Georgia County Government - March 2008 - (Page 35)

CountyParade FORSYTH Projects Approved for $100 Million Recreation Bond Forsy t h Count y commissioners in recent weeks approved projects to be f u nded by a $10 0 m i l l ion pa rk s, recreat ion a nd g reenspace bond, approved by voters Feb. 5. Improvements are slated to include $36 million to purchase greenspace; $32.6 million for improvements for Fowler Park, land acquisition for a new park and a new South Recreation Center and Big Creek Greenway Trail; $7.9 million for a joint project with the county Board of Education to improve athletic f ields; $1 mi l lion for t he Etowa h Blueway; $5 million for all-purpose bui ld i ng a nd add it iona l faci l it ies and existing parks; $1.8 million for Sawneee Mountain Preserve phase III; $1.1 million for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ lake parks; $10 million for an aquatics center; and $4 million for a north community park. The total proposed projects amount to $99.4 million, with the remaining $600,000 slated as a contingency fund, said Chairman Charles Laughinghouse. Fulton County Chairman Eaves Commemorates State Flag Honoring USS Georgia Submarine’s Return to Service Fulton County Commission Chairman John H. Eaves (fourth from left) commemorates a Georgia state flag that will be on permanent display aboard the USS Georgia (SSGN 729) after the converted Trident submarine returned to service on March 28. Photo courtesy of the Fulton County Office of Community Relations. JACKSON County Approves Millions in Road Bonds Jackson Count y commissioners unanimously approved $45.9 million in road bonds in late December, toward improving economic development. Depending on right-of-way property donated, developer contributions and Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) funding, the cost of projects planned could turn out to be less, however. Scott Martin, director of the county’s Industrial Development Authority, which has long supported the projects, said the road improvements will pay for themselves, as they’ll bring more money back into the county than it costs to build them. Chairman of t he Jack son C ou nt y Boa rd of Commissioners, Pat Bell, offered her support of the projects but expressed concern about long-term debt and its potential conf lict with the county’s need to develop water supplies. In the meantime, road improvements have been divided into Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects, leading with a transportation/ rail corridor study and water and sewer planning ($500,000); $3.8 million in improvements to John Brooks Road; an I-85 interchange study ($250,000); engineering work to enhance State Route 53 ($300,000); and a Hospital Road connection to U.S. 441 ($600,000). Tier 2 projects slated are $10 million to build Commerce Retail Boulevard; $22.9 million to build Zion Church Road; $4.5 million to construct Bana Road; and $14 million for oversight. OCONEE County Contracts With Private Wells for Water As water supplies in Bear Creek Reservoir began dwindling, the county turned to searching private wells in recent months and county Utility Director John Hatcher reports that several private wells had been offered to the county and tested. Four of these combined average 300 gallons per minute, while other smaller wells combined will give the county some 430,000 gallons per day. As of late December, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) had inspected and passed the wells’ usage. The county will have to spend some $38,000 to install pumps, piping and connections to county water lines, but the county PARADE continued on page 36 MARCH 2008 www.accg.org 35 http://www.accg.org

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

Georgia County Government - March 2008 Contents President's Message County Matters Guest Editorial: Our Future Depends On Statesmanship Bryan County in Step With State Coastal Plan Solid Waste Management in Georgia Hazardous Waste Management in Georgia Extension News: Georgians Growing Older, Fatter County Parade Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - March 2008

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