Coroner Bearden requests budget update

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DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Dawson County Coroner Ted Bearden appeared before the Dawson County Board of Commissioners during last week’s work session to request an increase in funding for this year’s  budget.

Bearden told commissioners, “There is going to be a shortfall. There is just no way around it. That is based on the caseload. We are still running over 30 percent higher number of cases than the same time last year.”

He attributed the increase to drug-realated deaths and deaths of a violent nature.

The county has added a deputy coroner position in the 2019 budget, but Bearden said he has already hired a deputy coroner and has been paying him out of his own pocket. He asked the county to pay the salary and benefits starting Oct. 1.

“It would be a big help to us if we could go ahead and do that,” he said.

Public Works Director David McKee will ask that commissioners grant a professional exemption to Wakefield Beasley and Associates in an amount not to exceed $53,915 to complete the design, plans and specifications necessary to complete the renovation project at the Veterans Memorial Park.

The old pavilion at the park is to be torn down to accommodate a parking lot for the new senior center that is under construction. McKee explained that in losing the old pavilion a new design plan will have to be done to accommodate the drainage that will be lost there. Wakefield Beasley has been involved in the design of the senior center from the beginning.

McKee said the exemption would relieve the county of the expense for a new firm to become familiar with the site, draw up preliminary plans, and create the complete plans/specifications for an IFB for construction services.

Commissioners discussed the proposed 2019 Board of Commissioners meeting calendar which will include a couple of minor changes to accommodate Independence Day and Thanksgiving, which fall on Thursday. Those meetings will be held on Tuesday. The proposed calendar also accommodates the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Annual Conference in April. Additionally, no meetings are scheduled for the weeks of New Year’s and Christmas.

Also on the agenda was a discussion about the reappointment of Chief Voter Registrar Glenda Ferguson to Chairman of the Board of Elections & Registration. That is expected to be approved at the next voting session.

Items discussed during work sessions can be voted on at the next regular meeting.

 

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