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Residents press Putnam County to act on Fort Gates Ferry; commissioners to research lease and funding
Summary
A long‑running conversation about Fort Gates Ferry resurfaced at the BOCC meeting after a resident urged immediate action; county staff said they will investigate ownership, lease status and grant/appropriation options and return with more information.
A Putnam County resident urged the Board of County Commissioners to move quickly to preserve and reopen the deteriorating Fort Gates Ferry, calling the site a historic resource and emergency‑services crossing.
The resident, who said he has helped maintain the ferry and has collected documentation, told commissioners the county’s lease for the property expired in 2019 and that the site has received temporary repairs only. Commissioners asked staff to investigate the lease and ownership status before the board commits funding or other formal action.
County Administrator Sam Suggs told the board staff has applied for grants and appropriations but had no updates on state funding at the meeting. Staff later said preliminary engineering estimates put a repair‑only cost at about $800,000, and a full reconstruction using concrete piles at about $1.6 million. Commissioners asked staff to research legal and ownership issues and to propose a timeline for a workshop on the subject.
The board did not approve funding at the meeting. Commissioners and staff urged the resident and local volunteers to keep sharing documentation; staff said they will return with results of the lease and grant research and possible next steps for preserving the ferry.
