Author: On Common Ground News

Written by Rockdale Tax Commissioner Tisa Smart-Washington By now, Rockdale County property owners should have already received their assessment notices in the mail and had an opportunity to review them. On some notices, nothing changed from last year. On other notices, the changes may mean changes on the tax bill that will be mailed in the fall. For property owners who appealed the value of their assessment by the June 12 deadline, the question may be “now what?” Chief Assessor Lamar Sims shared the appeal process with me. Once a homeowner has filed an appeal with the Board of Assessors,…

Councilwoman Diane Adoma has been selected as an upcoming member of the Leadership DeKalb Class of 2018. Leadership DeKalb was founded in 1986 by the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce to educate community leaders and to address issues facing the growing population. Leadership DeKalb’s purpose it to connect leaders and inform them on matters that are vital to the county and enhances their leadership skills. This is a great honor for Councilwoman Adoma and one that will create new and exciting future opportunities. The program will run from August 2017 until June 2018.

Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC) announced the roll-out of its new Advanced Manufacturing Lab before a packed crowd of invited guests from the four-county area: DeKalb, Rockdale, Newton and Morgan counties. The new lab, which will be located on the college’s Newton campus, is designed for individuals who are interested in pursuing manufacturing sector careers. Attendees at the June 19 roll-out included Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Deputy Commissioner Matt Arthur; community, business and top manufacturing leaders; K-12 school superintendents; CEOs of the region’s career academies; and elected and appointed officials from throughout the college’s four-county service area. “We get it. Forward-thinking businesses such…

Former NBA player Mike “Stinger” Glenn held the 38th annual “Mike Glenn Basketball Camp for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing” athletes in Decatur. The weeklong camp started on June 18 and concluded on June 23 at Clairmont Presbyterian Church and the Church at Decatur Heights. “Our goal as always is to provide our campers with a fun-filled week that could be considered the best week of their lives,” said Glenn. The camp offered practice sessions, drills, scrimmages at Clairmont Presbyterian Church culminating with an All-Star game at the Decatur Recreation Center. “Last summer at our 37th annual camp,…

Rainbow Park Baptist Church, 2941 Columbia Drive, Decatur, invites the public to its annual Vacation Bible School. The Vacation Bible School will be held for all ages pre-k to adults July 10-13, 6 to 8 p.m. It’s free to attend. This year’s program is entitled “Galactic Starveyors: Discovering the God of the Universe.” There will be a time of singing, storytelling, crafts and snacks. Don’t miss out. Transportation can be provided. To learn more about this and other upcoming events at “The Park,” visit http://www.rainbowparkbaptist.org or call us at 404-288-1910.

The Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) will conduct two public kick‐off meetings to start an update process of the Hazard Mitigation Plan for Rockdale County. The meetings will be held on Thursday, June 29, 3 until 4:30 p.m. and again from 5:30 until 7 p.m. at the Rockdale County Fire Rescue Training Annex located at 2150 Iris Drive, SW, Conyers.         The Hazard Mitigation Plan update is required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to keep Rockdale County eligible for federal mitigation assistance for future disasters. Citizens, businesses and interested parties are invited to attend…

The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce is seeking a highly energized, self-motivated Membership Development Director. The Membership Development Director will be responsible for recruiting new members; retaining existing members; generating revenue through sponsorship sales; managing Small Business Council and Member Engagement Committee; and facilitating member-related programming. For a full job description, click here. Application review begins June 2017. Position will remain open until filled. Interested applicants should email their resume, references and cover letter to Kim Childs at kchilds@dekalbchamber.org. ABOUT DEKALB CHAMBER OF COMMERCE  The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based organization with the mission to support, promote and…

The DeKalb County Human Services Department will host a meeting for organizations seeking information on the 2017-18 grants application process on June 28, 10 a.m., at the DeKalb County Extension Office Auditorium, 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur. Eligible nonprofit organizations are encouraged to apply for the opportunity to be awarded a grant funded by the county general fund and Victim Assistance fund. Designed to supplement existing programs and activities, the grant program provides opportunities for partnerships with local organizations that can successfully address identified needs of DeKalb County residents. The Human Services Grant Program is competitive and the total amount of…

CONYERS–Katrina McCollum Young, a member of the Rockdale County Board of Education, was recently elected as President of the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) for the 2018-2019 term. During the upcoming year, she will serve as President-Elect. Representatives from 133 school boards in Georgia met June 9-10 in Savannah to approve the legislative positions of the association and to elect GSBA’s officers. “We congratulate Katrina Young on her selection as upcoming President of the Georgia School Boards Association,” said Jim McBrayer, Chairman of the Rockdale County Board of Education. “Mrs. Young has served on the Rockdale County Board of…

CONYERS – Rockdale Tax Commissioner Tisa Smart-Washington and the Rockdale Tax Office have been recognized with a 2017 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) in the category of Civic Education and Public Information. The Tax Office’s TextConnect service, which launched in January, allows residents to communicate directly with staff via smartphone text messaging. “I am so proud of my staff for earning this special recognition and for the dedication they show every day in serving Rockdale County,” said Commissioner Smart-Washington. “This is our third NACo award and we will continue to strive for the highest levels of…