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On Monday, May 23, 2016 the Mayor and City Council will hold a Public Hearing at 7:30 p.m. to give its citizens the opportunity to provide written and oral comments on the proposed Fiscal Year 2017 budget. All citizens are urged to attend this Public Hearing on May 23, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Snellville City Hall, located at 2342 Oak Road, Snellville Georgia.

The proposed budget is available for inspection at Snellville City Hall, 2342 Oak Road, Snellville, Georgia during regular business hours from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. or on the City website at www.snellville.org.

The Mayor and City Council will consider adoption of the Fiscal Year 2017 budget on Monday, June 13, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Snellville City Hall, 2342 Oak Road, Snellville, Georgia.

Melisa Arnold, City Clerk
City of Snellville

SNELLVILLE – The Snellville Farmers' Market will open for the seventh year June 4, kicking off a season event organizers say will be "better than ever."

The market will take place each Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through Sept. 24.

Opening day will begin with the national anthem at 8:30 a.m., sung by Snellville's own Kriss Johnson, who is the reigning Ms. Senior Georgia.

The market is located on the Towne Green in front of City Hall, 2342 Oak Road.

"We are all excited by our renovated venue." said SFM Committee Chair Gretchen Schulz. "The new brick walls surrounding the market will give customers more security and a wonderful place to sit and have a bite to eat, or just enjoy a moment of respite from wandering the market. The availability of more electrical outlets and other amenities will make exhibiting even better for our vendors. Our new amenities even include water fountains for our canine visitors!"

Returning vendors will be providing fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, plants and fresh flowers, BBQ, crafts, boiled peanuts, a wide variety of baked goods, jams, jellies, locally grown mushrooms, organic bath and body products and locally made honey.

The market will also be welcoming several new vendors who will bring baked goods, specialty ice cream, candy, milk, cheese, butter, coffee, pasture-raised pork, salad dressings, sauces, rubs and unique crafts.

Chick-fil-A will be selling chicken biscuits for the first two hours of the market and then switch to a lunch menu.

Throughout the season, there will also be special events like cooking demonstrations, music and community service booths. This season, city employees will be coming on different weeks, giving the community an opportunity to ask questions about city operations. The Snellville Police Department will be there opening day.

For more information visit www.snellvillefarmersmarket.com.

SNELLVILLE – The city awarded a two-year contract for commercial and residential sanitation and recycling services to Advanced Disposal Monday.

Waste Pro had been the previous hauler.

The city received four bids for a new two-year contract to begin on July 1. The companies submitting bids were Advanced Disposal, Republic Services, Waste Pro and Waste Management.

Advanced Disposal was the lowest responsive bidder.

Going with Advanced Disposal will result in a savings of a minimum of $100,000 per year versus using the other companies, city officials said.

During the last pick up in June, Waste Pro will pick up carts and recycling bins. Advanced will have someone place the new carts and bins the last couple of weeks in June but they aren't to be used until July.

All residents will be delivered one (1) 65-gallon garbage cart and one (1) 18-gallon recycling bin.

For any resident that would like a larger 65-gallon recycling cart rather than the 18 gallon bin call Public Works at 770-985-3527.

SNELLVILLE – Attorney Tadia D. Whitner was sworn in as associate judge Monday.

Whitner replaces Angela Duncan who was hired as a full-time Magistrate Judge in Gwinnett County.

"It's wonderful to be considered by (Mayor Tom Witts) and Chief Judge (Mark Layng)," Whitner said after being sworn in by Witts. "I am excited to serve the citizens of Snellville."

Whitner is a graduate of Howard University (B.A., Political Science, 1992) and Howard University School of Law (J.D., 1995). After admission to the Maryland Bar, Whitner received a direct commission as a First Lieutenant to the U.S. Air Force. She served as the Chief of Claims and Chief of Military Justice while stationed at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. After graduating as a Distinguished Graduate from the Air Force's Squadron Officers School, Whitner was stationed at the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest court of the Air Force. Whitner was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force as a Captain in 1999.

In 2000, Ms. Whitner joined the U.S. Virgin Islands Office of the Attorney General. She also joined the U.S. Virgin Islands Air National Guard, where she again served as the Judge Advocate General for both the U.S. Virgin Islands Air and Army National Guard.

After ten years of honorable service, Whitner separated from the military obtaining the rank of Major.

In 2004, after admission to the Florida Bar, Whitner relocated to Orlando where she was appointed to be an Assistant Attorney General by Florida's Attorney General Charlie Crist.

In 2005, Whitner gained admission to the Georgia Bar and in 2006 she began working as an Assistant Public Defender for the Office of the Public Defender in the Eastern Judicial Circuit. In 2011, Whitner co-founded the Porter and Whitner Law Group, LLC, a general practice law firm, in Norcross.

Whitner is a current and active member of the Gwinnett Bar Association, the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Gwinnett Chapter, and the Howard University Alumni Association.

She is a current board member with the Gwinnett Pearls of Service, a non-profit organization that provides college scholarships to Gwinnett County high school students. Whitner is licensed to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Georgia, in the state of Georgia and the state of Florida.

Whitner is married to Brian and they have two children, Zander, 11, and Jaide, 10

SNELLVILLE – City officials are looking for residents' input on the Towne Center project.

A Town Hall Meeting will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. May 17 at Snellville United Methodist Church, 2428 Main St. East, to collect ideas from residents regarding what they hope the downtown area to look like in years to come.

"When I campaigned last summer, one of the things I heard over and over was about building the Towne Center," said Mayor Tom Witts. "I'd like to have all the people who would like to talk about it in one place so we can come up with ideas that will benefit everyone."

It has been nearly five years since the proposed project to transform the city's downtown area into a walkable community with residential and commercial buildings was unveiled and city officials said now is the time to finalize plans.

For more information on the Towne Center visit www.snellville.org, click on "Economic Development," then "Towne Center."

SNELLVILLE – Construction on the Oak Road sidewalk project will begin Monday.

Road crews will place a sidewalk from Scenic Highway to Mountain View Road.

Contractor Multiplex, LLC will begin survey work this week and engineering firm Clark Patterson Lee will oversee construction for the city.

Work will begin from both the Mountain View Road and Scenic Highway ends and proceed toward the middle of the 4,800-foot project.

Oak Road is scheduled to remain open throughout the 120-day project, but city officials are asking all motorists to be alert and drive slowly for their safety and the safety of the workers.

Due to topography of the new sidewalk area, many loads of dirt will be required and it is anticipated Oak Road will often be flagged and reduced to sections of one-lane roadway where the work is taking place.

Construction during rush hour times will be avoided if at all possible.

Please contact City Manager Butch Sanders at 770-985-3516 with any questions.

SNELLVILLE – Two business-minded high school students were awarded $1,000 each from the Snellville Commerce Club Tuesday.

Re'Nyqua Farrington from South Gwinnett High School and Amanda Yang from Brookwood High School were the scholarship winners.

Farrington is a scholar athlete who plays softball, an FBLA state winner, a Georgia Merit Scholar and an AP Scholar. She is a volunteer for the Special Olympics, her church and library. Farrington hopes to attend the University of Tampa.

Yang serves on the BHS Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee, a board member of the BHS Executive Committee, the National Technical Honor Society, the National English Honor Society, the Brookwood Leadership Team, the Art Club, the International Club, the Computer Club and FBLA. She has volunteered for Legos and Robotics Camp, Georgia Gwinnett College Super Saturday Series and the Alton C. Crews STEM Technology Camp. She is an AP Scholar and will attend the University of Georgia.

The Commerce Club also donated $250 to the Snellville Economic Development Department's Shark Tank initiative for student entrepreneurs.

The Snellville Commerce Club is the networking arm of Snellville Tourism and Trade.

For more information on STAT visit www.snellvilletourism.com.

SNELLVILLE – The city's Arts Commission will be hosting a fundraising event called, "The Art of Fashion," sponsored by Belks Department Store and catered by American Tavern Restaurant.

"The fashion show will offer fantastic food, music and an array of casual to career-wear fashions with special guest model appearances by the Mayor and Council," said Snellville Arts Commission Public Relations Officer Alisa Boykin.

The event take place at 3 p.m. May 15 in the City Hall Community Room, 2342 Oak Road.

Tickets are $10 with proceeds benefiting Snellville's local arts initiatives and "Give Hunger the Boot," a non-profit which collects food for the needy.

Tickets are available online at www.snellvillearts.com.

SNELLVILLE – More than 430 pounds of prescription medication was dropped off at Saturday's drug take back event, a record for the program.

The Snellville Police Department, in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Agency National Take Back Initiative, collected approximately 432 pounds of unwanted, expired prescription medication from the Snellville community, ensuring that powerful pain medications and other prescriptions are properly disposed of. Disposing of this medication properly thwarts the opportunity of abuse and improper disposal.

"This is a record amount since the police department has participated in this event," said SPD Lt. Andre Sullivan. "The last event netted approximately 309 pounds of prescription medication on Sept. 26, 2015. I would like to thank the community for their continued support in this endeavor."

Students from the doctoral program of The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine-Georgia Campus also assisted in this event.

Sullivan said another take back event is expected next fall.

The video of the April 25, 2016, Work Session and Council Meeting can be found on the 2016 Meeting Videos page.