Plans for new county admin building moving forward
Featured Stories October 28, 2021
Laura Semanson
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – County Manager Kevin Tanner provided an update on the new multi-level, 130,000 square foot county administration building at Tuesday’s Board of Commissioners work session.
The sprawling 65-acre campus will be located on Freedom Parkway near Ga. 400 and will accommodate at least three other county departments that currently lease space elsewhere, an auditorium and space for staff and public parking.
The current admin building is about 55,000 square feet and was built in 1995.
Molly Cooper
Forsyth County Commissioners approved a $2.4 million contract for with Jericho Deign Group for engineering and architectural services and detailed energy modeling.
Tanner said Jericho is currently in the programming phase, meeting with the department heads. When they finish that, they will move into the design phase.
“We will need to do some site visits and bring back recommendations to the Board,” Tanner said before asking for two Board members to volunteer to go along on those visits. Commissioners Molly Cooper and Laura Semanson volunteered.
“Once that is approved we can move forward with the full design phase” Tanner said, adding, “We’re on target now to be ready to pre-qualify in March then hopefully send out a full set of drawings for bids next June.
Thus far, the county has not provided an estimated cost for the capital project.
MOU with Toll Bros. is a win for all parties
News January 9, 2021
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – County Commissioners put a long-standing issue between the county, Toll Brothers and the Forsyth Water and Sewer Authority behind them by unanimous approval of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Thursday.
County Attorney Ken Jarrard said the agreement is a win-win-win for all parties. Actually, it could be considered a winX4 since the agreement not only pleases the signatories, but the residents of the nearby subdivision who will get a new park in the bargain.
The county purchased Parkstone Water Reclamation Facility and the 18.2 acres it sits on for $2.5 million — $546,000 for the acreage — and held it in a trust for the Water and Sewer Authority. Toll Brothers held a first right of refusal. Under the MOU, however, Toll Brothers agrees to give up its right so long as the county builds a park and recreation facility on the property. Also, since the facility was held in trust for the Authority, the county agrees to reimburse the Authority for the amount of the land, $546,000.
In other business, the Board elected District 4 Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills as Chairman for 2021. District 1 Commissioner Molly Cooper will serve as vice chairman and District 2 Commissioner Alfred John will serve as secretary.
Commissioners unanimously approved an extension of the Family First Coronavirus Relief Act that expired Dec. 31 until March 2021.
EMA Director Chris Grimes provided an update of the COVID-19 situation. Gov. Brian Kemp extended his executive regarding who may receive the vaccine last week to include those 65 years of age an up as well as firefighters and law enforcement officer.
Grimes said Georgia Public Health Departments began taking appointments but they filled up fast. The problem Gaines added is there are not enough people to administer the vaccine.
“That’s been holding us back,” he said. “We’re looking to help DPH expand their capabilities and we have received approval for our paramedics and fire department to assist in dispensing the vaccine.”
The Board unanimously approved a Finance Department request to make an application to the U.S. Department of Treasury to participate in the federal government’s Rental Assistance Program. If the application is accepted the issue will come back to the Board of Commissioners for final approval.
During the public hearing portion of the meeting, commissioners approved a county-Initiated request to conduct around the clock business hours in warehouses/offices totaling 279,562 sq. ft. in Corporate Court and an amendment to zoning conditions requested ty Eagle Land Group Inc. that a 50 foot buffer be reduced to 40 feet to allow for a backyard pool.
They also held a first public hearing on proposed changes to the alcohol ordinance regarding server permits. Staff recommended an increase in the permit fee from $25 to $50 but, if approved following a second public hearing, servers will only have to renew the permit every two years. In the past anyone convicted of a felony would not be eligible to receive a permit. If the change is adopted, the felony conviction would have to have occurred in the last five years.
BOC nominates three for Development Authority
News November 26, 2020
Laura Semanson
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Three items on the Board of Commissioners work session produced lengthy discussions but none more than the upcoming appointments/reappointments to the Development Authority.
Chairwoman Laura Semanson expressed some frustration with the Authority because many meetings had been canceled due to a lack of business. “To me that says maybe we should meet and talk about why there is nothing going on,” she said.
The seven-member Authority has had no new appointments since 2017. “There are some members who would like to see some fresh blood, some changes,” she said.
Semanson proposed adding two new at-large positions but Commissioner Levent said, he doesn’t see the need to increase the number of members.
Molly Cooper
Four members’ terms will expire in December and three others by April, prompting Commissioner Molly Cooper to say, “We can’t keep kicking this can down the road. Time is up. We need to make a decision.”
Semanson nominated Larry Duckworth for reappointment, Levent nominated Joanne Tolleson and Cooper nominated Justin Hawkins. Those nominations must be ratified by a vote of the full Board.
Commissioner Cindy Mills deferred until the December meeting and Commissioner Dennis Brown who, who leaves the Board at the end of the year said he would prefer that his replacement Alfred Johns make the appointment.
Dennis Brown
In other votes, commissioners unanimously approved:
- An increase in per diem for members of the Equalization Board to $125;
- A memorandum of understanding with the University of Georgia regarding the Extension Service;
- A list of county-owned surplus items to be sold;
- An agreement to into an Inter Sub-Site Interface Connection Agreement with Motorola Solutions Inc. for the Public Safety Radio System to allow for interconnectivity with the Hall County system in the amount of $778,615;
- The Interconnected Public Safety Radio System Intergovernmental Agreement between Forsyth County and Hall County – Director, Emergency Management Agency;
- The reallocation of Tyler Technologies’ current Tyler Field Mobile Licensing Fees to Tyler Smartfile Licensing Fees and to provide professional services to make multiple Smartfile forms available for electronic filing for the Tax Assessors’ Office;
- Award RFP 20-87-3340 for the printing and mailing of Water and Sewer Bills for the Department of Water and Sewer to Pinnacle Data Systems starting in calendar year 2021, budgeted amount $275,000;
- To award Bid 20-121-1620 for Waste Collection Services for Various Forsyth County Buildings to overall low bidder Advanced Disposal Services, LLC in the amount of $110,828.28; 2021;
- To award Bid 20-124-1620 for Building Cleaning Services for Various Forsyth County Buildings for the Calendar Year 2021 for the Department of Public Facilities the low bidder All Bright Janitorial Service in the amount of $194,000.00;
- To award Bid 20-135-1590 to purchase one (1) new 2021 Ford F250 Truck with Animal Body Transport for Code Compliance to Prater Ford, Inc. in the amount of $53,297.20;
- To award Bid 20-136-3120 for providing Installation and Repair of Guardrails as needed for the Forsyth County Department of Engineering Stembridge Custom Metals, Inc. in the not to exceed amount of $50,000.00;
- To award Bid 20-140-5211 for providing Baled Hay Services at Eagles Beak for the Department of Parks and Recreation with no cost to the County;
- To award Bid 20-169-3150 for the emergency replacement of a culvert at Two Mile Creek on Wallace Wood Road to The Dickerson Group in the amount of $384,807.80;
- Ratification of the reappointment of Jerry Bowman as the Neutral Representative to the Forsyth County Civil Service Board to serve a four (4) year term beginning November 12, 2020 to November 11, 2024. Staff Recommendation: ratify the Civil Service Board’s reappointment – Risk and Safety Manager, Department of Risk Management
- A request to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Georgia Department of Transportation to relocate water and sewer infrastructure for the SR 400 at McGinnis Ferry Road Widening and Auxiliary Lanes Project;
- To formally name the area located in Sawnee Mountain Preserve – Phase 4, located north of Tower Road, and the previous location of the Barker House as Barker Overlook;
- A request to apply for the FY 2022 Federal Transit Administration Section 5311 Transit Grant Program to aid in the operation of the Dial-A-Ride Program;
- A BOC Policy that all developer-negotiated zoning conditions must be submitted to County staff no less than 48 hours prior to the Board meeting where final action is to be taken;
- A County-Initiated Conditional Use Permit to conduct around the clock business hours for warehouses/offices on 32.452 acres currently zoned M1;
- Adopt the 2021 Meeting Schedule;
- Authorization for the county attorney to seek reimbursement for County incentives paid to Taubman Devlopment;
- A Memorandum of Understanding with Seefried Industrial Properties, Inc. regarding CP200016 as it relates to design, acquisition, and construction for roundabout at Shiloh Road and Shiloh Road East;
- Partnering with the GA Safe Routes to School Resource Center – County Attorney
Commissioners postponed any decision on the site master plan for Sawnee Mountain Preserve Phase IV.
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