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Events
Animal Shelter
678-450-1587
Oct. 10-11: 10 a.m.- 4 p.m., Mule Camp Market on the Gainesville Square- Animal Shelter will have a mini adoption event and offering $20 microchips
Oct. 18: 1 p.m.- 9 p.m., Harvest Balloon Festival at Sterling on the Lake in Flowery Branch- proceeds benefit Challenged Child & Friends and Hall County Animal Shelter
Fire Services
Oct. 1: Burn ban lifted
Parks and Leisure
770-535-8280
Oct 10- 12: Special Olympics Fall Games- various events throughout the weekend at Laurel Park, North Hall Park, Chicopee Woods Golf Course and Chicopee Woods Agricultural Center; Contact Stephen Sparks at 229-292-6955 for more information
New Opportunities:
Low Impact Zumba: North Hall Community Center; Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.; Contact: Christine Litchfield at dl9345@bellsouth.net
Mulberry Creek Community Center on Mondays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; Contact: Mulberry Creek 770-965-7140
Tai Chi: East Hall Community Center; Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.; $25 per month
Howl-O-Ween: The 2014 Howl-O-Ween pet costume contest will be held Sunday, Oct. 26 at the Laurel Park Bark Park from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Pet adoptions and rabies clinic also available; contact Brook Whitmire at bwhitmire@hallcounty.org or Cindy Langman at 678-450-1587 More Parks and Leisure events and activities can be found here.
Government
770-535-8288
Board of Commissioners
Work sessions: Oct. 6 and Oct. 20 at 3 p.m. in the 2nd floor Commission Meeting Room at the Hall County Government Center, 2875 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville
Meetings: Oct. 9 and Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. in the 2nd floor Commission Meeting Room at the Hall County Government Center, 2875 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville
Planning Commission
Oct. 6 and Oct. 20 at the Hall County Government Center, 2nd Floor Meeting Room, 2875 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville at 5:15 p.m.
Board of Assessors
Oct. 1 and Oct. 15h at 4 p.m. in the HR training room on the 2nd floor of the Hall County Government Center located at 2875 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville
Watch Board of Commissioners meetings on TV18 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. the week following the meeting, or anytime at www.tv18online.org.
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See this month's budget update, a detailed look at department spending and county revenue.
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Newsletters for county government, parks, fire, and animal shelter.
 
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Volunteers needed for Special Olympics Fall Games Oct. 10-12
 Approximately 2,000 Special Olympics athletes and coaches will be in Hall County next weekend for the 2014 State Fall Games, and volunteers are needed to assist with the various events.
Volunteers to help with scoring, crowd control and more are needed as the athletes compete in bocce, softball, cycling and golf at various locations, including North Hall Park, Laurel Park, Chicopee Woods Golf Course and Gainesville Middle School.
The community is also encouraged to come out and cheer on athletes as they compete. For more information on the games and how to volunteer, contact Stephen Sparks at 229-292-6955 or stephen.sparks@specialolympicsga.org.
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Breaking ground on Cherokee Bluffs Park
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Hall County officials and contractors broke ground on Cherokee Bluffs Park Sept. 10. |
Hall County Government officials and contractors broke ground on Hall County's newest park, Cherokee Bluffs, Wednesday, Sept. 10.
The 100-acre, passive-use park is located along Blackjack Road in Flowery Branch near the Sterling on the Lake subdivision. Construction at the park will be paid for by impact fees and SPLOST VI funds. The total budget for the park is $2.8 million.
Cherokee Bluffs Park is rich in cultural and geological history with an abundance of rock outcroppings. In 2014, Hall County and Vulcan Materials (an adjacent property owner) entered into a license agreement for the County to build trails and provide for a sewer easement on this property.
The first phase of the park is planned to include trails, disc golf, pavilions, playground, a 2,500-square-foot community building, 3-D Archery Range and a 300-400 seat amphitheater. The access drive and associated parking are also included in phase one.
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Lanier Tech students paint signs for Hall Co. fire station
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Those involved with painting the new sign pose with Hall County Fire Services personnel outside station 5. |
Hall County Fire Station #5 has some new signage in front of its facility, courtesy of a group of students from Lanier Technical College.
Hall County Fire Chief Jeff Hood said the existing signs at Station #5 needed a facelift, so the firefighters at the station enlisted the help of Lanier Tech's Automotive Collision Repair Department.
''The metal signs, which were donated by Metals USA, were painted by the students at Lanier Tech, and we are very pleased with their work,'' said Hood. Read more here.
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Atlanta Falcons Public Safety Day set for Nov. 30
The Atlanta Falcons Public Safety Day is set for Sunday, Nov. 30. At that game, $10 of every ticket sold will be donated to Georgia Sheriff's Youth Homes, the Firefighters Burn Foundation and the three Hall County firefighters injured during a training exercise on July 22. You can save 35 percent off the single game ticket price by using the special offer code RISEUP when you purchase tickets online. The promotion ends Tuesday, Nov. 1 at midnight. More information can be found here. |
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Information about Hall County property tax statements
The 2014 Hall County property tax statements are scheduled for mailing Oct. 1 and are due Dec. 1.
In a concerted effort to save the time and resources of citizens, all property taxpayers are encouraged to remit their payment by mail, using the return envelope provided with their statement, to P. O. Box 1579, Gainesville, GA 30503 or online at tax.hallcounty.org. Citizens may also utilize the drop box located in front of the main doors of the Hall County Government Center, located at 2875 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville, GA 30504.
To avoid the state-mandated interest of 1 percent on unpaid tax, the final payment must be postmarked on or before Dec. 1. A state-mandated penalty of 10 percent on unpaid tax as of Dec. 1 is applied on March 2. Paying on or before March 1 will prevent the additional 10 percent penalty but will not prevent the 1 percent interest per month after the Dec. 1 due date. Read more here.
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Reminders about important upcoming election dates
The Hall County Elections Office reminds citizens of the following upcoming election dates:
Oct. 6: Voter Registration deadline for the General Election
Sept. 20- Oct. 31: General Mail Voting (Absentee Voting) Period
Oct. 13- Oct. 31: Early/Advance Voting Period
Oct. 25: Mandatory Saturday Voting (state-wide) 9am until 4pm
Nov. 4: General Election
The Hall County Elections Office is located on the Lower Level of the Hall County Government Center, 2875 Browns Bridge Road in Gainesville.
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Hall County launches additional website for property, assessment data
A new tool is now available, giving citizens an additional option for accessing online property and assessment data in Hall County.
Hall County Geographic Information Systems (GIS) officials have collaborated with a company called qPublic.net to provide a new web-mapping service, featuring a fast, easy to use interface. The primary focus of this site is to provide access to parcel and property assessment information commonly used by citizens as well as those in the real estate industry. The new site features a number of frequently used GIS layers, including parcels, zoning, flood zones, contours, and city limits as well as assessment data not provided on the existing GIS web site. Read more here. |
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Annual burn ban lifted Oct. 1
On Oct. 1 citizens of Hall County will again be allowed to burn... with the proper permits, that is.
Hall County Fire Marshal Scott Cagle said it is important to know the laws and regulations of burning.
Hall County Fire Services offers two types of permits, which are residential burn permits and land-clearing burn permits. A residential burn permit is for someone who cleans up their yard and wants to burn leaves and small tree limbs (no bigger than 3 inches in diameter). To obtain a residential burn permit you can call (770) 536-2442. This is an automated line and residents should follow the instructions. At the end of the recording you will receive a burn permit number good for that day only.
A land clearing burn permit is a different type of permit and different guideline need to be followed. Land clearing is defined as the clearing of larger parcels of land and the removing of trees. No matter the use of the land or for what the land is zoned, if you remove trees and want to burn them you must get a land clearing burn permit. This type permit requires an inspection from the Hall County Fire Marshal's Office and you must have a pit and an air curtain destructor before you can start burning. To obtain this permit you must call the Hall County Fire Marshal's Office at(770) 531-6838 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You must give the Fire Marshal's Office at least 24 hours' notice to ensure your inspection. Read more here. |
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Hall Co. Drug Court coordinator receives state award
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Judge Jason Deal (right) presents Hoke Snelson (left) with the HERO Award for his work with Hall County's Accountability Courts. |
Hoke Snelson, Hall County Drug Court Coordinator, received the Hero Award at the 10th Anniversary Accountability Courts Conference in September. The Hero Award is given to someone who has made a significant contribution to the accountability court programs in Georgia and neither expects nor generally receives recognition for his actions.
Hoke started working with Drug Court in 2001 when it was the only accountability court program in the Northeastern Judicial Circuit. He led group sessions and conducted one-on-one counseling for participants for seven years before stepping into the coordinator position in 2008. Since that time, he instigated the implementation of evidenced-based treatment curriculum and raised the program standards well before State requirements were in place. Always looking for better ways to serve the needs of the participants, he started the young adult, co-occurring, and felony probation tracks of Drug Court and has served as the liaison between Treatment Services and the 12-step community. Not only has he helped grow and develop Drug Court into the successful program it is today, he has willingly mentored other accountability court teams throughout Georgia as they create or refine their programs. Be it a Drug Court participant or one of his coworkers, there isn't a person in the Treatment Services department who hasn't, whether directly or indirectly, benefitted from Hoke's wisdom and life experience. He has the ability to view situations through real-world lenses while focusing on the good and potential in people. We are fortunate to have him as part of our Treatment Services' family. Congratulations, Hoke, on the well-deserved award! |
Magazine highlights Hall County's energy-efficient upgrades
Hall County Government was featured in the fall 2014 issue of Georgia CountyGovernment magazine as part of the publication's ''Sustainable Communities'' article.
In the article, Hall County was commended for the sweeping upgrades it made to the lighting systems in county facilities, which were paid for by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. Since being awarded the grant in 2010, Hall County has replaced florescent lighting fixtures in county buildings with a more efficient, modern standard. Read more here. |
Chief Cagle elected to state fire association post
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Chief Scott Cagle |
Hall County Fire Services Battalion Chief Scott Cagle has been elected to a top office with the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs (GAFC). Cagle was elected District Vice President of Area 1, which is comprised of 24 counties and 119 fire departments in northeast Georgia.
Cagle was elected to the post during the 2014 Georgia Fire Service Conference in Macon Sept. 16- 20. Read more here. |
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TV 18: Laurel Summer Fest
 | | Hall County Connection - Laurel Summer Fest - October 2014 |
Laurel Park was buzzing with excitement over Labor Day weekend this year as it played host to Laurel Summer Fest. The two-day event took a lot of hard work and dedication to pull off, but in the end, several worthy causes were able to fatten their piggy banks while the public enjoyed this beautiful park. For more information on Laurel Summer Fest, watch the entire Hall County Connection episode here or click on the image above. |
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Tax Assessors Office mails roughly 3,800 revised property tax notices
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Steve Watson |
The Hall County Tax Assessors Office mailed 30-day revised property tax notices to approximately 3,800 property owners Wednesday; however, Hall County Chief Appraiser Steve Watson said more revised notices are still being processed.
Watson said roughly 5,100 people appealed their Hall County property appraisal this year. He said the 1,300 property owners who were not mailed a revised notice Wednesday either had their appeal resolved during the 45-day appeal period, are being forwarded to the next level of appeal (Board of Equalization) or are still under review. Responses to those still under review will be mailed at a later date, and property owners will have 30 days to appeal further if they so choose. Read more here. |
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Learn about Storm Spotting from Hall Co. Emergency Management
Hall County Emergency Management will be hosting a Storm Spotter Class from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the North Hall Community Center.
This two-hour class is taught by the National Weather Service and is used to provide baseline training for all potential spotters through multiple scenarios. It covers the procedures for spotting (including communication and storm report criteria), safety considerations for all hazards, and an overview of the national weather service program and its history.
To RSVP and for any questions, please contact David Kimbrell, director of Emergency Management, at dkimbrell@hallcounty.org.
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News from the Hall County Sheriff's Office
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Members of the HCSO and other volunteers participate in Hall County's Relay for Life kickoff event Sept. 16. |
- The Hall County Sheriff's Office took part in the kickoff party for Relay for Life of Hall County on Sept. 16 at Scott's Downtown in Gainesville. The Sheriff's "Sole Patrol" is doing their part to raise money for the cause. For more information on how you can help the Sheriff's Office in the fight against cancer, visit www.relayforlife.org/hallga.
- The Hall County Sheriff's Office recently partnered with Hall County Fire Services, Gainesville Police, the Georgia State Patrol and Safe Kids Gainesville/Hall County for National Child Passenger Safety Week. HCSO representatives, along with representatives from the other local agencies, checked a number of child seat safety checks across Hall County. Their goal is to see every passenger in every car in Hall County buckled up and safe.
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Child safety seat technicians participate in National Child Passenger Safety Week. |
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Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian Church preschoolers meet with HCSO deputies during Community Helpers Week. |
- Hall County Sheriff's Office K-9 Units had a ball at Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian Church's Preschool during Community Helpers Week. The children were treated to demonstrations by Deputy Jonathan Jackson and his partner Dee, as well as Deputy Corey Gilleland and his partner Gus. Deputy Chuck Poteat also took the children on a tour of a Hall County Sheriff's Office patrol car! |
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Join Hall County Parks and Leisure for a coat and blanket drive
Hall County Parks & Leisure is facilitating a coat and blanket drive to help those in need this winter. You can bring all sizes of gently used coats and/or blankets to any of Hall County's three community centers: East Hall, North Hall, or Mulberry Creek. Donations must be dropped off by Nov. 7 and will be donated to a local charity. For more information, please contact any of the community centers: East Hall 678.450.1540, Mulberry Creek 770.965.7140, or North Hall 770.535.8280.
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Bring your pet out for the Howl-O-Ween Pet Parade and Costume Contest
The Howl-O-Ween Pet Parade and Costume Contest will be held Sunday, Oct. 26 at the Laurel Bark Park from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Come out for a fun afternoon with your four-legged friends! Hall County Parks and Leisure will be hosting a pet costume contest and a 1 mile fun run/pet parade at Laurel Park to benefit Hall County Animal Shelter. Costume contest categories include: scariest, funniest, cutest, best owner/pet look-alike, and best overall. Entrance to the contest and pet parade is FREE while any monetary donations or in-kind donations such as newspapers, paper towels, or bath towels would be greatly appreciated! For more information, please contact Brooke Whitmire at bwhitmire@hallcounty.org or 770.965.7140 or Cindy Langman at clangman@halcounty.org or 678.450.1587.
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