Fannin: Road paving planned
Mobile home decals will not be required next year after the Fannin County Board of Commissioners voted to move forward with a resolution eliminating the rule.
The vote was made during their Tuesday, April 22, meeting.
Tax Commissioner Julie Walker approached the board about removing the decal requirement.
She explained there is no one on staff to enforce the rule and mentioned the cost to the county for mailing out decals.
“It’s not needed,” Walker said before adding that taxes will still be collected on the homes. Over $47,000 is collected in tax on the homes annually.
Two public hearings must be performed in order to amend the ordinance; however, commissioners voted to move forward with a resolution to the ordinance so Walker can move “forward with her requirements for tax year 2026,” Attorney Lynn Doss said.
On another note, Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds will be used for chip and sealing on the following roads: Lower Star Creek Road, Meadow Creek Way, Johnson Road, Rainbow Road, Prince Lane, Higdon Creek Road, Macedonia Church Road, Lofty Heights and Happy Valley Lane.
Asphalt resurfacing of Colwell Road, New Hope Road and Pack Creek Road will also be taking place soon.
Public Works Director Zack Ratcliff presented the roads lists and told of a Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant for $772,562.06 awarded to the county that requires a 30% match. No action was taken on the grant.
Recreation Department Director Eddie O’Neal was granted $12,559 in SPLOST dollars to complete the upgrades to the pavilion and walkway at Ron Henry Horseshoe Bend Park.
O’Neal was also granted $27,950 of SPLOST funds to create a nine-hole disk golf course at the Recreation Center on Tom Boyd Road.
An additional $41,400 was approved for laser grading fields at Blue Ridge City Park and the Tom Boyd park, totaling six fields. The funds will come from SPLOST.
An amendment to the 2025 budget was granted as the purchase of a ladder fire truck caused the department to go over budget.
Pending the signing of an identification agreement, Wolves Enterprise, LLC was granted a variance to use 10 feet of the county’s right of way to park “10 feet of trailer of tubing vans” from May through September.
After Scearce raised the question regarding the county’s liability if an accident were to occur within that 10-foot right of way, Hensley suggested the company sign such an agreement.
Further, Hensley suggested the county mark the area so that the trailers are not parked beyond that marker.
Commissioners will meet again Tuesday, May 6.