Council agrees to purchase Laserfiche records management software system
News December 23, 2020
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — In the final meeting before the Christmas Holiday, City Council voted unanimously Monday (Dec. 21) to purchase a records management software system from Laserfiche through MCCI at a cost of $19,152.50 with an annual service cost of $3,695 .
City Clerk Beverly Bannister requested the purchase which includes set up, training and ongoing assistance. Mayor Mike Eason said, “It’s going to enhance our capability to find documents and provide information to the public and to counsel.”
Councilman Stephen Tolson presented a review of city-owned lease properties, including the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Museum and the Distillery and recommended the lease at the Museum be increased from $400 to $500 per month plus 5 percent of revenue. He also recommended an increase from $3,000 a month to $4,500 a month to lease the Distillery.
Councilman Caleb Phillips, who was appointed Mayor Pro Tempore for 2021 during the meeting, made a motion that was unanimously approved to table the issue until the next meeting.
Council also approved the final plat for Oakdale Subdivision located near Allen Street and Memory Lane before adjourning until the New Year.
Walden replaces Jason Power on City Council
News January 9, 2020
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. – The Dawsonville City Council started the New Year by welcoming its newest member, John Walden, to the Monday meeting. Walden replaces former Post 3 Councilman Jason Power who did not run for reelection.
Council unanimously approved Sachinkumar Patel’s has petitioned to annex into the city limits of Dawsonville 5 Acres located at 60 Hwy 136 East and to rezone from County Zoning of Residential Exurban/Agricultural to City Zoning of Highway Business.
A motion by Councilman Caleb Phillips to postpone a decision on the Fall Leaf Residential, LLC request to rezone 25.7 acres on Hwy.53 East across from City Hall, from Restricted Industrial to Multi Family Residential and one acre at the same location from Restricted Industrial to Central Business District was unanimously approved until a called meeting Jan. 14 at 4 p.m. Fall Leaf Residential withdrew its appeal of a Planning Commission decision to deny a request for a variance to the minimum lot width from 28 to 20 feet.
Council then held a first reading of an ordinance to provide a method of adopting and enacting rules and regulations concerning conduct and activities at all City Public Parks and facilities and penalties for violations of the ordinance.
City Attorney Dana Miles provided a review of a proposed Gravel Road Development Ordinance that he said, “Allows a different option for a potential development of mid- to large size lots that we don’t have in the downtown area.”
Under the Consent Agenda, Council approved:
Minutes of the work session and regular meeting of Dec. 6;
Minute of the executive session of Dec. 6, 2019;
Renewal of the IT service contract for 2020;
Amendment to the agreement for construction of Farmer’s Market;
Bid selection of Perimeter Road sidewalk construction.
Former Councilman Jason Power was honored for his eight years’ service on city council.
Sara Beacham was selected Employer of the month, quarter and year.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Dawsonville Councilman Mark French responds to ethics complaint: “I will fight it with every fiber of my being”
News December 11, 2019
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Dawsonville City Councilman Mark French said Tuesday he has obtained legal counsel to defend against a complaint that he violated the city’s Ethics Ordinance.
“I believe this is completely frivolous and I will fight it with every fiber of my being,” French said Tuesday in a phone interview with Fetch Your News. “I did not ask for anything improper. I asked the city manager to coordinate with the county attorney to draft a proper response to a citizen’s inquiry.”
The inquiry French referred to was an email sent from Steve Sanvi to City Manager Bob Bolz on Nov. 7 that asked, “How is residency (of an elected official) determined? If you own a home in the district elected and another outside the district, how is the primary residence determined?”
In a Nov. 7 email response to Sanvi, Bolz wrote, “I believe those are legal questions that are outside my expertise.”
Also, on Nov. 7, French emailed Bolz to request that he consult with legal to provide a response to Sanvi’s questions.
Sanvi, a resident of the City of Dawsonville, who – the city council points out in its complaint — is also French’s boss. He was attempting to determine if Councilman Jason Power lived outside the district he was elected to represent. Eleven days after Sanvi raised that question, Power announced his resignation, saying he is building a home outside his district that would be ready for occupancy soon.
The ethics complaint, which was signed by Councilmen Power, Stephen Tolson and Jacob Phillips was filed Nov. 25. It lists nine provisions of the Ethics Code French is alleged to have violated. Every alleged violation is stems from French’s attempt to have city government answer a citizen’s question.
The Ethics Board is empowered to dismiss the complaint if it is found to be unjust, frivolous, patently unfounded or fails to state facts sufficient to invoke the disciplinary jurisdiction of the city council.
Fetch Your News reached out to Dawsonville Mayor Mike Eason for comment Wednesday, but declined our request.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Eason reelected Mayor, ESPLOST wins voter approval
News November 5, 2019
Dawsonville, Ga. – Incumbent Dawsonville Mayor Michael M. Eason easily beat back a challenge from newcomer Durant Wright in Tuesday’s municipal election.
Eason, who was appointed mayor in 2017 then won a special election in March 2018, received 276 votes to Wright’s 118.
Wright is a young business entrepreneur who manages several family businesses, including convenience stores and storage facilities.
Another newcomer, John H. Walden, ran unopposed for Post 3 on the city council. Incumbent Post 1 City Councilman Caleb Phillips also ran unopposed.
Dawson County voters approved the $48 million Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax by a vote of 966 to 284.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Qualifying for November city elections has ended
News August 24, 2019
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Qualifying for the Nov. 5, 2019 elections in Dawson County has ended.
Based on information received from elections supervisors, the following candidates have filed election paperwork and have qualified to run for office.
The candidate for mayor (listed in alphabetical order) are:
Mayor
Mike Eason (I)
Durant Wright
City Council Post 1
Caleb Phillips (I)
City Council Post 3
John Walden
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.co
Still time left for early voting in municipal election
News October 30, 2019
Mike Eason
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. –Voters still have a few days of early voting left to cast a ballot in the Nov. 5 general election for the City of Dawsonville.
Incumbent Mike Eason is facing a challenge from political newcomer Durant Wright in the race for mayor. Two city council seats are also on the ballot but, in both cases, the candidates are unopposed. Long time councilman Caleb Phillips represents Post 1. First time candidate, John Walden will represent Post 3.
Eason was appointed to office in 2017 after former Mayor James Grogan was impeached. He won a special election in 2018. He has had some successes as mayor, including the construction of Main Street Park and the farmers market.
Wright recently moved here from Tennessee. He owns several small businesses and believes his business experience will benefit the city.
Councilman Caleb Phillips
Voters must live within the city limits to vote in the mayoral or city council races. However, there is an important referendum on the ballot that county voters are encouraged to vote on – the education special purpose local option sales tax, or ESPLOST VI.
The one-cent sales tax will extend the current ESPLOST for five more years, or until $48 million is collected. It can be used to fund capital projects. School officials have earmarked $17.5 million for a new agriculture facility, multi-purpose facility and a technology facility. $12 million would be set aside for a new elementary school and $12 million for technology upgrades.
Voters may cast an early ballot at the Dawson County elections office, 96 Academy Avenue between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Friday.
Election Day is Nov. 5 when all precincts will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
City Council set to backtrack on reduction in mayor’s pay
News February 3, 2019
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — In a complete reversal of its Dec. 2017 decision to slash the mayor’s pay, Dawsonville City Council members are now expected to vote for a substantial increase not only in the mayor’s pay, but for each council member when they meet Monday at 5:30 p.m. at city hall.
Councilman Mark French has been adamantly opposed to the pay raise since the idea surfaced during a public hearing on Jan. 7. Two weeks later, during the second public hearing, French said, “I would like to state my continued opposition to any increase for the mayor or any member of the council.”
In a phone interview with Fetch Your News the next day, French said, when the mayor’s pay was reduced, we were told the reason was the city had just hired – for the first time — a city manager who would take over many of the mayor’s responsibilities. “But now council is looking to increase the salary and no additional duties have been added,” he said.
If the increase is approved, it would nearly double the mayor’s pay to $1,000 per month plus $150 for a city council meeting and another $150 for each additional meeting pre-approved by city council. Council members’ pay would increase from $500 to $600 per month plus an additional $150 per city council meeting and $150 for an additional meeting per-approved by council. All that is in addition to approximately $20,000 in insurance benefits the mayor and council now receive.
A number of people have questioned why city council has backtracked on the issue.
Former Mayor James Grogan thinks he knows the answer.
Grogan has said the pay reduction was politically motivated. In 2016, Councilmen Jason Power and Caleb Phillips and former Councilwoman Angie Smith voted to oust Grogan from office for alleged violations of the city charter. Grogan went to court to get his job back, but lost.
He says when Phillips, Power and Smith got word he planned to run against then interim mayor Mike Eason in a special election they voted to reduce the pay to deter him. Grogan did run again, but was defeated by Eason.
In other action under the consent agenda Monday, council is expected to approve:
- The Get Your Glow On 5k Race scheduled for Mar. 8;
- A special event alcohol permit for Georgia Racing Hall of Fame for Mar. 2;
- Auditing services RFQ;
- Construction Management Services RFQ;
- Storm water Facility Management agreement;
- A motion to table the parking project at city hall.
Under New Business, council is expected to vote on:
- An amendment to the garbage service ordinance;
- Red Oak Sanitation contract;
- Calculation of service charge for garbage service.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Secrecy surrounds “mishandled funds” complaint
News March 5, 2018
City Manager Bob Bolz
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – One month after the City of Dawsonville filed a complaint with the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office regarding “mishandled funds” during former Mayor James Grogan’s administration, city officials have kept the details of that complaint a closely guarded secret.
Taxpayers have been kept in the dark regarding how their money was mishandled and how much money is involved.
City Manager Bob Bolz responded to Fetch Your News open records request (ORR) last week in an email that stated: “Because of certain information pertinent to the investigation revealed in the (complaint), that information was deemed confidential by our attorneys.”
The City’s failure to disclose details of the complaint has raised serious questions about the validity of the complaint and especially its timing, coming just weeks before the special election that will decide if Grogan is to regain his seat or be replaced for the next four years by interim Mayor Mike Eason. Advanced voting has begun and Election Day is March 20.
Former Mayor James Grogan
City Council members Angie Smith, Caleb Phillips and Jason Power voted last May to remove Grogan as mayor for alleged violations of the city code and policies. The decision was not popular with voters and may have cost Smith her seat on the Council. She was voted out of office in November.
Grogan has maintained from the beginning that he has done nothing wrong and the complaint of “mishandled funds” is politically motivated.
“It is a politically-motivated witch hunt,” Grogan said. “But I believe the voters will see it for what it is.”
In fact, Grogan doubts there is any investigation. “I believe they filed the complaint just to hurt me. It’s been almost a month since the complaint was filed and nobody from the sheriff’s office has questioned me.”
In making the motion to refer the issue to law enforcement, new City Councilman Stephen Tolson said, “I think in the interest of full transparency it would be a good idea to go ahead and hand over all those documents and any related documents of the prior investigations conducted.”
Yet one month later, the documents have not been turned over to the media or made available to the public. Election Day is Tuesday, March 20 and the voters will finally have a chance to decide who will lead the city forward.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Qualifying for mayor, city council elections underway
News August 20, 2019
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Qualifying for municipal races in the Nov 5 general election started Monday and will continue through Aug. 22 at 4:30 p.m.
Dawsonville Mayor Mike Eason was one of the first-day qualifiers. Eason won a special election to finish out the term of former Mayor James Grogan.
Post 1 City Councilman Caleb Phillips also qualified to run for reelection. John Walden qualified in Post 3.
The qualifying fee for Mayor is $279. To qualify for City Council, the fee is $257.
Qualifying is being held at the Dawson County Elections and Registration Office, 6 Academy Ave.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Tolson, French join Dawsonville City Council
News December 19, 2017
From left, City Attorney Dana Miles, Stephen Tolson, Jason Power, Mayor Mike Eason, Caleb Phillips and Mark French
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The Dawsonville City Council made major changes in both leadership and policy during the final meeting of 2017 Monday.
Two new city councilmen – Mark French and Stephen Tolson – took the oath of office, replacing Angie Smith and Mike Sosebee.
City Attorney Dana Miles congratulates Stephen Tolson (left) after he was sworn in.
Tolson is a retired U.S. Army Ranger with a master’s degree in healthcare administration. He currently manages a Cumming medical group. French earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from what is now the University of North Georgia. He has 20 years of experience in public service, having served 10 years in Lumpkin County’s finance department and 10 years as that county’s grants analyst.
Before the new councilmen were seated, Councilwoman Angie Smith and Councilmen Caleb Phillips and Jason Power approved changes to the city charter that will reduce the mayor’s pay from $2,000 to $600 a month, create voting districts and change the way city council members are elected at-large to election by district. Councilman Mike Sosebee voted against the changes.
Mark French (left) sworn in as new city councilman.
The new council voted unanimously to keep Power as Mayor Pro Tem.
Council also approved alcohol beverage licenses for Discount Package Store at 2131 Hwy. 9 and El Rio Mexican Café at 69 Hwy. 9 South.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
City council plans major change in future elections
News December 17, 2017
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – With little or no public information or involvement, the Dawsonville City Council is prepared to make a major shift in how future city elections are conducted.
City council members — including two who were recently voted out of office – are expected to approve the change from an at-large system of electing city council members to a vote by district during Monday’s city council meeting.
According to the Georgia Municipal Association, only 19 percent of Georgia’s more than 500 cities choose their council members by district.
City Council did hold one public hearing on the issue at its work session recently. The second public hearing is set for Monday. However, there has been no town hall meeting or formal effort to gather public input on the issue, so it is unclear if Dawsonville citizens are even aware of the change that is about to take place.
Asked if such an important change should be decided by city residents in a referendum, Councilman Caleb Phillips said, “I don’t know if it should or shouldn’t. I haven’t talked to anybody who thought it was a bad idea. That’s the way our government works.”
Stephen Tolson
But former Dawson County Commission Chairman Mike Berg said, “When you change the way people elect their government without any input from the citizens, you have a kind of socialism.”
Two new city council members – Stephen Tolson and Mark French – will take the oath of office Monday. FetchYourNews asked both if the decision should be left up to voters to decide. Both chose not to answer.
Tolson said, “I appreciate your asking, but just to ensure a good relationship with the current city council members, I have promised them I would not comment on that.”
French said he would prefer to wait until after he took the oath of office to respond. He did say, however, “I have not been requested by anyone to remain silent regarding the proposed amendment. A request of that nature, in my opinion, is certainly not appropriate.”
Council will also vote on a resolution to reduce the mayor’s pay from $2,000 to $600 a month.
City Manager Bob Bolz explained that the mayor, who once served as mayor and city manager, has fewer responsibilities now that the city has a full-time manager.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Dawsonville Police Department? Could Happen!
News October 25, 2017
City Manager Bob Bolz
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – In a slide presentation to city council Monday, Dawsonville City Manager Bob Bolz presented reasons why the city should consider forming its own police department, what the potential cost would be and how it could be funded.
Bolz began by pointing out a rise in crime statistics in Dawsonville and other north Georgia cities similar in size to Dawsonville. He also said that only 22 of north Georgia’s 103 cities do not have a city police department.
Bolz suggested the start-up cost associated with the formation of a new police department could be paid from the city’s surplus funds and would include a salary and benefit package for a police chief ($80,338), one part-time deputy ($12,000), police-outfitted Dodge Charger ($30,000), officer equipment, including service weapon, uniform, bulletproof vest, hand-held radio and taser ($3,800) and office equipment ($2,000).
Potential funding sources, he said, include LOST and SPLOST funds, an increase in city revenue related to growth and development, rural city grants and renegotiated service agreement with the county.
No decision was made at the work session and council indicated they wanted to study the proposal. Comments made by Councilman Caleb Phillips and Councilwoman Angie Smith seemed to indicate they would favor creating a city police department while Councilman Mike Sosebee seemed less favorable.
UPDATE: James Grogan Issues Statement About His Plans to Run for Mayor in 2018
News October 31, 2017
James Grogan
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – James Grogan announced today that he is giving up his appeal to remain mayor of Dawsonville in order to save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees and will, instead, run for mayor in a 2018 special election.
Grogan was voted out of office by City Council members Angie Smith, Caleb Phillips and Jason Power following a report presented to council on May 1 that outlined a number of alleged violations of city code by the mayor. Grogan’s attorney Steven Leibel appealed council’s action, but earlier this month, C. Andrew Fuller, Chief Judge for the Northeast Judicial District ruled the appeal was improperly filed.
Today (Oct. 31), Grogan issued the following statement:
“Obviously I am not pleased with the decision of the judge, however, it is very important to note the ruling did not side with the city council’s decision or their action. It was simply a technicality on a complicated issue that has never happened before in the state of Georgia. My heart is still in serving the citizens of Dawsonville and I believe ultimately it is their decision and not some random judge to decide.
“So instead of continuing the fight through the legal process and to prevent city council from spending any more of your tax payer funds frivolously on legal fees, I’m here to take the high road and say, let’s stop this now. Let’s put this back up to the voters.
“This morning I have stopped my appeal and I am announcing that I will rerun for Mayor in the special election in March and to serve you with all my heart. I have been serving you for many years and we have seen many great things happen in this city under my leadership. So, instead of three power hungry city council members and a random judge deciding the direction our city should take, and whether I should continue to serve you, I have decided to put the decision back where it belongs, with the citizens of Dawsonville.
“You and only you will decide whether I should be allowed to continue to be your leader. So please vote for James Grogan for Mayor in 2018.”
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com