HELEN, Ga. — City Manager Jerry Elkins presented a review of the projects planned for the City of Helen at Tueaday’s City Commission meeting. The five biggest projects come with a total price tag of about $1,578,350. The city will be responsible for approximately $925,000. The remainder will be funded by various grants.

The Main Street Water Line Replacement and Well Project is estimated to cost $780,000. The city will pay $480,000 and an ARC Grant will cover the remaining $300,000.

The badly needed Main Street pedestrian bridge which will be constructed outside Paul’s Steakouse is estimated to cost $570,000, $300,000 will be funded by a grant.

The city alone will be responsible for the $75,000 it will cost to complete the Escowee Street Sidewalk and Landscaping project. The commission has approved a low bid of $32,308.03 from contractor J.D. Con for the materials needed on the project.

The Roadside Beautification project will cost $53,350 with about $42,850 coming in the form of a grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation.
The city also plans an addition to the Fire Department that will cost about $100,000, all of which will come from city revenue.

Commissioners also appointed Catherine Cleiman, David Grearr and Linda McAllister to the Planning, Design and Review Board and agreed to provide a letter of approval for the United Way of White County to obtain a special event, non-profit license from the state of Georgia Department of Revenue for the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises at Holiday Inn Express Conference Center in conjunction with the Celebrity Golf Tournament Dinner scheduled for April 17.r