Crime Suppression Unit search warrant leads to arrests
Police & Government, Press Release January 5, 2022
Public Affairs Officer Speaks on the Incident at the COVID Testing Location
Community January 5, 2022
Dawson County Traffic Delays
Press Release December 8, 2021
PRESS RELEASE – Dawson County Government posted on social media that due to road work, citizens should expect delays through the end of the week:
GDOT will have lanes closed December 7 – December 10 on Hwy 400 North Bound – Carlisle Road to Dawson Forest Road and Hwy. 400 South Bound – Dawson Forest Road to Whitmire Drive.
Also, possible delays on Lumpkin Campground road at the new roundabout as crews finish paving.
Dawson County Thanks Veterans
Press Release November 11, 2021
PRESS RELEASE – In a post issued by Dawson County Government’s Facebook, the county remembers all those who made sacrifices to protect Americans and their freedoms.
Thank you to ALL the men, women and their families for your service to our country that provides the FREEDOMS we all enjoy today!
Please be sure to thank a veteran, not just today, but everyday.
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” – John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Dawson County Government Offices will be closed today in observance of Veterans Day!
To see a list of events for Veterans Day, please visit The Veterans Affairs of Dawson County’s Facebook page for more information.
Lee Castleberry Road Closure 11/8-11/22
News November 5, 2021
DCSO HEAT Deputies Bring Home Awards
Community, News November 3, 2021
33rd Annual Lake Lanier Shore Sweep
Community, Press Release September 24, 2021
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Dawson County is preparing for the 33rd annual Lake Lanier Shore Sweep to take place this Saturday, on Sept. 25, from 8 a.m. to 1p.m.
The Shore Sweep, which is put on by Lake Lanier Association, is expected to help collect and properly dispose of tons of trash.
In fact, “over 32 years of Shore Sweep cleanups have removed 2.16 million pounds of trash and debris from Lake Lanier’s shorelines”, according to Lake Lanier Association.
This year, there are 13 locations spread across Forsyth, Gwinnett, Hall and Dawson Counties, where the shore sweep will be taking place.
Dawson County sites are located at Toto Creek and War Hill Park.
Billy Thurmond, Chairman for the Dawson County Commissioners, spoke about the importance of the event at the last Commissioners meeting held last week.
“This is something that we have helped with every year for as long as I can remember, trying to clean up the shore of Lake Lanier,” Thurmond said.
Thurmond said that this year he spoke with Lake Lanier Association President John Barker about allowing an extra dumpster to be put at the Toto Creek site for easier disposal of trash for volunteers.
“Normally they have to bring all the trash they get from [Toto creek] to War Hill Park. It makes more sense to put an extra bin there when they pick it up,” Thurmond said.
Thurmond addressed the board to see if there would be any issues or if they could move forward with the request as he said he believed that cleaning up is a good thing.
Fellow Commissioner Sharon Fausett enthusiastically agreed and said, “lets help them and not hinder them.”
For a full list a clean-up sites, visit the Lake Lanier Association website and click here to register to be a part of the 33rd annual Lake Lanier Shore Sweep.
Etowah Water and Sewer Authority vote to replace water main line
News September 15, 2021
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The Etowah Water and Sewer Authority voted to replace the water main line on SR136 from Toto Creek Bridge to Chestatee Bridge and approved a lift station for Dawson Forrest Road.
Brooke Anderson, the General Manager of the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority, said that there were two projects already in place to do some repairs on the lines at Toto Creek Bridge and at Chestatee Bridge. However, the gap between the bridges on Price Road is presenting some concern.
“We didn’t really think there was an issue but here in the last few months, we have had a couple of main breaks on that section and it is starting to cause some problems,” Anderson said.
They intend to now combine this project with the current bridge replacement project.
Approximately 25,000 feet of pipe will be replaced during this project, and they approved $200,000 for the total cost of the project.
Anderson explained that many things can cause this problem to occur such as material deterioration, but the main goal is to provide a solution.
“We try to be proactive when an area becomes chronic in breaks, that way we can eliminate that issue,” Anderson said.
Another topic voted on was the Lift Station for Dawson Forrest Road.
This project would consist of two parts – an 18-inch gravity sewer and a lift station.
The total cost for both parts of the project is estimated to be around $700,750, but the cost for the lift station alone is around $390,000.
Anderson commented it could take several months to go through the procurement process of getting the project underway, and a vote was needed now if they wanted to move forward on the lift station.
“By October 1 of this year, pipe prices will have risen by 30% and lead time on pipes are up to nine months,” Anderson said.
Anderson explained that one of the overlying issues that has come up in the last year and a half is severe supply chain issues. In order to make sure they are moving forward with projects, they are having to predict and be proactive when it comes to projects or issues that arise.
Dawson Co. Planning Commission meets Tuesday
News June 14, 2021
DAWSON COUNTY—The Dawson County Planning Commission will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday (June 15) in the Government Center Assembly Room, 25 Justice Way in Dawsonville.
Under New Business in commissioners will consider a request by Paul Stowers for a variance in Dawson County Land Use Resolution Article Section 319 Table 3.2 for side setback reduction from 20’ to 10’ for the purpose of constructing a barn on Seed Tick Road.
Robert Garner is requesting a Special Use of TMP 078-001-002 for the purpose of placing a mobile home on less than 5 acres in a R-A zoning.
Martin Labaca is requesting to rezone TMP 076-126 from RSR to R-A for the purpose of down zoning the parcel.
Man dies at construction site in Dawson County
News May 22, 2021
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. — A young man in his early 20s died Wednesday afternoon following injuries suffered at a construction site in Dawson County.
Dawson County Fire and Emergency Services Chief Danny Thompson said the accident took place in a residential section at Pine Needle Drive off Harry Sosebee Roat at approximately 12:31 p.m. The man, who has not been identified was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville where he later died.
Thompson said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident and any additional information would have to come from that office.
County leaders call city’s lawsuit extortion, Attempt to overthrow the will of the voters
Press Release April 2, 2021
Official Statement by Dawson County Board of Commissioners
in response to City’s vote to file a lawsuit
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. – On March 16, Dawson County voters overwhelmingly chose to continue the countywide special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST). 78.43% of voters elected to continue the SPLOST, and rightly so, because the SPLOST reduces property taxes while funding projects that provide public safety, parks, roads, and other key public infrastructure for the benefit of citizens of the County and the City alike.
Notwithstanding the benefits to the citizens and the expressed will of the voters, the City of Dawsonville has voted to file a lawsuit seeking to nullify the SPLOST in an obvious attempt to extort more money out of the County. The Dawson County Board of Commissioners is shocked and disappointed that the City is undermining the will of the voters for its own shortsighted gain and in contravention to the good of the community.
Data shows that as a sales tax, a large fraction of SPLOST collections are paid by non-resident shoppers and tourists visiting or passing through Dawson County. This means that Dawsonville and Dawson County can build public infrastructure at a lower cost to local taxpayers. There will be $60 million in anticipated SPLOST revenues, providing facilities that will not need to be funded by property taxes. The alternative to the SPLOST would be less public safety, fewer parks, and minimal road improvements, or else higher property taxes and potentially a new City property tax. Yet, despite the benefits enjoyed by all local residents from the SPLOST, Dawsonville seeks to overturn the tax and undo the will of the voters.
The terms of the County’s SPLOST and proposed division of proceeds are legally supported by the plain language of Georgia law, and by the best census data and population estimates currently available. While the City contends the SPLOST is “illegal,” the City was willing to refrain from filing the lawsuit if the County gave the City more money and projects. As such, it does not appear that the City is acting based upon law or principle, but just based on good-old-fashioned greed. Dawsonville’s tactics are a no-win situation for taxpayers. If the suit is unsuccessful, it will be a pure waste of taxpayer dollars. If the suit is successful, it will reverse an overwhelming mandate of the voters and push more tax costs onto property owners.
Historically, the County and City have split SPLOST proceeds 85% and 15%, which is more generous to Dawsonville than the law requires. In the leadup to the election, the County offered to continue with that status quo, but Dawsonville rejected that and demanded millions of dollars more. So the County put the SPLOST to the voters to decide.
According to Georgia law, the City now stands to receive a share strictly based on its population. According to census data the City has only 12% of the total population of Dawson County. While ironically the County was always willing to give the City 15% of proceeds in negotiations prior to the election, the voters have now spoken and the County is bound to honor the funding of a countywide public safety project and then the division of further proceeds at 12% to the City because that is what the voters approved on March 16.
The County is responsible for providing many key services to ALL residents, including fire/EMS, Sheriff, court/judicial, jail, and active park services. Every dollar the City consumes in SPLOST revenues is a dollar the County cannot invest toward infrastructure for ALL County residents. The City’s continued residential growth creates a financial burden on the County to deliver a host of services to those new residences. Yet, the City has not chosen to implement impact fees to offset those costs. And instead of supporting a SPLOST that would help cover those costs, the City has taken a divisive path of extortion.
In the face of the City’s threats, the County made a cooperative overture to the City as a result of its executive session discussion on Thursday in the interest of avoiding this debacle and huge waste of taxpayer money for the citizens. The City rejected that compromise and the County’s good faith efforts, and now the County will work hard to defend the will of the people in support of the SPLOST.
Early voting on $60 million SPLOST starts Monday
News February 21, 2021
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. — The dust has barely settled following January’s special election in Georgia’s U.S. Senate race but Dawson County Republicans and Democrats will return to the polls starting Monday (Feb 22) to vote on a $60 million, 6-year Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.
Early voting will last until Friday, March 12. Local voters can vote early at the Dawson County Elections Office, 96 Academy Avenue in Dawsonville, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The polls will be open on Election Day, March 16, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The cost of the county’s list of proposed projects totals $45,320,000. Included on the list of major projects are: Road and culvert projects ($16.4 million); Construction of a new Emergency Operations Center and E911 communications system ($8.5 million): Fire station replacement ($3 million); Public works vehicles and equipment ($2.5 million); Construction of a new public health facility ($2.5 million) and ambulance replacement ($2.3 million).
The City of Dawsonville’s proposed list totals $6.18 million. Included are: Deep patch repair, milling and repaving of roads ($2 million),; Construction of tertiary waste water plant ($2.12 million) and Main Street Park Phases 3 and 4 ($605,000).
For more information about polling locations, how to request a ballot and to view a sample ballot, visit the “My Voter Page” at https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp or call (706) 344-3640.
Perdue, Loeffler win big in Dawson County
News January 5, 2021
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. –Republicans in Dawson County gave incumbent senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler their overwhelming endorsement in the U.S. Senate runoff race Tuesday.
Perdue won the county vote 12,146 to Democrat Jon Ossoff’s 2,227. Loeffler defeated Rev. Raphel Warnock by an almost identical margin of 12,108 to 2,271.
But when the county vote was completed by around 8:30 p.m. the Democrats were holding a 7 percent lead statewide with 50 percent of the reported.
Dawson County Republican Party Chairwoman Seanie Zappendorf said she was pleased with the effort in Dawson. “We sent out a lot of emails and letters and handed out a lot of cards and it paid off. Our voters don’t want socialists coming in to the Senate.”
Chamber Chatter–News of the week!
Community January 6, 2021
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Time running out for early voting in Senate races
News December 28, 2020
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. – Georgia voters have only four more days to cast an early vote in the crucial General Election U.S. Senate runoff. Advance voting ends Thursday (Dec. 31). Election Day is Jan. 5
Until then, all voting will take place at the Elections Office, 96 Academy Avenue in Dawsonville between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Election Day is Jan. 5 when all precincts will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
As of last Wednesday when the Elections Office closed for the Christmas Holiday, 5,401 votes had been cast in Dawson County, representing approximately, 25 percent of the county’s registered voters.
According to the Georgia Votes website, approximately two million people have cast early ballots in Georgia. The election will determine which political party will holds the majority in the Senate during the first two years of President Joe Biden’s administration.
To flip control, the Democrats must win both races. If Democrat Jon Ossoff defeats incumbent Sen. David Perdue and Rev. Raphael Warnock defeats Kelly Loeffler, the Senate will be split 50-50 and Vice President Kamala Harris would be cast a tie-breaking vote.