Board of Commissioners announce 9-1-1 award

Paulding County Board of Commissioners held its final September meeting on Tuesday, but had no new business items on the agenda and instead devoted meeting time to other things including an announcement that the Paulding 9-1-1 center has been named the Georgia Emergency Communications Conference 911 Communications Center of the Year for 2011. 9-1-1 Director David Mumford addressed the BOC regarding the award.

And following that announcement the Board recognized Pat Elsberry, executive assistant to David Mumford with the Public Safety Award for September 2011.

Barbara Burnley, director of Paulding County Division of Family and Children Services, addressed the BOC regarding the need for foster families in Paulding. Ms. Burnley said that the need for foster homes is on the rise in the county while the number of homes has been shrinking. Commissioner Todd Pownall, himself a foster parent, said that while it’s “not for everyone” he urged anyone with an interest to contact DFACS, and added that the county could use up to 75 more foster homes.  

Following the comments of Ms. Burnley, Congressman Tom Graves of the new 14th congressional district was given an introduction by Rep. Howard Maxwell (R-Dallas). Paulding moves from the 11th District into newly created District 14, and will be represented by Tom Graves. That transition will happen over the next year and Graves will be sworn-in in January of 2013.

Graves will take over from Rep. Phil Gingrey as a result of redistricting guidelines. Gingrey moves over to carry Bartow, Cherokee and the northern part of Cobb.

As maps come out early next year, the first changes to be made are for the congressional, the House, and the Senate districts, to be followed by the commission district lines, which must also be approved at the local level.

Graves also remained after the meeting and met with residents during a reception held on the lobby floor of the Watson Government Complex in Dallas.

For the only departmental report, Paulding County Northwest Atlanta Airport Director Blake Swafford addressed the Board regarding some recent reports in local media of a questionable aircraft permitted to land at the airport. Swafford reported that the aircraft in question did receive all the usual FAA screening and added that the origin and details associated with the plane were known. An FBO client purchased the aircraft outside the U.S. and intended to bring it to Paulding’s airport, Swafford said. Swafford said that an FAA representative dispatched to the airport made a brief check and confirmed that everything was in order and left. Swafford also pointed out his own background in the military as an air traffic controller and stressed that security at the Paulding airport is not something ever
taken lightly.   

The Board also had two consent agenda items which were applications for liquor licenses to two Dallas businesses, which were approved during the 7:00 voting session.

Paulding County Planning Commission approved four agenda items and the Board of Commissioners voted in favor of all four items including:  

• 2011-01-LUP renewal application by Nancy P. Andreycak, DC D/B/A Pace Road Chiropractic.
• 2011-02-LUP renewal application by Nadine D. Holcomb for a renewal land use permit for a hair salon.
• 2011-08-Z renewal application by Georgia Heritage Bank to rezone approximately 69.60 acres from Planned Residential District to Light Industrial District. According to Georgia Heritage spokesperson Dean Olson, there was no firm development plan for the property at this time. Three residents spoke in opposition.
• 2011-09-Z application by Oconee Capital Investments LLC to rezone approximately 8.986 acres from PRD to Light Industrial District for an industrial park office building/warehouse.