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Whitfield County commissioners approve multiple rezoning, budget and ARPA actions; TAD motion fails
Summary
At its Feb. 16 meeting the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners approved multiple rezoning requests, accepted petitions to close roads, elected the $10 million ARPA standard allowance for revenue loss, authorized ARPA spending on fire station air-quality work and referral bonuses, and approved a slate of contracts and change orders. A motion to enter a TAD with Varnell failed for lack of a second.
The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners met Feb. 16 at the Wink Theatre and approved a series of land-use, budgetary and administrative items, while a proposed Tax Allocation District (TAD) agreement with the City of Varnell failed for lack of a second.
The board approved multiple rezoning requests recommended by the county planning commission for parcels in Rocky Face, Tunnel Hill and Dalton. It also approved a special-use permit for Dalton Quarries LLC (see separate report) and registered no land-use objection to annexations by the City of Dalton and the Town of Cohutta. The board accepted petitions to begin the Georgia Law process to close and abandon Martin Road and a portion of Kraft Drive, setting public hearings for March 16, 2022.
On finances, Finance Director James Garvin reported year-to-date revenues of $50,573,183, roughly $2.47 million above projections; December LOST collections were $1,294,424. The board approved the December 2021 financial statement unanimously (3-0).
On American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) decisions, the board elected the $10,000,000 standard allowance for revenue loss under the Treasury final rule rather than pursue a multi-year calculated loss method. Administration said the county’s calculated first-year loss was $706,461; the board approved the standard allowance 3-0. The board also approved adding $98,036 in ARPA funds to cover the final cost ($286,888) of air-quality improvements at fire stations 1–6, and approved using ARPA funds for referral bonuses tied to recruitment for certain public-safety positions (about $10,000 budgeted so far). The board approved a $25,000 ARPA matching donation to the Coalition of Latino Leaders (CLILA) for COVID-19 outreach to the county’s Hispanic population.
Other approved items included: a three-year Cisco support renewal at $29,280 per year; surplus declarations for multiple county vehicles and equipment to be sold online; ratification of Riverbend Park change order #3 for $71,390.24; and a $378,500 change order for furniture, millwork and audio/visual equipment for the courthouse multipurpose room. The board also approved independent-contractor agreements for indigent defense and guardian ad litem services in juvenile court and an E-911 incentive pay and training certification program.
A motion by Commissioner Barry Robbins to approve a TAD agreement with the City of Varnell drew mixed public comment and died for lack of a second. During public comment, residents and local advisors offered both support for and opposition to the TAD and requested additional public education about the district.
Votes at a glance (selected): approve agenda (3-0); approve minutes (3-0); December financials (3-0); appoint Mitch Sanford to NW GA Regional Commission (3-0); approve multiple rezoning requests (3-0); approve Dalton Quarries special-use permit with conditions (3-0); elect ARPA standard allowance (3-0); approve ARPA fire-station top-up (3-0); approve ARPA referral bonuses (3-0); approve CLILA $25,000 match (3-0); TAD agreement with Varnell — motion died for lack of second.
The board adjourned after public comment. The next regular meeting was scheduled for March 16, 2022.
