Habersham County honors storm response; road crews say they treated about 350 miles during Winter Storm Cora

Habersham County commissioners on Jan. 27 recognized county crews and first responders for their work during Winter Storm Cora and heard that road crews scraped and treated roughly 350 miles of roadway during the event.

The recognition and report came at a regular meeting of the Habersham County Board of Commissioners, where Interim County Manager Tim Simms called out public works, fleet, facilities maintenance, 9-1-1, the sheriff’s office and volunteer partners for sustained work during the storm. “Habersham County has an amazing group of employees that continue to work diligently to make this community a great place to live, work, and do business in,” Simms said.

Road Department Director Jerry Baggett gave the board a detailed operational briefing on the county’s winter response, explaining how crews were organized into zones and how equipment and material mixes were adjusted as conditions changed. Baggett said an asset manager joined plow operations and that crews treated “more than 350 miles of paved roads” in the first 24 hours and retreated many routes multiple times over the next several days. He added the county manages about 416 miles of paved roads and 98 miles of gravel roads.

Baggett described the county’s pre-storm preparations — staging plow-equipped trucks, stockpiling salt and stone, servicing chainsaws and checking light and mechanical systems — and said crews worked continuously from the start of the event into the following week. He also credited fleet mechanics for keeping vehicles running and acknowledged private support, noting a local restaurant, Wolf Creek Barbecue in Clarkesville, provided meals for crews.

The board publicly recognized Matt Ainsworth, the county’s asset manager, for stepping out of his usual role during the storm to operate plow equipment and assist with vehicle repairs and tree removal. “Matt went above and beyond his role by actively assisting the road department with plowing and salting more than 350 miles of paved roads,” Baggett said.

Commissioners thanked staff and volunteers and were given a multi-department update from the county manager’s office that included distribution of Narcan kits to county buildings, Code Enforcement moving to the sheriff’s office on Feb. 1, and openings or changes at recycling centers and senior services. The Safe Streets for All workshop, postponed by weather, was rescheduled for Feb. 17.

The presentation closed with Baggett reiterating the department’s primary mission: keeping routes safe and passable for emergency services, school buses and the public. The board did not take any additional formal action on the report at the meeting.