DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to accept an Association of County Commissioners Georgia (ACCG) grant to fund the hiring of an intern who will coordinate a “community healthcare” discussion, coordinate and co-lead groups and analyze and interpret data collected in surveys.

The grant will pay the intern, who will work under the direction of Commissioner David Miller, $10 per hour for up to 200 hours. The county’s total contribution to the grant will be $250. Miller, who brought the idea to the board, thanked board members for their support.

Commissioners also approved a request by the Lumpkin County Water and Sewer Authority (LCWSA) to deed the ground water well at Blackburn Park over to LCWSA for use as a water source for the Ga. 400 system with the caveat that if the Georgia Environmental Protection Division does not approve the well as a water source, ownership will revert back to the county.

Commissioners denied a request by the owner of Barefoot Hills Hotel to waive penalties, interest and non-payment fees accrued on rentals between March through October 2017.

The board unanimously approved:

• A lease agreement for the Adult Learning Center;
• A canoe launch sublease with Appalachian Outfitters (Comm. Stringer recused himself); and
• A canoe launch sublease with Hall’s Mill Enterprises (Comm. Stringer recused himself).

Resolutions approved unanimously by the board include:

• Dissolution of the Airport Committee;
• Appointment of Airport Authority members Larry Odom, Gene Gawthrop, Archie Bowling, Jimmy Berrong and Chris Dockery;
• Appointment of Lumpkin County Library Board of Trustees member Kaye Campagnoli;
• Appointment of Hospital Authority members Leland Cox and Larry Charles;
• Appointment of Public Building Authority members W. Franklin Youngblood and Daniel Harding; and
• Appointment of Upper Etowah River Alliance member Dr. Robert Fuller.

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

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – Commissioners are expected to vote on an Association of County Commissioners Georgia (ACCG) grant that would fund the hiring of an intern to coordinate a “Community Healthcare” discussion when the Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners meets Tuesday at 6 p.m.

The grant would pay an intern $10 per hour for up to 200 hours to coordinate and co-lead “Community Healthcare Discussion” groups and analyze and interpret data collected from surveys. The county’s only financial contribution would be $250 and the intern would work under the direction of Commissioner David Miller, who suggested the study during a recent meeting.

Commissioners must also vote on a request by the Lumpkin County Water and Sewer Authority (LCWSA) to use the ground water well at Blackburn Park as a source of water for its Ga. 400 water system.

Several key contracts will also be on the agenda, including one with Atlanta-based Mauldin & Jenkins to provide the county audit at a cost of $41,000. Mauldin & Jenkins has provided that service for Lumpkin County since 2007.

Another contract to be considered is with Bachman & Associates for the schematic design phase of the Chestatee Regional Library System at a cost of $35,280.

Also up for a decision Tuesday is the 2018 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) work plan that was presented to commissioners at the annual retreat. The plan is a guide for the use of funds approved by commissioners based on the program as approved by the voters.

The program is designed to ensure programs stay within budget and provide time for staff to research and make sure all projects submitted are SPLOST eligible. All projects presented will fall within the guidelines of the original program approved by the voters.

Commissioners will vote on a request by the owner of Barefoot Hills Hotel to waive the penalties, interest and non-payment fees for March through October 2017 rentals.

Resolutions to be considered include:

• Revisions to the county Animal Ordinance;
• Revisions to the alcohol beverage catering fees and special event fees;
• Revisions to the alcohol and drug testing policy;
• Appointments to the Park and Recreation Advisory Board;
• Appointments to the Department of Family and Children Services Board; and
• Appointments to the Joint Development Authority of Lumpkin, Dawson and White counties.

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

DAHLONEGA, Ga. — Quinn Design Concepts is out, Bachmann and Associates is in as firm that will design Fire Station 7.

Lumpkin County Commissioners voted 4-1 last month — with Commissioner Rhett Stringer opposed — to award Quinn Design Concepts a contract to design the proposed Frogtown fire station. Before the contract was signed, however, it was discovered the company is not insured in the state of Georgia and therefore, not eligible to do the work.

Commissioners corrected that oversight during a Tuesday Called Meeting by rejecting Quinn and awarding the bid to Gainesville-based Bachmann and Associates. The vote again, was 4-1 with Commissioner Stringer opposed.

Commissioner Bob Pullen made the motion to approve Bachmann and Associates and Commissioner Bobby Mayfield called for the motion to be amended to stipulate that the contracted amount would come from available funds. Pullen amended his motion and the measure passed 4-1 with Stringer still opposed.

The Called Meeting followed the regularly scheduled work session during which commissioners upcoming contracts including the intergovernmental agreement with the City of Dahlonega to provide for municipal elections, a window replacement at the Administration Building and a request by the Enotah Judidial Circuits 2018 budget of $10,700.

Commissioners also heard a recommendation from E-911 Director Mike Stapleton that his deprtment be allowed to promote a Communications Officer to the position of Supervisor which would require a budget increase of $8,000.

Stapleton also asked board approval to purchase a CLQ Module for the Zuercher Cad System that will allow 911 to pinpoint the location of cell phone calls.

Stapledon said data shows that 75 to 80 percent of the calls to 911 originate from cell phones and that often callers are away from home and may not be able to pinpoint their exact locations. The new technology would allow 911 to send the caller a text with a link in it that give permission to locate their phone and obtain their exact coordinates.The setup cost of this software is $398 and the annual cost is $4000.

Work sessions are for commissioners to discuss issues that can be voted on during the next next regular meeting.
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DAHLONEGA, Ga. — The Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners will have a full agenda when it meets Tuesday in a 5 p.m. work session to be followed by a regular meeting. The meeting will be in the Lumpkin County Administration Building, 99 Courthouse Hill.

Commissioners will consider resolutions authorizing:

Adoption of the 2017 update of the Lumpkin County Comprehensive Plan;
The Chief Tax Assessor and Tax Commissioner to approve or disapprove certain specified claims for refunds of ad valorem property taxes paid in clerical error;

The Tax Commissioner to accept checks for all taxes, fees and licenses due the tax commissioner’s office;

The Tax Commissioner to waive certain taxes as provided by O.C.G.A. 48-5-242;

An option for tax commissioner to collect certain delinquent ad valorem taxes of real estate by use of the in-rem tax foreclosure in superior court;

Support for the Community Healthcare Partnership Grant.

Commissioners will also consider a series of appointments to various boards, including the Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee, Planning Commission, Chestatee-Chattahoochee RC&D Council and the Park and Recreation Citizens Advisory Board.

Three Sisters Vineyards is asking the board to approve dates for its signature event, the Georgia Wine Country Festival for June 3rd, 4th, 10th and 11th, 17th and 18th and 24th and 25th.

The board will also consider renewal of the contract with Canoe Georgia for use of the Chestatee River Access Park.