Georgia County Government - February 2008 - (Page 23)

the direction of veteran County Transportation Director Lewis Canup, has some of the best country roads, connectors and highway access in the state and remains well-known for its total lack of “drop-offs” along winding rural roads, which have been an ongoing source of legal problems for many counties. DOT road project. Federal transportation funds are also supporting the project, officials add. “The trail won’t ever abut to any road because we want a division between cars and bicycles,” Lewis says. “A lot of trailer and camper-type vehicles are on the roads up here, so we have to keep cyclists totally separate.” Alternative Transportation The major transportation-driven tourism project will be comparable to west Georgia’s Silver Comet trail. Plans are to create an extensive bike trail converting the former Tallulah Falls Railroad from Cornelia to Demorest, Clarkesville and Tallulah Falls, bisecting Rabun County up to North Carolina, tentatively called the Tallulah Falls Railroad Recreational Trail. Like others of its kind, it will utilize a longstanding, decommissioned railroad bed to convert to a bike trail open to pedestrians, too. Officials credit David Stovall, Georgia Mountains RDC chairman and CEO and president of Habersham Bank Corp. “This will be one of the greatest transportation-related tourism developments in the state and will be easily accessible to all who want to use it. Connecting trails are being built to it by Piedmont College and the cities of Clarkesville and Demorest. Portions of the route won’t be built on the old railroad bed, but a new route to make the whole trail workable,” Hazell adds. The Georgia DOT is involved and partnering on the first seven miles of the project, in conjunction with another Bolstering Services Capital improvement projects throughout these counties, moreover, are thriving. Stephens County is building an $11.5 million jail with proceeds from a fourth Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). The new facility will have 196 beds. Rabun built a $6 million jail three years ago. E-911 systems have been significantly upgraded. Stephens County implemented a new, county-wide, 800-megahertz system, as did Habersham, a state-of-the art undertaking that is up for award recognition, according to Chairman Butterworth. Habersham is also, through the county’s fifth successful SPLOST, putting $1.5 million into building new playing fields and a new recreation complex in the south end of the county. The greatest improvements, perhaps, have been seen in the region’s quality of health care and health care access, according to all officials. “We have health care facilities that have made great progress, thanks to private investment and public investment,” NORTHEAST GEORGIA continued on page 24 Producer of Quality Crushed Aggregates Sales and Production Ofﬁces Athens Quarry Athens, GA (706) 548-4296 Habersham Quarry Demorest, GA (706) 754-4169 Monroe County Quarry Sparta Quarry Sparta, GA Bolingbroke, GA (706) 444-7777 (478) 994-3017 Pine Mountain Quarry Lithonia, GA (770) 482-4339 Toccoa Quarry Toccoa, GA (706) 886-5225 Walton County Quarry Good Hope, GA (706) 769-0770 Fayette County Quarry Lithonia Quarry Tyrone, GA Lithonia, GA (770) 964-1591 (770) 482-7231 Gainesville Quarry Gainesville, GA (770) 532-6351 Hanson Porducts Essential for Everyday Life 360430_Hanson.indd 1 FEBRUARY 2008 www.accg.org PM 12/18/07 10:56:39 23 http://www.hanson.biz http://www.accg.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Georgia County Government - February 2008

Georgia County Government - February 2008 Contents President's Message County Matters Regional Focus on the Georgia Mountains: Rabun, Habersham and Stephens Counties DNR Commissioner Noel Holcomb Solid Waste Management in Georgia: New Challenges Ahead Essential Elements of Negotiating Professional Service Firm Contracts The Walker County Courthouse at LaFayette Extension News: Partnerships are Key to Conservation Education Research Corner: Interns: An Asset to Every County NACo News: Counties and Climate Change FAQs Georgia Flag to Travel to All 159 Georgia Counties State Announces Regional Recycling Hub Grant Awards Abraham Joins ACCG Support Staff County Parade ACCG Launches e-Magazine Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - February 2008

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