February 2024

Seventh Edition: Winter 2024

I was officially sworn in on January 3rd for my second term on the Smyrna City Council.
 

Thank you to my family & friends for their ongoing support.
 

As a second-generation Smyrna native, it is a high honor to serve my community and our great city.
 

I want to acknowledge our city staff – the people that make our city work. They do an incredible job and I want to thank them.
 

Our city has collectively overcome much in the last four years, and I’m very proud of where we are and where we are headed in the next four years.
 

As with any new government, we are charged with setting the course for the next few years, but we have the unprecedented opportunity to set the course for the next 100 years for the city with the changes coming to our downtown.  I’m tremendously excited about the many options and opportunities.
 

I embark each and every day as a member of the council always looking to leave it better than I found it – a high charge to keep and one that will make our community proud.
 

Again, thank you and please call on me if I can help.

Ward 3 Update 

City Leadership Retreat

Earlier this month, the Mayor, City Council and all City Staff Leadership met for 3 days of planning and strategy. I can report we have many great things coming and much planning underway, and it was the most positive planning time we have spent in my elected service to the City of Smyrna.

Coming Soon / Downtown Redevelopment (9-acre site)

Mayor Norton has called for the creation of a taskforce of residents to start the process of determining the best use for the redevelopment of the current First Baptist Church (site). First Baptist Church has voted to sell their current campus and move to a new location and building on Atlanta Road near the Reed House. The City of Smyrna will purchase the current campus and work to redevelop the site. We expect the committee to be set and announced in the coming weeks. Of note, the rock chapel will be preserved for future use. 

A Look Back at 2023 – A Great Year!

151st City Birthday Celebration – A Grand Bash! The birthday celebration featuring the Goo Goo Dolls, 10,000 Maniacs & The Wallflowers drew 30,000 people and was a great success. 

Exciting Projects Completed!

· Village Green Downtown Redesign – COMPLETED

· Market Village Fountain Replacement – COMPLETED 

· Village Green Park – COMPLETED

· Mt. Zion Cemetery Restoration - COMPLETED

· Windy Hill Road Project – COMING SOON / underway and expected completion by late 2024

Traffic Calming / Traffic Calming Committee 

We continue to make significant progress citywide on traffic calming measures, most of which have come directly from residents throughout the city. At the end of 2023, we will have completed the initial list of nearly 50 locations and calming measures. In 2020, Mayor Norton created a special committee to look at traffic calming citywide. Council Members Susan Wilkinson, Tim Gould and I serve on the committee, I as committee chair. The calming measures range from enhanced road markings, stop signs, traffic islands and curbing, speed humps, and chicanes.  

Smyrna Emergency Alert – Get Local Alerts & News Instantly

FYI: 2024 City Council Ward Map

As a result of the 2022   council redistricting process, below is the current council map. Ward 3 is   among the largest wards in the city. To check on voter registration, you can   visit: https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/

City of Smyrna Financial Health: AAA   Bond Rated

I’m   proud to serve as the Chair of the City’s Budget Committee to work hand in   hand with the budget committee and our City Finance Director and team.   Collectively we can report the city is in sound financial standing.

Each   month, the City Finance Team updates the financial data published to the   Smyrna City website. Tableau Public is a free platform that allows the City   to easily visualize budget data alongside year-to-date revenues and   expenditures. To access the Open Data dashboards, click “Departments” at the   top of our home page, select “Finance Department”, then click “Explore the   data” at the bottom of the page. You can also follow this URL for a direct   link: https://www.smyrnaga.gov/departments/departments/finance/open-data

Save The Dates: 2024 Quarterly Ward 3 Meetings – First Sunday of Each Quarter 

· Sunday, April 5th, 5 pm @ City Hall – Joint Ward Meetings with Wards 3, 6 & 1

· Sunday, July 7th, 5 pm @ City Hall – Joint Ward Meetings with Wards 3, 6 & 1

· Sunday, October 6th, 5 pm @ City Hall – Joint Ward Meetings with Wards 3, 6 & 1

Please plan to come and hear what’s going on in Ward 3. I’m proud that we will have executed and held over 20 townhall meetings in the last 4 years – thanks to those of you who have come to one of them!

Ward Appointments – Our Neighbors

As the Ward 3 Council Member, I am honored to appoint several Ward 3 residents to posts representing Ward 3:

Planning & Zoning - Keith Bentley, Williams Park

Hospital Authority - Joan Stuart, Bank Street

Keep Smyrna Beautiful - Matt Anderson, Glen Rose

Parks and Recreation - Tobi North, Park View  

Housing Authority - Lem Ward, JD, Williams Park 

Special Thanks

Thank you to Mrs. Liz Davis for over 20 years of service and leadership to the Keep Smyrna Beautiful Board. Mrs. Davis’s leadership, passion and energy for KSB, KSB Chair, Williams Park and the City of Smyrna have been a high calling and we thank her.

A huge thank you to Mrs. Betty Williams for serving on the Keep Smyrna Beautiful Board for nearly 18 years. Mrs. Williams’s service and longstanding work to better Smyrna is much appreciated. 

I am pleased to have several additional residents from Ward 3 serving in appointed positions citywide. 

Want to get involved? Reach out to me at: tlindley@smyrnaga.gov 

Projects Completed & Promises Kept! 

I want to thank the residents of Ward 3 for allowing me to serve as your Council Member – it has been a productive year. We have much on the horizon to be excited about in our great community and I eagerly look forward to the challenges and outcomes. 

As always, I want to recognize our dedicated city staff, from our police and firefighters, public works, community development and our administration staff – these are folks who work each day to make our community a better place. 

Community Outreach

I have received many emails and calls from residents in Ward 3, and with the help of our great city staff, we have been able to timely address issues as they come in throughout the Ward. If I can be of assistance, please feel free to reach out to me. 

We are here to help. 

Tillman House 

Looking to engage and help your community? I urge you to learn more about a vital service organization here in our community. Particularly for people needing food assistance, Tillman House has filled an enormous need, and we continue to connect those in need with assistance. For those who don’t yet know of this crucial ministry, it is located at 1315 Concord Road. 

Upcoming Events? (Civic clubs, HOA meetings, etc.)

Please let me know if you would like me or any other member of city staff to attend a meeting or event – we are always happy to join you and update you on city business. 

HOA Meeting Location – I’m happy to host your HOA meeting at City Hall. 

Smyrna Fact: The Smyrna Public Library

The City of Smyrna is the only city of Georgia’s 537 cities to have its own public library. In 2023, the library had 145,339 visitors. 

Constituent Services 

It is my honor to serve you and this ward. If I can be of assistance, please let me know. 

Please feel free to contact me with questions, concerns, or ideas. 

My email is tlindley@smyrnaga.gov and my phone number is (678) 631-5308.