Additional staff request for SWMP tabled to explore other options
News April 12, 2022
Originally presented at an earlier work session, the additional staff request for the Public Works Department’s Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) will require further examination.
The Board of Commissioners voted to table the request until Public Works can evaluate other options, such as contracting work out to third parties.
While no timeframe has been given, the Public Works staff will have the opportunity to present the alternative of contracting the services to the Board at a later session.
The Dawson County Board of Commissioners decided it needed more time to evaluate before approving the request to add a full-time employee.
SWMP’s requirements and responsibilities
Back in March 2014, Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division approved the SWMP in Dawson County. It also issued the General National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to the county.
The EPD issued the permit for Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) to the state’s waters.
The permit acts in accordance with the Federal Clean Water Act and the Georgia Water Control Act. It requires each MS4 permittee to submit a SWMP to the EPD.
With each permit lasting five years, Dawson County will need to submit its third permit application in March 2024.
The MS4’s stormwater program requires that all inspection and administrative staff become certified through the NPDES.
After recent certification classes, the county learned of the EPD’s increased focus in certain areas: funding, staffing and response time.
Denise Farr, the director of the Public Works Department, presented the additional staff request because of concerns that the program may not adequately cover these areas.
She also shared the EPD could increase the MS4 areas for counties without a county-wide MS4, which includes Dawson County.
SWMP’s minimum control measures
As a part of its SWMP, the county must address six minimum control measures.
Public education includes school presentations and activity books as well as social media and website updates. Similarly, public involvement focuses on programs that utilize the community, such as river cleanup.
Public Works highlighted efforts to increase public involvement, such as storm drain stenciling, with its stormwater program presentation.
The county must also detect and eliminate illicit discharge, which the Environmental Protection Agency defines as any discharge into a storm drain system not composed entirely of stormwater.
To further execute the program, staff members oversee construction site discharge controls and post-construction controls for new developments.
Responsibilities range from weekly inspections to continuing awareness programs with commercial management companies.
The minimum control measures conclude with good housekeeping and pollution prevention. The county provides a public reporting system for illicit discharge to aid these efforts.
Although the Board tabled the additional staff request, readers can view Farr’s presentation at https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/daga-pubu/MEET-Packet-580e84d8ea0a4c2a9806e8fb90677fcc.pdf.
Public Works budget increase for de-icing products approved
Community February 18, 2022
During the Dawson County Board of Commissioners work session, the director of the Public Works Department, Denise Farr, requested to increase the salt budget.
Following the movement of the request to the voting session, the Board voted unanimously to approve the additional funds.
The 2022 budget allocates $3,500 for salt product costs. The department staff sought to increase the budget to $20,530.
Denise Farr presented the department’s budget increase proposal and addressed the Board’s questions at the Feb. 17 meeting.
JPCS, LLC currently holds the county’s contract for salt/de-icing product purchases. The contract did not specify the salt’s density.
The county received a low density product, which proved unsuitable for its use.
Current product’s performance in recent storm
During January’s storm event, crews used the most recently delivered product for de-icing the roads.
Crews distributed 175 tons of salt. Pre-treatment of the area included eight concrete deck bridges and four highly traveled county roads.
Following pre-treatment, the de-icing process implemented three spreader trucks and 14 crew members.
Over the course of 14 hours, they salted 113.35 miles of county roads, which covered 51 roads.
While working, crews noticed large amounts of salt blew off the roads. The product remaining on the roads quickly melted.
Upon noticing the effects of the lower density brown salt, crew members combined it with the existing supply of higher density white and blue salts.
Crew members utilized existing supplies of higher density white and blue salts during de-icing.
Crews used approximately 125 tons of brown salt and 50 tons of mixed salts. 20 tons of mixed salts remain at Public Works.
In past storm events, the de-icing treatment with white and blue salts completed road coverage using 75 tons of product.
According to the current contract, the low density salt product costs $148.98 per ton. For a storm event lasting two days, the estimated quantity would be 250 tons, which equates to $35,745.
For the high density salt product, the department estimates a cost of $267 per ton. To respond to a two-day storm event, the estimated quantity needed would be 75 tons, equaling $20,025.
With the approved budget increase, the department will restock the salt supply with higher performing salt product.
Along with the complete agenda, readers can view Farr’s presentation at https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/daga-pubu/MEET-Packet-d8e634ff71b64c099e2fee96955a4fbe.pdf.
Recycling budget increase proposed to Board of Commissioners
Community January 23, 2022
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – At the Dawson County Board of Commissioners meeting held on Jan. 20, the Public Works Department requested a recycling budget increase as well as direction in repairing the transfer station.
The Dawson County Board of Commissioners discussed the grant and budget proposals presented at the Jan. 20 meeting.
Denise Farr, the director of the Public Works Department, explains the county currently uses the single-stream recycling process. This process handles cardboard, paper products, plastics, glass, aluminum and metal cans.
The county budgets $13,000 for recycling but spent $18,090.70 in 2021. With waste management significantly increasing its costs, Public Works estimates a yearly recycling cost of $57,222.
In her presentation, Farr outlines the current recycling process’s positives and negatives for the Board to consider an increased budget or economical alternative.
The single-stream system encourages recycling since people do not have to separate materials. It also gives municipalities lower upfront costs.
However, the quality and number of useable recyclables are lower because of contamination and issues separating materials. And although the system offers lower upfront costs, the sorting and processing rates lead to higher costs.
Farr elaborated on issues with the current system saying, “Sometimes in the compaction, especially with the metals, they can’t get everything apart so some of that is ending up in the landfill that really shouldn’t be.”
After listening to her presentation, the Board asks Farr to return with alternative recycling processes which could be more beneficial and financially effective.
In addition to recycling budget, transfer station requires examination
The Public Works director also presented to the Board the structural issues of the county’s transfer station. The station can no longer accept construction or commercial debris.
Farr included examples of the damage in her presentation to the Board.
Farr explained how the impact force and positioning of construction, commercial dumping and packing equipment have caused damage to parts of the building, including the loading area’s steel plates and beams.
Excessive loads and continued force of debris and clearing equipment have damaged the transfer station’s loading area.
Replacing and installing additional steel beams, along with the steel plate flooring, is estimated to cost $120,000. To replace siding and siding supports, the estimated cost is $25,000.
When considering the facility’s future with construction and commercial dumping, Farr states, “If we’re going to continue with that, then we’re going to have to have a whole different design in mind.”
The Board agrees with Farr’s analysis that the station requires repairs for safety and efficiency. During the voting session, the commissioners decide to send out a bid for an engineer to inspect the site.
To access the agenda and voting session packets, visit https://www.dawsoncounty.org/meetings?date_filter%5Bvalue%5D%5Bmonth%5D=1&date_filter%5Bvalue%5D%5Bday%5D=1&date_filter%5Bvalue%5D%5Byear%5D=2015&date_filter_1%5Bvalue%5D%5Bmonth%5D=3&date_filter_1%5Bvalue%5D%5Bday%5D=20&date_filter_1%5Bvalue%5D%5Byear%5D=2022&field_microsite_tid=All&field_microsite_tid_1=All
To view the sessions, visit https://www.facebook.com/DawsonCountyGovernment