Here is a roundup of actions from the June 2 regular meeting of the Henry County Board of Commissioners.
The board approved a memorandum of understanding with the Georgia Department of Transportation regarding the proposed new interchange on I-75 at Bethlehem Road just north of Locust Grove. The state has authorized $1 million to advance the project toward construction and intends to award the project to a design-build firm, according to a county staff report. The county will contribute $5 million in SPLOST money as requested by the state DOT for preliminary engineering and right-of-way. According to officials, the state will reimburse the county the entire amount if the project is not begun within five years.
A $46,855 contract for the purchase of safety flooring materials at Village Park’s outdoor splash pad was approved along with a $41,024 expenditure for installation of safety surfaces. County officials pointed out that past incidents at the park required the response of emergency personnel, making it clear that there is a need to make the surface more slip-resistant and minimize such incidents moving forward at the county’s first aquatic facility.
The Henry County Police Department requested approval to apply for a Bureau of Justice Assistance Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest partnership, and that approval was given by commissioners. This grant would pay for 50 percent of the purchase of body armor for sworn officers. To qualify for the funding, the department is required to have a “mandatory wear” policy in effect regarding body armor, and that it be tailored to fit properly on male and female officers.
Also approved was a new one-year lease for the HCPD’s rented space in the Paradise Shoppes of Ellenwood retail center at the corner of East Atlanta Road and Fairview Road. Officers have been working out of that location since 2011. The current lease expires at the end of June, and the new agreement increases the monthly rent from $8 to $9 per square foot. The total cost for rent and associated fees adds up to $1,537.67 per month, according to officials.
Three maintenance agreements for county facilities were approved. An emergency roofing retrofit for the Henry County Sheriff’s Training Center, made necessary due to multiple leaks on a 30-year-old building that was deemed beyond repair, was approved at a cost of $245,750. An annual contract in the amount of $120,425 for HVAC maintenance and repairs to various county buildings was approved along with a separate contract for on-call electrical services.
The board passed a resolution accepting bids of $360,863 for taxiway electrical rehabilitation, $191,006.25 for taxiway rejuvenation and re-marking, and $81,012 for construction inspection and administration at the Atlanta Speedway Airport in Hampton. The county is eligible for state and federal reimbursements totaling $477,847.44 on these projects, with the actual county cost of $155,033.81 slated to come from funds in the capital improvement plan.
The second installment of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) was officially accepted by the board. Municipalities with a population of 200,000 or more are eligible to receive this money, part of the $2.3 trillion federal spending bill passed in December. The program will be managed at the county level by a third-party provider, separate from the first ERAP project already underway and also managed by a third party.
The commissioners voted to authorize a Georgia Department of Transportation 2021 State Funded Local Maintenance Improvement Grant Safety Action Plan application, utilizing a program for which the state DOT has targeted funds in its FY2021 supplemental budget for safety improvements. The county DOT identified five potential roads as required for the application process and will likely add roads to that list. The money would be used for striping, marking, placement of raised reflectors and possible replacement or additional signage, according to officials.
A grant award agreement with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta was approved for operation of clubs within the county. A 2019 agreement was reached with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Georgia for the same purpose, but the board determined that it was in the best interests of the county and its citizens to work with the Metro Atlanta group instead. The resolution also identifies the board’s intention to participate in funding and operation of the clubs for three years.
A $300,000 contract for architectural design services regarding a future recreation center at North Mt. Carmel Park was approved. The center is one of the projects to be funded under the county’s latest special-purpose local option sales tax program that was approved by voters in the fall of 2019.
The board approved a $59,000 bid for storm drainage replacement at Iris Lake and King Mill Road, a $50 monthly increase in compensation for members of the Zoning Advisory Board, and the appointment of Brenda Winston to fill an unexpired term on the Recreation Board as the District 4 representative through the end of 2022.
