Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Administration:finance And Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves Free Home school purchase, multiple infrastructure and equipment actions; opts not to provide a rollback rate on tax notices
Summary
The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners on May 6, 2025 approved a series of property, infrastructure and contract actions, including purchase of the former Free Home Elementary site, several design and resurfacing contracts, equipment purchases and a decision to have tax assessment notices include an estimated tax amount rather than a rollback rate.
At its May 6, 2025 meeting the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners approved a package of county manager and consent‑agenda items that included property transactions, infrastructure and equipment purchases, planning contracts, and an administrative decision about tax‑assessor notices.
Key approvals included:
- Purchase of former Free Home Elementary School site: The board authorized acquisition of 6.428 acres from the Cherokee County School System for $974,100 for additional Recreation and Parks fields and to preserve the historic Free Home gymnasium. The county manager said funding comes from prior county property sales.
- Sale of a 22.3-acre county parcel on Blaylock Road: The board approved a sales agreement for $290,000 for land largely consisting of wetland/pond area that county staff said has no practical county use.
- Crown Castle fiber and telecom agreements: The board approved a Crown Castle agreement to bring fiber to six county facilities, with a one-time construction cost of $95,000 (covered by SPOST) and recurring monthly service of $10,200 for a five‑year term once active.
- IT and communications equipment: Approval to purchase network switches for the Justice Center ($98,661.72) and to replace legacy contracts; approval to purchase a used 2018 Altec bucket truck for traffic maintenance ($96,500); and authorization for a 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe for the coroner (order price $54,275; motion set a not‑to‑exceed price of $56,000).
- Planning and engineering contracts and studies: The board approved a $299,028 contract with Gresham Smith to update the Bells Ferry LCI plan; a $680,499.05 first amendment with Thomas & Hutton for design and ROW plans on the Bells Ferry multi‑use trail (GDOT 80%/county 20% SPLOST funding); and a $67,000 design contract with Keck & Wood for intersection improvements at East Cherokee Drive and Ranchwood Trail.
- Road resurfacing and local road assistance: The board approved submitting a list of 76 road segments (about 16.3 miles) for the Georgia DOT Local Road Assistance Program; Cherokee County’s share of LRA funds for this round was stated as $3,348,465.95 and requires no local match.
- Condemnation resolution: The board approved proceeding with condemnation for five parcels necessary for the Dupree Road drainage improvements after negotiations for those parcels stalled.
- Community development and grants: The board approved reallocating $112,000 in CDBG funds to Goshen Valley Foundation for rehabilitation of the Sims House foster home and approved related action‑plan updates to HUD.
Tax assessment notices: After discussion of recent state legislation (House Bill 92 of 2025 and HB 581 of 2024), the board declined to provide an estimated rollback millage rate to the assessor and instead voted that the assessor’s mailed notices should include an estimated tax amount (based on last year’s millage). Commissioners split on the policy, but the board approved the motion to have notices show estimated tax amounts for taxpayers rather than a formal rollback rate figure.
Votes at a glance (selected items): - Free Home Elementary purchase: approved (motion carried unanimously) - Blaylock Road parcel sale ($290,000): approved unanimously - Crown Castle fiber agreement (one-time $95,000 construction, $10,200/mo for 5 years): approved unanimously - Justice Center network switches ($98,661.72): approved unanimously - Coroner vehicle (2025 Chevy Tahoe, not-to-exceed $56,000): approved unanimously - 2018 Altec bucket truck purchase ($96,500): approved unanimously - Gresham Smith Bells Ferry LCI ($299,028): approved unanimously - Thomas & Hutton Bells Ferry trail amendment ($680,499.05): approved unanimously - Keck & Wood East Cherokee Drive intersection design ($67,000): approved unanimously - Dupree Road condemnation (5 parcels): approved unanimously - CDBG reallocation $112,000 to Goshen Valley Foundation: approved unanimously - Tax notice approach (do not provide rollback rate; include estimated tax amount): approved (board majority decision to proceed with estimated tax notices)
Ending: The board approved the consent agenda items and county manager items in single and individual votes as noted; staff will proceed with closings, contract execution, design work and public-notice actions described above.
