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Dena Bosten has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer for Dawson County.  She began her career with the county in September 2010, in the position of General Accounting.

A Lumpkin county native, Bosten graduated from Lumpkin County High School in 2004.  She obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from North Georgia College & State University in 2008; and went on to achieve her Master of Business Administration from Brenau University in 2010.  In addition, she earned the title of Certified Public Accountant in 2011.

County Manager Cindy Campbell advised that Bosten has been a huge asset to Dawson County’s finance department.  Bosten has gained recognition for her notable proficiency and her strong work ethics.  Campbell stated that Bosten’s “education background, prior experience and knowledge are what set her apart and make her a perfect fit for the position.”

As chief financial officer, Bosten will oversee all aspects of the county’s finances.  She will also supervise the finance and purchasing staff. 

As Bosten prepares for this new career challenge, she had this to say about her advancement:  “I am very honored and excited about this opportunity to serve the citizens of Dawson County.  Throughout my time with Dawson County Finance Department, I have gained valuable knowledge and developed working relationships with other employees, managers, and elected officials.  I look forward to continuing to build these relationships and expanding my knowledge in my new role as Chief Financial Officer.”

Bosten began her new duties as chief financial officer on January, 14th, 2013.

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Pictured: (from Left) GDOT State Aid Coordinator Robby Oliver, Senator Steve Gooch, Commissioner James Swafford, County Manager Cindy G. Campbell, Commission Chairman Mike Berg, Georgia DOT State Aid Administrator Terry Gable, Georgia DOT Local Grants Administrator David Huff and Director of Dawon County Public Works & Community Development David Headley

On December 27th, the Dawson County Sheriff's Office held its annual Shop with a Cop.  This year, 37 kids were chosen to participate and each child was gifted $100 to spend on items of their choosing.  School resource officers and other DCSO employees assisted the kids during their exciting shopping trip at Walmart and later treated the children and their parents to a pizza party.

The children are selected by school resource officers with the assistance of teachers and school counselors.  This event is now in its fifth year of service and is made possible by donations received from both local stores and citizens. Captain Tony Wooten, who organizes the annual event, gave  special acknowledgements to Walmart and Chestatee Golf Club Men's Golf Association, whose donations helped the tradition to thrive this year.

Christmas Boot Drive A Huge Success!

Dawson County Emergency Services would like to express their Thanks to everyone who participated in the 2012  KARE for Kids Christmas Boot Drive.  Through your efforts and the help of generous citizens $7,136.00 was raised for the KARE for Kids Christmas sponsorship. These funds were used to supply some of our local children with needed winter clothing and shoes, as well as a Christmas toy or two from their wish list.  DCES employees also took time to join together at Walmart on two special nights to assist with fulfilling the supplied shopping lists.  This event provides an excellent way for employees and citizens alike to give back to our community.  It not only brings comfort and joy to several deserving children during the Christmas season but it better prepares them for the New Year as well.

Dawson County Public Works Brings The Magic Of Santa And Christmas To A Young Child

The staff of Dawson County Public Works  also collaborated with the KARE for Kids organization to bring the spirit of Christmas to a young child this season.  KARE for Kids provided the team with the name of a 4 year old child and his wish list.  Employees then combined donations and met for a shopping trip where they purchased those oh-so-special gifts that Santa would later bring.

On the day of delivery the public works team was actually accompanied by Santa, who rode in a Dawson County fire engine to the little boy’s residence. What an exciting way for Santa Claus to make a surprise visit!  During the visit the child got to enjoy the extra special treat of  sitting in the fire engine and blowing the “BIG” truck horn.  He also had a chance to don a fireman’s helmet and hold some of the equipment used by the fire department.  Dawson County Public Works would like to extend their appreciation to Santa and to the members of Dawson County Emergency Services who helped make this event such a unique and joyful experience for this wonderful child.

Cindy Gilleland Campbell has been named as Dawson County’s next county manager.  Campbell was selected unanimously by the Dawson County Board of Commissioner’s during the voting session held on Dec. 20th, 2012.

Campbell is a Dawson County native and has worked with the county since 2008.  She has served the majority of that time as the county’s chief financial officer.  She will be replacing Kevin Tanner, who was elected as the State Representative for District 9 earlier this year.  Campbell had proficiently served as the county’s interim manager during Tanner’s absence, while running for state office, in July of 2012.

Campbell’s notable career in finance coupled with outstanding leadership skills promises the citizens of Dawson County that they have someone fully-qualified to succeed as their next county manager.

Recognized with Service Awards were:  

20 Years
Capt. Denny Blackwell

15 years
Chaplin Mike Owens

10 Years
Lt. Paul Cloud
Lt. Todd Hollaway
FF/PMDC Brian Delong
FF/EMT Ed Barber
Administrative Assistant Betty Martin

5 Years
Asst. Chief Danny Speaks
Capt. Jason Dooley
Lt. Jeff Banks
Lt. Ryan Bramblett
Lt. Jonathan Hubbard
Lt. Josh Delano
FF/PMDC Scott Greer
FF/PMDC Eva Key
FF/EMT Mike Baumgartner
FF/EMT Shaun Benfield
Fire Inspector/Fire Safety Educator Jody Holland
FF/FR Tim Budynski
FF Eric Griffin
FF Stephen Knowles
FF Michael Stewart

Special Recognition Awards:  

Volunteer Firefighter’s of the Year
Ethan Rhinehart
John Tarantini

Employee of the Year
Jody Holland

Officer of the Year
Lt. Ricky Rexroat

Dawson County Emergency Services (DCES) has been awarded the prestigious title of Emergency Management Agency of the Year for 2012.  The award was presented at the 54th Annual Emergency Managers Association of Georgia (EMAG) Meeting on Nov. 14th, 2012. Qualifications for this respected award include being a recognized EMA office by Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), remaining in compliance and good standing with GEMA, active membership with EMAG for at least 2 years, and the organization must exemplify a significant improvement or difference in their community to mitigate, respond to, or recover from a disaster.  The recipient is then selected based on the qualifications and nominations presented by the 161 Emergency Management Agencies.  Dawson County Emergency Services not only met these requirements but has strove to be a leading example that the citizens of Dawson County can be proud of. 
DCES was recently recognized by GEMA for being one of the first five EMA’s in the state to complete the 10 target items identified by Director English for disaster match project. Dawson County was the first “part time” or multi-discipline agency to complete this task. This was due in part to the progressive leadership of Director Billy Thurmond and the Dawson County Board of Commissioners. This series of actions placed Dawson County in a better position of preparedness than ever before.

Recognized as a “Storm Ready” community since 2008, DCES has continued to meet and exceed the requirements of the National Weather Service for this program. Dawson County utilizes eight (8) outdoor warning sirens strategically placed throughout the county, the Swift Reach Emergency Telephone Notification System and more recently Facebook.  In addition, DCES have members that participate in a HAMM/ARRES Group, which meets once a month and hosts a weekly radio net for informational and training purposes.

The Dawson County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is also a very active part of the Emergency Management division of DCES.  Formed in 2004, the team is currently at 106 members.  This diverse group of individuals not only have completed the basic CERT Training Program, but several have gone on to become CERT Trainers, certified as CPR instructors, trained in wilderness Search and Rescue, preparedness, weather awareness, and other topics, as well as developed a web site to support their organization. This group is very active in assisting in the Emergency Operations Center, special events within the county, and in call-outs as support personnel for various responses and training events. They are a part of our annual Dawson County Citizen’s Academy where they have the opportunity to educate the public about the program, its worth, and how to join.  Our former CERT Director Richard Sims was awarded the 2011 Volunteer Citizen of the Year Award by EMAG and the team was recognized by the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce for their community service in 2008.

Another unique service provided by DCES is the North Georgia K-9 Team.  Formed in early 2009, this team has achieved regional and state wide respect as a capable and professional resource.  With dogs trained in live and cadaver search, this dedicated group of handlers and their partners have completed many levels of certification, including several standards established by FEMA and AWDA to name a few. The team has responded to over 100 incidents, both locally and across the state.  This team is actively involved in establishing K-9 resources for the Georgia Body Recovery Team (GBRT) and Georgia Search and Rescue (GSAR).   All handlers and other members of the department are also recognized as leaders in the field of Wilderness Search and Rescue.

In addition to these accomplishments, the agency remains actively involved with the local school system in reviewing school safety plans and providing preparedness programs to such civic groups as the Kiwanis Club and the Dawson County Retired Educators.  DCES also works closely with the local health department to identify and prepare for public health emergencies.  Through community involvement and professional achievements Dawson County Emergency Services consistently upholds its commitment to the preservation of life and protection of property of the citizens of Dawson County.

Dawson County Emergency Services Director Billy Thurmond was presented the Emergency Management Agency Director of the Year award for 2012, at the 54th Annual Emergency Managers Association of Georgia (EMAG) meeting on Nov. 14th, 2012.

Director Thurmond has been employed with Dawson County since 1978.  He has served as the EMA Director since 2007. For several years prior to that, Thurmond performed as the Deputy Director.  Serving as Director of Emergency Services, Thurmond’s role encompasses that of the EMA Director as well as the CEO for Emergency Services.  During his 34 years with Dawson County he has served as a Dispatcher, EMT, Paramedic, Firefighter, Emergency Manager, and Deputy Coroner.  Thurmond has served as a member of the Region II EMS Advisory Council and Chairman of the Region II EMS Directors Association.  He has also functioned as County Safety Coordinator and as Assistant Director of Dawson County Park and Recreation, and coached youth sports for many years.  In addition, he has served as Interim County Manager on multiple occasions and is currently applying to be Dawson County’s next manager.

Director Thurmond is a native and lifelong resident of Dawson County.  He and his wife, Lisa, are the proud parents of two sons, both whom are grown and married, and one grandson.  He is an active member of Kilough Church, the Dawson County Republican Party, and the Dawson County Kiwanis Club.

Great leadership denotes great results and Director Billy Thurmond has demonstrated this in his personal rectitude and by his professional management.  While serving as EMS Director, Thurmond lead Dawson County EMS to be the EMS of the Year in 2000 for Region 2 and the State.  He was recognized in 2009 as a (Professional now) Master Emergency Manager.   Then in 2011, he was recognized as a recipient of the Governor’s Public Safety Award for his contributions to the profession.  Director Thurmond’s impressive leadership, professionalism, and community involvement continues to gain success and recognition for Dawson County.  In addition to being named EMA’s Director of the Year, Thurmond was instrumental in helping Dawson County Emergency Services be recognized, from 161 participating Emergency Management Agencies, as the Emergency Management Agency of the Year for 2012.

Battery Recycling Flyer

Dawson County Chief Financial Officer Cindy Campbell received the Georgia Government Finance Officers (GGFOA) President’s Award at the 27th annual conference.  GGFOA recognizes outstanding members of the organization annually.  The President’s Award, created in 1988, recognizes one member annually for leadership in and contribution to the organization.  “Dawson County is blessed to have someone of Cindy’s caliber as its Chief Financial Officer.  She has built a finance team that is recognized all over the state as one of the best in local government.  One of the things I will be most proud of when I leave Dawson County is having hired and brought her onto this amazing team.  The Georgia Government Finance Officers Association could not have chosen anyone better to receive the President’s Award, and I am confident she has a bright future in this organization,” said Kevin Tanner, Dawson County Manager.

Mrs. Campbell was also elected Treasurer for the 2012-2013 GGFOA officer board.  GGFOA is a non-profit organization established in 1985.  The mission of the organization is to promote and foster excellence in governmental financial management through programs that enhance the abilities of the governmental finance professional.  Cindy Campbell has been a member of GGFOA since 2008.

Schools, daycares, businesses, and other groups were recruited to come out and set up trunks or tables for the kids to trunk-or-treat. This year's pre-registered sponsors include: Char's Family Daycare, Chick-Fil-A, Concord Preschool, Dawson County Planning & Development, Dawson County Sheriff's Office, Dawson Pediatrics,  Jan's Family Daycare,  Keep Dawson County Beautiful, McEver Signs & Graphics, New Life Church, Robinson Elementary, United Community Bank, & United Futbol Academy. The event provided a wonderful opportunity for these vendors to give back to the community and it also gave them a chance to advertise their business or organization to new contacts in the community.

The event was offered FREE to the community and received great attention!  Park employees had anticipated 300-500 people, based on the attendance they generally see at their other free events; but those numbers proved to be greatly underestimated.  An estimated 1,000 people came out to Rock Creek to enjoy the candy, games, and concessions!  "We never thought we would have the turn-out that we did for our first time! But we felt that it went very well and was a HUGE success!," stated Buffie Hamil, Programs Coordinator for Dawson County Parks & Recreation.  The park has received positive feed-back from both vendors and families that attended.

Popcorn, hot dogs, pizza, soft drinks, water, coffee, and hot cocoa helped fill the bellies of the families as they spent their evening walking through the event area and soaking in all the fun!  The weather was perfect, the moon was beautiful, and the crispness in the hair made for a perfect evening of trick-or-treating!  With over 20 trunks/tables handing out candy, children left the park with a bag full of candy and a head full of glitter from the crazy hair!  We also had face painting, games, bounce houses, and the Chick-Fil-A cow!

Dawson County Parks and Recreation plans to make Trunk-or-Treat an annual event, with the hopes of making it even bigger and better next year. 

For information on how your business or group can participate next year, please contact Buffie Hamil at bhamil@dawsoncounty.org or Kris Rowan at krowan@dawsoncounty.org.

The Gainesville-Northeastern Bar Association was presented with the Award of Merit on June 1, 2012 for voluntary bar associations of 101 to 250 members at the annual meeting of the State Bar of Georgia.

Nicki Vaughan, Chief Assistant Public Defender – Administration for Dawson and Hall County, entered the Gainesville-Northeastern Bar Association for this award.  Ms. Vaughan’s hard work, not only in preparing the application package, but also planning activities throughout the year was reflected in the application yielding this Merit Award.

The State Bar annually sponsors an awards program to recognize excellence in local and voluntary bar associations.  The Award of Merit is presented to a voluntary bar association for its dedication to improving relations among local lawyers and devoting endless hours to serving their communities.

A huge thanks goes to Karen Armstrong, Tyler Jones and his staff, Dave Headley, and Kevin Tanner for making this program a reality.

Battery Recycling Flyer

The award-winning program, featured in Georgia Trend magazine, offers sessions on emergency services, finance, parks and recreation, planning and zoning, law enforcement, court systems and many other vital community services.  Family and friends are invited to attend the graduation ceremony for all program completers on the last evening.  “Citizens will meet their government in person in this unique series as they gain a better understanding of how government works, who to call with questions, and how each citizen can become involved,” said County Manager Kevin Tanner. 

Classes will be held in several community locations including the Dawson County Government Center, Emergency Services Station No. 7, Dawson County Law Enforcement Center, and the Senior Center.  Citizens Academy is open to the public and there is no fee to attend.  Registration is limited to the first 40 applicants.  Please contact Rachel Burton at 706-344-3501 or by email at rburton@dawsoncounty.org to register for the fall 2012 Citizens Academy.

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.