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NEWSLETTER SIGN UPAuburn has packed month as spring cleaning is focus
The City of Auburn has a full calendar for the month of April, with some of the highlights being a community-wide egg hunt and Spring Festival, a large community yardsale, the Great American Clean-Up event, a community garden expo, a fifth-grade City Council take-over, a farmers market, Library happenings and closing out the month with the celebration of Cities Week, April 26-May 2.The Spring festival is Saturday and will include an array of activities for children and adults alike, including an egg hunt with 10,000 possible finds from 2p.m.-4p.m., crafts, food vendors and more. The festival will be at James Shackelford Memorial Park. Don’t forget to bring your camera to have a photo made with the Easter Bunny.
The first of many community-wide yardsales will begin on April 11 and will continue, the second Saturday of every month. Set-up begins in Burel Park at 7a.m. and begins at 8a.m.-2p.m. To reserve a spot the cost is $10. For more information contact Charlotte Ewing at (770) 963-4002 ext. 223.
The Great American Clean-Up will be held April 17-18, the Garden Expo will be on April 25 and kick-off the Farmers Market events and the Auburn Public Library, as always, has many activities planned. Story Time continues on Tuesdays, crafts are planned for April 27-May 1 in honor of Cities Week, with crafts revolved around community helpers such as firefighters, cooks and others. Kids Club meets every Tuesday night and the month of April will focus on Easter baskets, butterflies, Blue Birds and Mother’s Day. Other events include gardening and art classes. For more information visit http://www.cityofauburn-ga.org/auburn_library_page.html or call (770) 513-2925.
Auburn Elementary School fifth graders will experience first hand how to run a city. A final date has not yet been scheduled for the fifth-grade takeover of City Hall, but students will learn everything from budgeting, citizen comments, Court practices to business meetings.
Cities Week events will also be announced in coming weeks.
ajackson@barrowcountynews.com
The City of Auburn has a slogan: Old Southern Charm with a vision for the future. And a vision for the future is certainly what Auburn Mayor Linda Blechinger is focused on. With most headlines these days centered on budget cuts, furloughs and difficult economic times; Auburn seems to be one city in Georgia that is progressing despite the economic crisis.
The question is, what is Auburn doing in order to bring business to Barrow; what changes, incentives and marketing tools are being used to grow the small-town city with "old southern charm."
Well, there’s plenty.
"The City of Auburn has developed an economic development plan to spur on the growth of business in our City," said Blechinger. "With the expansion of sewer this year along with an expanded water system we are set and ready to go. Recently the city hired Mr. Larry Lucas as our City Planner, Mr. Lucas has helped us to stream line the process for new businesses to come into the city," she said. "One stop shopping offers a potential business owner zoning in typically less than sixty days along with business licenses normally issued in less than thirty days."
Auburn not only has become a Certified City of Ethics this past year, it has developed a new Downtown Overlay District, built a new library, created a Downtown Development Authority (DDA), completed several projects to beautify parks and surrounding areas in Auburn, became a Work Ready City, annexed land, including Auburn Station for the creation of a planned suburban village; entered into an agreement with Barrow County to improve Scott Industrial Blvd. to allow for future industrial growth; and implemented continuing education classes for residents, free of charge.
"[The year] 2008 brought to the city a new Downtown Development Authority," Blechinger said. "They are tasked with spurring on economic development within our Downtown and we areplanning to begin a facade grant program offering to assist existing business with their store fronts. We are looking to provide opportunities to help our businesses thrive and succeed," she said.
The DDA is working with local banks to help new business owners connect with financial institutions that can offer low interest loans and assist in understanding how the financial end of the business needs to operate in order to assure success.
"[The city] will hold the third-annual Auburn Business Breakfast May 2, which offers our current business owners an opportunity to meet each other and learn what will be happening in the city this year in addition we will discuss the possibility of forming an Auburn Business Association," explained Blechinger.
Statistics for the City of Auburn shows a population jump from 2000 to 2007 to be 4.1 percent according to citydata.com, with Winder showing 27.4 percent, Hoschton at 40.8, Statham at 30.6, Carl at 39.5, Bethlehem at 38.1 percent, Athens at 10.1 and Dacula at 19.1 percent.
The estimated median income for households in Auburn in 2007 topped Winder with an average of $57,434. Winder showed a median household income of $40,184, Hoschton at $62,089, Statham $44,867, Carl came in at $50,802, Athens $36,306, Bethlehem $53,132 and Dacula $60, 643.
The City of Auburn’s mission statement says it will be "a place where all people can enjoy living, working and recreation in a safe, secure and healthy environment that is provided through:
Economic development
A Downtown
Community participation in beautification initiatives
Professional city staff and public safety personnel
A transportation system
Safe, adequate and well maintained housing for all citizens
Innovative municipal services
Parks and Leisure programs and facilities and
Support of an education system
All of the goals that were set for the city in 2008 were accomplished and a Mayor’s retreat was held on Feb. 28, where all the city’s departments presented the goals that were accomplished in 2008 and the vision each department has for 2009.
The city will be launching a new website by the end of April and will have a page dedicated to Auburn businesses with free advertising.
Blechinger said the Auburn Police Department is located in the center of downtown and has an active Business Watch already in place offering business owners an extra sense of safety in their investment.
"Auburn offers a low millage rate, currently at 4.931, water rates are low and
commercial solid waste pick up is offered at a competitive price. Auburn is business friendly with competent and dedicated staff to assist every step of the way," said Blechinger.
For information please contact Mr. Ron Griffith, Auburn City Administrator at (770) 963-4002 ext. 227 or Mr. Larry Lucas, Auburn City Planner, at (770) 963-4002 ext. 202.
