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Ten things to do outside and inside during fall weather. See story Page 3A Previews for the first round of high school football playoffs Page IB FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Weekend Edition-November 11-12, 2022 FORSYTHNEWS.COM |Tjforsythcountynews Q@ForsythNews (@J@ForsythNews $2.00 ELECTION 2022 TSPLOST fails Inside: Complete election roundup, page 6A Coming out on top by close margin ByAshlyn Yule ayule@forsythnews.com Almost 100,000 Forsyth County residents cast their vote for or against a Transportation Special Purpose Local Operation Sales Tax (TSPLOST) during the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, but the result came down to about 600 votes. The race was close, with less than 1 percent between those in favor and those in opposition of the county applying a one-cent sales tax, payable by anyone spending money in Forsyth County. According to election numbers, 50,066 voters, about 50.2% of the total, voted against the TSPLOST, and 49,681, about 49.8%, said yes. The one-cent sales tax will not be applied. According to county officials during this year’s Transportation Summit in October, revenue generat ed by the TSPLOST would have been put aside solely for transportation improvements such as the widening of Keith Bridge (SR 306) and Fowler Road. Sabrina Kerns Forsyth County News Newcomer Mike Valdes won Tuesday against Democratic opponent Elaine Padgett for the Forsyth County Board of Education District 5 seat. How Forsyth voted in races on Election Day By Kelly Whitmire kwhitmire@forsythnews.com Forsyth County voters made their voices heard on Election Day and in the weeks before for the Nov. 8 General Election and Special Election. With all precincts counted, more than 102,000 of the county’s 162,143 active voters, about 63%, cast advance, mail-in and Election Day in-person votes for the election. All Forsyth precincts had been reported as of 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9. Here’s how Forsyth voted Who ran in the races? Voters cast ballots during the race for federal, state See Voted 14A Valdes wins in Board of Education District 5 race By Sabrina Kerns Board of Education District 5 skerns@forsythnews.com Newcomer Mike Valdes won against Democratic opponent Elaine Padgett for the Forsyth County Board of Education District 5 seat left vacant by incumbent Kristin Morrissey, tak ing 64% of the 17,813 ballots cast in the 2022 General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Who he is: Valdes lives in south Forsyth alongside his wife and three kids, working as a con struction engineer with more than 20 years of experience in busi ness. How he reacted: “We re feel- Mike Valdes Elaine Padgett ing great! It’s been a long pro cess. We started back in February, it’s been over nine months, and what we’ve learned is we have an amazing school system in Forsyth County and our residents are very proud of it. I think these results .... just show that [a nega tive campaign] doesn’t resonate in Forsyth. We’ve got great schools, great teachers and great families, and we’ve got to focus on policy-driven solutions to just make it better. That’s really what I’m all about. “To all the voters of Forsyth County, the ones that voted for me and the ones that didn’t, I’m signed up to represent all of you, and that’s what I want to do. My 64% 36% door is open and my phone num ber is out there. I am ready to lis ten to the community .... And I look forward to working with our educators and supporting them and making our school system the No. 1 school system in Georgia.” On the issues: Valdes wants to continue to support programs that will keep critical race theory, divisive concepts and politics out of the classroom in Forsyth County Schools. He also prom ised to fight to put a cap on the local school property tax rate; ensure parents know what their kids are learning in school; and try to continue the quality of learning in the school system. Valdes Commissioners approve rezoning for Creekside Preserve ByAshlyn Yule ayule@forsythnews.com The proposed Creekside Preserve project will bring a new apartment complex and class-A office space to north Forsyth. At a meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 8, commissioners approved rezoning the approximately 58-acre tract of land to a master planned district for 295 apart ments, a 29,300-square-foot office building and 148 parking spaces. Commissioners also included language in the project’s condi tions to allow for parking spaces for electronic vehicles. The vote for approval was not unanimous, passing 3-2 with commissioners Todd Fevent and Cindy Jones Mills, who will rep resent the area in 2023, opposed. The mixed-use development will be on Pilgrim Mill and Holtzclaw roads with an entrance and exit on Freedom Parkway as well. Nearby residents remained opposed to the project after two public hearings. Following a public hearing before planning commissioners in September, the Board of Commissioners held an addition al hearing for the rezoning request on Thursday, Nov. 3. Residents were mostly con cerned about traffic on Pilgrim Mill Road, specifically the bum- per-to-bumper issues during rush hour from Ga. 400 north to Freedom Parkway. While traffic issues have been brought up at both the public participation meeting and public hearing, concerned resident Randy Maynard continued to speak about them. “We citizens would like to know why you’re not listening to our concerns,” Maynard said to commissioners. “[We are] heard but not listened to. Sometimes, you need to listen to the people that have put you into this posi tion.” During his presentation, zon ing attorney Christopher Fight who represents the developer said the new proposed road, Creekside Parkway, would divert 50 percent of traffic away from Pilgrim Mill Road in the morn ing rush and 25 percent of traffic in the evening rush. Audience members there to See Preserve 14A HLN show to Forsyth County News app available for download 66/51 Forecast 12A feature hiker murdered in Dawson County, 3A Find the app at forsythnews.com/apps for local news at your fingertips. □ 7 Volume 113, Number 86 © 2022, Forsyth County News Cumming, Georgia "WHY BUY ANYWHERE ELSE" MEAN COMPLETE SERVICE DEPARTMENT Lifetime Warranty Home of the 7JM F™ 5 jf~ ? 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