insurance companies to set rates] down, so businesses can get better insurance premiums. In fact we were rated a County of Financial Excellence for the first time in 2010, when we were also able to move our bond rating to Aa2 from Aa3, proving we are very fiscally responsible as agents of this community.” The county has plenty of industrial space to market – a 450,000-square-foot pad, or 212 acres for build-to-suit, says Sears. “One of our most attractive buildings is the former John Deere southeast headquarters – 375,000 square feet with lake and interstate visibility. It has already attracted four manufacturing interests.” Regional moves could help spread new industry more evenly across the tax interests of Rockdale, says Oden. “I got involved in the Atlanta Regional Commission and talked to my colleagues in Henry, Clayton and Walton, and we came to an agreement with Newton [County] on how to widen Highway 138 with ARRA funding. And we support each other on the north end, too, in Walton; we collaborated to retool Highway 162, to Newton, from two- to four-lane. “Now we are trying to develop a relationship with Gwinnett, to begin these dialogues to be a true region,” he says. “All of us are now seeking public-private partnerships, and we need to team up as a state as well, to go after global markets with more educational tools. Now is the time to attack.” Community Snapshot Local Leaders Richard Oden Chairman and CEO Rockdale County Commission 770.278.7001 richard.oden@rockdalecounty.org Glenn Sears Executive Director Conyers-Rockdale Economic Development Council 678.509.0133 glenn@conyers-rockdale.com Randal Mills Mayor City of Conyers 770.483.4411 Population (2010) County, 87,399 Conyers (county seat), 10,689 Median Household Income (2010) County, $51,265 Georgia, $47,469 Unemployment (May 2011) 10.8 percent Top Employers Walmart, Rockdale Medical Center, Hill Phoenix Inc., Golden State Foods, Acuity Brands Sources Conyers-Rockdale Economic Development Council, U.S. Census Bureau, Georgia Department of Labor Link below http://www.georgiatrend.com/our-state/08_11_rockdale.shtml Press Releases http://www.rockdalecounty.org/main.cfm?ID=4297 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST 100 Black Men of DeKalb County, Inc. services Rockdale, Newton, Gwinnett and other outlining counties in a 50 mile radius and has taken this rare opportunity in its progress to collaborate with Rockdale County for their unique and exciting concert, inspiring its citizens and promoting significant economic development within the community. Press Releases