Commissioners Set Series of Monday Meetings
News September 24, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. – The White County Board of Commissioners will hold a series of meetings in the County Administration Building Monday starting at 3 p.m.
The first will be a called meeting to finalize plans for the Yonah Preserve project. During that meeting, commissioners will review current draft plans, receive additional input on design plans and summarize guidance for the project.
That meeting will be followed at 4:30 p.m. by public hearings to consider rezoning applications filed by Mark Byrd for two parcels of land at 36 Cannon Road. The first is an application to rezone 3.5 acres of land from C1 Community Commercial District to C2 Highway Business District. The second is to rezone 1.8 acres of land from C1 Community Commercial District to C2 Highway Business District.
A work session/called meeting will follow the public hearings. Commissioners will consider a request by the Northeast Georgia Veterans Society to fund and erect a statute of the late Private Rondall Glaze at Freedom Park.
Other issues to be discussed during that meeting include:
- An application for the 2018 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant to fund the multi-jurisdictional drug task force and a memorandum of understanding for the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office;
- A presentation by Sheriff Neal Walden on recommended improvements to the county courthouse;
- A final three-year lease-purchase document with BB&T for a 2017 Kenworth 4,000-gallon pumper/tanker for the fire department at a cost of $251,450 plus interest;
- Quotes for the replacement of Information Technology equipment;
- A lease with WRWH for tower space at the Long Mountain Tower site;
- An addendum to the FY 2018 contract with Legacy Link for nutrition program services at the senior center;
- Bids for certificates of deposit held at Mountain Valley Community Bank;
- Appointment of the county’s voting delegate for the 2017 ACCG legislative leadership conference;
- Year-end amendments to the FY 2017 budget.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Commissioners adopt new land use fee schedule
News December 12, 2017
From left Commissioners Terry Goodger, Craig Bryant, Travis Turner, Sr. Center Director Bonnie York, Lyn Holcomb and Edwin Nix
CLEVELAND, Ga. – During Tuesday’s called meeting, the White County Board of Commissioners adopted a Land Use Fee schedule for the first time that will apply to future zoning applications. The fee will be $250 and will become effective Jan. 1.
Meeting for the final time before the new year, commissioners unanimously approved a request to apply for the 2018 Local Maintenance Improvement Grant (LMIG) in the amount of $1,382,174 for the Town Creek Bridge rehabilitation project. Town Creek is the oldest bridge in the county. Commissioner Lyn Holcomb said, “It is also in the worst shape of any bridge in the county.”
Commissioners also awarded bids for prep work on Sam Craven Road to Nelson’s Grading ($86,584). Crumley Creek received the bid for prep work on Joe Franklin Road ($41,870). Bids were also awarded to Stratton Construction for paving of Sam Craven ($181,777), Stanley Nix ($185,532), Joe Franklin ($71,997) and Mauldin Road ($38,480).
Commissioners unanimously agreed to purchase a dump truck from Gainesville-based Rush Truck Center for $135,395 and a 4-door Ford crew cab from Jacky Jones Ford for $28,895.
The county will make some badly-needed improvements to the Senior Center in 2018 after commissioners agreed to spend $129,223.45 to add parking spaces, improve the entrance way and construct steps leading to the Administration Building.
Prior to Monday’s meeting, the county honored Bonnie York, the woman whose devoted leadership has guided the county’s Senior Center the past 32 years. York is retiring.
Commission Chairman Travis Turner read a proclamation in her honor then added, “The proclamation says, Bonnie, you have made a difference, that’s all well and good. I feel that pales in comparison to what you’ve done in ministering to our community for over 32 years. We can’t say it enough; we greatly appreciate you serving our parents and grandparents over the years.”
Commissioners took turns expressing their heartfelt appreciation for the leadership York has provided.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Board of Commissioners to Meet Monday
News March 24, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. –The White County Board of Commissioners will hold a combined work session and regular meeting on Monday, March 27 at 4:30 p.m. in the Board Room of the White County Administration Building, 1235 Helen Highway.
Commissioners will:
Consider a proclamation to Enotah Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) declaring April 2017 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in White County;
Conduct a public hearing for the land use application filed by Jennna E. Lee on behalf of Verizon Wireless to request a conditional use permit on 16.49 acres on Cobb Vantress Drive where the proposed use is to place a telecommunication tower on property;
Conduct a public hearing for the land use application filed by Linda L. Barnhart to request a conditional use permit on 3.5 acres at 3287 HWY 129 North/ 17 Twin Lakes Road where the proposed use is residential;
Consider the annexation proposed by the City of Cleveland of 1.9 acres owned by Ginn & White, LLC in Land Lot 40 of the 2nd Land District;
Consider approval of the purchase of a 2017 Ford F-150 4X4 for the Sheriff’s Office in the amount of $30,700;
Consider two tax release applications filed by Bobby London for 377 Oglethorpe Lane and 375 Oglethorpe Lane who is requesting relief of unpaid taxes on two mobile homes;
Consider bids received for Phase 1 of the Yonah Preserve Recreational Trails Project;
Consider approval of the purchase by the White County Parks and Recreation of an infield machine;
Consider preliminary Enotah Judicial Circuit Fiscal Year 2018 budget for Superior Court, Juvenile Court, District Attorney and Public Defender.
Finance Director Mays will then present the monthly financial report.
Public Safety Director Presents His Department’s Annual Report
Business April 27, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. – The White County Board of Commissioners held a two-and-a-half hour work session and called meeting Monday. Public Safety Director David Murphy presented his office’s 2016 annual report during the work session.
The Department of Public Safety oversees Animal Control, Emergency Management Agency, E911 Communications and Fire Services.
Significant accomplishments in the Animal Control agency include receiving $5,000 in grant funds for various projects such as adoption and the spay and neuter program. Murphy said the euthanasia rate has continued to decline.
EMA responded to163 events in 2016, more than twice the amount in the previous year. EMA employees also conducted 15 training events and completed 214 training hours. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) completed 378 training hours.
EMA is the coordinating agency for all Federal Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security Grants for Public Safety. Pre-Disaster and Disaster mitigation funds are funneled through the division. The amount of federal support the county received declined from $77,408 in 2015 to $47,615 in 2016.
The 911 Central Communications Division operates 24/7 and is manned by four communications officers per shift. The call volume handled by the 911 staff increased from 111,226 calls in 2015 to 114,105 in 2016.
The Fire Services Division is manned by 12 career firefighters, 2 part-time employees, and 46 volunteer firefighters who cover 242 square miles. Response time averaged 10 minutes. Fire department personnel received 3,748 hours of training in 2016, including 2,745 hours of formal training and 2,976 hours of fire oriented training. The department has seven fire stations with one proposed station on Maudlin Road and another in the Duncan Bridge Road area of Panorama Drive.
During Monday night’s called meeting, the White County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the following applications for rezoning:
- Sue Russell’s request to rezone 1.34 acres at 1204 and 1206 Ridge Road in Helen from C1 Community Commercial District to C2 Highway Business District;
- Larry Freeman’s request to rezone 1.44 acres at 9669 Duncan Bridge Road in Cleveland from R1 Residential Single Family District to C2 Highway Business District;
- Elaine F. Reynold’s request to rezone 13 acres at 1679 Helen Highway in Cleveland from R1 Residential Single Family District to C2 Highway Business District;
- Kelly and Gary Mills request to rezone 5 acres at 457 Highway 255 South in Cleveland from R1 Residential Single Family to A1 Agriculture Forestry District.
Commissioners also approved the Alliant Renewal Option for the county employees benefits program which reflects a 12.46 percent increase totaling $193,098 for Fiscal Year 2017-’18.
Commissioners Borrow from Fund Balance to Erase a $1.06 Million Budget Shortfall
News July 19, 2017
Commissioner Edwin Nix
CLEVELAND, Ga. – Shocked by a tax digest that produced only slightly more revenue than it did a year ago and faced with a budget shortfall of $1.06 million, the White County Board of Commissioners elected to keep the millage rate at 9.998 mils, essentially kicking the can down the road for another year when another shortfall is likely.
Keeping the millage rate the same will require three public hearings and commissioners voted to hold two hearings on August 3, one at 8 a.m., the other at 6 pm. The third hearing is set for Aug. 14 at 4:30 p.m.
Commissioner Terry Goodger
The vote to leave the millage rate unchanged was 3-2 with Commissioners Lyn Holcomb, Edwin Nix and Craig Bryant in support and Chairman Travis Turner and Commissioner Terry Goodger opposed.
Goodger proposed a one mil increase but that died for the lack of a second. He then proposed a half-mil increase that was seconded by Turner, but failed to attract the three votes necessary for passage.
Surprised by the fact that the current digest produced only $8,700,101, or approximately $65,000 more than last year, Nix asked County Manager Michael Melton, “On the net digest increase, that is a numerical mistake isn’t it?”
Melton assured him the figure was correct.
To erase the shortfall, commissioners will pull about $1.065 out of the county’s fund balance, leaving only enough to operate the county for 2.3 months in case of an emergency. The Association County Commissioners of Georgia recommends that counties keep enough money in the fund balance to operate the county for three months.
“I’m not comfortable with a 2.3 month balance myself,” Goodger said. “That could affect our bond rating in the long term. We are certainly much stronger with a three-month reserve.” If the bond rating is downgraded, it will mean paying a higher interest rate to finance capital projects.
Turner agreed with Goodger. “We’ve always tried to keep a three-month reserve. We need to do our best to get back to that…2.3 months is a little too skinny for my taste.”
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.co
An Angry Board of Commissioners Rejects Bids on Road Rehabilitation Projects
News May 2, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. – When four contractors submitted bids for rehabilitation projects on Town Creek Road and two bridges on New Bridge Road, that were nearly triple what they had anticipated based on engineering estimates, White County Commissioners expressed their anger and unanimously rejected all four Monday.
County Manager Michael Melton said the lowest bid came in at $1.8 million. He recommended commissioners reject the bids and give staff a chance to rebid the projects or scale them down.
Chairman Travis Turner said, “We were looking at between $600,000 and $700,000 to do all three projects and we received bids that came in at three times that amount. So, it doesn’t take long to figure out we can’t afford that.”
Turner said the county has not given up on the projects but will be looking for more reasonable estimates.
The Carolina Springs Road improvement project will move forward with the full approval of the Board. The low bidder on the project is a local company, Square Deal Construction with a bid of $478,891. A Local Maintenance Improvement Grant (LMIG) will provide $358,000 for the project and a separate grant from Georgia Department of Transportation could provide up to $150,000.
Commissioners received an update during Monday’s meeting on the proposed Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail and a “thank you” plaque from the Chamber of Commerce for the support the county has provided for the organization.
City and county officials hope the $1.5 million Department of Natural Resources project will draw a large number of visitors and will be an important engine to drive economic development in the area.
Richard Riley told commissioners the 4,400-foot long concrete walkway that runs along the Chattahoochee River gives visitors a chance to breathe fresh, clean mountain air, hear the sounds of the rushing river and appreciate the natural beauty of the area. Signs along the trail paint a picture of the area’s history and no motorized vehicles are allowed that could disturb the tranquility.
The trail that will connect the City of Helen to the Hardman Farm Historic Site will be about 8 to 10-feet wide and feature an impressive natural stone entrance gate. Along the pathway, Riley said, are massive flat stone boulders that serve as benches for visitors to pause and enjoy nature.
The project is being designed by Marietta-based Freedman Engineering Group. It is funded primarily by the state but Riley said he hope to convince local governments that it is a project worthy of their community’s investment.
Riley said the project could be completed as early as the end of this winter.
Commissioners approved several items under the Consent Agenda, including:
- The assignment of a services agreement with Sentinel Offender Services and CSRA Probation Services related to probation services in White County;
- Acceptance of a Jag Byrne Grant in the amount of $86,709 from Franklin County related to the absorption of the North Georgia Drug Task Force by the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office;
- Renewal of the memorandum with the Enotah Judicial District circuit counties to conduct activities for the Enotah Judicial District’s Juvenile Justice project coordinated through Family Connections.
After Settling a $2 Million Lawsuit Sentinel Probation is Back on White County Agenda
News April 21, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. – Probation service fees can be very profitable to probation companies and very detrimental to the poor and elderly even if their violations are as minor as a traffic offense or violation of a county ordinance. Which is why area residents may want to attend the White County Board of Commissioners work session Monday at 4:30 p.m.
Commissioners will discuss assignment of a probation services agreement with Sentinel Offender Services, a company forced to settle dozens of lawsuits that accused the company of wrongful arrests and incarceration. In February, the California-based company settled a federal civil rights lawsuit for $2 million.
Augusta attorney Jack Long, is very familiar with Sentinel. His clients have settled cases against the company for $200,000, $150,000 and $74,000 and he has more lawsuits pending in Columbia County and Brunswick.
He told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently that his clients only took the company’s settlement offers because — from their perspectives — it was a lot of money, even after legal expenses were deducted. “These people have never had more than $2,000 to $3,000 in hand at one time. We’re dealing with poor folks who have not seen money,” Long said.
Two of those victimized by Sentinel live in White County, 62-year-old Rita Luse and 45-year-old Marianne Ligocki.
Ligocki’s offense was driving on a suspended license. She pleaded guilty and was fined $313. Sentinel charged her a $44-a-month supervision fee and $15 each time they made her take an unnecessary urine test.
Luse pleaded guilty to driving without a license. She was fined $775 and put on probation until she could pay. She, too, gave Sentinel extra fees for supervision and drug testing, even though the White County Probate Court judge did not order it.
In their lawsuit, the women said that in addition to the extra financial burden, they were humiliated. They said they were forced to give urine samples while someone watched and sometimes in a room with the door open. If they didn’t give the sample and pay for it, the Sentinel probation officer told them, they would be jailed, according to the complaint.
The Southern Center for Human Rights filed a class action lawsuit against Sentinel and, in January, U.S. District Judge Richard Storey “conditionally” signed off on the agreement that Sentinel would pay $80,000 to reimburse Luse, Ligocki and any others who submitted to drug testing that was not court-ordered.
A called meeting will follow immediately after the work session.
White County Monthly Financial Report
News March 8, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — White County’s Fiscal Year 2017 financial projections are ahead of schedule. Finance Director Vickie Mays presented a monthly report at Monday’s Board of Commissioners meeting.
With five months still remaining in Fiscal Year 2017, the county has collected $12,299,352 or approximately 76 percent of its projected revenue of $16,299,730 and has spent $8,863,787 or about 55 percent of its projected expenditures.
Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) and Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) collections are outpacing FY ’16 collections.
A year ago, the LOST produced $2,234,784. With five months remaining in FY ’17, the county has already collected $1,478,374. SPLOST revenue for FY ’16 was $2,731,551 compared to $1,829,726 this year.
Alcohol related tax collections also are ahead of projections for the fiscal year. Commissioners projected receipts of $114,800. So far, the county has received $79,555 or about 70 percent of projection.
In FY ’16, the hotel/motel tax brought in $743,633 so far in FY ’17, it has produced $563,052 in revenue.
Veterans Group to Propose A Monument to White County’s Highest Decorated Soldier
News June 23, 2017
Proposed Statue to Pvt. Rondall H. Glaze
CLEVELAND, Ga. – Ron Webb of the Northeast Georgia Veterans Society will present information on a proposed military statue to honor Pvt. Rondall H. Glaze, White County’s highest decorated soldier, who was killed while serving in the U.S. Army during WWII when the White County Board of Commissioners meet Monday at 4:30 p.m.
Private Glaze was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation’s second highest award for valor, for extraordinary heroism in action on 17 February 1945, near Lixing, France.
Glaze’s rifle company was pinned down by heavy machine gun fire from German soldiers until the 18-year-old private started crawling across open ground toward the machine gun crew. Despite being wounded by gunfire, the Cleveland teenager lobbed a grenade that killed the crew and allowed his fellow soldiers to advance. That heroic effort cost Glaze his life.
Webb and the veterans organization is attempting to raise enough money to be able erect a statue of Glaze at Freedom Park, behind the White County Courthouse so he will never be forgotten.
During the combination work session and regular meeting, commissioners also will discuss a number of new contract options, including Phase 2 trail construction at Yonah Preserve, a vehicle lease for seven vehicles to be used by the sheriff’s office, installation of a mobile generator for EMA and billing services to recover fire response fees.
Additionally, several housekeeping items are on the agenda, including consideration of the renewal of annual contracts for the fiscal year 2018 budget with Avita Community Partners, the County Health Department, Family Connections, Legacy Link, Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitors Bureau and Department of Family and Children Services.
Commissioners also will consider board appointments to the Planning Commission and the Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities.
Finance Director Vicki Mays and her department will be recognized for receiving the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement for excellence in financial reporting and County Attorney Bill House will be recognized on the occasion of his retirement.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at www.fetchyournews.com
Bye Bye Sentinel Offender Services
News April 25, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — Sentinel Offender Services has left the state!
White County Probate Court Judge Garrison Baker, speaking at the Board of Commissioners work session Monday, said Sentinel, a California-based provider of probation services that has been sued more than a dozen times and recently settled a $2 million federal civil rights lawsuit, will no longer provide services in Georgia.
Sentinel reportedly has sold more than 50 contracts with Georgia municipalities, including White and Lumpkin counties. That sale, appears to be in response to the mountain of lawsuits and the new Georgia state laws that forbid private probation companies from jailing people for failure to pay without a hearing, or charging more than three months’ worth of fees when the probationers are only on probation because they couldn’t afford their fines.
White County’s contract with Sentinel was not scheduled to end until 2018. Baker said, the existing contract will be transferred to Coastal Savannah Regional Area (CSRA) pending the Board of Commissioners approval at the regular meeting next Monday.
“I’m confident the company taking over this contract has a good track record and a process that we are impressed with,” Baker said. “They have been in business for a number of years. They do a good job.”
Many probationers, most of them low-income, elderly who say they were bullied and humiliated by Sentinel, will welcome the change.
Two of the women who claim to have been victimized by Sentinel are White County residents.
Forty-five-year-old Marianne Ligocki’s only offense was driving on a suspended license. She pleaded guilty and was fined $313. Sentinel charged her a $44-a-month supervision fee and $15 each time they forced her take an unnecessary urine test.
Rita Luse, 62, pleaded guilty to driving without a license. She was fined $775 and put on probation until she could pay. She, too, gave Sentinel extra fees for supervision and drug testing, even though the White County judge did not order it.
The women sued Sentinel and U.S. District Judge Richard Storey recently signed off on settlement that paid them a total of $80,000. In their lawsuit, the women said that in addition to the extra financial burden, they were humiliated. They said they were forced to give urine samples while someone watched and sometimes in a room with the door open. If they didn’t give the sample and pay for it, the Sentinel probation officer told them, they would be jailed.
Commissioners Vote to Move Forward With Prep Work on Stanley Nix Road
News March 7, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — Road projects were front and center at Monday’s meeting of the White County Board of Commissioners.
Commissioners voted unanimously to move forward with the prep work on Stanley Nix Road and awarded low bidder Nelson Contracting the job for $95,899.35. Chairman Travis Turner said prep work should begin this summer, giving the roadway a year or two to settle before paving begins.
Commissioners, however, rejected bids to improve Carolina Springs Road for being too expensive, but said they will re-bid the project. They also withdrew a previous decision to pave Bean Creek Road. Commissioner Edwin Nix explained that residents who live along the road said they didn’t want the road paved.
The Board also approved several Consent Agenda items, including:
⦁ Allowing the Sheriff’s Office to surplus 11 vehicles that have outlived their usefulness and
⦁ Authorization for the Tax Commissioner’s Office to continue receiving various forms of payment and revised authority to disburse funds to the Board of Commissioners on a monthly basis.
Commissioners also presented a proclamation to declare March 29, 2017 as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” and March 6-10 as “Exceptional Children’s Week” in White County.
BOC to Discuss Road Improvements Today
Business February 27, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — The White County Board of Commissioners will discuss improvements for Carolina Springs, Bean Creek, Stanley Nix and Sam Craven roads when they meet in work session Monday at 4:30 p.m.
Also on the agenda will be a discussion of amending the White County Land Use Ordinance to incorporate a historic overlay district.
A public hearing will be held regarding an application submitted by Kenneth R. Grimes to redistrict 1.39 acres of property located on FM Road, Parcel 003-045A from R-3 (Residential Seasonal District) to R-1 (Residential Single Family District).
Other items on the agenda include a discussion about:
The surplus of several vehicles currently assigned to the Sheriff’s Office;
Continuation of the authorization for the White County Tax Commissioner’s Office to receive various forms of payment on behalf of the county and the revised authority to disburse funds on a monthly basis to the Board of Commissioners Office;
The conceptual drawings and cost estimates provided by Carter and Sloope Engineering fo the Yonah Preserve Recreational Facilities and
Appointments to the Department of Family and Childrens Services Board and clarification of terms
BOC Tables Requests for More Funding
News August 2, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — The White County Board of Commissioners tabled requests for funding from Hardman Farm for the 2017 Fall Festival and the Chamber of Commerce for Spirit of Appalachia Food, Wine and Art Festival at Monday’s joint called meeting and work session.
The county recently voted not to increase the millage rate, but instead draw down the reserve fund to help balance the budget so they were reluctant to approve additional funding until the tax digest has been reported later this month.
The board did agree to purchase a new mower for the Parks and Recreation Department for $12,294 which will be paid for out of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax receipts and a new Ford F-150 pickup truck for Animal Control for about $22,000 which was already included in the budget.
Finance Director Vicki Mays provided the monthly financial report which showed year-to-date revenue of $15,471,758 and expenditures of $15,548,338. The 2017 General Fund budget was set at $16,299,730.
Kevin Hamby presented a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) update.
“I have some real good news,” Hamby said. “Folks are spending money up here. There is no question about that.”
In June, the county reported more than $300,000 in SPLOST collections. The current SPLOST was projected to raise approximately $19 million and less than halfway through, the county has already collected $9, 727,213.
Sheriff Neal Walden took time to congratulate the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO) which conducted a raid last week that dismantled a major drug trafficking organization operating primarily out of Stephens and Habersham counties but supplying drugs to a much wider section of north Georgia including White County.
“The drug task force took a bite out of the drug trade in northeast Georgia over the weekend,” Walden said. “That was about a 6-8 months investigation. They did a good job taking a lot of drugs, guns and money off the street. It didn’t show any stats in White County but trust me, for these dealers here it’s just a hop skip and jump over to Habersham and Stephens counties. That’s where they’re going to get most of it.”
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Several Road Projects on County Commission Agenda Monday
News April 30, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. – The White County Board of Commissioners is expected to vote on several road project bids when they meet in regular session Monday at 4:30 p.m.
Commissioners will vote on bids received for the Local Maintenance Improvement Grant (LMIG) bridge rehabilitation projects on Town Creek Road and New Bridge Road. They will also consider bids received on the Carolina Springs Road Improvement Project and the Yonah Preserve Project Construction Manager At-Risk (CMAR).
A CMAR is a project-specific delivery method that provides technical assistance to the designer during the design phase, has a cost-capping feature, and allows construction to start before design documents are 100% complete. The CMAR contracts directly with subcontractors, fabricators, and material suppliers.
There will be a number of Consent Agenda Items voted on Monday, including the assignment of services agreement with Sentinel Offender Services and CSRA Probation Services related to probation services at the probate court and magistrate court. Sentinel, which has provided the services for many years is pulling out of the state of Georgia and, as a result, has turned over all its contracts to CSRA.
Other Consent Agenda items include:
- Acceptance of the 2016 Jag Byrne Grant in the amount of $86,709 from Franklin County related to the absorption of the North Georgia Drug Task Force by the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office;
- Renewal of a memorandum with the Enotah Judicial Circuit counties to conduct activities for the circuit’ Juvenile Justice Project coordinated through Family Connection;
- The award of a matured certificate of deposit held at United Community Bank in the amount of $169,400 to Mountain Valley Community Bank for a 12-month term;
- An upgrade to the Road Department’s chipper through Mason Tractor Company with the trade-in of a 12” chipper;
- Grant acceptance for White County EMA related to a portable generator grant in the amount of $59,580 from FEMA and GEMA with a county match of $8,937 from FEMA AND GEMA;
- Grant acceptance for White County EMA related to the weather station located at White County High School in the amount of $38,823 from FEMA and GEMA with county match of $5,824.
All Consent Agenda items were discussed and unanimously agreed upon by commissioners during the work session and can now be voted on as a group without further discussion.
Richard Riley will present information regarding the Helen to Hardman Trail Project.
Spring road projects on BOC agenda Monday
News December 10, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. – After a weekend that saw several inches of snow fall in the mountainous areas of White County, numerous power outages and hazardous driving conditions, it is back to business as usual Monday when the Board of Commissioners holds a called meeting starting at 4:30 p.m. in the Administration Building.
Commissioners will consider approval of the 2018 Local Maintenance Improvement Grant (LMIG) through the Georgia Department of Transportation for the Town Creek rehabilitation project.
Spring road projects also will be a top priority at Monday’s meeting. Commissioners will consider awarding bids for work on Sam Craven Road and Joe Franklin Road, cost adjustments for paving bids on Sam Craven, Stanley Nix, Joe Franklin and Mauldin roads and a change order for the contract with Square Deal Enterprises, Inc. for the Carolina Springs Road project.
Commissioners also will consider awarding bids for the purchase of a dump truck and crew truck for the county road department.
The senior center has requested commissioners consider making improvements to the facility’s parking areas.
Revisions to the development fee structure will be discussed along with approval of a contract with the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission (GMRC) for orthophotography.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
White County Commission Meeting Canceled
News March 31, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — The White County Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for Monday, April 3 has been canceled. Commissioners will hold a budget planning work session for Fiscal Year 2019 on Tuesday, April 11 and Wednesday, April 12 at 8:30 in the Board Room at the White County Administration Building.
On Monday, April 24, Commissioners will hold a Work Session starting at 4:30 p.m. in the Board Room at the White County Administration Building. The deadline for submitting agenda requests for this meeting is Tuesday, April 18, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. Agenda requests must be sent to Michael Melton, County Manager, [email protected] and copied to Shanda Murphy, County Clerk, [email protected].
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 1 at 4:30 p.m.