Month: March 2022

Commissioners approved improvement projects to widen Rosebud Road in Grayson and to improve the intersection of Medlock Bridge Road at North Peachtree Street/Langford Road in Norcross.
The Grayson project will widen Rosebud Road and add a raised median and turn lanes from SR 84/Grayson Parkway to south of SR 20/Buford Drive. This $996,654.95 project will include the installation of a mid-block pedestrian crossing, sidewalks, curb and gutter, and associated drainage improvements.
The $425,287.32 Norcross project will realign the right turn lane from Medlock Bridge onto Peachtree Street as well as replace the existing signal with a traffic signal with mast arms. Both projects are funded by the 2017 SPLOST program and in partnership with the corresponding city.

County leaders rolled up their sleeves to cut the ribbon for and celebrate the completion of what’s called The Water Tower – an innovative center bringing education, co-working and research together under one roof.
“The Water Tower has already become a beacon of innovation for our community and the region,” said Gwinnett Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson. “In addition to enhancing our existing water systems, it will also contribute to the technological and educational advancements within the water industry as a whole.”
Located in Buford, the Water Tower launched in 2019 and includes two nonprofit organizations: The Water Tower at Gwinnett and The Water Tower Institute. The $33.7 million facility combines water utilities and community.
“It feels great seeing The Water Tower come to fruition, from site design to the ribbon cutting,” said District 4 Commissioner Marlene Fosque. “The Water Tower is a physical representation of our commitment to meeting the pressing needs of residents and businesses while also being responsible stewards of the environment and our natural resources.”
The campus features three classrooms, four conference rooms, multiple laboratories, coworking spaces, single-tenant office rentals, a field training center, and a water treatment demonstration area.

If you’ve ever watched a Gwinnett County town hall meeting on Facebook or tuned in to a Board of Commissioners meeting on TVGwinnett.com, let us introduce you to one of the hardworking employees who makes that possible.
Jamie Lee has been working for Gwinnett as a video producer for more than seven years, but before he joined our team, he was a video producer in Korea. In 2011, he made the decision to move to the United States and attend the University of Georgia.
“In Korea, I had a degree in communications with a focus in advertising, but at that point, I was working as a video producer. So, I applied to the University of Georgia to be more knowledgeable in my skill,” Jamie said.
It was there that he met his wife, who happened to be a Gwinnett resident. Once they got married, they moved to Gwinnett, and a few years later, Jamie applied for a video production position in the County’s Communications Division (which last year became a department).
“I love working with our very knowledgeable Communications staff. We work as one team to serve residents,” he said.   
As a senior video producer, Jamie spends a lot of time shooting video, providing AV support, developing program for TV Gwinnett, and more — all of which give him a behind-the-scenes look at County operations.
“I get to experience what’s happening throughout the County in great detail. That helps me prepare to better serve the public,” Jamie said.
During the height of the pandemic, demand for video meant Jamie and his team’s responsibilities grew. Throughout 2020, the video production team started providing support for virtual meetings and recorded urgent messages for our community.
“At that time, the toughest thing was being out there capturing what was going on in Gwinnett to keep everyone at home informed,” he said.
Even though the demand was high during the start of the pandemic, Jamie still took the time to translate some of the County’s urgent messages into Korean.
“I represent Gwinnett’s diversity as a Korean American. I am always trying to lend a helping hand as a resident and employee of Gwinnett County,” Jamie said. 
His eagerness to help our people led him to one of his favorite projects. Recently, he had an opportunity to interview residents for Chairwoman Hendrickson’s 2022 State of the County address. The video was a chance to gather a snapshot of how everyday residents feel about Gwinnett — from the great things to the challenges.
“Throughout that experience, I felt like I was acting as a bridge between residents and County leadership,” he said.
Being that bridge is what the County motto “vibrantly connected” means to him.
“I am always thinking that I’m not just producing a video; my final product is acting as a bridge. I’m bridging the gap between the County, employees, leadership, and residents,” Jamie said.
Currently, the Communications Department is seeking more bridge builders to join the team. To see opportunities in video production, public relations, and graphic design in the Communications Department, visit GCGA.us/CommunicationsCareers.

Local youth will soon be able to engage in civic affairs, develop leadership skills, and learn more about Gwinnett County government through one of the County’s signature outreach programs — the Gwinnett Youth Commission.
This year-long leadership and service-oriented program empowers young people to get involved and create change in their community and local government. The initiative will consist of an eight-week summer training session and a graduation ceremony where participants will be sworn-in as youth commission leaders for the remainder of the year.
The program is at no cost to participants, as the County will provide breakfast and lunch as well as transportation for field trips.  
Eligible students must be a resident of Gwinnett County, attend a public, private, charter, or home school in the Gwinnett, and be a rising high school freshman, sophomore, or junior. A letter of recommendation is also required.
The application deadline for the 2022 – 2023 cohort is Friday, April 15 at 5:00pm. 30 students will be selected by an independent selection committee. Successful applicants will be notified of their acceptance into the program in early May.
Complete the online application 
For more information about the Gwinnett Youth Commission, please contact Michael Rabalais at Michael.Rabalais@gwinnettcounty.com or visit GCGA.us/GwinnettYouthCommission.