MARTA 4 GWINNETT WEBSITE

NEXT COUNTY COMMISSIONER MEETING ON FEBRUARY 25TH, AT 7:00 PM

The Situation:

Gwinnett County has an opportunity to put transit on the ballot again in November 2020 during the General Election. In order for this to happen, though, the Board of Commissioners must approve the transit plan and ballot measure by late March in order for other administrative processes to take place.

While there was a vote in March 2019, and it failed 54% No to 46% Yes, the biggest reason for that was low turnout at only 17% of registered voters, combined with a physical separation of ballot locations for the county-wide referendum from local referendums. November 2020 is guaranteed to have a larger, more representative turnout, without disparate polling places.

We must advocate for the the county government to prioritize transit, and give the citizens of Gwinnett another chance to vote on it.

What should we ask for?

1. The Board of Commissioners should act quickly to put transit on the November ballot.

2. The vote should be for Gwinnett to join MARTA.

How can we ask for this?

1. Attend Board of Commissioner meetings, and give a statement during the public comment period to ask for these items.

2. Contact your county representative via phone, email, or letter.

3. Chairman Nash represents the entire county, and the other commissioners are generally responsive to everyone even if you live outside their district.

4. People who work in, travel through, or otherwise care about transit in Gwinnett should still contact the commissioners even if you do not live in the county.

When can we ask this?

There are a few specific opportunities, along with ongoing options. First, the Gwinnett county commission meets a few times a month:

• February 25th, 7:00 pm: Public Hearing

• March 3rd, 2:00 pm: Business Session

• March 17th, 2:00 pm: Business Session

• March 24th, 7:00 pm: Public Hearing

Each of these meetings has public comment periods. MAKE SURE TO SHOW UP EARLY TO SUBMIT A COMMENT REQUEST.

If you can't make it to the meetings themselves, we ask that you write, email, and call (preferably all three) your Gwinnett representative commissioner. If you don't live in the county itself, you can contact Charlotte Nash, the commission chair. See below for contact info.

What Should we say?

We recommend a comment such as the following:

Good evening. My name is [insert name], and I live/work/grew up in Gwinnett. I am asking that you vote to approve another transit referendum on the November ballot, and that it be a vote for the county to finally join MARTA.

Please feel welcome to add personal stories as to why improved transit is important to you, your family, or friends, and how this opportunity would be beneficial to Gwinnett and the region as a whole. Especially do this for phone calls and emails where you will not be as time limited as during a public comment period.

Make sure to check out the ‘Need’ and ‘FAQ’ sections of this website for additional inspiration and data for your public comments.

Commissioner Contact Information: [click here to find your commissioner]

Board of Commissioners Meetings

Gwinnett Justice & Administration Center Auditorium

75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Jace Brooks, District 1

770.822.7001

[email protected]

Charlotte J. Nash, Chairman

770.822.7010

[email protected]

Ben Ku, District 2

770.822.7002

[email protected]

Tommy Hunter, District 3

770.822.7003

[email protected]

Marlene M. Fosque, District 4

770.822.7004

[email protected]

MARTA expansion won't come without the support of you, the citizens of Gwinnett County and supporters of metro Atlanta transit alike. Each and every one of you are needed to help spread the word, and to volunteer your time to bring Gwinnett a transit system it can not only use for everyday life, but which it can be proud of as well!

Please volunteer your time to finally bring MARTA into Gwinnett county, and sign up to our email list for updates on ongoing efforts and news.