Whitfield County commissioners approve grants, rezoning changes and multiple surplus auctions
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Summary
The Board of Commissioners on Sept. 8 approved a slate of grants and applications — including a $300,000 culvert grant and a $750,000 recycling equipment grant application — accepted subdivision roads, approved rezoning requests and declared multiple vehicles and apparatus surplus for auction or donation.
Whitfield County commissioners approved a range of funding applications, land-use decisions and equipment dispositions at their Sept. 8 meeting, voting 3-0 on motions that included grant acceptances, rezoning actions and surplus declarations.
The board accepted a $300,000 Limestone Valley RC&D grant to replace a failing culvert under Old Dixie Highway intended to improve migratory fish passage in the Conasauga River. Commissioner Greg Jones moved to accept the grant and Commissioner Barry W. Robbins seconded; the board approved the acceptance 3-0. Public Works plans to perform much of the work in-house to meet a Nov. 15 U.S. Fish and Wildlife deadline, which the county said will reduce the required cash match; any remaining cash match will come from 2024 SPLOST funds.
In related infrastructure and solid-waste actions, the board approved submitting an application to Georgia EPD’s Recycling and Waste Diversion grant to fund the purchase of a tub grinder (estimated cost $750,000) to process storm and roadside green waste into mulch. The board also approved participation in Georgia EPD’s Scrap Tire Abatement Reimbursement (STAR) Program for an anticipated December amnesty event, estimating collection of up to 2,400 tires with roughly $3,000 in transport and processing costs expected to be reimbursed by STAR. Both motions passed 3-0.
The board approved multiple rezoning recommendations from the planning commission. Motions to rezone a 11.66-acre parcel at 160 Sawmill Place (from General Commercial to General Agriculture), a 5.45-acre tract at 4298 Cronan Drive (Rural Residential to General Agriculture) and a 36.9-acre Westbrow Development parcel on Haigmill Road (R-2 to R-3) were each approved 3-0. Conversely, requests to rezone tracts at 689 Dantzler Circle and 127 Hazel Drive were denied by 3-0 votes.
The BOC also accepted the right-of-way deed for Hopewell Manor subdivision and placed the new roads on the county maintenance list after a final inspection; the developer must warrant the roads for one year. Commissioner Robby Staten moved acceptance and Commissioner Robbins seconded; vote 3-0.
On equipment and fleet matters, the board declared multiple items surplus and approved auction or donation: three older fire apparatus (two 2001 engines and a 2005 unit) were declared surplus with one slated for donation to Georgia Northwestern Technical College; a 1998 Ford Ranger from Buildings & Grounds and several older Panasonic Toughbooks from the Sheriff’s Office were approved for auction on GovDeals; and the Inspections Department was authorized to purchase a 2025 Ford Ranger at the state contract price of $37,250 to replace a 2014 F-150. All motions were approved 3-0.
The board also approved administrative applications: the county will apply for the 2026 ACCG County Internship Program, which reimburses wages for intern hours, and approved a final ARPA grant application from the judicial system to fund a full-time investigator in the district attorney’s office for nine months (Jan.–Sept. 2026). The judicial ARPA application was presented as a continuation of a position funded since January 2023 and requires no local match.
The meeting concluded after public comments and an executive session on personnel and real estate matters; motions to enter and exit executive session were approved unanimously.