A construction contract for the new Fire Station #15 in Mica is being executed, following an affirmative vote of the Board of Commissioners.

The Board of Commissioners, with a 5-0 vote, approved a standard construction services agreement with Cooper & Company General Contractors, Inc. for $5.3 million and a 10 percent county-controlled contingency of $531,600 for the replacement facility being relocated to the intersection Conns Creek and Yellow Creek roads. District 1 Commissioner Steve West made the motion, which was seconded by District 3 Commissioner Benny Carter.

Cooper & Company General Contractors was the highest scoring proposal and second-lowest bidder. The $5.3 million construction costs are being paid for with county impact fees and Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. A budget amendment was part of the vote to allow the use of impact fees due to rising construction and materials costs.

Commissioner West, in whose district the replacement fire station lies, said he is excited to see the project moving forward.

“The Mica fire station was intended for volunteer use and is not suitable for career firefighters who live at the facility during their shifts. I’m thrilled that we are able to get this project under way before Fire Chief Tim Prather retires, as he and his team have worked tirelessly to make this a reality,” West said.

Fire leadership and the fire personnel who serve the area welcome the new home.

“We are excited to finally get to construction on the new Mica/Yellow Creek Fire Station project,” said Prather. “We’ve been working on this project for over two years. The current station is in dire need of replacement. We are anxious not only to get the construction started but to get it completed as soon as practical and get our personnel into a more updated and accommodating facility to allow us to grow.”

The Board also approved the purchase of 14 vehicles for Cherokee Fire & Emergency Services totaling $636,509 from Alan Jay Fleet Sales, utilizing SPLOST funds. The new vehicles are replacing existing vehicles, ranging from 14-21 years old, that are nearing the end of their life. District 2 Commissioner Richard Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by District 4 Commissioner Corey Ragsdale.

The Board also:

· Recognized retired Air Force Col. Gaylen Roberts for his contributions to the Cherokee County Board of Ethics.

· Approved, 5-0, the special called meeting and executive session minutes from the Jan. 27-28 retreat. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.

· Approved, 5-0, the work session, executive session and regular meeting minutes from Feb. 1. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.

· Approved, 5-0, revisions to the standards for all single-family and multi-family residential zoning districts with one update. Staff met with representatives with the Council for Quality Growth (CQG) and the Greater Atlanta Homebuilders Association (GAHBA) and shored up some of their concerns with edited language. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.

· Approved, 5-0, amendments to the ordinance regarding platting and permitting standards. An update to the originally proposed language indicates that no more than one dwelling is permitted on one lot and subdivision is required. Multi-family dwellings are exempt except for townhome dwelling projects in RM zoning districts or condos intended for sale in fee simple. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.

· Approved, 5-0, amendments to the private street and development standards. An update to the original language was made related to model homes. Representatives from the CQG and GAHBA indicated that homebuilders would need the model home up until the last unit is sold. The ordinance update included a change indicating that the model home(s) needed to be converted after all the lots were constructed. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.

· Approved, 5-0, ending the moratorium on new single-family residential subdivisions effective Feb. 15. The item was moved until after the vote on the ordinance changes, and the Board opted not to hold the advertised public hearing because the extension of the moratorium was not necessary. Commissioner West made the motion to end the moratorium, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.

· Approved, 5-0, Univeter Properties’ request to rezone 18.14 acres from R-80 Estate Residential to Light Industrial and R-40 Single-Family residential at 1550 and 1579 Univeter Road for an eight-lot rural subdivision and self-storage facility. Planning Commission recommended conditions for the industrial zoning piece including installation of a solid decorative fence, 10 feet in height on the Univeter side of the development, 50 feet from the right of way; between the fence and Univeter right of way, maintain as much mature natural growth as possible and supplement with evergreen vegetation to maintain a 75 percent vegetative buffer; and installation of a fence 10 feet in height along the eastern side of the property line, maintaining a 5-foot undisturbed buffer between the fence and the property line. Related to the residential, the conditions included capping the project at eight lots with a minimum lot size of 60,000 square feet. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter. The approval included all conditions recommending by Planning Commission, as well as a condition that the county engineering staff would make a site visit to ensure updates to the site plan by the applicant are accurate and feasible. The updates relocate the entrance to the residential portion across from Brittany Drive and relocate the entrance to the storage facility further east bringing it to just east of the already improved intersection of Pinecrest Road.

· Approved, 5-0 sending a letter to the city of Canton regarding an annexation case of 1.6 acres near the intersection of Marietta Highway and Butterworth Road indicating there is no objection to the proposed annexation with a reminder that the county would be the approving authority for any entrances on Butterworth Road, and the county may want to limit to one entrance and require a left-turn and deceleration lane. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.

· Approved, 5-0, under the consent agenda: a request for designation of private streets within a portion of Buice Lake South; a revised relocation agreement with Georgia Power in the amount of $98,720 for the relocation of facilities in conflict with the Union Hill Road over Canton Creek Bridge replacement project; final acceptance of all public rights of way, roadway and appurtenant drainage structures in the Victory Preserve subdivision; authorizing the county manager to sign a one-year lease with Towne Center Community Church for use of the Conference Center with an option to renew for an additional year; an addendum to the MOU governing the Emergency Rental Assistance Program with MUST Ministries to extend the terms to Sept. 30, 2022 and allocate and commit $2.3 million in ERA 1 funds for assistance plus fees of $185,777 (8 percent of assistance provided); the surplus of miscellaneous office furniture for the Clerk of Courts; the expenditure of $133,135 from the Tree Fund for the landscaping portion of the L.B. Ahrens Recreation Center at Veterans Park; and renewal of an annual lease agreement with Victoria Harbor for a boat dock slip for Fire and Emergency Service’s pontoon boat in the quarterly amount of $1,044. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.

· Approved, 5-0, a standard construction services agreement with Chase Reline, Inc. in the amount of $257,523 for the Arnold Mill Road at River Laurel Way culvert repair project. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.

· Approved, 5-0, the Clerk of Courts’ request for ARPA funds for two additional positions for a total annual cost of $101,076 and a one-time cost of $10,630. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.

· Approved, 5-0, the purchase of 50,000 emergency/provisional ballots from Fort Orange Press for the May general primary and the June general primary runoff elections. The cost is $132,225. Fort Orange Press has the necessary security required by the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.

· Approved, 5-0, a post audit budget amendment of $3.6 million, which includes a savings of reserves to the General, SPLOST and Conference Center funds of $1.9 million and a use of reserves in various other funds of $436,358. Other expenses are covered by unbudgeted

revenue totaling $5.1 million. The post-audit budget amendment is an annual routine action. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.

· Approved, 5-0, the purchase of 1GB of Wide Area Network to provide network services to the new rental property for Courts at 154 North St. through Comcast at a monthly rate of $748 for a three-year initial term and a not to exceed amount of $26,928. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.

· Approved, 5-0, a professional services agreement with Gracie Gray Contractors, Inc. to perform guardrail installation and repairs countywide, as requested and as needed. The annual budget for guardrail is $25,000. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.

· Approved, 5-0, a professional services agreement with Peek Pavement Marking, LLC to perform striping and pavement marking countywide, as requested and as needed. The annual budget is $200,000. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.

· Approved, 5-0, a professional services agreement with MRC Group, LLC to perform sidewalk trip hazard removal services countywide, as requested and as needed. The annual budget for sidewalk repairs is $10,000. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.