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Kelvin “Kelly” Kelkenberg Day

Posted on by Talore Ruedt

At last night’s council meeting, Mayor Harris, Council Member Thomas and Council Member Whitlock presented Kimberly Kelkenberg, wife of the late Kelvin Kelkenberg, with a proclamation proclaiming February 14, 2022 as Kelvin “Kelly” Kelkenberg Day in the CIty of Duluth.

Photo of Mayor Harris, Kimberly Kelkenberg, Council Member Thomas and Council Member Whitlock.
Pictured from left to right: Mayor Harris, Kimberly Kelkenberg, Council Member Thomas, Council Member Whitlock.

Council Member Kelkenberg was in his 3rd term, having served ten years on City Council when he passed away following a three-year battle with cancer in August of 2021. He was a passionate supporter of all things Duluth and was part of a team that saw the development of Parsons Alley and city-wide growth. He was a mentor and friend to many. His legacy will continue to impact our city for generations to come.

Photo of Kelvin "Kelly" Kelkenberg
Kelvin “Kelly” Kelkenberg

The proclamation reads:

Whereas, Kelvin “Kelly” Kelkenberg served on the Zoning Board of Appeals from 2005-2009 as well as the Planning Commission from 2009-2010.  He also participated in and graduated from the Duluth L.E.A.D. program in 2008; and

Whereas, Kelly was elected to and wholeheartedly served on the Duluth City Council from 2011-2021; and

Whereas, Kelly was elected to the Executive Board of the Gwinnett Municipal Association (GwMA) in 2018, serving as Vice President in 2019 and President in 2020, and from whom he received the Leadership and Service Award for exceptional service; and

Whereas, Kelly was appointed to the Gwinnett County Transit Review and Recommendation Committee where, in 2018 and 2019, he helped lead the development of a plan to bring to the citizens for a vote; and

Whereas, Kelly was appointed to the Urban Redevelopment Agency in 2021 to help guide the use of TAD related Bond funds for further enhancement of Duluth’s remarkable downtown; and

Whereas, on numerous occasions, Kelly was called upon for his unique expertise for matters such as helping the City to avoid becoming a victim of cyber-attacks, assisting with the preparation for Tropical Storm Irma and dealing with the complex issues associated with the Covid-19 pandemic; and

Whereas, Kelly regularly participated in the Georgia Municipal Association meetings and activities, including being a member of the Federal Policy Committee and earning a Certificate of Dedication for his training hours; and

Whereas, Kelly was heavily involved in numerous local organizations, giving his time and talent generously; and

Whereas, council members that served with Kelly appreciated his unrelenting commitment to the community; and

Whereas, Kelly was a loving, devoted husband, father, son, grandfather, brother, and friend.

Now, therefore, I, Nancy Harris, Mayor of Duluth, on behalf of the council, citizens and staff of Duluth do hereby recognize February 14, 2022, as Kelvin “Kelly” Kelkenberg Day in the City

New development coming to Downtown Duluth!

Posted on by Talore Ruedt
The parking lot located between Truck & Tap and Taylor Park, affectionally known to many as the Paver Lot, will be closed long-term for construction starting early morning on Tuesday, February 15. The area is being developed by Fabric Developers, LLC and Vantage Realty Partners in conjunction with the City of Duluth and was designed by Studio SOGO. While a completion date is not certain, we hope that the space will be reopened for even better enjoyment in the spring of 2023.
We hope our growth didn’t cause you to lose your favorite parking spot! Fortunately, there is plenty of parking in Downtown Duluth just steps away. An updated parking map can be found here on our website.

Black History Month Events in Gwinnett County

Posted on by Talore Ruedt

 

Hosted by the Duluth Library

African American Genealogy –Saturday, February 12, 2:00pm – Discover tips and tricks to successfully find your African American ancestors using GCPL genealogy library resources and databases. Learn More

BlackSuperHero-Con – Saturday, February 19, 1:00-3:00pm – Join us for a day of trivia, games, and more as we celebrate the legacy of Black Superhero comics during Black History Month. All ages (and costumes) welcome! Learn More

 

Hosted by Gwinnett County 

Black Heritage Night – February 11 from 6:30-9:30pm at the Shorty Howell Park Activity Building Community Room – A festival for one and all! Come for culture education and exposure, visit vendor booths showcasing African American historical and cultural merchandise. Learn More

Guess Who: Black Heritage – February 19 from 7:00-9:00pm at Lucky Shoals Park Community Recreation Center Community Room – Celebrate Black History month with this fun, interactive game. Find clues, answer trivia and solve puzzles to move to the next level. Light refreshments will be served. $5 fee. Learn More

Bus Tour: Black History Month – February 26 from 10:00am-5:00pm – Come tour some of Gwinnett’s rich African American historic landmarks. The tour will visit the Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Elisha Winn House and more. Register before February 21 by calling 770.822.5178.

 

Hosted by the Aurora Theatre

Shirley Chisholm: Unbossed & Unbowed – Multiple Friday/Saturday/Sunday dates in February – Unbossed & Unbowed is an immersive and interactive solo show about the 1st African-America woman to run for Presidency of the U.S. In the 1960s and ‘70s, this Brooklyn-born daughter of Caribbean parents was on a mission. They called her the black Joan of Arc. She called herself Fighting Shirley as she faced off against the political machine in the name of justice. Learn More

 

Event Vendor Information Meeting

Posted on by Talore Ruedt

Are you interested in being a vendor at City of Duluth events in 2022? Join us at one of our mandatory virtual vendor interest meetings!

Interested vendors are only required to attend one of the below Zoom meetings in which we will share the list of 2022 events, vendor requirements and information on how to apply. Time will be left at the end to answer your questions.

Meeting Options:

February, 1 at 10:00am – https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83198849917?pwd=YVNQLy9Ic1hoekt1LzVHRHZDWG1jdz09

February 3 at 4:00pm – https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89831781160?pwd=SDgxdlNPdE80MXlqTTNxZWROeW9wZz09

If you have questions about the upcoming meetings, please reach out to our events team at events@duluthga.net.

Jamin Harkness & Lamar Doss are Sworn in as Council Members

Posted on by Talore Ruedt
Help us welcome our newest council members!
Jamin Harkness was elected to fill the Post 1 seat and Lamar Doss was elected to fill Post 3.
Jamin was born and raised in Atlanta. Prior to joining The Management Group, LLC, he worked for private and public (REIT) management companies in various rolls with direct oversight of Conventional, Tax Credit and Section 8 Based Communities. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications and has a MBA from Kennesaw State University. He is President of the Duluth Cluster School Foundation, President of the Board of Directors for Professional Adoption and Family Services, Member of the Coleman School Council and a Member of the Atlanta Apartment Association Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. He was joined at the ceremony by his husband and son.
Lamar is a lifelong Gwinnett County resident and he has lived in Duluth for nearly 20 years. He looks forward to keeping Duluth a safe and vibrant place to raise a family, encouraging smart growth and being inclusive of the wonderfully diverse community that is Duluth. He graduated from Georiga Southern University with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. He was joined at the ceremony by his wife and two daughters.
“We are looking forward to working with Jamin & Lamar to continue moving Duluth forward. We are excited for the new perspective and ideas that they will bring to our City,” said Mayor Nancy Harris.

Recycling Services Temporarily Suspended

Posted on by Talore Ruedt

The following message is from Republic Services for residential customers:
Until noted otherwise, Republic Services has temporarily suspended recycling, bulk item and yard waste pickup in Duluth.
Republic Services’ customers in Duluth can expect uninterrupted, on-schedule trash collection, but due to the significant impact that a spike in COVID-19 infections is having on Republic’s workforce, recycling services will be suspended until Republic’s workforce begins to normalize. Bulk items and yard waste pickup are also suspended temporarily. On-schedule trash collection remains a top priority.
During this temporary service interruption, the City of Duluth and Republic Services are offering the following recycling solutions:
• Duluth Public Works Facility – Starting on Monday, Public Works will accept bagged, non-sorted recycling. Dumpster cards must be shown but they will not be punched for recycling services. Hours of operation are Saturdays from 8am-3pm and Monday through Friday from 3-6pm.
• Gwinnett County Recycling Facility (75 Curtis Road, Lawrenceville, GA) – This facility is unmanned and open from dawn to dusk. Please place only recycling materials in the dumpster located in the center of the lot.
We apologize for the inconvenience this temporary service interruption is causing residents. Like many industries all over the country, we are trying to manage a severe manpower shortage. The COVID Omicron variant continues to hit our operations hard; we currently have approximately 20 percent of our Gwinnett workforce on quarantine. There will continue to be temporary service disruptions for recycling, bulk materials and yard waste in the coming days. We ask for and appreciate your patience as we work to get past these issues.
To register for your 2022 dumpster card, visit: https://duluthga.wufoo.com/forms/z1i1gpbv0dpd77a
For more information on acceptable recycling practices, visit: https://duluthga.net/…/refuse_recycling_services.php

Manfred Graeder Sworn in to Fill Unexpired Term for Council Post 4

Posted on by Alisa Williams

Help us welcome our newest Councilmember, Manfred Graeder!

Council Post 4 became vacant upon the passing of Councilmember Kelly Kelkenberg earlier this year. Graeder won the special called election for this post.

Manfred is originally from Germany and moved to Duluth, Georgia in 2003. He is married to Eva and is currently employed as a Senior Program Manager Server Development. Prior to being elected to Council, Manfred served on the Finance Board, Planning Commission and Citizens Budget Committee for the City.

Manfred Graeder being sworn into office by Judge Charles Barrett.
Manfred Graeder being sworn into office by Judge Charles Barrett.

His goal is to continue to develop policy in the spirit and vision of the current City Council while adding focus to the areas outside of the downtown. He is ready to make decisions using common sense, weighing all available information, and valuing the input from our citizens.

“We look forward to working with Manfred to continue moving Duluth forward. We are excited to have Manfred’s attention to detail and new perspective on our team,” said Mayor Nancy Harris.

Calling All Artists!

Posted on by Talore Ruedt

The Duluth Public Art Commission (DPAC) is pleased to announce a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Rogers Bridge public art project.
In October 2021, the historic Rogers Bridge was removed to make way for a new pedestrian bridge connecting to Johns Creek. The bridge, which spanned the Chattahoochee River at Rogers Bridge Park, was 110 years old, almost 228’ long and weighed in excess of 50 tons.
DPAC is seeking a qualified artist to re-purpose salvaged steel from the original bridge and reimagine it into a public art project that will preserve the significance and history in a unique and interesting way and accompany a newly re-designed Rogers Bridge Park.
For more details on the bridge reconstruction project, visit:
We can’t wait to see your ideas come to life! Please visit the Call for Artist page for the full RFP, including timeline and submission details.