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The City of Snellville announces its intention to increase the 2023 property taxes it will levy this year by 10.80 percentage over the rollback millage rate.

Each year, the Gwinnett County Tax Assessors is required to review the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the county. When the trend of prices on properties that have recently sold in the county indicate there has been an increase in the fair market value of any specific property, the Gwinnett County Tax Assessors is required by law to re‐determine the value of such property and adjust the assessment. This is called a reassessment.

When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia law requires that a rollback millage rate must be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year’s digest that last year’s millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred.

The budget adopted by the City of Snellville requires a millage rate higher than the rollback millage rate, therefore, before the City of Snellville sets a final millage rate, Georgia law requires three public hearings to be held to allow the public an opportunity to express their opinions on the increase.

All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held at the Snellville City Hall, 2342 Oak Road, Snellville, Georgia on Monday, July 10, 2023 at 7:30 p.m., Monday, July 24, 2023 at 11:30 a.m. and Monday, July 24, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.

SNELLVILLE – The City of Snellville has been designated as a City of Civility by the Georgia Municipal Association. Snellville adopted a civility resolution in GMA’s new Embrace Civility program earlier this month.

 A 2019 poll by Weber Shandwick revealed that over 90% percent of Americans believe that incivility is a problem, with nearly 68% percent identifying it as a major problem. Civility is more than just politeness; it is about disagreeing without disrespect, seeking common ground as a starting point for dialogue about differences, listening past one’s preconceptions and teaching others to do the same.

“While the Snellville City Council has been following these principles for the last six years, we were glad to pass this resolution to formalize and proclaim our personal pledges to always discuss and debate with civility and professionalism,” said Mayor Barbara Bender. “Civility leads to healthy and productive debate, which , in turn, leads to productive government, something we believe can and will continue to be offered to the citizens of Snellville for generations to come.”

GMA, in partnership with the Association’s nonprofit organization, Georgia City Solutions, created the Embrace Civility program to equip Georgia’s cities with resources to create more civility in their meetings and among their residents and meeting attendees. Civil behavior and speech are critically important to a healthy, functional, and respectful society. For public service to be effective, there must be an atmosphere of respect and tolerance and a commitment to a healthy public exchange of diverse ideas and viewpoints.

“I commend the Snellville for embracing civility and adopting the resolution to become a GMA City of Civility,” said GMA CEO and Executive Director Larry Hanson. “We believe that Georgia’s cities have a great platform to model open, free, and vigorous debate, while maintaining the highest standards of civility, honesty, and mutual respect.”

To become a City of Civility, city councils are required to adopt a Civility Resolution and pledge to engage in civil behavior with each other as well as with residents and meeting attendees. Cities also have a civility pledge that can be published or recited at meetings. Learn more about the Embrace Civility program at www.gacities.com/civility.

Construction on the City Market Building will begin next month after Mayor and Council approved a Notice to Proceed with Smithbuilt Construction.

City officials approved a Market redesign several months ago and pricing for the building has been under way.

Construction is slated to begin in late July and will continue through April of 2024.

Over the course of its planning, the building was enlarged by almost 4,000 square feet, so the construction cost went up to $5,314,000, but the overall cost for per square foot has declined to $238 even after adding an elevator, additional tenant entrances and seven grease traps, City Manager Butch Sanders said.

The $5.31 million price tag will be paid for with bond and property sale funds, city officials said.

The City Market Building will house at least three restaurants and shops, much like the Ponce Market in Atlanta.

SNELLVILLE - The city’s centennial will be celebrated through a variety of events Aug. 18-19.

The celebration kicks off at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18 on the Towne Green in front of City Hall with a variety of food trucks, music, fun and games along with an antique car display on Oak Road representing cars dating back to 1923. 

As part of the celebration on Friday, Experience Snellville will be giving away 100 Eskimo Pie-type bars to the first 100 people who pick up a free ticket at the volunteer booth. The tickets will be given out on a first come, first serve basis and can be redeemed at the Frozen Sweets Food Truck.

There will be kid’s zone with inflatables and a video gaming bus will be located next to City Hall. Both the inflatables and gaming bus will be free to play at this event.

Meet some historic Snellville ghosts from the past and join Snellville Performing Arts behind City Hall at 8:30 p.m., Friday for the hauntingly fun Ghost Tour. Donations will be accepted for the tour.

On Saturday, come to the Farmers’ Market dressed in clothing from a former decade for a chance to win prizes. Stop by the Farmers’ Market volunteer booth to show off your centennial clothing and register for one of the prizes that will be drawn at 12 p.m. at the Farmers’ Market.

Saturday evening, the Atlanta Seventeen Band will take the stage from 6-9 p.m., playing music through the decades. Come listen to music from the Roaring 20s to Soul, R&B, Jazz and Rock. The second night of the Snellville Performing Arts Ghost Tour starts immediately after the concert at 9:15 p.m.

At 8 p.m. the giant centennial City of Snellville birthday cake surrounded by 100 sparklers will be brought to the front of the stage by the Masons from the Masonic lodge for a Happy Birthday sing-a-long. Cake will be served to the community in attendance. 

SNELLVILLE – Mayor and Council unanimously approved a Fiscal Year 2024 budget of $15.33 million Monday.

The plan will not include a tax increase for residents who did not see their county property tax assessments increase, city officials said.

“The great, great majority of this increase is in salaries,” said City Manager Butch Sanders. “We all want to thank Mayor and Council for being very supportive and very insistent on doing more for our employees.”

Following a study of salaries from similar Georgia cities, the salaries of the city’s employees were increased as a whole to become more competitive.

“We are taking care of our public safety officers first and foremost by raising our starting salary and increasing numbers throughout the police department,” he said.

The millage rate will be set by Mayor and Council in early July.

The budget will see a spending increase of 4 percent or $634,019.

Revenue is down in several categories as inflation has curtailed development, a factor reflected in the budget.

There was no public comment regarding the budget before it was passed, Monday.

Other budget highlights include:

• $800,000 is budgeted for the street resurfacing projects.

• $950,800 will be allocated for the city’s annual stormwater repair projects.

• Sanitation and recycling services are subsidized with $1.18 million property tax collections.

• The only planned capital expense is $150,000 for a new bucket truck at the Public Works Department.

View the adopted budget at: https://www.snellville.org/sites/default/files/uploads/administration/budget/fy2024-budget-final.pdf

The pool at T.W. Briscoe park will re-open to the public on Saturday, June 10th for regular operating hours.

City officials have reviewed all the facts surrounding a recent incident that forced pool closure and will increase police presence in the area to assure visitors a safe and enjoyable swimming and park experience. Welcome back!

https://www.snellville.org/parks-recreation/tw-briscoe-park-pool

The Rotary Club of Gwinnett Sunrise will be having a Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony at 1 p.m., June 14, 2023 at The Grove at Towne Center, Snellville, GA.

The Pole is located at The Grove in between The Tomlin Apartments and the New Elizabeth H. Williams Public Library.  Parking is available in The Grove Parking Deck with entrances on North Road and Wisteria Drive.

The public is welcome to attend the ceremony.

Peace Poles are handcrafted monuments erected the world over as international symbols of peace. “May Peace Prevail on Earth” is the message written on it in four languages.

For more information regarding this event, contact Angela Wirt, 678.571.5878 or at angela.calaway.wirt@gmail.com

T.W, Briscoe Park Pool will be closed to the public the remainder of this week, following an incident of disruptive behavior by a few patrons over the weekend.

City officials will take the week to review protocol and safety procedures in an effort to provide and maintain a safe and family friendly environment at the pool.

Swim lessons and private events will still take place at the pool this week as scheduled.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

SNELLVILLE – North Road, between Oak Road and Wisteria Drive will open to two-way traffic today.

Motorists on Oak Road will be able to make a right on North Road heading north for the first time since The Tomlin apartments at The Grove at Towne Center has been open to residents.

North Road at Oak Road is right in, right out only, meaning no left turns will be able to be made from North Road heading south.

SNELLVILLE – Mayor and Council unveiled a proposed balanced budget of $15.53 million Monday, a plan city officials say will not include a millage increase.

The first of two public hearings was Monday. The next is at the June 12 meeting of Mayor and Council, where the budget will be adopted. The millage rate will be set by Mayor and Council in early July.

Fiscal Year ‘24 net spending is up by 4 percent or $634,019. The great majority of the increase is in salaries as the Mayor and Council have made a concerted effort to make salaries more competitive and improve the City’s employee retention rate.

Revenue is down in several categories as inflation has curtailed development. This budget has adjusted to that reality.

Other budget highlights include:

• $800,000 is budgeted for the street resurfacing projects.
• $950,800 for the city’s annual stormwater repair projects.
• Sanitation and recycling services are subsidized with $1,189,528 in property tax collections.
• The only planned capital expense is $150,000 for a new bucket truck the Public Works Department.

The Mayor and City Council will consider adoption of the FY ’24 budget at 7:30 p.m., June 12 in the Council Chambers of Snellville City Hall, 2342 Oak Road, Snellville, Georgia.

The proposed budget can be viewed at: https://www.snellville.org/sites/default/files/uploads/administration/budget/fy24-budget-draft-.pdf