The Dawson County Board of Commissioners at its Aug. 21 meeting approved a package of administrative and contracting actions and tabled a separate public‑hearing item on an amended development fee schedule.

Key votes

• Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust grant: The board approved acceptance of an $88,704 no‑match grant for treatment services. Motion and second were recorded; the vote was approved (4‑0).

• Part‑time deputy clerk to full‑time: The board approved converting a part‑time deputy clerk position to a full‑time position, with no funding required for the current year and an estimated additional $2,200 to be included in the 2026 budget. Motion by Commissioner Bruce, second by Commissioner Stowers; approved 4‑0.

• IFB 482‑25 Lumpkin Campground Road resurfacing: The board awarded a contract to Blount Construction. The recommended total (including a 10% contingency) was presented in the meeting. Motion by Commissioner Bauer, second by Commissioner Bruce; approved 4‑0. (Contract award amount in the meeting record appears as $677,718.43 in the motion; an earlier slide referenced $677,784.43; funding source text in the record was unclear.)

• State Properties Commission revocable license and long‑term ground lease for public‑safety radio system: The board approved a revocable license and a resolution seeking a long‑term ground lease related to a public safety communications radio upgrade. The stated financial terms at the meeting were $10 (annual) and a $6.50 one‑time fee. Motion by Commissioner Gaines, second by Commissioner Stowers; approved 4‑0.

• Board appointments: Tara Linton was appointed to the Library Board to replace Carol Turner (term Aug. 2025–June 2027). The Long Range Planning Committee appointments of Corey Guthrie (replacing Terry Trageser) and Mike Turner (replacing Gary Pashawn) were also approved. Motions and seconds were recorded and approved 4‑0.

• Amended development fee schedule (readoption): The board opened a second public hearing on a readoption of an amended development fee schedule and heard staff presentations on proposed changes including a shift of some fees from valuation or per‑employee bases to square footage or gross receipts, a proposed cap on business license fees and a proposed soil erosion plan review fee to support an in‑house plan review program. After questions and debate about whether the proposed maximum business license cap (about $800 in the draft) was too low relative to larger jurisdictions, the board voted to table adoption to a future meeting and asked staff to provide additional comparisons and revised numbers. Motion to table carried 4‑0.

Details and context

The fee‑schedule hearing prompted the most substantive board discussion during the meeting. Planning and licensing staff proposed shifting sign‑permit and building‑permit fee calculations from valuation to square footage and replacing a per‑employee business license fee with a gross‑revenue‑based, tiered structure; staff also proposed a late penalty for short‑term rental permits and a soil‑erosion review fee tied to a future in‑house plan‑review memorandum of agreement. Commissioners asked staff for additional analysis comparing Dawson County to both similarly sized North Georgia counties and to larger counties that already use gross‑receipts tiers (for example, Gwinnett and Cobb) and asked staff to return with alternative cap levels and revenue projections before the board acts.

The road contract award and the state lease for the radio system were routine approvals after prior presentation to the board and were approved unanimously. The opioid grant acceptance was described as no‑match funding designated for treatment services.

Motion details and votes referenced in the meeting record appear in the official county minutes and contracts; funding source text for the Lumpkin Campground Road award in the verbal record contained transcription ambiguities and should be read with the official contract and budget documents.