Qualifying for City Election Begins Monday
News August 18, 2017
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Qualifying for the Nov. 7 City of Dawsonville Municipal General Election will begin Monday August 21 and continue through Thursday, August 24 from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. in the Dawson County Board of Elections Office, 96 Academy Avenue, Dawsonville, Georgia.
Two seats on city council will be contested in the November election, one seat is currently held by Angie Smith. The other is held by Mike Sosebee. Candidates for either of the two seats must pay a $180 qualifying fee.
Dawsonville municipal elections are non-partisan and candidates run city wide campaigns.
Election Day is Nov. 7 and polls are open 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
For information on qualifying, call 706-344-3640.
James Grogan Returns as Dawsonville Mayor Monday
News May 20, 2017
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – James Grogan will return to the office of Mayor of the City of Dawsonville effective immediately, pending an appeal in the Superior Court of Dawson County.
City Council voted 3-1 last Monday, with Councilman Mike Sosebee opposed, to impeach Grogan for alleged violations of the city code. But Grogan’s attorney Steven Leibel filed the appeal on Wednesday and said that Grogan would return to his duties as mayor in time for Monday’s 5 p.m. work session.
Fetch Your News will have more details as they become available.
Grogan has served as mayor since 2010. He was reelected in 2015. His current term is schedued to end in 2019.
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 www.fetchyournews.com
Commissioners Authorize GDOT Letter of Support
Business, News March 17, 2017
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) could begin work immediately on access controls where Ga. Hwy. 400 intersects with Kilough Church Road and the North Georgia Premium Outlets after Dawson County Commissioners voted last night to authorize a letter of support for the project.
The Right In Right Out Left In (RIROLI) access controls will be fully funded by GDOT and should cause minimal inconvenience to motorists since the work will all be done within the existing Right of Way.
Commissioners Sharon Fausett and Chris Gaines missed last night’s meeting while attending training. Their absence required Chairman Billy Thurmond, who usually votes only in the case of ties, to vote on all issues.
The three-person Board voted unanimously to apply for a GDOT grant to fund the repair of a wing wall off Dawson Forest Road along Blacks Mill Creek damaged in last year’s storm.
Commissioners also approved the purchase of a side arm mower and utility tractor mower to replace three tractors that are no longer serviceable at a cost of $210,000. The equipment will be purchased with SPLOST VI proceeds.
In addition, commissioners approved a Drug Treatment Services request to apply for a state grant in the amount of $279,514 to bring HELP Program under Treatment Court as a mental health court track. A county match of $31,057 is required from county funds.
The Board also agreed to renew an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the City of Dawsonville authorizing the county to organize and implement all municipal elections and another IGA with with Etowah Water and Sewer Authority regarding the Taffer Road Gravity Sewer Line.
Commissioners authorized two resolutions to be sent to the City of Dawsonville, one expressing opposition to the city’s purchase of the airport located in Dawson County and it’s future operations and another expressing opposition to a request by Atlanta Motorsports Park (AMP) to relax noise and light restrictions.
During the Public Comments period, Jonathan Wolfe asked commissioners to revisit the Paladin Wireless issue. Paladin is a Royston-based wireless internet provider that has proposed placing antennas on the roof of the courthouse. The company said that by doing so it can provide internet access to 400 customers who do not have access.
But commissioners tabled the issue last month to give the company time to provide additional information they requested and Chairman Billy Thurmond said the company has not yet responded.
District 3 Commissioner Jimmy Hamby expressed real concerns about liability issues and whether county taxpayers would be responsible to pay for any damage to the roof or injuries to Paladin personnel who have access to the roof.
Hugh Stowers spoke to the Board about improving communications with its citizens. Mr. Stowers pointed out there are some major projects on the horizon and that citizens need to be fully informed.
Commissioners to Vote on Ga. 400 Access Controls
News March 16, 2017
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Dawson County commissioners will decide on three requests by the Public Works Department when they meet in regular session today at 6 p.m. Two of those will come at no cost to the county.
The state has requested a letter of support to install Right In Right Out Left In (RIROLI) access controls at the intersections of Kilough Church Road and Ga. Hwy. 400 and Walmart/Home Depot North Georgia Premium Outlets and Ga. Hwy. 400. All improvements will be made within the existing Right of Way.
The letter is a formality. This is a state project that can begin without Board approval. The work will be fully funded by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and will all be performed within the right-of-way.
Public Works Director David McKee has notified the Board that a wing wall off Dawson Forest Road along Blacks Mill Creek has been damaged and needs repair. GDOT has a grant available to fund unforeseen emergencies and the Board will vote on whether to apply for the grant. County staff has acquired engineering quotes and prepared cost estimates for design and construction. The total estimated cost is $180,000.
Two major pieces of equipment utilized by the Public Works Department need to be replaced The Board will vote on purchasing a side arm mower and utility tractor mower at a cost of $210,000. If approved, the equipment will be purchased with SPLOST VI proceeds.
Commissioners are expected to vote on a request to allow Drug Treatment Services to apply for a state grant in the amount of $279,514. The county plans to bring HELP Program under Treatment Court as a mental health court track and wants to make an application for state funding. A match of $31,057 would be required from county funds.
The enhanced funding would be used to continue three counselor positions, attend the state conference, employ surveillance officers for home visits and drug screen collection, drug testing and supplies, and a desktop and iPad.
The Board is also expected to vote on renewal of an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the City of Dawsonville authorizing the county to organize and implement all municipal elections. The IGA is drafted and adopted each odd year and any even year when a special election is called.
Pigeon Creek Residents Want Out of City Water Service
News August 2, 2016
DAWSONVILLE — After years of complaining about discolored and foul-smelling water coming from a City of Dawsonville well and repeated efforts by the city to fix the problem, Pigeon Creek homeowners have had enough.
At Monday’s City Council meeting, Jim Watson presented a petition signed by about a dozen Pigeon Creek homeowners requesting they be allowed to contract with Etowah Water and Sewer Authority to provide their water.
In summing up their position, developer Kevin Smith said, “The water the City of Dawsonville supplies still has some issues with smell and with the way it reacts with hot water heaters. The water is destroying the anode rods and many of the hot water heaters in the subdivision have had to be replaced.”
Pigeon Creek was within Etowah’s service boundary when it was developed but Etowah did not have a water line running from Shoal Creek Road so residents requested to be in the city’s water service area and the city agreed.
Now that the subdivision is in that service area, City Councilman Caleb Phillips said council would have to vote on allowing it to contract with Etowah.
“I’m not saying we wouldn’t agree to it but it will have to come to a vote,” he said.
Phillips pointed out that the city had thousands of dollars invested in building a well in the subdivision and the only way to recoup taxpayer money was by continuing to sell water to the residents.
Zika: “A Problem We Shouldn’t Ignore”
News July 8, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Dr. Larry Anderson, Chairperson of the Dawson County Health Board, made a special presentation to the Dawson County Board of Commissioners Thursday on preventing the spread of the Zika Virus. Anderson cautioned officials, saying it is “a problem we shouldn’t ignore.”
Zika is transmitted primarily by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito and Anderson said efforts to eradicate the virus should focus on eliminating standing water in places like old tires, buckets, planters, swimming pools, pet watering bowls and rain gutters.
But the disease can also be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her unborn child. Symptoms included headaches, joint and muscle pain or conjunctivitis.
Anderson reported that organizations like city and county government, Keep Dawson County Beautiful, Dawson County EMS, the Health Department and Vietnam Veterans of America have joined the Zika Coalition of Dawson County to help keep the county free of the Zika Virus.
The City of Dawsonville has posted a press release on its website and social media websites regarding the Zika virus and what citizens can do to keep mosquitoes from breeding.
County code enforcement personnel are visiting tire and auto services with copies of the local ordinances on the proper control and methods of storage of tires to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.
The group meets monthly in the community room in the Racing Hall of Fame.