Emergency services, zoning and The IDA were the 3 were topics during November’s Dade County Commission meeting.

Emergency services, zoning and The IDA were the 3 were topics during November’s Dade County Commission meeting.

Captain Tommy Bradford of the Dade County Sheriff’s Office brought information to the Commission regarding the purchase of new vehicles for the Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office’s goal has been to replace two vehicles a year in order to get rid of high mileage vehicles. Vehicles over 160,000 miles are not allowed as front duty vehicles by insurance and one of the highest mileage vehicles now has 190,000 miles. The cost of one vehicle is $68,600. County Executive Ted Rumley explained that the  money for two vehicles was in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) and had been budgeted for.

When asked what would be done with the vehicles being replaced, the answer was that the vehicles would be either used as replacements for other county vehicles like for court officers, as spares for the Sheriff’s Office, or would go to govdeals.com. Commissioners approved the purchase of two new Sheriff’s vehicles not to exceed a total cost of $138,363.

New Salem Fire Chief and Chairperson of the Fire Chief’s Commission Rodney Ross and South Dade Fire Chief Matt Hill spoke to Commissioners regarding their request for three firetrucks during the October meeting. Chief Ross and Chief Hill asked Commissioners if they could use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in addition to the entirety of each department’s SPLOST. The reason for doing so would be to keep three departments from having to use 100% of their SPLOST funds for two years straight. Fire Departments in Dade County are paid $2,000 a month by the county to provide service. Up until a few months ago that amount was $1,750. Unless the departments hold fundraisers or get donations, that is the only amount they receive to pay for utility bills, pump testing, training, equipment upkeep, fuel, and other expenses. Funds for most of the buildings the fire departments are housed in must come from the same pot and their immediate community unless the county commission votes to do a replacement roof or similar projects using SPLOST funds. Without SPLOST, those departments cpuld be without funds for emergency repairs or other necessary items and two years without SPLOST could cause financial issues for the three departments.

Commissioner Melissa Bradford asked why the county was taking the higher of the bids. Rumley, Hill and Ross explained it was due to the fact that the county already has this make of firetrucks and they are trying to keep them the same. Another reason is that the company offers a longer warranty than the other companies. One more reason is that the company is giving them a discount for purchasing multiple trucks and a discount if they pay for all three chassis up front. The final reason is that the trucks meet all the specifications and needs of the fire departments. Hill pointed out one of the trucks being replaced is 35 years old and looks good, but is starting to have problems.

Bradford asked about the possibility of buying longer warranties for the cheaper firetrucks and Hill answered that they only do the two or three year warranty.

Commissioner Lamar Lowery and Commissioner Phillip Hartline both said they did not like the idea of using a lease purchase over two years of SPLOST, especially since something could happen like bad storms or SPLOST collections could go down and not be there for the payment.

Commissioners approved the purchase of three fire trucks from Tactical Fire/Toyne, Inc. at a total cost of $1,270,703 to be paid with one year of SPLOST for those three departments and the remainder to be paid out of ARPA funds. The old firetrucks will be put on govdeals.com once the new firetrucks are delivered.

Ansel Smith spoke with Commissioners again about the proposed Fire Training Facility for Dade County Volunteer Firefighters. The project has been tabled for the time being, but Smith brought back a different set of numbers for Commissioners to consider. Smith said he just wanted to make sure he was doing his due diligence. Smith proposed taking out the clean facility and extra burn container stating that they could do their best to hose down the walls when done with fire training so that the Sheriff’s Office can use it for training.  The thought before had been that the facility could include clean space for the SO to train without having to get filthy in one used for fire training and covered in ash and soot. Doing those cuts would save $19,733 bringing the total cost down to $414, 304. Commissioner Bradford said she was not against having the training facility and a station down there with it, but she doesn’t want them to go down in cost and then wishing they would have done something different later. She would rather have the full thing.

EMA Director Alex Case spoke with commissioners about AED’s for county buildings. Case said they had come up with a total of 13 AED’s needed for county facilities at a cost of $2,048.80 each. Case said he and EMS Chief Kyle Gross had decided they would not need to purchase the extra batteries as the batteries for the units are supposed to last for four years and Stryker, the company the AED’s would be purchased from, is good about replacements. The decision to go without carrying cases was made as well as they were not deemed necessary and then the purchase of only three cabinets was included and AED signage. The cabinets would be used for outside placement of AED units like at the ball fields south of Trenton. In addition the AED’s will hook to county Wi-Fi anI 8d can be monitored at 911 to know when one is being used as well as alarms on the cabinets.

Commissioners approved the purchase of 13 Physio-Control Lifepaks, three cabinets, and wall signage at a total cost of $28,693 to be paid out of ARPA funds.

A discussion on zoning developed when Sean Anderson, a county resident that lives along Highway 11, addressed Commissioners regarding the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) and property along Highway 11 near him that had been purchased by the IDA. Anderson cited lower property values, possible foundation damage due to blasting, and a lack of research and planning by the IDA as well as a lack of answers to eight questions as – some of which were asked months ago – as concerns he had regarding the property purchase and the IDA. Anderson also feels that the Board has a lack of accountability to Dade County citizens and no plan which shows current needs or past successes and failures of IDA projects.

Anderson ended his presentation to the Commission with three statements. The first came from the NWGA Board of Commissioners and was their mission statement.

“To improve the quality of life for every Northwest Georgia resident – every Northwest Georgia resident Anderson repeated – through orderly growth, conservation of the region’s natural and historic resources, and care and development of the region’s human resources.”

The next two statements were from the IDA Chairperson’s letter of intent to run for the District 3 Commissioner spot.

“Assurance of public understanding and of the support and public decisions required to sustain county governance.

I will act with honesty, integrity, impartiality, with due diligence, and with the independence of any outside pressure with the discharge of my statutory functions. I support and will provide a system of local government services designed to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Dade County citizens.”

Anderson said the IDA’s recent property purchase went against all those statements.

Commissioner Hartline said he was not trying to be derogatory but wanted to ask Anderson a question.  Hartline asked if when Anderson added his shop on his property if he had to ask anyone if he could do that? If he had to ask anyone for permission?Anderson replied in the negative and then Hartline asked if he would like to see the question of whether or not citizens wanted zoning put on the next ballot.

“…because in my opinion nobody wants zoning until it’s in their back door?” Hartline said and further stated that he agrees he would be upset if industrial development went in beside his property.

Anderson said he was a firm believer in transparency, and a firm believer in communication, and how we communicate.  Anderson said he felt if they were transparent enough in what exactly zoning means and how to define it for individuals as well as show how it can benefit somebody, then he believes the outpouring from citizens would be vastly different.

Commissioner Lowery said he had a legal question for County Attorney Robin Rogers. Lowery asked if zoning was a legal power the commission already had without a vote from citizens and Rogers answered in the affirmative.

Anderson spoke about concerns that putside of zoning the IDA had not done their due regard with the purchase of the property. Anderson shared that one of his neighbors, Tracy Blevins, who wanted to have an in-ground pool put in, but the ground beneath the soil was limestone and would have required blasting. Anderson pointed out the same limestone would be all over the property the IDA purchased and any development would require blasting or could require significant blasting that could cause damage to the foundations of homes nearby. Rumley explained that a lot of blasting had to be done at Vanguard and it was surprising how little the blast affected anything around it. Anderson was told that only licensed and bonded people could be used for blasting.

As for the questions Anderson put to the IDA Board that had not been answered, Anderson said they were advised to address board members about their concerns one on one and were able to do so with a few of the members before the members were told not to speak one on one with them. Anderson talked to Commissioners but was told they had no authority over the IDA. Anderson said to his knowledge no due diligence was made before spending $350,000 of taxpayer’s money to buy the property. No current board member wallet the property. No studies of rock under the property. The board had no knowledge of water and sewer matters with regards to the property. These were some of the things Anderson said he had asked the IDA and received no answer. Anderson said no one would buy property for themselves without doing their research and due diligence.

“If we can it serve the county in the way we would serve ourselves, then we are not doing the county any justice at all,” Anderson said.

“We appointed a board and we feel like, you know, we’ve got, you know, a good board,” Rumley said. “They’re going to be fair with whatever property they buy.”

Anderson said if the IDA did the right amount of due diligence and the right amount of studies they would already have an idea of what they could and could not accept to be developed on that property.

The IDA requested $120,000 of SPLOST funds allocated to the IDA to help pay for water and sewer improvements to bring services to the hill in order to be accessed by the new Trenton Pressing facility being constructed and improvements along Hwy 299. A $1.2 million grant with 50% match had been approved and $45,000 of the requested IDA funds would go to the Water Authority and $75,000 to the City of Trenton for the Sewer Department.

Commissioner Bradford asked for an explanation of why the county was providing funds and how it helped the county. It was explained that the funds were already set aside for the IDA for projects like this and land accusation  . Additionally, the addition of 8 inch water lines on Hwy 299 should help the businesses and residents there, but also the lack of water pressure at fire hydrants there. Another benefit was the improvements would provide a redundant water supply in case a water main break occurred on the north side of the county. Rumley said a water main break on the square had once shut down water to the entire north side of the county. Commissioners unanimously approved the request of the IDA for $120,000 with Commissioner Hartline Abstaining because he could possible be involved in the construction work

Commissioner reports:

Commissioner Lowery said there were 185 EMS calls, 275 Fire calls, and 27,727 law enforcement calls for a total of 31,087 calls handled by E-911. 15 new E911 addresses were added for a total of 114 for added for 2023.

Commissioner Lowery also announced Phase I for fiber optic internet service in Wildwood would be beginning with the setting of equipment on November 29. Lowery said that was big news and in January 2024 residents in Phase I would be notified and be able to start filling out applications for service.

On a personal note, Lowery said he had received news that chemotherapy has reduced his pancreatic cancer by 50% and now surgery to remove the cancerous area can be done. His liver biopsy was negative although the PET scan showed positive for cancer, but the most recent scan shows no growth or shrinking of the area on his liver.

Commissioner Hartline reported 35 electrical inspections were done in October, seven new construction, seven temporary construction, and seven meters down at the new RV park, along with a charging station at Cloudland Canyon.

Some fall baseball and soccer are still going on at the sports complex, but employees are working on field maintenance.  Hartline reminded those on Sand Mountain that the linemen were still working up there.

Commissioner Robert Goff said SPLOST collections were up again to $324,622 and discussed the amounts requested by emergency services for needed fire trucks, police cars and other related purchases saying those things would not be paid through property tax.

Commissioner Bradford said the Transfer Station had 410 tons, or 44 loads, of trash outbound from the Transfer Station in October. County crews have been continuing with pavement work and clearing of ditches and roads.

Commissioner Rumley reminded everyone of the 30-day burn ban in place in Dade County. He reported a big success for an event which ended up being larger than anticipated as elementary students in the county visited the former reservoir property to pick a pumpkin to carve from the Sheriff’s Office’s pumpkin patch and play in the corn maze. Rumley said there were 800 plus students from Dade Elementary and 260 to 270 from Davis. With parents and other adults, Rumley estimated 1500 to 2000 people attended and said nothing negative was heard from anyone. Many thank you notes have come in to the school and the county and all the schools are contacting the county regarding potential visits to the property. Rumley said the walking gate was open and encouraged people to visit and walk the property.

A plan is being worked on for where Hwy 11 and Hwy 299 meet to help with traffic flow, especially when the interstate is shut down.

Hartline wanted to let farmers know that the area has been declared in a Class 3 drought and that hay assistance is available and can be applied for.  There may even be a representative at the commission office one day.

The Veterans’ Dinner is set for December, but Hartline said they are considering adding police and fire fighters. They will set a date for the dinner and announce it.

County Clerk Don Townsend gave the financial report. The county has a general fund balance of October 31 of $1,135,726 with $1.5 million in reserve. Budgeted expenses for the month were $3,777,790 with actual expenses under budget at $3,495,483.

Commissioners unanimously approved a consent agenda which included the expansion of video surveillance coverage at the Dade County Sports Complex; the month of November as Adoption Awareness Month and Hospice Month; Resolution R-38-23 for the re-appointment of DL Moore to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board; and the re-appointment of Robert Russell to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.

After an Executive session called to discuss litigation and real estate, Commissioners returned to vote on not renewing  the contract for fire services with North Dade Volunteer Fire Department that vote passed 5-0 that it would not be renewed. Commissioners also voted to Buy the Dyer property behind the Bank of Dade Drive-thru on Georgia Avenue. that vote was unanimous with Commissioner Hartline Abstaining because he could also possible be involved in the construction work on the project.  The Commission now plans to build the Voter registration office and voting location for the Trenton box.

By: Summer Kelly