DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Carolyn Bowen, president of the Dawson County Humane Society, will ask county commissioners to consider selling the 5.3 acres of land on which the animal shelter is built when the Board of Commissioners meets in a work session Thursday at 4 p.m.

The Humane Society has leased the land from the county since 2005 for $1 a year and the county leases the land from the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority for the same amount. The lease agreement is for 50 years.

However, Bowen said in order to receive funding to continue to build and improve the shelter, the Humane Society needs to own the land. Bowen added the Humane Society has a major benefactor who has significant concerns that the organization does not own the land under the building in which the trust has invested.

Late last year, commissioners appointed a committee to conduct a study of current compensation and to make recommendations for future compensation for board members. After reviewing compensation of 10 comparable Georgia counties, Tara Hardwick, chairwoman of the committee, will present a recommendation at Thursday’s meeting

Dawson County Emergency Services Fire Chief Lanier Swafford will present a proposal for an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the city of Johns Creek for apparatus storage.

Swafford also will ask commissioners to consider approval of a grant application. The Chesney Fallen Firefighters Memorial Grant Program is offered by the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation (GFBF) in memory of Gwinnett County career firefighter Brant Chesney, who lost his life Dec. 27, 1996, battling a fire as a volunteer with the Forsyth County Fire Department.

Grants awarded under this program are to be used by Georgia fire departments to develop a new program or enhance an existing public life safety program, dedicated to fire safety and burn prevention education.

Dawson County Emergency Services has received this grant in the past, and it was used to fund the department’s fire safety house used at schools and other events. If awarded, this grant would fund the purchase of a fire extinguisher simulator training aid. The maximum amount of each grant is $3,000 and the deadline for applications is March 30, 2018

Accounting and Budget Manager Natalie Johnson will present the 2017 Board of Commissioners’ expenses, and Public Works Director David McKee will present the disposal services agreement with Advanced Disposal/Eagle Point Landfill.

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DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Emergency Services Director Lanier Swafford was the presenter of three of the four items on the Dawson County Board of Commissioners work session Tuesday.

Swafford asked the board to consider approval of a clinical contract with North Georgia Technical College in Clarkesville that would allow for EMT and Paramedic students enrolled in such programs at NGT, to engage in clinical opportunities with Dawson County Emergency Services.

NG Tech is only one of two technical colleges in NE Georgia which conduct a paramedic program. DCES has previously had a clinical contract with the school. This opportunity allows for the student to experience field opportunities while in school and allows for DCES to evaluate students and possibly recruit future employees.

Swafford also sought board approval to apply for an Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG), something the county has done for many years. Swafford said county emergency management agencies who complete the mandatory activity and reporting requirements for GEMA have been eligible to receive a 50/50 matching grant to support EMA activities such as mitigation, preparation, and response to emergency situations. The funds cover a portion of the cost for Swift Reach (Reverse 911 System), weather siren maintenance, and radar subscription for the EOC.

This year the base award formula for the EMPG grant was modified and Dawson will receive an increase $7,784 in the 2017-‘18 budget year. This is a 50/50 matching grant for a total of $15,568.

The Dawson County Fire Safety and Prevention Ordinance was adopted by the Board of Commissioners in August 2005 and has never been updated. Included in this ordinance were fees to be imposed by the Dawson County Fire Marshal’s Office. Now that changes have been made to the fireworks law and additional services are being offered through the Prevention Office Swafford asked commissioners to consider updating the ordinance.

Swafford said the only major changes the department is requesting include: Align the language of the ordinance to match that of state law concerning firework permits and inspection fees;  Address fees for CPR, First Aid, and Day Care Provider Fire Safety Classes. These fees have never been formally been adopted by the BOC.

Public Works Director David McKee gave commissioners a Phase Two SPLOST VI Road Improvement Project Budget Update. The program included four road rehabilitation projects. (Tanner Road, Kelly Bridge Road, Steve Tate, and Thompson as an alternate).  The original contract with CW Mathews was approved May 4, 2017 for the first three roads, and on Sept 21, 2017 the BOC approved the alternate of Thompson Road.

The cost that was approved at that time was only for the CW Mathews contract which did not include all expenditures needed to complete the project.  When the scope was presented to the BOC for approval, staff discussed that striping would be performed by our standby striping contractor rather than contracted as part of the road rehabilitation contractor, as such the cost needs approval from the BOC.

Striping cost is to be included in each project. Total shall include both temporary striping and permanent high build striping.  The total project cost will not exceed original approved contracted budget.  Budget to include all striping and or expenses related to completion of the project.