At its July 17 meeting, the Dawson County Board of Commissioners approved a series of routine consent items, contractual awards and funding moves covering public health facility renovations, transportation projects and small capital purchases.

The board approved the consent agenda, which included Legacy Link contract addendum No. 3 for an additional $4,724 in state funds, the ratification of an emergency ambulance purchase and an emergency repair at War Hill Park, and one board appointment to the long-range planning committee. Commissioners also approved a library-board appointment, naming Donna Barker to replace Peter Thomas for a term running July 2025 through June 2029.

On procurement, the board awarded RFP 478-25 for program-management services for a public-health facility to Ascension grama management for $51,400 to be paid from SPLOST 7 funds. It separately awarded RFP 479-25, a repurposed renovation for the public-health facility, to Penn Court for $1,787,353 with a county-controlled contingency of 10 percent; the board said the contract would use SPLOST 7 funds and asked staff to control additional costs as much as possible.

The board approved a project-management contract for Fire Station 3 and a fueling center with Gerard Development not to exceed $75,000 and granted a professional services exemption as requested. Commissioners also approved adding intersection improvements at Jewell Slaton Road and AT Moore Road on State Route 9 South to the transportation SPLOST list; the board said the requested additions would be funded through the program's safety portion and would not reduce previously approved projects.

A right-of-way maintenance agreement between the Georgia Department of Transportation and Dawson County was approved as presented. The board authorized a request to fund new fire hydrants on Elliot Road, Sunset Road and Ruby Lane for $54,200, to be paid from impact fees.

On personnel and administrative items, the board approved a no-cost-in-2025 reclassification of a district attorney's office administrative clerk position (noting a projected $2,000 increase to the 2026 budget), and approved the FY2026 intergovernmental agreement with the Dawson County Board of Education for school resource officers on a 50/50 cost split.

The board approved submission of a Keep Dawson County Beautiful relief-grant application described in the packet as a 50/50 grant with the county portion listed as $5,000; the transcript contains conflicting discussion on whether the grant totals $5,000 or $10,000, and staff later referred to $5,000 in the packet. The board approved moving forward with the application and the county share as presented.

Finally, the board voted to enter an executive session to discuss personnel matters. The chair said there would be no vote reported coming out of executive session.

Most items were approved by motion and second with no extended debate recorded in the meeting transcript.