Request for grants, awarding of road work bid highlights work session

DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. – The Board of Commissioners held a work session Thursday (Nov.5) in the County Administration Building. Items discussed during the meeting include:

• A request by Fire Chief and Emergency Services Director Danny Thompson to apply for a Georgia Emergency Management Agency grant in the amount of $15,568 which requires a 50 percent county match. These funds cover a portion of the cost for RAVE emergency alerting, weather siren maintenance and turnout gear sets.
• A request by Thompson to apply for a Georgia Forestry Commission grant of a maximum of $10,000 with a 50 percent county match. The funds would be used to purchase a replacement fire hose for our apparatus.
• A recommendation by staff that low bidder Vertical Earth be awarded the contract to construct the Harry Sosebee/Lumpkin Campground Road roundabout for an amount not to exceed $1,253,410.18;
• Corrections to the Capital Improvement Element (CIE) plan submitted to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs;
• A presentation of 3rd Quarter Financial Report by Chief Financial Officer Vickie Neikirk that revealed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the county’s revenue streams, particularly the local option sales tax (LOST). Neikirk said the county appears to have weathered the COVID-19 storm so far but will continually monitor to protect current resources;
• Potential pay supplements for Chief Magistrate, Magistrate, Tax Commissioner and Sheriff;
• A request by Dawn Pruitt to apply for the continuous transportation grant with the Georgia Department of Transportation. The grant is in the amount of $149,835 with a 50 percent county match required.

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