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City Clerk

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1. Where do I register to vote?

Go to the Douglas County website, select departments, and then select voter registration.
Douglas County website

2. When are City elections held?

Municipal general elections are held in odd numbered years according to Georgia law. On November 3, 2009 council members from Ward 1, Ward 2, Ward 3 Post 1, and Ward 3 Post 2 will be elected. On November 8, 2011 council members from Ward 4, Ward 5 Post 1, and Ward 5 Post 2 will be elected, along with the office of Mayor.

3. When is Qualifying?

Qualifying dates for the November 2009 election are Monday August 31 through Friday September 4, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm each day, except closed for lunch from 12 noon until 1:00 pm each day. Qualifying dates for the November 2011 election are Monday August 29 through Friday September 2; times remain the same.

4. Where do I vote?

The link below contains addtional information about where to vote. More...

5. When are the City Council meetings held?

Regular voting meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of each month, and Legislative work sessions are held on the Thursday prior to each Regular meeting. All meetings begin at 7:30 pm, at City Hall, 6695 Church Street, in Council Chambers.

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Court Services Division

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1. Where is court located?

Douglasville Municipal Court is located in the Municipal Court Building located at 6704 Church Street, Douglasville, Georgia. For our direction line, please call 770-942-8552, extension 3. There is parking located in the City Parking Lot next to our building.

2. Is it mandatory that I appear in court?

Some violations require a court appearance and others do not. Please contact Court Services at 770-942-8552, extension 2, to verify.

3. Will there be a Spanish-speaking interpreter for me on my court date?

Yes, we have a Spanish-speaking interpreter available on our arraignment dates. If one is needed for another court, we will have one assigned for that date.

4. Can I pay my fine before court?

Yes, you can pay your citation before court as long as your case is not a mandatory court appearance. You can satisfy your citation by doing one of the following:

a. You can pay your citation in person at the Douglasville Municipal Court or Douglasville City Hall
b. You can pay your citation via phone by calling 770-942-8552, extension 7 and following the directions.
c. You can pay your citation online at our website: www.ci.douglasville.ga.us (COMING SOON!!!!)

5. What happens if you miss your court date?

If you fail to pay your citation or fail to appear in court on your assigned court date, a $200.00 failure to appear fee will be added to your case. This office will notify you via mail that you missed your court date, a warrant has been issued for your arrest, and we are in the process of suspending your driving privileges. We will also notify you of the total bond that is due and how you can take care of your situation. If you need to speak with someone about a warrant, please contact Court Services at 770-942-8552, ext. 1.

6. Can you pay your fine at court and leave?

If your fine is a payable offense, you can pay in the following manner:

Cash, Money Order, Bank Check, or Personal CheckCredit or Debit Cards (Visa and MasterCard Only)

7. What if I do not have the full payment, but I wanted to dispose of my case today?

You will have to go before the Judge and ask to be placed on our payment plan.

You will be able to pay over a pre-determined length of time.

You will pay a $50.00 surcharge to the City of Douglasville for being placed on the plan.

You must pay a pro rata share of your fine monthly.

You will remain under the jurisdiction of the court until the fine and surcharges are paid in full.

You must follow the payment plan order that you signed in court.

8. What about my right to a Trial by Jury?

If your case qualifies, you can transfer your case to Douglas County State Court.

You will have to be present in court on your assigned arraignment day to sign the bind over order for State Court.

The bind over order will contain your new court date for State Court.

You will be responsible for keeping Douglas County State Court informed of your address or change thereof.

9. What is a bench trial?

Trial by only a judge, no jury

Same Rules of Evidence apply in a bench trial as a jury trial

Judge is the sole trier of fact

Burden of Proof is beyond a reasonable doubt to rational trier of fact

Judge’s decision is appealable to Douglas County Superior Court within 30 days of decision

10. What if I want to enter a plea of Guilty or Nolo Contendere?

You have to read, understand, and sign a plea proceeding agreement and rights of waiver form.

If you do not have an attorney representing you, and you want to proceed by representing yourself, you will have to waive your right to have an attorney represent you, and acknowledge that you are preceding Pro Se.

Tell the court that you are freely, knowingly, and voluntarily participating in the plea and you understand what you are doing.

Tell the court what happened.

Admit to the court that you are pleading guilty of the charge of pleading nolo contendere because you know that the City could prove the elements of the charge(s) beyond a reasonable doubt to a rational trier of the facts.

11. What is the maximum fine and punishment in this court?

Fines are set by the Mayor and City Council and are reviewed annually.

The maximum fine that can be imposed for a violation of the state law is $1000.00 per citation/charge.

The maximum time of incarceration that can be imposed for a violation of the state law is up to one year for each citation/charge.

The maximum fine that can be imposed for a violation of a city ordinance is $500.00 per citation/charge.

The maximum time of incarceration that can be imposed for a violation of a city ordinance is up to six months for each citation/charge.

Certain offenses have surcharges imposed by the State of Georgia that are added to the fine.

12. If I plea not guilty on my court date, will the case be tried that same day?

No. Your original court date is an arraignment date for you to enter your plea of guilty, nolo contndere, or not guilty. A plea of not guilty will require a new date, established by the court, for the purpose of trials only. The officer and any witnesses involved in your case will be subpoenaed to be in court on this new trial date.

13. Can I handle my not guilty plea before my assigned arraignment date?

Yes and no. This depends on what type of trial that you want. If you would like to plea not guilty to your case and have a bench trial, you may come in before your assigned date and fill out the proper paperwork. If you want to plea not guilty and have a jury trial, you will have to come to court on your assigned arraignment date to fill out the bind over order with the Judge.

14. How do I request a public defender? Can I do this before my assigned arraignment date?

You may apply for a public defender on or before your court date. You will be required to fill out a financial affidavit. Court personnel will look over your application and determine if you qualify to have a public defender assigned to your case. We determine this by using the poverty guidelines that have been set by the Mayor and City Council. If you qualify, we will reschedule your court date to the public defender’s assigned date. If you do not qualify, you will have to determine what plea you want to enter and if necessary, a new court date will be issued.

15. How can I obtain a continuance?

Court will only issue continuances under certain circumstances. They are:
a. Death in Family
b. Hospitalization
c. Incarceration
d. Doctor’s Note
e. Court date in another court
f. Mandatory test in school
g. Travel plans for work/school/trip

The court must have proper paperwork received before your assigned court date. If we have any questions about your paperwork, we will call and speak with you to see if we can rectify the problem. If you have any questions about continuances, please contact Court Services Division at 770-942-8552, ext. 2.

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General

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1. Where is City Hall located?

On O'Neal Plaza in Historic Downtown Douglasville. 6695 Church Street.
Map

2. What are your hours?

8:00 am - 5:00 pm - Monday - Friday

3. Where can I pay my traffic citation?

City Hall - 6695 Church Street
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4. Where can I purchase my business license?

City Hall Finance Department - 6695 Church Street
Map

5. Where can I get a building permit?

City Hall, Development Services Dept. - 6695 Church Street
Map

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Planning & Zoning

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1. What is the Liveable Centers Initiative (LCI) Program?

The City of Douglasville is an LCI Community. The LCI program encourages communities to implement strategies to link transportation with land use development to create mixed-use communities where you can live, work and play.

2. What is the process for transportation projects to be developed?

For a major transportation project the process can take up to 6 years, 2 years for preliminary engineering and environmental clearances, 2 years for right-of-way acquisition and 2 years for construction.

3. What is the cost of transportation projects?

Transportation projects can be very costly. Most projects are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and larger projects can run in the millions of dollars.

4. Why does road construction take so long?

Roads must be kept open to traffic during the construction phase. Often times traffic congestion only allows for construction to take place at night or off peak periods.

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Police Department

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1. I was a victim of a crime, when will I be able to have my things returned which were taken as evidence?

Evidentiary items collected for a criminal case will have to be kept until the trial or until the case is disposed of. The Douglasville Police Department will then work on returning property to an owner, once a property release is authorized by the District Attorney’s Office or prosecuting office handling the case.

2. I was a victim of a crime, when will I hear from the detective?

Crimes are assigned based on solvability, and once assigned an investigator will try to contact the victim within 48 hours.

3. How can I find out about gang activity and learn about gangs?

The Douglasville Police Department attends and hosts informational meetings at community gatherings, churches, etc. in an effort to educate the public.

If your group or organization has any interest, or to find out about upcoming events, please contact Sgt. Ken Winklepleck.
Email Sgt. Winklepleck

4. Is the police department doing anything proactive to deal with gangs?

Yes, the Douglasville Police Department has spearheaded a program for at-risk youth, which consists of a 12-week class sponsored by the police. This program is taught by an ex-gang member who turned his life around after his prison term and who developed a program called Ex-Gress in conjunction with social workers.

This program is open to all youth and parents are welcome to sit in and learn themselves.

For more information, or to register your child/children, please contact Sgt. Ken Winklepleck.
Email Sgt. Winklepleck

5. How long will it take for me to get my accident report?

The Records Division will typically have a report available after 3-5 business days.
Records Division

6. Will the accident report list what driver was at fault?

Yes, the at-fault driver will be listed on the report, except in very rare cases during which it may be impossible to determine.

7. When can I get police and accident reports?

Please allow for 3-5 business days before your report is available. The Records division is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. In order to provide good service, certain reports can be arranged to be picked up at the Main Police Department Building at 6704 Church St.
Map

8. Does it cost anything for a police or accident report?

No, the Douglasville Police Department does not charge for small reports. Open records request typically carry a charge.

9. What is the process for obtaining an Alcohol Serving Permit?

City of Douglasville Alcohol Serving Permits are issued by the Police Dept. Records Division.

Tuesday - Friday
From 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

-First the applicant needs to go to the City Hall Finance office to bring a valid photo ID and pay $25 for the permit.
-Following that the applicant needs to come across the street to the Municipal Court Building (Records Division-door on right) with the payment receipt.
-A background check will be conducted and an applicant has to pass a 10 question test. The Alcohol Serving Permit Photo ID will be made at that time.

Please note that there are no refunds for any reason.
Alcohol Serving Permit

10. What is the city ordinance concerning Alcohol Serving Permits?

Sec. 10-152. Employee identification. Read Ordinance

11. When can I get fingerprinted for a job application which requires fingerprints?

The Douglasville Police Department now has set hours offering fingerprinting services for citizens. The hours are as follows:

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays between 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

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Sanitation

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1. How do I start my sanitation service?

Please call us at 770-920-3005.