WALESKA, GA (May 17, 2024) – The Falany Performing Arts Center (FPAC) at Reinhardt University unveiled its next season of performances, providing patrons with a sneak peek of the exciting events to take to the stage. With over forty events confirmed for the upcoming school year, there’s something for everyone.

Professional concerts span musical comedy, classical, country, pop, Christmas music, and more. University Theater student productions include Cabaret and Romeo and Juliet. Students begin their season on August 30 with a fundraising murder mystery dinner and interactive show. The FPAC series runs September 7th through May 10th, with 3 Redneck Tenors launching the lineup.

The FPAC welcomes everyone to enjoy the arts and make memories. Professional show tickets are now on sale for patrons. Ticket sales for non-patrons become available 60 days before each event. Student performance tickets go on sale in August.

Click HERE to watch the Sneak Peek video. Click HERE for patron information.

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA (May 17, 2024) – Due to the threat of showers and thunderstorms for this weekend, the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce announces that Lemonade Day Cherokee County will be rescheduled for Saturday, June 1 from 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at locations all over Cherokee County.

Interested third through fifth grade students are encouraged to participate, and advance registration is required. Register now by visiting LemonadeDay.org/Cherokee-County. Interested patrons can also visit this link to learn where the stands will be set up.

Want to know how you can be involved in Lemonade Day Cherokee County, email Christin@CherokeeChamber.com or visit LemonadeDay.org/Cherokee-County.

The mission of the Cherokee County Chamber, a Georgia Certified Chamber of Commerce, is to promote business to expand the economy and enrich the community.

ACWORTH, GA (May 10, 2024) – Be Pro Be Proud Georgia unveiled its interactive Mobile Workshop on May 7 in Woodstock, preceding Skilled Professions Signing Day. The launch event, hosted by the Cherokee Office of Economic Development, highlighted the initiative’s commitment to inspiring young people to pursue fulfilling careers within skilled professions.

“We’re so excited about the new workshop, but the ones who will really benefit from this are the kids in Cherokee County and the rest of the state,” said Misti Martin, President & CEO of the Cherokee Office of Economic Development (COED).

The new Be Pro Be Proud Georgia Mobile Workshop is a cutting-edge eighteen-wheeler with lateral sides that expand to provide a thousand square feet of showroom space. Designed to address Georgia’s critical skills gap, the Mobile Workshop is equipped with simulators and gamified stations to ignite student interest in various trades and encourage them to build successful futures without the potential burden of four-year university college debt.

The new Mobile Workshop opened its doors to attendees at Chattahoochee Technical College’s Woodstock Campus at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Attendees were able to tour the new Mobile Workshop, exploring career opportunities in nineteen skilled trades pathways such as advanced manufacturing, diesel tech, forestry, heavy equipment operations, construction, healthcare and commercial truck driving. Local employers, workforce development advocates, county leaders, state leaders and leaders in education experienced this engaging initiative.

Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell welcomed attendees. “What an absolutely outstanding effort,” said Mayor Caldwell. “Georgia is the number one state to do business today, and it’s going to be tomorrow, and ten years from now, and fifty years from now, because of programs like Be Pro Be Proud Georgia.”

Remarks followed from Cherokee By Choice, Inc. Chairman Mark Goddard, COED President & CEO Misti Martin, Cherokee County Commission Chairman Harry Johnston, Cherokee County School District Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis, Chattahoochee Technical College President Ron Newcomb and Georgia Power Workforce Development Manager and Be Pro Be Proud Advisory Board Member, Jamal Jessie.

“If you want to attract good jobs, and good companies that bring those good jobs, and the good tax digest that goes with it, you have to have a job ready workforce – that’s exactly what Be Pro Be Proud Georgia is for,” said Commissioner Harry Johnston. “We’re trying to attract the attention of middle and high school kids who have not yet made career plans.”

“Having the workforce which has the skills and knowledge, and having the businesses that need those skills and knowledge, and having communities that recognize and take advantage of that is a win-win for everybody,” remarked Ron Newcomb, President of Chattahoochee Technical College.

Following the launch event, Be Pro Be Proud Georgia, COED and Chattahoochee Technical College hosted Skilled Professions Signing Day, an annual event that honors and celebrates the commitment of Cherokee County high school seniors pursuing skilled professions. Fifty-three students were honored.

“Being in these skilled trades programs are fantastic,” said Jacob Anderson, a 2023 Skilled Professions Signing Day honoree. “I work at North Atlanta Steel Supply…I sat in the same seats as all of you guys last year. I graduated and got my welding certificate from Cherokee High School and went straight into the career field. I had drive, and I learned, and I pushed myself to be better. Now, nine months in, I am being trained to be the foreman of the shop.”

COED brought Be Pro Be Proud to the state of Georgia in 2020, with the launch of its first mobile workshop. “We saw a need to introduce not just students in Cherokee, but students across the state to the skilled professions,” said Misti Martin, COED President & CEO. “That need has continued to grow. Be Pro Be Proud has been a vital tool in introducing students to key pathways and needed skillsets in our economy.”

The investment in the second mobile workshop allows for greater exposure and impact across the state. Since its inception, Be Pro Be Proud Georgia has made 307 tour stops across the state, reaching over fifty-seven thousand students – a number that continues to grow. The Be Pro Be Proud GA Mobile Workshop will continue to tour the state, engaging students and communities to explore the possibilities of skilled professions and build a stronger workforce for Georgia’s future. Visit BeProBeProudGA.org to learn more and join the movement.

ACWORTH, GA (May 10, 2024) – Chattahoochee Technical College honored graduates at two commencement ceremonies held Thursday, May 9, at the Clarence Brown Conference Center in Cartersville.

Neary seven hundred Chattahoochee Tech students petitioned to graduate this fall, with three hundred and thirty of them participating in the commencement ceremonies. These students crossed the stage to receive associate degrees, diplomas and Technical Certificates of Credit (TCC) in a wide variety of programs of study. Popular areas of study for graduates who earned associate degrees included Cybersecurity, Business Management, Surgical Technology, Film & Video Production, and Accounting.

Delivering the commencement address at both ceremonies was political science instructor Dr. Natalia Meneses, the college’s 2024 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year award recipient. “Your struggles have not been in vain. They have shaped you into the resilient, compassionate individuals you are today,” said Dr. Meneses. “As you step out in the world armed with knowledge and determination, remember the transformative power of education. Education can change your life, your families’ lives and the communities that you live in.”

Included among the graduates were ten military veterans, ninety-five Dual Enrollment high school students and nineteen Dual Achievement high school students. Forty-nine of these Dual Enrollment students earned a Nurse Aide Technical Certificate of Credit. A TCC, which may be embedded in the coursework for an associate degree or diploma, is designed to meet a specific educational need to prepare students, or update their skills, for the workforce. The Dual Enrollment program allows qualified high school students to maximize their education and career training by taking courses that earn college and high school course credit at the same time.

The nineteen high school Dual Achievement Program students simultaneously earned a high school diploma from the Chatt Tech Academy along with a college credential in a specific career pathway. The Dual Achievement program provides qualified students between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one with an alternate path to high school graduation.

A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), Chattahoochee Tech has nine campus locations serving some of the state’s most dynamic counties. The college offers real-world training that helps students quickly start, change or accelerate their careers. The college also offers customized workforce training, continuing education classes, and adult education programs that include free GED and HiSET preparation classes. For more information, visit www.ChattahoocheeTech.edu.

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA (May 10, 2024) – The Cherokee County Board of Tax Assessors approved the 2024 Notice of Assessment list on at its regular meeting on Thursday, May 9, reflecting an overall digest increase of 6.5 percent, including new construction. The Assessor’s Office will begin mailing annual property assessment notices starting Monday, May 13.

The assessment notice is not a bill. The Tax Commissioner’s Office will mail property tax bills later in the year.

Assessors establish their appraisals as of January 1 of each year, as dictated by state law. A crucial part of the assessment process is to review the 2023 market sales and adjust the appraisals as closely as possible to reflect those sales.

“As you receive your assessment notices, please look at the Assessor’s Office value and consider if you could sell your house for that amount,” said Chief Appraiser Steve Swindell. “Due to the methodology utilized by the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts (DOAA), which determines whether or not the tax assessors are performing their duties properly, and the rapidly changing market we are experiencing, we have completed our appraisals to the absolute highest degree of the standard required by the State of Georgia for 2024.”

Residential properties with an existing homestead exemption will continue to receive the standard $5,000 exemption and the floating homestead exemption. The floating homestead exemption increases at the same rate as the property’s value increases, lessening the amount of County Maintenance & Operations tax the property owners pays on his or her property tax bill later in the year.

Those with a senior school tax exemption will see an increase in their exemption amount for school maintenance and operation and school bond taxes, up to $501,000 of fair market value. The senior school tax exemption is adjusted according to the Social Security Index. A referendum to eliminate the cap on value for the senior school tax exemption is on the May 21 General Primary ballot, but, if passed, will not go into effect until next year.

An estimated tax bill notice on the assessment notice currently is required by state law and is calculated based on the millage rates set last year. Historically, the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has reduced its controlled millage rate to, at least, partially offset the financial impact to property owners.

Property owners are encouraged to visit www.cherokeega.com/tax-assessors-office, click on Real Estate Search and ensure the details on their property are correct (number of bedrooms, basement, etc.). This tool also can be used to review sales in the neighborhood.

Those who wish to appeal their assessment value must file an appeal by Thursday, June 27, which can be done by mailing the appeal to the Board of Tax Assessors office at 2782 Marietta Hwy., Suite 200, Canton, GA 30114 or by faxing the appeal to 678-493-6125. To expedite the process, those wishing to appeal their property’s value should provide any reasoning and documentation in the initial written appeal. For questions, please call the Tax Assessor’s Office at 678-493-6120.

PRESS RELEASE

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA (May 7, 2024) – 

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners invested in the maintenance and advancement of the fire service with approvals to spend more than $8 million in Special Purpose Local Option Sales tax funds on new fire engines and aerial/ladder trucks.

At its May 7 meeting, the Board unanimously approved the purchase of five fire engines at a cost of $5.1 million and two ladder trucks at a cost of $3.7 million from FireLine, Inc.

One ladder truck is a 75-foot aerial apparatus, and the other is a 95-foot mid-mount platform apparatus.

Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services expects to take delivery of two engines in 2025 and the remaining engines in 2026. The ladder trucks are expected in 2027.

The purchases are part of the fire department’s apparatus replacement plan in an effort to meet the standard of NFPA 1911, which sets standards and schedules for inspection, maintenance, testing and retirement of in-service emergency vehicles. CCFES currently has four frontline and five reserve apparatuses that exceed the benchmarks established in the department’s replacement plan, which indicates frontline engines and apparatuses should be replaced at the 15-year mark. Reserve fleet should be replaced at the 20-year mark.

District 2 Commissioner Richard Weatherby made the motion to approve purchasing the five engines, with a second from District 4 Commissioner Corey Ragsdale. The vote was 5-0. District 3 Commissioner Benny Carter made the motion to purchase the ladder trucks, with a second from Commissioner Weatherby. The vote was 5-0.

In other business, the Board also:

• Heard Sheriff Reynolds present awards to citizens who assisted in the funeral for fallen Georgia State Trooper Chase Redner. Trooper Rednar’s mother, Linda Redner, and former Sheriff Roger Garrison were in attendance to assist in presenting the awards to Steve Johnson and Katrina Ciccoli. Mr. Johnson and Ms. Ciccoli helped make arrangements for the North Carolina State Police’s caisson unit for Trooper Rednar’s funeral service.
• Reappointed with a 5-0 vote, Rebecca Johnston to the Sequoyah Regional Library Board of Trustees for a new three-year term beginning July 1, as recommended by the executive director of the library system. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, the minutes from the April 16 work session, executive session and regular meeting. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, Hensley West’s request to rezone 0.144 acres to General Agriculture from City of Holly Springs PDF-Mixed Use. The property was deannexed from the city of Holly Springs in 2023. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Postponed, with a 5-0 vote, at the applicant’s request, We2Friends Coffeehouse LLC’s request to rezone 0.92 acres from General Agriculture to Neighborhood Commercial for a coffeehouse and gift shop. The request also includes a concurrent variance to eliminate the required 30-foot zoning buffer, to reduce the required building setbacks and to reduce the minimum parking requirements from 12 to 9 parking spaces. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter. The case is postponed until the June 4 meeting.
• Approved, 5-0, Spencer Stein’s request to hear an appeal of a Zoning Board of Appeals denial related to the removal of trees from the 50-foot undisturbed buffer in a conservation subdivision. The appeal will be scheduled for a later date. District 1 Commissioner Steve West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, Joshua Cooper’s request to hear an appeal from an April 11 decision by the Zoning Board of Appeals to deny a variance to allow an accessory structure to exceed 50 percent of the gross square footage of the principle structure. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby. The appeal will be scheduled for a later date.
• Approved, 5-0, to re-establish a non-conforming use for a single wide home on Agriculture property less than 2 acres. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, the consent agenda, which included: an amendment to the Senior Services ARPA subgrant from the Atlanta Regional Commission to extend the grant term to Sept. 30; two amendments to the Memorandums of Understanding with the Cherokee Office of Economic Development for ARPA projects; a budget amendment in the amount of $5,798 for a cash match to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council subgrant agreement on behalf of the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office; and the updated Zero Tolerance Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy for Cherokee Area Transit Service. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, a municipal services agreement with the city of Holly Springs for Animal Control and Impoundment services. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.
• Approved, 5-0, a municipal services agreement with the city of Canton for Animal Control and Impoundment Services. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.
• Approved, 5-0, an agreement with the city of Ball Ground for Animal Control and Impoundment Services. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.
• Approved, 5-0, awarding a Professional Services Agreement for the design of the Steels Bridge Road sidewalk project of the highest scoring proposal, Keck & Wood, Inc. The cost is $69,500. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, a standard construction agreement for the Creekview subdivision drainage improvement project to Ohmshiv Construction LLC, the lowest responsive bidder. The cost is $688,826. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, amendment three to the construction agreement with Bartow Paving Company for the Hames Road Improvement Project for reconstruction of the driveway at 245 Hames Road. The cost is $43,268.76. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, amendment one to the construction agreement with Bartow Paving Company to add additional roads for resurfacing and repair at the request of the city of Holly Springs as part of the 2024 Resurfacing Project. The cost is $188,878.29. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.
• Approved, 5-0, amendment one to the intergovernmental agreement with the city of Holly Springs to provide resurfacing and road repairs to various roads in the city as part of the 2024 Resurfacing Project. The city will reimburse the county for the additional roadwork added to the construction agreement with Bartow Paving, as requested by the city. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.
• Approved, 5-0, a request from Fire & Emergency services for a lease renewal agreement with Holbrook Campground, a private non-profit entity, for property located at 2250 Holbrook Campground Road, for six years. The property is serving as Fire Station 25. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, a request from the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office to purchase two drones and implement a drone program through Axon Air for a total contract amount of $325,330 over a 72-month period. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, a request for the Chairman to sign letters of support and resolution of project support for county projects to be attached to the 2024 ARC TIP Project Solicitation applications. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, a waiver of conflict for Jarrard & Davis LLP to complete an intergovernmental agreement with Dawson County. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, an agreement with Curb-Tech, Inc. for annual concrete services for the Public Works Department, not to exceed $250,000 per year. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, a request to award a standard professional services agreement to the National Center for State Courts as a single source basis to update the 2015 Court Space Needs Assessment in the amount of $124,855. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.

PRESS RELEASE

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA (May 9, 2024) – The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce Education Committee, in partnership with Enjoy Cherokee Magazine and WLJA 101.1 FM, is recognizing retiring educators from the Cherokee County School District by donating funds to the Sequoyah Regional Library System. The funds will be used to purchase books for the library branches located in Cherokee County. The books will include a label recognizing all faculty, staff and administrators who retired during the 2023-2024 school year. Each retiree will receive notification that a book is being donated in their honor.

“This is the fifteenth year the Chamber has acknowledged retiring educators for their valuable contribution to the lives of students in Cherokee County. The Chamber is pleased to partner with Enjoy Cherokee Magazine and WLJA 101.1 FM in this tribute to Cherokee County’s educators,” shared Chamber President & CEO Pam Carnes.

About Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce

The mission of the Cherokee County Chamber, a Georgia Certified Chamber of Commerce, is to promote business to expand the economy and enrich the community. For more information on the Chamber and its programs, visit CherokeeChamber.com.

Press Release: Downtown Dawsonville will be hosting the Gospel in the Park Event this Saturday, May 11th from 1:00–6:00 p.m. This event will be featuring local Southern Gospel Music Artists such as Randy & Mary Perry, The Raven Welch Band, Debra Perry & Jaidyn's Call, and also Karen Peck & New River.

To learn more visit the following sites:

• DawsonvilleEvents.com
• DowntownDawsonville.com

PRESS RELEASE

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA (May 2, 2024) – The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Paul Seals, Field Representative for U.S. Congressman Barry Loudermilk, has been named the Chairman’s Council Volunteer of the Quarter for second quarter 2024. He was honored during the Chamber’s May Good Morning Cherokee networking event.

The Chairman’s Council is a group of key community volunteers who offer their time to help cultivate successful relationships with business owners across Cherokee County. Members are accepted by invitation only from the Chamber’s Board Chair. The Chairman’s Council members are invited to attend ribbon cuttings and ground-breakings, Coffee & Connections, For New Members, and special invitation Chamber meetings that aren’t open to the general membership.

Paul says of his time as a member of the Chairman’s Council, “I was excited when it was announced that I would be part of the Chairman’s Council this year and it has been awesome. The Chairman’s Council is such a wonderful group of people and the mission to be involved with the Chamber all over Cherokee County has been amazing. I look forward to continuing to serve and assist the Cherokee Chamber in any capacity they need me.”

In determining the Volunteer of the Quarter, attendance at Chamber events is evaluated for all members of the Chairman’s Council. “Paul has been a great addition to the Chairman’s Council, and we appreciate all the time and effort he has given to the Chamber,” said Eric Rein, Senior VP & Commercial Relationship Officer, Renasant Bank, and 2024 Chamber Board Chair.

The mission of the Cherokee County Chamber, a Georgia Certified Chamber of Commerce, is to promote business to expand the economy and enrich the community. For information on the Chamber and its programs, visit CherokeeChamber.com.