Georgia County Government - November 2008 - (Page 33)

CountyParade BALDWIN County Pledges Half a Million for Fall Line Freeway Industrial Park Baldwin County commissioners pledged to contribute as much as halfa-million dollars in recent weeks toward purchase of land toward a joint industrial park with Wilkinson County, slated for almost 500 acres of land at the intersection of U.S. 441 and the planned Fall Line Freeway. Both counties, with representation on the Fall Line Regional Development Authority, are collaborating on the industrial park. Development Authority of Baldwin County Executive Director Angie Gheesling expressed both counties’ hope that a “different type of industry” can be recruited for the park than previously would have been attracted to the area, since the Fall Line Freeway will serve as “an interstate.” The Development Authority has signed an intergovernmental agreement with Baldwin and Wilkinson counties, as well as the Fall Line Regional Development Authority for the purchase and development of required land, being purchased from the state for $1 million. A OneGeorgia grant is anticipated to fund another million dollars toward the park. challenge of the Comprehensive Plan, leaders say. To “close gaps” on funding 165 projects identified in the county’s $1.8 billion transportation plan, in the face of a $1 billion state and federal funding shortfall, County Manager Jerry Cooper said the county will dedicate 80 percent of future Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) to transportation projects, doubling the 40 percent currently allotted to transportation. Other features of the Comprehensive Plan address the future of the local economy, water quality preservation, protection of unique historic and environmental resources and delineation of “character” areas for permanent protection. Peach County Hospital Authority’s coverage of architect’s fees for a planned new hospital. Loan collateral is the property slated for the proposed new hospital, at Georgia Highway 247 and John E. Sullivan Road, south of Byron. The 20-acre parcel has a current market value of $520,000, and the authority paid $475,000 for it in June 2006. The loan, at 5-percent interest, will be repaid within one year, or when the hospital closes the deal on a $27 million bond, expected to close within a few months. County Commissioner James Khoury said the loan was critical to the new hospital, and withholding it could jeopardize the project. CHEROKEE Master Plans Adopted to Meet Demands of Unbridled Growth To adequately address intensive growth in Cherokee County, recently identified by the Atlanta Regional Commission as having the fastest growth rate in the metro area, the Cherokee Board of Commissioners have adopted two master plans. The Comprehensive Plan Community Agenda and a Comprehensive Transportation Plan are both designed as critical blueprints for managing the county’s burgeoning population. Transportation will be the biggest COWETA Historic Courthouse Renovation Now Set to Begin Work started this fall on extensive interior and exterior renovations to the 1906 Coweta County courthouse, which will undergo $7.5 million of Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST)-funded improvements, including restoration of the historic landmark’s courtroom and jury room using historically accurate colors and materials. According to reporter Ben Nelms of the Coweta Citizen. County spokeswoman Patricia Palmer said the committee had formed a goal of historic accuracy wherever possible from the beginning. Architectural firm Lord, Aeck & Sargent is designing the renovation. Courtney Swann, of the architectural firm said plans are to keep the project as historically accurate as possible. PUTNAM County Grants Courthouse Space for City Courts Faced with cramped conditions, a growing docket of traffic violations and a lack of attorney-client meeting space, Eatonton City Court was recently granted space inside the Putnam County courthouse, following commissioners’ vote to approve their request in late summer. Eatonton Police Chief Kent Lawrence and city solicitor Michael Gailey will utilize an “opening” in the county courthouse on the second Tuesday of each month for city court. County commissioners voted to allow the city’s usage of the courthouse free of charge. PEACH County Makes Loan to Hospital Authority Peach County commissioners approved a $380,000 loan from the county’s general fund in recent weeks to fund the TROUP Troup County Archives recognized for 25 years of service The Troup County Archives recently received a “Council Exemplary Service Award” from the Society of American Archivists at its annual meeting in San Francisco. The Archives was recognized for 25 years of service and for “providing a model of how local governments can come together to cooperatively and efficiently care for their records.” ■ NOVEMBER 2008 www.accg.org 33 http://www.accg.org

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

Georgia County Government - November 2008 Contents President's Message County Matters Floyd County Leaders Foster Government That's 'Designed With Citizens in Mind' Staff News: ACCG Interns Georgia's Grand Old Courthouses: Hall County Extension News: ACCG and Extension Partner to Create 'Fellows' Program Research Corner: Resources Available Through ACCG County Parade Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - November 2008

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