Paulding County approves property transfer to Dallas for redevelopment project

The Board of Commissioners Work Session Meeting for Paulding County, Georgia, held on February 25, 2025, commenced without public participation and proceeded through a structured agenda.

The first item discussed was the action to approve maintenance for several streets, specifically Crestwood Station Phase 1, which includes Creekview Road, Creekwater Drive, Bentwater Court, and Creekwater Court.

Next, the board addressed the reappointment of Jeff Knowles to the Industrial Building Authority, with his term set to end in December 2027. Additionally, Dan Knowles Nolan was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Tommy Morris, which will conclude in December 2025. The commissioners expressed no desire to move any items to new business.

The meeting then transitioned to new business, where the commissioners discussed an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the city of Dallas. This agreement involves the transfer of the Helping Hands parcel and an adjoining parking lot located between W Griffin Street and West Spring Street to the city of Dallas. This transfer is part of a broader redevelopment initiative in downtown Dallas.

Jason, a representative, provided further details on the agreement, noting that the county has leased the property to Helping Hands since 2011. The city of Dallas aims to facilitate the redevelopment project by acquiring this property. Under the terms of the IGA, the existing lease with Helping Hands will be assigned to the city, which will also provide a temporary relocation space for Helping Hands at a nominal rent of one dollar per month for 24 months. During this period, Helping Hands will be responsible for its own utilities, while the city may cover relocation costs.

The goal is for Helping Hands to vacate the current location by April 7, 2025, and ideally, they will move to a new facility that they are in the process of acquiring. Additionally, as part of the agreement, the city of Dallas will transfer its retail water customers outside of the Dallas water service area back to Paulding County.

The meeting concluded with a clear outline of the next steps regarding the property transfer and the ongoing collaboration between the county and the city of Dallas for the redevelopment efforts.