(MARCH 22, 2024) -- Nearly $6 million was approved for road projects Tuesday night. The Board of Commissioners approved a $5.7 million contract with Bartow Paving and an agreement for $222,000 with TRP Construction Group for traffic striping.

As part of the $5.7 million paving project, Cherokee County and the cities of Holly Springs, Woodstock, and Canton have entered into intergovernmental agreements for the County to repave roads within the city limits.

The Board approved the Bartow Paving contract with a 5-0 vote. District 3 Commissioner Benny Carter made the motion, which was seconded by District 4 Commissioner Corey Ragsdale. All three intergovernmental agreements were also unanimously approved.

In unincorporated Cherokee County, a total of 14.055 miles will be paved encompassing the following roadways: Union Hill Road (1.928 miles), Avery Road (2.4 miles), Hawkins Farms subdivision (0.714 miles), Little Brook Estates subdivision (1.257 miles), Copper Creek subdivision (2.159 miles), Knotts Landing subdivision (1.766 miles), Independence Walk subdivision (1.306 miles) and Crabapple Falls subdivision (2.525 miles).

In the cities, 1.778 miles will be paved in Canton to include Dogwood Street, Elmwood Street, Birch Street, Ivy Street, Alpine Street, Cross Street, Center Street and Highland Street; 1.847 miles in Holly Springs to include Morgan Walk, Holly Lane, Morgan Trace, Indian Trail, Laurel Lane, Longbow Court, Spring Place and Barrett Park; and 1.830 miles in Woodstock to include Nottingham Drive, Sherwood Drive, Robinhood Drive, Professional Parkway, Woodpark Place, Woodpark Boulevard, Laurelwood Drive, and Woodberry Court.

The County received $2.66 million in Local Maintenance Improvement Grant (LMIG) funds from the Georgia Department of Transportation, which are being used to fund the majority of the project. Through the intergovernmental agreement, Canton will reimburse the county $523,683, Holly Springs will reimburse the county $612,830, and Woodstock will reimburse the county $569,391. The remainder of county funding will be paid for by Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax dollars.

All paving is expected to be completed by September.

Nine roads in unincorporated Cherokee County will be restriped as part of the LMIG Safety Action Plan grant funding award the county received in the amount of $200,000. The county will provide a 30 percent match for the grant award and cover any project overrun costs. Roads to be restriped include Scott Road, Ragsdale Road, Darby Road, Yellow Creek Road, Old Federal Road, Conns Creek Road, East Cherokee Drive (Ga. 20 to Ball Ground Highway), Mountain Road and Jesse McCollum Drive.

Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion to approve awarding the contract to low-bidder TRP Construction Group, LLC, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter. The vote was 5-0.

In other business at the March 19 meeting, the Board:

• Heard Sheriff Frank Reynolds present quarterly awards.
• Approved, 5-0, reappointing Kristina Wigington to the Region 1 EMA Council for a new three-year term beginning July 1. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, the minutes from the March 5 work session, executive session and regular meeting. District 2 Commissioner Richard Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Held a public hearing on proposed text amendments to Article 18. One person spoke. The intent is to revise and clarify the Community Input Meeting policy to establish policy for a second community meeting, clarify notification letter submittals and presentation requirements, revise dates when a community meeting may be held, establish policy for site plans and special use permits in existing tenant suites, remove policy/administrative items from the ordinance to go in the Zoning Procedures Guide and other minor text and format changes. The Board approved the changes, 5-0, with one small edit to correct a Scrivener’s error regarding dates meetings can be held. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Tabled, with a 5-0 vote, for two weeks AOA Properties’ request to rezone 42.59 acres on Cumming Highway from AG, R-80 and R-20 to Office Institutional for a church. District 1 Commissioner Steve West made the motion to table, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, the consent agenda, which included: a request from Fire & Emergency Services to submit a grant application to GEMA for a HazMat equipment grant in the amount of $175,000; acceptance of the annual federal BOOST grant in the amount of $75,000 from Georgia Recreation and Parks Agency on behalf of Cherokee Recreation and Parks, as well as a budget amendment in the same amount; acceptance of a supplemental grant award and a corresponding budget amendment from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council in the amount of $27,371 on behalf of the DUI/Drug Accountability Court; the reallocation of aging CDBG funds and submission of a corresponding update to the 2023 CDBG Annual Action Plan to HUD; approval of an amendment to the agreement with Keck & Wood, Inc. for traffic signal design modifications at Ga. 140 and Stringer Road in the amount of $10,995; final acceptance of all public rights of way, roadways and appurtenant drainage structures for the Residence at Hunter Trail subdivision; a request from Probate Court to surplus outdated office equipment; a request from the Sheriff’s Office to surplus and donate a 2004 Ford F-5050 Super Duty truck that is no longer in use to the Woodstock Police Department; and calling for a public hearing to be held April 16 to consider a board-initiated zoning modification of zoning conditions for Big Door Vineyards, LLC regarding alcohol sales and service, food trucks, noise and outdoor speakers. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, establishing a $50 administrative fee for short-term rentals. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, a request from IT to purchase time clocks to upgrade the countywide timekeeping system. The cost is $58,447. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.
• Approved, 5-0, purchasing two tandem dump trucks from Nextran Truck Centers for Public Works in the amount of $425,416. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, an amendment to the agreement with Southeastern Engineering Inc. for additional survey, roadway design and preparation of a stream buffer variance for the Ball Ground Highway at Howell Bridge Road roundabout project, in the amount of $46,000. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, the request for installation of five multi-way stop signs within the Buice Lake Development. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, a request for the installation of two speed humps on South Cherokee Lane. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West