Whitfield County commissioners approve parks, public‑safety purchases, rezoning and two alcohol licenses

The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners met May 12 and unanimously approved a slate of routine and project-specific actions, including park construction adjustments, public‑safety equipment purchases, multiple rezoning decisions and two alcohol license approvals for Dalton businesses.

In the meeting’s most financially detailed vote, commissioners approved a $53,685.80 change order for the Edwards Park tennis/pickleball court rebuild, adjusting the NW Ga. Paving Co. contract to $960,397.90. County staff said very shallow groundwater required raising each court 3 inches and placing about 916 tons of gravel at a contract unit price of $80 per ton; rebar costs added $6,280. County forces performed some concrete work, which reduced the contractor charge by $25,875, and the board accepted $53,271.30 in additional grant contingency funds, leaving $414.50 from the general fund toward the county match.

The board awarded Safeplay Solutions the Miracle Field playground renovation contract at $124,762 and approved two change orders: a $20,000 allocation from remaining playground funds and a $14,830 allowance for field repairs. Safeplay was selected from two bids; Miracle League officers chose the design.

Public‑safety purchases included approval of Hurst hydraulic extrication equipment from MES Inc. for $239,254.57, to be paid with SPLOST 2024 funds. Commissioners also approved a $225,414.10 AT&T upgrade to the county’s E‑911 phone system, citing the need for a version and hardware update; that project is also funded by SPLOST 2024.

The board approved a set of budget line increases within the Sheriff’s Office drug‑seizure fund intended to support a local School Safety Initiative and reduce reliance on general tax dollars. Separately, the county approved participation in grant applications: a Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust grant request led by Conasauga Addiction Recovery Center and Conasauga Accountability Courts (no local match required), and an application to ICMA’s Economic Mobility & Opportunity Special Assistants Program, which would provide salary support for an executive‑level position if selected.

On land‑use matters, the board voted on multiple Planning Commission recommendations: it approved rezonings for parcels including 4624 Wilson Road (Ronald Bates, GA→SA, 18.21 acres), 390 Old Apison Road (Calvin Brandon Clark, R‑5→GA, 5.60 acres), 2031 Lake Francis Road NE (Dan R. Cobble, GA→R‑2, 2.651 acres), 24.464 acres on Cleveland Highway (Mario Rangel Magana, R‑2→SA), and a county‑initiated rezoning at 1299 Tunnel Hill Varnell Road (R‑5→M‑2, 1.50 acres). The board denied rezoning requests for MacLang Properties (1170 New Hope Road) and CMH Homes (Seaton Loop). All motions carried 4‑0.

The board also ratified a resolution regarding State Paid County Reimbursed (SPCR) positions in the District Attorney’s office — stating no new DA employees will be added to the SPCR list and existing SPCR employees will transition to open state‑paid slots as they arise — and appointed Fire Chief Paul Patterson to the Northwest Georgia Region 1 EMS Council.

Two alcohol beverage licenses previously opened in public hearings were approved for Ali 1026 LLC d/b/a Neighbors Market (3604 Cleveland Hwy) and Arenas El Sueno Mex. Restaurant (4109 S. Dixie Hwy). No members of the public spoke during those hearings.

Public comment later in the meeting included remarks urging the county to hire people “who care about our county,” a question about potential removal of a Board of Assessors member, and citizen concerns about property rezoning. The commissioners then entered executive session on personnel matters, returned to open session and adjourned. The clerk certified the minutes.

Votes at a glance: all recorded motions in the meeting passed by unanimous 4‑0 votes unless otherwise noted.

(For specific parcel identifiers, contract amounts, and line‑item changes, see the meeting record.)