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Contributed photo
Gwinnett County Government issued the following announcement on Aug. 11.
As a resident of Gwinnett County, you know there is always a lot going on in the community. As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues and we recover from the pandemic, stay up-to-date on the latest news from your County government.
Gwinnett County Government would appreciate your help keeping your neighbors informed by sharing the following information through your homeowner association newsletter, website, and emails and by talking to your friends and family.
What's new on TV Gwinnett?
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Gwinnett County brings you the latest news and happenings about your community through Eye on Gwinnett, our weekly news program.
What you'll see in this episode:
- The Board of Commissioners voted to keep the millage rate the same as in 2020
- Gwinnett is now a Purple Heart County
- There is progress to report on the Rogers Bridge Project over the Chattahoochee
- With COVID-19 numbers increasing, public health officials are urging vaccination
Find other Eye on Gwinnett episodes on our Facebook and Twitter pages, or watch them on TVGwinnett.com.
Gwinnett is now a Purple Heart County
As a sign of Gwinnett County’s deep respect and admiration for those men and women wounded or killed in defense of our country, the Board of Commissioners proclaimed Gwinnett a Purple Heart County. Commissioners presented a proclamation to Lou Zayas, commander of Chapter 465 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Zayas was accompanied by veterans with the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and volunteers from the Gwinnett County Veterans Memorial Museum.
The County will fly the Purple Heart flag at the Fallen Heroes Memorial and soon you'll see road signs declaring that Gwinnett is a Purple Heart County. Purple Heart recipients will also receive free pet adoptions and discounts on programs and activities at our parks starting Sunday, August 15. Learn more at GCGA.us/PurpleHeartCounty.
Get your COVID-19 vaccine at Piedmont Eastside
If you haven’t received your COVID-19 vaccination yet, Gwinnett County and Piedmont Eastside (formerly Eastside Medical Center) are making it easier for you with a vaccination clinic in southern Gwinnett. The clinic now offers all three authorized vaccines, meaning kids ages 12 and up can now receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine onsite. The clinic also offers the first and second doses of the Moderna vaccine and single doses of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine to adults ages 18 and over.
Learn more about the different vaccine types from the CDC. Read more about the Piedmont Eastside clinic here. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Apply for the Citizens Police Academy
The Gwinnett Police Department is accepting applications for the next Citizen’s Police Academy through Tuesday, August 24. The Citizens Police Academy will run from September 7 to October 26 on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Examples of topics covered include: crime prevention, communications (911), criminal investigations, gangs, K-9, SWAT, crime scene investigations, and more.
Residents interested in joining the Citizen’s Police Academy can obtain an application here. These applications will need to be received no later than Tuesday, August 24 to be considered.
Gwinnett Corrections hosting Career Fair August 28
Our Department of Corrections is hiring for several Correctional Officer and Correctional Officer Senior positions! Complete the first step of the hiring process by joining us for a career fair on Saturday, August 28 from 8:00am to 2:00pm at the Comprehensive Correctional Complex located at 750 Hi Hope Road in Lawrenceville.
The career fair will include a facility tour, background processing, a behavior personal assessment device test, and interview panels. Gwinnett offers competitive benefits, paid training, educational incentives, tuition reimbursement, career advancement, and a $2,000 hiring incentive. Apply at GCGA.us/CorrectionsJobs before Thursday, August 26 to allow full participation at the career fair.
SPLOST enhances Gwinnett’s quality of life and economy
The County’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax has raised an estimated $3.8 billion since it was first approved by Gwinnett County voters in 1985. The one-percent sales tax allows the County to improve residents’ quality of life and the overall economy without resorting to property tax increases. The funds, which are collected from anyone who makes a purchase in Gwinnett, are used for capital improvement projects.
SPLOST money allows the County to make critical transportation improvements to roads, sidewalks, and bridges. It also pays for police precincts and fire stations, parks, pools, playgrounds, and libraries. It pays for trails and environmental and historic site restorations. SPLOST allows the County to pay for projects without going into debt, saving taxpayer dollars in interest payments.
Sensory treehouse coming to the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center
The Board of Commissioners approved a $4.1 million project to build a sensory treehouse at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center. The treehouse will allow visitors with disabilities to experience the sensation of being in a canopy of trees while in a controlled environment. In the treehouse building, visitors will be immersed in an indoor sensory exhibit that uses video, audio, and scents to allow visitors to experience 24 hours in a piedmont forest. These sensory features will provide the perception of all the elements that one would experience climbing into a tree canopy.
The project is scheduled to begin in the fall and take about a year to construct. The treehouse is designed to accommodate all ages and abilities.
Commissioners approve Parks and Recreation master plan
The Board of Commissioners is on board with the first step of a Parks and Recreation master plan that lays out a proposed blueprint for adding parks, greenspace, trails, and developing recreational programs over the next decade.
In developing the plan, Gwinnett Parks and Recreation examined existing and projected demographics, current parks inventory, local and national trends, and the needs of residents and stakeholders including creating recreation opportunities within a 10-minute walk. The parks capital projects have primarily been funded through Special Purpose Local Option Sales tax revenues, which has raised about $259 million since 2009, 2014, and 2017.
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