City of Sandy Springs Newsletter

DECEMBER 2014

New Website Unveiled

ChatComm Accreditation

SSPD Safety Classes

Recreation & Parks Programs

SSFR in the Community

Brunch with Santa

Restaurant Week re-cap

MLK Humanitarian Award Nominations

Ribbon Cutting Celebrations

Groundbreaking at Heards Ferry Elementary School's new site

Gravity Studio Opens

Marshall's Relocates

Neighborhood Contact Update

Fire Place Safety Tips

HSS Events

Citizen Response Center
770-730-5600

Answering calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Featured Article

Welcome to the December 2014 edition of the Sandy Springs E-Newsletter, a publication that highlights news and events happening within the City. More information from City Hall can be found online at sandyspringsga.gov. You can also telephone our Call Center 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 770-730-5600.

CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS CELEBRATES ITS NINTH BIRTHDAY WITH A NEW LOOK -

Re-engineered website includes new design and improved navigation

The City's website has been redesigned and reconfigured to improve the user experience:

The City's home page, its front door, has been streamlined to prominently feature Sandy Springs, especially the people within the community.
The navigation focuses on information frequently requested by residents, the business community and visitors.
City improvement projects, such as roads and sidewalks, are mapped, as are the City's parks.

The City has also added promotional areas throughout the website, enabling cross-informational opportunities. For example, a visitor reviewing youth sports programming might see a news article about upcoming child safety programs held by Sandy Springs Police Department. Along with the website launch, Sandy Springs Works makes its debut in the apps store for iPhone, Android and Blackberry. The mobile app provides residents with a tool to report items needing "work" directly to City staff.

CHATCOMM RECEIVES

CALEA ACCREDITATION

The Chattahoochee River 9-1-1 Authority (ChatComm) received accreditation as part of the CALEA Public Safety Communications Accreditation Program on November 22, 2014. ChatComm, staffed and operated by IXP Corp, is the first private sector, outsourced communications center to be accredited, and one of the first accreditation efforts that was fully accomplished electronically with online review and Internet based policies and procedures.

SANDY SPRINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT-

DECEMBER SAFETY CLASSES

The Sandy Springs Police Department sponsors monthly safety classes at no cost. Here's the schedule for December 2014:

Firearms Safety Class - Wednesday December 10, 2014, from 6-9 p.m. at the Sandy Springs Gun Range
Child's Safety Class - Thursday, December 18, 2014, from 6-8 p.m. at the Davis Academy

For more information, contact Sergeant Ron Momon, Sandy Springs Police Crime Prevention Unit at 770-551-6947 orrmomon@sandyspringsga.gov

WINTER BREAK CAMPS, HOLIDAY HOOPS AND MORE FROM RECREATION AND PARKS

This month the Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Department is offering:

HOLIDAY HOOPS 2 ON 2 BASKETBALL CHALLENGE

Boys and girls in grades 6-8 have the opportunity to take part in a series of basketball skills challenges. There will be a girls 2-on-2 round robin tournament, free throw and 3-point shooting contest, and a boys 2-on-2 round robin tournament, free throw and 3 point shooting contest.

WHEN: Friday, December 5, 6-8:00 p.m. (check in at 5:30)

WHERE: Sandy Springs Middle School Gym, 8750 Pride Place

WHO: Boys & Girls Grades 6-8

COST:Free! Tournament prizes, t-shirts & awards.

ADAPTIVE RECREATION EXCEPTIONAL ADVENTURES

The Exceptional Adventures Activity Club is a monthly social recreational program designed to bring special needs kids, ages 4-12, together for a fun and engaging time. Siblings can, and are encouraged to, participate to make things easier and more comfortable for the individual with special needs. Parents can drop off the kids and enjoy an evening out, or stay and join the fun! The program maintains a 1:4 staff to child ratio and is led by special education and adapted P.E. teachers and para-pros.

The December Exceptional Adventures activity will be:

Holiday Elf Shopping and Gingerbread Ornaments.

WHEN: Saturday, December 13, 5:30-8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Hammond Park, Gymnastics Center Multi-purpose Room

WHO: Special Needs Kids Ages 4-12

COST: $10.00 (plus $5.00 activity) per child.

REC & PARKS HOLIDAY CAMPS

The Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Department is offering gymnastics and art camps during the Winter holidays for boys and girls.

GYMNASTICS

WHEN: December 15-19, December 22-24 and December 29-31

TIME: 9:00a.m.-12:00 (ages 3-5) or 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. (Ages 5.5-13)

WHERE: Hammond Park, Gymnastics Center, 705 Hammond Dr.

WHO: Ages 3-13

COST: $60-$120.00

ART A LA CARTE KIDZ.

WHEN: December 29-January 2 (no class 1/1)

TIME: 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Hammond Park Community Building, 6005 Glenridge Dr.

WHO: Ages 6-13

COST:

$220.00

SANDY SPRINGS FIRE RESCUE PARTNERS WITH THE COMMUNITY TO KEEP HOLIDAYS BRIGHT AND WARM!

Girls Scouts from Mt. Vernon Presbyterian School donated blankets to the Sandy Springs Fire Department-

perfect timing on a cold fall morning. Additionally Sandy

Springs' four fire stations are accepting unwrapped toys (suitable for both boys and girls ages 3-12) for the North Perimeter Optimist Club's Children's Christmas Party this holiday season. Donations may be made until December 9, 2014 at the following locations:

Sandy Springs Fire Station #1, 1425 Spalding Drive

Sandy Springs Fire Station #2, 135 Johnson Ferry Road

Sandy Springs Fire Station #3, 6025 Raider Drive

Sandy Springs Fire Station #4, 4697 Wieuca Road

BRUNCH WITH SANTA

Bring the children to the 2nd annual Brunch with Santa - benefitting Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center - Saturday, December 6 at 11 a.m. at the Westin Atlanta Perimeter North Hotel. Special holiday entertainment by the Callanwolde Concert Band and Special Holiday Surprise for the Kids! Toys for Tots will be on hand to collect gifts. Brunch is $11.95 per child and $19.95 per adult. Children 3 years and under free. To purchase tickets: Brunch with Santa.

RESTAURANT WEEK GETS ITS OWN

5-STAR REVIEW!

At a recent meeting of the Sandy Springs Restaurant Council, the participating restaurants gave a solid thumbs-up to the group's first ever restaurant week. Bruce Alterman of the Brickery Bar and Grill felt the week-long event was a solid success and Food 101's Chris Benjaminson saw an increase in business - welcoming Sandy Springs residents and diners from neighboring communities. A special thank you to everyone who made this inaugural event such a success. Stay tuned for second helpings!

REMINDER: PLEASE SUBMIT NOMINATIONS FOR MLK, JR HUMANITARIAN AWARD - DEADLINE EXTENDED

Nominations are due for the 2015 Sandy Springs Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award by 10 a.m. on December 22, 2014.

Each nominee must have been a resident of Sandy Springs for the past three years or longer, or have worked in Sandy Springs for three years or longer and should embody the spirit and philosophy of Dr. King. Current Sandy Springs staff and elected officials are not eligible. Please submit in care of MLK Humanitarian Award, Sandy Springs City Hall, 7840 Roswell Road, Building 500, Sandy Springs, GA 30350.

The City will recognize the winner during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration on January 19, 2015.

Click Here to download the Nomination Form

NEW BUSINESSES, NEW LOCATIONS CELEBRATED AT RECENT GROUNDBREAKING AND

RIBBON CUTTINGS CEREMONIES

GROUNDBREAKING AT NEW HEARDS FERRY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LOCATION

Mayor Rusty Paul and Councilmen Gabriel Sterling and Andy Bauman joined Fulton County Schools Superintendent Robert Avossa, and Fulton County School Board Members Julia Bernath and Gail Dean to officially "break ground" on the new Heards Ferry Elementary School on Thursday November 12, 2014. The new school will be a three-story facility housing K-5 classrooms, and will sit next door to the new facilities also in the works for Fulton Schools Administration.

GRAVITY STUDIO OPENS FIRST LOCATION IN SANDY SPRINGS

You may have seen the infomercials with Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley for the Total Gym fitness system; now you can check out their first location in the country right here in Sandy Springs. Gravity - A Total Gym Studio is now open in City Walk.

MARSHALL'S NEW LOCATION

Mayor Paul attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for Marshall's new location at the Exchange at Hammond located at

5932 Roswell Rd - next to Whole Foods.The ribbon cutting included a check presentation to the Community Action Center for $5,000.

NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACT UPDATE

Help us keep you informed! Please visit the Neighborhood Relations page on our website to learn how to submit your information so we can keep you updated on city related projects and activities.

FIRE PLACE SAFETY TIPS FROM SSFR

Despite this week's fall-like feel, temperatures are dropping, and it will soon be time to use the fireplace again! The Sandy Springs Fire Rescue department wants to keep us safe and offers these tips:

Get an annual chimney check by a qualified professional chimney service technician. This reduces the risk of fires and carbon monoxide poisonings due to creosote buildup or obstructions in the chimneys.
Keep tree branches and leaves at least 15 feet away from the top of the chimney.
Install a chimney cap to keep debris and animals out of the chimney.
Choose well-seasoned wood that has been split for a minimum of six months - one year and stored in a covered and elevated location. Never burn Christmas trees, treated wood or wrapping paper in your fireplace or wood stove.
Place firewood or fire logs at the rear of the fireplace on a supporting grate. To start the fire, use kindling or a commercial firelighter. Never use flammable liquids.
Keep the hearth area clear. Combustible material too close to the fireplace, or to a wood stove, could easily catch fire. Keep furniture at least 36" away from the hearth.
Use a fireplace screen. Use metal mesh or a screen in front of the fireplace to catch flying sparks that could ignite or burn holes in the carpet or flooring.
Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Never leave a fire unattended. Before turning in for the evening, be sure that the fire is fully extinguished..

Discard ashes in a closed metal container and remove from the house.

For more information about chimney and venting safety or to locate a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep� or CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician�, visit www.csia.org.

HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!

Heritage Winter Classics Series concert series! Civil War Chats and check out The Civil War in Sandy Springs" on view through April 1, 2015

Heritage Sandy Springs 2014-15 Heritage Winter Classics Series:

Sunday, December 14, 2014 -The Spud Brothers - Led by popular Celtic musician John Maschinot, The Spud Brothers celebrate traditions from the best of Old Ireland to the hollows of Appalachia. A unique combination of uilleann (Irish) bagpipes, banjo, fiddle, guitar, vocals, percussion and flat-foot (clog) dance, the trio will play recognizable Irish and Appalachian tunes, in addition to Christmas and holiday favorites. The concert will take place at Heritage Hall, the lower level of Heritage Sandy Springs at 6110 Bluestone Road, Sandy Springs, Ga. Admission is $5 per person. Doors open at 4:00 p.m., concert 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Civil War Chats - Civil War Tech - December 10, 2014 7:00 p.m. - Free The American Civil War brought out the best creative minds, North and South, as each side adopted new technology in their quest for victory. Civil War historian Michael K. Shaffer will discuss the military use of aeronautics, submersibles, the telegraph, and more!

Garden Room, lower level of Heritage Sandy Springs Museum, 6075 Sandy Springs Circle

For more information contact Heritage Sandy Springs.