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City Government

Q & A on Stay-at-Home Order from the Mayor

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covid-19 stay-at-home q&a

The Emergency Order becomes effective March 28

On March 17 there were 7 cases of COVID-19 in Gwinnett County. Ten days later there were 78. The very next morning there were 83. More compelling, there is a 6 to 7-day delay in getting test results, plus testing is limited to only first responders, medical personnel, and sick people. I think you get the point. As a result, when the County asked all the Cities to join them in a stay at home order, our Council was unanimous in support.

This decision was not made impulsively or without due regard for the impact on our business community. You should know by now how business-friendly we are. Rather we chose to find that balance between your health and your paycheck that we thought was in everyone’s best interest. We will do what we can for our businesses separately. For now, our health is paramount.

What is a stay at home order? Below you’ll find a basic, simplified Q&A that walks you through what it means. Please note, this list is intended as a living document. We expect lots of questions and clarifications, so do not hesitate to contact us at info@peachtreecornersga.gov, or mmason@peachtreecornersga.gov with your questions. We’ll update the Q&A as things change.   

Most importantly, take this seriously. STAY HOME. We’ll be back to concerts on the Town Green before you know it.     

Stay-at-Home Q&A

Q: Does this mean I must stay inside my home/apartment all the time?

A: No, the Emergency Order directs everyone to stay in their place of residence unless they leave their homes for an essential activity.

Q: What are essential activities?

A: Essential activities include:

·        Grocery shopping (including restaurant takeout), picking up medical supplies or medication, visiting a health care professional or to obtain supplies needed to work from home, or to go to your place of work, only if it’s an essential business (which provides an essential activity).  

·        Outdoor activities such as walking, hiking, running, bicycling, and other physical activities, as long as you comply with the social distancing requirements (remain at least 6 feet apart from those other than your immediate family).

·        You may also leave to care for a family member or pet in another household.

Q: What is an essential business?

A: Essential businesses include:

·        Medical facilities, grocery stores, certified farmers’ markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other establishments engaged in the retail sale of canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, veterinary clinics, pet supply, fresh meats, fish and poultry and any other household consumer projects such as cleaning and personal care products.

·        Restaurants that offer food only through delivery, takeout, or drive-thru. 

·        Establishments that sell alcoholic beverages can sell unopened bottles of liquor or wine, or new sealed growlers, curbside to takeout customers only.  

·        Businesses and other organizations that provide food, shelter and social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals.

·        Banks and related financial institutions.

·        Hardware stores

·        Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, lawn service, cleaning services, and other service providers necessary to maintaining safety, sanitation and the essential operation of residences

·        Mailing and shipping services including post office boxes

·        Laundromats, dry cleaners, and laundry service providers

·        Businesses that supply products needed for people to work from home

·        Businesses that deliver groceries, food, goods, or services directly to residences,

·        Airlines, taxis, and other private transportation services providing transportation for essential activities

·        Home-based care for seniors, adults, or children

Q: What is essential travel? 

A: Any travel related to an essential activity, essential business or essential government functions. All other travel is restricted.

Q: Can businesses stay open as long as they comply with the 6-foot social distancing rule?

A: No, only essential businesses providing essential services may remain open.

Q: Can my children play with my neighbor’s children?

A: Only if they maintain the social distancing requirement of 6 feet.

Q: Can I socialize with my neighbors outdoors as long as we remain 6 feet apart?

A: Yes, but remember, this Local Emergency Order is necessary to protect the health and well-being of all who live and work in our city. This is temporary, we will get through this tough period, there will be plenty of opportunities to socialize if we all work together.

Q: Is the Town Green open? Can I take my family there?

A: Yes, the Town Green is open, however, the playground and restrooms will remain closed during the pandemic. Please remember to maintain the 6-foot social distance requirement.

Q: How long will this Emergency Order be in place?

A: This Emergency Order became effective at 12:01 a.m. on March 28, 2020 and will continue to be in effect until 11:59 p.m. on April 12, 2020. It may be extended, rescinded, superseded, or amended by the Mayor and City Council.

Q: The Department of Public Health has ordered that certain higher-risk population remain quarantined or shelter in place for 14 days. Who are considered at higher risk?

A: Individuals 60 and older and those who are medically fragile such as those who are undergoing cancer treatments, have heart and lung conditions, asthma, and other serious health conditions that put them at risk if exposed to the coronavirus.

Q: Is it OK to attend drive-in church services? 

A: While we understand the desire of local churches to gather in worship, we encourage our churches to abide by local limits on social gatherings. Many of the large COVID-19 outbreaks occurring across our nation are directly linked to places of worship and similar social gatherings. The existing state of emergency prohibits gatherings of 10 or more people, which includes weddings, funerals, and church services. This would include a drive-in church scenario.    

Q: Does this Emergency Order include a curfew? 

A: No, this emergency order does not include a curfew.

Q: What is the best source for finding ways to protect me and my family during the pandemic?

A: Every day the Georgia Department of Health Services (DPH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Gwinnett County Health Department issue updated guidelines and information related to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

These sources are the best place to get the facts and get your questions answered. The city urges all citizens to visit these websites on a regular basis. These are the health experts who have the expertise to provide the guidance you need to keep you and your family safe.

If you want regular updates delivered to you via email, the CDC offers a subscription to an e-newsletter that provides important COVID-19 updates. To subscribe visit the CDC website and select the link labeled “Sign up for emails from CDC” located near the bottom right side of the page or use this link: https://tools.cdc.gov/campaignproxyservice/subscriptions.aspx?topic_id=USCDC_2067

Q: Is there a phone number that I can call if I have questions about the coronavirus?

A: For health questions, please keep these important telephone numbers handy:

• Georgia Department of Public Health: 404-657-2700 (information); 24/7 Public Health Emergency Line: 1-866-782-4584)

• Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 1-800-232-4636 • Gwinnett County Health Department: 770-339-4260

• The State of Georgia has a new COVID-19 hotline: 1-844-442-2681

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City Government

Councilmember Eric Christ: 2025 Peachtree Corners Municipal Elections

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A white man with glasses, wearing a dark colored jacket walking in the road alongside a line of vintage cars.

Source: Peachtree Corners Post 2 Councilmember Eric Christ’s recent newsletter.

Peachtree Corners Municipal Elections Tuesday, November 4 in white font on a blue background.

On Tuesday, November 4, we will have municipal elections here in the City of Peachtree Corners for three council seats. [And] for the first time since 2013, there will be a state-wide election on the same day as our city general election. 

The state-wide election is to fill two seats on the Public Service Commission, which regulates Georgia Power and other utilities.

For the PSC election, the Gwinnett County Board of Elections will have all 156 county precincts open on November 4. Historically, Peachtree Corners has had a single voting location for city elections — at City Hall.

If we do the same this year, citizens who want to vote in both the PSC and the City Council elections will need to go to two places to cast their ballots.

A few years ago, I convinced the County Board of Elections to remove their prohibition against the Gwinnett Elections Department managing city elections. (Every county surrounding Gwinnett already offered this service to their cities.)

This means there is the potential of adding our city council elections to the county ballot.

I would like to hear your thoughts on the pros and cons of combining our city council races with the county’s for this year’s elections. 

Please complete my brief survey by clicking here.



To sign up for Councilmember Christ’s newsletter or find him on social media, visit linktr.ee/votechrist.

You can read more from his latest newsletter updates here and here.

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City Government

City of Peachtree Corners Receives Distinguished Budget Presentation Award

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Logo for the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award

For the eighth year in a row, the City of Peachtree Corners has been esteemed with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. This award was presented by the Georgia Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the City’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget submission.

  • policy document
  • financial plan
  • operations guide
  • communications device

Certificate of Recognition

When a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to an entity, a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation is also presented to the individual(s) or department designated as being primarily responsible for having achieved the award.

“Congratulations to the entire finance team on receiving this award,” said City Manager Brian Johnson

“This recognition is a testament to our team’s hard work, professionalism and commitment to excellence.”

There are over 1,700 participants in the Budget Awards Program. The most recent Budget Award recipients, along with their corresponding budget documents, are posted quarterly on GFOA’s website.

Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.

About the GFOA

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources and practical research for more than 21,000 members and the communities they serve.

About the City of Peachtree Corners, Georgia

As the heart of what is being called #SiliconOrchard in the metro Atlanta region, Peachtree Corners is a vibrant municipality that’s home to more than 45,000 residents and an innovation hub that houses some of the world’s most disruptive technology companies.

As the United States’ premier smart city powered by real-world connected infrastructure and 5G, Peachtree Corners serves as the model for how government and private industry can better collaborate to create a better future for society and business.

From the world’s first deployment of teleoperated e-scooters to fully autonomous shuttles being utilized by actual residents, and from a solar roadway to the largest electric vehicle charging hub in the region, Peachtree Corners is where the most future-forward Internet of Things (IoT) and sustainable technologies come to life for the benefit of its people and the world.

For more information, visit peachtreecornersga.gov.

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City Government

BRACK: How one city operates without property tax

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Peachtree Corners City Hall in the evening with flag display, signage and lights.

Some people lament paying taxes. They don’t understand that taxes allow us to live in a more civilized manner, helping and protecting us all along.  That’s why I don’t mind paying reasonable taxes for the safety of everyday living.

Many don’t recognize it, but you are often paying a small tax without realizing it as you go about your everyday business….but it’s not called a tax.

White man with white hair and glasses wearing a suit with a red tie, smiling. Beside the image is the name Ellliott Brack in all-caps blue letters on a white background.

It’s called a “fee.” Each time you pay your power or utility bill and cable bill, your insurance premium, when you rent a hotel room or car…and other ways…you are providing a few cents or dollars to help fund mostly local government.

The newly-minted City of Mulberry (and previously Peachtree Corners) will run its government without taxing property owners paying a tax to fund its operations.  How so?  Entirely from fees.  

Let’s visit what the other city without property taxes, Peachtree Corners, is doing. 

White man with short brown hair and facial hair wearing a suit, smiling at the camera with an American flag behind him.
Salley

We talked with Cory Salley, who is the finance director for Peachtree Corners. He sent along a graphic which shows where Peachtree Corners gets its funding, as well as how it is spent.  (See graphic.)

For the most part, Peachtree Corners is funded by fees. The biggest comes from Georgia Power Company, paying $2.8 million in fees for the city for 2025. Other utilities include $450,000 from Atlanta Gas Light Company; $250,000 from Comcast; $70,000 from Direct TV; and $42,000 from AT&T.  (That last figure was interesting, in effect, showing how few people have land-line telephones anymore.) Altogether, utility fees brought in $4.3 million in Peachtree Corners for 2024.

Another bucket of fees include $3.8 million in insurance fees. This comes in one check from the Department of Revenue, which collects insurance fees for all cities.

Each business in Peachtree Corners pays an occupational business license tax. With lots of professional offices in the city, these businesses contribute $4.4 million to the city coffers.

Infographic of the FY2025 Budget at a Glance for Peachtree Corners

Other fee collections for 2024:

  • Alcoholic licenses and sales: $1 million.
  • Zoning and land development permits: $1.4 million.
  • SPLOST funds on sales within Peachtree Corners: $10 million.
  • Automobile and vehicle purchases: $1.7 million.  This is interesting: no matter where you buy an automobile in Georgia, part of the sales tax reverts to the city where you live. 

Then there are other funds coming to the city; stormwater fees, grants, solid waste, etc. Altogether, it added up to approximately a $40 million income to run the city. 

Some specifics and the way they are figured: 

  • Real estate transfer taxes: This tax is imposed at the rate of $1 on the first $1,000 and 10 cents on each additional $10 on any conveyance of real property when the value of the interest transferred exceeds $100.
  • Distilled Spirits—up to 22 cents per liter on package sales and up to 3 percent of the sale price of a drink on sales to the public;
  • Wine—up to 22 cents per liter; and
  • Malt Beverages—up to $6.00 per bulk container (no more than 15.5 gallons) to be paid by the wholesaler and up to 5 cents per 12 ounces when sold in bottles, cans or other containers.
  • A municipality may levy a business license tax on depository financial institutions (such as a bank.) The maximum rate of this tax is 0.25 percent.
  • Hotel-motel tax: a municipality may levy a hotel-motel tax at a rate of 3 percent or less or at a rate of 5, 6, 7, or 8 percent. (Yes, let the out-of-towner pay!)

Perhaps this gives you an idea of how a city, like Mulberry in the future, can operate without property taxes.

Have a comment?  Send to: elliott@elliottbrack

Written by Elliott Brack

This material is presented with permission from Elliott Brack’s GwinnettForum, an online site published Tuesdays and Fridays. To become better informed about Gwinnett, subscribe (at no cost) at GwinnettForum.

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