FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CANTON, GA (July 21, 2023) – The Charlie Ferguson Community Center will open to the community later this month, and at its July 18 meeting, the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a transition agreement that will turn operations over to the nonprofit within a year.

The community center building is the former home of Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services Station 9. 

After the County opened the new Station 9 across the street on Reinhardt College Parkway, community members formed the Charlie Ferguson Community Center nonprofit organization. The agreement approved by the Board of Commissioners defines the responsibilities of the parties for the operation of the community center for one year. The County will accept title of the property from the North Canton Volunteer Fire Department and will provide financial support for maintenance and operation of the center at a not-to-exceed cost of $20,000 for the year. 

After one year, the financial solvency of the new nonprofit will be evaluated and if the terms of the agreement are met, Charlie Ferguson Community Center, Inc. shall accept title to the property. Ownership of the property will revert to the county if the nonprofit ceases operating the community center. 

District 1 Commissioner Steve West made the motion, which was seconded by District 2 Commissioner Richard Weatherby.

The North Canton Volunteer Fire Department began in the late 1970s, after Charlie “Snook” Ferguson and his son, Tony, saw the need for fire service in the community. Mr. Ferguson was elected as the first chairman of the North Canton Fire Department in 1979.

The North Canton Volunteer Fire Department was the first African American volunteer fire department in the state of Georgia. The building served, not only as a fire department, but also a community center and recreation center. When the career fire service began countywide, the North Canton Volunteer Fire Department retained ownership of the land and the building. 

Following the opening of the new Station 9, the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners allocated $1.7 million in Community Development Block Grant and Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds to revitalize the building and expand the parking lot so it could return to a community center use for the nearby residents. 

A portion of that allocated funding also included $200,000 in land acquisition to purchase the 

triangle portion (0.40 acres) of the intersection for future alignment of Pea Ridge Road and Reinhardt College Parkway. 

At the July 18 meeting, the Board also:

• Heard Todd Edwards, deputy director of Government Affairs for the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, present the 2023 Legislative Service Award to State Rep. Brad Thomas. 
• Read into the minutes that the Board of Elections and Registration appointed Steve Divine to the Board of Elections by unanimous vote at its July 3 meeting.
• Approved, 5-0, the minutes from the June 20 work session, executive session and regular meeting, and the minutes from the executive session and open meeting on June 20 at 1:30 p.m. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by District 3 Commissioner Benny Carter.
• Held a public hearing regarding an appeal of a Zoning Board of Appeals case related to a variance request to encroach on a buffer abutting the golf course in Eagle Watch for the installation of a swimming pool. The applicant is the only person who spoke. Prior to the appeal hearing, the applicant submitted a revised request that would reduce the buffer encroachment. District 4 Commissioner Corey Ragsdale made the motion to approve the request to encroach 14 feet into the buffer between the property and the golf course and deny the original request to encroach into the building setback (that portion of the request was no longer required based on the revised plan). The motion was seconded by Commissioner Carter and approved 5-0.
• Held a public hearing regarding modification of zoning conditions at 4832 Highway 92. Penler, LLC is seeking to reduce the brick façade coverage from 60 percent to 20 percent on garages, mail kiosks and trash compactor on all four sides of the structures. Parks Huff, representing the applicant, said the façade materials conditions for the garages, mail kiosks and trash compactor were overlooked when they applied for rezoning. No one from the public spoke. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion to approve the request, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter. The vote was 5-0.
• Held the first of three public hearings on the millage rate. Four people spoke, mainly addressing property values and not the millage rate. The next public hearings will be held Aug. 1 at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. 
• Tabled, 5-0, Barry and Dawn Scott’s request to overturn the zoning manager’s decision to reject the zoning review of a business application for Dallas North Lawn Sprinklers LLC at 11397 Bells Ferry Road. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale. The case will be brought back to the Aug. 15 meeting.
• Approved, 5-0, Michael Rawlings’ request to rezone 1.18 acres at 5436 Ball Ground Highway from Agriculture to Light Industrial for industrial uses. The request is to clear up a split zoning on the property. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Tabled, 5-0, Elite Hardscapes, LLC’s request to rezone 5.705 acres consisting of General Agriculture, R-40 Single Family Residential and General Commercial to all General Commercial for landscaping services. The request also includes a concurrent variance to reduce the minimum amount of parking spaces from 32 to 17. Commissioner West made the motion to table the request to allow time to rework the plan. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby. The vote was 5-0. The case will be brought back to the Aug. 1 meeting.
• Approved, 5-0, Donald Privitt’s request to rezone 0.08 acres from R-80 to R-20 and a different 0.08 acres from R-20 to R-80 as part of a land swap with an adjoining property owner. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, a request to rezone 3.194 acres on Hickory Flat Highway from Neighborhood Commercial and R-40 to Office/Institutional. The approval included the following conditions: As shown on the attached survey, the northern 3.194 acres will be rezoned to OI. This portion of the property is where the proposed primary medical office will be located; the southern 1.31 acres shall remain zoned Neighborhood Commercial; there shall be no access onto Charles Cox Drive; the front setback for the subject parcel shall be reduced from 75 to 65 feet to accommodate building and overhang intrusions into the front setback; there shall be a 30-foot buffer adjacent to the residentially zoned property as depicted on the site plan with a perimeter fence at a minimum height of four feet; a minimum of a three-foot tall berm and vegetative screening shall be provided along the buffer. To create the screening buffer, the buffer shall be graded and replanted. No Leyland Cypress are allowed within the buffer; and the Georgia Department of Transportation will evaluate for possible right-in and right-out only at the entrance to the Neighborhood Commercial parcel. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West. 
•  Approved, 5-0, to consider an appeal of a Zoning Board of Appeals case for JL Metals Holding LLC and call for a public hearing on Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, calling for a public hearing on Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. to consider a request for the creation of a legacy lot by Mark and Lori Russell. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, the consent agenda, which included: acceptance of a subgrant agreement in the amount of $175,000 on behalf of Juvenile Court to provide the Multi-Systemic Treatment Program to eligible participants; acceptance of a subrecipient agreement in the amount of $500,000 with the Canton Housing Authority for the Tanner Place project from the county’s ARPA 2021 allocation; amendment one to the Senior Services ARPA subgrant agreement from the Atlanta Regional Commission to extend the grant term to June 29, 2024; the CATS FY2024 5310 Department of Human Services application; acceptance of GDOT Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant funding totaling $200,000 and authorization of a budget amendment in the same amount per the approved application for LMIG FY2023 Safety Action Plan funds; amendment one to the agreement with Georgia Fire and Rescue Supply to purchase firefighting gloves for an additional one-year term in the amount of $137.50 per set, with an expected annual spend of $30,000; a new part-time case manager position for Senior Services for the Respite Care Program and a budget amendment totaling $12,179; and surplussing several computers, monitors and miscellaneous items from the Information Technology from the Justice Center. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.
• Approved, 5-0, the annual renewal of the Network Cyber Security Operations Center in the amount of $74,760. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.
• Approved, 5-0, the purchase of one new or used Chevrolet Suburban or Tahoe for the Coroner’s Office at a not-to-exceed cost of $60,000. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, a standard construction services agreement with Crown Service Contractors in the amount of $35,663 and a 15 percent county-controlled contingency for construction of a gear storage building at Fire Station 17 – Lake Arrowhead. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, a contract with Remac Inc. for crack-filling and repairs for the parking lot at the Bluffs Administration Building. The total cost is $35,153. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, condemnation resolutions authorizing the County to proceed with the condemnation processes for four parcels and four off-premises signs for the Bells Ferry widening project. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.
• Approved, 5-0, the lease of 85 Flock cameras including Flock Safety Advanced Search for the Sheriff’s Office for a total cost of $983,250 over five years. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.
• Approved, 5-0, a Professional Services Agreement with Pieper O’Brien Herr Architects, Ltd. for design and engineering services for renovation and repairs of the Arts Center Building in downtown Canton. The cost is $159,000. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter. The Arts Center Building will be used for Justice Center functions until the Justice Center annex project is complete. After completion, the plan is to utilize the space as an arts center.  
• Tabled, 5-0, a contract with Latimer Construction for the construction of a block security wall outside the Jury Assembly Room at the Justice Center. The purpose is to secure the room so it can be used as a courtroom in the event there is a case with multiple defendants. The cost is $48,000. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby. Commissioner West indicated there may be a less costly solution. 
• Approved, 5-0, a five-year commercial lease agreement for approximately 5,348 square feet at 181 East Main St. in downtown Canton to provide additional office space for the District Attorney and support staff. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, the purchase of networking equipment for the installation at 181 East Main St. for a total cost of $33,936.48. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, the purchase and installation of office furniture from Impact Office Interiors for the leased office space at 181 East Main St., in the amount of $95,400. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, the Safe Streets and Roads for All agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. The County was notified earlier this year that it and its cities have received a $450,000 action plan grant. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.
• Approved, 5-0, an agreement with Milton Brown & Associates Inc. to provide drug treatment and counseling services for the Family Treatment Court. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, an agreement with Intuitive Counseling Associates to provide drug treatment and counseling services for the Juvenile Drug Treatment Court. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter. 

ABOUT CHEROKEE COUNTY

Located 30 miles north of downtown Atlanta, Cherokee County is part of the 11-county metro-Atlanta area. Cherokee County boasts a population of more than 281,000, according to the July 2022 Census estimates. It is the one of the fastest growing counties in the metro region and its overall Board of Commissioners-controlled tax burden per capita is one of the lowest in the region.  Cherokee County has award-winning parks and recreational facilities, is a destination for corporate headquarters and is a great place to live, work and play. Cherokee County is the best of both worlds because it’s where “Metro Meets the Mountains.” Learn more at cherokeega.com.