County work session advances IPAWS text‑alert request, Riverbend project planning and several administrative items

At a work session on Aug. 25 County Manager Thomas Weaver and staff reviewed a range of administrative and capital items that will appear on upcoming agendas. Weaver previewed SPLOST and tourism projects and asked for estimates on a dock at Riverbend Park, bathrooms at the King Street basketball court, and a welcome center at City Hall. He also said public‑works staff were placing millings on Steeplechase and that the water department had returned to full staffing after recent vacancies.

Johnny Floyd asked the commission to add a vote on purchasing an IPAWS‑capable text alert add‑on to the county's existing text system (TextMyGov). In the work‑session record he described the system as working "like emergency amber alerts & if there is an accident in our vicinity like Hwy 520 it will send out an emergency alert." The commission agreed to add the item to the Sept. 2 agenda as a voting item. Staff also discussed Caselle payment‑portal implementation to replace XpressBillPay, a proposed county retirement plan change, updated Riverbend dock quotes (to be bid because of project size), travel mileage policy updates, and DFACS lease renewal paperwork that will come forward for action.