Whitfield County approves 2022 budget, ARPA reimbursements and a string of contracts and rezoning actions
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Summary
On Dec. 14, 2021 the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners adopted a roughly $48.1 million 2022 budget, approved ARPA reimbursements totaling $2,409,115 for eligible 2021 and anticipated expenses, ratified several contracts and passed multiple land-use and licensing measures.
The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners met Dec. 14, 2021 at the Wink Theatre and approved the county's 2022 budget, a series of contract awards and a set of land-use and licensing items.
The board adopted the 2022 budget of approximately $48.1 million in revenue (motion by Commissioner Barry W. Robbins, seconded by Commissioner Greg Jones). The board also approved a 2021 budget amendment that moves $500,000 from general fund surplus to prepay part of the 2022 pension estimate and transfers $754,500 of surplus to the capital fund (motion by Commissioner John Thomas, seconded by Commissioner Robby Staten). The amendments were approved 4-0.
The board approved reimbursement of $1,617,265 to the general fund for specified 2021 expenses that qualify under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and recognized $791,850 of expected future eligible expenses, for a total of $2,409,115 of ARPA-eligible reimbursements and expected expenses (motion by Commissioner Greg Jones, seconded by Commissioner John Thomas). The board noted ARPA funds are restricted to eligible uses incurred after March 2021 through December 2024.
On capital and projects, the board ratified a sewer infrastructure grant application for a total project cost of $15,422,250; the application lists $7,005,000 to be funded by a State Fiscal Recovery grant, $7,005,000 proposed from county ARP funds, $1,401,000 in-kind services from Dalton Utilities and $11,250 in-kind county administrative services. The five project corridors named in the application include Cleveland Hwy, Carbondale, Connector 3, Crider Rd/Tibbs Bridge to Riverbend, and Command Dr. The motion was made by Commissioner Robby Staten and seconded by Commissioner Barry W. Robbins and approved 4-0.
The board ratified Courthouse Renovation Change Order #3 at $285,855, identifying $16,326 of courtroom audio/video equipment as ARPA-eligible and the remainder ($269,529) as a 2020 SPLOST expense within the project budget (motion by Commissioner John Thomas, seconded by Commissioner Barry W. Robbins).
Several procurement and bid awards were approved: a parking lot contract for the new Tax Commissioner building was awarded to Bartow Paving Co.; the transcript lists both $225,898 and a separate line showing the lowest qualified bid at $234,990.94 with a stated value-engineering savings of $9,000. The board approved annual Public Works vendors for concrete (Murray Mix Concrete), crushed stone (Vulcan Materials), road striping (Peek Pavement Markings) and tandem truck/operator services (Dalton Rock LLC and Wheat Trucking). The Parks and Recreation Department was authorized to purchase two cleaning carts for $23,923.88 using 2020 SPLOST funds, and the county approved GPS service and installation from Cal Amp Wireless Network for $22,114.14.
Votes on routine land-use and licensing items included approval of an alcohol beverage license for GKU 1 Inc. d/b/a Kangaroo Express at 2622 Chattanooga Rd in Rocky Face, approval of most 2022 alcohol license renewals after sheriff's background checks (one application failed and was not renewed), a no-objection stance to a City of Varnell annexation for parcel 11-263-01-179, and multiple rezoning approvals recommended by the planning commission. The board also approved closing and abandoning Tiarco Road and issuing a quitclaim deed (motions passed 4-0).
The meeting concluded with no public comments and a unanimous adjournment.
Votes at a glance: the transcript records all motions noted above as approved unanimously (4-0). Where the transcript records movers and seconders, those names are recorded above alongside each item.