Collins recognizes polio efforts, signs agreements

Thanks to Rotary International’s tremendous efforts in fundraising and partnering for a truly global initiative, “polio cases have dropped by 99.9 percent since 1988, and the world stands on the threshold of eradicating the disease,” with the primary beneficiaries being children.

Collins welcomed Rotary Club of Union County President Chuck Henz, who thanked the commissioner and offered a few remarks about the occasion. Henz told meeting guests there are only two countries left in the world where polio is still endemic: Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“(Rotary International) is currently working with the Taliban in Afghanistan,” Henz said. “I’m not sure the status of Pakistan, but that is a herculean effort in the world to be able to do this on such a level that there’s only two countries left.”

Henz pledged that Rotary would continue to fight polio by raising money and providing education to the point of eradication, which is incredibly close to becoming a reality.

Collins accepted multiple agreements for public safety, including for internet at Fire Station 11 in Suches; incident reporting software for the Fire Department; and internet, phone, equipment, and dispatch maintenance at the new E-911 Center under construction on Shoe Factory Road.

The commissioner also closed multiple county accounts at River City Bank for transfer into the pooled cash account at United Community. Closed accounts included the Butternut Creek Golf Course, Community Center, Recreation Department, View Grill and Transfer Station.

All the funds will still be considered separate for accounting purposes, and Collins said the county will accrue more interest by consolidating in the account of choice. County Clerk Jennifer Mahan pointed out that this is something the county has been working on throughout the year.

Collins also closed the Economic Development Account at United Community and opened another account for these funds at River City. These funds are for use by the Union County Economic Development Authority, and the move creates greater separation from county operation funds.

The commissioner held a second reading of proposed revisions to the County Code of Ordinances pertaining to telecommunications.

County Attorney William Mercer was not in attendance, but he explained previously that the revisions clean up some of the original ordinance language from the early 2000s, which the county felt was necessary amid “talk of a new cellphone tower coming through because we don’t have great reception.”

“There is a section for ‘preferred sites’ that has always been in there for nearly 25 years for where we would like cell towers to go that don’t interrupt the beauty of these mountains,” Mercer said. “Unfortunately, it’s written in a way where it’s very ambiguous.

“It says you can do these things, and then later sections it says you have to do these things that contradict the ‘preferred’ sections. So, what we’re actually doing right here is cleaning this up, and it just takes a few sentences to clean it up to let you know that preferred means preferred.”

The second reading was the third time the revisions have appeared before the public following the first reading last month and a subsequent public hearing. The commissioner is expected to enact the revisions in next month’s county meeting.

Collins approved a retainer agreement with CHA Consulting, the engineering firm that designed the roundabout at Pat Haralson Memorial Drive and Deep South Farm Road. That project was greenlit for construction last month after Collins accepted a contract with Colditz Trucking.

With the retainer agreement, CHA will serve as the Engineer of Record for any potential design changes that need to be made over the duration of the project, which is expected to last up to 15 months. The cost of the agreement is not to exceed $15,000.

Also announced Oct. 16, the regular county meeting scheduled for Nov. 20 has been rescheduled to Nov. 13 to avoid a meeting night conflict with the Union County School Board. Moving the meeting enables residents to attend both meetings in their entirety if they so choose.

County Manager Tony Hughes provided several county updates, starting with the announcement that Union County Government and Union County Schools are teaming up to host a Georgia High School Association Cross Country Sectional Meet on Friday, Nov. 1, at Meeks Park.

Hughes described the local venue selection as an honor, noting that dozens of schools and hundreds of people would be flocking to the area. He revealed that the park would be closed to the public from 6 a.m. to noon that day, and he apologized in advance for the inconvenience.

He also reported that the Road Department remains busy with paving and bridge repairs; the Recreation Department has ended successful baseball/softball seasons, with football continuing into playoffs and cheerleading competing well, and basketball is gearing up. The Sorghum in the Mountains Festival was a great success on its first weekend, he added.

Hughes shared heartfelt news about the Grist Mill at Meeks Park enjoying a return to action, with a well and pump having been installed to get water moving over the wheel of the mill as intended.

In the past, rain and flooding regularly caused mud to stop up the previously installed pump that drew water out of Butternut Creek, making it a “maintenance nightmare,” so the mill was not in operation as often as intended.

As for the heartfelt portion of the news, Randy and Chris Hampton of Hampton Well Drilling offered to donate their services for a plaque installation dedicating the well site to the memories of departed relatives Richard Hampton and Scotty Hampton.

And Tim Odom, Debbie Scroggs and Chris Fox of Appalachian Water donated the pump, pipe and installation to get water from the well to the mill in exchange for a memorial honoring their departed family member Kyle Odom.

“In the near future, we’ll see a plaque go in down there in remembrance of Richard Hampton, Scotty Hampton and Kyle Odom,” Hughes said. “If you see those folks from Appalachian Water and Hampton Well Drilling, thank them for what they’ve done for the county.”

In his Commissioner’s Comments, Collins also offered an emotional thanks to the two local companies, and he fielded several questions during the usual public Q&A at the end of the meeting.