Floyd County Commission
March 25, 2008
Agenda actions
Pre-meeting caucus: Bill Mull of Bike! Walk! Northwest Georgia said the Georgia Department of Transportation is providing nearly 1,000 signs to mark about 700 miles of bike trails throughout the 10-county Coosa Valley region.
The county’s public works crew will install the signs designated for Floyd County. Mull said there will be approximately 110 signs in Rome and Floyd County.
I. CALL TO ORDER – Present: Commission Chairman Jerry Jennings; Commissioners Garry Fricks, Eddie Lumsden and Chad Whitefield. Absent: Commissioner John Mayes.
II. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG – Whitefield and Lumsden
III. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Ms. Serpentfoot, 324 Forsyth Street, reiterated an earlier threat to legally challenge the constitutionality of the county’s zoning and building codes. She also demanded the Commission return the county seat to its original spot in Livingston — near the Turners Bend area of the Coosa River — and stop funding the redevelopment of Rome “for the benefit of a few.”
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Adopted minutes of Regular Meeting of March 11, 2008.
IV. PROCLAMATIONS – None
VI. RESOLUTIONS
Established revised Environmental Permitting Fees for the Floyd County Health Department.
The County Board of Health recommended increases in some fees, based on charges for services in surrounding counties.
Commissioners asked for the review earlier this year, after health officials sought a boost in local funding to offset cuts in state funding. County Manager Kevin Poe estimated the new fee schedule will bring in an additional $65,000 a year.
For background information on the health department’s budget crunch, click here.
VII. FIRST READINGS – None
VIII. SECOND READINGS/PUBLIC HEARINGS
(FIRST READINGS HELD MARCH 11, 2008)
For Planning Commission reports and location maps, click here.
1. Approved rezoning from S-R (Suburban Residential) to A-R (Agriculture Residential) for continued agriculture use on property located at 2416 Turkey Mountain Road. No opposition.
2. Approved rezoning from O-I (Office Institutional) to C-C (Community Commercial) for marketing of property located at 1246 Cartersville Highway. No opposition.
3. Approved rezoning from D-R (Duplex Residential) to C-C (Community Commercial) for marketing of property located at Lovell Street. No opposition.
To limit commercial encroachment into the Lovell Street neighborhood, the board added conditions requiring development to be in conjunction with adjacent tracts fronting Martha Berry Highway under the same ownership and a 20-foot vegetative buffer along the property line abutting a residence.
4. Approved rezoning from L-I (Light Industrial) to O-I (Office Institutional) to construct church on part of a tract designated 2567 Cedartown Highway. No opposition.
ULDC REVISIONS:
1. Approved a change to clarify that the Board of Adjustments elects its own chair and the position is rotated each year between city and county appointees.
2. Approved a change regarding personal care homes and other group residences to bring the ULDC in line with the federal Fair Housing Act. The major change will allow personal care homes for up to four disabled people to operate in any residential zone without requiring a special use permit.
IX. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Reminder – Meeting of April 8, 2008 will be held at Rome High School Auditorium.
X. COMMISSIONER’S REPORT
1. Administrative/Finance Committee – Commissioner Whitefield, Chairman
2. Public Safety Committee – Commissioner Lumsden, Chairman
3. Public Works Committee – Report from County Manager Kevin Poe
Set April 22 as the date for a public hearing on possible closure of the McFry Lane Railroad Crossing near Shannon.
Poe said the GDOT will upgrade the nearby Pinson Road crossing with a gate, bells and signage if the county agrees to close the crossing.
Signs will be posted in the area announcing the hearing at the board’s 6 p.m. regular meeting.
4. Water Committee – Commissioner Fricks, Chairman
5. Judicial Services Committee – Commissioner Jennings, Chairman
6. Special Committee Reports
a. SPLOST Committee (Lumsden)
b. Work Release Committee (Lumsden, Mayes)
c. Fire Overview Committee (Lumsden, Whitefield)
d. Joint Services Committee (Jennings, Whitefield)
e. Joint Development Oversight Committee (Mayes, Whitefield)
XI. CLERK’S REPORT
Consent Agenda
1. Tax Refunds: approved
2. Authorize release of taxes from the Tax Commissioner’s Roll totaling $6,617.72: approved
3. Adopt Resolution to revise Fee Schedule Book regarding Landfill Disposal Fees: approved
For more about the landfill fees, click here.
4. Adopt Resolution to revise Fee Schedule Book regarding Water Rate Schedule: approved
For more about the water rates, click here.
XII. MANAGER’S REPORT
1. Authorized Letter of Support for Action Ministries for Department of Community Affairs grant.
The annual letter of support allows the ministry to get state funding for its transitional housing and support services program for local homeless people.
2. Award of Bids for Floyd County Jail:
a. Portable Fingerprint System
Awarded to low-bidder Comnetix, $10,600 plus $420 for the case.
b. Security Fencing for Floyd County Jail.
Awarded to Security Wholesale fence, $29,557.40. Poe said the low bid was incomplete and did not meet requirements.
3. Authorized $43,812 for the LPA Group’s engineering services related to Replacing Electrical Vault and Taxiway “A” Lighting at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport.
4. Authorized $31,696 for the LPA Group’s engineering related to Runway 1 Hold Apron and Install New FAA Taxiway markings at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport.
Poe said both airport projects are part of the long-range master plan and are eligible for 95 percent reimbursement from the Federal Aviation Administration and the state.
5. Approved participation in the Community HOME Investment Program (CHIP) that provides downpayment assistance for low-income homebuyers.
The county will get $300,000 in state grant money and will combine its allocation with Rome’s existing program to expand eligibility to the unincorporated area.
6. Discuss Highway 411 Overlay Zone and Frontage Roads.
Property owners along the developing corridor between Rome and the Bartow County line attended the board’s caucus session and expressed cautious approval of plans to hold separate meetings on the two initiatives.
Thad Watters, a spokesman for the group, noted that plans to buy right-of-way for future frontage roads affects only certain landowners. The overlay district would impact them all.
Commissioners approved draft position papers on each initiative as starting points for discussions.
Click to view 'Hwy 411 frontage roads draft position paper'
Click to view 'Hwy 411 overlay draft position paper'
Poe said he would arrange a meeting with property owners in April to discuss the frontage road plans. A session on the overlay district will likely follow in May.
Commissioners emphasized that no actions will be taken until the affected property owners have a chance to weigh in.
7. Deferred approval of Contract with R.J. Griffin for construction of the Town Green Project. (2006 SPLOST)
8. Asked County Attorney Tommy Manning to prepare a resolution for the next meeting authorizing a change to the SPLOST-funded parking deck at the Historic County Courthouse.
Instead of a $3.3 million deck with 104 spaces, plans are to build a 92-space surface lot estimated at $859,000.
For an architectural rendering of the proposed surface lot and an explanation for the change, Click here.
9. Authorized Surplus and Transfer of 1999 Dodge Ram Truck to Floyd County Health Department for use as a trade-in on a new truck.
10. Awarded contract for a new Document Imaging System for use by the Probate Court and Tax Assessor’s Office. The system was selected by a committee of representatives from various departments that will be using the system to digitally record their files.
XIII. ATTORNEY’S REPORT
Executed an amended Agreement between Floyd County, the City of Rome, the Rome-Floyd County Development Authority and Battey Downtown, LLC regarding Parking Deck Project. (2006 SPLOST)
County Attorney Tommy Manning said the reauthorization was needed due to a slight change in the title encumbrance. The tract is part of a former Atlanta Gas Light Co. clean-up site.
County Commissioners will hold a special called meeting at 7 a.m. Thursday to approve the sale of bonds backing construction of the $7.8 million, 380-space deck.
For more details on the project, click here.
XIV. OTHER BUSINESS - None
XV. ADJOURN
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