April, 2009

A Note from Mike

Hello, Everyone:

Spring is in full swing, and that means it's time for community parades and festivals in the district. I hope you'll come by and say hello at the Snellville Days parade, this Saturday, May 2nd. I'll also be marching in the Dacula Memorial Day parade. It's also time for graduation ceremonies for our high school and college seniors. Congratulations to all our District 3 graduates, and I wish you the best of luck as you move on to further education or your careers.

Gwinnett County is taking advantage of federal stimulus and SPLOST money to move ahead on several road projects that will help relieve congestion in District 3. Commissioners approved the use of stimulus money to construct a new four lane bridge on Gravel Springs Road over I-85. The bridge will be constructed in a way that will make it possible to build an interchange with I-85 at that location in the future.

We will also use stimulus money to pay for the second phase of widening Highway 20 from Ozora Road to the Walton County line. Right now, workers are completing punch list items from the first phase of the Grayson Highway widening, from Plantation Road to Ozora Road. Expect construction of the second phase to begin sometime this year.

Commissioners also approved the use of SPLOST funds to rebuild the intersection of US 78 and Rosebud Road, adding left and right turn lanes both ways on Rosebud. An improved intersection at New Hope and Chandler Roads will improve traffic flow in the Grayson area once the Sugarloaf Parkway extensionn opens around the end of the year. Finally, SPLOST money will also pay for a rebuilt intersection at Hurricane Shoals and Dacula roads in the Dacula area.

Residents in the Grayson/Loganville area will have better fire protection late this year or early next year. On March 24th, Commissioners broke ground on a new three bay fire station located on Ozora Road near the Vulcan Materials plant. Fire Station 30 will be the third station added in the district in the past few years, and with replacement stations in Snellville and Grayson, this shows the commitment the county has to the safety of our citizens.

I spent much of the first part of the year working with a group of volunteer citizens on a committee to examine options for revising the county's solid waste ordinance. We met six times to solicit the opinions of Gwinnett residents on how the county should handle trash disposal. After our final meeting, we presented our findings to the entire Commission. Our study and the results of a study being undertaken by an outside consultant will be used to revise the ordinance before the end of the year. Until that time, the previous plan remains in effect.

I am always interested in the opinions of District 3 residents. If you have any concerns you think I should know about, come by one of my "Meetings with Mike," (see the schedule below), contact me by email at mike.beaudreau@gwinnettcounty.com, or call my office at 770-822-7003. I hope to hear from you soon.

Mike

Harbins Park Is Another Success Story for Gwinnett Parks and Recreation

Gwinnett County residents have every reason to be proud of our park system, which was named the number one park system in the nation in 2008 by the National Recreation and Park Association and the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. With almost 9,000 acres of parks, Gwinnett has more land devoted to recreation than any other county in the metro Atlanta area: over 15 acres of parks for each 1,000 residents.

Through the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), we have been able to use over 500 million dollars to develop our parks, and provide recreational opportunities for residents.  Because voters approved an extension of the SPLOST last fall, we will be able to continue to add additional parks and green space, which adds to our quality of life.

In March, the county opened its largest park yet.  Harbins Park, located south of Dacula at 2995 Luke Edwards Road consists of 1795 acres along the Alcovy River. Almost 1200 acres are open to the public initially.

Planning for the park got underway in 2005, and ground was broken on the first phase of park construction just over a year ago.  The first phase included construction of trail areas, including 7 miles of mountain biking trails, and 6.8 miles of trails for horseback riding. There are also more than three miles of paved multipurpose trails for running, walking or exploring nature. A playground, four acre meadow area and a picnic building were also included in the first phase of construction.

The second phase of park development, which will feature an active area including ball fields, should begin construction sometime next year, and be open in 2011. Because of the park’s size, the county has leased a house which will become the home of a park police officer.

In addition to Harbins Park, there are two other parks convenient to District 3 residents that will open later this spring. Workers are finishing construction of the second phase of Bay Creek Park, which includes a skate park, tennis and basketball courts, a picnic pavilion and playground and more.  Bay Creek Park is located on Ozora Road in Grayson.

Alexander Park, located at 800 Old Snellville Highway in Lawrenceville features a 26 acre disc golf course, walking trails, a play area including horseshoe courts and a plaza area. 26 acres of the 91 acre park will be open in this phase of park development.

With the approach of the warm spring and summer months, now is the perfect time to get out and take advantage of all the county’s wonderful park facilities. Whether it’s team sports, skateboarding, swimming, riding or just getting out and enjoying nature, Gwinnett has a park for you.  You can find out more at www.gwinnettparks.com.

Despite Fare Increase, Gwinnett Transit Remains Popular

One year ago, the Gwinnett County Commission voted to raise fares on the local and express bus service operated by Gwinnett County Transit, including GRTA Route 418, which runs from Snellville to downtown Atlanta. For most express routes, fares rose from $3 to $4, while fares on local routes were increased by 25 cents. The increase went into effect last August.

While the fare increase was being debated, some riders expressed concerns that the county really wanted to discourage ridership, or to end express service completely.  Others warned that the fare increase would be a financial hardship, forcing riders back into their cars and adding to the gridlock on our roads.

The reality is that the cost of running a transit system must be shared by local taxpayers, the federal government and transit patrons. Prior to the fare increase, riders were paying about 24% of the costs of running the system.  Following the fare increase, the riders’ share rose to about 35%. We would like to keep farebox revenue at least 35% of what it costs to operate the system.

Fears that ridership would decrease proved unfounded.  Average daily ridership for GCT and GRTA express routes increased by over a third, from 2884 to 3857, comparing January and February, 2008 to the same period in 2009.  Many of our express routes are running at capacity, which is why the Commission approved the use of federal funds to purchase new 57 seat buses for our express routes, which will replace much of our current 39 seat fleet.

The federal government recently increased the tax deductible amount of employer provided transportation fringe benefits, which include transit passes, from $120 to $230 per month, which means many of our riders may see no out of pocket increase in their commuting costs.

The Commission’s decision to raise fares proved to be the best way to maintain and improve the service offered by our transit system without placing an undue burden on either riders or taxpayers.  Compare this to other local systems, where a reluctance to increase fares is forcing officials to consider suspending service one day a week. 

In an ideal world, regional transit service, including getting people to and from Gwinnett, downtown, Cobb County and elsewhere should be a regional responsibility. Unfortunately, the General Assembly failed to pass legislation this year that would have provided a method for funding regional transit. Until a regional system is developed, we will continue to provide service through Gwinnett Transit, but with a careful eye on expenses.

Meetings with Mike Spring Schedule

Do you have a question or comment that you think Mike should hear? You have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with Mike each month at his office in the Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville. If you have a have a question about or an issue with the county or its government, you are welcome to share it with Mike.

In May, Mike will have office hours from 10 AM to Noon on the 9th. Mike will meet with residents from 10 AM until Noon on June 13th and July 11th. Meetings don't require appointments, and are first-come first served.

Note: Dates for Meetings with Mike may change. Check www.MikeBeaudreau.com for late revisions.