DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The Dawson County Board of Commissioners will hold its final work session of the year Thursday at 4 p.m. in the Government Center Assembly Room, 25 Justice Way. The meeting will be followed by a voting session at 6 p.m.

During the work session, Commission Chairman Billy Thurmond will lead a discussion about a defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plan for county employees. It is a plan the county terminated in 2012 due to its expense.

Chief Financial Officer Vickie Neikirk will present 2020 Qualifying Fees for local offices. The fees are: $1,778.86 (Sheriff), $1,491.65 (Probate Judge, Tax Commissioner and Clerk of Court) $360 (County Commission Chairman), $288 (County Commission), $99 (Board of Education), $10 (Surveyor).

Several important zonings are expected to be voted on during the voting session.

Ridgeline Land Planning, LLC has requested to rezone property located at Hwy. 9 and Dawson Forest Road CHB (Commercial Highway Business) to CHB (Commercial Highway Business) and RMF (Residential Multi-Family) for the construction of a 140-unit attached townhome community. The issue was tabled Nov. 21 to await the result of a development of regional impact (DRI) study.

Jim King has two rezoning requests before the Board. The first is a request to rezone 78 acres located at Hwy. 400 near Kilough Church Road from RA (Residential Agricultural) to RMF (Residential Multi Family).  The Planning Commission recommended denial.

King also requested the rezoning of 40 acres located at Hwy. 400 North near Kilough Road from RA (Residential Agricultural) to CHB (Commercial Highway Business). Planning Commission recommended approval.

The Board will consider a request by Public Relations Manager Laura Fulcher to purchase Zencity — an artificial intelligence software technology system — that will track residents’ social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms to learn how residents feel about county issues.

The system which would cost taxpayers $18,000 the first year, has already attracted opposition. A Facebook poll conducted by For the Love of Dawson shows 96 percent of 164 respondents say they do not want the county to purchase the system.

Commissioners will also hold a public hearing on a Land Use Resolution update.

One item that is not on the agenda is a renewal of the contract for County Manager David Headley. The county manager is on a year-to-year contract that is usually voted on before the end of the year.

Other agenda items include consideration of:

A 2019 Salary Study;

Request for Impact Fees for Library;

Revised Dawson County Employee Handbook;

The sale of approximately 300 acres on Dawson Forest Road;

FY 2020 Public Defender Intergovernmental Agreement between Dawson and Hall counties;

Family Connection request for a Fiscal Agent;

The appointment of a member to the Board of Tax Assessors;

The appointment of a vice chairman to the Board of Commissioners.

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