Cherokee County Wins Prestigious Financial Award Cherokee County is now a Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) Triple Crown Winner. This designation recognizes governments who have received GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award, and Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for a fiscal year. Cherokee County earned the prestigious designation for the 2020 fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2019-Sept. 30, 2020).The county Finance Department provides financial reporting, advice, and performance measurement to manage Cherokee County’s financial resources while facilitating the cost-effective funding of agencies, departments, and elected officials. Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Marquis said the recognition is reflective of the staff’s time, effort, and knowledge in managing county finances.
City of Canton Updates - The City of Canton collection site has extended hours and added a drop-off day exclusively for residents who are 62+. - City Council decided the following at a recent meeting. APPROVED • The Alum Pond cleaning contract • Contract for design of West Main pedestrian improvements • Alcohol ordinance amendment for Sunday pouring at private clubs • Acceptance of an Appalachian Regional Commission grant for a trail bridgeDENIED • A 296-unit apartment complex at Misty Way and Misty Court on Highway 20- Visit CantonGa.gov for more information.
Service League Raises Over $15K for Cherokee County Children The Service League of Cherokee County raised more than $15K in this year’s Fore the Children Golf Tournament. All proceeds benefit the League’s work for children in Cherokee County.
Cherokee County Unveils Georgia's First Propane-Powered Public Transit Buses Cherokee Area Transportation Service (CATS) has purchased three propane-powered buses from Coach and Equipment Bus Sales, Inc. The total cost was $307,553 with $261,420 paid for with a Federal Transportation Authority grant and $46,132 from the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). The new vehicles replace three aging CATS buses that provide fixed route service, which ensures that those in need of transportation can schedule a regular route for a small fee. CATS also provides a demand response service, so residents can schedule rides for things such as doctor’s appointments.“We are excited to bring in three new vehicles that use a cleaner fuel source and have expected lower maintenance costs,” said Community Services Agency Director Bryan Reynolds. “With the purchase, we were able to secure increased federal transportation support and a Federal Transit Authority fuel subsidy, saving our taxpayers money.”
Holly Springs Town Center Project Hickory Road Roundabout A focal point for the Holly Springs Town Center Project Hickory Road roundabout is the display of the United States, Georgia, and city flags, along with flags of each branch of our nation’s military services, including the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, and Space Force. “As a mayor and as a Marine veteran, I am proud to represent a community that so deeply respects and appreciates what each of the flags placed in the Hickory Road roundabout represent. The City is proud to make this small gesture to the men and women who have courageously and selflessly served our nation to protect the American flag and all that it represents,” said Mayor Steven W. Miller.
Cherokee County, Holly Springs Finalize Growth Boundary Agreement The Board of Commissioners recently approved the first growth boundary agreement between the City of Holly Springs and Cherokee County since 2006. A growth boundary agreement defines and limits future growth for a city. While not legally binding, the city agrees to limit its annexations to areas inside the boundary, and the county agrees not to oppose annexations there. With the agreement in place, annexations must still meet all state law requirements. The Holly Springs growth boundary encompasses an area around the current city limits, more or less bound by Univeter Road, Highway 140, East Cherokee Drive, Hickory Road, Toonigh Road, Marble Quarry Road, the municipal boundaries of the cities of Canton and Woodstock, and the Little River. The growth boundary agreement will be in effect until June 1, 2028, which coincides with the service delivery strategy agreement with the City of Holly Springs.
Hickory Flat Public Library Closes for Renovations The Hickory Flat Public Library, which was built in 1993, is currently closed to the public to prepare for an upcoming renovation and expansion. The library is located at 2740 East Cherokee Drive, After renovation of the 10,000 square-foot building and expansion by an additional 7,800 square feet, the Hickory Flat community will have more space for books and technology; larger areas for programs, meetings, collaboration, and creation; and additional seating for study and quiet reading. Construction is projected to begin in January, and expected to take one year to complete.Funding for this project was provided through Cherokee County’s SPLOST program. Additional funding includes a $2 million Capital Outlay Grant, administered by the Georgia Public Library Service. Free wi-fi will be available in the library parking lot through December 23. Library programming, such as weekly story times and upcoming holiday events, will take place at other Sequoyah Regional Library System (SRLS) locations. To view the library’s full programming schedule and register for events, visit CalendarWiz.com/SequoyahRegLib.“During the Hickory Flat Public Library’s construction, our community can still maintain library access by using their library card at any of our neighboring locations in the Sequoyah Regional Library System,” said Angela Cortellino, executive director of SRLS. “We encourage patrons of the Hickory Flat Public Library to visit these locations, which will continue to offer the full range of library services they have come to know and expect.” The nearest SRLS libraries to the Hickory Flat location are the R.T. Jones Memorial Library at 116 Brown Industrial Parkway in Canton and the Woodstock Public Library at 7735 Main Street. Patrons may continue to contact the library online or via social media to receive assistance and information about services and programming. Residents may visit SequoyahRegionalLibrary.org to access up-to-date information about library services, hours, and locations. A special Hickory Flat Public Library Project FAQ and webpage will be featured on the SRLS website where the community may check for updates and announcements about the renovation project.
Cherokee Board of Commissioners Progress Highlights - At its November 1 meeting, the Board unanimously approved the design services contract with Arcadis US, Inc., for the I-575 at Towne Lake Parkway interchange improvement project for $1.35 million. Construction of the project will be paid with federal funding, and the county has applied for funding through the Federal Highway Administration. Design is expected to take up to 24 months. It’s too early to estimate a construction start date. - The Board also unanimously approved a design services contract to Southeastern Engineering, Inc., for the Ball Ground Highway roundabout project totaling $115,000. The City of Ball Ground will reimburse the county for the project located at Old Highway 5 and Howell Bridge Road. The county is coordinating with the city and Georgia Department of Transportation to design and construct the project to adhere to local administered projects requirements. The design is expected to take 12 months. - Construction of a new fire station in the Sutallee community is underway. The Board of Commissioners approved the $6.2 million construction contract with a 10% county-controlled contingency. The project is estimated to be completed by late November 2023
Cherokee County School District Announcements CCSD Police Chief Named to State CommitteeChief Buster Cushing, who has led the CCSD Police Department since 2019 after a 22-year career with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office, has been asked to serve on a Georgia POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training Council) ad hoc committee formed to review school safety.The Council, which was established in 1970 by the Georgia General Assembly, trains and certifies law enforcement officers for agencies statewide. Chief Cushing is one of three Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police representatives who will serve on the ad hoc committee along with three representatives from the Georgia Sheriff’s Association. The committee will review possible changes to POST training programs in response to lessons learned from the Uvalde school shooting.After the Uvalde tragedy, Chief Cushing reviewed CCSD Police Department operations and school safety plans and made recommendations to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower for further improvements. These recommendations, all of which were approved, included hiring more police officers to provide expanded coverage at elementary schools. The first phase of this new officer hiring has been completed, allowing for seven officers to be assigned solely to elementary schools, with additional officers to be hired next semester to further increase coverage.------------Falcons, Dairy Alliance Present CCSD with $10,000 Hometown Grant On behalf of the National Football League (NFL) and dairy farm families of Georgia, the Atlanta Falcons and The Dairy Alliance presented the CCSD School Nutrition program with a $10,000 Hometown Grant. The grant will enable the department to expand its smoothie menu items to more schools, and a portion of the funds will also support CCSD's girls flag football programs.The check presentation and celebration were made in the Cherokee HS gym. Falcons’ offensive lineman Chris Lindstrom joined PE students along with the team’s mascot, Freddie Falcon, and two Falcons cheerleaders. Members of Cherokee HS’s girls flag football, tackle football, cheer squad, and band also participated.-------------CCSD Schools Earn $12K in "Bright Ideas" Grants The competitive Bright Ideas grants are awarded by Amicalola EMC to the most innovative ideas from schools in their service area. Seventeen CCSD projects won a total of $12,020 in this season’s cycle of funding. Classroom projects, which can each earn as much as $1,000 in funding, must propose a “creative learning experience for students, benefit and directly involve students, contain a clearly defined plan of implementation, and encourage teamwork among students” to be eligible for the grant program. The winning teachers and projects are Ginny Baldwin, R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy, Math by the Book; Ana Cahill, Creekland MS, Who Am I; Rhys Coury, Cherokee HS, Game Club; Elise Creech, Creekland MS, The Grizzly Growl Podcasting Studio; Mary Beth Cronan, R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy, For the Love of Reading and Soft Starts; Anne Cross, Clayton ES, Brain Ball; Jennifer Frady, Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy, VersaTiles Math Activity Books With Answer Cases; Cheryl Gazaway, Clayton ES, Birds of a Feather Learn Together; Terri Hancock, Creekview HS, Junior Solar Sprint; Dana Leverette, Cherokee HS, High Sensory Garden; Mary Marble, Ball Ground ES STEM Academy, 3D Printing Station for STEM Lab; Hollen Pope, Ball Ground ES STEM Academy, DASHing Through the School; Traci Rollman, Creekland MS, Grizzly Community Health and Wellness; Lisa Spence, Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy, Printmaking for All; Amanda Stewart, R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy, Building Math Fluency; Valerie Wallace, Clayton ES, Master Meteorologists; Kailey Webb, Cherokee HS, Incentives for At-Risk Students.---------------------Etowah HS JROTC Wins Raider National ChampionshipThe 12-member team that won this multi-event military style athletic competition is made up of Austin Brice, Kendrick Brice, Preston Brundage, Davis Clanton, Trynt Dean, Thomas Driskell, Luke Foresman, Caleb Frankovich, Jeffery Meadows, Trey Petrey, Wes Rountree, and Maison Ward. Lt. Col. (Retired) Stephen Bergey, who is the 2022 Overall AFJROTC Instructor of the Year, leads the team with fellow instructor Technical Sgt. (Retired) Ciarra Malto. There were more than 50 teams from across the country at the event. -----------------Creekland MS Wins CCSD Middle School Academic Bowl for Second Consecutive YearThe event, which qualifies winners for regional competition, provides all CCSD’s middle school academic bowl teams an opportunity for head-to-head competition to answer questions from all areas of knowledge including history, literature, science, fine arts, current events, sports, and popular culture. The matches feature a blend of individual competition and team collaboration while reinforcing classroom lessons and encouraging players to go beyond their assignments to master other knowledge areas as well.------------Board Approves Next Step for Cherokee HS Construction — The school board voted to hire NJ Wilbanks Contractor, Inc., at a cost of $23 million, to complete the site development work for the project. Sitework began last month. Next, proposals will be requested for construction of the new school, with the school board expected to select a company this winter.
City of Canton News The Downtown Parking Deck at City Hall Is Now OpenIn addition to providing double the number of spaces as the previous lot, the second level features a solar canopy to power 10 EV charging stations and offset the utility charges of City Hall.Infrastructure Enhancements for the FutureLast month, during the open house to discuss the Transportation Master Plan, residents had the opportunity to provide input on the citywide plan as well as learn about projects including improvements on SR 140 at the intersection of Marietta Highway/Riverstone Parkway and the intersection of SR 140/Reinhardt College Parkway.Etowah River Trail Eastward ExpansionPortions of the Etowah River Trail Eastward Expansion from Heritage Park to Boling Park have been poured, and bridge abutments are underway. The City anticipates much of the new trail to be completed by the end of 2022, depending on weather and other logistics.
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