Gilmer to contract compaction testing in developments
News September 22, 2021
ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer is moving forward with contracting out some testing and inspections for compaction with regards the subdivisions coming into the county.
According to a presentation from Planning and Zoning Director Karen Henson, a quote was requested to have Geo-Hydro Engineers, Inc. take over “compaction testing and drainage inspections on new subdivisions.”
Currently, the county uses the Road Department for compaction testing.
Henson’s proposal using Geo-Hydro Engineers, Inc. has their quote at $500 per inspection for up to three hours worth of time spent. Additional time required would charge at $90 an hour. Henson noted that the county charges per lot fees for inspections already and could transfer the costs into those fees. She noted that she needed to look deeper to see if the already established fees could cover extra trips if the developers wanted to do sections at a time. She also noted other situations with multiple roads or some small roads.
Her initial proposal wanted to add invoicing to developers should the standard fee not cover the costs of inspections.
According to Public Works Director Jim Smith who was the Planning and Zoning Director until 2010, the department contracted an engineering firm under his leadership and charged a fee to cover an engineer coming from the firm to perform the compaction testing. Smith also noted that the same firm did inspections for the Road Department.
Smith went on to say that his opinion would be that the firm should work for the county in these inspections. However, passing on the costs through fees would mean that the developer covers the costs of the inspections rather than the county’s taxpayers.
Since approved in the meeting, the process will see the engineer providing a report to the county from the inspections. Smith said he would not sign off on the projects without an acceptable inspection.
With advice from County Attorney David Clark, the indication is that a final approval could not be given until the inspection fees are completed. This was confirmed as Post Commissioner Hubert Parker clarified with Henson that the county will be paying the firm, but the funds would come directly from the fees imposed on the developers.
Geo-Hydro Engineers has been used by Gilmer County for its courthouse and both parking lots in addition to three airport projects according to Smith.
The Board of Commissioners also discussed utilizing the contracted firm on the pool project for filling in the pool and testing the compaction of pool before the bid project begins to construct the new pool. However, costs could require the fill-in to be bid out if it is higher than $50,000, according to Clark.
Sheriff tests Positive for Coronavirus
News August 17, 2020
ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson has stepped forward confirming that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and has spoken out on his plans, recovery, and the Courthouse response.
Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson
With some staff in the office allegedly sick as well, Nicholson said he started paying closer attention to his own health more than normal. He confirmed that he made it to the weekend of August 8 and 9. He said he began feeling sore and tired after a long week. Nicholson confirmed that the same weekend his wife began coughing. Nicholson’s wife also works at Gilmer’s Courthouse.
Both of them decided to go forward with testing on Tuesday, but still didn’t believe he had gotten the virus.
It wasn’t until Wednesday afternoon that the Sheriff got a call saying that both he and his wife had tested positive for the Coronavirus. He said that only a total of seven staff members have contracted the virus as well. All of these seven current positive tests work in the detention center. The Sheriff’s Office has been stressing masks, sanitizing, cleanliness, and other guidelines for the safety of both staff and inmates. He did say that one staff member not in the detention center test positive back in the beginning of July. But continuing those guidelines he is very proud of the work and support the deputies and staff have given. Within the detention center, Nicholson said only three inmates have tested positive.
Continuing sanitizing surfaces and maintaining social distancing, Nicholson said that the measures have also extended to deputies inside the courthouse. He said that public safety officers have to work, but the moment you become symptomatic, you have to stay at home.
While the Sheriff has tested positive, he said he began staying away from people the moment he heard he had been around someone who later tested positive and constantly using the mask. On top of that, staying home after his own positive test. He did personally contact a few others he had been very close to after he realized his own positive test. It is an act that he said he has performed with many of those other positive tests in office.
According to county leaders, the courthouse will not close for another sanitizing session. With guidelines in place and a low lifespan on hard surfaces, the courthouse will move forward with their own sanitization guidelines in maintenance and employee workspaces. The Sheriff’s Office is still operating today as normal under virus guidelines.