JCCA Newsletter for March 2016

There is a guaranteed strength and power when two forces come together for the common good. The strength of a bridge’s beam is not fully appreciated until the bridge is built and ready for operation. The strength of a car’s frame is not acknowledged until the car is assembled and prepared for sale. Each piece of these respective examples can stand alone, however, it is the purpose and use of its joining with another part that makes it fit for use for the common good.

The JCCA’s voice is growing stronger because of our partners-Home Owner Associations, such as yours.  The City of Johns Creek is growing by leaps and bounds, and the time for us to lend a helping hand in determining what the Johns Creek of the future looks like is now.  This means that we need to continue to have an active presence with zoning issues, city council requests, public safety inquires, and any major issue that you and your community deem important!

There are many ways to make your voice heard in your community. We want you to always know that we are your liaison and advocate in Johns Creek, and that we are committed to being a force that will execute change and foster positive city growth. For example, if you are concerned about a zoning issue, please let one of our directors know and we will bring the concerns to the next city zoning meeting.

This is a way for all HOAs to work with the JCCA and have an active handle in their own communities. Our Board of Directors has a very visible presence at City Council meetings each month. City officials have begun to understand that when the voice of the JCCA stands to speak, that voice is speaking on issues that have started at the grassroots level and with more than one member expressing their concern. Trust that once we bring your HOA’s concern to the City Council, that we will continue to work as your advocate until the issue is settled.

Finally, we know that there are issues that arise which fall under public safety. This is nothing to push under the rug. The JCCA is adequately prepared to voice your concerns about public safety (or any major issue) so that the Johns Creek Police Department and city officials know that they need to move expeditiously for an answer.

We’re working for you and always thinking of new ways to educate you and inform you about important legislation. Having been around since 1982, the history of the JCCA is rich.  Let’s work together to continue this great partnership between the JCCA and its members. The best is surely yet to come.

Sincerely,

Judy LeFave, President

JCCA

A group of students at Johns Creek High School have turned a carpooling idea into an award winning app.

The city of Johns Creek will celebrate its first Restaurant Week March 14 – 20, 2016.

An app has been created which will help you to select a restaurant to enjoy! You may download the app from Google Play and the App Store.

Come out, bring your family, and enjoy all that Johns Creek has to offer! All participating restaurants are below!

The ARRL and the American Red Cross have signed a newMemorandum of Understanding(MoU).

The document, signed in January, succeeds one agreed to in 2010;  it will remain in place for the next five years. The MoU spells out how League Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteers will interface with the Red Cross in the event that ARES teams are asked by the Red Cross to assist in a disaster or emergency response.

Johns Creek’s new Park Place choral group, “Park Place Voices,” is recruiting singers as it embarks on its 2016 spring season. The Park Place Voices is a choir for older adults 62 and up and at all ability levels. No auditions are required.

Tessa Walker, a music major at University of Georgia and a graduate of Johns Creek High School, began leading the choir in late 2015. Their first season culminated with performances at Park Place Senior Center and Chattahoochee High School.

“Music is a vital part of people’s lives and in addition to being fun, singing helps to improve breathing, increase energy levels, and is a simple form of self-expression,” Walker said. “Our new choir provides an opportunity to bring music and musical performance back into our members lives and the Johns Creek community.”

The group rehearses every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Park Place in the Newtown School located inside Newtown Park, 3125 Old Alabama Road.

Concert dates and locations are still to be determined. For information about the Park Place Voices or other Park Place programs please contact Maggie Barker at parkplace@johnscreekga.gov or call 678-512-3200.

Johns Creek homeowners can save money on their 2016 property taxes by filing for homestead exemptions by the April 1 deadline.

Residents of Johns Creek may be eligible for one or more Homestead Exemptions offered by the City to homeowners, as well as a number of exemptions offered by Fulton County.

Homeowners already receiving exemptions do not need to re-apply unless there has been a change in ownership of the property. There are no age or income requirements to receive a basic homestead exemption, which takes $15,000 off the taxable value of a home.

To qualify for any homestead exemption for 2016, a homeowner must own and occupy the property as his or her primary residence as of Jan. 1, 2016, and must be a permanent, legal Johns Creek resident. People who file for exemptions after April 1 will not see their exemption in the 2016 tax bill, but will see it in 2017.

Applications must be filed in person at a Fulton County Board of Assessors office. The closest one is at Royal 400 Office Park, Suite 175, 3155 Royal Drive, Alpharetta.

The City and Assessor’s Office have created a combined application process so there is no need to file separately with the City for its particular exemptions.

For more information, visit www.fultonassessor.org or call 404.224.0102.