County gets help with a couple of paving projects
♦ Also, the Salvation Army challenges commissioners to a holiday bell ringer competition with the city.
Floyd County Manager Jamie Mccord said the state has approved funding for paving projects on Chubb Road east of Cave Spring.
The Georgia Department of Transportation approved a $262,900 grant for improvements to the road, which will be added to the county road work plan for the coming year.
Mccord also told county commissioners that improvements to Hall Road in the Silver Creek community will be taken on and fully funded by GDOT.
The board signed off on the road projects and an airport paving contract with Blount Construction on Tuesday night.
Blount will get $10,175 to
make improvements to another section of asphalt at the county-owned Richard B. Russell Regional Airport — in front of the T-hangars at Admiral John Henry Towers Field.
The county commission also approved a slight change to the county retirement plan. Employees who retire at 65 with at least five years of service can start drawing their retirement pay immediately. Previously, they had to wait until the following January.
The Parks and Recreation Department also got the green light to undertake lighting changes at numerous county parks. The project with Georgia Power will result in new LED fixtures that offer much better light and save the county about $2,000 annually.
Some residents of Sally Davis Road in extreme northern Floyd County will also get improved water service as a result of a $3,000 contract with UWS Inc. to complete the Highway 156 water line project.
Commissioners also formally signed off on the deal with the Republican National Committee for use of the airport. The RNC paid $6,000 for use of the facility to host a rally for President Donald Trump on Nov. 1.
Commission Chair Scotty Hancock said the board will honor airport employees at a future meeting for hosting major events — like the Wings Over North Georgia Air Show and Trump’s appearance on back to back weekends.
Also, following a proclamation designating Nov. 23 as Salvation Army Day in Rome, Lt. Tim Blevins issued a bell ringer challenge to county commissioners.
Blevins suggested city and county commissioners each take a door at Kroger in Rome for a couple of hours prior to Christmas and conduct a friendly competition to see which group can raise the most money.
Hancock accepted the challenge on behalf of the county panel.