July 2025 Community Life Canton City of Woodstock Welcomes New Capital Improvement Plan AdministratorThe City of Woodstock is pleased to announce the hiring of Chris Luly as its new Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) administrator. With over a decade of public sector experience and a strong record of leadership in planning, zoning, infrastructure, and community development, he brings a wealth of expertise to this critical role.Luly most recently served as the director of community development for the City of Ball Ground, where he was instrumental in streamlining development operations, implementing the city’s impact fee program, and overseeing major park and infrastructure projects. His background also includes tenure with Cherokee County and the City of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, where he contributed to long-range planning, ordinance development, GIS system implementation, and public engagement initiatives.“We are excited to welcome Chris to our team,” said City Manager Jeff Moon. “His depth of experience, collaborative approach, and proven ability to manage complex capital projects make him an outstanding fit for this role. We look forward to his leadership in advancing our city’s infrastructure and strategic growth initiatives.”As CIP administrator, Luly will lead the planning and implementation of Woodstock’s long-term capital projects, including transportation, parks, utilities, and other critical infrastructure investments that support the city’s continued growth and enhance the quality of life for residents.“I am honored to join the City of Woodstock and excited to contribute to its dynamic future,” said Luly. “I look forward to collaborating with city staff, elected officials, and the community to deliver meaningful, impactful improvements that serve Woodstock for years to come.”——————————————————————————————————ICYMI: Woodstock’s Managed Parking in the Downtown District In April, the Woodstock City Council approved a resolution to implement a managed parking district, which includes time-enforced and paid parking zones in the downtown district. In March, revisions to the city’s parking ordinance were adopted to establish parking control officers for enforcement and the ability to establish paid parking zones.To cover the cost of the enforcement program, Woodstock City Council considered options for paid parking. They ultimately approved a ‘first hour free’ program, followed by $2 per hour for the second and third hours in a paid parking zone space. The hours of enforcement for these zones are 10:00am-8:00pm, seven days a week. All revenues collected within the paid parking zones are deposited into the parking enterprise fund, which is used to pay for enforcement, maintenance, and expansion of parking facilities.Following lighting and accessibility improvements at the City Center surface lot on the northwest corner of Main Street and Towne Lake Parkway, and the December 2024 opening of the City Center East Parking Deck, there are now almost 1,700 convenient and accessible spaces that remain free under the new program.For more information, please visit WoodstockGa.gov/services/parking.php.——————————————————————————————————Woodstock Police Department CALEA Accreditation Public Comment PortalThe Woodstock Police Department (WPD) announces an online portal where individuals may provide comments regarding compliance with Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) standards. Public feedback is received to promote community trust and engagement.Anyone wishing to provide comments regarding WPD’s community engagement, delivery of public safety services, and overall candidacy for accredited status may do so through the CALEA public comment portal: CIMRS2.CALEA.org/707. Comments can be commendations or concerns.“We believe in building strong, collaborative relationships with our community and are dedicated to earning the trust of our citizens through transparency, accountability, and service,” said WPD Chief Robert L. Jones.Initially CALEA-accredited in 2017 and reaccredited in 2021, the WPD is committed to pursuing professional excellence through the highest standards set in the law enforcement profession. CALEA is considered the primary method for an agency to voluntarily demonstrate its commitment to excellence in law enforcement. WPD is among approximately 6% of law enforcement agencies in Georgia that are both state-certified and nationally accredited law enforcement agencies.——————————————————————————————————EMA Director, Deputy Director Earn Highest CertificationTwo-thirds of Cherokee County’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA) team have earned the highest level of emergency management certification in Georgia. Director Daniel Westbrook and Deputy Director Rebecah Logan have invested hundreds of hours in training and education to ensure they are maximally equipped to serve the residents of Cherokee County in emergencies. Both have accomplished the certification level of Professional Manager as designated by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. Since 1999, only 116 Georgia emergency managers have achieved the status of Certified Georgia Professional Manager, with fewer than 38 currently working in the field of emergency management.——————————————————————————————————Cherokee Board of Commissioners Chairman Attends White House ConferenceCherokee County Board of Commissioners Chairman Harry Johnston recently had the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., with a group of county and state leaders. The group heard from a dozen senior administration officials during the four-hour event. Federal officials discussed law and order, mental health, Medicaid reform, small business initiatives, plans to deliver affordable housing, and restructuring the VA, among other topics. Local officials posed several questions and/or comments about the following topics:• Proposed changes to FEMA and the funding of disaster assistance, and how that could affect local response, recovery, and mitigation.• Investor-owned homes and affordable housing — several shared how Georgia is “ground zero” for investor-owned homes, making homeownership more expensive and out of reach for many Georgians.• Construction of data centers and the administration’s proposals to boost energy production, including large-scale solar projects.“It was exciting and informative to meet with these senior White House officials, to hear their priorities, and to be able to discuss our state and local issues with them. They were interested and responsive. We were all grateful for the opportunity, and I was proud to be part of it,” said Chairman Johnston. For additional details about the conference, please visit CherokeeCountyGa.gov/Communications.——————————————————————————————————Canton Selected for National League of Cities’ Grant ProgramThe City of Canton was recently selected to participate in the Southern Cities Economic Initiative (SCEI), a program led by the National League of Cities (NLC) in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Canton is receiving a grant of $15,000 from NLC through funding by SCEI’s philanthropic partners and will join 19 other cities from across the southern U.S. to develop strategies that boost economic mobility for residents and drive long-term economic growth. SCEI programming includes tailored technical assistance, peer learning opportunities, access to data and experts from the Federal Reserve Bank, as well as connections to national funders and assistance to leverage longer-term funding, including an opportunity to apply for additional NLC grants of up to $60,000 and deeper assistance with strategy implementation. “On behalf of the City of Canton, I am pleased to have been accepted to the Southern Cities Economic Initiative,” said Mayor Bill Grant. “As mayor, I am committed to supporting local entrepreneurs and removing barriers to business growth and success. This initiative will help us create strategies that expand access to resources and opportunities across our growing business community, goals that are reflected in our Roadmap for Success.” “We are thrilled to go through the bootcamp process with NLC and learn best practices from other cities on how we can best serve our small business community,” said Economic Development Manager Aundi Lesley. “This is a meaningful opportunity to support various sectors of our business owners, particularly our local Hispanic entrepreneurs. Our initial plans are to further our bilingual business support, procurement opportunities, and business development programs.” SCEI’s initial planning phase will run through October 31, 2025. Upon completion of the initial planning phase, participating cities will have the opportunity to advance to a more intensive implementation phase, which extends through December 2027. For more information about SCEI, visit NLC.org.——————————————————————————————————Historic Canton Theatre Presented With Fox Gives GrantThe historic Canton Theatre was one of 12 recipients of the annual Fox Gives Grant from the Fox Theatre for 2024, and City officials recently accepted the $20,000 grant check from Fox Gives that funded the Theatre’s facade renovations.“Every year, we look forward to issuing these single-year grants to truly impact communities throughout Georgia,” said Leigh Burns, director of Community Partnerships for Fox Gives. “We see theatre preservation as more than just restoring buildings; it’s about enriching downtown areas in communities and creating vibrant performing arts spaces where people can gather, experience the arts, and connect.”The grant-funded renovations to the Theatre included refreshing the exterior paint, replacing and restoring signage, windows, doors, and trim, as well as repairing and revitalizing marquee lighting.“The Canton Theatre is an invaluable part of the cultural fabric of the City of Canton, and we appreciate the Fox for recognizing the importance of preserving its historic facade for years to come,” said Theatre Events & Facilities Director Kristin Norton Green.——————————————————————————————————City Water Treatment Plant Receives GAWP Platinum Award The City of Canton Water Treatment Plant recently received a Platinum Award from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP). The award recognizes the plant for operating with 100% compliance during 2024, by meeting or exceeding compliance standards with all Safe Drinking Water Act requirements. “We appreciate the hard work of our partners at H2O Innovations to deliver quality drinking water to our customers throughout the Canton area,” said Mayor Bill Grant. “This recognition is a testament to their dedication to excellence in collaboration with the rest of Team Canton in providing this public utility in an efficient and highly effective manner.”The Platinum Award represents five consecutive years of receiving the Gold Award. The water treatment staff collects thousands of samples each year to ensure customers are consuming the cleanest and safest water possible. “This award is a testament to the hard and outstanding work of our water treatment plant operators,” said Bethany Watson, city engineer. “We are extremely proud to serve the City of Canton and are dedicated to continuing to provide clean and safe water for our community.” ——————————————————————————————————Three CCSD Class of 2025 Graduates Win National Merit ScholarshipsRiver Ridge HS’s Maja Amelia Brooker and Kevin Duncan both were awarded the National Merit University of Georgia Scholarship, and Sequoyah HS graduate Robert Raymer was awarded the National Merit University of Alabama Scholarship. Brooker plans to pursue a career as a biochemical engineer and scientific researcher, Duncan as a surgeon, and Raymer in medicine.
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