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Gordon County 2013 – 2017 Community Work Program Activity 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Cost Estimate Funding Source Responsible Party Economic Development Support the Chamber of Commerce and the Development Authority on economic development issues to retain and recruit new industry into the county. X X X X X $0 N/A Board of Commissioners Prepare a comprehensive Economic Development Plan with the cities, Chamber of Commerce, and the Development Authority to identify desired industries, suitable locations, and develop a marketing strategy. X $20,000 General Funds Board of Commissioners Coordinate with the Historic Preservation Commission, Chamber of Commerce, and state associations to promote civil war heritage tourism. X X X X X TBD Increased Hotel/Motel Tax Historic Preservation Commission & Chamber of Commerce Increase the Freeport inventory exemption rates to be competitive with surrounding counties. X $0 N/A Board of Commissioners Search for regional, state-wide, and national sports tournaments and bring them to the Sonoraville Recreation Complex as an economic development tool to increase the county’s exposure and sales tax revenue. X X X X X $35,000 (per year for bids) General Funds Parks & Recreation Director Support commercial and industrial development on the east side of the county. X X X X X TBD TBD Development Authority Natural & Cultural Resources Complete the Fort Wayne Civil War Historic Site walking trails project and implement the remaining parts of the master plan. X X $400,000 TE Grant, General Funds Public Works Director Support the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources regarding the completion of the new Resaca Battlefield State Historic Site project including a future visitor’s center/museum. Begin county management of the site per contract. X X X X X $10,000 (per Year) State Funds & General Funds Board of Commissioners, Public Works Dept., Sheriff Office Community Facilities & Services Install fire hydrants in the unincorporated areas of the county. X X X X X $2,000,000 (total) SPLOST-2012 Fire Chief Improve the parking deck and renovate the courthouse and courthouse annex. X $14,600,000 SPLOST-2012 County Administrator Construct a replacement Health Department. X $3,200,000 SPLOST-2012 County Administrator Construct a replacement Fire Station for Station No. 6 and add fire trucks. X $4,500,000 SPLOST-2012 Fire Chief Develop the new Brookshire Park on SR 156 West. X $400,000 SPLOST-2012 Parks & Recreation Director Renovate (re-paint, re-carpet, replace kitchen equipment) and expand the Senior Citizens Center. X X $500,000 $100,000 SPLOST-2012 & General Funds County Administrator & Senior Citizens Director Page 1 of 5 ---PAGE BREAK--- Gordon County 2013 – 2017 Community Work Program Activity 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Cost Estimate Funding Source Responsible Party Community Facilities & Services Coordinate with Calhoun to expand the Library. X $400,000 (County share) SPLOST-2012 City of Calhoun Construct a replacement Animal Shelter. X $1,500,000 SPLOST-2012 Animal Control Director Develop a written master plan for Salacoa Creek Park to have more revenue producing activities while protecting is existing character by building cabins, dormitories, small visitor’s/conference center, wedding chapel, realigning the campground road to accommodate large RVs, adding playgrounds and nature trails, and protecting the scenic vistas from development. X X X X $10,000 for the professional master plan and $4,000,000 for implementation Future SPLOST, General Funds, Increased Hotel/Motel Tax Board of Commissioners & Parks & Recreation Director Coordinate with Calhoun, Chamber of Commerce, and nearby businesses to improve the I-75 Exit 312 & 318 interchanges by adding landscape material, lighting, and signage. X X $500,000 General Fund, GDOT Funds, Increased Hotel/Motel Tax Chamber of Commerce & Parks & Recreation Director Complete the renovations to the Voluntary Action Center. X $500,000 CDBG Funds County Administrator Improve the county’s ISO rating from a Class 6/9 to 5/9 by implementing better firefighter training, inspecting fire hydrants twice per year, and making other fire department improvements such as a new aerial fire truck, and 911 Center improvements. X X X X X $0 $850,000 for the aerial fire truck. Fire Fund, SPLOST Fund Fire Chief Improve the fire stations with new paint, bathroom fixtures, bay door motors, desks, and chairs. X X X X X $320,000 (total) Fire Fund Fire Chief Evaluate all county buildings for energy efficiency and implement a program of cost saving measures. X X X $0 (energy savings are used to fund this program) N/A Purchasing Director Upgrade the 911 Center’s equipment including the recorder, add one additional console station, and new console radios. X $200,000 911 Fund, General Fund 911 Director Upgrade the 911 Center’s Computer Aided Dispatch system and phone system. X $120,000 911 Fund, General Fund 911 Director Construct a new 911 Center or make major renovations to the existing center and add one new 911 trunk line. X $5M for new center or $250,000 for renovations New SPLOST or General Funds 911 Director Construct a large pavilion with restrooms at the Sonoraville Recreation Complex. X $135,000 New SPLOST, General Funds Parks & Recreation Director Prepare a county-wide trails master plan (nature, hiking, biking, greenway, river, and historic trails). X $20,000 General Funds Parks & Recreation Director Page 2 of 5 ---PAGE BREAK--- Gordon County 2013 – 2017 Community Work Program Activity 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Cost Estimate Funding Source Responsible Party Community Facilities & Services Identify and purchase park land for a future park similar to the Sonoraville Recreation Complex. X $1,000,000 New SPLOST, General Funds Parks & Recreation Director Update the County Administration Building with new plumbing, carpet, paint, etc. X $75,000 General Funds County Administrator Construct a canoe/kayak launch site at Ft. Wayne to access the Oostanaula River. X $10,000 State Funds, General Funds New Echota River Alliance Construct a full-service boat ramp to access the Coosawattee River. X $50,000 State Funds, General Funds New Echota River Alliance Transportation Support GDOT on the new Union Grove Road/I-75 interchange and the south Calhoun by-pass road projects. X X X $0 State Funds Board of Commissioners Complete the annual road improvement program including the LMIG program. X X X X X $9,000,000 (total) SPLOST-2012 & GDOT Funds Public Works Director Coordinate with Calhoun to improve Peters Street. X X $2,000,000 (County share) SPLOST-2012 City of Calhoun Improve the Midway Road railroad crossing. X $50,000 SPLOST-2012 Public Works Director Update the 2007 Transportation Improvement Plan X $25,000 General Funds Public Works Director Complete the GIS locations of existing and needed road signs. X $0 N/A Public Works Director Replace regulatory, warning, and ground mounted road signs that do not meet minimum MUTCD standards. X X X $50,000 (per year) SPLOST-2012 Public Works Director Replace existing street name signs with larger 9” sign blades and 6” lettering. X X X X X $50,000 (per year) SPLOST-2012 Public Works Director Collect GIS location data for bridges, culverts, and cross drains on all county roads. X X X X X $0 N/A Public Works Director and GIS Manager Increase transportation options for low income residents. X X X X X TBD TBD Social Service Agencies Intergovernmental Coordination Begin and complete the state required 5 Year Short Term Work Program 2013-2017 (recertification date is 6/30/13). X $0 N/A County Administrator Begin the state required full update to the county- wide Comprehensive Plan (recertification date is 6/30/18). X $10,000 General Funds County Administrator & Zoning Administrator Begin the state required update of the county-wide Service Delivery Strategy Plan (recertification date is 6/30/18). X $1,000 General Funds County Administrator Coordinate with Calhoun to have them annex the “islands” into the city making the city’s boundaries more inclusive and streamlining service delivery including emergency services and road maintenance. X $0 N/A Board of Commissioners Page 3 of 5 ---PAGE BREAK--- Gordon County 2013 – 2017 Community Work Program Activity 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Cost Estimate Funding Source Responsible Party Intergovernmental Coordination Coordinate with Calhoun to increase the hotel/motel tax from 5% to 8% to promote and fund tourism. X $0 N/A Board of Commissioners Assist in officially dissolving the city of Ranger so various funds such as LOST and SPLOST do not have to be shared. X $0 N/A Board of Commissioners General Planning Conduct an annual Board retreat to establish/monitor annual goals. X X X X X $2,500 (per year) General Fund Board of Commissioners Apply for a CDBG to assist low and moderate income citizens. X X $0 N/A County Administrator Update the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) for relevancy, clarifications, and workability. X X X $1,000 General Funds Zoning Administrator Update the Code of Ordinances for completeness, clarity, and modernization. X $30,000 General Funds County Attorney Conduct an annual surplus auction of unneeded county vehicles and equipment. X X X X X $0 N/A Buildings & Grounds Director Conduct an annual tire and appliance amnesty day at the county’s landfill. X X X X X $0 N/A Buildings & Grounds Director Conduct twice per year employee and public blood drives with employee incentives. X X X X X $4,500 General Funds HR Director Renew the multi-year contract with the county’s auditors, Dobbs & Co., that will expire on Dec. 31, 2013. X $0 N/A Board of Commissioners Begin the contract renewal process with Gordon Hospital ambulance service that will expire on June 30, 2018. X $0 N/A Board of Commissioners Renew the multi-year contracts with the county’s two disaster recovery services company, Southern Disaster Recovery and Cahaba Disaster Recovery that will expire in July 2017. X $0 N/A EMA Director Update the employee classification & compensation study that was previously done during 2006 to ensure that all county employees are being paid market rates. X $40,000 General Funds HR Director Automate the payroll/timekeeping system for efficiency. X $65,000 General Funds HR Director Create a database of scanned images of all old property records X $25,000 General Funds Chief Appraiser Continue the mapping contract with an outside firm to maintain all parcel data. X X X X X $15,000 (per year) General Funds Chief Appraiser Continue and expand printing and mailing contracts for efficiency. X X X X X $22,000 (per year) General Funds Chief Appraiser Page 4 of 5 ---PAGE BREAK--- Gordon County 2013 – 2017 Community Work Program Activity 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Cost Estimate Funding Source Responsible Party General Planning Maintain the required continuing education for all Tax Assessor staff members. X X X X X $18,000 (per year) General Funds Chief Appraiser Develop a program, sufficient staff, and the use of technology that will allow one third of all properties to be physically inspected each year. X X X X X $2,500 (per year) General Funds Chief Appraiser Contract with an outside firm to audit all personal property accounts on a recurring 3 to 5 year schedule. X X X X X $20,000 (per year) General Funds Chief Appraiser Page 5 of 5 ---PAGE BREAK--- GORDON COUNTY PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMMUNITY WORK PROGRAM UPDATE Gordon County and the cities of Calhoun, Fairmount, Plainville, Ranger, and Resaca are beginning a Five-‐Year Update of the Community Work Program within their joint comprehensive plan that was originally adopted in December 2007. The five-‐year update is required and will be prepared according to new rules promulgated by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, which are effective on January 1, 2013. This public hearing will explain the process that will be followed for the update, which has a State established deadline of June 30, 2013. The update will include a Report of Accomplishments regarding the last five-‐year short-‐term work program; the creation of a new Community Work Program; review and update of the list of Issues and Opportunities; and review and update of the Land Use Element. Updates of other portions of the plan document are discretionary per the state rules. Following this process will allow the participating local governments to maintain their Qualified Local Governments (QLG) status, and therefore be eligible for state grant funds, state loans, and state permits. This public meeting will be held in the conference room of the Gordon County Administration Building, 201 North Wall Street, Calhoun, Georgia on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend and participate in this public meeting. Publish on Wed. Jan. 2 and Wed. Jan. 9, 2013 in a display ad. ---PAGE BREAK--- Project Timeline Jan. 15 Public Hearing #1 describing the state required planning process (during commission meeting). Feb. 9 Board review and discussion of the 2007 – 2011 Report of Accomplishments & 2013-‐2017 Community Work Program (during retreat). Feb. 11-‐ Both documents are posted on the county’s web site and facebook page soliciting for public March 19 comments on both documents. March 5 Public Workshop soliciting for public comments on both documents (during commission meeting). March 19 Public Hearing #2 to solicit public comments one more time and authorize submittal of the documents to the Regional Commission and DCA for their review. May Adoption of documents prior to the June 30, 2013 deadline. ---PAGE BREAK--- GORDON COUNTY PUBLIC WORKSHOP NOTICE FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMMUNITY WORK PROGRAM UPDATE Gordon County and the cities of Calhoun, Fairmount, Plainville, Ranger, and Resaca are beginning a Five-‐ Year Update of the Community Work Program within their joint comprehensive plan that was originally adopted in December 2007. The five-‐year update is required and will be prepared according to new rules promulgated by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, which are effective on January 1, 2013. A public workshop will be held to discuss the following: • Gordon County’s Report of Accomplishments regarding the last five-‐year Short Term Work Program 2007-‐2011 • Review of Gordon County’s Character Areas • Review of Gordon County’s Issues and Opportunities • Review of a Proposed Gordon County Community Work Program 2013-‐2017. The above documents are available for public review and comments on the Gordon County website, www.gordoncounty.org or at the Gordon County Administration Building, 201 N. Wall Street, in Calhoun. Following this process will allow the participating local governments to maintain their Qualified Local Governments (QLG) status, and therefore be eligible for state grant funds, state loans, and state permits. This public workshop will be held in the conference room of the Gordon County Administration Building, 201 N. Wall Street, Calhoun, Georgia on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend and participate in this public workshop. Publish on Feb. 23, 27, March 2 as a display ad. ---PAGE BREAK--- GORDON COUNTY PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMMUNITY WORK PROGRAM UPDATE Gordon County and the cities of Calhoun, Fairmount, Plainville, Ranger, and Resaca are beginning a Five-‐ Year Update of the Community Work Program within their joint comprehensive plan that was originally adopted in December 2007. The five-‐year update is required and will be prepared according to new rules promulgated by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, which are effective on January 1, 2013. A public hearing will be held to obtain public comments on the following: • Gordon County’s Report of Accomplishments regarding the last five-‐year Short Term Work Program 2007-‐2011 • Gordon County’s Character Areas • Gordon County’s Issues and Opportunities • Gordon County’s Community Work Program 2013-‐2017. The above documents are available for public review and comments on the Gordon County website, www.gordoncounty.org or at the Gordon County Administration Building, 201 N. Wall Street, in Calhoun. Following this process will allow the participating local governments to maintain their Qualified Local Governments (QLG) status, and therefore be eligible for state grant funds, state loans, and state permits. This public hearing will be held in the conference room of the Gordon County Administration Building, 201 N. Wall Street, Calhoun, Georgia on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend and participate in this public hearing. Publish on March 6 & 13 as a display ad. ---PAGE BREAK--- March 20, 2013 Mr. Barnett Chitwood Northwest Georgia Regional Commission 503 W. Waugh Street Dalton, GA 30720 Re: Gordon County’s Comprehensive Plan Update Dear Mr. Chitwood: Gordon County has completed work on its five year comprehensive plan update in accordance with the state’s minimum standards for comprehensive planning that were effective January 1, 2013. Gordon County also certifies that the Regional Water Plan and the State Environmental Criteria were considered in this process. Gordon County is now prepared to submit the state required update to the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission for review. Gordon County’s submission includes: 1) Report of Accomplishments for the previous five years, 2007-‐2011. 2) Community Work Program for the next five years, 2013-‐2017. 3) Update of needs and opportunities (no changes). 4) Update of the Character Area Map and defining narrative (no changes). The first state required public hearing was held on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 and served as the joint public hearing that included all municipal governments in Gordon County. The Board of County Commissioners also reviewed and discussed these documents during a retreat on February 9, 2013. A public workshop was held on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 to obtain additional public comments. The second and last state required public hearing was held on Tuesday, March 19, 2013. In addition, the documents listed above were posted to the county’s web site from February 11 to March 19, 2013 requesting public comments. All public comments have been included in the final documents. Please review the enclosed material and advise the county of any additional needs you may have regarding this process. Very truly yours, Becky Hood, Chairman Gordon County Board of Commissioners