The latest in a series of steps to address traffic concerns at Turner Church Road and Hwy. 20 was approved by the Henry County Board of Commissioners at its February 18 regular meeting.

  A $177,785.89 design services agreement with Kimley-Horn, ranked highest out of 11 firms that submitted proposals, was approved along with a budget amendment of $101,775 required to supply the necessary funding. The extra money was moved from the account for a completed project at Jackson Lake and Mackey Creek. All of these are under the county’s SPLOST IV program.

  A roundabout is the long-term solution for that intersection, SPLOST transportation project director Roque Romero pointed out at the meeting. In years past Turner Church Road was a dirt road with relatively little traffic, but that changed dramatically after it was aligned with Hwy. 20 and became a choice east-west connector road on the east side of McDonough.

  “There have been quite a few accidents out there,” said Romero, adding that the Georgia Department of Transportation has already installed a temporary four-way stop and will soon erect a temporary traffic signal to operate until the roundabout can be developed.

  Another SPLOST IV project approved by the commissioners was for demolition services in the northern end of the county. A bid of $239,700 from AMR LLC of Loganville, the lowest out of six bidders, was awarded for work that is needed on property at the corner of Fairview Road and Panola Road in Ellenwood.

  The county purchased that land, also known as the Bellamy property, for construction of a public safety complex. There are several structures located on the property that need to be removed in preparation for development, according to SPLOST assistant project/purchasing manager Lynn Planchon.

  “These are two large parcels,” she said. “This is a large project.”

  Planchon identified ten separate areas that need attention, including structures with heavy steel and concrete beams, concrete slabs and asphalt areas.

  In other business, the board approved a lease agreement with the Georgia Department of Human Services’ Division of Family and Children Services for its offices at 125 Henry Parkway, which is in a county-owned building. For a total of 38,000 square feet, the annual lease is $408,621.88 or a monthly charge of $34,051.82. The tenant agrees to pay all utilities for the building under the lease agreement.

  The board officially accepted $1,500 from the U.S. Secret Service for the Henry County Police Department’s participation in the Electronic Crimes Task Force, which the department joined in June 2019. The allocation is for the 2020 fiscal year and can only be used for training, certifications, or purchases of equipment for the task force.

  The commissioners approved a $6,645 expenditure for utility relocation by Snapping Shoals EMC with regard to a pipe replacement project on New Hope Drive. The funding is available in the stormwater budget, according to officials.