Trent Hillsman

CLEVELAND, Ga. – The White County Board of Commissioners approved four road improvement projects at Monday’s Board of Commissioners meeting totaling $118,920 and the purchase of a bucket truck for the Public Works Department for $55,900.

Commissioners worked through a very lengthy agenda in fairly short order. The vote on the road projects was 4-0. Commissioner Craig Bryant recused himself due to a conflict of interest.

The Board welcomed Trent Hillsman as the new Special Agent in Charge of the GBI and approved a request to apply for the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO) for the 2019 Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Edward Byrne Memorial Grant .

ARDEO is self-sufficient, operating primarily on money seized during drug arrests.

Hillsman said, “This year we are expanding our regional office a little bit. We’re going to take two more counties on. We took a vote with the control board last week and we’re going to include Gilmer County and Fannin County. We’re told that we could get around $500,000 on the grant.Parks and Recreation Director Joe Gailey asked for and received unanimous approval to contract with three companies for improvements to the gymnasium. Southeastern Surfaces and Equipment received the contract to replace the gym floor for $75,110. Faciliserve will provide the low-rise bleachers at a cost of $11,012 and BSN will handle the demolition and removal of old bleachers and water proofing of the doors for a total of $7,365.

Commissioners also approved seven conditional use permits for the purposes of entering those properties in the county’s short-term rental program. Those properties include:

Two acres located at 57 Miway Lane in Sautee Nacoochee;

7.92 acres located at 114 Miway Lane in Sautee Nacoochee;

3.38 acres located at Chimney Mountain Road in Sautee Nacoochee;

10.92 acres located at 618 Joe Black Road  in Sautee Nacoochee

1.1 acres located at 28 Persimmon Road in Satee Nacoochee;

One acre located at 2241 Lothridge Road in Cleveland;

1.9 acres located at 69 Greystone Drive in Cleveland.

Debra Palmer was appointed to the Alcohol Beverage Commission by a unanimous vote.

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