The Dade County Commission Meeting began by discussing the potential use of county property for a training facility for firefighters. The commission is in support of allowing the facility to be built and offering equipment from the county, as long as no portion of the land is divided or sold. Jerry Kaiser and Ansel Smith made a presentation, asking for at least two acres to be set aside for a fire station near Daniels Road and utilizing the entire property as a training complex for firefighters. Other topics that were discussed included updates on the courthouse renovation project, proclamations and appointments, replacing flush valves in jail, the need for surveillance cameras in law enforcement vehicles, and more cameras in the jail along with replacing flush valves.
The discussion then turned to the need for the county to purchase new servers that are required to accommodate the county’s email and file server accounts, along with the purchase of software for business licenses and short-term rentals. The commission also proposed monitoring software for online access that would identify short-term rental companies who don’t pay their hotel motel taxes and don’t have a license. Ultimately, the commission agreed on the need for increased regulations for Airbnb rentals, although they also realized that monitoring advertisements on the internet and enforcing the regulations would be difficult. Other discussions included the efforts of HandUp Ministry, a 501(c)(3) that aims to help inmates turn their lives around by providing them with a structured environment and addiction recovery support provided by church leaders and officials.
Conversation then turned to topics such as the public hearing announcement, shrinking of the election building, and rumors of shutting down the transfer station. The commissioners addressed the recycling service issue and suggested businesses pay for the service to keep it running. They also emphasized the importance of being mindful of what is being put in recycling bins. The meeting was adjourned for a 20-minute break due to its extended duration, and a speaker suggested forming a committee to prepare a report on an undisclosed topic for the next meeting.
At this point, the work session ended and the regular meeting began. There were no comments from the public on the work session, and Commissioner Lowry presented the E911 report for the month of April, which included EMS calls, fire department calls, and police calls. He also mentioned his birthday and expressed gratitude for serving the county and working with his colleagues.
The Commissioners discussed upcoming events like the antique alley yard sale and softball tournaments which have not had any teams sign up yet. The commissioners addressed questions about the $30 fee for the yard sale which goes towards paying overtime for employees to maintain the area. They also celebrated the record collection of $460,000.05 in SPLOST, which is used to fund community projects. The commissioners then recognized the annual law enforcement appreciation ceremony and Officer of the Year, Deputy Mathan Sledge. Finally, they mentioned the Arbor Day event and the planting of a special tree to celebrate the occasion.
The Commissioners turned to various updates and events, including the planting of a tree in honor of Don’s late wife, tire amnesty day, and a report on the progress of numbers being tracked at the transfer station. They also discussed the work being done on Clark Street and how it will benefit residents who have been blocked in due to train activity.
Recent infrastructure improvements on Allison Creek were reviewed and the Commissioners discussed the building of a new facility for the sheriff department that will be a valuable asset for training the county’s men and generate revenue for the area. Work on the election building pad is expected to begin in the coming week while the transfer station issue, which is costing the county money, will be addressed. The meeting also included reports from community members, including a successful month in Four H, where a shotgun team placed first in a recent match.
Laura Beth Cunningham presented various 4-H events and activities that took place recently or are planned to happen in the future.
Don Townsend presented the financial report for the county as of April 30th, 2023. The general fund has a balance of $2.023 million, and the county has a total of $3.623 million in investments. The American Rescue Plan has provided $1.618 million, and there is still a balance of $97,602 under the 2015 SPLOST fund. Local option sales tax for April came in at $260,532.36, and for SPLOST, it came in at $347,467.05, which is a new record. Expenses have been under budget by $39,863, and year-to-date expenses are under budget by $119,925. Revenue has exceeded expectations, with a year-to-date balance of $11.316 million, surpassing the budgeted amount of $10.959 million.
Watch the Full County Commission Meeting here!
Part One
Part Two