Gilmer discusses possible new designs and costs for pool project
News January 31, 2022
ELLIJAY, Ga. – With little progress or interest on the county’s pool project from engineers and construction bids over the last year, the county has been looking to find reasonings for the project and adjustments that could help the project move forward to completion this year.
In a Special Called Meeting, the Board of Commissioners discussed the topic as Chairman Charlie Paris notified the board that recent inquiries have pointed to the diving well as a major issue in the pool. Both in construction and in use, the diving well produces certain liabilities for the county. A new proposal based on these findings would change the pool from its original design to a simple rectangular “competition style” pool with eight lanes and that is it.
Additionally, the county is still looking at an additional wading pool with mushrooms and other water features in it. But Paris said that many of those the county has spoken to about the designs have called the diving well a “bad idea.” Many have offered other features in place of the well, Paris noted water basketball as something that was mentioned, but any ideas offered have specifically focused on removing the diving well as a feature. Designs do still include the slide as well.
Paris also mentioned to the board that persisting on the diving well feature was a possibility if the board as a whole wished to continue. He said that he was told, “It would cost an additional quarter of a million dollars and liability insurance would become very difficult.”
Post Commissioner Karleen Ferguson recalled that she too, had discussions earlier in the project about the diving well with Cherokee County. She also noted the square footage usage of a pool design either way. Ferguson said that that facility has other functions as well and it was a beautiful facility, but she also noted that in her talks she discovered the facility never breaks even financially and always costs the community to operate.
Speaking of costs and lanes, Post Commissioner Hubert Parker mentioned an option to go with six lanes and include the diving well to accommodate less of an increase in costs. He noted that he wanted to accommodate the swim team while also looking at the pool as a community pool first and foremost. He went on to add that his thoughts were that diving is very popular and would be used widely.
Parker also noted other entities with community pools with diving wells. Parker and County Attorney David Clark noted a few together including the city of Calhoun, Fannin County, and Dawson County.
Clark also noted that engineers have spoken about the liability costs but no specific number has been presented to the board with regards to the increases. The county did also approve an increase in Hotel/Motel Tax and Clark noted that TPD (Tourism Product Development) projects could include costs for the pool construction.
The county approved a a design to be engineered to specifications for eight lanes and a diving well. With increasing costs, considering eight lanes and a diving well, considering what engineers have spoken to about the construction of the pool, considering the preparation work for the pool and stabilization for the ground to support the pool, Paris told the board that a rough guess on costs could exceed $2 million.
With the design approved, however, specific numbers and costs for the pool project will come after the engineering is done and the project is bid for construction.
Road damages total $350,000 from March’s storm devastation
News April 7, 2021
GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – The “third worst storm” in recent history is what Public Works Director Jim Smith called the surge in late March. Smith noted a “preliminary damage report” saying that totals are estimated between $300,000 and $350,000 for road and public works repairs and cleanup. However, that is the preliminary estimate offered to FEMA and GEMA this week.
With the vast majority of that costs in road damage, reports have come that over 80 roads in the county were damaged in some manner. Smith made his comment about the storm being the “third worst” in reference to his two decades of service in Gilmer County.
Public Works Director Jim Smith addresses the BOC regarding the late March storms and the lasting damage.
Additional costs comes from debris removal that the county is performing. However, in outer parts of the county, people have been burning debris in ditches in controlled burns as they are also trying to clean up from the storm.
Smith said the storm has not been declared a disaster yet. But noted that a visit from FEMA and GEMA this week was part of that process so that the Governor could declare it a disaster. Damage assessments, meetings, and reports are all included in that process. Smith said, “The Governor can declare it a disaster and then, in turn, submit his request to Homeland Security, FEMA, and on to the President.”
Smith also noted that Gilmer was reported as one of the worst hit of the roughly 8-10 counties being inspected.
The $350,000 estimate only includes the report from Public Works. More damage has come to other departments like Parks & Recreation and the Golf Course. Including that, Smith commented today that the totals could come closer to $450,000 in total, but no detailed calculation has been officially made yet.
Even today, Hill Road remains closed as the county has awaited manufactured pipes and is currently installing them as part of the repair. The county is continuing the cleanup and repair process as they await a disaster declaration that could bring emergency aid funds to the county to reimburse some of the costs that have already been incurred and paid.