Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County approves Georgia Forestry fire‑tower agreement, caps county payment at $4,738.58

The Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on June 3 to approve a Fire Tower Agreement with the Georgia Forestry Commission that authorizes Forestry to provide personnel assistance for fire detection and prevention in the county.

The contract included in the meeting packet specifies that the county's payment per contract period shall not exceed $4,738.58 and that the agreement will be effective from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. The Forestry will select and employ a temporary fire‑tower operator assigned to the county; the operator may be a temporary day laborer and will generally not be scheduled for more than 40 hours per week. Either party may terminate the agreement upon 30 days' written notice. Georgia Forestry will bill the county at the end of the contract period and provide documentation of assistance as required.

Commissioner Jason Frost moved to approve the agreement; Commissioner Timothy Biddle seconded and the vote was unanimous. The board also adopted a resolution authorizing Chairman Charles Coffey to execute the agreement on the county's behalf.

Why it matters: A staffed fire‑tower contributes to early detection and suppression of wildland and forest fires and represents a county‑level arrangement with the state Forestry agency. The contract amount is modest and is structured as a single‑year agreement with termination provisions.

What happens next: The chairman is authorized to sign the agreement and county staff will process the contract and payments as Forestry invoices the county.