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Tomorrow, the consulting firm hired to conduct the feasibility study on the Stone Mountain Tennis Complex will release its report. The findings will be announced at Wednesday’s 2:30 PM Evermore CID board meeting which is held at the complex located on Bermuda Road.

Bill Tunnell of Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates stated, “We’re making a strong case for why that stadium should not only remain a stadium, but actually be used as part of a redevelopment strategy there to revitalize the West Park Place area.”

More:
• CorinthHills.org - Stone Mountain Tennis Center article archives
• AJC - Olympic tennis stadium in Stone Mountain viable, study shows

5525 Bermuda Road
Stone Mountain, GA 30087
770.979.5800
Fax: 770.979.0712

One Response To “Stone Mountain Tennis Center Viability Study”

1. j.q.public Says:
   January 26th, 2011 at 8:11 AM

   Yea! And by the way, I like the new mobile version you added!

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Yesterday, by a 4-3 vote, the Evermore CID eliminated David Stedman’s position of economic development director. Board member Dwight Harrison had declared that he had gathered enough signatures to also initiate recall proceedings against fellow board members Emory Morsberger and Don Robison.

Stedman had been heading a project called the Stone Mountain Athletic Recreational and Training (SMART) Center which would turn the empty Olympic facility into a destination tennis center. Adjacent properties would be used for sports recreation, training, retail, office and multifamily development. Transportation improvements were included the plan. Many of the developmental partners attended the meeting and left questioning the project’s status.

This is the second time Stedman has been fired by the Evermore CID. Stedman, who was originally hired in 2008, was fired at the end of that year by the CID’s former executive director, Brett Harrell. The board rehired Stedman in May 2009 during a meeting in which Harrell was fired.

More:
• Evermore CID story archives

3 Responses To “Evermore CID Eliminates Director Position”

1. CorinthHills.org Says:
   November 30th, 2010 at 7:06 PM

   REALLY?!!! The economy is in shambles, our community is at risk and this is the best we can do?

2. bwilson Says:
   December 14th, 2010 at 7:52 AM

   Gary Custar and Jimmy Norton, two appointed members of the CID board have agreed to step down as soon as replacements can be found for them. Emory Morsberger had requested last month that all of the seven board members resign.

3. j.q.public Says:
   January 26th, 2011 at 8:09 AM

   Dwight Harrison has tendered his resignation effective April of 2011. I believe that this make five that have already left or will soon be gone. Custar, Norton, Morsberger, Robison and now Harrison. They just added Garry Lapides by appointment from Snellville.

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Reposted by request.

Duncan Creek Park Gets Artificial Turf Field

(Lawrenceville, Ga., March 17, 2010) - Gwinnett commissioners on Tuesday awarded a construction contract for $835,000 to install an artificial turf multi-purpose field at Duncan Creek Park in northeast Gwinnett County. The project includes renovating the existing multi-purpose field and warm-up area (approximately 140,000 square feet) with the installation of artificial turf, including permanent striping for football and soccer, with corners for lacrosse.

Following the lead of a number of Atlanta area schools and parks that have converted sports fields to artificial turf, the County will save on annual field maintenance costs and provide an opportunity for these fields to be used year-round. Natural turf fields maintained by Gwinnett County typically require closure for full or partial re-sodding every summer due to the high use of the fields.

“With our current budget concerns, initiating this pilot program to convert two multi-purpose fields to artificial turf makes good economic sense,” said District 4 Commissioner Kevin Kenerly. “This will allow Gwinnett County time to evaluate the cost and playability of the new fields and consider extending the program to other parks.”

In addition to savings, new technologies provide for a much safer playing surface. Synthetic (artificial) turf fields are made of polyethylene fibers simulating grass stabilized with rubber pellets for cushioning. Underground drainage systems also increase the playability of fields after heavy rains.

The general contractor for the Duncan Creek Park project is East Tennessee Turf and Landscape and the turf supplier/installer is Deluxe Athletics of Marietta. Construction will begin in April with completion by mid-July. The multi-purpose field is one of two targeted in the County as a pilot project that was included in the 2010 Parks and Recreation Capital Budget funded by the 2005 SPLOST. Cemetery Field in Norcross will be the second field to get artificial sod.

• Original Gwinnett County press release

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Fox 5 television has obtained a copy of the grand jury’s presentment, or summary report, which a judge has sealed until November 2nd. Among the details that have leaked out is that the special grand jury elected not to indict Bannister for perjury in exchange for his resignation rather than let his future depend on the outcome on a criminal trial. Additionally, ALL commissioners were admonished for not doing their due diligence with respects to the land valuations. According to the Fox 5 report, former Superior Court judge James Oxendine negotiated for a property owner selling land to Gwinnett County. Oxendine pressed the county to increase its offer. The report noted that no Gwinnett County staffer recorded any reservations about negotiating with a then sitting judge. Judge Oxendine, former gubernatorial candidate John Oxendine’s father, was removed from the bench a year ago after this issue came to light.

• Full text of the 2009-2010 Gwinnett County Special Purpose Grand Jury Presentment (PDF document)

Excerpts from the grand jury findings:
• From the presentment intrduction:
“…under oath, every single sitting County Commissioner testified that they had not reviewed any of the readily available documents prior to their testimony. This failure to prepare in even the most basic way for their appearance resulted in a lack of recall about most important facts of each transaction. It is the Grand Jury’s opinion that this failure to prepare for their appearance in any meaningful way is not only an insult to the Grand Jury but is consistent with the way in which decisions are made involving millions of taxpayer dollars.”

• Concerning the Lakes Parkway property transaction:
“First, it was a stunning revelation to the Grand Jury that no member of the county staff expressed any reservations about being involved in a real estate transaction where a sitting Senior Superior Court Judge is acting as the seller’s agent. If the Commissioners who testified are to be believed, it is inconceivable that this information was not disclosed prior to any vote to purchase. Leaving aside questions of fees and negotiating a land deal in a judge’s office in the courthouse, the sheer impropriety of this representation should have been a warning sign. Second, despite testimony to the contrary by County Commissioners,
they were presented with information regarding the cost of the pedestrian bridge prior to the vote to purchase. The evidence is clear on that fact. They weren’t paying attention.”

• Concerning Commissioner Lasseter’s role in the Lakes Parkway property transaction:
“Commissioner Shirley Lasseter testified about her recollection of the events which led up to this property acquisition. After observing her demeanor and hearing her testimony the Grand Jury specifically recommends the following:
1. That Commissioner Lasseter develop at least a basic understanding of the land acquisition process;
2. That Commissioner Lasseter become more engaged in issues which affect her district and the entire county;
3. That Commissioner Lasseter must understand her role as a policy maker and decision maker rather than relying on the county staff to do her work for her.”

• Concerning the Givens Road property transaction”
“Chairman Bannister stated that he decided to “take the lead” on this particular purchase because of “so many no votes” coming from Commissioner Mike Beaudreau. He stated that getting this land transaction passed was to get Mr. Beaudreau’s attention. To quote his testimony, “It was pure politics.” He testified that this purchase was an object lesson to Commissioner Beaudreau.”
“Kenerly stated he witnessed a heated discussion between Chairman Bannister and Commissioner Beaudreau and therefore he stated that he believed that Chairman Bannister was pushing the acquisition to “stick it to Mike”.”

• Regarding SPLOST funding:
“The Grand Jury has found that SPLOST funds have been used for a variety of purposes from land acquisitions outside the Parks Master Plan to settlement of litigation. The Grand Jury is of the opinion that these actions have placed the passage of future SPLOST votes in jeopardy. SPLOST funds should be used for clearly delineated purposes approved by the voters, not as a general pot of money to be used for various purposes based upon a commissioner’s desire.”

• From the presentment conclusion:
“Based upon the evidence gathered during the course of our investigation, the Grand Jury, as a group of citizens, has been increasingly concerned about the path that Gwinnett County government is on. We have seen decisions involving millions of dollars made with little or no information or for the most venal reasons.”

More details to be posted here…

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A special purpose grand jury has indicted Gwinnett County Commissioner Kevin Kenerly on one count of bribery and two counts of failing to disclose a financial interest in properties up for county rezoning.

More:
• AJC - Commissioner Kenerly indicted by Gwinnett grand jury
• Fox 5 Atlanta - Gwinnett Co. Commissioner Kevin Kenerly Indicted
• Kenerly news archive

3 Responses To “Kenerly Indicted”

1. fwy545 Says:
   October 20th, 2010 at 6:02 PM

   What about the developers? Were they indicted? Can’t Kenerly now drop a dime on his fellow commissioners to save himself a little time in jail?

2. BG Says:
   October 22nd, 2010 at 8:00 AM

   By law all commissioners are given land appraisals prior to voting. Ipso facto, all commissioners are either complacent to or in collusion with Kenerly.

3. BG Says:
   October 22nd, 2010 at 8:51 AM

   In August of this year Gwinnett County laid out one million dollars to install artifical turf at Duncan Creek Park.

   Commissioner Kenerly, who coaches football at Duncan Creek Park, points out that the maintenance money comes from the county’s general fund, made up primarily of property taxes, while the turf project was funded by the county’s special purpose sales tax.

   No worries, it’s just money. We’ve got tons of money, everyone is happily rolling in the dough. Well at least Kenerly is (was). And how much of his bribery money went into laying the artificial turf? None of course, that’s what taxpayer money is for.

   Now stop reading this and get back to work, you have taxes to pay. I’m sure that one of the remaining commissioners has plans to use it on something very special. And if there’s not enough tax money in the coffers, they’ll just vote in a tax increase.

   Get back to work.

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The Parkview High School PTSA is presenting a 2010 candidate forum on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at the Parkview High School theater beginning at approximately 7:00 PM. The public is invited. Parking and admission is free.

As of October 14th, the following candidates have agreed to attend:
Senate District 9
Don Balfour - R (I)
Dr. Rashid Malik - D

House District 102
BJ Pak - R

Board of Commissioners, District 2
Robert Byers - D
Lynette Howard - R

Board of Education, District 4
Dr. Robert McClure - R (I)
Mark Williams - D

U.S. Congress, 7th Congressional District
Doug Heckman - D
Rob Woodall - R

Candidates will answer questions from Parkview High School students as well as audience members.

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Last Monday the Lilburn City Council approved an intergovernmental agreement with Gwinnett County for the design and construction of a new city hall-library complex.

The agreement outlines how costs would be shared between the city and county for the 44,000-square-foot facility, the first of its kind in Gwinnett County, which is to be located on a five-acre site at Main and Church streets. The first floor would be reserved for the 20,000-square-foot library, with the municipal headquarters filling out the rest.

More:
• AJC - Lilburn proposes City Hall-library building
• AJC - Lilburn, county strike deal for city hall-library complex

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A Mayor’s Update Meeting, focusing primarily on the proposed Big League Dreams project, will be held on Thursday, October 21 at 7 PM in the City Hall auditorium. This meeting will include updates about the market analysis, financial feasibility and engineering studies.

An excerpt from the proposed sports complex fact sheet:

• What is included in the proposed sports complex?
The sports complex would be primarily a ball park for softball and baseball travel leagues consisting of six replica fields, restaurant(s), concessions and an indoor sports/event facility. The complex would be owned by the City of Lilburn and operated by a company called Big League Dreams (BLD). BLD would return a percentage of the profit to the City. After 30 years, the operating agreement would end and the City could operate the park. The park would host tournaments on the weekends and league play during the week. The park fields and indoor facility could also host concerts and community functions. The park would be open free to the community during the weekdays before 6:00 p.m. Admission to the park evenings and weekends would be $3.00 for patrons thirteen and older.

• Where would the sports complex be located?
The complex would be located on Indian Trail Road on the site of the current Jackson Creek Water Treatment Plant, which is scheduled to close September, 2011.

More:
• Complete Sports Complex Fact Sheet (PDF file)
• Lilburn Sports Complex News Archive

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Saturday, October 16, 2010 from 9:00 AM ’til 2:00 PM at the City of Lilburn City Hall.

For attendees, admission is free. The October Garage Sale has sold out of vendor space. The next sale will be in March 2011.

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The Associated Press is reporting that the special grand jury called to examine questionable land purchases in Gwinnett County has scheduled its last meeting and is expected to wrap up its work. Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter said the special panel will meet this Friday for one final time.

Reported October 11, 2010:

Reported October 8, 2010:

More:
• Gwinnett County Special Grand Jury story archive

2 Responses To “Gwinnett Special Grand Jury Concluding Investigation”

1. CorinthHills.org Says:
   October 8th, 2010 at 10:13 AM

   Charles Bannister resigned as chairman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners this morning as he was due to testify before the special grand jury. It was not immediately known if his resignation was tendered before or after meeting with the panel.

   Shirley Lasseter, board vice-chair will assume the vacated position.

   Kevin Kenerly is still meeting with the grand jury. It is being widely reported that criminal indictments could be handed down as early as this coming Monday.

2. CorinthHills.org Says:
   October 8th, 2010 at 12:53 PM

   Fox 5 reports that Gwinnett District Attorney Danny Porter would not comment on the investigation, but he said if any public official got a letter asking them to appear before the grand jury it’s because grand jurors have issued a proposed indictment against them. Porter states that the reason for the letters requesting appearance is that the law allows public officials facing criminal indictments by a grand jury to testify and to examine the evidence and the witness testimony against them.

   The I-Team confirmed two such letters.

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Burning small amounts of yard debris is allowed annually from October 1 to April 30. Outdoor burning is prohibited each year in Gwinnett from May 1 to September 30.

While it is open burning season in Gwinnett County, you will still need to check with the Fire Marshal on a day-to-day basis to check the burn status. Even within the open burning season, there may be certain days that are designated as a no-burn day. This is due to weather and atmospheric conditions. The decision is based on information obtained from the National Weather Service and the Georgia Forestry Commission.

The Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services is sharing information about the rules for outdoor burning and about open burning season. Anyone wishing to conduct an outdoor burn is encouraged to visit the Fire Marshal’s website at www.gwinnettfiremarshal.com or call the Office of the Fire Marshal at 678.518.6100.

Outdoor burning rules:
• Burning shall be conducted during daylight hours only, Monday through Saturday. Burning is not allowed after dark or on Sunday.
• Burning shall be of natural fallen vegetation, such as limbs, leaves, and twigs. Burning trash or other materials is not allowed.
• Burning shall be in small piles, maximum size is three feet by three feet.
• The burn pile shall be at least 50 feet from any structure or wooden fence.
• The burn pile shall be consistently attended (supervised) and a water source, such as a garden hose shall be in place that will reach the burn pile. Firefighters also suggest having a portable fire extinguisher close by as well.
• The burn pile shall be completely extinguished (put-out) before dusk. Burning after dark is not allowed.

Outdoor burning restrictions:
• Outdoor burning is NOT allowed after dark or on Sundays.
• No outdoor burning is allowed if winds exceed 15 miles per hour. Never burn on a windy day! Steady winds contribute to the fast spread of outdoor fires.
• No outdoor burning when it is overcast, raining, or foggy. Burning is only allowed on clear days with little or no cloud cover. Burning is not allowed within 24-hours after a period of rain. This causes the smoke to bank-down closer to the ground, presenting a hazard.
• No burning of household garbage. Only natural/fallen yard vegetation is allowed. These include limbs, leaves, and twigs.
• No burning is allowed if the Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services or a representative from the Office of the Fire Marshal, deems the burn to be offensive to others or poses a health risk to people in the area.

Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds, aka stimulus bonding capacity, aka stimulus funds… Gwinnett County has been designated a recovery zone by the federal government and allocated $62 million in bonding capacity. Lilburn, Snellville and Berkeley Lake will split the remainder of these funds as decided by the Board of Commissioners last Tuesday.

Berkeley Lake will receive $2 million to aid in dam repairs sustained in last year’s flooding. Snellville is to receive $6.6 million which it intends to use to revitalize its downtown area and to purchase a 10.6 acre tract of land recently foreclosed upon.

Lilburn was granted over $8.6 million for use with a new sports complex deal (see our September 17th post “Lilburn Considering $20 Million Sports Complex“) with Big League Dreams. According to the Gwinnett Daily Post, “another $20 million of the county’s share of recovery zone facility bonds has been allocated to the city’s Big League Dreams idea”.

More:
• GDP - Officials split money between 3 cities
• GwinnettCounty.com - GWINNETT DESIGNATED A RECOVERY ZONE, RECEIVES LARGEST BOND AMOUNT (PDF)
• GwinnettCounty.com - Gwinnett designated a recovery zone
• GwinnettCounty.com - Stimulus Funds

One Response To “Lilburn Sports Complex To Receive County Funding”

1. bwilson Says:
   October 25th, 2010 at 1:42 PM

   Bannister was mayor of Lilburn and member of the Lilburn City Council. Just saying.

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An 11 acre tract of land off of Hwy. 124 in Snellville that was once home to a Lincoln Mercury dealership and Home Depot Landscape Center has been rezoned and is being redeveloped into a new retail center. The anchor for this new development is Academy Sports + Outoors. Additional retail space is available as well as parcels intended for restaurant facilities.

More:
• Academy Sports + Outdoors
• GDP - Snellville approves rezoning along Scenic Highway

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• 09/20/10 - Entering Auto - 5000 block of Five Forks Trickum Road

Source: CrimeMapping.com

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• 09/09/10 - Entering Auto - 5000 block Five Forks Trickum Road

Source: CrimeMapping.com

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