Paulding County commissioners approve equipment purchase, construction contracts, ordinances and special-use permits

Paulding County commissioners on March 11, 2025 approved an $83,450 equipment purchase, awarded a $360,210 construction contract, adopted two development‑regulation ordinances, increased a SPLOST allotment for a road‑widening project, and acted on two Planning Commission special‑use permit recommendations.

The actions, taken during a regularly scheduled meeting, included acceptance of minutes, passage of a consent agenda and votes on bids, ordinances and planning items that county staff said were previously vetted by departments or by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Votes at a glance

- Approved purchase of a Bobcat E60 R2-series compact excavator from Bobcat of Atlanta for $83,450 (funded in FY2025 capital budget under a Sourcewell contract). - Awarded bid No. 25016-3802 to Soul Construction LLC for the Richard Creek VTP Inhabitor Trench project, $360,210 (funded through the renewal and expansion fund; located in Post 4). - Adopted Ordinance 25-O2 amending development regulations (Article 5, Section 6.7 — paving application requirement). - Adopted Ordinance 25-O3 amending development regulations (Article 1, Section 1.6.0.7 — street access). - Approved an increase in the project funding allotment to $250,000 for completion of the 7 Hills Boulevard widening project to CW Matthews Contracting Company, Inc., funded by SPLOST (Post 4). - Adopted Resolution 25-O6 confirming an executive session held for personnel matters. - Denied Special Use Permit application 2025-O2 (applicant: Vamsa Dempsa) for a CBD store and smoke shop on a 1.12‑acre property in Land Lot 74, District 19 (Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation: deny). - Approved Special Use Permit application 2025-O3 (applicant: Strickland Dallas LLC) for a three‑story climate‑controlled self‑storage facility on 3.36 acres, with the five conditions recommended by the Planning Commission.

Most motions were made and seconded from the dais and approved by voice vote; where specific movers and seconders were recorded in the meeting transcript, those names are noted in the record. Several items were presented as already included in the county’s FY2025 capital or SPLOST budgets.

Details and context

Equipment and contracts: The commission approved the Bobcat purchase for $83,450, which county staff said was included in the FY2025 capital budget and will be procured through a Sourcewell cooperative contract. The board also awarded bid 25016-3802 for the Richard Creek VTP Inhabitor Trench project to Soul Construction LLC for $360,210; the item was funded from the county’s renewal and expansion fund and identified as located in Post 4.

Ordinances: The board adopted two separate amendments to the county’s development regulations. Ordinance 25‑O2 amends Article 5, Section 6.7 (preparation and paving application requirements). Ordinance 25‑O3 amends Article 1, Section 1.6.0.7 concerning street access. The meeting transcript shows both ordinances were offered as motions, seconded and approved by voice vote.

7 Hills Boulevard SPLOST allotment: Commissioners approved an increase in the project funding allotment for the 7 Hills Boulevard widening project, directing SPLOST funds to CW Matthews Contracting Company, Inc. During the motion and second, a commissioner clarified for the record that the approved increase was $250,000 (the transcript records an initial reference to $25,000 that was corrected during the discussion).

Planning and zoning: The commission reviewed two Planning and Zoning Commission recommendations. The board denied SUP application 2025‑O2 (applicant Vamsa Dempsa) for a CBD store and smoke shop on a 1.12‑acre B‑2 (Highway Business) parcel at the northwest corner of Hiram‑Acworth Highway (State Route 92) and East Paulding Drive (Post 1); the transcript records that the Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended denial. The board approved SUP application 2025‑O3 (Strickland Dallas LLC) for a three‑story, climate‑controlled self‑storage facility on 3.36 acres in Post 4, voting to approve with the five written conditions recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Procedure and budgeting notes: The Bobcat purchase was identified as funded through the general fund capital budget and to be procured via a Sourcewell contract. The 7 Hills Boulevard funding increase is explicitly funded by SPLOST. The transcript does not provide a line‑item breakdown beyond those statements.

What the record does not specify

The meeting record uses voice votes for most approvals and does not include a roll‑call tally showing how individual commissioners voted on each item. Where the transcript identifies a mover or seconder by name, that name is included in the actions list below; otherwise motions and seconds are recorded as not specified in the transcript. The minutes and departmental files, cited on the agenda, were referenced but the transcript does not include their detailed contents.

Ending

After approving the items listed above and hearing no public participants on the agenda, the board moved to adjourn. The meeting closed following a motion and second to adjourn.