The Community News Vol. 19, Issue 1

A Newsletter for the Citizens of Jonesboro, Georgia Feb.-March 2015

Joy B. Day Mayor jday@jonesboroga.com

Councilmembers: Bill Powell, Mayor Protem Jack Bruce Wallace Norrington Pat Sebo Bobby Wiggins

Ricky L. Clark, Jr., City Clerk Joe Nettleton, Pub.Works Dir . Franklin Allen, PoliceChief Sandra Meyers, Finance Shayla Harris, Economic Dev.

Derry Walker, Code Enforcement Steve Fincher, City Attorney Ronald Freeman, Judge Keith Wood, Assoc. Judge Jerry Patrick, City Solicitor

City Hall (770) 478-3800 Jonesboro PD (770) 478-7407 NON-Emergency # (770) 477-3550

2015 BUDGET

APPROVED Public Hearing was held on Dec.

22, 2014; the City’s $4.1M

Budget was approved on Dec.

29, 2014. It includes two

additional Public Works

employees, one Police

Patrolman, police body

cameras, and a 3% employee

cost of living raise. Copies are

available at City Hall.

CITIZENS ARE URGED TO HONOR A VETERAN

Each Memorial Day (MAY) and each Veteran’s Day (NOV), the City of Jonesboro will display flags in

memory of deceased veterans. The project began two years ago to honor our Veterans. If you live in the

City and would like to honor any deceased veteran, you may complete a form with basic information. A

one time voluntary donation of $10 helps to defray costs of cross construction, flag purchase, and erecting

the crosses, as well as replacing the memorial as time elapses. Family members of former residents may

also honor a deceased veteran. Forms may be completed at City Hall or downloaded at

www.jonesboroga.com. Let’s honor those who made a sacrifice to keep our country free and to preserve

our rights and liberties as Americans. Deadline for Memorial Day 2015: May 8, 2015.

Dear Citizens, Mayor’s Message Streetscape 2 was bid successfully in Nov 2014; we are ready to begin! Costs have risen due to utility and material

prices. Streetscape will be a source of pride in Jonesboro for years to come, extending both north and southward, with the

utilities underground, decorative lighting, new sidewalks and benches. Lee Street Park bid opening is scheduled for

February 4, 2015. We hope to break ground in a few weeks on that project as well. Both of these ventures are being

accomplished with grant funds and SPLOST. I invite you to attend city meetings and events; you will meet friends and gain a

clearer understanding of the challenges our city faces. Join our Phone Tree for friendly reminders by calling (770) 478-3800. Now

that our new website is in place, www.jonesboroga.com, I hope you will find it easier to keep track of city business. Don’t forget our

Facebook page, City of Jonesboro Government. May 2015 be your best year yet. Joy Day

eNotifications The City of Jonesboro eNotifications Service

allows the City to send electronic notices, alerts, and information to All subscribers. This service is free of charge. News will be distributed regarding

weather related issues, employment and bid opportunities, special news, events, etc. We will continue to add new categories of information

and notifications. Check back regularly to see if there are any new informational categories to which you wish to subscribe. Sign up at our

website, www.jonesboroga.com or contact City Hall to subscribe today! The first 50 to signup will be included in a contest to win a City of

Jonesboro Gift Bag.

Happy Birthday Chester Gipson Mr. Chester Gipson of

Crowder Street

celebrated his

90th Birthday on December 28, 2014.

Mr. Gipson has been

a resident of Jonesboro

for 60+ years.

Congratulations!

For more information, call (404) 596-8504 Email: Springsprint_SRC@gmail.com

or Visit www.lakespiveyrotaryclub.com

As part of our City Fitness

Initiative, we invite you to walk

with us each Wednesday at City

Hall. Walks begin at 5:15-5:30

pm. We will walk for one hour

and end at City Hall. Our walk

will be a good way to get in shape,

see Jonesboro sites, and socialize.

Come on over to City Hall and hit

the streets with us. If you have

questions, call (770) 478-3800.

Kite Trivia Kite Trivia Kite Trivia Kite Trivia

> There is at least one Kite Festival every weekend of the year in some part of the world.

> It is now thought that the first kites flown over 3000 years ago were made of leaves.

> In Indonesia, leaf kites are still used for fishing.

> Some Japanese kites weigh over two tons.

> Kites were used in the Civil War to deliver letters and newspapers.

> People were flying kites 1000 years before paper was invented.

New Businesses

CARE LINK SOLUTIONS, INC. 7827 Old Morrow Road

5 Star Learning Academy 191 South Main Street

ECBE AUTO, INC. 194 Jonesboro Road, Ste.A7

HLM AUTO SALES 194 Jonesboro Road, Ste.A5

Reid’s Auto Repair (Emissions) 244 South Main Street

Towstar USA, Inc. 8500 Tara Boulevard

Therapeutic & Rehab Massage 205 North Main Street

Striker Auto Group, LLC 194 Jonesboro Rd., Suite A4

JB Full Service and Auto Repair 8870 Tara Boulevard

Designer’s Touch Hair Salon 8160 Tara Blvd., Ste. 109

Taste of Thailand 8562 Tara Boulevard

City Blotter

OFFENSE NOV DEC

Citations 517 391

Warnings 232 176

Accidents 28 24

Arrests 64 50

DUI 0 3

Property

Checks

2505 2626

Warrants 371 250

Probation 660 653

Criminal Investigations

63 1

BEFORE

Born: Dec. 19, 2014

7 lb. 8 oz.

Congratulations to

Officer Chad McMillan

and wife, Kammie.

FEEDING THE TROOPS

Darryl Hand, city resident and a Delta Airlines employee, is

pictured above at the Atlanta Airport, as he provides

breakfast for U.S. troops and their families; he was assisted

by Pat Sebo, City Councilmember. A full breakfast with

eggs, grits, bacon and the works is served beginning at 4:00

a.m. and ending around 10:00 a.m. Sutherland Foods donated

food to this most worthy cause. This is Mr. Hand’s 7th year

of providing this service to say thanks to our men and

women in uniform as they pass through the world’s busiest

airport. Way to go, Darryl Hand and Pat Sebo!

Meredith Roark Receives Certificate of Excellence

Meredith Roark,

daughter of Allen

and Cathy Roark of

Northlake Drive,

recently received

the Certificate of

Excellence from

the International

City/County

Management

Association. The

ICMA awards

certificates yearly to recognize local government

performance management programs. Ms. Roark is

employed by the City of Decatur as Budget and

Performance Measurement Manager. Pictured above is

Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss, Ms. Roark, and

Bob O’Neill, Executive Director of the ICMA. More

information is available at ICMA.org.

Congratulations, Meredith Roark

CITY CLOSEUP: Vickie Collins Vickie Collins has been a valued member of the

City of Jonesboro team since 2006. She has

worked as Records Clerk (GCIC) and Asst. Court

Clerk, but presently serves in our Probation

Department. Vickie completed the Terminal

Agency Coordinator (TAC) Certification and the

Uniform Crime Reporting Class. She enjoys

spending time with her family traveling, hiking,

and at the lake. Vickie is a graduate of Jonesboro

High School. She has two daughters and a new grandson, Joseph, 4

months old. Vickie is known for her kind manner and for being a team

player. Thank you, Vickie Collins, for your service to Jonesboro.

Katie M. Boatwright Graduates Daughter of Hydee Griffin, Jonesboro Police

Department, graduated from the University

of West Georgia on December 13, 2014 with

Cum Laude honors. Katie earned a BA

(Bachelor of Arts) in English with a minor in

education. She was named Outstanding

English Education Major for 2014. Katie has

already been accepted (with scholarship) to

Mercer University School of Law and John

Marshall Law School. She is a 2010 graduate

of Northgate High school in Coweta County. Best wishes in your

future endeavors, Katie. We are proud of you!

Landon Michael

McMillan

Around Town...

*Christmas Parade Winners*

1st Place: Tara Wrecker (Live Nativity)

2nd Place: Kidz of Paradise (Frozen)

3rd Place: Clowns with New Hope

Mayor's Award: On Pointe Dance Factory

Thanks to all participants in our parade! You made it a special day in

Jonesboro See you next year!

Pre-Sorted Standard

U.S. Postage Paid Jonesboro, GA Permit No. 7

Jonesboro City Hall 124 North Avenue

Jonesboro, GA 30236

Community Calendar FEB 2 Work Session, 6 pm, PD

FEB 3 Hill Family Band, 6 pm, FM

FEB 9 City Court, 8 am, PD

FEB 9 Council Meeting, 7 pm, PD

FEB 12 Covered Dish Supper,6 pm, FM

FEB 14 Valentine’s Day

FEB 16 Neigh. Watch, 6:30 pm, PD

FEB 23 City Court, 8 am, PD

MAR 2 Work Session, 6 pm PD

MAR 3 Hill Family Band, 6 pm, FM

MAR 9 Council Meeting, 7 pm, PD

MAR 12 Cov. Dish Supper, 6 pm, FM

MAR 17 St. Patrick’s Day

MAR 16 Neigh. Watch, 6:30 pm, PD

MAR 20 City Fitness Day

MAR 21 “SPRING SPRINT,” FM, 8 am

Firehouse Museum Activities

Tuesdays: Movie Night: 6 pm

Thursdays: Bingo, 6 pm (unless otherwise noted on Calendar above)

CITY ARCHIVES

James Massengale

City Special Election Tuesday, March 17 To fill the unexpired term of

Councilman Randy Segner

*Early voting at City Hall

Feb. 23-March 13

→March 17 Election at

Fire Station #13 on

W. Mimosa at N. Main Street

FRONT PORCH PLAYERS

Our 2015 Season “Winnie the Pooh”:Feb 27, 28; Mar 1, 6,7, 8

“A Gershwin Review”: May 8,9,10,15,16,17

“Dearly Departed”: Sept 11,12,13,18.19,20

Papa’s Angels”: Dec 4, 5, 6, 11,12,13 To purchase tickets

www.frontporchplayers.com

“Love is when the other person’s

happiness is more important than

your own.”

-H. Jackson Brown

WHERE

IN THE CITY?

Call

City Hall

To win

a prize!

Wedding Vow Renewals February 14, 2015 Valentine’s Day

At Stately Oaks Plantation

Would you like to say “I still do” to your

spouse? Bring your family and be a part of

this special event.

Reserve this special time by calling

(770) 473-0197

Ceremonies officiated by

Representative Mike Glanton