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SNELLVILLE – Former councilman Tod Warner returned to the dais Monday after being sworn in to his second stint on council following the March 19 election.

Voters chose Warner over Antonio Molina in the Post 5 council race and approved a referendum calling for the earlier sale of alcohol on Sundays. Warner defeated Molina 844-641. The "Sunday Brunch Bill" was approved 1,023-471. The results of both votes were ratified by the Mayor and Council Monday.

"It says a lot, that during a special election … that we were able to get the vote out that we did. So thank you very much," Warner said Monday. "Good luck to Mr. Molina. I look forward to doing work for you, the citizens of Snellville."

Warner returns to council after serving his first term from 2007 to 2011. He has also served on the city's Planning Commission, the Urban Renewal Agency and the Development Authority of Snellville.

The Post 5 seat was vacated by now-Mayor Barbara Bender who left her post after she was named mayor earlier this month following the resignation of Tom Witts.

Mayor and Council also ratified the "Sunday Brunch Bill" which was signed into law on May 8, 2018 by the state, authorizing counties and cities to permit and regulate Sunday sales of distilled spirits or alcoholic beverages from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Restaurants will be allowed to sell alcohol on Sunday at 11 a.m. as of April 12 once Mayor and Council approve the change in city ordinances at its next meeting to do so.

SNELLVILLE – Mayor Pro Tem Dave Emanuel wants the city to be "Clean and Proud."

Emanuel's new initiative calls for the creation of city cleanup crews that will operate as part of the Snellville Clean and Proud team. The city crew, which is made up of councilmembers and city staff, will adopt a 1-mile portion of Oak Road and keep it litter free. The first cleanup will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday in front of City Hall.

"Individual litter cleanup efforts by local residents were what inspired me to come up with the Snellville Clean and Proud program," Emanuel said. "My intention isn't just to clean up our streets, but to make fighting litter a community building initiative. Along the way, we'll build awareness of the problems litter cause and hopefully inspire more people to get involved in cleanup efforts. And we're not just talking about litter, we're doing something about it."

Armed with cleanup supplies from Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful and shirts from Big Frog Custom T-shirts of Snellville, Clean and Proud members will also be hitting other streets in the future.

Emanuel said residents can form their own cleanup crews under the Clean and Proud program. Anyone interested in more information about helping to make Snellville "clean and proud" should contact him at demanuel@snellville.org.

SNELLVILLE - Mayor Barbara Bender said the city's police department is "the best police department in the state" Monday.

So when Snellville Police Department Chief Roy Whitehead had to name the winners of the annual SPD awards at Monday's council meeting, he said he had tough choices to make.

"Each of them deserve an award," Whitehead said.

However, Whitehead was able to pair the list of winners to 11.

Here they are:

Not pictured are Lt. Rob Pendleton – Citizens Police Academy and Sgt. Philip Poole - Explorers.

SNELLVILLE – Council approved a five-year update of the Livable Centers Initiative Monday, which outlines key strategies and a work program for the Towne Center area.

The LCI is a grant program funded by the Atlanta Regional Commission to incentivize cities to re-envision part of their communities as vibrant, walkable places that offer increased mobility options, encourage healthy lifestyles and provide improved access to jobs and services. Snellville joined the LCI program in 2003 with a plan for the Towne Center area and last updated the plan in 2013.

The LCI update was developed along with the Snellville 2040 Comprehensive Plan which was approved by council last month. Community members provided input through stakeholder interviews, the Comprehensive Plan Community Task Force, a booth at the Snellville Farmers' Market and Public Safety Night, an online survey, street engagement and an open house. This update included information from an existing conditions assessment, a market analysis and a transportation analysis, among other components.

The Towne Center at Snellville includes .78 square miles of land centered on City Hall at the crossroads of Main Street (US 78) and Scenic Highway (SR 124).

Several goals of the update were included in the report. These goals were: to improve connections within and around downtown; to foster a unique and memorable neighborhood environment; attract and sustain local businesses and non-profits; to create a mix of housing so a diverse group of neighbors can call the Towne Center home; to integrate educational and family-friendly activities; and to build strong relationships with thoughtful development partners.

To learn more about the LCI update, or view the complete document, visit 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

SNELLVILLE – After a brief hiatus, the Snellville Arts Commission is back with a new focus.

Created in 2012, the Snellville Arts Commission was designed to increase art awareness in the community. SAC had created murals, held cultural events and organized, led by Nedra Bailey, the very successful ongoing exhibit space for local artists in the City Hall Community Room. However, the "new" SAC will now be more of an advisory commission as opposed to one charged with staging various events.

Mayor and Council approved a resolution Feb. 25 redefining the commission's role, the first order of business will be to get a new SAC Board, the second, to have that group seek the best vendor to create a Community/Public Art Master Plan.

"SAC shall prepare, maintain and update a public art master plan which identifies locations for public art in the city and identifies other potential uses of art and needed cultural-related resources," the resolution reads.

Appointed by Mayor and Council, the city is seeking six new SAC members who will serve four-year terms (with the exception of three initial members who will only serve a two-year term so the membership terms will be staggered). Three initial members will be appointed to Posts 1-3 and serve for four years and three initial members will be appointed to Posts 4-6 which will be the two year terms. A seventh member – whether it is the mayor or a councilmember - will be appointed annually by the Mayor and Council. The Mayor and Council believe this new direction will increase public input and better direct the city's cultural efforts.

Under the new terms, SAC is not authorized to spend city money. Expenditures for art acquisition, performances, art programming, art education, fund raising and other purposes consistent with the promotion of public and performing art in Snellville will be recommended to Mayor and Council who will then appropriate the funds.

The resolution also created the Performing Arts and Acquisition Fund (PAAF), a separate, special revenue fund apart from the city's overall fund structure into which public art donations and funding are deposited, transferred and used for the acquisition, commissioning, performance, exhibition and conservation of public art as recommended by SAC and approved by Mayor and Council; the Snellville Community Foundation will be used for such donations and expenditures. Now all developers and those seeking significant development permits will be informed about the value the city places on public art and its role in the community, adding to the overall quality of life of Snellville citizens. Applicants shall be encouraged, but not required, to consider a donation to the PAAF. Ten percent of each donation, gift or contribution received by SAC will be designated and restricted to expenditures related to the routine maintenance, repair and cleaning of public art projects as this initiative is intended to be a long-term priority.

To apply for a position on SAC visit www.snellville.org/boards-commissions for an application.

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SNELLVILLE – Gwinnett County officials briefed local senior citizens about a food program to make its debut at T.W. Briscoe Park next month.

While next month's start date is not yet firm, the Snellville Satellite Congregate Senior Program will serve 40 seniors Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the Betty McMichael Room in T.W. Briscoe Park on Lenora Church Road. Administered by Gwinnett County Department of Community Services, Division of Health and Human Services, the project receives federal funding through the Atlanta Regional Commission. Grayson will also host a county-administered satellite food program.

"The Snellville Parks and Recreation Department is very pleased to be partnering with Gwinnett County to help execute the Snellville Satellite Congregate Senior Program," said Lisa A Platt, CPRP, Director of Snellville Parks and Recreation. "Our Senior Center and the programs we run are for more active adults and we do not provide any kind of meal program. By partnering with Gwinnett County, SPRD will be able to serve a section of our community that needs this assistance. SPRD, believes as Gwinnett County does, that we are here to serve our community and specifically our older adult community in mind, body and spirit. And this partnership allows us to serve our citizens in that capacity. We hope this is just the start of something that can grow and allow us to serve more who are in need now and in the future."

The creation of the program in Snellville arose following the popularity of the food service in nearby Centerville where there is a waiting list of 156-pre-screened clients. The congregate program encourages senior citizens to not only come to a specific location to eat, but also learn about nutrition and physical health.

To participate in the program, those over 60 must be evaluated to determine their need for the program. After determining their need, senior citizens will likely be placed on a waiting list before they can take part in the program.

The program is separate from the membership-based senior programming at Snellville's Senior Center next to City Hall.

For more information on the program call 678-377-4150.

Upcoming Parks and Recreation Events

Upcoming Senior Center Events

The council approved the city's 2040 Comprehensive Plan Feb. 11.

The Comprehensive Plan is a map of the city's future for the next 20 years and sets policy and direction and a five-year work program to accomplish these goals. Topic areas include land use, transportation, housing, economic development and quality of life issues.

Read the plan here - https://www.snellville.org/comprehensive-plan-maps

SNELLVILLE – Calling all high school students.

The Snellville Youth Commission will be hosting its second annual Youth Summit from 12 to 4 p.m. Feb. 23 at City Hall.

What's the event about?

"We want students to learn the importance of understanding what's going on in their communities, how people affect their communities on a daily basis, and the importance of using that knowledge to be proactive in improving those communities," said Youth Commission Coordinator Chris O'Donoghue. "Everyone needs a starting point before they take on any large task. We hope this is that starting point, a launching point really, to engage students and help them feel confident in leaving their positive marks on their schools, their communities, and even their government."

Created in 2016, the Snellville Youth Commission is designed to promote positive interaction between students and their community and give them a greater understanding of how government works.

The event will feature guest speaker Everton "EJ" Blair Jr. of the Gwinnett County Board of Education, food, games and prizes.

The event is open to all area students.

Applications to join the Snellville Youth Commission can be downloaded now at www.snellville.org/snellville-youth-commission and turned in to City Hall or via email, to youthcommssion@snellville.org for the next program year.