Here is a rundown of some resolutions approved at the August 2 regular meeting of the Henry County Board of Commissioners:
• A resolution authorizing a $62,500 allocation for a wage and salary administration plan (classification and compensation study).
• A proposed amendment to the county’s stormwater utility ordinance providing exemption from certain fees for facilities involved in treatment, collections and distribution.
• An intergovernmental agreement with the Henry County Water Authority for the continuation of the Authority’s development, maintenance and operation of the county’s watershed protection plan.
• Action plans for the 2022 fiscal year related to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnership (HOME) programs for which the county will receive funding that amounts to $1,042,369 and $512,877 respectively.
• The emergency purchase of three ambulances at a combined cost of more than $400,000 for use by Henry County Fire Rescue.
• A grant award from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council in the amount of $135,750 to fund Functional Family Therapy during FY23.
• The $7,526,198 purchase of 150 2022 Ford Utility Police Interceptors from Wade Ford of Smyrna for the Henry County Police Department through a state contract using SPLOST V Fleet Replacement Funds.
• A $560,340 bid for an annual contract related to janitorial services for county facilities.
• A memorandum of understanding with the Board of Regents regarding Cooperative Extension.
• A payment of $2,000 from the United States Secret Service for the Henry County Police Department’s participation in the Electronic Crimes Task Force.
• A $105,000 bid for fencing and gating for the Henry County Public Safety Complex to be paid out of a seized fund account.
• Payment of $60,178 in annual dues to the Metro North Georgia Water Planning District.
• The abandonment of a portion of right-of-way on Commerce Drive.
• The sale of county surplus property.
All of this is well and good, but what about an limit on these investment company buying up houses in the communities. They are taking down property value and renting to folks who don’t care about the community laws. I know if Clayton county could do it, so can our local government. This bring in folks to destroy our county.
Every subdivision in Henry County is turning into rental revenue. Homeowners are getting offers to buy their homes daily from investment companies and rental companies. Between the Section 8 housing and all the rentals, “family” subdivisions are becoming extinct. There are very few actual home “OWNERS” left in my neighborhood, and I’m getting out too. It’s too late for Stockbridge-it’s already turned into Clayton County and getting worse; the present political “leadership” could care less. Not one of them has the best interest of their constituents or the community at heart–all they care about is their own agendas. Voting based on color was the downfall of Clayton County, and it’s the downfall of Henry County.
The City of Stockbridge is now trying to annex 19 subdivisions into the City (Senate Bill 612). They sent out a notification sugar coating the “benefits with the “Things You Should Know About Stockbridge”– It failed to mention the trashy streets, run down buildings, tractor trailers illegally parked all over, increased crime, terrible restaurant customer service, the Amphitheatre nobody wanted and is a nuisance to the neighborhood, increased property taxes due to the “home appreciation of 19.2% in the last 12 months”, the county roads filled with potholes, etc.
Don’t be fooled, this is a land grab to increase their tax base–guaranteed “City Tax” in the future. EVERYONE should be voting NO! on November 8, 2022. The City of Stockbridge needs to CLEAN UP the City of Stockbridge before it annexes anyone else into it. No one in the 19 subdivisions it is trying to annex into the City should want to be part of the embarrassing City of Stockbridge or the guaranteed “city taxes” that are coming soon. Senate Bill 612 will be on the ballot November 8, 2022–VOTE NO!!
It’s already too late, almost every home that goes up for sale in Henry County is/has been bought up as a rental/investment property and most are Section 8. Homeowners are receiving offers constantly from Rental companies to purchase their homes and they are selling to get OUT of Henry County. There are no longer any “family” oriented subdivisions–they are now just transient living accommodations most often rental paid by the Government. The first thing rental companies do is rip out all the landscaping (because renters could care less about their yards or property values and it makes it easier “maintenance” for the rental company). You can drive through a subdivision and pretty much tell exactly what homes are rentals by the landscaping (most of them!).
Henry County politicians could care less that homeowners are leaving and every home is becoming a rental–all they care about is their own agendas and TAX money. An unwanted Amphitheatre in Stockbridge is more important than property values. And now they are wanting to annex a lot of subdivisions into the City of Stockbridge, and then will come a City Tax.