Whitfield County commissioners to hear sewer request Thursday

Charles Oliver, The Daily Citizen, Dalton, Ga.
·2 min read

Jan. 27—The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners will hold a called meeting Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Edwards Park Community Center, 115 Edwards Park in Varnell. The meeting is open to the public.

The commissioners are scheduled to hear a request to extend sewer north on Cleveland Highway about three miles to the Strain Road area to a planned subdivision.

"The developer will be on hand to discuss when he will close on the property and begin construction in the area," said board Chairman Jevin Jensen. "He will also be responsible for extending the sewers to each new home and providing any required lift stations."

Jensen said if the commissioners agree to move forward with the project it will be contingent on the subdivision moving forward.

Jensen said the project would be funded from the $20.3 million in federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding the county is receiving.

The commissioners have already said 2022 will see the start of the biggest expansion of sewer outside the city of Dalton in Whitfield County history.

In December, the commissioners voted to apply for a sewer infrastructure grant from the State Fiscal Recovery Grant Fund to extend sewer along Cleveland Highway, Carbondale Road, Command Drive, Connector 3, Crider Road and Tibbs Bridge Road to Riverbend Road.

This would be in addition to the sewer expansion that is being funded by the 2020 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST): $4.9 million for sewer expansion to the Carbondale interchange, the Connector 3 interchange and north along Cleveland Highway to about Frontier Trail to encourage economic development in those areas.

The total cost of the new sewer projects is estimated at $15.422 million, of which $7.005 million would be covered by the grant. Of the remainder, $7.005 million would come from the $20.3 million in ARP funding, $1.401 million would be in-kind services from Dalton Utilities and the rest would be in-kind administrative services by the county.

Jensen said extending sewer helps the county attract businesses such as hotels and restaurants and makes it easier for developers to build subdivisions and create the housing the county needs.

The commissioners are scheduled to vote Thursday on beer and liquor pouring licenses for Don Lolo's Mexican Restaurant at 3590 South Dixie Highway in Dalton.