BOC exposure sends employees and officials into quarantine

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ELLIJAY, Ga. – Reported earlier, an exposure inside the Board of Commissioners Office prompted the cancellation of their work session for December.

However, the December meeting also confirmed that employees of the BOC are being sent into quarantine because of the possible exposure. The meeting saw only Post 1 Commissioner Hubert Parker, Post 2 Commissioner Karleen Ferguson, and County Attorney David Clark in-person for the meeting. The board had County Clerk Edwina Daman, Financial Officer Sandi Holden, and Board Chairman Charlie Paris all attending by phone.

According to a statement given in the meetings by Ferguson, who led the meetings in Paris’ semi-absence, Paris has not tested positive for the virus himself, but is instead quarantining due to possible exposure as he came into contact with the person. The office of the BOC has not named which employee tested positive.

The Board proceeded in this manner during its meeting, approving appointments to the Joint Development Authority, appointing members to the Planning Commission Board.

These appointments include Jim DuPont and Carl Hill being reappointed to the the Gilmer Planning Commissioner Board.

The BOC also approved Penelope Marshall and Alan Dover for the Joint Development Authority.

Additionally, the county also looked into an opportunity for the Gilmer Animal Shelter. According to Paris, the county is looking to receive a donation to improve and expand the shelter. The county would be asked to match the donation funds of $200,000 with their own $200,000 in the project for a total of $400,000.

Paris did not name the people or organization behind the donation.

Paris stated, “Looking down the road a few years, I don’t want to look back and think we need this, we need that, and we need to enlarge. Whatever it is we need, we missed a good opportunity to do it for half price, essentially.”

Paris made a motion to add a line item of $200,000 to match the donation coming from a specific fund in the Road Department with some extra. However, Post Commissioner Karleen Ferguson countered, suggesting the funds come from capital funds instead.

While the facility is not in dire urgency at this moment, Paris did say he felt it could come soon as the county relies on other groups to the north that come to pick up animals on trips and projects to pursue adoption. Paris noted some of this has decreased in recent months as these groups tend to focus more on shelters that put their animals down and tend to skip over some no-kill shelters like Gilmer has become.

With concerns raised from Post Commissioner Hubert Parker about plans for covering higher utilities and the perceived need, the Commissioners did not approve the line item, but rather will revisit this agenda item at a special called meeting next week.

 

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