Live, Work, Play and Connect with College Park. College Park Connects Newsletter connects residents, businesses, and visitors to the latest news and events within and around the global city.
Can you uncover the stories behind these historical photos?
At the recent Cities United Summit hosted by the Georgia Municipal Association, Mayor Bianca Motley Broom had the privilege of representing College Park alongside city officials from across Georgia. From workshops on municipal finance to engaging with legislators during Cities United Day at the Capitol, it was a transformative experience.
She attended a municipal finance class where she learned more about bonding issues and best practices for finance departments and their relationship with external partners, such as auditors. Another great class was Fire & Emergency Medical Services, where she gained a better understanding of what factors influence a community’s Public Protection Classification (PPC), which helps determine insurance rates and tells prospects to the city about the level of fire safety in the community. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the best, College Park currently has a 2 rating, which shows the great work our outstanding Fire & Rescue Department does daily to protect our city.
Attending the Cities United Summit was about learning, taking action and bringing valuable insights back to our community. Together, we're shaping the future of College Park and ensuring that our city remains a beacon of progress and integrity.
Ward 1 Community Champions Meeting
Our Ward 1 Community Champions initiative, organized by Councilwoman Jamelle McKenzie held their first Strategic Planning meeting at Club E in College Park on Saturday January 27, 2024. Dozens of Ward 1 residents braced the inclement weather to participate in this historic undertaking of involving, their neighbors in a collaborative effort to create a thriving community. Ward 1 Community Champions will work hand in hand with Councilwoman McKenzie and Ward 1 City Board appointees to address Community Improvement and Development, Neighborhood safety, the use of technology, community events, diversity, equity, and inclusion, educational and recreational programs, communication and a whole bunch more. The next meeting will be held in conjunction with the Ward 1 Community meeting on February 24, 2024 at the Public Safety building at 10 am.
Ward 3 Celebrating Honors and Community Engagement
On January 27th, Councilwoman Arnold held her first bi-monthly brunch with the Ward 3 appointed volunteers serving on College Park's local boards and commissions. "Citizen volunteers are one of our City's most valuable assets," says Councilwoman Arnold. "I'm grateful to have such a talented and dedicated group of individuals supporting my administration." The group will hold its next meeting in March.
Meet the Interim City Manager
Dr. Emmanuel O. Adediran serves as interim city manager for the City of College Park where he oversees the key responsibilities vital to the smooth functioning of the city. Adediran originally joined the City of College Park as director of public works in June 2023 and assumed the role of interim city manager in 2024. Since joining the City of College Park, Adediran has demonstrated his commitment to maintaining the highest standards of governance, fostering collaboration with city departments and ensuring the well-being of its residents.
College Park's Director of Airport & Governmental Affairs, Brecca Carter, coordinated to meet with State Representatives during the Mayor and Council's trip to the Capitol, focusing on discussions about non-emergency medical transportation, revenue source opportunities and workforce/ attainable housing.
BUILDING AND PROPERTY SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT
The 2024 Business License renewal season is underway. All businesses located within the City of College Park will have until March 31, 2024, to renew with no penalties or interest fees. All approved businesses in the state of Georgia that have alcohol licenses must have a City of College Park alcohol license before selling alcohol within the city.
All new permit and license applications must be submitted electronically through our new electronic permitting software, https://www.sagesgov.com/collegepark-ga
KEEP COLLEGE PARK BEAUTIFUL
We're thrilled to share the outstanding results of the Keep College Park Beautiful - GA Works program for the period of February to December 31, 2023. GA Works, contracted to enhance litter cleanup in our city, has truly made a significant impact.
Starting with bi-weekly collections, the program quickly adapted to weekly cleanups in late April due to its success and the onset of spring, a time when litter tends to be more prevalent.
To date, GA Works has completed 41 litter cleanups and 6 special request cleanups. Weekly, the GA Works crew cleans various streets, addressing both scheduled and as-needed cleanup requests. Notably, they've also undertaken special projects at no additional cost.
The numbers speak for themselves: 11,200 bags of litter/trash, averaging 10 lbs./bag, and 53 tires, along with miscellaneous materials totaling over 5,000 lbs. This sums up to an impressive 8 tons of litter/trash collected in College Park over 11 months. These figures break down to 0.73 tons per month and approximately 912 lbs. per week.
Looking ahead, the GA Works program is set to continue its impactful work in 2024.
SANITATION
Exciting news! Our Sanitation Department has revamped our city's self-serviced Recycling Centers for a better recycling experience. Now, dumpsters have clear markings for easy item placement, and signs guide cars on where to enter and exit.
Remember, this spot is exclusively for recycling; illegal dumping is a big no-no. Accepted items are aluminum, paper, glass, cardboard, and plastic, each with clear explanations.
Beware – surveillance is on, and fines up to $1000 await violators. No parking allowed, or you risk a speedy tow. Let's keep it green and clean!
GEORGIA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER GATEWAY CENTER ARENA HISTORIC COLLEGE PARK GOLF COURSE
The Gateway Center Campus has had an eventful kickoff to the new year. They completed an All-Teams Fire Extinguisher training where each employee had the opportunity to practice putting out a lit display fire one on one with a firefighter! They also launched several 2024 promotions including $5 Meals during all Skyhawks home games at the Gateway Arena and Got Golf Wednesdays where every first Wednesday of the month you can play nine holes with a cart for $10 at the Historic College Park Golf Course.
Please check our websites for upcoming games and events and stop by! Our doors are always open!”
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Tri-Cities (College Park, East Point, and Hapeville) Business Networking event at Rich or Pour Opulence Lounge in East Point was a blast—networking, photos, and even some prizes! The next one is heading to College Park! Stay tuned for details and get ready for another round of connections and fun!
