Mayor Johnson Delivers State of the City Address

STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS 

It takes teamwork to move any city forward so I would like to recognize those who have served this city.  Ms. Marie Beiser, Mr. Bob Clark, Mr. Tony Powell and Mr. P.K. Martin, who completed his term in order to serve in a higher office, thank you for the time and effort that you have put into the decisions that have moved Lawrenceville forward.  I welcome Mr. Keith Roche and look forward to working with you in making Lawrenceville the best county seat in Georgia.  Each week there are important decisions to be made but these decisions are not mine alone.  As mayor, I have a role in these decisions but I also depend on the council and staff for advice and support.  With each decision someone will not be happy but our decisions are based on the best interests of our citizens and the future of the City of Lawrenceville.  Thanks to all the administrative staff who have given wise advice during the course of this year.  We have worked well with the county and other municipalities in areas that affect us all.  I want to say thanks to our Police Chief Randy Johnson and the Lawrenceville Police Department for their protection of our citizens.  I owe a debt of gratitude for the members of our community who take an active role in serving on our boards.  We have a trained workforce from the police officers who put their lives on the line each day to the people in our support offices who carry on the functions of the city.  Our employees will be ready to serve our citizens 24 hours a day.  When one of our workers fixes a water line, or an electrical line, or picks up your limbs, I hope you say a thank you for they are there to serve you even in the worse conditions in the middle of the night.

I have heard many people say that 2013 was not a good year. In spite of everything, 2013 was a year full of accomplishments.

The best accomplishment for the city came when I received the final letter from the Public Service Commission stating the City of Lawrenceville has resolved all inherited violations related to the Gas Department and will not be fined 3.5 million dollars. 

We are blessed with great education assets in Lawrenceville.  The Gwinnett County School System continues to be a top-ranked school system.  Central Gwinnett High School and Georgia Gwinnett College have implemented an Entrepreneurship Alliance. The High School program is a 1-year tract taking students from entrepreneurial education to business start-up and investment pitches to real investors.  The College program accomplishes the same idea in the first semester, reserving the second semester for internship/mentorship opportunities with high school students.

Lawrenceville has a triangle of three great assets within its city limits.  They are Georgia Gwinnett College, Gwinnett Medical Center, and the downtown anchored by the Aurora Theatre. 

This past Saturday at 8 A.M., I welcomed 650 new students to GGC.  Tomorrow morning at 8 A.M., I will welcome another group of students to the college.  These new students moved the enrollment of GGC to over 10,000 students.  The men’s soccer team won their first Association of Independent Institutions championship in November and advanced to the NAIA tournament in Florida.  The City continues to partner with the College to engage them in our downtown. 

Five hundred patients have had heart surgery at the Strickland Heart Center located at Gwinnett Medical Center.  The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Gwinnett Medical Center has been renovated and now provides the latest in technology for new patients. 

The Aurora Theatre had 10,000 patrons who saw Les Misérables.  They also won seven Suzy Bass Awards in 2013.  The theatre also has begun a partnership with Central Gwinnett High School as well as the continued partnership with the college.

The relocation and expansion of NovoLogic to “Cornerstone at NovoLogic” was held in April 2013.  NovoLogic enhanced its successful technology leadership/marketing business with the addition of a co-working location in downtown Lawrenceville.  This model and business type are sought out by entrepreneurial and business-minded downtowns all across the nation and we are privileged with having this type of an organization to complement our growing business community.  The Bench Jeweler, NovoLogic, Local Republic, Blue Rooster, Artzy Beads and The Bees Knees are just a few of the new or expanded businesses in the downtown in 2013.  

The city continued the low millage rate of 2.16 mills while maintaining an $84,000,000 budget.  We remain financially strong and our finances are reported quarterly.

In 2013, the stormwater fees allowed the city to complete 15 stormwater infrastructure projects at a total cost of $430,000.00.

Our Quality of Life Unit continues to keep our neighborhoods strong and vibrant.  In 2013, the Quality of Life Unit opened 2,292 cases and closed 2,187.

The neighborhoods of Craigdale and Forest Hills received an upgrade in curbs and gutters. 

These are just a few of the highlights in 2013, in spite of the economy.  Now we are poised to begin 2014.  This council is ready to help shape this New Year, although we can’t totally control 2014.

We will complete the Heritage Trail with medallions and open the Lawrenceville Lawn. 

We will complete Heritage Trail II along Paper Mill Road.

We will work with the county on some joint SPLOST projects.

We will improve our gateway corridors.

We will improve the technology in the City Hall Council Chambers and Municipal Court. 

We will continue to work with the College, the Medical Center, and our merchants in the downtown.

We will continue to implement design plans for the college corridor and the two-way of Clayton and Perry.

As for me, I love this city, and I intend to work to make this the best county seat in the State of Georgia.  The council and I are committed to ensuring that the City of Lawrenceville does its part to keep this community great. But we need your help to move forward. 

I need for you to be informed, to get involved, and to stay in touch.

Please become informed about your city government.  Attend a meeting, visit the website.  The more you and your neighbors know about your city government, the more effective your city government can be.

You can get involved by supporting our downtown businesses.  Volunteer to serve on a board or committee.  Most importantly, communicate with us.

In November of 2013, I welcomed a group of business men from Milledgeville.  After a tour of our city at the end of the day, one of the entrepreneurs stated, Lawrenceville has all of the assets of being a great city.  I couldn’t agree more and it is with great anticipation that we look forward to exciting events in our city in 2014.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your mayor.  It is an honor to serve because of the citizens and staff that comprise the City of Lawrenceville.

May God continue to bless our citizens, our county, our state, and the United States of America.

Thank you.

Mayor Judy Jordan Johnson

City of Lawrenceville

January 6, 2014

Read more from Lawrenceville's first city council meeting of 2014:

• Roche, Clark Take Oath of Office
• Replay Live Coverage of Lawrenceville City Council Meeting: January 6, 2014