Mike Beaudreau
Gwinnett County Commissioner for District 3
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July, 2011 A Note from MikeHello, Everyone: It's hard to believe that 2011 is half over. In the last six months, the Board of Commissioners spent a lot of time and effort dealing with the effects of the economic downturn. I'm happy to report to you that we were able to close a $38 million shortfall in the budget the Board passed in January without having to tap into the county's reserve funds. By increasing the fee for emergency medical transportation, implementing county-wide furlough days, and having county departments voluntarily reduce their funding requests, we put the county into a better financial position, both now and in the future. The belt tightening the county has undergone since 2009 hasn't been easy, and I would like to thank our Finance staff and department heads for the efforts they have made to keep our budget balanced. The choices we had to make were difficult ones. They affect not only you, the citizens, but our hard-working county employees. The good news is that as a result of our actions, the county will not have to vote on a property tax increase this year. The county received some more good news recently when the three major credit rating agencies, Standard & Poors, Fitch and Moody's gave AAA ratings to a planned bond refinancing, and to the county's debt in general. The triple-triple A rating on the bond financing is expected to save as much as $7.5 million in interest costs. The agencies cited the county's sound financial management, conservative fiscal policies and strong reserve levels as factors in their ratings decisions. Gwinnett is one of about three dozen counties in the United States to hold triple AAA ratings—a rare feat indeed. In my opinion, our excellent credit ratings reflect the conservative approach the Board has taken in dealing with the effects of the Great Recession. Property values have declined in each of the past three years, and unfortunately, it looks like they will continue to decline in 2012. We will need to consider additional savings opportunities as we begin to prepare next year's budget. I am always interested in your ideas and concerns about the County. I hope to see you at one of my upcoming Meetings with Mike (see schedule below). You can also contact me by email at mike.beaudreau@gwinnettcounty.com, or call my office at 770-822-7003. Mike District 3 to Get More Park SpaceBrookwood area residents will soon have additional park space available after the Board approved a contract that will provide parking, a picnic area and walkways at the Yellow River Post Office site, located on Five Forks Trickum Road. The historic buildings on the site were preserved several years ago, and when construction is completed next spring, residents will be able to enjoy them. At our meeting later this month, the Board of Commissioners is expected to approve funding for an expansion of Rabbit Hill Park, which will include recreational facilities for the schools in the Mountain View cluster. In August, the Board will consider funding for improvements to Harbins Park, which will provide similar facilities for residents in the Archer school cluster. Funding for the construction of all three park facilities is being paid for through the SPLOST penny sales tax. Upcoming Meetings with MikeMike has met with residents each month since taking office in 2005. The first-come first-serve sessions give citizens a chance to voice their opinions and concerns one-on-one with their commissioner. Upcoming meetings include:
Dates for Meetings with Mike could change. Check the latest schedule at MikeBeaudreau.com. This newsletter is published by the Committee to Elect Mike Beaudreau. Feel free to pass it along to anyone you think would be interested in the information it provides. See below for subscribing/unsubscribing information, or write us at 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30045. |