Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Whitfield County commissioners approve routine rezones, SPLOST purchases, grants and appointments
Summary
On Oct. 14 the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners approved a package of routine actions: six rezones, a Tunnel Hill rezoning with a 'no commercial swine' condition, four alcohol permits, vehicle purchases and surplus trucks under SPLOST, fire station roof replacements ($106,007.96), several grants and multiple appointments; most motions passed by unanimous or recorded 3-0 votes.
The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners took a series of routine actions and votes on Oct. 14, approving multiple rezoning requests, procurement items, grant applications and appointments in motions that largely passed unanimously.
Rezoning and land-use: Commissioners approved a block of six rezoning items (items labeled a, b, c, d, f and g) on a 3-0 vote. A separate rezoning in Tunnel Hill was approved with a single condition prohibiting commercial swine operations; Commissioner Jones moved for approval, and Commissioner Robbins seconded.
Permits, procurement and SPLOST projects: The board approved four county alcohol beverage permits (no public comment was received at the hearing). The county approved purchase of an F-150 (state contract F150 4800650) for the building and grounds crew and authorized surplusing four public-works trucks and purchasing four replacement trucks under SPLOST 2024. Under SPLOST 2020 project funds, commissioners awarded Caliber Construction the low bid of $106,007.96 to replace four fire-station roofs after reviewing vendor references. Commissioners also approved upgrades to Edwards Park lighting and parking under SPLOST 2024.
Grants and ARPA: The board accepted a reimbursement grant of $57,704 and authorized applying for the Edward Bryan Memorial JAG federal grant and a state crisis-intervention grant tied to domestic-violence and juvenile-court services. The commissioners also approved allocating $39,945 in ARPA funds to complete the clerk of court’s records digitization project. The board ratified prior acceptance of a scrap-tire participation program to allow reimbursement for tire disposal and approved applying for a regional 'Thrive' grant (approximately $24,000 requested; in-kind matches could reduce local cash to roughly $8,000).
Appointments and administrative items: The board appointed the president of Dalton State (name noted in meeting) to serve as Whitfield County’s representative on the Highland Rivers governing board, and appointed Tom Minor IV and Greg Balvin to the Board of Assessors to restore quorum. Commissioners authorized temporarily transferring funds to cover 2023 property-tax appeal refunds and approved processing upfront SPLOST payments to smaller towns as funds come in.
Votes on these items were recorded during the meeting; most motions passed on 3-0 votes. Several items had limited discussion and were approved in single votes or as grouped motions. No additional county spending beyond recorded grant acceptances and SPLOST-authorized purchases was approved without a recorded motion in the minutes.
Next steps: Several of these items require administrative follow-up (procurement, vendor contracting and grant reporting). The board will receive required documentation for awarded contracts and status updates on grant-funded projects at future meetings.
