Cherokee County delays $5.4M downtown land purchase; approves $1.65M fire station renovations and multiple SPLOST-funded buys

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners on April 7 postponed action on a proposed purchase of 4.63 acres on North Street in downtown Canton, a purchase the County Manager described at $5,412,630 with a $500,000 donation toward Badger Creek Park (net $4,912,630). The board voted unanimously to postpone the matter to the April 21 meeting so the county can finalize the purchase-and-sale agreement and the survey.

County staff also asked to postpone an associated limited Phase 2 site assessment ($25,850) for the parcel; the board postponed that item to April 21 as well.

On several other county-manager and Public Works items, the board approved multiple SPLOST-funded equipment purchases: a 2026 Mack Pinnacle lowboy tractor ($197,790) to replace a 1995 unit, a 2026 Roscoe NV55 power sweeper ($103,900), and a Lehi Boyd TDC 600 tack distributor truck ($171,914.50). Commissioners discussed building in-house paving capacity as SPLOST funds become available this summer.

The board approved entering a project framework agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation to secure FHWA Transportation Alternatives funds administered by GDOT for Town Lake Parkway Trail Phase II (design funding: $400,000 federal with a $100,000 local match), and approved a task order with Atlas Tech Consultants ($74,900) for right-of-way appraisal services for the Holly Springs Parkway/Palm Street intersection improvement; the county noted a 75/25 county/city split for right-of-way costs per a 06/15/2021 IGA with the City of Holly Springs.

In emergency-services business, the board approved a construction agreement with Southeast Restoration Group of Georgia for renovation of four fire stations (Stations 12, 21, 22 and 23) in the amount of $1,499,464 plus a 10% contingency for a total project budget of $1,649,410.4. The work includes bathroom and shower renovations, kitchen and millwork updates, exterior repairs and roofing work, installation of cameras and card readers, and high-volume apparatus-bay fans; commissioners were told stations could remain open during renovations.

Other approvals included a mediation assistant position for Court Administration (self-funded by filing fees, $55,954), Senior Services security improvements at the Senior Center using CDBG funds ($33,020), 35 rugged mobile printers for the Sheriff’s Office ($27,650, SPLOST), and a $26,798 reception-area renovation at the Bluffs Administration Building.

Votes at a glance (selected): - Postpone downtown North Street purchase (Item 12.1): postponed to April 21 — unanimous. - Postpone Phase 2 site assessment (Item 12.2): postponed to April 21 — unanimous. - Mediation assistant position and budget amendment (Item 12.3): approved — unanimous. - Senior Center security improvements (Item 12.4): approved — unanimous. - Mack lowboy tractor (Item 12.5): approved — unanimous. - Power sweeper (Item 12.6): approved — unanimous. - Tack distributor truck (Item 12.7): approved — unanimous. - Atlas Tech task order for right-of-way appraisals (Item 12.8): approved — unanimous. - GDOT project framework agreement for Town Lake Parkway Trail Phase II (Item 12.9): approved — unanimous. - Fire station renovations (Item 12.10): contract approved ($1,499,464 + 10% contingency = $1,649,410.4) — unanimous. - Sheriff’s mobile printers (Item 12.11): approved — unanimous. - Bluffs reception renovation (Item 12.12): approved — unanimous.

Why it matters: The postponed downtown property purchase is a high-cost potential acquisition that could affect downtown parking and future courthouse expansion plans; the approved SPLOST purchases and fire-station renovations represent investments in county infrastructure and public-safety readiness.

What’s next: The downtown purchase and related environmental assessment will return to the board April 21; approved projects will proceed through their contracting and implementation steps as described by county staff.