C I T Y   O F   F O R E S T   P A R K

 

TO:                     Mayor and Council

 

FROM:               John Parker, City Manager

 

DATE:                 January 22, 2008

 

SUBJECT:            INFORMATION BULLETIN  - DECEMBER, 2007

 

The following is a department by department status report of priority activities, projects and initiatives for the month of December, 2007.

 

DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION AND LEISURE SERVICES

 

WHAT’S HAPPENING

 

*        Youth Basketball – The youth basketball draft was held on December 1, 2007.  We have 33 teams with 8 players on each team ages 5-16 years of age.  Practices are being held Monday through Saturday the month of December 2007with games starting on January 5, 2008.

 

*        Pictures with Santa – Pictures with Santa were held on December 7, 2007 from 6 pm-8 pm at the Forest Park Senior Center.     

 

*        Breakfast with Santa – Breakfast with Santa took place on December 8, 2007 from 8am until 10:30am.  Seniors from the Forest Park Senior Center flipped pancakes while Santa greeted the parents and kids.  Donna Barkley, the Face Painter, painted Santa’s, snowmen, and Christmas trees on the faces of the excited children while the parents took pictures and enjoyed homemade crafts from the Seniors Craft table.  There were approximately 50 participants at the breakfast. 

 

*        City Election – The City Run-off Election for Ward 3 was held on December 4, 2007 at the Recreation Center gymnasium. 

 

*        City BBQ – The City BBQ was held on Wednesday, December 5, 2007 11am-1:30pm in the gymnasium at the Forest Park Recreation Center.

 

*        Call From Santa – Call from Santa was held December 4, 6, 2007.

 

*        Daily gym use 528 for the month of December 2007.

          *        Wellness Programs

                             Water Aerobics – Monday & Wednesday 6pm-7pm

                             Yoga – Wednesday evening 6:30pm-8pm

                             Water Exercise – Monday, Wednesday, Friday 12noon-1pm

                                      Monday & Wednesday 12noon-1pm, 1pm-2pm

                             Teen Weight Lifting – Tuesday & Thursday 5pm-6pm

                             Swim For Fun – Tuesday & Thursday 1:30pm-2:30pm -

                                      55 & up

                             Exercise/Weight Room – Monday-Friday 9am-8pm and

                                      Saturday 10am-4pm

 

SENIOR ACTIVITIES

 

                   December was a busy and fun month for everyone and we kept the seniors busy! 

 

*        The Red Hatters had their Christmas dinner at the Green Manor and it was fun for all of them.  They ate, enjoyed the fellowship and the spirit.    

 

*        Then we had Pictures with Santa and Breakfast with Santa and all the Seniors had a helping hand in decorating, serving, or cooking and it was fun. 

 

*        Our next event was our trip to Callaway Gardens.  It was a great trip to see the lights and shop.  We stopped for dinner, shopped till we dropped and then came home.  We all enjoyed the Holiday Spirit and fun. 

 

*        Christmas dinner here at the Senior Center is always special for some reason.  It must be the decorations, entertainment, or great food.  The fellowship just shines on that night.  Everyone comes to celebrate together and make it a great Christmas.

 

*        With the year ending, I think here at the Senior Center we have had a great year of fun, activities and fellowship.  We have grown this year and hope for the future to be even better. 

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

 

*        January 4, 2008 – Youth Basketball Games start @ 6pm @ the Forest Park Recreation Center Gymnasium

 

*        January 5, 2008 – Youth Basketball Games start @ 9am @ the Forest Park Recreation Center Gymnasium

 

 

Elaine Corley, Director

404-363-2908

 

 

 

 

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION / FINANCE

 

Expenditures (preliminary totals) for the General Fund for the month of December are $1,418,615 or 8.05% of the budget.  Year-to-date preliminary expenditures for the General Fund are $7,938,765 or 45.05% of the budget (fiscal year July 2007 – June 2008). For comparison purposes, the period of July through December represents 50.00% of the budget year. Total expenditures for the General Fund remain under budget for the for the six month period of July through December.

 

Local Option Sales Tax revenue received in December is $493,964, compared to $326,479 for December of the prior year. The fiscal year-to-date total received is $2,493,349 or 47.04% of the budget. The percentage of the budget year through December is 50.00% of the year; therefore, revenue from Local Option Sales Tax remains less than budget through December. It should be noted that the deficit has improved after the amount received in December.

 

The due date for payment of 2007 property taxes was December 20. Approximately $3,429,500 of collections had been posted to the accounting system by December 31.

This amount represents approximately 80% of taxes billed. This amount does not represent all tax collections. An additional amount of property taxes had been collected but not posted to the accounting system as of December 31.

 

 

Mike Blandenburg, Director

(404) 366-4720

 

 

 

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

 

City Annual Barbeque:

          Public Works crews along with help from City Hall were responsible for the Annual City of Forest Park Barbeque.  The event this year fed approximately 1650 people barbeque pork, hot dogs, Brunswick stew, cole slaw, bread, pickles, potato chips, corn bread, and cheese cake.

 

Street Division:

          Major projects for the month of December included the city barbeque and right of way clean up.  Street and Maintenance Division crews cleaned trees from right of way at Rocksprings Street, Foster Street, and Brookdale.  Numerous special sanitation pick-ups were accomplished and new street signs were place on Jonesboro Road, Rocksprings Street, Parkwood Drive, Thurmond Road, Lake Circle and Cityview Drive.  Crews were busy cleaning gutter and drains of leaves and debris.  The recycling center was cleaned up and prepared for the upcoming Clean Sweep.   

 

Building Maintenance:

          Major project completed by Building Maintenance crews included the repairing of doors to the communications room, the installation of carpet strips, repairing wood trim in the administration office, replacing of ceiling tiles, and the painting of all offices and restrooms. The roof flashing was repaired at Personnel Office. Three concrete pads for picnic tables were built and poured around the new playground. Maintenance crews also completed numerous work orders throughout all city departments.

 

Parks Division:

          Leaf clean up and park maintenance kept our Parks crew along with our other departments very busy. Along with helping to clear right-of-ways, crews help with the completion of 3 concrete pads in the park. Winter flowers were planted at City Hall, Annex, Recreation Building and all the annual beds around the city limit signs and all outdoor fields were winterized.  Right-of-way cutting was done on West Street to Middlebrooks.

 

 

                                                          Mike Gippert, Director

                                                          (404) 608-2310

 

 

 

DEPARTMENT OF POLICE SERVICES

 

On December 5th the Police Department along with Clayton County Public Health participated in an assessment of the Cities Readiness Initiative by the CDC. After reviewing the security plan developed by the Police Department, the CDC requested that Forest Park’s security plan be used as a template to teach other jurisdictions throughout the state.

 

On December 9th thru December 12th the Police Department underwent its assessment for CALEA re-accreditation. The assessors unanimously recommended to the CALEA Commission that the Police Department receive its re-accreditation. The Police Department was originally accredited in 2001 and has successfully completed one previous re-accreditation. The CALEA Accreditation program has become the primary method for an agency to voluntarily demonstrate their commitment to excellence in law enforcement. The standards upon which the Law Enforcement Accreditation Program is based reflect the current thinking and experience of law enforcement practitioners and researchers. Major law enforcement associations, leading educational and training institutions, governmental agencies, as well as law enforcement executives internationally, acknowledge CALEA’s Standards for Law Enforcement Agencies© and its Accreditation Program as benchmarks for today’s law enforcement agency. 

 

Triad

On December 21st Triad members held their annual Christmas Celebration with 65 people in attendance. Members held a pot luck luncheon with Bill Stephens of Fayetteville providing the entertainment.

 

Community Oriented Policing

Throughout the month of December C.O.P.S Officers met with residents, apartment managers, and businesses owners to discuss Crime Prevention and Holiday Safety. These ongoing programs offered through the Police Department’s C.O.P.S initiatives have continued to develop positive relationships within the community and reduce crime related activities. For additional information on any of the programs offered through the C.O.P.S. office contact Officer Whitehead or Officer Turnage at 404-366-2232.  

                                                               

                                                                   Chief Dwayne Hobbs

                                                                   404-366-7280                               

 

 

 

DEPARTMENT OF FIRE/EMS

 

In September of 2006, FF/EMT Jim Hambrick was diagnosed with cancer. Since that time many people from the community and city employees have participated in fundraising events, sent words of encouragement and various other ways of supporting Jim and his family. Our brother, Jim, passed on December 13, 2007 and the support given the family and the Fire Department family during the funeral was absolutely incredible. Words can’t express the appreciation for the outpouring of everyone. Once again, Thank You.

 

  • Captain Sam Batten of the Fire Marshals Office successfully completed the Arson Investigation Level II – a two-week class at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth.

 

  • The Fire Department assisted by providing Santa Claus passing out candy canes to approximately 100 children at Ash Street Center during their Christmas program.

 

  • Fire personnel taught fire safety utilizing the Fire Safety House at the annual Premier Trucking Christmas Party for foster children.

 

  • Fire personnel taught CPR/First Aid to eighteen adults at the Griswell Senior Center in Clayton County.

 

  • The new ambulance has been put in service. Special thanks to the Mayor and Council for allocating this much needed piece of equipment.

 

Run Activity

 

Fires                     4

Engine Assist/EMS        100

False Alarm          19

Mutual Aid           1

Hazmat                 3

Other Hazards      7

Other Response   21

EMS Calls             214

 

                                                          369 Total Responses for Month

 

 

                                                                   Chief Eddie Buckholts

                                                                   (404) 608-2382

 

 

 

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, BUILDING AND ZONING

 

Building Plans Submitted

1.       2500 Southpoint Drive; Pallet Racks

 

Building Permits Issued

1.       4690 Derry St.                         Interior remodel; 88 sq. ft. JC $2,500

2.       2500 Southpoint Dr.                Pallet racking; JC $50,000

3.       562 Grande Dr.                        Handicap ramp; 84 sq. ft. JC $1,800

4.       4644 Jonesboro  Rd.                Remodel; 1,350 sq. ft. JC $50,000

5.       4644 Jonesboro Rd.                          Remodel garage; 744 sq. ft. JC $6,900

6.       946 Main St.                                      Demo; JC $3,000

7.       625 Oakdale Dr.                      Storage bldg.; 80 sq. ft. JC $1,200

 

Certificate of Occupancies Issued

1.       Rite Aid                          833 Forest Pkwy.           12/14/07

2.       Shell Food                      4806 Jonesboro Rd.                12/11/07

3.       Bonserva Acute              4940 Governors Dr. 209 12/20/07

4.       Jacobson Wilpak            5290 Old Dixie Hwy.      12/20/07

 

Affiliate Board Activity

There were no Board meetings for the month of December 2007.

 

 

 

                                                          Steve Pearson, Director

                                                          (404) 608-2300

 

 

 

OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER

 

Sidewalks to Schools, Phase III and Transit Oriented Pedestrian Improvements Projects

The City is waiting for GDOT to approve the revised concept plan and ROW drawings submitted in September.

 

Livable Centers Initiative (LCI)-Main Street Streetscape Project

City officials are trying to locate the property owners for the last few remaining properties on Main Street requiring a temporary construction easement or a driveway easement.  There are a total of twenty-five (25) properties requiring ROW. 

 

State Farmers Market Project

EDAW is printing the final deliverables.

         

Community Development Block Grant Projects (CDBG)

The City of Forest Park received $125,000 in CDBG funds to replace the roof on the Recreation Center.

 

Forest Park Business Coalition

The City of Forest Park participated in the Forest Park Business Coalition December Holiday Networking Event.  The City highlighted the LCI Main Street Downtown Pedestrian project.

 

The next meeting of the Forest Park Business Coalition is Tuesday, January 15, 2008 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at Community Services Authority 1000 Main Street.

 

2008 SPLOST

 

The 2008 SPLOST Citizen Committee launched its campaign for a new, six-year Special Local Option Sales Tax.  The current SPLOST, passed in 2003 will expire sometime this year.   On Tuesday, February 5, 2008, during the presidential primary, Clayton County voters will decide whether to continue the one-cent tax collection through a new SPLOST that is expected to raise $305 million.

 

The Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax or SPLOST is an optional sales tax.  Rather than taxing only Clayton County property owners, the SPLOST is also paid by non-residents who work and do business in Clayton County.  SPLOST can be used to fund public safety, road and sidewalk improvements, government buildings, and park and recreation projects for Clayton County and the participating municipal governments of College Park, Forest Park, Jonesboro, Lake City, Lovejoy, Morrow, and Riverdale.

 

Passage of the new SPLOST will make possible a number of vital projects, including: law enforcement and public safety projects, parks and recreation projects, library projects, and transportation and improvement projects.

 

Projects identified for Forest Park includes:

 

·        LCI (Livable Centers Initiative) Main Street Downtown Pedestrian project and the inclusion of underground utilities from North Oak Street to realignment of College/Ash/Main

 

·        Sidewalks to Schools Phase II and Transit Oriented pedestrian streetscape projects

 

·        Capital equipment to include police, administrative, fire, public works and recreation

 

·        New Recreation Center complete with design, construction and equipment.

 

·        Expansion of City Hall facility and parking including design, construction and equipment, as well as a new computer system and software

 

·        Property acquisition and maintenance for upcoming projects, street maintenance, greenspace, transit purchase and park space

 

·        Road construction and maintenance

 

·        LCI (Livable Centers Initiative) Main Street Downtown Pedestrian project – Phase II Design and Construction

 

This is a county election.  Voting will be held at the county precincts and not at City Hall or the Recreation Building.

 

For more information on the 2008 SPLOST, visit www.claytonsplost.com

 

 

 

                                                          John Parker, City Manager

                                                          Angela Redding, Management