Georgia County Government - May/June 2008 - (Page 67)

by Forsyth County. On March 23, 23 of these original members of the team marked their 10-year anniversary with the Forsyth County Fire Department. Since those first 30 professional fi refighters joined the county, the fi re department has grown phenomenally, in step with the county’s national recordsetting rate of growth and today includes 126 full-time field suppression fi refighter positions in addition to shift workers and a variety of support and administrative personnel. “It was an honor to be chosen 10 years ago to be part of that initial group of fulltime firefighters for Forsyth County,” said firefighter and hazardous materials technician Bob Kaley, a member of the ‘Dirty Thirty’ who now works at Fire Station 2. “The progress and growth that we’ve seen over the past 10 years has just been incredible. I could not imagine a better place to work or a better group of firefighters to work with.” “The success of our fire department can, without question, be attributed to the groundwork laid by the countless volunteer firefighters who organized the department in 1972,” said Fire Chief Danny Bowman. “The addition of 30 highly motivated ‘career’ firefighters in 1998, however, certainly raised the bar relative to rapid, efficient emergency services expected by our citizens.” The Forsyth County Fire Department began in 1972 as the Forsyth County Fire Protection Committee, created in response to a residential fire claiming the life of a county resident. In 1973, a volunteer fi re department was incorporated, led by Fire Chief John C. “Jake” Moore. The International Association of Fire Chiefs published in 1983 that Forsyth County, Ga., with 336 volunteer fi refighters on the roles, was the nation’s largest volunteer fire department. That volunteer department served the county until 1998, when the time came for a modern fi re department and the hiring of 30 full-time, professional fi refighters. contract to receive a $3.5 million General Aviation Entitlement Grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to fund airport improvements. The grant will pay for a larger airport safety improvement plan that includes extending the airport runway 500 feet and fi nishing the parallel taxiway. The amount represents 95 percent participation from the federal government, with the state government and Greene County Airport Authority contributing 2.5 percent each in matching funds. County Chairman Dene Channell said the vote represented the board’s agreement to match the 95 percent funding with 2.5 percent funding from the Airport Authority’s account, already there owing to a Special purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). The project is expected to contribute to the local economy, with the only stumbling block seen as the rising costs of asphalt and general construction. The improvements, however, will allow larger jets to land in Greene County and lighter jets to take off with more fuel; officials espouse this means higher tax revenues from visitors and tourists to the Lake Oconee region, instead of from local citizens. GREENE Airport Improvements Funded The Greene County Board of Commissioners in mid-February approved a SUMTER P 2AD Names Georgia Southwestern an Environmental Leader The Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources recognized Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) as an environmental leader at a ceremony earlier today. GSW was recently accepted into P2AD’s Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia at the Silver level. They are committed to protecting and preserving Georgia’s environment. GSW joined 143 other organizations that have already committed to environmental leadership via the program. “Georgia Southwestern State University is leading the way in implementing sound environmental practices,” said Suzanne Burnes, assistant director of P2AD and manager of the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia. “We are proud to recognize GSW as the first university accepted in the up- per levels of the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia.” “In the early 1990s, GSW became very conscious of the impacts that water and air pollution have on our campus and its surrounding community,” said George Smith, GSW Physical Plant director. “Consequently, policies and projects were initiated to preserve trees, eliminate air pollution and protect our water resources. Now, we are actively engaged in promoting campus projects that go beyond State of Georgia codes and regulations to promote a more sustainable Georgia.” Projects include the creation of a campus water garden to promote study and relaxation and the construction of a nature trail for academic and recreational use by students and campus visitors. “It is imperative for all people on and off campus to become conscience of sustainability and its issues,” Smith continued. “Sustainability and the preservation of air, water and natural resources are vital for the survival of future generations of Georgians. I encourage all to get involved with preserving the environment and conserving nature.” GSW successfully moved up to the Silver level of the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia after being a Bronze Partner since 2005. The Partnership offers four levels of participation for organizations throughout the state: Champion, Bronze, Silver and the highest achievement level, Gold. The entry level for each business or organization is based on initiatives already in place as well as those slated for completion during the term of Partnership. The Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia is free and open to any business or organization that operates in Georgia. The Partnership offers a variety of incentives, including cost savings through increased efficiencies, potential regulatory flexibility, free technical assistance and training, and access to networking and mentoring among peers, state and local officials. The Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia was established by P2AD to foster environmental leadership and recognize PARADE continued on page 68 MAY/JUNE 2008 www.accg.org 67 http://www.accg.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Georgia County Government - May 2008

Georgia County Government - May 2008 Contents President’s Message County Matters ACCG 2008 Annual Meeting: Highlights County Focus: Clayton County Negotiating a Professional Service Firm Contract: Part 3 Counties Get Involved in Efforts to End Sexual Abuse of Children Smart Growth Scorecard Gives Communities a Way to Grade New Developments Wireless Technologies Critical for First Responders Research Corner: The ACCG Policy Process RDCs Assist the USS Georgia Flag Project Extension News: Animals Take Spotlight in Disaster Planning Georgia’s Grand Old Courthouses: Grady County NACo News: Green Initiative Launches Searchable Database Insurance News: ACCG Announces New Inmate Medical Savings Program County Parade Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - May 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.