Local and state officials will gather Wednesday, November 4, 2015 at 10 a.m. to ceremoniously break ground for a project that will widen State Route 400 in Forsyth County from McFarland Parkway to State Route 369. The work will add one lane in each direction.   The project is being made possible through a partnership between Forsyth County and the Georgia Department of Transportation. GDOT has contributed $13 million to this work and is managing the project. The remainder of the project funding – approximately $34.5 million – comes from the Forsyth County Transportation Bond. Approved by 63 percent ...

The Forsyth County Fire Department encourages citizens to change the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms when they set their clocks back an hour on Sunday, November 1, as daylight saving time ends.   “Something as simple as changing a battery could save lives,” Division Chief Jason Shivers said. “And by replacing these batteries twice each year when you adjust your clocks, it’s easy to remember.”   If the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are serviceable, they should be changed every six to twelve months. Then, the Forsyth County Fire Department suggests testing the ...

With renovations complete, the Sharon Springs branch of the Forsyth County Tax Commissioner’s Office, which is located inside Sharon Springs Park, reopened Monday, October 12. The renovation project involved increasing the size of the lobby/waiting area as well as a redesign of the customer service counters. The remodeling provides additional seating while allowing for future growth and better management of customer flow.   Forsyth County Tax Commissioner Matthew Ledbetter is excited for the renovations to be completed and to reopen the branch.    “Customer service is our highest priority and these renovations will enable us to provide a greater ...

Forsyth County government will hold a surplus auction on Saturday, November 7, at 843 Canton Highway in Cumming. A wide variety of items will be available for bid including cars, trucks, mowers, off-road equipment and office furniture.   “The live auction gives our local taxpayers and other buyers an opportunity to purchase items such as vehicles or office equipment at very reasonable prices,” Forsyth County Director of Fleet Services Avery Gravitt said.   The auction site will be open for a preview of items on Friday, November 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and again on the day ...

Registration is now underway for Forsyth County Parks and Recreation’s 2015-16 Winter Basketball League for boys and girls ages 9-14. Sign-ups will continue through Friday, Oct. 23.   Early registration is encouraged as space is limited. Registrations will be accepted Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the county’s three recreation centers, located at Central Park, Fowler Park and Old Atlanta Park. Registrations may also be submitted via fax, mail and online at www.forsythco.com.   Late registration for only the 13/14-year-old boys and girls programs is scheduled to take place at the three recreation centers Monday, Oct. 26, ...

Keep Forsyth County Beautiful invites residents to recycle their old electronics and unused paint during the upcoming electronics recycling event. Paint recycling and disposal is a new offering at the event, which will be held on Saturday, November 7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cumming Fairgrounds' parking lot 3 off of Castleberry Road.   Accepted items for the electronics recycling event include laptops, stereos, CD players, cell phones, printers, gaming consoles and controllers, fax machines and more. The minimum donation per carload drop-off is $5 while an additional $20 fee will apply for each television and ...

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has presented Forsyth County with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the county’s 2015 budget book. This marks the third consecutive year the county has received the award, which is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting and represents a significant achievement. In order to qualify for the award, a governmental entity must satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. The guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity’s budget serves as a policy document, as a financial plan, as an operations guide, and ...

Following a Proclamation by President Barack Obama, flags at county government facilities will be flying at half-staff until sunset, October 6, 2015 as a mark of respect for the victims in Roseburg, Oregon.

Flags at county government facilities will be flying at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Sunday, October 4 in observance of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service in Emmetsburg, Maryland.  

Forsyth County property tax bills have recently been mailed and are due November 15. Here’s some information to assist with understanding your 2015 tax bill.   Tax bills reflect levies by three different entities: the Forsyth County Board of Education, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners (county government) and the State. As shown in the illustration below, Forsyth County government receives approximately 29% of the taxes you pay. What does the county’s portion of your tax bill include? The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners sets only the county’s portion of your tax bill (while the Board of Education sets theirs). The county government’s ...