Whitfield County accepts multiple state grants to fund parks, courthouse tech and public safety positions

The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners on June 12 accepted multiple state grants to fund parks upgrades, trail development, courthouse audio-visual improvements and public-safety personnel funding.

The board approved a state ARPA award of $1,909,341 for improvements to the south side of Prater's Mill Historic Site, including parking, restrooms and a walking track; the county will contribute a $100,000 ARPA match. Commissioners voted 4-0 to accept the award.

Commissioners also approved a state grant of $878,994 to rehabilitate Edwards Park tennis and pickleball courts; county officials pledged a $100,000 ARPA match. The board approved the grant 4-0.

Separately, the board agreed to serve as fiscal agent for a $150,000 Judicial Council of Georgia ARPA award for audio/visual improvements at the Murray County Courthouse; Whitfield County will request funds and reimburse Murray County as expenses are incurred. The grant period runs June 1 through Dec. 31, 2023. That motion passed 4-0.

For outdoor recreation, commissioners approved a $50,000 grant contract from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for development of a trail to the Rocky Face Ridge summit; the grant requires a 50% local match and passed 4-0.

On public safety, the board accepted a State of Georgia ARPA Public Safety and Community Violence Reduction grant totaling $1,246,837.90. The award is intended to fund the salary and benefits of previously authorized law‑enforcement positions that were unfilled as of March 3, 2021, up to an overall $1.5 million cap. If funds are used, the grant would begin in 2023 depending on hires and continue through Oct. 31, 2026, after which the county would be responsible for funding. Commissioners approved acceptance 4-0.

Why it matters: The package of grants relies heavily on state-administered ARPA funds and local matching dollars for capital projects. Together, they support recreation and heritage-site improvements that county officials said will increase visitor amenities, plus targeted public-safety staffing funding and intergovernmental courthouse upgrades.

What comes next: Several of the projects require local matching funds and implementation steps — procurement, contractor selection and construction scheduling — before work begins. The Judicial ARPA award requires Whitfield County to manage reimbursement requests for Murray County.