Whitfield County commissioners vote to transfer $2.5 million from solid waste authority to the county

Charles Oliver, The Daily Citizen, Dalton, Ga.
·3 min read

Jan. 11—Members of the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 on Monday to approve the transfer of $2.5 million from the fund balance of the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority to the county government.

Board Chairman Jevin Jensen typically votes only if there is a tie.

Authority board members voted in December to transfer $5 million to the county and to the city of Dalton because they believe the authority has a sufficient fund balance. The authority is owned by the city and the county.

"We exceeded our goal of 29 miles of road resurfacing for 2023," said Jensen. "Some of these funds will go toward fully staffing public works and to push us above 30 miles a year. Also, the transfer will help with the voter-approved new senior exemption for county property taxes. It will ease that reduced revenue burden so we can continue to roll back the millage rate for families. We expect with new homes and apartments being added to the (tax) digest soon, we won't need a transfer payment in 2025."

Dalton officials said they plan to use their share of the money for stormwater projects.

In 2020, the city and county took $2.5 million each from the authority's fund balance. In 2010, they each took $1.5 million.

The county commissioners also voted 4-0 to:

—Accept a $30,000 digital equity grant from ConnectHumanity to complete a community connectivity plan. The purpose of the plan is to create a blueprint for providing high-speed and affordable internet for county residents. This is a federal grant passed through the Appalachian Regional Commission to ConnectHumanity. The grant requires a $20,000 in-kind match. Dalton Utilities has offered its help with this grant. Its staff time, along with county staff time, will cover the match requirement.

"We are going to continue to try to chip away and get at the pockets of the county that do not have access to high-speed internet," said Jensen.

—Apply for a 2024 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant for sidewalk and pedestrian safety projects near county schools. This grant requires no local match.

—Extend to March 31 the time for the Boy Scouts of America to draw down a $75,000 grant from the county's share of American Rescue Plan Act funds. The scouts are using the money to fund a full-time district executive in Whitfield County.

—Accept a $120,000 bid from Barry Smith Trails of Chattanooga for construction of trails at Rocky Face Ridge Park.

"We've had some people asking why we are building trails," Jensen said. "This is being funded by a grant, so there's no local taxpayer dollars. I recall this was a private grant, so really no taxpayer dollars at all."

—Accept a $52,000 bid from Covermaster International for padding for the outfield fences at Riverbend Park.

—Set qualifying fees for county offices that will be up for election in November.

— Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, $306.

— Commissioners, $270.

— Sheriff, $2,891.46.

— Tax commissioner, $2,591.46.

— Clerk of Superior Court, $2,591.46.

— Probate judge, $2,591.46.

— Chief Magistrate judge, $2,643.29.

— Magistrate judges, $1,686.60.

— Coroner, $450.

— Board of Education, $18.

The commissioners also voted 4-0 to reappoint David Renz and Frank Robertson to the Dalton-Whitfield County Joint Development Authority.

They also voted 4-0 to appoint commissioners to serve on outside boards and commissions:

—Jensen: Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, Northwest Georgia Regional Commission, Greater Dalton Metropolitan Planning Organization, Greater Dalton Convention & Visitors Bureau and Council of Chief Elected Officials.

—Greg Jones: solid waste authority and convention and visitors bureau.

—Barry Robbins: Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library liaison.

—Robby Staten: Dalton Convention Center.

—John Thomas: Whitfield County Board of Health, Dalton-Whitfield Community Development Corp., Dalton-Whitfield County Land Bank Authority and North Georgia Community Action.