City Operations for Veterans' Day
On Thursday, November 11th, the City of Atlanta offices will be closed in honor of Veterans' Day. Regular City operations will resume on Friday, November 12th.
In case of a water emergency, contact the 24-hour hotline at 404-658-7221. For a public works emergency, please contact the 24-hour City customer service center at 404-330-6333.
The Bureau of Solid Waste Services will not collect garbage on Veterans' Day, Thursday November 11th. All collections will be delayed by one day.
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Hartsfield-Jackson Earns A+ Rating for Finances
When it comes to finances, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport soars above the rest. Standard & Poor's Corporation (S&P), one of the world's foremost investment research and valuation data providers, recently gave Hartsfield-Jackson an A+ rating for its outstanding financial record.
"Because we are government-owned, many people do not think of us as a business, but we do operate on business principles. Hartsfield-Jackson is not run on city or state tax revenue, we are self-sustaining," said Aviation Manager Benjamin DeCosta. "We owe our on-going success to our customers and we constantly focus on how to better serve them."
Hartsfield-Jackson is the "world's busiest passenger airport" with more than 86 million travelers departing and arriving annually. Maintaining an aviation center that serves millions requires sound leadership.
"Standard & Poor's gave us an A+ rating for a reason. We earned it and will continue to, because we make a conscious effort everyday to perform with excellence in every area, especially fiscal prudence and customer service," DeCosta said.
In 2012, the $6 billion-plus capital expansion campaign known as the Hartsfield-Jackson Development Program: Focus on the Future (H-JDP) will be complete. The program, comprised of several major construction projects, includes the fifth runway, a new Federal Aviation Administration tower and the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal.
It is estimated that with a savings of $5 million per week, the fifth runway will pay for itself--or more than 21-percent of H-JDP expenses--within five years of its operational inauguration scheduled for 2006. Revenue will also increase as the runway is expanded to accommodate the 120 million passengers forecasted to travel through the airport by 2015.
Hartsfield-Jackson's mission is to be the world's best airport by exceeding customer expectations. With the number of customers expected to continue to increase significantly over the years, there will be a lot more expectations, but DeCosta says he is prepared for that challenge as well.
Phase 1 construction is part of the Hartsfield-Jackson Development Program. |
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Organizing Efforts at 24/7 Gateway Center
The 24/7 Gateway Center is organizing the Community Advisory Council, a group of Atlantans actively dedicated to making the Gateway Center a place where people feel welcome.
Mayor Shirley Franklin and the Commission on Homelessness are committed to ending homelessness in the City of Atlanta. The 24/7 Gateway Center will help achieve the goal by "Sharing Hope...Changing Lives...Ending Chronic Homelessness" through intervention and referral services.
Mayor Franklin said, "the 24/7 Gateway Center will not be a typical shelter. It will be a gateway to self-sufficiency, a path away from drug dependency and a road toward dignity. The staff and supporters of the Center will actively equip individuals with the life skills required to be healthy and productive Atlanta residents."
The Community Advisory Council is composed of stakeholders committed to helping make the Gateway Center a place of hospitality, spiritual renewal, community collaboration and a community asset focused on ending chronic homelessness. The founding Council will serve through December 31, 2005.
The 24/7 Gateway Center will provide key services to help Atlantans make the transition from homelessness. The $4.3 million facility is scheduled to open in downtown Atlanta in Spring 2005.
The first Community Advisory Council public meeting will be held at the United Way building on November 15, 2004 at 6:30 p.m. For information on the Community Advisory Council, contact Vince Smith at (404) 586-6496.
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The City of Atlanta on the Right Track with the Belt Line
The City of Atlanta has stepped up efforts to investigate the feasibility of redeveloping the historic Belt Line corridor. This old rail corridor encircles some of Atlanta's oldest neighborhoods, approximately two to three miles from downtown Atlanta.
The Belt Line project has been recognized as a priority project for the City because of its potential for promoting economic development, enhancing transit and preserving greenspace.
Mayor Shirley Franklin said, "the City of Atlanta is on the right track with the Belt Line project, by exploring and analyzing the impact that the Belt Line would have on the quality of life for Atlanta residents."
As a first step, Mayor Franklin requested that the Atlanta Development Authority determine if the creation of a Tax Allocation District (TAD) would be a possible approach for funding the Belt Line.
When complete, the Belt Line will provide 22-miles of transit and paths connecting a variety of parks and over 40 of Atlanta's neighborhoods. It will also create significant economic development opportunity within the urban core.
A feasibility study is currently under way and scheduled for completion by the end of this year. If you want to share your opinion about the Belt Line and provide input regarding your vision for the Belt Line, please click here to complete the online survey. Or copy and paste the link below into a browser: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=95264678817
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Public Arts Showcase at City Hall East
The City of Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs hosted the opening reception of the National Arts Program Exhibit entitled "SPLASH!...Art From the City" last Friday at City Gallery East.
Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs Commissioner Dianne Harnell Cohen said, "the City of Atlanta family includes a great group of talented folks who understand and enhance the importance of arts in Atlanta. The city employees and their families who are participating in this exhibit are part of the fabric that makes the City of Atlanta a great place to live."
This reception marks the 18th year the City has collaborated with the National Arts Program to salute the great artists and undiscovered talent within city government.
Sixty-nine participants representing 14 departments and offices wihtin City government represented in the exhibit. Winners received event tickets, memberships and scholarships donated by 15 cultural partners.
Camille Love, Bureau of Cultural Affairs executive director, hosted the event. "I am so pleased to see such variety and share in the creative talents of our fellow City of Atlanta employees," Love said.
The exhibit will run through January 7, 2005. City Gallery East is located at 675 Ponce de Leon Avenue on the first floor of City Hall East. For more information contact The Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Public Art Division at (404) 817- 6980.
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Weed & Seed in Vine City
The Vine City Civic Association recently celebrated their 10th Anniversary. The tribute to a decade of hardwork also served as an opportunity to showcase the neighborhood association's plans in 2005. A highlight of the event was the designation by the U.S. Department of Justice that Vine City was an official Weed & Seed site.
Mayor Shirley Franklin and Atlanta City Councilmembers Ivory Young and H. Lamar Willis joined residents and community supporters at Kennedy Middle School to celebrate the announcement.
Mayor Franklin said, "the Vine City Civic Association is recognized for cultivating community and nurturing seeds of hope for the next generation. I am proud of the work that the dedicated residents of this Atlanta neighborhood continue to accomplish."
Weed and Seed is the Department of Justice's longest-standing law enforcement and community partnership. The community based and community driven initiative focuses on law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization.
Weed & Seed helps communities to work with their United States Attorney, local, state, and federal officials, community agencies, and community residents to design the strategies most effective for them. The City of Atlanta's Weed and Seed is nationally recognized and earned the 2004 Department of Justice Coordination Award for the Keep Students In School (KSIS) program.
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D.L. Stanton Park Playground Renovation Complete
The residents of Atlanta's Peoplestown neighborhood saw a new reason to jump, slide and swing on November 6th with the unveiling of the completed D.L. Stanton Park playground.
The refurbished D.L. Stanton Park playground was presented to community members by Mayor Shirley Franklin, City Councilmembers Carla Smith and Debi Starnes, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs and several corporate sponsors.
Mayor Franklin said, "corporate sponsors played an integral role in reopening this park, but without the persistence, perseverance, hardwork and vision of community members this restoration project would not have been as successful."
The D.L. Stanton Park was closed in 1999 when a young girl playing in the playground was burned from a methane gas explosion in the park’s soil.
The Department of Public Works and Watershed Management graded and grassed the park to eliminate the formation of large amounts of stagnant water. The standing water is a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes and can cause injury to children while playing. The Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs completed the final touches to ensure that neither safety nor style was compromised.
Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Commissioner Dianne Harnell Cohen pledged, "the Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs will do our part to keep this a safe and clean environment for Atlanta's children."
The Resurgens Orthopaedics' Charitable Foundation assisted with a donation of $60,000 for all new playground equipment. Turner Foundation donated $60,000 for the recycled rubberized surfacing. ING through Trees Atlanta contributed $2,500 for benches. The HUD-Community Development Block Grant provided $3.1 million in funding assistance for the $200,000 project.
The new D.L. Stanton playground in Peoplestown. |
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City Salutes Veterans
Generations of Atlantans have dedicated their lives to ensure that the people of Atlanta can have the best quality of life possible. Veterans from numerous branches of service are saluted on Veterans' Day in appreciation for their commitment.
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Atlanta Police Department Cars Get New Look and New Safety Features
The City of Atlanta Police Department (APD) recently unveiled an updated police cruiser equipped with safety enhancements and a smooth new design.
Police Chief Richard Pennington solicited exterior design ideas from talented APD officers and presented the designs to the entire department to select the winning design. The officers voted for 23-year veteran Officer Derrick Ware's design.
"The new car will definitely raise morale while also providing incomparable safety with new safety features," Assistant Chief of Police Alan Dreher explained.
The new safety features added to the patrol cars are brighter LED lights, lights in the vehicle trunk, leg restraints and hard-shelled back seats that prevent suspects from hiding contraband and makes the seats easier to sanitize.
Sixty cars reflecting the new design and safety features are currently in use. APD will continue to use the current patrol cars until mileage limits are reached.
Officer Derrick Ware's design won the popular vote for the new exterior design of APD's new cars. |
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Rave Reviews!
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Best wishes to the Atlanta Hawks. The basketball team launched the 2004-2005 season on November 8th. The public event, hosted by Mayor Shirley Franklin and Magic Man of V-103, was held at Underground Atlanta.
Mayor Franklin sports her own Hawks jersey with Coach Mike Woodson at recent Hawks Fan Pep Rally. |
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Congratulations to the Third Annual Fall Festival for Atlanta Seniors, an event for seniors to stay active and have fun, was held at the C.A. Scott Recreation Center on October 29th. Programs for seniors are offered through the Bureau of Recreation, a division of the Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs. For more information call Nicole Horne at (404) 817-6936.
Seniors share dinner and stories at the Fall Festival.
Seniors stay active and have fun doing the Electric Slide at the C.A. Scott Recreation Center. |
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Congratulations to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs for presenting the Health and Wellness in Aquatics program, "Water Aerobics Marathon", at Washington Park Natatorium on November 6, 2004. Participants performed resistance exercises in the community swimming pool. This free event is part of an ongoing effort to keep Atlantans healthy while having fun.
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Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities
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The William F. Kennedy, Jr. Endowment Fund and Georgia Tech Foundation, Inc. will host the inaugural William F. Kennedy, Jr. Fellowship program at the Atlanta City Hall Atrium on November 10th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The Georgia Tech Foundation, Inc. will administer The Kennedy Endowment Fund that will provide financial resources for a internship in the City of Atlanta Department of Planning. For more information or to contribute to this academic fellowship, visit www.billkennedy.org.