Habersham Commissioners to Consider Fire Agreement, Airport Contracts and Recreation Grant

By: Nora Almazan

The Habersham County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday evening with fire protection, airport planning, recreation improvements and animal control services among the issues scheduled for consideration.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. Sept. 21 in the Jury Assembly Room of the Habersham County Courthouse, located at 295 Llewellyn Street in Clarkesville.

Among the items under new business, commissioners will consider an automatic aid agreement with the City of Cornelia for fire response within the Demorest city limits.

The board will also consider two amended master agreements with Kimley-Horn related to the Habersham County Airport. One covers airport planning services, while the second involves engineering and design services.

Recreation improvements are also on the agenda. Commissioners will consider approving a resolution required for a pre-application for grant funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund for a ball field lighting project.

The board will also consider amendments to intergovernmental agreements governing Habersham County's provision of animal control services to the municipalities of Alto, Baldwin, Cornelia, Demorest and Mount Airy.

PTRLOST Update Expected

County Manager Tim Sims is scheduled to provide his regular County Manager's Report as well as an update on PTRLOST. The agenda does not provide additional details regarding what will be included in the PTRLOST update.

A lengthy consent agenda includes several additional county projects and agreements.

Commissioners will consider a lease-purchase agreement for 46 Tasers for the Habersham County Sheriff's Office, the purchase of a grapple trailer for Public Works and authorization for the chairman to sign documents associated with an FY 2028 Section 5311 Rural Transit Program grant application through the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The consent agenda also includes amendments to the county's lease agreement with Horizon Dreams, LLC for airport hangars H-1 and H-2 and adoption of bylaws for the Habersham County Airport Commission Environmental projects are also included.

Commissioners will consider a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) subaward agreement with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources/Environmental Protection Division for implementation of the 2026 Soque River Watershed Protection Plan's Black Hawk Fly-Fishing Mitigation Project.

Another item involves an agreement with the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership for streambank and riparian enhancement projects in the Upper Chattahoochee River and Lake Lanier watershed.

Other consent items include ratifying a contract for tennis and pickleball court resurfacing, an expenditure for an unanticipated pool filter repair and several instructor agreements for swimming lessons and aqua aerobics.

The board will also consider an application or renewal of an alcohol license for 2476 Cannon Bridge Road Ventures, LLC, doing business as Country Boy, for malt beverage and wine package sales.4-H, Sheriff's Deputies to be Recognized.

The meeting will begin with recognition of the Habersham County 4-H Program and its participants.

Deputies Andrew Rabern and Darius Dorsey of the Habersham County Sheriff's Office will also be recognized as part of the county's Employee Spotlight.

Commissioners are also scheduled to address vacancies on the Avita Community Partners Board of Directors, Development Authority and Chestatee-Chattahoochee Resource Conservation & Development Council.

The meeting includes a public comment period. Those who sign up to speak are allotted three minutes, while individuals whose names appear on the agenda are allotted five minutes. Comments concerning matters subject to advertised public hearings under Georgia zoning law must be made during the appropriate public hearing.