Trenton, GA – Dade County Commission Chairman Don Townsend has to like the early ROI, or return on investment, from the county’s hiring of a part time grant writer earlier this year.
Nearing the conclusion of Thursday night’s workshop and regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Dade County Board of Commissioners, Townsend alerted members of nearly $900,000 of additional funds coming to county coffers by way of state and federal grant money.
Noting the recent hire of Kathy Ragon, Townsend announced new grant awards Dade County is set to receive from the Georgia Department of Transportation. They include a “Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant” (or LMIG) for $391,034 and a Local Road Assistance Grant (or LRA) for $479,733,
Townsend credited the financial awards to Ragon’s intense schedule of grant writing, that averages one application submission a week.
Townsend also hailed the “resurrection” of a FEMA nutrition grant Dade County had previously participated in and is now resuming.
The Emergency Food & Shelter Program has doled out $19,862 in available federal grant money to Dade County. Townsend says they have dedicated $6,000 of those funds to the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, partly in a show of thanks for the agency’s monthly food box giveaways in the Piney Woods community.
Townsend also announced more than $9,000 will go to the Tri-State Food Pantry in the latest tranche of fund distribution, that figure is in addition to a recent $4,400 allotment to the organization.
On another financial horizon, Townsend says Dade County could be in the mix for $406,000 in federal funds, money that would be earmarked for the purchase of two new ambulances.
The Chairman says Dade County was selected for eligibility by Senator Jon Ossoff’s office for a congressional spending grant, which first must go through an appropriation process in the legislature and ultimate approval. Townsend says he’s optimistic on the prospect.
Another state grant Townsend says Dade County is exploring to help solve the local affordable housing crisis is GICH, or the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing.
Townsend told commissioners that more than a third of the local workforce, or 37% of those employed in Dade County, are commuters who live elsewhere.
Townsend says he was pleasantly surprised to learn that Dade County’s application has been accepted and is a “work in progress” for GICH certification. He says Dade County’s inclusion in the cohort could come sooner than forecast.
Also in grant writing mode is TDAC, the Trenton Dade Animal Center, or more specifically, the center’s new non-profit 501-3C status, Friends of TDAC.
Dade County Commissioner & Vice-Chair Bob Woods, also a member of the TDAC advisory board, once again asked for public input and community support for the joint animal control venture between the City of Trenton and Dade County. General Woods warned of any “Johnny Springbutts” who want to join the ongoing debate too late in the process, to show up now and have their voice be heard.
In other board action, Dade County has finally come to a fire services agreement with its seven volunteer fire departments and delineating what type of first aid or treatment volunteer firefighters can legally provide with limited liability. Commissioner Bill Pullen says the latest iteration of the agreement comes after weeks of negotiations with County Attorney Robin Rogers and the chiefs of each department.
As for new appointments, Dade County Head Football Coach Jeff Poston adds a new hat to the collection. The Wolverines’ sideline boss was appointed to fulfill the remaining term of Sarah Moore on the Dade County Board of Assessors. The term concludes at the end of the year.
Longtime Dade County Public Library Board Member Donna Street was reappointed by commissioners.
Home health nurse Brandy Clark was appointed to Dade County’s Family & Children Services Board, succeeding Sanda Pullen July 1st, with a term that ends June 30,2030.
Dade County Tax Assessor Paula Duvall says she expects tax assessment notices for property owners to be mailed out later this month, most likely June 20th.
Duvall says the tax assessments are not bills per se, but rather good faith estimates of what owners can expect to owe under the current millage rate and the property’s market value.
Duvall says the notices usually go out of her office by May 15th, but blamed this year’s delay due to required House Bill 581 and House Bill 92 stipulations for Georgia property homesteads and exemptions.
Taxpayers will still have the legally mandated 45 days to appeal the assessment, meaning for most Dade Countians, you’ll have until August 4th to file your appeal.
By Vince Lennon