August 2011CR ED

ross COfficial newsletter of the R ads 20/20 Vision Str ategic Plan August 2011 Process readies for deeper conversations; community roundtables to take place through fall Approximately 350 people were expected to share their input and ideas through the 20/20 Vision Open House over the five-week period it was “in business” through July 28 at Town Center. (By the time this newsletter was being written in mid-July, some 250 people already had visited the Open House.) With the initial community input phase of Suwanee’s 20/20 Vision strategic planning process complete, the City of Suwanee is shifting gears, still seeking input and ideas, but in a more in-depth fashion. Small-group roundtable discussions are expected to take place throughout the fall. Suwanee area residents are encouraged to be part of these potentially community-changing conversations. Sign up is available at and at City Hall. www.suwanee2020.com These facilitated conversations in groups of 10-12 people could begin as early as late August. Those who sign up will be assigned to a group, and each group is expected to meet for about two hours at a time with approximately four meet- ings anticipated through the fall. “This is an opportunity for community members to get together for rich discussions about important topics regarding Suwanee’s future,” notes Assistant to the City Manager Jessica Roth. “The groups are designed to allow residents a chance to get to know another, to feel safe, and to come to understand one another’s passions.” Stonecypher resident Scott Auer is one of 27 community members serving on the 20/20 Vision steering committee. He applauds the City’s ambition and open-mindedness in trying to involve as many community members as possible in the strategic visioning one process without having preconceived answers. Auer says that he knows from his corporate experiences that when strategic plannin is approached without “a rubber stamp,” ultimately really “cool ideas” will come forward. “This is a very open, democratic process,” Auer says. “There are no preconceived answers. Whatever answers there are are out in g INSIDE THIS ISSUE… the community. “The roundtables are where some amazing ideas are going Special delivery to come out,” he adds. “All of a sudden…there will be a gem THE CITYCITY OF Suwanee there, a really neat nugget that got overlooked previously THIS IS NOT LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE from NYC…p. 5 S 30024330 because we were all talking to the same people all the time. I S 30024330 City Manager Director of Finance think we’ll get some really out-of-the-box ideas that will be interesting and worth pursuing.” Money matters…p. 2 If you’re interested in hosting/facilitating a roundtable Vote for discussion group, please contact Jessica Roth at People’s nee.com Choice…p. 6 . Training will be provided to facilitators.jroth@suwa- Continued on page 3 Page 2 August 2011 www.suwanee.com Suwanee begins 2012 with slightly smaller budget The City of Suwanee began fiscal year 2012 on July 1 with an $11.8 million operating budget, which is about $420,000 less than the THE CITY OF Suwanee THIS IS NOT LEGAL TENDER adjusted FY2011 budget. The adopted capital improvements budget for FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE S 30024330 2012-16 stands at $24.9 million and provides for 24 equipment and vehicle, facilities, recreation, transportation, water, and stormwater projects. S 30024330 “We’re pleased to be able to hold the line on operational expenses during City Manager Director of Finance this sustained economic downturn, all while continuing to provide high service levels for our citizens,” says City Manager Marty Allen. “I’m proud to report that the City of Suwanee remains stable and fiscally strong for the coming year, in large measure, thanks to Suwanee’s history of careful and conservative fiscal policies and practices.” Allen notes that City’s historically strong financial position and solid eco- FY 2012 General Fund Proposed Revenues FY 2012 General Fund Proposed Revenues nomic foundation were considerations in Standard & Poor’s upgrade of the City’s rating from AA- to AA this past April. While the City of Suwanee has planned for an overall slight decrease in revenues, it does expect a modest increase in two areas. Suwanee’s 76% population growth from 2000 to 2010, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, will account for an increase in revenues from state and local allocations in certain categories (excise taxes on insurance premiums, for exam- ple). Also, says Allen, Suwanee is seeing evidence that development will be compa- rable to pre-bubble (pre-2005) levels, pro- viding a small increase in building permit income over the previous couple of years. Some of the new expenditures covered in Suwanee’s 2012 general fund budget include: • one new full-time position, a budget analyst in the financial FY 2012 General Fund Proposed Expenses services department, and one new part-time position, a dispatcher in the police department, as well as 12 additional hours/week for part-time custodi- al services • a 2.5 percent merit cost of living adjustment for employees • $75,000 for the 20/20 Vision strategic plan (total cost for the plan is budgeted at $150,000; $75,000 was included in the 2011 budget) • four new police vehicles and a new truck and mowing equipment for public works. August 2011 Page 3 www.suwanee.com 20/20 Vision Strategic Plan… continued from page 1 Idea factory The five-week 20/20 Vision Open House provided residents with 10 engaging and sometimes quirky activities that allowed them to, among other things, determine community spending priorities, share what they liked about Suwanee and areas they thought needed improvement, and offer their “big idea.” “I learned a lot working in the open house,” says Ruby Forest resident Alliese Owenby, who also serves on the steering committee. “One thing that really popped out was the intersec- tion of Lawrenceville-Suwanee and the interstate. Wow, people are really concerned about that particular area.” Another appar- ent area of concern is historic Old Town. Here’s a sample of information Open House participants shared about their favorite areas in Suwanee and the areas that they believe need enhancement: • Get more parks. • I love Sims Lake Park. We just took family pics there! • Need more in Old Town Suwanee. • My favorite place in Suwanee is either Town Center or Bruster’s. • The trail is our favorite and we would like to see it longer! • Place to improve: The exit/entrance ramp to I-85. Exit #111! Many of the thoughts and ideas generated through the open house will fuel the upcoming roundtable discussions. When those discussions are completed by the end of this year, Interface Studio, the planning consultant working with the City on the strategic plan, will begin pulling together data from the open house and roundtables and will draft a plan. Through early next year, the community will have ongoing opportunities to offer input on the plan before it is finalized and adopted. “A lot of citizens in other places don’t get this kind of opportunity,” Owenby says. “Someone may have an idea that no one else has thought of. Put it out there. We want to hear what it is.” Page 4 August 2011 www.suwanee.com Blue-ribbon officers In May, the Suwanee Police Department honored 10 of its own for exemplary service. Ofc. Kevin Skinner was voted Officer of the Year by his colleagues, who noted his helpfulness to them and citizens. A Suwanee area resident and North Gwinnett High School graduate, Skinner first came to the Suwanee Police Department as an intern from North Georgia College and State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He was hired by the department in 2007 as a dispatcher; he’s been a patrol officer for nearly three years. Lawrenceville resident Gwen Franklin was voted Civilian of the Year. A U.S. Army veteran who served in the Middle East, Franklin is the police Ofc. Kevin Skinner department’s evidence/records technician. Sgt. Nick Jacobs and Sgt. Robert Thompson received the Chief’s Award, which is presented each year to officers who distinguish themselves day in and day out through their professional- ism and strong work ethic. A 10-year Suwanee veteran, Jacobs was recognized for his work last year as head of Suwanee’s selective enforcement unit and special events liaison as well as for his leadership. Thompson, a Lawrenceville resident and Detroit native, received the award based on his leadership role in the department’s attainment of an automatic license plate reader system. Jacobs, who lives in Bethlehem, also received the highest score in the department’s annual fir- Gwen Franklin ing range competition and was named Top Gun. Several officers received Merit Awards for exemplary service on specific calls or initiatives: • Capt. Clyde Byers for developing and maintaining systems that have enabled the department to better track spending. • Lt. Dan Clark for his management of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies national accreditation process. Clark also received a Hardin Watkins Star Award from the City for his accreditation efforts. • Ofc. Elton Hassell for his role in securing a $10,000 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. • Cpl. Susan Roetzer and Ofc. Michael Troutman for their investigation of a methamphetamine lab, which resulted in two arrests. • Ofc. Robert Stewart for pulling two adults and a 3-year-old child from a burning car.

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