Read Nash's State of the County Address

Gwinnett Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Charlotte Nash delivered the State of the County Address. Here it is in it's entirety.

Click here to watch the State of the County. State of the County 2013 -1- 1/16/2013 State of Gwinnett County 2013 by Charlotte J. Nash, Chairman Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners As prepared for delivery on January 16, 2013, to Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and Council for Quality Growth Hello, everyone. Happy 2013 and thank you for being here. As many of you know, I have deep roots in Gwinnett County, and I’m fascinated by its history. I don’t intend to go too far into the past today, but I will say that Gwinnett’s story has been filled with ups and downs and plot twists along the way. The last few chapters were painful at times, and a few characters have been removed. But overall, Gwinnett’s story is a tale of success and a testament…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Kenneth Stepp

1:25 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Well said. I really appreciate her leadership.   more ›

Gwinnett BOC Approves 2013 Budget Amid Signs of Economic Improvement

The overall figure of $1.4 billion includes adjustments for such things as SDS-mandated service districts. The library system's budget was cut by $1 million.

Gwinnett County's elected leaders unanimously approved Thursday a $1.4 billion budget for 2013. As with previous years, there were cuts, tough choices -- and no pay raises for county employees. But there also are signs that the economic woes that have plagued the county in recent years may be bottoming out. District 1 Commissioner Jace Brooks of Suwanee, who is beginning his first full term on the board, noted that the Gwinnett tax digest is projected to decline about 1.9 percent this year. That would be the smallest such decline in recent years, and the reduction in tax revenues has been a major problem for Gwinnett budgets recently. -- What are your thoughts on the Gwinnett 2013 budget, and future budgets? Share your opinions in the …

• Photos (1)

Gwinnett BOC To Hold Public Hearing on December 10 on Budget

Public comment on the proposed 2013 budget will be allowed. No vote will be taken.

The Gwinnett Board of Commissioners will hold a special called meeting Monday, December 10, at 7 p.m. to allow public comment on the proposed 2013 budget. The planned $1.3 billion budget, a reduction from the 2012 spending plan, was rolled out in November. However, no formal vote on the 2013 budget is planned before January. Monday's meeting will be at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive. The 2013 budget is the first full county budget document since the Service Delivery Strategy (SDS0 settlement was reached in February 2012 between the county and cities in the Gwinnett Municipal Association. That settlement, among other things, mandated certain payments from the county to the cities and called for service …

• Photos (1)

Brooks to be Sworn in as County Commissioner

Jace Brooks will fill the rest of the Shirley Lasseter's term on the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners.

All seats in the Gwinnett County Commission will be filled by their next meeting on Tuesday.  On Friday, the county announced Jace Brooks will be sworn in as District 1 Commissioner on Monday. He will complete the term of Shirley Lasseter who resigned in May after pleading guilty to accepting bribes. Brooks was the only candidate who qualified for the special election in November to finish Lasseter's term. He is also running unopposed for the full four-year term in the general election. “We are pleased to have the board at full strength again and wholeheartedly welcome Commissioner Brooks to the commission," said Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash in a release. "He will play an important role as we deal with the issues facing Gwinnett …

• Photos (1)

Briscoe Field Privatization Plan Voted Down

The Gwinnett Board of Commissioners essentially killed all plans to privatize the Lawrenceville, Ga. airport at their first meeting since the resignation of Shirley Lasseter.

Years of heated debate from both sides came to an end with one word-- "Aye." On Tuesday afternoon, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to reject plans to privatize Briscoe Field in Lawrenceville. The crowd of mostly expansion opponents wearing red shirts broke out in cheers and applause after the vote was cast. "The effects of this airport expansion would not only be bore by the people of Lawrenceville, but also the folks in District 3 in Dacula would certainly be affected," said District 3 Commissioner Mike Beaudreau as he explained his vote. Beaudreau said he would now like to look at some of the Citizen’s Task Force on how to more effectively and efficiently use the airport. “Right now, we have an asset that I …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (2)
• Videos (1)

TC

8:22 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Some of us do realize how close we came to loosing everything; our homes, our lifestyle and our health. This certainly changes how I'll vote on July 31.   more ›

Bannister Sues Gwinnett County Sheriff

Former Gwinnett County Commission Chairman Charles Bannister sues Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway and two sheriff's deputies for false arrest.

  After indicating at the time that he was keeping his options open, former Gwinnett County Commission Chairman Charles Bannister has decided to exercise one of those options and file suit against Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway and two sheriff’s deputies. The suit, filed Monday, accuses Conway and Gwinnett County sheriff’s deputies Michael “M.G.” Cummings and Vardis “Buzz” Benson of false arrest, false imprisonment and retaliatory prosecution. The law suit is as a result of Bannister’s arrest in 2010 for supposedly driving under the influence. Bannister was stopped after leaving a Lilburn restaurant in his county issued vehicle. A patron at the restaurant called the authorities and reported that Bannister had been drinking. Although …

• Photos (4)

New Sidewalks Near Archer High School

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approved the project Tuesday.

Students at Archer High School will have a new path to walk on come the new school year. The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approved a new sidewalk, curb and gutter and drainage improvements. This work will go for a third of a mile on the north side of New Hope Road from the high school to Tribble Walk Drive. Construction is expected to be completed by August.  ISC, Inc., the lowest of 10 bidders, was awarded the $769,361 construction contract for the entire project, part of which included the Archer sidewalks. According to Communications Director Joe Sorrenson, there are other projects that will get the bulk of these funds, all of which are from the 2009 SPLOST program.

• Photos (1)

Gwinnett To Pay Cities Over $25 Million in SDS Agreement

Payments are in annual and one-time forms. The new deal also creates Special Service Districts for various functions.

The talk was of compromise Tuesday from both Gwinnett County and various city officials when an agreement was announced to end the Service Delivery Strategy (SDS) dispute that began in 2009. But you probably won't see any of the 16 cities in the agreement turning down any of the money coming their way. An estimated $28 million will be going from Gwinnett funds to the cities over a matter of years as a result of the agreement that was accepted Tuesday. Formal approval also must be granted by Judge David Barrett of Blairsville, who presided over the legal matter and handed down a ruling in September that strongly favored the cities. But Tuesday's deal was crafted with the idea of making the judge's decision easy. The issue was double …

• Photos (2)

Seen on the Scene

Gwinnett Mayors, Commissioners Sign Historic SDS Settlement

Mayors from the county met at the Historic Courthouse to sign the documents.

Mayors from the 16 Gwinnett County cities, including newly formed Peachtree Corners, signed an agreement to bring an end to the Service Delivery Strategy (SDS) lawsuit. The mayors and County Commissioners in attendance posed for a photo at the Historic Courthouse after each city and County Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlotte Nash signed the agreement. Lawrenceville Patch will have more on this story.

• Photos (3)