Commissioner James Swafford received the Silver Standard of Excellence certificate and pin at the 2012 Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) annual meeting.  This certificate is in recognition of continuing education and member involvement with ACCG.  ACCG recognizes that one of the most important keys to success for local officials is lifelong learning.   In conjunction with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia, ACCG has offered training for elected and appointed county officials for more than two decades.  ACCG members are recognized based on the number of continuing education hours earned, which determines the significant milestone reached.  The Silver Standard of Excellence requires one hundred hours of continuing education to be earned in addition to the Commissioners Training Program and the Certified Commissioners Advanced Program.  Commissioner Swafford serves on the ACCG General County Government Committee, the ACCG Revenue and Finance Committee and the ACCG Training Assessment Committee.

The 2012 – 2013 Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Board of Managers were installed on April 30, 2012 at the ACCG Annual Meeting.  Brian Owens, Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner, installed the officers.  Taylor County Commissioner Clinton Perry will serve as the ACCG President.  Dawson County Chairman Mike Berg will serve as the ACCG First Vice President.  ACCG Second Vice President will be served by Walton County Chairman Kevin Little.  Serving ACCG Third Vice President will be Bibb County Chairman Sam Hart.  For a complete list of the 2012 – 2013 ACCG Board of Managers click here.

May 1, 2012 - Congratulations to Dawson County Commissioner Julie Hughes Nix, who won the top prize of one month’s mortgage payment (up to $1,500) at the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Annual Meeting in Savannah over the weekend. The top prize was won by Commissioner Nix from ACCG partner Georgia United Credit Union, who was an exhibitor at this event. The meeting was attended by over 650 county officials and administrators from across the state.

All county officials and employees were invited to take a turn in Georgia United’s Cash Grab Machine and Commissioner Nix was the lucky recipient of the top prize.  ACCG also announced Georgia United Credit Union as a new preferred partner during the Annual Meeting.  This partnership allows county commissioners and county employees throughout Georgia to become members of Georgia United Credit Union and to access its financial services.

About Georgia United Credit Union
Georgia United Credit Union is ranked as one of the top credit unions in Georgia with over $930 million in assets and sixteen branch locations. Their mission is to provide value-priced financial services to members. Georgia United Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) up to $250,000 per account.

Georgia United Credit Union serves employees and family members of State of Georgia agencies, over 450 companies, 10 county school systems, the University of Georgia faculty, staff, students and alumni and all Georgia county employees and officials.  Dawson County Schools and Dawson County Board of Commissioners are served locally by Georgia United’s Cumming branch at 312 Calhoun Highway.  Additional information may be located at georgiaunitedcu.org or at our media center.

Cindy Campbell joined Dawson County Government in 2008 as the assistant finance director.  She was promoted to chief financial officer in December 2009.  As chief financial officer she is responsible for managing all aspects of Dawson County’s finances including supervising the finance, purchasing and human resources staff.  Campbell is a 1990 Dawson County High School graduate.  She earned a bachelor of business administration degree at North Georgia College and State University.  In 2000, Campbell received her certified public accountant license.  Preceding her service with the county Campbell worked as a staff accountant for Bates Carter & Company.  The full service CPA firm located in Gainesville, GA specializing in government audits, taxes, private business and nonprofit valuations and audits, and accounting services.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Confirmed Case of Rabies in Dawson County

Dawson County received confirmation of a rabies case in Dawson County.  The reported case was verified in a cow located in the North 400 Corridor of Dawson County.  The property owner is working with Dawson County Animal Control, Dawson County Environmental Health, and the Georgia Department of Agriculture to keep the remaining cattle under close observation for signs of rabies.  The remaining cattle in the immediate area have been inventoried and placed under watch for a six month period.  Dawson County Animal Control staff will monitor the cattle during this six month period to watch for any symptoms of rabies.  Adjacent property owners have been notified of the case and are aware of the warning signs to look for in the event that a pet or wild animal should show indication of rabies.  If you notice any domestic, stray, or wild animals acting out of the ordinary please contact 9-1-1 or Dawson County Animal Control at (706) 265-PETS (9387).  Please feel free to call Dawson County Animal Control with any concerns or questions at (706) 265-PETS (9387).

In an effort to give citizens an easily recognizable number to reach over 25 separate departments providing NON-EMERGENCY services, a county-wide effort was made for the approval and installation of the 3-1-1 phone system.  By dialing 3-1-1 from a Dawson County telephone landline or 706-265-CARE (2273) it will connect you with a well-trained and knowledgeable staff member Monday – Friday between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, excluding County observed holidays and weather related closings.  This program offers citizens a consistent process for placing calls for service, tracking calls, and accountability on behalf of the County.  The 3-1-1 program also allows the County to better understand the needs of citizens and businesses, while enabling the County to provide superior service.  This system required approval of a petition submitted to the Georgia Public Service Commission.  Currently Dawson County is one of only seven counties in the state of Georgia utilizing a similar program.  Both Windstream and TDS are on board with the 3-1-1 system and officials are currently working with AT&T to finalize their commitment to the program as well.

In addition to telephone services, the Dawson County Citizen Care Center is accessible 24/7 to anyone with web access.  Visit www.dawsoncounty.org, click on the ‘Citizen Care’ tab to access the webpage.  The purpose of the Citizen Care Center is to answer questions the public may have that can be answered online or during non-office hours and to provide top-notch customer service to the citizens of Dawson County.  The Citizen Care Center embraces the philosophy of technology being available when you prefer it over an operator and vice versa.   Citizens can manage subscriptions to breaking news such as road advisories or normal business like Board of Commissioners minutes and agenda postings.  This program is available to anyone wishing to learn more about Dawson County Government.  Citizens can also ask questions, report road issues, generate work orders, browse frequently asked questions and offer feedback to staff.  The goal is to make government more accessible and transparent.

The final link to reinventing customer service for Dawson County is the new website:  www.dawsoncounty.org.  The new website has been streamlined with condensed content, reduced duplicate pages to ease browsing, and improved department pages that provide contact information and office hours.  The search capability is now powered by Google, which allows for efficient searching across the site.  The new website is compatible with all modern web browsers, which allows the County the capability to easily integrate new features and/or services to the website over time at minimal cost to taxpayers.  The site is more secure, more flexible to accommodate future growth and county staff are able to manage the majority of the site themselves rather than by a second party.  The last key feature of the new website offers an updated Vendor Registration system.  Vendors can now select unlimited vendor categories unlike the old website, which was limited to five categories.  Another new feature that has been added is the ability to instantly notify vendors directly from the website of possible bid opportunities.  The new Vendor Registration system is more efficient in all aspects of communication with vendor candidates.  In 2009, the Board of Commissioners passed the Local Small Business Initiative for any solicitation that is under $100,000.00 for any local small business (as demonstrated via affidavit) that submits a responsive, responsible price, a local preference credit of 3%.  Giving preference to local suppliers, even if it means spending a little more, can actually benefit a county’s finances.  Dollars spent locally generate additional economic activity beyond the value of the initial contract as the local supplier in turn sources out goods and services locally.  From the homepage, citizens can also use the quick links to connect to our Facebook page, contact us, and access 3-1-1.

In 2009, Dawson County won the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and Georgia Trend’s, Georgia County Excellence Award for “In Touch with Dawson County.”  In Touch with Dawson County is an online newsletter to citizens outlining county projects, goings-on and other current news for the residents.  To register visit www.dawsoncounty.org, scroll down to ‘Resident Newsletter’ on the left side of the screen and enter your email address to receive the latest news and information from Dawson County.  In 2011 the County received another ACCG and Georgia Trend, Georgia County Excellence Award for Dawson County’s B.E.S.T. (Building Educated Students for Tomorrow) program with Dawson County High School.  The B.E.S.T. program was selected for its innovation in connecting citizens with government and, in this case, the next generation of community leaders.  The freshman-level program invites students to become more involved with their community and develop a better understanding of local government.  Dawson County Government strives to meet the evolving needs of its citizens with customer service.

Over the past few years Dawson County has become a recognized leader in citizen engagement efforts across the State.  County Manager Tanner has been asked by the Association of County Commissioners to present on Dawson County’s success to County Commissioners and other officials from all over Georgia at the organization’s annual meeting in Savannah this spring.  “I am proud of the strides we have been able to make over the last four years in this area.  The employees here in Dawson County Government realize that we are public servants and are thankful for the opportunity to work for such a fine group of citizens,” said Tanner.

The Sweetwater Juno Road project allowed for in-house design and environmental permitting, which was no cost to the County.  If this project was engineered and permitted by an outside consulting firm the estimated cost would have been $8,000.  Interdepartmental cooperation allowed for the project to smoothly transition from design to construction to completion.  Dawson County departments included on this project were:  the Road Department, Facilities, the Sheriff’s Department and Corrections, the Transfer Station, the Marshal’s Office and the Planning and Development Department.  The smooth cooperation among all departments allowed for the project time of completion to take a minimum of four weeks versus eleven months if the project were outsourced.  Outsourcing would have required approximately six months for engineering and permitting, an additional two months for bidding and Board of Commissioners’ approval, and approximately three months for construction ($34,200 for stacked bag headwalls or $70,000-$90,000 for poured in place concrete headwalls). 

David Headley, Director of Public Works and Community Development, and Corey Gutherie, Engineering Director, used a cost savings alternative solution for the headwalls for the pipe replacement.  Traditionally, poured in place concrete headwalls are used for this type of application, which would cost between $70,000 - $90,000, however, the engineering team designed the retaining walls to be built of 4,000 stacked, 40 lb. hand filled sand and concrete cement bags.  Another alternative construction for the headwalls would have been stacked rip-rap, which would have taken three additional months for environmental permitting alone and would have additional environmental impacts and permitting requirements.  By using the bags versus the poured in place concrete headwalls the County was able to save between $52,000 - $72,000 based on the bids that were received for poured in place concrete headwalls.  Another benefit to the use of the stacked bags is that in time the bags will decompose leaving the inner concrete mix revealed, which will have hardened to form a rustic, stacked stone look rather than a very urban appearance with the poured in place concrete wall.  The stacked bag walls will blend nicely with the natural surroundings in time.  This 700 man hour project consisted of 65% of the labor provided by inmates and the rest provided by interdepartmental county staff.  Once construction began the road was only closed for ten days.

County Manager Kevin Tanner remarked, “This project was a testament to what Dawson County is capable of doing when departments work together for a common cause.”

Previously held at City Hall, all work sessions and voting sessions will now be held in this venue. 

The Dawson County Board of Commissioners holds two voting sessions each month on the first and third Thursday at 6:00PM.  Commission work sessions are held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 4:00PM. Special Called Meetings are held when necessary.

The public is invited to attend these meetings at the Dawson County Government Center, 25 Justice Way, Dawsonville, GA  30534.  For more information call 706-344-3501.

• Monday, February 6 - Family Preparedness
• Tuesday, February 7 - Thunderstorm Safety
• Wednesday, February 8 - Tornado Safety (Tornado Drill at Dawson County public schools)
• Thursday, February 9 - Lightning Safety
• Friday, February 10 - Flooding

"Family preparedness is the focus on Monday, February 6," says Dawson County Emergency Management Director Billy Thurmond. "Family Preparedness Day is the perfect time for every family in Dawson County to plan and rehearse what they should do during the first 72-hours of any severe weather-related event or disaster," he added.

To help people get started, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency's Ready Georgia - a statewide emergency preparedness campaign - offers the necessary tools that residents need to make an emergency supply kit, develop a communications plan and stay informed about potential threats. Ready Georgia's interactive Web site, www.ready.ga.gov, provides detailed information on Georgia-specific emergency preparedness and allows users to create a personal profile and receive a customized checklist and a family communications plan.

During winter storms, floods, tornadoes or hurricanes, it may take emergency workers 72-hours or more to reach certain areas in order to open roadways and restore utilities. The benefit of being self-sufficient for 72-hours, or longer, is that you and your family can survive circumstances that might otherwise be tragic, if you were not prepared. "With a little time and effort, families can prepare for severe weather hazards affecting our area. Developing a family disaster plan is the first step," said Thurmond.
Where will you and other family members be when severe weather or disaster strikes? Whether you are at work, at school, in the car or out-of-town, how will you find or contact each other? How will you know if your children are safe?

Severe weather or a disaster may force an evacuation of your neighborhood or confine you to your home. What will you do if your basic utilities - water, gas, electricity, or telephones -- are cut off? These are the types of questions your family disaster plan must address in order to help protect your family.

Follow these basic steps to develop a family disaster plan . . .

Gather information about hazards
In addition to your local emergency management agency (EMA), you may contact the nearest National Weather Service office, Ready Georgia or the American Red Cross. Find out what type of disasters could occur and how you should respond. Learn the community's warning signals and evacuation plans.

Meet with your family to create a plan
Discuss the information you have gathered. Pick two places to meet: a spot right outside your home for an emergency, such as fire, and a place away from your neighborhood in case you cannot return home. Choose an out-of-state friend as your "family check-in contact" for everyone to call if the family gets separated. Discuss what you would do if advised to evacuate.

Implement your plan
1. Post emergency telephone numbers by phones.
2. Install safety features in your house, such as a NOAA Weather Radio, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.
3. Inspect your home for potential hazards: such as items that can move, fall, break or catch fire; and, correct them.
4. Have family members learn basic safety measures: such as CPR and first-aid; how to use a fire extinguisher; and, how and when to turn off water, gas and electricity in your home.
5. Teach children how and when to call 9-1-1 or your local Emergency Medical Services number.
6. Keep enough supplies in your home to meet your family's needs for at least three days.
7. Assemble an emergency preparedness kit with items you may need in case of an evacuation. Store these supplies in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers, such as backpacks or duffel bags. Keep important family documents in a waterproof container. Keep a smaller disaster supplies kit in the trunk of your car. A disaster supplies kit should include a three-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and food which will not spoil; one change of clothing and footwear per person; one blanket or sleeping bag per person; a first-aid kit (including prescription medicines); emergency tools (including a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio and a portable radio, flashlight, and plenty of extra batteries); an extra set of car keys and cash; and, special items for infant, elderly, or disabled family members.

Practice and maintain your plan
Ask questions to make sure your family remembers meeting places, phone numbers, and safety rules. Conduct drills. Test your weather radio and smoke detectors monthly and change the batteries at least once a year. Test and recharge your fire extinguishers according to the manufacturer's instructions. Replace stored water and food every six months.

For more information, contact Dawson County EMA at 706-344-3666, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency at 1-800-TRY-GEMA, or visit these Web sites: www.gema.ga.gov, www.ready.ga.gov, www.srh.noaa.gov/ffc/, or www.redcross.org/.

Yarbrough replaces former County Clerk Davida Simpson who was recently selected to lead the purchasing department for Dawson County. “Davida has done an outstanding job for the Board of Commissioners in the role of county clerk,” said Chairman Mike Berg. “We are excited that she will be purchasing director where she can expand her knowledge leading another department in our county.”

Simpson holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from North Georgia College and State University and has served the county since 2005 in several roles in the judicial circuit prior to becoming county clerk. “It has been my honor and privilege to work for the Board. I am glad to continue to serve my community,” Simpson said.

Yarbrough began her career with Dawson County in 1999 as a 911 dispatcher for the Sheriff’s Office. In 2000, she was promoted to administrative assistant to then Major Kevin Tanner. Yarbrough also handled duties in human resources and accounts payable while at DCSO.

In 2009, Yarbrough transferred to the office of the county manager as Tanner’s administrative assistant. She is currently completing a bachelor’s degree at North Georgia College and State University with a double major in English and sociology.

“Danielle’s background with the county and her education has well prepared her for the responsibilities of the county clerk. She is both knowledgeable and capable and is an asset to the organization,” said County Manager Tanner.

“This change will also aid in cost savings for the county by combining the positions of administrative assistant with county clerk,” he added.

Chairman Berg said, “We welcome Danielle as she accepts the additional duties in the role of county clerk,” said Berg. “Danielle brings many years of county experience and a wealth of knowledge. Congratulations to both Ms. Yarbrough and Ms. Simpson.”

"I'm looking forward to the challenges and responsibilities of a new job and being able to work more closely with our BOC,” Yarbrough said. “I am appreciative for the confidence our board has placed in me and am grateful for the opportunity I have been given," she said.

Yarbrough will assume the role of county clerk beginning January 1, 2012.

The move will be conducted in several phases and is expected to conclude by early February. At no time will government offices be closed during regular business hours with the exception of official holidays. Citizens are advised, however, there may be time periods when records may not be easily accessible and delays in retrieving information may occur.

Thank you in advance to the citizens and businesses of Dawson County during this transition.

“House fires during the winter holiday season kill about 500 and cause more than $500 million in property loss and damage,” reports Dawson County Emergency Services Deputy Chief Tim Satterfield.

“Christmas trees are involved in more than 400 fires annually,” said Satterfield. “More than four of every ten Christmas tree fires are caused by an electrical problem or malfunction. One in four fires resulted from a heat source placed too close to the tree and children playing with fire started seven percent.”

Dawson County Emergency Services urges citizens to have a safe and happy holiday season by following these safety tips:

• Check for freshness. A fresh tree is green and needles should be hard to pull off from branches.
• Trunk butt should be sticky with resin and when tapped on the ground the tree should not lose too many needles.
• Cut off 1-2 inches of the trunk to help absorb water and buy a tree stand that holds at least 1 gallon of water. Check the water level every day.
• Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.
• Keep a 3-foot distance from heaters, fireplaces, radiators or other heat sources.
• Avoiding using candles. If you do use candles, ensure they are in a stable holder and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Do not leave lit candles    unattended, never put candles on a Christmas tree and never leave the house with candles burning.
• Always unplug Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.
• Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections, and throw out damaged sets.
• Use no more than three standard size sets of lights per single extension cord and avoid overloading electrical outlets.
• Periodically check the wires. They should not be warm to the touch.
• If using an artificial tree make sure that it’s flame retardant.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.
• In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable. Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.
• Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.
• Safely dispose of the tree when it begins dropping needles. Dried out trees are highly flammable and should not be left in a house or garage, or placed against the house.

Dawson County Emergency Services is committed to the preservation of the lives and property of the citizens of Dawson County.

County Manager Kevin Tanner is excited about the collaboration. “We wanted to make this government building different from others. We wanted to recognize and highlight our local flavor and culture,” said Tanner. “This is an opportunity to show what talented artists we have in Dawson County.”

“The Arts Council was very enthused about getting involved,” Tanner said. Linda Umberger will serve as chairperson for the Council project coordination committee.

“We have identified 29 locations inside the government center we can showcase our artists’ work,” said Tanner. Some items will be placed on permanent display while others will be exhibited for six months to a year offering opportunities to bring in new pieces regularly. Uniform signage will be in place so visitors may contact artists if interested in purchasing pieces.

“Not only does this offer the county another venue to display our local talent, it also provides cost savings to our taxpayers on the interior design on the building,” Tanner added.

Interested local artists are encouraged to contact the Bowen Center for the Arts at (706) 216-2787 (ARTS) or Dawson County Project Manager Bob Ivey at 706-344-3501 x 227 or email bivey@dawsoncounty.org.

The first three years were very successful as 31 trees were nominated, 18 crowned Dawson County champions, and 3 state champions. The Dawson County Champion Tree program is associated with GFC’s state program and is designed to find the largest trees in the county by species and possibly become a state champion. The nomination period runs through November 30, 2011.

Upon receipt of the nomination form, a member of the GFC will come to the location and measure the tree's circumference at 4 1/2 feet above soil line, the tree's height, and the estimated crown. Points will be assigned to the tree based on the state Champion Tree Program.

The highest scoring tree by species will be crowned Dawson County Champion Tree if the tree outscores that species current champion or the species has no champion. Trees that appear to score higher than the current state champion will be submitted to the state office for consideration.

Any tree growing in Dawson County may be nominated. Provide as much tree measurement information as possible on the entry form. If you cannot provide measurement information, that's ok. Fill in the rest of the form, and mail it to the GFC office at 4500 Highway 53 E. Dawsonville, Ga. 30534. Entry forms may be obtained at the GFC office, Dawson County Extension office, City Hall and other public places throughout Dawson County.

VERY IMPORTANT: Please provide detail directions and location. Call the GFC office if you feel it is necessary. GPS coordinates are very helpful, and a photograph of the tree is desirable. Please identify the tree species on the back along with the names of any persons in the photo. The GFC Forester will not enter private property to measure the tree without the property owners consent. The Champion tree has created a lot of interest in Dawson County trees, and the importance of trees.

Designating a tree as a Champion tree, does not mean that tree is "untouchable". We certainly hope the tree will be around for many years and continue to grow. We realize that in a growing county like Dawson, some trees will be lost because of development and construction as well as natural causes. Some trees that are designated Champions may however be allowed to continue to grow rather than replaced by new trees, and provide benefits now and for future generations.

All 2011 Dawson County Champion trees and owners will be recognized February 17, 2012 during the annual Arbor Day celebration. For more information call Tony Page at the Georgia Forestry Commission, 706 265-3707.

The Dawson County Board of Commissioners is holding a photo contest to show why this is the best place to live, work and play.

The winning photograph will be placed in a 30 year time capsule at the new government center to be opened in 2041.

Photographs may represent anything local including friends, fun, landscape, holiday events, festivals, favorite places, past events or growing up in Dawsonville.

Deadline for submission is Friday, December 2, 2011. No limit on number of entries. The required photo release form can be found at www.dawsoncounty.org or contact the BOC office at 706-344-3501 x 235, email countyclerk@dawsoncounty.org.

Photo Contest Release