About Fayette County news. (Fayetteville, GA) 2009-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 22, 2023)
Wednesday, February 22,2023 Fayette County News A3 Smoke-free Environments: For the Love of One Another Courtesy of Breathe Easy Georgia/Fayette February is American Heart Month and a perfect time for prioritizing heart health - for you and the people around you. According to the Geor gia Department of Public Health, cardiovascular dis ease is the leading cause of death in Georgia, account ing for about one in every three deaths each year. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes all diseases of the heart and blood ves sels, including heart dis ease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, and stroke. One of the many ways to protect heart health and reduce one’s risk for car diovascular disease is to eliminate exposure to sec ondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is more than just a pesky nui sance that seeps into one’s hair and clothes. It has se vere health consequences for adults and children who are exposed to the toxins emitted from smok ing and vaping products. The variety of products that emit secondhand smoke has evolved throughout the years and is no longer limited to tradi tional tobacco-based, com bustible cigarettes. New and emerging smoking-re lated products include electronic nicotine delivery or vaping devices, hookah, non-combustible ciga rettes (heated, not burned), and smoked or vaped forms of cannabis. Studies show that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Even low levels of exposure to secondhand smoke can be dangerous to the heart and blood vessels. Breath ing secondhand smoke causes blood cells to be come “sticky,” which can lead to blood clots, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Secondhand smoke is also a trigger for asthma attacks in adults and chil dren. Now, more than ever, protecting friends and neighbors from second hand smoke exposure can help to save lives and im prove overall health. In Georgia, more than 75 percent of the pop ulation is at risk for expo sure to secondhand smoke as the state’s smoke-free indoor air law has loop holes that allow for smok ing in many public places and workplaces, including bars, restaurants, hotels, and other indoor environ ments. Several cities in Georgia have made a responsible decision to protect their citizens and visitors from the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure with com FEBRUARY American Heart Month —w— prehensive smoke-free policies that eliminate sec ondhand smoke in work places and public places. Residents and visitors can move about the cities’ in door environments with out their health being compromised by second hand smoke exposure. As more communities throughout the state prior itize health and wellness, smoke-free indoor air is becoming the new normal and a critical component for a model healthy and vi brant community. Ameri can Heart Month is a great time to show love for one another and support smoke-free environments. To learn more about local efforts to support REATHE EASY FAYETTE smoke-free environments, visit www.drugfreefay- ette.org/breathe-easy-fay- ette.html. PTC Council Debates Process of Adding Meeting Agenda Items Leah Banks Investigative Reporter leah@fayette-news.net PEACHTREE CITY - In the Feb. 16 Peachtree City Council meeting, members debated the process by which agenda items are dis cussed and information is researched. The topic was mentioned by City Manager Robert “Bob” Curnow as he ad dressed the current city ordi nance for communication between council and the public on matters that may be placed on the agenda for discussion. He proposed an amendment to council for a “more streamlined process.” “This is in regard to city ordinance 1206 and, cur rently, the ordinance says that it allows for anyone to place an item on the council agenda. In certain situations, and through research and certain experiences, a more streamlined process pro vides for a few entities to add items to the agenda,” Cur now said. This would mean that staff, the city attorney, and the mayor and council members can add items to council’s agenda, according to Curnow. Under the current pro cess, if a member of the pub lic wants to add items to the council agenda, he or she must petition the clerk and then add the item. The re quirement leaves time for members of the council to research topics prior to meetings, especially if a vote is needed. “This also provides op portunities to the residents to have meaningful discus sions with their elected offi cials to bring those items forward and to possibly even bring that to... the city man ager before it gets to a situ ation where we have to take a vote,” Curnow said. Peachtree City Mayor Kim Learnard opened the discussion with councilman Clint Holland leading the de bate by asking Curnow for research findings on other cities with the same or simi lar petitions. According to Curnow, each city in Fayette County is already doing what he has petitioned the City of Peachtree City to do. He added that other cities throughout the metro At lanta area have similar ordi nances. Councilman Mike King was firm in his thought on the petition, looking at the length of time that each member of the council was given, around three days, to look over the presented ordi nance changes. “We just really don’t have a replacement for a count for a citizen to provide redress here that is clear, at least, to me. When I read through this thing, I said, ‘We bring it to the mayor and if it’s worthwhile’ or whatever. It is a little bit cloudy for me. And for that reason, you know, I’m really hesitant to say yes to this thing,” King said. King continued his reser vations, adding that he does not want to wait to vote on something that typically takes around two weeks to study and the frequency of citizen-generated agenda items. “I’ve been on council for nine years, and I can really only remember three [times this process has been brought up] and one of them is tonight. And, you know, I guess I’m old school or wha tever, but I don’t think this thing’s broken, and it damn sure don’t need to be fixed,” King said. Members of council con tinued to ask questions to Curnow on the frequency of the citizens adding agenda items to each list and whether it was a provision on the ordinance, while also providing their comments on the proposed change. Council opted to table the proposal pending further, more thorough con sideration. BREATHING AND BURIED IN BETHLEHEM 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM February 25, 2023 Georgia pkl Humanities Hi Sharing stones that move us and make us Fayette County HISTORICAL SOCIETY NCHS ■ nit coati» »mc'«ica; moiiv Sonoto Area Historical Society We invite you to an in-person local history program. it This creative presentation will highlight the extraordinary 153-year-old SA history of Bethlehem Baptist Church and Cemetery. The presentation will be followed by a cemetery walk, where the stories of community ancestors who are interred in the cemetery will be celebrated. Refreshments will be served. Ann McCleary Professor of History Director of the Center for Public History Bethlehem Baptist Church jj/ £sfablishcj^ 1904 f Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery 475 Dividend Drive Peachtree City, GA 30269 WEAR COMFORTABLE WALKING SHOES. IN CASE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE ENTIRE PROGRAM WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE CHURCH. \ . .V Fayetteville Council OKs $896,500 Bid for Wastewater Plant Improvements Sydney Spencer News Reporter sspencer@fayette-news.net A bid for the wastewater plant sludge conveyor and hopper upgrade project was unanimously approved at the Fayetteville City Council meeting on Feb. 16 for a total of $896,500. Director of Public Serv ices Chris Hindman in formed council members of a process that was left out during the initial presenta tion of the project. He said the sludge removal portion of the project did not receive proper attention and ex plained how he plans to re solve the problem. “During the upgrade project of the wastewater plant, one of the processes that we did not look at was the actual sludge removal. We did the process of treat ment, but we weren't sure what [it would cost]. We were under bid with the project, so what we pro posed to do was upgrade our hopper, which was built in ‘95, [and needs to be up graded],” Hindman ex plained. Hindman went on to in form the council of the bid ding process, the construction company that eventually submitted a bid, and how much the bid of fered. “So, we went out to bid and unfortunately, we only received one bid, but the engineering company GMC did their due diligence and was highly recommending this company. The company is Tadco Construction, LLC, and the bid came in at $896,500,” Hindman said. Hindman explained how the wastewater plant sludge conveyor would work with the proper funding. “What this does is, dur ing the treatment process, it raises it up on a conveyor, so a truck can pull up under neath there, and it’s loaded up and taken to the playing field,” said Hindman. The trusted source for taking care of your 'fte&j. 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