A Note from Mike

Hello, Everyone:

This email newsletter is going to be one of the ways that I can stay in touch with the residents of the Third District. One of my goals when I was elected was to be more responsive to the needs of residents, and to stay in better communication with them. I hope to be able to publish this newsletter about once a quarter.

Before I continue, I would like to express my thanks to police chief Charles Walters and his extremely talented staff for the way they handled last week's capture of suspected murderer Brian Nichols. The dedication of our public safety officials makes me proud to say I live in Gwinnett County.

Since taking office in January, I have been learning a lot about the way the county operates. The commission has received the reports of several committees and task forces appointed by the previous commission, including the redevelopment task force, the health system funding task force, and the committee studying the effects of last year's smoking ban. All of this information will help guide our future policies, and direction for the county.

The commission has also taken some actions that I believe are going to provide a great benefit to the citizens of Gwinnett and the district. Some of these are listed in more detail below.

As always, I am very interested in hearing your opinions on the issues facing the county. You are welcome to visit with me in my office on the second Saturday of each month, when I hold "Meetings with Mike," or contact me by email at mike.beaudreau@gwinnettcounty.com. I hope to hear from you soon.

Mike Beaudreau

Commission Boosts Salaries of Public Safety Personnel

One of Mike's promises when running for commissioner last year was to boost the salaries of Gwinnett's public safety employees. The commission took action last week to do just that. The starting salary of a new police officer or first level firefighter will rise from $28,520 to $33,197. In addition, new police officers and sheriff's deputies will receive a $2,000 hiring bonus, to be paid out over a one year period.

"These adjustments to our public safety pay scales go a long way towards making the county's salaries comparable to what officers and firemen in other area counties already receive", Mike said. "It should also help in our effort to find qualified candidates for the 60 open positions on the police force, and the 60 openings in the sheriff's department".

Meetings with Mike A Great Success

Prior to being elected, Mike promised to hold office hours where district residents could meet one on one with him at a convenient time. After setting office hours for the second Saturday of the month, over 50 district residents have taken him up on his offer.

"District residents have come to me with a wide variety of concerns, from needing help working with a county department, to wanting to express their opinions on an upcoming rezoning", said Mike. "Meeting with constituents in person gives me the chance to really understand their issues, and provides a better opportunity to learn what residents of the district think".

The next Meeting with Mike will be held on Saturday, April 9th, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, and again from 1:15 to 3:00 PM at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. On the same day, the county will hold its annual Open House, where representatives of county departments will be available to talk about the programs they run. If you come by, make sure to come by the Commissioner's offices on the second floor and say hello.

Mike Stresses the Need to Be Business and Homeowner Friendly

Mike recently wrote an article for the Gwinnett Business Journal, talking about how the County Commission has an obligation to meet the needs of both the business and the homeowner community in keeping the county a great place to live. You can read the article at www.mikebeaudreau.com/gwinnett-friendly.htm.

Progress Made on Parkland for District 3

The commission recently took action to provide additional green space for District 3 residents. In late February, the county agreed to assume responsibility for 17 acres of the Vines Botanical Gardens site, between Grayson and Loganville. The area will reopen soon as a public park. In addition, the Harbins/Alcovy Park committee continues to meet to refine plans for a park in the Harbins area. In Dacula, grading and land work has begun on a new library in that area.

Beaudreau Website Gets a New Name

Mike's campaign website, www.mike04.com, has become www.mikebeaudreau.com. The change was made recently to reflect Mike's transition from a candidate to county commissioner. The change in websites also makes it easier for people to sign up for, and remove themselves from, Mike's newsletter mailing list. (see below for more information on this). The site will continue to feature information about Mike's activities on the commission, a schedule of upcoming events, and general information useful to voters. It also has a contact form so that residents can contact him easily. The site will continue to be reachable through the old address for a short period of time; however you are encouraged to update any bookmarks or links to the site you may have.

Upcoming Public Events

The springtime festival season is about to begin. Plan on visiting with Mike at the following events:

• Gwinnett County Open House and Meetings with Mike - April 9th
• Grayson Day Parade and Festival - April 30th
• Snellville Days Parade - May 7th
• Meetings with Mike at GJAC - May 14th
• Dacula Memorial Day Parade - May 30th

Subscribing/Unsubscribing Information

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. If you would like your own subscription, please visit www.mikebeaudreau.com/subscribe.htm.

If you would like to remove yourself from Mike's mailing list, visit www.mikebeaudreau.com/remove.htm, or write us at 3420 Callie Still Road, Lawrenceville, GA 30045.