ROCKDALE COUNTY PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release August 1, 2023

Reimagining Rockdale: Join Us for a Strategic Planning Kickoff Event

ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. – The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners is hosting the Reimagine Rockdale Strategic Planning Kickoff Event focused on visioning Rockdale County for the future. The event will be Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. at C.E. Steele Community Center, 1040 Oakland Ave SE, Conyers, 30012. The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners is thrilled to invite all residents to participate in an innovative event that will shape the future landscape of our cherished county. The event aims to gather valuable insights and ideas from our diverse community.

Our collaboration will guide decision-making, prioritize initiatives, and set realistic goals for our county’s development. Resident input will heavily influence our strategic framework for the future.

The Reimagine Rockdale Strategic Planning Event will be an engaging and innovative experience designed to include residents from all walks of life. It will feature:

• Visioning Activities: Envision and articulate what Rockdale County will become within 5 to 20 years. Share aspirations and ideas for a thriving community that caters to everyone’s needs.
• Interactive Roundtable Discussions: Engage in interactive brainstorming sessions, discussing themes like arts and culture, housing, public safety, sustainability, public health, economic development, urban design, and more.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow residents, local businesses, and community organizations to forge strong partnerships to drive our collective vision forward.

This landmark event activates a crucial step in our collective journey towards a vibrant, resilient, and sustainable future for Rockdale County.

For more information, please visit www.reimaginerockdaletogether.com.

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ROCKDALE COUNTY PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

July 31^st, 2023

Commissioner Sherri L. Washington Appointed Vice Chair of International Economic Development Task Force for NACo

ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. – NACo appoints Commissioner Sherri L. Washington as Vice-Chair for the Rockdale sector of the International Economic Development Task Force.

The task force serves as a valuable resource for sharing crucial information, innovative ideas, and essential resources. Its primary objective is to provide comprehensive guidance to NACo programming, which is closely related to county-level involvement in various international economic development activities. The task force is committed to facilitating effective collaboration and promoting sustainable growth while ensuring that county-level interests are well-represented.

“I am proud of my appointment as a Vice Chair to the International Economic Development Task Force. International economic development plays a crucial role in shaping a more interconnected and prosperous world, fostering cooperation, and improving the quality of life for people around the globe.” Commissioner Washington says.

Commissioner Washington has served one four-year term and is currently serving a 2nd four-year term as Commissioner Post 1 in Conyers, Georgia. Commissioner Washington held a position on the Rockdale-Conyers Economic development council, active in her community as she is involved with the Rockdale Rotary Club, the National Executive Committee of the National Council of Negro Women Rockdale-Newton Chapter, and the Covington Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. She is also the founding member of the East Metro Top Ladies of Distinction. She serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Angie’s House – a nonprofit organization that focuses on children who are survivors of domestic violence.

For a complete list of International Economic Development Task Force members, click here.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) is dedicated to empowering America’s counties and supporting the nearly 40,000 elected officials and 3.6 million employees who serve them. Established in 1935, NACo brings together county officials to advocate for county priorities in federal policymaking, promote exceptional county policies and practices, develop leadership skills, expand knowledge networks, optimize county resources, and cost savings, and enhance public understanding of county government.

For more information, please visit www.naco.org/

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FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2023, JOHNSON PARK RECREATION CENTER
KICK-OFF OF THREE-DAY HOMEBUYER EVENT – 11:00 A.M.

• Over 7,000 homebuyers registered, with over 10,000 expected to attend.
• Access NACA’s Best in America Mortgage; no down payment, closing costs, lowest fixed interest rate.
• Showcase High-Quality Factory Build Modular Home Priced at about $120,000.

Conyers, GA July 21, 2023— Rockdale County’s Board of Commissioners, NACA Founder and CEO Bruce Marks, Vantem CEO Chris Anderson, and others will be present to kick off NACA’s Achieve the Dream homebuyer event on Friday, July 28, at 11:00 a.m., at the Johnson Park Recreation Center, located at 1781 Ebenezer Road SW, Conyers, Georgia. The event will provide low- and moderate-income homebuyers access to NACA’s Best in America Mortgage: no down payment, no closing costs, no fees, no mortgage insurance, at a below-market fixed interest rate without consideration of one’s credit score.

The public is encouraged to attend this 3-day event any time between 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily. At this one-stop, Achieve the Dream event, the homebuyer attends a workshop and meets with a NACA HUD-certified counselor and an underwriter. Many homebuyers are qualified for NACA’s Best in America Mortgage or their next steps the same day. More than 10,000 individuals are pre-registered to attend this event. NACA is well positioned to meet this considerable participation, as it is the nation’s largest housing counseling agency with more than $20 billion committed to this outstanding mortgage product, with $15 billion from Bank of America.

The lack of affordable homes to purchase keeps many from achieving the American dream of homeownership. NACA provides a solution with extremely affordable, high-quality, energy-efficient, factory-built modular homes. A model of a NACA Home (pictured below) will be showcased at the event for attendees to experience for themselves. NACA is partnering with Vantem, a modular housing builder that simplifies construction and introduces energy efficiency into the home, making it more cost-effective and scalable (see a video at https://vimeo.com/847087662). This three-bedroom, two-bath model is 1,400 square feet and costs about $120,000.

“We are excited that our partnership with NACA allows us to present a full-scale 1,400 square feet, three bedroom, two-bath model home onsite at Johnson Park as an example of modular homes offered by NACA Home for citizens and attendees to inspect throughout this event” states Chairman Nesbitt; “and we applaud NACA for its innovative and unwavering commitment to provide alternative housing solutions within our community.”

“The next three days will be nothing short of amazing as homebuyers obtain the full spectrum of tools for affordable homeownership, from household budgeting to NACA’s outstanding homeownership programs,” said Mr. Marks. “NACA is committed to working with Commissioner Nesbitt and the other county commissioners to close the wealth disparity gap and stand on the side of residents who want to continue to call Rockdale County their home.”

NACA is the nation’s largest nonprofit HUD-certified counseling organization. NACA operates in every state and has 47 offices nationwide.

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ROCKDALE COUNTY PRESS RELEASE

Chairman Nesbitt to Host 2nd Shop Talk of 2023

ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. – Rockdale County Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr., will host the second of three Shop Talk forums for this year. This event, held at local barbershops, connects the community with government staff and officials. This event will be held at Headquarterz Barbershop, 1180 West Ave SW, Suite C, Conyers, GA 30012, on Saturday, August 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This Shop Talk will feature the following speakers to answer questions and concerns from a candid audience:

• Janice Morris, Rockdale County Clerk of Superior and State Court
• Will Barkley, Executive Director of Rockdale County Board of Assessors
• Brian Kelley, Director of Rockdale County Department of Transportation

Shop Talk is a grass-roots approach to getting to know the community by interacting and engaging in an “open-air” dialogue. The series will also introduce government officials and staff to those who may not know who
they are their roles, duties, and responsibilities.

For more information, please contact the Department of Public Relations at 770-278-7050.

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