Public Works beginning Lift Station project with new grant
News March 9, 2022
ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer County is soon to begin a major project in its landfill after a major leachate issue in 2019 saw engineering firm Carter & Sloope send a representative to the Board of Commissioners discussing this project.
In July of 2019, Kurt McCord of Carter & Sloope said that they had mad an emergency repair to the pipe to stop a leachate leak. Now, Gilmer Public Works Director Jim Smith stated today that the county has just finished a pre-construction meeting with engineers and the contractor on the project, Stanco, as well as the GEFA (Georgia Environmental Finance Authority) Project Manager.
Leachate, by definition, is water that has percolated through a solid and leached out some of the constituents. In this situation, that water has soaked through trash at the landfill before it gets collected and pumped out to a holding tank for treatment later. McCord explained in 2019 that the piping on the site uses two pipes, an inner 6-inch pipe, and an outer 10-inch pipe.
According to McCord, the system was not operating at optimal efficiency, about 35 or 40 percent. The resolution he offered at the time would run optimally at 75 percent efficiency, drastically reducing power consumption as well as systemic failures.
Now, according to Smith, the project is set to begin construction on the permanent solution in June of 2022. Smith said, “In the interim, we will be stockpiling dirt and things of that nature for getting ready.”
That stockpiling and preparation is going slow, however, as Smith has said that collecting supplies for major projects is stalling as waiting lists are backing up. Smith stated that, at this time, its hard to get a definitive answer on when materials like piping and concrete can be delivered.
Public Works Director Jim Smith
However, a new grant is aiding in funding the million dollar project. Smith said that the county has received official notification to receive an additional $286,000 from ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act). The county has already received funding from the Act for other projects at the county’s discretion, some of those projects approved last year, 2021, included Hazard Pay for county employees who worked the the COVID-19 outbreak, a UV sterilization filter, and even considered utilizing some funds to expand the current water system further throughout the county.
This new contribution for $286,000 is a separate grant that the county will be using to fund part of this project.
Smith stated that with the extra funding they can replace the current gravity fed system with a force main pumping the water out of the 10,000 gallon collection and holding tank and into the public sewer system. However, Smith went on to add that this will be later in the project as they will focus on the area inside the landfill first.
The project is scheduled to continue into 2023 as the main project will complete in January and then they will move to the pump and line along Tower Road.
County will expand water next year with American Rescue Plan
News October 19, 2021
ELLIJAY, Ga. – In discussions for the spending of funds from the American Rescue Plan, Gilmer County’s Board of Commissioners heard a proposal from the Ellijay Gilmer County Water and Sewerage Authority (EGCWSA) to utilize funds for the Roundtop Road area of the county to extend water lines to the Pickens-Gilmer line.
Water has already reached part of the area. EGCWSA Director Gary McVey spoke in the October Commissioner’s Meeting about the project, saying that the plan was to from the end of the current water line all they way down Roundtop Road.
McVey stated that a majority of calls requesting city water come from this area currently. He noted that the well water in the area has high iron content.
Adding to the project, McVey said he wanted to treat the new line exactly like the last project in the area with the funds paying for the meter installation and even the tie-ons between a meter and a house. It was stated that the EGCWSA Board might reduce impact fees for citizens, but McVey did not say it would negate them. He noted that this would be a board decision that would have to be made. Additionally, the project also looks to make water more readily available in emergencies, aiding in fire protection along the way.
The cost of the project is estimated at $1 million.
As opposed to other projects approved recently, such as the county’s hazard pay for employees, this project will not be put into motion until next year with the second round of the American Rescue Plan funds.
The county has been discussing projects and is continuing to pursue them, however, waiting until the next round of funding will allow the county to go forward with its plans and allow the EGCWSA to begin plans and preparations for the new project before 2022. The official motion came for a resolution to approve the project and reserve the upcoming funds for it.
The county already saw its first opposition and support for the project in the same meeting as citizens wishing to speak portion. With one citizen asking for a rebate for water filters he has had to buy in his area of the county for the same iron issues.
Funding projects through the American Rescue Plan
News October 7, 2021
ELLIJAY, Ga. – While mostly focused on Hazard Pay for county employees, Gilmer County discussed possible areas of need and opportunity for the funding from the American Rescue Plan to go towards. The county discussed a number of options including HVAC Repairs, workforce housing, an ambulance, possibly passing on some funding to non-profits in the county, and even using funding to reimburse some salaries.
While keeping in mind that directly spending funds on certain areas of the county not approved in the funding resolution is prohibited, the funding does allow for reimbursements of salaries which could free up some standard M&O Budget for some other needs.
The first project discussed in the Commissioners Special Called Meeting, outside of the prioritized Hazard Pay funding for employees, was a major need for HVAC repairs and possible replacements across the county. An important issue for both COVID health and employee general health standards, Paris noted that many of the systems used by the county are “very old and inefficient.”
Replacing them with new systems would allow for better efficiency, but the new systems would also utilize, according to Paris, a UV sterilization system for air that is cycled. Paris noted that rough estimates totaled $300,000 for the every county building. However, Paris did note that $300,000 seemed low to him. This was later echoed by others with estimates close to $75,000 to $80,000 per unit.
An option arose to simply attempt the replacements one at a time to see how far the money could go and allow the county better understandings of prices and the process before they get too deep into the project. Paris agreed but suggested prioritizing the courthouse and then the jail as the most interactions occur in those two county buildings. However, the board along with other elected officials like Sheriff Nicholson all stated that these systems need replacing, whether utilizing American Rescue Plan funds or placing them as line items in the budget, the county needs to replace the systems.
Acknowledging that the replacements will have to be bid out, Paris requested Facilities Maintenance Director Eric Playford to acquire estimates for the project to give the board a better understanding before committing to bids and the project.
Another item discussed for expenditure addressed workforce housing in the county. An item that has been debated and deliberated on in county meetings for months now, workforce housing has always asked on where such a project could go in the county. As citizens have brought up the issue in county meetings, the BOC can only consider options outside of the city limits. Discussing locations and possibly purchasing property, the idea in the meeting came to purchase property to prepare for higher density zoning toward triplexes or quadplexes. The idea would have builders construct the buildings for sale. Upon sale the county would be reimbursed.
Specifically developing for triplexes and quadplexes could answer one issue in the past as developers have not tended to develop these kinds of higher density housing.
However, in discussing with Public Safety Director Keith Kucera, the current understanding of the county along with the current ruling on the resolution, would not allow the county to use the funds to purchase new property. However, it is believed that if the county already owns property, then developing the housing project could be funded through the funds.
Paris noted two properties the county could utilize in that manner. One being out Yukon and one near Highway 515. However, Paris said he couldn’t see the county adding to traffic on Yukon Road. The property just off of Highway 515, near Whitepath, does not have water or sewer ran to it.
Post 1 Commissioner Hubert Parker suggested utilizing some funds to expand the water system into new areas of the county.
Discussion continued as Paris noted and the board approved an ambulance for Public Safety. With a cost of $230,000, Director Kucera returned to a formerly approved vehicle for community outreach saying he now believes he could find it for less than the originally approved cost. Adding the Ambulance to the list, the board approved the funding through the American Rescue Plan funds.
With no specific amount set, the board is also looking to reimburse salaries and wages for public safety personnel. The county is still looking at its other projects and are looking to return to the discussion in general during its October meeting next week, with the Work Session on October 13, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. and the Regular Meeting on October 14, 2021, at 6:00 p.m.
The board approved reimbursement and is looking to pursue this “as much as possible” while looking at their other projects as well in order to maximize the accomplishments covered with the American Rescue Plan funding.