Gwinnett Daily Post

GRAYSON - The Grayson City Council approved a cost sharing agreement with Gwinnett County for two intersection improvements along Ga. Highway 84. The agreement approved Monday covers improvements on Ga. Highway 84 at Bennett Road and Rosebud Road.

The Bennett Road project will include additional turn lanes, installation of new, mast-arm-style traffic signals and sidewalk improvements. The city's portion of the project costs will be $39,560 and will cover the difference between the standard traffic signal and the mast arm traffic signal. The Grayson Council has requested mast arm traffic signals to match the turn of the century look of the Uptown Grayson

District.

The Rosebud Road improvement costs will be paid entirely by the city, although Gwinnett County will pay the upfront costs and bill the city on a monthly basis. The improvements will include mast arm traffic signals and pedestrian walkway upgrades. The project is estimated to cost $150,000.

"(Council member Jimmy Adams) has looked at this pricing with his professional eye, and he feels that the costs are reasonable," Hinkle said.

Several easements will need to be obtained before construction can begin at either intersection.

Council discusses

police patrols

The Grayson City Council also heard a presentation from Gwinnett County Police Officer Rob Kenyon about crime in Grayson.

The city hires off-duty Gwinnett County officers to make additional patrols throughout the city. Mayor Hinkle had contacted Kenyon, a 16-year veteran of the Gwinnett County Police Department, about changing the frequency of those patrols to have a heavier concentration in the evening rather than during the day.

"The main reason I am here is to show you that despite what people think," Kenyon said, "the majority of property crime occurs during the day."

Kenyon had reviewed three months worth of 911 calls from within Grayson. Of the 258 calls, the majority (44) were automobile accidents. There were also 35 residential alarms, nine burglaries, one theft, 13 vandalism calls, 30 domestic calls and 13 traffic violations. Kenyon said 73 percent of those crimes occurred between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

"The myth of crime under the cover of darkness is just that, a myth," Kenyon said. "Most crimes occur during the day when everyone is at work and there are no

witnesses."

Kenyon did say that the majority of property crimes to businesses do occur at night for the same reason - no witnesses.

"However," Kenyon said, "Grayson has a huge concentration of residential neighborhoods and a very small business district."

The Grayson council did not take any action, but agreed that this was new information.

"This is really not what we expected," Hinkle said. "I know I thought most crime happened at night."

In other business, the Grayson City Council:

•Announced the movie in the park will be "Shrek" at

8 p.m. Saturday.

•Approved a 25-year franchise agreement with Walton EMC.