CrossRoads June `05 Final (Page 1)

June 2005
Suwanee pays off loan eight years early
The City of Suwanee has paid in full a nearly $1.5
million urban redevelopment loan it secured in
November 2002 for the purchase of 13 acres that now
comprise Suwanee's emerging Town Center. Using funds
obtained through the sale of two of four available parcels
at the Town Center site, the City was able to pay off the
low-cost loan in April, eight years early.
“Whether you're paying off your car, your credit
card, a mortgage note, or even a multimillion dollar loan,
it always feels good to close out a debt,” notes Mayor Nick
Masino. “We're proud that the City's investment in Town
Center has proven to be a sound one for our community.”
At the same time that Suwanee purchased the 13
acres that comprise the Town Center mixed-use area, the
City used voter-approved Open Space bond funds to purchase another 10-acre tract at the intersection of
Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road and Buford Highway for Under construction Through the sale of parcels to developers, such as Main Street
Town Center Park, which was opened in December 2003. Corners, LLC, who is constructing the first mixed-use building at Suwanee’s emergSince purchasing those properties, the City has cre- ing Town Center (above), the City of Suwanee has paid off the original loan used
ated an award-winning Town Center Master Plan and to purchase the property.
subdivided the 13-acre mixed-use tract into five parcels,
four of which have been offered to developers willing to
work within the City's vision. Suwanee sold a four-acre parcel to Main Street Corners, LLC last year for a little over $1 million and
closed in April on a 2.2-acre parcel that was sold to Madison Retail, LLC for $1.15 million. Madison Retail has a 12-month option
on a third Town Center parcel, and the fourth one remains available. The fifth parcel has been set aside for future municipal use.
Planning set to begin for Suwanee’s newest park
Photo by M. Michael Farr
The City is set to begin planning for its newest park
at Sims Lake, often referred to as the Hewell property, on
Suwanee Dam Road. The first Sims Lake Master Plan
public meeting will likely take place in July. See page 4 for
more details and watch the City of Suwanee website,
www.suwanee.com, for updated information.
Inside this issue:
Suwanee on Real Yellow Pages cover . . . . . . .p. 2
Being gracious on the greenway . . . . . . . . . .p. 7
A glimpse behind the badge . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 9
June 2005
Page 10
www.suwanee.com
Suwanee revitalization efforts
earn Main Street designation…
once again
For the third consecutive year, City of Suwanee revitalization efforts have earned
state Better Hometown/Main Street recognition and for the second year will be certified
as a nationally accredited Main Street city. These designations, says Economic and
Community Development Manager Denise Brinson, mean that "we have a fully funded,
comprehensive downtown revitalization effort underway and that our downtown is active and goal-oriented.” Suwanee's
downtown, she adds, includes both the historic Old Town area and the new Town Center.
The program assessment process, established by Georgia's Department of Community Affairs, was "stepped up" this
year, Brinson notes, and made even more stringent. Certified cities must meet these 10 standards:
• have broad-based community support for the commercial district revitalization process with active participation from
both the public and private sectors
• have developed vision and mission statements relevant to community conditions
• have an annual comprehensive Better
Hometown/Main Street work plan
• possess a historic preservation ethic
• have an active board of directors, committees, and volunteers
• have an operating budget with income
from a variety of sources
• have a paid professional program manager
• participate in or provide ongoing training
for staff, board, government officials, and
volunteers
• report key statistics in a timely manner
• be a current member of the National A glimpse of the future This rendering is part of the Town Center Master Plan.
Trust's Main Street network membership
program.
Have a U.S. flag ready for retirement?
As part of his Eagle Scout project, Suwanee resident Robert Page is heading up an effort to appropriately retire old
U.S. flags. His troop, Boy Scout Troop 247, is collecting worn and old flags at locations in Suwanee, Duluth, and
Norcross. Periodically, the flags will be officially retired in an appropriate ceremony. Flag drop-off locations in Suwanee
include City Hall at 373 Buford Highway and Quantum National Bank at 505 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
‘Congratulations’ are in order
Matt Rintoul of the Suwanee Police Department has been promoted to corporal. Rintoul, who has been with the
Suwanee Police Department for five years, has a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia.
Economic and Community Development Manager Denise Brinson has successfully completed the Leadership
Gwinnett program. Brinson graduated in May from the training program, which offers emerging leaders an opportunity to explore many of the challenges facing Gwinnett County.
“Leadership Gwinnett has not only given me fabulous insight into many areas of Gwinnett County,” says Brinson,
“it also has allowed me to secure lifelong personal and professional relationships. It is an unparalleled program, and I am
blessed to have been given the opportunity to participate.”
June 2005
Page 11
www.suwanee.com
New zoning board member
City Council has appointed Forest Plantation resident Adrian Cotasaenz, who works with the Gwinnett County
Chamber of Commerce, to Suwanee’s Zoning Board of Appeals. His
term expires December 31, 2007.
A round of applause
for ‘CrossRoads’ printer
CrossRoads newsletter printer, Pre-Press to Printing, won 22
awards in the Printing Industry Association of Georgia's 2005 Print
Excellence Competition. Five of the awards, including three Best of
Category designations, were awarded to City of Suwanee projects.
Among the Suwanee projects that received this highest recognition
were the PlayTown Suwanee We Want You! volunteer recruitment
brochure (both the one color and process color versions) and the We
Did It! PlayTown Suwanee insert. CrossRoads and the Suwanee Day
2004 poster each received an Award of Excellence.
Printing perfection Suwanee’s Pre-Press to Printing received a Top Notch
Award from the Printing Industry Association of Georgia for having the most
Best of Category entries (16) in its division in the annual printing competition.
Accepting the award, from left, are Pre-Press’s owner Ed From, Caroline Carstens, and Kevin O’Hara.
Library offers summertime fun
If the kids are already giving you the “I’m bored” whine this summer, then take them to the Gwinnett County Public
Library branch on Main Street. The library this summer is offering not only the daring adventures, spooky mysteries, and
life-changing dramas that can be found in its many books, but also a variety of events that are sure to entertain.
Among the activities offered are story times, puppet shows, craft activities, character visits, and a magic performance.
Especially for teens, a writing workshop, comedy improv performance, and movie night are planned For more details and
dates, visit the Community/Library page on the City of Suwanee website, www.suwanee.com, or the Gwinnett County
Public Library website at www.gwinnettpl.org.
A winning line-up Even though this year’s Mayors Walk
was a rain-out, a group of Suwanee residents still made
a day of it April 26 at Turner Field. Each year, City
Councilmember Jimmy Burnette travels with a group of
residents 50 and over to participate in the annual noncompetitive walk at Atlanta’s Grant Park; afterward, the
group typically enjoys an outing somewhere nearby. When
the walk this year was canceled due to rain, the group
decided to continue on with its planned tour of the home
of the Braves. Taking over the Braves’ dugout are
Councilmember Jimmy Burnette, third from left, Phil
English of the public works department and chauffer for
the day, and Suwanee Goodtimers members Vivian
Smelley, Robert Smelley, Hulon Farmer, Kathleen Walls,
Donnis Terry, Peggy Terry, and Elizabeth Payne.
www.suwanee.com
New state laws impact drivers, smokers
Several new traffic-related state laws, including stringent new
regulations regarding window tinting, may impact your vehicle or
the way that you drive. In addition, a new statewide smoking ban
prohibits, with some exceptions, smoking in state and local
government buildings, all enclosed public places, and all employment areas. Look under Hot Links on the City of Suwanee homepage, www.suwanee.com, to find more information about the
smoking ban, vehicle window tinting, and other new traffic laws.
June
16
18
21
25
28
Downtown Development Authority
Wingstock (TCP)
City Council Meeting*
Farmers Market (TCP)
Zoning Board of Appeals
12 p.m.
1-10:30 p.m.
7 p.m.
8 am.-noon
6:30 p.m.
Planning & Zoning Commission
City Council Workshop
Farmers Market (TCP)
Suwanee Business Alliance
STAR 94 Movies Under the Stars:
Napoleon Dynamite (TCP)
City Council Meeting*
Downtown Development Authority
Music & Theater Under the Stars (TCP)
Farmers Market (TCP)
Zoning Board of Appeals
Theater Performance (TCP)
6:30 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
8 a.m.-noon
6 p.m.
July
5
7
9
13
16
19
21
22
23
26
30
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
12 p.m.
7 p.m.
8 am.-noon
6:30 p.m.
7 p.m.
August
2
4
13
10
16
18
23
27
27
Planning & Zoning Commission
City Council Workshop
Farmers Market (TCP)
Suwanee Business Alliance:
State of the City Address
City Council Meeting*
Downtown Development Authority
Zoning Board of Appeals
Farmers Market (TCP)
Concert Performance (TCP)
*Public hearing begins at 6:30 p.m.
TCP=Town Center Park
6:30 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
8 a.m.-noon
6 p.m.
7 p.m.
12 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
8 am.-noon
TBD
June 2005
Page 2
www.suwanee.com
Suwanee DDA purchases Old Town building
The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) of Suwanee
has purchased an 8,000-square-foot, nearly 100-year-old building in
Suwanee’s historic Old Town area. The Suwanee DDA acquired
Pierce’s Corner, which most recently had served as an antique store,
on April 4 for $405,000.
The two-story store/apartment building, which has served as a
general store, cotton gin, silent movie theater, and dentist’s office
over its long history since it was built in 1909, is located at the intersection of Main Street and Scales Road.
“This is a key property in Suwanee’s historic district,” notes
Suwanee DDA Chair Jerry Little. “We want to ensure that the
building is preserved and that it be used in a way that is consistent
with community wishes.”
Over the next several months, the DDA will evaluate usage
options and begin assessing what renovations and upgrades are
needed.
“This is a very positive move for the Old Town area,” says Toby
Blackwell, a business owner/insurance agent in the historic district. “It secures the future of other property owners down here and indicates the City’s commitment to [the historic Main Street area]. I can see Pierce’s Corner becoming something really neat.”
The DDA of Suwanee is a nonprofit, private agency charged with revitalizing Suwanee’s historic Main Street area. Suwanee is a
nationally certified Main Street community.
Town Center Park featured on
Real Yellow Pages cover
The cover photo on the Gwinnett edition of the 2005-06 Real Yellow Pages from
BellSouth is going to look mighty familiar to Suwanee residents. The community “front
yard,” Suwanee Town Center Park, is featured on the cover of the new business telephone
directory. BellSouth will begin distributing more than 670,000 copies of The Real Yellow
Pages to businesses and residences in Gwinnett
County on June 30.
“Suwanee's Town Center is an award-winning
and unique development,” says Scott Hines, regional
sales manager for the BellSouth Advertising and
Publishing Corporation. “We selected Town Center
as the cover because it is one of the premier places to
have gatherings in Gwinnett County, and it's one of
the newest.”
“Those who've been to Suwanee Town Center Park,
and even those who drive by the park regularly, know
what an attractive urban-style park we have and what
a great venue it is for concerts, festivals, and other
community events,” says City Councilmember Jace
Brooks. “We're really excited to share Town Center
Park with many, many others throughout Gwinnett
County via this cover photo. We hope that they'll be inspired to visit Town Center Park
for one of our community events or just to enjoy some relaxing family time.”
The City of Suwanee also will have two ads in the Community Information Pages section of The Real Yellow Pages directory. The Real Yellow Pages Gwinnett edition also will be
available on CD-ROM and on the Internet at www.realpages.com.
DDA to step up efforts
in historic area
Suwanee City Council recently
has
asked
the
Downtown
Development Authority (DDA) of
Suwanee to take a more active role
in the preservation of historic Old
Town’s charm and revitalization of
its commercial area. As a result, the
DDA will focus its efforts specifically on historic Main Street.
Pending City Council approval
of the 2005-06 budget, the DDA
plans to hire a part-time downtown
development manager, who will
work on a day-to-day basis to coordinate and implement DDA goals
and programs. Applications will be
reviewed after July 1; contact Denise
Brinson at 770/945-8996 or
denise@suwanee.com for more
information.
Current DDA board members
include Chairperson Jerry Little and
City
Councilmember
Jimmy
Burnette, James Davenport, Beau
Fields, Kevin McOmber, Kevin
O’Brien, and David Sergio.
June 2005
Page 3
www.suwanee.com
A space needs assessment conducted by
Urban Collage, a multidisciplinary planning
firm based in Atlanta, has concluded that the
City of Suwanee will in the near future require
additional administrative space in order to serve
the growing community and that the City's
existing nearly 15,000 square feet of office space
isn't sufficient to meet current needs.
“Our study focused on employee functions
and whether Suwanee's current space is ample to
fulfill those functions,” says Urban Collage
Senior Associate Eric Bosman, “and the answer
was certainly not. The space that Suwanee has
now is not adequate for [staff ] to complete their daily functions in a satisfactory manner” and is minimal compared to other nearby municipalities.
The Urban Collage Office Space Programming Analysis found that the City needs approximately 25,000 square feet of administrative space today. Current office space in City Hall and the Crossroads Center totals less than 15,000 square feet. The study
determined that the police department space in particular is “woefully inadequate,” Bosman told City Council during an April 19
presentation.
The police department, he points out, hasn't acquired any additional space since the current City Hall was opened in February
1997, when Suwanee's population was about 4,500 and City employees numbered approximately 22, including 11 sworn police
officers. When the current City Hall opened, all but one of its offices were already filled and since then the City has converted storage space and closets into offices, made modifications to squeeze more people into exisitng space, and renovated the old City Hall
for use as the municipal court and additional administrative offices. Today, Suwanee's population is nearly 12,000 and the City has
75 employees, including 31 police officers.
The study also found that office space, particularly for department
heads, is insufficient when job function is considered. The offices aren't
large enough to meet with others comfortably or to spread out materials
such as plans or financial worksheets.
The Urban Collage analysis projects that the City will require up to
36,000 square feet of space, including up to 4,000 square feet for a public
works maintenance facility, over the next 5-7 years and approximately
49,000 square feet in 10-12 years.
The plan of action proposed by the space needs assessment, which was
adopted by City Council at its May 17 meeting, is for the City to retain its
current space and construct a new two-story City Hall of at least 20,000 or
up to 30,000 square feet at the Town Center site that has been set aside for
municipal purposes. The police department would take over all space at the
current City Hall, the municipal court would remain at the Crossroads
Center with minor modifications to improve functionality, and all other
administrative office functions would move to the new City Hall. In addition,
the study recommends a new off-site public works maintenance facility.
The final report recommends that Suwanee “avoid constructing
administrative facilities that lack the ability to grow with the City's needs
over the next 10-20 years.”
Over the next several months, City Council will consider these recommendations, explore funding options, and determine whether or not to
move forward in hiring an architectural team to create a design for a new
City facility.
Photo by Mac Hackney
Study finds that City needs more space
June 2005
Page 4
www.suwanee.com
Progress update on City’s ‘to do’ list
You know how it is with your home “to do” list: You make a dent here and there, wrap up one project, get a jump
start on some things, and have to take a little breather on others. So it is with the City’s project list.
✓
Master planning for Sims Lake Dam area set to begin
As renovation of the earthen dam on the 61-acre Rae Hewell property wraps up late this summer, the City of
Suwanee is set to begin discussions about how this pristine property, widely considered the jewel of Suwanee’s bondfunded Open Space initiative, can best be utilized.
The City has contracted with Cerulea Landscape Architects of Alpharetta to
create the master plan for the future park, now referred to as Sims Lake Park. The
process, to kick off in July with a large public meeting, is expected to take six to
eight months to complete. A key component of the entire process will be community input.
Currently the propery includes a lake, gardens, pasture areas, residence, and
other structures. At this time, the
City has no firm ideas about how to
use the property except that it is
unlikely that it will support active
recreation facilities such as ballfields.
Neel-Schaffer, Inc., one of
the largest privately held engineering
firms in the Southeast, has completed
about one-third of the design of the railTrees weren’t the only things abloom in the City of Suwanee skyline
road underpass that will provide a safe
this spring: The City sprouted a new water tank. The 122-foot, 150,000pedestrian connection between two popgallon tank is part of Suwanee’s efforts to improve and expand its water
ular Suwanee destination areas. The
system, which will serve nearly 400 households primarily in the historic Old Town
underpass is to be constructed beneath
area. (Most Suwanee residents receive water service through Gwinnett County.)
the railroad track from between City Hall
The tank was erected in early April by Caldwell Tanks, Inc. of Knoxville; it was
and the small playground next door to
fabricated at Caldwell’s Newnan plant. Towering above the City’s current and original
just opposite the Gwinnett County
standpipe water tank, which was constructed sometime in the mid-1950s, this new
Public Library on Main Street. The
elevated tank will allow the City to significantly increase its water storage capacity. The
pedestrian underpass and other traffic
cost of the new tank is approximately
enhancements on Buford Highway will
$323,000.
make travel by foot between Suwanee's
Suwanee anticipates that its new tank
new Town Center and the historic Old
Town area more safe and convenient.
will be operational sometime this sumAt this point, the project is awaiting
mer, at which time the old tank will be
final
environmental regulatory approvals.
dismantled.
It
is
anticipated that this and other
This new water tank is the most visible
required
approvals may take considerable
piece of the City of Suwanee’s efforts to
time.
In
addition,
at its May 17 meeting,
upgrade and modernize its water system.
City Council approved a traffic impact
Over the past 18 months, the City also
study for the intersection of Buford
has installed a new well pump and an
Highway and Town Center Avenue as
automatic cross-connection to the
part of this project. The underpass is
Gwinnett County water system. These
being funded through a nearly $1 million
improvements will significantly enhance
grant, from the Atlanta Regional
water quality and dependability.
Commission's Livable Centers Initiative.
✓
✓
Suwanee installs new water tank
Making the right
connections
June 2005
Page 5
www.suwanee.com
Construction of
Town Center fountain
slated for fall
✓
Suwanee has put off construction of the Town Center Park
interactive fountain until after
the busy event season. In consideration of the safety of park
attendees and convenience of event planners
over the summer, the City has postponed
construction until the fall, after the annual
Suwanee Day festival. The fountain, for
which the Suwanee community raised more
than $200,000 through the Better Parks
Campaign, will be ready for splashing and
admiring by spring 2006.
“We originally had hoped to have the
fountain completed for this year’s Suwanee
Day,” says Economic and Community
Development Manager Denise Brinson. “We
realized, though, that to have an ongoing
construction project at the park during the
peak event season could be a significant hassle for those attending and planning our
events as well as for the workers building the
fountain.”
The City of Suwanee will bid out construction of the fountain this summer. A final
design by Jon Benson + Associates has been
approved. The fountain, to be located on the
grassy area just inside the main park entrance
at the middle of Town Center Avenue will
have 32 jets, a center column, and surrounding benches. Brick pavers and granite will be
used in its construction.
✓
Waste Watchers taking
a smaller bite for now
Based on feedback received from citizens and business owners serving on the
City's Waste Watchers committee, a task force that is discussing with City officials the feasibility of using a single sanitation service provider throughout
Suwanee, the City has determined to slow down the decision-making process.
“There was a general consensus among the group that using one provider
seems like a good idea, particularly when they came to understand the wear and
tear on roadways from multiple garbage trucks driving through neighborhoods
on a weekly basis,” says Special Projects Manager Kristi McCarley. “However, we
also received some concerns related to comprehensive implementation of such a
program as well as the complexity of service and pricing for businesses.” In addition, she says, several new mixed-use developments being constructed throughout Suwanee have added another twist.
As a result of this feedback, McCarley says, the City is exploring the possibility of establishing a pilot single-source waste removal program in a couple of
neighborhoods, either ones that are newly developed or established neighborhoods that volunteer for the pilot program. In addition, the City plans to take
the time to more thoroughly study and understand commercial/business sanitation services issues.
✓
Mayor to address state of the City
Mayor Nick Masino’s State of the City address offers an excellent
opportunity to find out what’s going on and what’s next for
the City of Suwanee. The annual presentation will be made
as part of the Suwanee Business Alliance meeting at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, August 10, at the Chattahoochee Run
Clubhouse. The meeting is free and open to the public.
To get to the Chattahoochee Run neighborhood
clubhouse, turn onto Grand Vista Approach, which is off
Peachtree
Industrial
Boulevard just south of
McGinnis Ferry Road.
At the stop sign,
turn left onto
Chattahoochee
Run
Drive;
continue on
this road until
it ends at the
clubhouse.
June 2005
Page 6
www.suwanee.com
Suwanee springs into ‘event-full’ season
The spring event season started off in a big way in Suwanee this year. The first annual
Suwanee Tennis Championship held May 20-29 had those suffering from ALTA withdrawal back out on tennis courts throughout Suwanee. Ninety people swung their racquets during the weeklong tournament in late May.
The City's Art on a Limb program prompted folks to look for trail treasures along the
Suwanee Creek Greenway throughout the month of May. In a unique celebration of art and
to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the three-mile extension of the greenway, City
of Suwanee staff members placed two to four decorative orbs along the greenway and in
Suwanee parks each day. The limited edition, handcrafted orbs were created by students
enrolled in classes through the Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for the Arts.
Art on a Limb
The program proved very popular. “The fact that you've combined arts and the
parks—it's just a really great concept,” says Lawrenceville resident Sandra Gardner, who felt
motivated to make her first visit to the Suwanee Creek Greenway.
Pierce Point resident Lori Hatcher, who walks along the Suwanee Creek Greenway every weekday, took to bringing along a fanny
pack for the sole purpose of carrying her greenway gem should she stumble across an orb. When she finally found one, Hatcher says,
“I actually jumped up and down like a little kid. It was like an Easter egg hunt.”
Now that the Art on a Limb program is completed, a limited number of orbs will be available for purchase, while supplies last,
at certain City of Suwanee events.
Musical treasures also were abundant throughout May. On May 21, 1970s
hit-maker America performed at Town Center Park as part of the 94.9 Lite FM
2005 Legends Concert Series. The crowd of more than 13,000 that showed up to
enjoy America's mellow rock hits was the largest yet at a Town Center Park event.
“The venue was fabulous and we loved the fact that there was a wide variety of
age groups that attended,” says Suwanee resident Margaret Robbins, who came to
the Legends concert with seven friends. “I think that the teenagers were having as
much fun as those of us who remembered America from our college days almost
30 years ago.”
The United States Air Force Reserve Concert Band commandeered the Town
Center Park stage on May 27, offering an appropriate kick-off to the Memorial
Day weekend. The 43-piece concert band wowed the crowd of 4,000 with its varied repertoire of classical overtures, Sousa marches, Broadway show tunes, and
patriotic favorites. The band's free performance was sponsored by the Gwinnett
America, 2005 Legends Concert
Daily Post.
As this newsletter was being printed, the City was gearing up for another Town
Center Park event, Arts in the Park. In addition to featured performances by The Second City improv ensemble and band performances, the event was to include an interactive artists market.
And, we're just getting started. Several other events are being
planned for the remainder of the year. Here are a few you can place
on your calendar:
• Farmers Market is at Town Center Park from 8 a.m.-noon the
second and fourth Saturdays of the month through September.
• Napoleon Dynamite will be shown as part of STAR 94's
Movies Under the Stars on Saturday, July 16.
• The City is finalizing plans for a theater performance at Town
Center Park on Saturday, July 30, as well as an August concert.
• The annual Suwanee Day festival will celebrate community
once again on Saturday, September 17. The Suwanee 5K
Classic has been moved up one week and will be run on
Friday, September 9.
• In October, the action moves to Suwanee Creek Park with a
Trek or Treat event on the 29th.
U.S. Air Force Reserve Concert Band
June 2005
Page 7
www.suwanee.com
Mind your trail Ps & Qs, if you please
Heavy traffic isn't limited to Suwanee’s roadways these days. With the coming of spring
and the growing popularity of the Suwanee Creek Greenway, there’s been an abundance of
“traffic” there too, recently. And, just as on the roadways, there are guidelines and courtesies
that those on Suwanee's four-mile multipurpose trail can follow to help ensure everyone's
safety and good time.
Park Patrol Officer Tory Bell
offers the following suggestions:
• Just as in driving, slower traffic should keep
to the right. Faster and passing traffic should
pass on the left. It’s polite and helpful for bikers to call out something like “passing on
your left.”
• Bikers, please slow down when passing or approaching others. Children and dogs don’t
always remember that they’re supposed to be to the right. And, when you call out “on
your left,” people have a tendency to turn to the left.
• Remain on the trail and don’t pick or otherwise disturb plants or wildlife.
• Pick up your trash and anything your dog may leave behind.
• Carry a cell phone, water, and, if you’re planning to be out for a while, a snack.
• Be familiar with where you accessed the greenway, in which direction you are headed,
and about how far you’ve traveled. This way, if you need to call for assistance, it will be
easier to locate you.
City financial report achieves
an excellent rating…again
The City of Suwanee’s comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR)
for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2004 has been awarded a Certificate of
Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government
Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). This
is only the second year that the City of Suwanee has submitted its CAFR and
the second straight year that it has been awarded the Certificate of
Achievement, the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental
accounting and financial reporting.
“City of Suwanee staff members strive to exceed expectations in all areas
of service,”says City Manager Hardin Watkins. “We’re very proud of the outstanding degree of professionalism and high quality of customer service
provided by our finance
department staff.”
Suwanee’s CAFR was
prepared
by
Finance
Director Amie Sakmar with
support from finance
department staff members.
The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving approximately
16,000 government finance
professionals.
Special bike for a special 7-year-old Suwanee resident Tony Velo was granted a special seventh birthday
wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which presented him with a specially designed bicycle at his
birthday party at Town Center Park on May 15. Tony
first used the three-wheeled bicycle in physical therapy
at the AFLAC Cancer Center at Children’s
Healthcare, says his mom, Cathy Velo. Because of
developmental disabilities related to neural fiber mitosis, Tony has never been able to ride a bike before. Now
when Tony visits Town Center Park, he’ll be able to
keep up with other kids on bikes and scooters.
June 2005
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‘Bliss’ by Sudi Narayan
Program encourages fifth-graders
to make positive choices
Relax, enjoy
Crossroads Center
art exhibit
The most recent art exhibit at the
City of Suwanee Crossroads Center offers
images reminiscent of the ancient East
and invites viewers to relax and appreciate
the power of meditation and beauty of
nature. Suwanee area resident Sudi
Narayan’s intricate black ink and charcoal
drawings are composed of decorative lines
and sacred geometrical shapes.
The 14 drawings exhibited in
Suwanee’s municipal courtroom come
from two series created by Narayan,
Mystic Realizations and Trance, and
have their roots in traditional Indian
temple art.
A native of Kerala, India, Narayan
received several regional and state awards
for his artwork; in 1987, he was named
the state champion in creative drawing.
Narayan, who moved to the United States
in the 1990s, specializes in software architecture and currently is a consultant with
Cingular Wireless in Alpharetta.
“I was always fascinated by my mother country’s ancient wisdom and her valuable contributions to the very idea of meditation and self-realization,” Narayan says.
Digital prints of Narayan’s artwork
are available for purchase online at
www.artofsudi.com.
The Suwanee Crossroads Center is
open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and during
court sessions. Narayan’s artwork will be
exhibited through August.
Through the ADVANCE program, fifth-graders at Level Creek and Suwanee elementary schools received a powerful message this spring: Make good choices and don’t
smoke cigarettes, use drugs, or get involved with gangs. The eight-week course designed
to help fifth-graders deal with pressures related to drug and tobacco use, violence, and
interactions with their peers was taught by Suwanee police officers Tory Bell and Robert
Stewart. ADVANCE stands for Against Drugs, Violence, and Negative Choices Early.
The ADVANCE graduation ceremony at Level Creek Elementary on May 16 was
attended by about 160 fifth-graders, several parents, and two University of Georgia
football players. Brannan Southerland, 19, a fullback with the Bulldogs, was the guest
speaker and encouraged students to talk to their parents, make good choices, and stay
drug free.
As part of the ceremony, several students shared what the ADVANCE program had
meant to them. “Some of us have already been faced with the decision to smoke or drink
alcohol,” said Emily Nesbit, “and ADVANCE has made it easier to say ‘no.’”
How many ways can you ‘just say no?’ As part of the ADVANCE program, students created posters advocating good choices and a drug-free lifestyle. The Level Creek Elementary
poster contest winners and others at the May 16 ADVANCE graduation ceremony were, from
left to right, Level Creek school counselor Laura Spencer; Brett Thomason; Christian Zapata,
who took first place in the poster competition; Michael Sharpe, second place; Brannan
Southerland; Eric Chun, third place; and Officer Tory Bell.
Team Suwanee After having so much fun in the City of Suwanee softball tournament last fall,
City employees and family members took to swinging at one another once again at North Gwinnett
High School on April 24. The Bobcats tore up the Gators this year, winning all three games.
June 2005
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Welcome to City Hall
Duluth resident Victoria Vollmer joined the City of Suwanee Police Department
last month. Vollmer worked previously as a police officer at Georgia State University
and with the Georgia State Department of Corrections. She has a black belt as well as
an associate degree in electronic engineering from Hallmark Institute of Technology in
San Antonio, Texas. Also new in the police department is communications officer Lisa
Hyatt. An Alpharetta resident, Hyatt worked for more than 11 years with the
Gainesville Police Department, both as a dispatcher and senior secretary.
Suwanee resident Rene Ostrowski has been hired as a seasonal equipment operator in the public works department. She worked previously with Home Depot in the
shipping and receiving department and has certification in motorcycle repair.
Also joining the City of Suwanee this summer are two interns. Christopher
Hansard, a 2005 graduate of North
Gwinnett High School, will return to the
City, where he has interned the previous
two summers, to work in the planning and
community development department
before heading to the University of
Georgia. Heather Honerkamp, a public
policy graduate student at Georgia Tech,
also will work in the planning and community development department, assisting
the Downtown Development Authority.
STAY SAFE:
Tips for enhancing your personal safety
Did you know that every 31 seconds someone in the United States becomes a
victim of aggravated assault? Every 59 seconds, somebody is robbed. Being a victim, however, is not inevitable. There are small things that each person can do, say
Suwanee police officers, that will reduce the risk of becoming a crime statistic.
Through neighborhood PACT meetings, Suwanee officers can share suggestions, in addition to the few listed below, to help improve personal safety. Contact
your PACT liaison to set up a personal safety presentation in your neighborhood.
PACT stands for Police and Citizens Together and is a community outreach
program of the Suwanee Police Department through which each neighborhood in
the City is assigned a particular police officer/liaison. If you don’t already know who
your neighborhood’s officer is, you can find out by visiting the City & Other
Services section of the City of Suwanee website, www.suwanee.com, or contact Sgt.
Elias Casañas at elias@suwanee.com or 770/945-4607, ext. 327.
Personal safety tips
•
•
•
•
Always be aware of your surroundings.
Walk near groups of others even if you don’t know them.
Do not put your full name and address on luggage tags.
Make sure the interior of your car doesn’t appear too feminine. Keep a canister of
chewing tobacco, hunting magazines, or a pair of men’s boots in your vehicle.
• When approaching your vehicle, always have your keys ready. And, don’t
electronically unlock your car from a distance.
Want additional suggestions for enhancing safety? Contact your PACT officer!
Behind the badge:
Program offers
glimpse into
police world
Want to be on the other side of a
radar gun for a change? How do you feel
about searching a dark, supposedly vacant
building? Think it would be fun to ride
along on patrol with a police officer? Or,
do you just want to learn more about
your community and how you can be an
active participant? You can do all of
that—and more—through the Suwanee
Citizens Police Academy.
The next seven-week Citizens
Police Academy program will run
Tuesday
evenings,
beginning
September 27. The program is open to
City of Suwanee residents and business
owners; the deadline for applications is
September 16. All participants will be
subject
to
background
checks.
Applications are available by contacting
Sgt. Elias Casañas at elias@suwanee.com
or 770/945-8996, ext. 327.
Maria Grazia Stanfield, who participated in the first Suwanee Citizens Police
Academy offered in 2000, describes the
program as "an amazing learning experience. You immediately realize how everyone is totally dedicated and how they
open up and let you into their big family.”
The program is designed to enhance
understanding of Suwanee Police
Department practices and strengthen relationships between officers and residents.