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County praises crews after Storm Cora; road department details response
Summary
Habersham County recognized public works, fleet, emergency services and 911 staff for extended work during Winter Storm Cora; the road department reported treating and re-treating over 350 miles of paved roads during the initial 24 hours and several follow-up days and honored an asset manager who drove a plow during the response.
Habersham County commissioners on Jan. 27 publicly thanked public works, fleet and emergency services staff for extended operations during Winter Storm Cora and received a detailed road department after-action report.
Interim manager Tim Simms and road department director Jerry Baggett led acknowledgements for crews who worked around the clock to clear roads, keep driveways to emergency facilities clear and maintain equipment. The county commended 911 staff for staying at the center overnight to provide continuous weather briefings and monitoring, and thanked local businesses that fed crews during the response.
Baggett presented the road department’s storm operations: the county divides plowing and spreading into five dump-truck zones and three motor-grader zones; one-ton trucks with smaller plows handled secondary roads and emergency-service access points. He said crews began pre-storm preparations two days before Cora, staging plows and materials, and treated roads continuously during and after the event. Baggett said the county scraped and treated more than 350 miles of paved roads in the first 24 hours and retreated routes two to five times over the following days; he described adjustments in stone/salt mixes and prioritized keeping EMS, fire stations, hospitals and school bus routes accessible.
Baggett also highlighted fleet’s role in repairing vehicles during the event and recognized Matt Ainsworth, the county’s asset manager, for assisting the road crews by plowing and salting more than 350 miles of paved roads, repairing vehicles and clearing fallen trees. Baggett noted Ainsworth joined the department in October 2024 and was singled out for outstanding contribution.
Commissioners and staff urged appreciation for crews and noted ongoing maintenance and post-storm recovery needs. The county manager’s report included additional departmental updates: Narcan kits distributed to county buildings, code-enforcement functions transferring to the sheriff’s office Feb. 1, shelter project groundbreaking timing, recycling-center updates and senior center grant funding.
The commissioners presented formal recognition to crews and will follow up on post-storm maintenance and equipment needs identified in Baggett’s report.
