Latest News

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.

###

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.

SNELLVILLE – The Georgia Municipal Association has given the city a Safety Grant check in the amount of $4,553 and a Liability Grant check in the amount of $8,926.07 toward the purchase of a defibrillator and accessories, a Strike Alert Lightning Detector and playground safety netting at T.W. Briscoe Park.

The GMA Safety and Liability Management Grant program was introduced in 2000 to provide a financial incentive to assist members in improving their employee safety and general public liability loss control efforts through training and the purchase of equipment or services.

"This program allows each city to stretch their budget dollars and provide a safer work environment for their employees," said Eileen Thomas, GMA marketing field manager.

Since the inception of the program, more than 130 cities have received grant money through the program. More than 500 grants have been approved, totaling nearly $1.5 million to fund items such as bulletproof vests, training videos, confined space entry equipment, reflective safety vests, fire department turnout gear and police department in-vehicle video systems. These grant funds have helped leverage the purchase of more than $2.6 million in this type of equipment and training.

The Safety and Liability Management Grant program is made available to members of GMA's property and liability insurance program (the Georgia Interlocal Risk Management Agency) and GMA's workers' compensation insurance.

Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, non-profit organization that provides legislative advocacy, educational, employee benefit and consulting services to its more than 500 member cities.

###

The Snellville Farmers Market is now preparing for its 10th season by accepting applications from potential vendors. Local farmers as well as vendors who produce other food products will be considered.

The market is held on Saturday mornings, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 1 through Sept. 28.

The market takes place on the Towne Green in front of Snellville City Hall.

Market policies and a vendor application are available at www.snellvillefarmersmarket.com.

SNELLVILLE – Snellville residents will pick a new councilman and vote on a Sunday alcohol sales question during a March 19 special election.

Tod Warner, a 56-year-old real estate investment advisor, and Chief Operating Officer Antonio Molina, 36, are vying for the Post 5 seat vacated by now-Mayor Barbara Bender. Bender left her post after she was named mayor earlier this month following the resignation of Tom Witts.

Residents will also be asked whether they support 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. If approved, Sunday alcohol sales starting at 11 a.m. at restaurants will be authorized as of April 9.

Polls will be opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 7 p.m. in the Community Room in City Hall, 2342 Oak Road. To vote in the special municipal election, residents must register to vote by 5 p.m., Feb. 19.

SNELLVILLE – The county's Microtransit program, which transports citizens for free around the city on small buses, has been extended past its initial six-month run until April 30.

The program has proven to be so popular county officials decided to extend the free service along its 17-square-mile route. Nearly 20,000 passengers have ridden a Microtransit bus since the program debuted.

When the program kicked off in September, the program drew an average of 91 daily passengers, during 68 average daily trips. This month, there was an average of 242 daily passengers riding 180 average daily trips. The highest one-day passenger count during the Gwinnett County Transportation program's run was 344. The highest one-day trip count was 225.

"We are currently running seven ADA accessible 12-passenger vans within the zone and have experienced steady growth in our completed trips," said Kurt Gagnard, Gwinnett County Transportation transit planner. "We have transported passengers to any number of locations and purposes including to grocery stores, school, work, doctor/dialysis visits, shopping, and back to their homes."

Once the free pilot ends the county will review all of the data to determine what best suits its needs for a future technology procurement and then eventually roll the program back out in the Snellville and Buford areas.

"Of course we will establish a fare for the service at that time though the amount has not yet been determined," Gagnard said. "We are currently looking at ways to optimize the service in order to reduce wait times and hope to have improvements rolled out as soon as they are developed."

Riders are be able to be picked up and dropped off door-to-door within a specific zone in Snellville. They can do this by the push of a button on the Microtransit app or by phone at 770-822-5010. Microtransit will run Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information visit gctransit.com.