8A I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com
Wednesday, January 25,2023
Julia Hansen Dawson County News
Planning and Development Director Sharon Farrell tells the BOC on Jan. 19
how recent rezonings along the southern part of Lumpkin Campground
Road spurred interest in further study of the route.
Lumpkin Campground
Road needs more study
before any future fixes
By Julia Hansen
jhansen@dawsonnews.com
A chronically congested
route near Ga. 400 will
soon receive even more
attention in the near future
as Dawson County offi
cials plan for area growth.
The B oard of
Commissioners held off on
approving a study of the
southernmost section of
Lumpkin Campground
Road in order to take a
wider look at the route,
which BOC agenda docu
ments classified as an
“undivided two-lane major
collector.”
A wider study could
perhaps save money and
time by examining both
the road section from the
Forsyth County line to the
roundabout with Dawson
Forest Road and from Ga.
53 to Ga. 400, multiple
commissioners said.
The need for a study of
Lumpkin Campground
Road’s southernmost part
came about when the
board approved a second
rezoning application for a
planned subdivision at Lee
Castleberry Road and
Stacie Lane, Planning and
Development Director
Sharon Farrell told the
board.
In October 2022, the
county’s public works
director at the time, Jeff
Hahn, requested the study
for that section of
Lumpkin Campground
Road.
Public Works has a
study looking at the sec
tion of Lumpkin
Campground Road from
the Dawson Forest Road
roundabout until the inter-
section with Ga. 53,
Farrell said, but there’s
only a traffic study avail
able of the section from
there to Ga. 400.
That traffic study of
Lumpkin Campground
Road’s northernmost sec
tion was part of Fox Creek
Properties’ unsuccessful
mixed-use application
from 2022.
Farrell clarified that the
county will get the stipu
lated $150,000 for road
improvements once a cer
tain number of certificates
of occupancy are issued
for the Lee Castleberry
Road project.
“We started this dia
logue back when that large
project on [Ga.] 400 came
in, because we realized we
really need to take another
look at Lumpkin
Campground [Road],”
Farrell said. “Every time
we issue a permit or
there’s a rezoning — and
we always have one to two
of those every month —
we just make it worse, and
we add to the problem that
we’re having.”
Dawson Forest
Road East
roundabout
County conversations
also continued for a
planned roundabout at Ga.
53’s intersection with the
eastern end of Dawson
Forest Road and
Thompson Creek Park
Road.
This two-phase project
will include the realign
ment of Thompson Creek
Park Road and the con
struction of a roundabout.
During the BOC’s Jan.
19 voting session, county
commissioners ratified a
letter already sent to the
Georgia Department of
Transportation regarding
additional funds of
$561,000 for the round
about project.
The board has yet to
vote on approving a bid
for the two-part project,
though Purchasing
Manager Melissa Hawke
recommended the lower
bid of $1.5 million for
both project phases.
The roundabout has sev
eral confirmed or potential
pots of money associated
with it.
As part of the Advenir
apartment complex’s
rezoning stipulations,
Penler will give $250,000
toward road improve
ments. The developer for
the forthcoming Enclave at
Dawson Forest project
across the street will also
give $125,000 for each of
its rezoned parcels, a com
bined amount of $250,000.
SPLOST VI funds could
likewise infuse another
$250,000 into the project,
then-county manager
David Headley said at the
BOC’s Oct. 6 work ses
sion.
During her Jan. 19 pre
sentation, Hawke said the
county has spent just
under $15,000 to locate
and mark property comers
and do topographic field
work at the intersection.
Previously, GDOT had
planned a quick response
roundabout project at the
intersection. Then, it was
determined that Thompson
Creek Park Road would
need to be realigned
before the roundabout’s
installment. Later, both
phases of the intersection
project were combined,
and the county took the
lead.
Dawson County asked
GDOT for initial Local
Maintenance Improvement
Grant funds of $500,000.
Earlier this month, GDOT
approved that money.
When the county receives
the GDOT funds and the
money from the two devel
opers, there will be a little
over $985, 257 collected
thus far for the project,
Hawke added.
That’s not including
$561,000-plus for addi
tional LMIG funds that the
county has requested.
District 2 Commissioner
Chris Gaines pointed out
possible grant money to
help with crosswalks, sig
nage and lights for pedes
trians’ sake at the round
about, as well as potential
federal funding to pave the
rest of Thompson Creek
Park Road farther from the
planned roundabout.
District 3 Commissioner
Alexa Bruce also wanted it
clarified with GDOT
which entity, the county or
GDOT, would handle
roundabout landscaping
and striping maintenance.
DCN will continue to
follow these Dawson
County road projects.
GOP congressmen demand
immigration probe answers
By J.D. Davidson
The Center Square
A group of Republican
U.S. senators and House
members want the Biden
administration to explain
what they called a reckless
decision to expand immi
gration parole programs.
The letter sent to
Homeland Security
Secretary Alejandro
Mayorkas on Wednesday,
Jan. 18 says the Biden
administration continues to
worsen the border crisis.
The also called the decision
to expand the programs
radical.
“Since the day they took
office, President Biden and
Secretary Mayorkas have
purposefully and mali
ciously eroded our nation’s
border security. They have
presided over the worst
border crisis we’ve seen in
decades and more illegal
immigration than any
administration in recent
history. Now, they aim to
sidestep Congress and the
law by granting parole to
hundreds of thousands of
illegal migrants,” said Sen.
J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, said.
Rep. Andy Biggs,
R-Arizona, said Mayorkas
testified immigrant parole
is judged on a case-by-case
basis, but the congressman
said he has seen evidence
to support that testimony.
“Instead, his department
is abusing the parole
authority to mass-release
hundreds of thousands of
illegal aliens into the coun
try. The department’s latest
announcement reveals that
it will continue to proceed
and even accelerate this
abuse as parole grants will
increase by 33% from just
last month. It’s unclear
where the department
derives legal authority to
parole groups of this size
and how this policy change
enhances border security.
As usual, the department
has some explaining to do
and I’m grateful for
Senator Vance’s partnership
in this effort,” Biggs said.
Getting started on a new
year under the Gold Dome
On Monday, Jan. 9,
the Georgia General
Assembly officially gav-
eled in to kick off the
2023 Legislative
Session. The Georgia
Constitution requires
that the Georgia General
Assembly convene on
the second Monday in
January and is limited to
a term made up of 40
non-consecutive legisla
tive days. The first week
of session typically
encompasses ceremonial
motions as a number of
new leaders were sworn
into office including Lt.
Governor Burt Jones,
President Pro Tempore
Sen. John F. Kennedy
(R-Macon) and 10
incoming freshman sen
ators.
I am pleased to
announce that I will be
serving as Majority
Leader for the Senate
Majority Caucus for the
2023 Legislative
Session. I am honored
that my Republican col
leagues in the Senate
have chosen me to serve
in this role and look for
ward to supporting a
strong conservative poli
cy agenda for all
Georgians. I anticipate
that the 2023 Legislative
Session will be a histor
ic one with new leaders
and new faces in the
Senate Chamber and I
look forward to this
great opportunity to
forge new partnerships
and build on the work of
our predecessors to con
tinue to grow our state.
Last week, the official
Inauguration of
Georgia’s 83rd
Governor, Brian P.
Kemp, and our state’s
Constitutional Officers
took place at Georgia
State University.
Kicking off this legis
lative session, I am
proud to be a sponsor of
Senate Bill 1, which will
STEVE GOOCH
State Senator
prohibit the requirement
for proof of COVID-19
vaccination status for
employment by state
government agencies.
Also prohibited by SB 1
are the mask mandates
that have been forced on
our children by school
boards and administra
tors. It is fitting that this
is our first bill of a ses
sion we are entering
with the strong intent to
restore the freedoms of
Georgians.
I am also a sponsor of
Senate Bill 3 which
orders state agencies to
regularly assess degree
requirements for state
employment and reduce
the number of positions
that require a four-year
college degree as a con
dition of employment.
In this era of record low
unemployment rates, we
look to strengthen the
ability for the govern
ment to cut red tape and
ensure employment
opportunities for job
seeking Georgians.
This past week, much
of the General
Assembly’s time was
devoted to Joint
Hearings of the Senate
and House
Appropriations
Committees. “Budget
Week,” as we call it, is a
time for the heads of
Georgia’s state agen
cies and departments to
present their budget
requests to the General
Assembly for review.
These hearings are often
long, but are critical in
ensuring that your tax
payer dollars are spent
as responsibly as possi
ble. Here are some of
the highlights from the
past week’s hearings.
In the Amended FY
2023 budget, the
Governor recommended
a regulated surplus of
$100 million be used for
income tax reductions
for all taxpayers for the
2022 tax year. If passed,
a $250 tax cut would be
issued for individuals
filing jointly and a $500
tax cut for joint filers. I
strongly support this
item. The government
does not spend its own
money, it spends your
money so to return those
dollars back to the tax
payer is of utmost
importance. In the
FY2024 budget, the
governor recommends a
$2,000 cost of living
adjustment for state
employees and teachers
across Georgia.
This week, we will
reconvene in the Senate
Chamber Monday
through Thursday for
legislative days 5-8. We
also plan to get back to
work in our committees
to assess legislation
brought before us. If
you have any questions
or concerns related to
the budget or any poten
tial legislation that may
come up this year,
please do not hesitate to
contact my office. I am
here to serve you.
Sen. Steve Gooch serves
as Majority Leader of the
Senate Majority Caucus.
He represents the 51st
Senate District which
includes Dawson, Fannin,
Gilmer, Lumpkin, Union
and Pickens Counties and
a portion of White County.
He may be reached at
404.656.7872 or via email
at steve. gooch@senate.
ga.gov.
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Voting Schedule for WEST Precinct Voters ONLY
January 31. 2023 Special Election Runoff
to Fill the Vacancy of House District 7
Voter Registration Deadline:
Advance Voting:
December 5, 2022 (new and changes)
January 23, 2023 - January 27, 2023 ~
Friday 9 am to 5 pm at Board of Elections
office - 96 Academy Ave, Dawsonville
** Note: Absentee by mail ballot applications for elderly/disabled/
military need to be requested each election year, in order to re
ceive ballots, by mail, for the remainder of that year; time frame
to request begins 78 days prior and ends 11 days prior to
the election on the application supplied by the Secretary of
State’s office.
httDs://securemvabsenteeballot.sos.ga.Qov/s/
** WEST Precinct absentee voters: January 20, 2023 is the last
day to request an absentee ballot.
WEST Precinct Voters - Election Day, January 31, 2023:
@ Fire Station #6 on Hubbard Rd from 7 am - 7 pm
If in question about your voting location, and/or to view a *sam-
ple ballot you may visit “My Voter Page”
@ https://mvp.s0s.aa.g0v/s/ or call the
Elections & Registration office at 706-344-3640
(No voting on Monday prior to all elections)
