Here is a roundup of action taken at the January 6 Henry County Board of Commissioners meeting that was not included in last week’s print edition.
The first piece of actual business in 2021 resulted in a deadlocked vote. After the agenda was accepted and Gary Barham was appointed vice chair for the year, the board considered the reappointment of Sam Chafin to the Board of Assessors as his six-year term was set to expire that day. Johnny Wilson made a motion to approve his reappointment but it failed 3-3 with Dee Clemmons, Bruce Holmes and Vivian Thomas voting in opposition. Thomas then moved to table the matter but rescinded that motion and instead nominated Calvin Gleaton to the post. That motion failed 3-3 as well, with Barham, Wilson and new board chair Carlotta Harell voting in opposition.
That matter aside, nearly 20 people were appointed to various boards and authorities: David Crow and Eddie Ausband to the Development Authority for four years; Warren Holder, Jimmy Carter, Sandra Rozier and Siddiqa Gibson to the Water Authority for two years; John Dewberry Jr. and David Wilkerson to the Recreation Board for four years; Sharon Ponder, Kathy Gardner and Anne Franklin to the Library Board for four years; Don Veum, Jim Risher, Noreen Walker, Delande Nelson and Dawn Randolph to the Zoning Advisory Board for two years. Vanessa Jackson was appointed to the board of Henry First, Inc. for four years.
The board tabled a request to modify amenity requirements for a residential development on 183.58 acres on Walker Drive north of Klinetop Drive in McDonough, specifically to allow the installation of a splash pad instead of a junior-size Olympic swimming pool. Another zoning item tabled was for a 33.48-acre site on Amah Lee Road west of West Main Street in Hampton, with a request to modify conditions pertaining to facade requirements so that cement fiberboard can be used along with brick and stone.
Two zoning items for a single 8.43-acre site south of Hwy. 20 and east of Simpson Mill Road were shot down. The applicant made a request for an amendment to the comprehensive plan that would change the future land use map from low density residential to commercial. Clemmons, in whose district the property lies, made a motion to deny and it passed 5-1 with Wilson voting in opposition. A subsequent rezoning petition to change the site from OI (office-institutional) to C-1 (neighborhood commercial) was also denied, with Clemmons’ motion passing unanimously.
The board approved a $143,650 design contract for a sidewalk improvement project on Fairview Road, with $3 million in unassigned fund balance money designated for the estimated construction costs. The vote was 4-2 with Barham and Wilson voting in opposition.
No action was taken on a proposed moratorium on industrial developments. After initially making a motion to table the matter, Thomas rescinded it and moved to remove the item from the agenda until proper meetings could be convened to make the best decision. That motion passed 4-2 with Clemmons and Holmes casting the dissenting votes.
The commissioners approved design contracts for two SPLOST road projects totaling just over a half-million dollars. Bids were awarded to Croy Engineering for the Snapping Shoals Road improvement project, and to EXP US Services for the Airline Road extension project. The board also approved a Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG) application for 2021 through which the Georgia Department of Transportation is expected to ultimately pay $2,070,619 for assistance in resurfacing of various country roads, with the county paying a 30-percent match.
The board voted to approve the reaffirmation of the two-mill tax levy for water and sewerage purposes in the county until certain bonds in effect have been paid or provided for. This comes several weeks after a previous request by the Henry County Water Authority was not acted upon. Also approved was the latest round of assistance to small businesses and nonprofit organizations recommended by the Small Business Restart and Non-Profit Assistance Program Committee to receive financial relief after being negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing shutdown. Both votes were unanimous.
Several hundred pieces of computer equipment was approved for purchase. A state contract in the amount of $313,685 using approved capital funds will allow the purchase of 200 Dell computers with 400 monitors as well as 100 laptops and 100 docking stations, according to a county staff report. The new equipment will be used to phase out many of the county’s older and underperforming computers, monitors and laptops in all departments. Also approved was the $46,313 purchase of an audio-visual system for the Locust Grove Event/Senior Center using capital improvement plan funds, and a $53,879 expenditure for repairs to the Henry County Fire Department’s Squad 1. Both votes were unanimous.
The board passed a resolution approving use of the Heritage Senior Center for a COVID-19 testing site by a private vendor. According to officials, District Four Public Health has been conducting testing with limited resource, and they have recently partnered with Mako Medical Laboratories to continue testing in Henry County at no cost to citizens.
