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Here's the news you need to know and the details that cover it
all in Hall!
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HCSO receives Most Fit Company Award
The Hall County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) received the Most Fit Company Award from the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce last month during the HealthSmart Breakfast at the Gainesville Civic Center. The Sheriff's Office was the recipient of the award in the large company category (251+ employees). Click here for more |
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Hall County welcomes new Finance Director
Hall County Administrator Randy Knighton is pleased to announce that Zach Propes has been hired as the county's new Director of Financial Services. Propes comes to Hall County Government from Bates Carter, a Gainesville-based accounting firm, where he has served as both Senior Accountant and Government Audit Project Supervisor. Click here for more. |
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| | Hall County EMT Jonathan Baker reunites with Julie Carnes (right) and her son Sam. |
Mother, son reunite with Hall Co. EMT credited for saving their lives
The letter took nearly two years to write. After all, how can someone sum up in words their gratitude to the person that saved their life and the life of their unborn child? That's the kind of letter that Hall County Fire Chief Jeff Hood found sitting on his desk earlier this month. On July 7, 2013, Hall County resident Julie Carnes began hemorrhaging in her sleep. Click here to read the entire story.
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HCSO deputies comfort toddler trapped underneath vehicle
Hall County deputies are being hailed as heroes after they came to a little girl's rescue. Two-year-old Morgen Angel was all alone and trapped underneath a truck after an accident near County Line Road in Hall County. When Deputy Bryan Woods and his partner arrived on the scene and heard the toddler's cries, they crawled inside the overturned truck to comfort Morgen and make sure she knew she was not alone. They stayed with the little girl until rescue crews could lift the truck off of her leg. Morgen is now at home recovering, and her parents said they will be forever thankful for the deputies, who they now call their heroes. See the complete Fox 5 story here. |
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Hall Co. C.I. holds first graduation for substance abuse treatment program
Seventeen men were the first to graduate from Hall County's Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) program last month, making history for Hall County and marking a major milestone in their individual roads to recovery. The RSAT program provides participants in the County's Re-entry Accountability Court Transition (REACT) Program with intensive substance abuse treatment. Click here for more. |
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HCFS Marine Rescue Team trains for flooding disaster
As South Carolina recovered last month from catastrophic flooding, Hall County Fire Services' (HCFS) Marine Rescue Team learned how to respond if that type of disaster struck our community. Twelve members of HCFS' Marine Rescue Team completed a three-day swift water rescue technician class last month. The class was hosted by Lumpkin County Emergency Services and was conducted on the Chattahoochee River and Lumpkin County Reservoir. Click here for more.
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Gov. Deal appoints Hall Co. Solicitor General to criminal justice reform council
Gov. Nathan Deal has appointed Hall County Solicitor General Stephanie Woodard to the Criminal Justice Reform Council. The Criminal Justice Reform Council's charge is to conduct periodic comprehensive reviews of criminal laws, criminal procedure, sentencing laws, adult correctional issues and juvenile justice issues. It is also tasked with enhancing probation and parole supervision, implementing better management of the prison population and of the population in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice, and reviewing other issues as they relate to criminal proceedings and accountability courts. Click here for more. |
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View the latest SPLOST revenue and expenditure reports
Hall County voters approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) VII in March of 2015. SPLOST revenue must be used for specific capital outlays (operations and maintenance expenditures are not authorized) such as courthouses, jails, roads, and bridges. Projects financed by SPLOST are intended to benefit the county as a whole, either standing alone or in combination with other county capital outlay projects or municipal capital outlay projects. View the latest reports regarding revenues and expenditures for SPLOST by clicking the links below: SPLOST Expenditure Status Updates
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Several Hall Co. departments participate in Teen Maze event
Several Hall County departments participated in an experiential learning event last month that helps teach teenagers about the consequences--both positive and negative-- of certain life choices. The Hall County Sheriff's Office, Hall County Animal Shelter, Hall County Fire Services, Hall County Juvenile Court and Hall County Parks and Leisure Services all partnered with Hall County Family Connection Network for the Teen Maze event at East Hall Community Center. Click here for more.
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Reminder about polling location changes for Nov. 3 election
There will be a countywide ESPLOST vote on Nov. 3. In addition to the countywide Special Election, there will also be a General Election for the cities of Gainesville, Flowery Branch and Lula. The cities of Clermont and Oakwood will have a Special Election on that same day as well. Voting will take place at the various precincts, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Polling location changes beginning with the Nov. 3 election are as follows:
- If in 2014 you voted at Free Chapel Worship Center, you now vote at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church; 3650 Browns Bridge Road; Gainesville
- If in 2014 you voted at West Hall Baptist Church, you now vote at the OGT Worship Center; 5004 McEver Road; Oakwood
- If in 2014 you voted at Poplar Springs Baptist Church, you now vote at the Blackshear Place Baptist Church; 3428 Atlanta Highway; Flowery Branch
- If in 2014 you voted at Library at Rabbittown, you now vote at the East Hall Community Building; 3911 P Davison Road; Gainesville
- If in 2014 you voted at Northlake Baptist Church, you now vote at The River Community Church; 5043 Thompson Bridge Road; Murrayville
- If in 2014 you voted at St. Michael Catholic Church, you now vote at the Gainesville Civic Center; 830 Green Street; Gainesville
- If in 2014 you voted at Living Waters Church, you now vote at the Rivers Community Church; 5043 Thompson Bridge Road; Murrayville
- If in 2014 you voted at Corinth Baptist Church, you now vote at the Journey Church; 4091 Mount Vernon Road; Gainesville
- If in 2014 you voted at Prince of Peace Church, CW Davis Middle School or Friendship Elementary School, please refer to your new voter registration card.
Click here fore more information, including a sample ballot |
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Hall Co. Probate Court launches Visiting Friends program
This fall, Hall County Probate Court has successfully launched a program of 'Visiting Friends' to benefit incapacitated adult wards in Hall County. This program uses volunteer adults to visit and offer social interaction to incapacitated adult wards of Hall County Probate Court who live in facilities in Hall County. After training this summer, the Friends have each visited with their assigned ward and established relationships. The Visiting Friend's only job is simply to be a friend. It has been proven that a vital part of human life is social interactions with others and that without this social outlet, people suffer. Many incapacitated adult wards live in isolation because they do not have families or do not have families that are able to visit the facility on a regular basis. The Visiting Friends Program intends to combat this isolation by offering a friend who only comes to socialize and offer some conversation and companionship. The volunteers in the program report that they are enjoying visiting with their assigned ward and that they find the program very rewarding themselves. They also report that their wards were excited that Hall County Probate Court offered a friend to come visit them as a bonus to the legal requirements of the Guardianship/Conservatorship process. The plan is to continue and expand the program as needed for as many incapacitated adult wards as possible. |
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Sheriff's Office Citizens Academy underway
The Hall County Sheriff's Office Citizens Academy began last month with a barbeque dinner kick-off event at the Hall County Law Enforcement Center. The academy consists of 10 individual sessions, occurring over six weeks. The academy meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 p.m .to 9 p.m. through Nov. 12. |
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TV-18 highlights the restoration of Healan's Mill
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| | Hall County Connection - Healan's Mill - Nov. 2015 |
Healan's Mill, which is located in the northeast corner of Hall County (not far from Georgia 365), dates back to the pre-Civil War era. Over the years, it has changed ownership just about as frequently as it has changed names. Now the mill is owned by Hall County, and a special group of citizens has formed to preserve the contents of the mill and restore the structure itself to its original glory so that it can be celebrated and visited by generations to come. Click here to watch the complete episode. |
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HCFS Boot Drive raises more than $55K!
Hall County Fire Services' Annual Boot Drive, benefitting the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation, collected $55,654.70 in donations this year!
Hall County Fire Services would like to thank South State Bank and Loan Officer Anna Cash (450 EE Butler Pkwy, Gainesville, GA 30501) for donating their services by counting the donations for free.
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Property tax payments due Dec. 1
Property tax payments are due on Tuesday, Dec. 1. The Hall County Tax Commissioner's offices will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 26 and Friday, Nov. 27 in compliance with the Hall County Government holiday schedule.
As a reminder, all property tax payers 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 to submit payment 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.
Partial payments are accepted. 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 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.
The Hall County Tax Commissioner's Office is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If there are any questions or if assistance is needed, please contact the Hall County Tax Commissioner's Office by phone at 770-531-6950, fax to 770-531-7111 or email propertytax@hallcounty.org.
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Hall Co. Resource Recovery to recognize citizens for recycling
During the week of Nov. 16-20, Hall County Resource Recovery will be partnering with Keep Hall Beautiful and the City of Gainesville to recognize citizens for their recycling efforts. Throughout the week, representatives from each organization will be handing out prizes at various compactor sites (as well as some local residents' homes) as a way of thanking them for their dedication to recycling. The recognition coincides with America Recycles Day on Nov. 15. |
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United Way's Born Learning Trail installed at Laurel Park
The installation of a Born Learning Trail was completed last month at Laurel Park. Volunteers with United Way of Hall County installed signs along an existing sidewalk at the park that suggest educational activities children and their caregivers can do together as they walk along the pathway. Click here for more on the Born Learning Trail. |
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Delays in renewal registration notices may continue
Due to issues with the printing vendor for the state, October's renewal notices were delayed. Though the state has been working diligently this past month, November renewal notices (personal) and December renewal notices (business) are expected to be delayed as well.
"Renewal notices are a courtesy reminder mailing that we have been fortunate enough to have approved in our budget. Though tax commissioners are not required to offer this service, we believe it is a good arrangement for our residents as we realize that sometimes life gets busy and we forget," said Tax Commissioner Darla Eden.
As a friendly reminder: All registrations expire at midnight on the birthday of the primary owner. Failure to receive a renewal notice does not negate the expiration date. Read more about the delays here.
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'Murph' for Mutts event set for Nov. 14
A multi-challenge fundraising competition to benefit the Hall County Animal Shelter will be held on Nov. 14 at 8 a.m. at CrossFit NE Georgia. Participants are encouraged to bring a partner or compete in the individual class and complete the following timed workout:
- Run 1 mile - 100 pull-ups - 200 push-ups - 300 air squats - Run 1 mile
The price is $25 per person. The event is open to everyone and membership at CrossFit is not required. CrossFit NE Georgia is located at 2491 Hilton Drive. For more information, call 678-450-1587. The Crossfit workout called "Murph" is in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, who was killed in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005. |
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Hall Co. firefighters serve their community
October was a busy month for Hall County Fire Services. In addition to their usual duties of protecting the public and responding to emergency calls, the department also participated in Fire Safety Day at Home Depot in Flowery Branch, and taught students at Mount Vernon Elementary School and Friendship Elementary School about fire safety.
These are just a few of the ways Hall County Fire Services served their community last month. We appreciate their service!
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Katie Crumley | Hall County Government | 770.297.5504 | kcrumley@hallcounty.org |
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