The 2014 September 11th BOC meeting began on a somber note as Chairman JC Sanford began the meeting speaking of what September 11th meant to him and many around the world. September 11th, a day where America lost nearly 3,000 fallen heroes and citizens because of a vicious terrorist attack from the Islamic Group, Al-Qaeda in New York, City, has become one of the most tragic days in our nation’s history. As time passes, it is now hard to believe that it has been exactly 13 years since the event took place. Yet to some, such as Gilmer County Commissioner Chairman JC Sanford, the tragic event will never be completely forgotten. Sanford proved this by remembering the day at the beginning of last Thursday night’s BOC meeting by and asking everyone at the beginning of the meeting what that day had meant to them. Coincidently, later that night, it only seemed fitting that Gilmer County would officially pay dedication to the fallen of New York’s fatal attack, when the Commissioners would make Gilmer County a Purple Heart County that same evening. Sanford said this would also show respect to any veterans that had fought in battle from Gilmer County and help the citizens of Gilmer County remember the ones they had lost. Governor Nathan Deal previously already had made the entire state of Georgia a Purple Heart state as of August 7th. Sanford said to go along with this, Gilmer County is now declaring Purple Heart Day on August 7th as well.

“There is no way that we can repay, there is no way that we can compensate, the people who have served this country and the armed forces. The only thing that we can do is do our share the best to our ability to keep this country strong and vital to the point where we can support these people.”

said Sanford.

As for other new business issues during the meeting, Gilmer County would finaly finalize its Service Delivery Strategy, an agreement that legitimizes what services the citizens of Ellijay, East Ellijay, and Gilmer County can benefit from as per its major government authorities such as the Board of Education, Ellijay Water and Sewage Authority, Housing Authority, etc. This type of agreement is important for the County because it helps the citizens of the County know what is being spent on certain projects and also helps the County’s governmental entities make sure no amount of work is being overlapped.

Community Development Director Jim Smith spoke on behalf of the strategy at the meeting, about how the agreement would help the County’s citizens now that it was finalized. “We started work on this about three months ago and all of the entities that are named within the strategy have reviewed it and made changes. It is ready for you to adopt and the other entities have to do there on adoption.” said Smith.

Smith would also say that once all three entities of the County did approve their own adoption, the agreement would then be submitted to the Regional Commission and then to the Department of Community Affairs. Smith told FYN after the meeting that it was important that the agreement get approved Thursday night because the agreement had to be adopted by October 31st or else Ellijay, East Ellijay, and Gilmer would lose it’s local government qualifying status, a status that could affect both the amount of grants and loans that the County can receive for its governmental authorities. “The state is the one that sets the rules. The penalties are very severe if you do not do this. Any grants, any governmental entities, would cease without it.” said Smith of their importance.

Yet, while most of the issues went smoothly as far as new business goes for the County that night, things did take a halt when it came time for the Commissioners to vote for new department heads, an item that was scheduled to be approved also Thursday.

For some time now, several departments of the County such as the Planning and Zoning Department and Roads and Maintenance Department have been without new department heads, meaning that without a department head, Commission Chairman Sanford became the default head for these departments. Post 2 Commissioner Danny Hall told FYN that because of this, that night, he had planned to appoint new department heads for these departments, however, because of a discussion that went on at the BOC workshop earlier that day, FYN was also told by Hall, the item was tabled before the Commissioners could vote on anything. When asked why the item was tabled by FYN at the end of the meeting, outgoing Post 2 Commissioner Danny Hall said the reason was because during the workshop, Commisson Chairman elect Charlie Paris and Post 2 Commissioner elect Travis Crouch were both outspoken that the department heads did not get filled until January 1st, when both Paris and Crouch will take office.

“I asked them if they wanted us to go ahead and choose new department heads tonight and they said, no.”

Hall told FYN.

Hall continued to tell FYN that he had been trying to get the new department heads changed for some time as he thought it would be a benefit to the County before he left. However, it seems because of the stance took by Paris and Crouch that evening, who seem to believe that to wait on the new departments heads until an entire new board is in office is in the best interest of County, this won’t be happening for Hall anytime soon. Paris and Crouch were both in attendance the night of the meeting as the department head item of business was tabled before the meeting adjourned. Crouch would even give a citizens input after the item was tabled asking Commissioner Chairman Sanford for an update relating to the new fire station located in Cherry Log, Gilmer County, where a new fire station is planned. Sanford would answer Crouch by telling him that he had not received any new information about the fire station and planned to speak with the land owner, who we understand is donating the land for the station, that following morning. While FYN was disappointed it could not bring you anymore information about this story at this time, it does seem as though both Paris and Crouch are definitely looking ahead for the future of the County.