The Dawsonville City Council opened its first meeting of 2025 by amending the agenda to remove items 9, 15 and 16, approved routine consent items and took several administrative actions including a vape license and write-offs of old utility accounts.

Mayor (unnamed in the record) asked the council to approve an amended agenda removing items 9, 15 and 16; the motion to approve the agenda as amended was moved by Council Member Frick and seconded by Council Member Kayla Phillips and approved by voice vote. The consent agenda — which included approval of minutes for the Dec. 16 regular meeting and work session, the Dec. 23 special-call meeting and executive sessions, and setting qualifying fees for the 2025 municipal election — was approved on a motion by Council Member Phillips, seconded by Council Member Sawyer.

Council approved the city’s 2025 vape license application for SI Investments LLC (the neighborhood convenience store/BP station). City staff reported the applicant passed background checks and recommended approval; Council Member Mark French moved approval and Council Member Phillips seconded.

Council also authorized writing off aged and uncollectible utility accounts. Deputy City Clerk Tracy Smith reported there are multiple accounts too old to collect under Georgia law (over six years old), several under $5 and one account associated with a deceased customer. The total to be written off was reported in the meeting as “4 $1,254” in the agenda presentation; the clerk characterized the total as higher than typical because the city had not done a write-off for some time. A motion to write off the listed accounts was made by Council Member Frick and seconded by Council Member Phillips and approved by council.

During staff reports, City Manager Bob Oates announced the city had received a state award described in the meeting as "7 and a half $1,000,000" toward a new wastewater treatment plant; the record did not state a clear numeric total. Staff also reported a single leak adjustment for the month totaling $73.47 and presented routine departmental reports. The council set a special-call retreat for Feb. 7–8 at Amicalola Falls Lodge and recognized multiple city employees with service and performance awards.

The meeting concluded without an executive session and the council adjourned. Several items that had been on the agenda were removed at the start of the meeting at the applicant’s request, and one land-use pair of items (VAR C-2500068 and C-2500069) was later withdrawn without prejudice after a public hearing.