C C A E N T - Athens

A C C E N T
The Athens-Clarke County Employee & Retiree Newsletter • October 2016 • Vol. XIX, Iss. 10
ACC employees, artists paint hydrants for water awareness
An unveiling of 20 fire hydrants,
painted by local artists as part of the
Fire Up The Hydrants project, takes
place Saturday, October 8 in front of
City Hall from 10:00 a.m. - noon.
The project celebrates 80 years
of drinking water delivery service
from the J.G. Beacham Water
Treatment Plant and is intended to
serve as a reminder that the local
water system is much more than a
source of drinking water.
“We want people to notice these
hydrants,” says project organizer
Laurie Loftin (Public Utilities).
Loftin’s idea was based on
seeing painted fire hydrants in
Arlington, VA during United States
bicentennial celebrations. She
imagined painting Athens’ hydrants
to encourage people to take a
moment and consider the crucial
The Fire Up the Hydrants project features four hydrants designed by ACC
employees (L to R) Sheridan Soileau, Marc Beechuk, Emily Bilcik, and Sarah Cook.
roles water plays in their lives.
From 75 submissions, 20 artists
were chosen, four of whom are
Unified Government employees.
Marc Beechuk (Planning)
painted the hydrant at Pulaski
Athens Wellbeing Project surveys begin
The Unified Government is
partnering with the Clarke County
School District, the Athens Area
Community Foundation, Family
Connection-Communities in
Schools, the United Way of
Northeast Georgia, and UGA for
the community-wide
Athens Wellbeing
Project (AWP).
The AWP’s
mission is to
integrate planning
efforts and improve
the outcomes
achieved by local
institutions, organizations, and
community stakeholders through
collecting and sharing openaccess, neighborhood-level data
that is representative of AthensClarke County’s population.
Data is collected in the form of
a 15-20 minute random household
survey on a community-wide basis
and will be used to map residents’
opinions on improvements to
housing, transportation, lifelong
learning, community safety, wealth
and employment, civic vitality, and
health. The data
collection process
started September 19
and will last through
November 18.
The Unified
Government will use
the data from the
AWP in a number of
ways, including strengthening its
community policing strategy and
using the data to look at different
parts of the community to see
where needs differ.
For more information, visit
www.athenswellbeingproject.org.
Street and Clayton Street themed
around the movie The Life Aquatic
with Steve Zissou. He painted actor
Bill Murray on one side, colorful
sea creatures on the other, and
the movie’s mythical jaguar shark
on the bottom. “The tones and
creatures lend themselves well to
a public art project,” says Beechuk.
“Some might like the movie
reference; some might simply like
colorful creatures.”
With a friend’s assistance,
Emily Bilcik (Public Utilities)
painted the fire hydrant at East
Broad Street and Jackson Street to
look like a flowering cactus. “I chose
this design with water conservation
in mind,” Bilcik says. “Cactus
and succulent plants are used in
xeriscaping, a style of landscape
design requiring little irrigation,”
For the hydrant located at
Pulaski Street and West Broad
Street, Sarah Cook (Probate Court)
painted a toadstool mushroom.
“I chose this design because
mycelium is one of nature’s
wonders that I have always loved
and admired,” says Cook.
continued on p. 3 ►
Tech Talk: Creating PDF files
Talking with...
Gail Brazil
(Tax Assessor)
Gail Brazil is an Information and
Technology Appraiser. She has
worked for ACC for 22 years.
What does an Information
and Technology Appraiser
do? I analyze the public utility
(GA Power, Walton EMC, CSX,
etc.) assessments sent to us
by the (Georgia) Department
of Revenue. Another part of
my job is receiving, analyzing
and processing the special
use applications such as tax
exempt requests, conservation
use applications, and landmark
historical, rehabilitated historical,
and residential transitional
covenants. I enter ownership
changes and log changes sent
to the Tax Commissioner’s
office. However, I am certified
by the Georgia Department
of Revenue as an appraiser.
The state requires our office
to have a certain number of
certified appraisers based on the
population count here in AthensClarke County.
What aspects “drive”
assessment values? Market
sales. Our ratios reflect sales
from the past year, which is the
guideline we must use from the
Department of Revenue.
Who are the people that
reach out to you for your
services? Taxpayers are our
main clients; however, we do
have professional clients such as
real estate attorneys, tax reps,
and fee appraisers.
What are the main
continued on p. 3 ►
The PDF file format was
designed to create documents
that can be easily shared across
multiple computer platforms. You
probably use PDF files every day
to view documents or fill out forms
online. Have you ever wanted to
create a PDF file but thought
you couldn’t because you
only have Acrobat Reader
installed on your PC?
If so, you’ll be happy
to know that every
version of Microsoft Office
since 2007 has included the
ability to create PDF files from
Word, Excel, PowerPoint and
Publisher without the need for any
third-party program or print driver.
Most ACC computers have this
ability built-in.
To save an Office document as
a PDF, open the document, click
“File,” then “Save As.” In Office
2013 & 2016, click “Browse.” In
the “Save As” dialog box that
appears, choose where to save
the file, name the file, then in the
“Save As Type” field choose PDF
(*.pdf). Your original document
still exists in its original format in
case you need to edit it later,
but you will also have a
PDF version suitable
for emailing or posting
online.
For assistance
with this feature or with
anything else, please
contact Information Technology
by emailing ITHelpDesk@
athensclarkecounty.com from an
Unified Government email account
or call 706-613-3075.
News & Notes
Election Key October Dates:
• Tuesday, October 11:
Registration deadline for the
Nov. 8 General/Special Election
and Runoff (if needed)
• Monday, October 17 - Friday,
November 4: Advance Voting
(Mon.-Fri.) for the Nov. 8
General/Special Election.
• Saturday, October 29: Saturday
Voting for the Nov. 8 General/
Special Election
Taxes Due: The deadline for
property tax payments to the
Tax Commissioner’s Office is
Thursday, October 20.
Athens Tree Fair: The 2016
Athens Tree Fair is Saturday,
October 22, 9:00 a.m. - noon at
Bishop Park. The fair features
trees, shrubs and perennials for
sale, a silent auction and other
family-friendly activities.
Lickskillet Artists Market: The
2016 Lickskillet Artists Market
is Saturday, October 22 from
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the
Lyndon House Arts Center. It
features eclectic wares for sale
by local artists, as well as live
demonstrations and music.
Holiday Luncheon: The ACC
Employee & Retiree Holiday
Luncheon is Thursday, December
8, 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at The
Classic Center.
Tech Talk features bi-monthly
notes from the Information
Technology Department (IT).
Departments Awarded: The
Public Information Office
(PIO) and Public Utilities each
received a national award from
the City County Communications
& Marketing Association (3CMA).
The PIO received a Savvy 1st
Place award for their 2016
ACC from A to Z Guide in the
“Marketing & Communications”
category, while Public Utilities
received a 3rd Place Award of
Excellence in the “Marketing and
Tools: Best Use of Promotional
Item” category for their Certified
Blue beverage napkin.
Retirements (Effective Oct. 1)
Promotions (Effective July 31)
Central Services: Joshua Elder
- Landscape Crew Leader
District Attorney: Emily Norris
and Kalki Yalamanchili - both
Associate Attorney; and Monica
Rogina - Senior Attorney
Deborah
Robinson
Tax
Commissioner
10 years
Janet Ryan
Central
Services
30 years
Public Utilities: Antwan Reid Heavy Equipment Operator I
Superior Court: Jay Johnson Deputy Chief Probation Officer
Transit: Isaac Amoah - Transit
Vehicle Operator
(Left)
Jill Witcher
Finance
23 years
Births
Scott and Amanda Blair (both
Police) - son Cadence Robert
Blair on August 20.
Erika B. Murphy (Sheriff) - son
Nathaniel David Murphy on July 6.
Gail Brazil (Tax Assessor) grandson Weston Daniel Stewart
on September 22.
◄ “Talking with...” from p. 2
challenges? Time vs. the volume
of work since our job operates
on a cycle with state mandated
deadlines.
What is the most rewarding
part of your job? When I am able
to help a taxpayer who comes in
the office and doesn’t have a clue
as to what is needed - whether
it is to fill out a conservation
use application or help in
understanding what is next in the
tax process because they have
become a widow or widower.
Tell us about your family. I
have three girls (the first two are
identical, mirror image twins),
one granddaughter who is eight
years old and a grandson born on
Trans. & Public Works: Stephen
Cullar - Public Works Supervisor
Accomplishments
Joseph Bennett and Bright
Onye (both Sheriff) graduated
from the 285th session of the
Regional Police Academy.
Employees of the Year: Sheriff:
David McAllister (Sworn) and
Mary Walton (Civilian).
Dale Allen (Probation Services)
was presented the Milner Ball
Social Justice Award by the
Athens Justice Coalition of Care
at a program on September 28.
September 22.
What is your favorite thing to
do outside of work? Gardening.
If you could go to visit
anywhere in the world, where
would you go? Switzerland.
What energizes you? My
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and
helping and doing good for others.
Do you have a hobby?
Gardening and yard sales.
Any pet peeves? Eye rolling.
What is a common food that
you have never eaten? Swiss
chard.
What is your favorite movie?
Faith of our Fathers.
Talking with... is a bi-monthly look
at an ACC employee and their job.
Sympathy
George Arthur
Garrison (Retiree)
passed away
September 18. He
served with Police
for 29 years.
◄ “Hydrants,” from p. 1
An environmentalist, Cook
likes the idea of drawing attention
to water use and conservation
through art. “I think we learn
more when we are having fun,”
she says. “Learning begins with
awareness. We should all be
aware of how precious clean,
accessible water is.”
Inspired by Peter Max’s
posters, Sheridan Soileau
(Public Utilities) chose a music
theme design on the hydrant at
the corner of West Clayton Street
and North Lumpkin Street. “I
wanted to paint a concept relating
to music, which is a big part of my
life and a major part of Athens,”
Soileau explains.
When viewed in a specific
order, the 20 painted hydrants
form a path called the H2.0 Water
Walk. Walking the route twice
covers four miles, the average
distance a person in a developing
country may have to walk each
day to get water.
A map of the H2.0 Water
Walk path is online at www.
athensclarkecounty.com/
waterwalk. Paper versions of the
map are also available at the
Water Business Office, Athens
Visitors Center, Athens Downtown
Development Authority, the
Classic Center, and certain
Certified Blue locations.
Each map includes a ballot
for participants to vote on their
favorite hydrant design. Online
ballots are also available at www.
thinkatthesink.com. Ballots are
accepted through February 2017;
the artist with the most votes will
be announced in mid-March at
the “Tappy Hour” event.
To Your Health
ACC Wellness Flu Shot
Schedule: Flu Shot clinics are
available all throughout October
at various ACC sites. Visit www.
athensclarkecounty.com/wellness
for clinic schedule and eligibility
details. No pre-registration is
necessary.
Mobile Mammography for ACC
employees: Appointments are
available for October 31 and
November 1-3 at Satula Avenue.
Eligible participants are females,
40 years of age or older, who have
had a physical exam within the
last year, whose last mammogram
was in October 2015 or before,
and who have no history of breast
issues detected. Checking with a
physician about scheduling with
the mobile unit is recommended.
Pre-registration is required. To
register, e-mail wellnessteam@
athensclarkecounty.com. A
physician order form must be
presented at the time of the
appointment.
ACC Well: The 2nd Quarter of
the ACC Well has begun. ACC
Well 1st Quarter earnings are
being rewarded on October 28.
Employees with an ACC POS
health insurance plan and those
with no ACC health insurance
coverage will receive their earnings
in their October 28 paycheck.
Employees with an ACC CHS
health insurance plan will receive
their earnings in their HSA.
Nutrition Credit: The Well
introduces more opportunities to
earn nutrition credit in the 2nd
Quarter. Participants may now
report the following each month
of FY17: goals met in general
nutrition (fruit/vegetables/water),
Omega-3 fatty acid intake, DASH
Diet adherence (low-sodium foods
& potassium-rich foods), and
saturated fat sources. That allows
for four goal accomplishments to
be reported for credit each month.
An additional nutrition goal will
be added in both 3rd and 4th
Quarters.
Pilates on ACC Wellness Fitness
Calendar: Pilates is a 45-minute
session designed to improve
flexibility, posture, and physical
strength as well as enhance mental
awareness. The class meets on
Wednesdays 12-12:45 p.m. in
the Memorial Park Recreation
Hall. Dressing to exercise is
recommended.
To Your Health provides healthrelated notes from ACC’s Wellness
Program and other sources.
Vulture festival returns to the ACC Landfill on October 22
The third annual Vulture
Festival, organized by Solid
Waste’s Recycling Division,
celebrates vulture culture at the
local celebration of International
Vulture Awareness Day.
The 2016 festival takes place
on Saturday, October 22 from
8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the ACC
Landfill’s outdoor classroom.
Visitors can enjoy food and
fun, educational activities, a vulture
ambassador, scavenger hunt, bird
walk, and much more.
The Recycling Division
partners with Bear Hollow
Wildlife Trail and the Oconee
Rivers Audubon Society to host
this event honoring nature’s
cleanup crew.
ACCENT
Produced monthly by the Athens-Clarke
County Public Information Office with input
from the Communications Work Team, a
committee of department representatives.
Editor:
Jeff Montgomery
Layout & Preproduction:
Irena Epling & Jason Harwell
Writers:
Irena Epling & Jordan Slappey
Send comments, questions, letters to:
Public Information Office
P.O. Box 1868 - Athens, GA 30603
706-613-3795 - 706-613-3026 (fax)
www.athensclarkecounty.com
info@athensclarkecounty.com