Henry County’s bond rating has improved to AAA.

  County manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews informed the Board of Commissioners at its November 5 regular meeting that her office had been notified of the change from AA-1 a few days prior to the meeting. This makes Henry the sixth county in the state of Georgia — joining Cobb, Columbia, Fayette, Forsyth and Gwinnett — and one of only 47 counties in the United States with a AAA rating.

  “What this means is we have a robust financial position,” said Matthews. “Our reserve levels are above where they need to be for a county of this size. But most importantly, we have healthy and growing tax base. Our average wealth and income levels are where they need to be, and we have a low debt burden and pension liability.”

  In other business, the board voted to withdraw any objections to a proposed annexation of 183.18 acres on Campground Road and Elliott Road into the city of McDonough. The request was initially made in May, at which time county officials expressed concerns regarding the possible density of the proposed development and a conflict with the county’s Future Land Use Map. County staff received notice from the city October 28 that an updated site plan had been created which is in compliance with the FLUM, and if the land were annexed and rezoned according to this plan there would be no objection from the county.

  As for the recent annexation by Hampton of nearly 2,000 acres on its west and south side, the commissioners took no action to object to it. County officials pointed out that since there has been no proposed rezoning for the property, there are no grounds to object. It was also pointed out that, by law, the city cannot consider any rezoning requests for at least 12 months. The land is part of the county’s proposed Megasite and was annexed by the Hampton City Council at its October regular meeting.

  The board recognized the Henry County Police Department for earning its approved state re-certification to remain an accredited agency. Deputy county manager Brad Johnson presented police chief Mark Amerman with a plaque from the Georgia Association of Police Chiefs to commemorate the achievement. Amerman then presented officer Felicia Henley, the department’s certification manager, with a plaque for her work, noting that she did all of the leg work related to the process, going through 140 files and more than 250 policies to make sure that the department was up to standards.