by Robin Kemp

Following the Memorial Day weekend and the end of the school year, Clayton County government bodies have all but disappeared from this week’s calendar, with a couple of notable exceptions.

Tuesday, June 1

At 4:30 p.m. today, Tuesday, June 1, the Clayton County Board of Elections and Registration will hold a special called meeting to address two important matters: a special election to fill the unexpired term of the late District One Commissioner Sonna Singleton Gregory and a Sunday voting option “in accordance with Senate Bill 202.” Public comment is invited via the form at https://bit.ly/3paUUlV. The meeting will be held via livestream at www.claytonelections.com. For more information, call Clayton County Elections and Registration at (770) 477-3372. Sign up for the Zoom meeting at https://bit.ly/34IviTH.

At 6:30 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, June 1, the Board of Commissioners meets. On the consent agenda: renaming the Northeast Senior Center the Sonna Singleton Gregory Senior Center. Additional items include:

  • a new $3.3 million Bell 407 GXi helicopter (from Bell Textron, Inc. of Fort Worth, TX) outfitted with $2 million in specialized equipment (from Wysong Enterprises, Inc of Blountville, TN), $1.5 million for 40 new cruisers (from Akin Ford in Winder), and $226,867.20 for new Panasonic Toughbooks and accessories (through ProLogic ITS, LLC of Acworth) for the Clayton County Police Department. The cars and computers go through a statewide contract. The Statewide Narcotics Fund would pay for the cars, while the county General Fund would cover the Toughbooks; the new chopper would come out of the 2021 SPLOST Fund;
  • $367,906.42 for liability insurance to cover county elected officials and employment practices for one year–up 18.44% or $57,280.08 over last year, plus renewal of the county’s excess workers’ compensation and employer’s liability coverage for one year–up 21.08% or $45,948 over last year. Both policies were brokered through Edgewood Partners Insurance Center (EPIC) Insurance Brokers and Consultants. The first policy is with QBE Specialty Insurance Company, while the second is with Midwest Employers Casualty Company;
  • $731,843 for roofing, waterproofing, and related services at the Harold R. Banke Justice Center (which flooded last year, as we reported), the Annex 2 Building, and the Steve Lundquist Aquatic Center. The repairs would come out of the 2021 SPLOST Projects Bond Fund. Garland/DBS, Inc, of Cleveland, OH is the contractor through OMNIA Cooperative Purchasing;
  • annual contracts fort traffic signals and materials to Control Technologies, Inc. of Cumming; Utilicom Supply Associates, LLC of Norcross; Temple, Inc. of Decatur, AL; and General Traffic Equipment Corporation of Newburgh, NY. The money would come out of the 2015 and 2021 SPLOST Funds;
  • $25,000 (using HUD Grant funding) to Wood Environment and Infrastructure Solutions of Durham, N.C. related to a countywide multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan, at the request of Fire and Emergency Services;
  • budget amendments to cover overtime for the District Attorney and to allocate additional SPLOST funds for “change orders, contingency, owner’s technology, furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the Nassau Building” at Clayton County International Park (in November, the BOC allocated additional funds because the building’s foundation was sinking, forcing a rebuild);
  • lease agreements for office space at 877 Battle Creek Road for Clayton County Department of Children and Family Services;
  • contracts for services and lease agreements with Hope Shelter, Inc., which provides shelter and support for Clayton County’s homeless, and the Southern Crescent Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center, Inc., which provides services to sexual assault survivors and child counseling;
  • giving CCFES permission to apply for Georgia Trauma Commission funds for trauma-related equipment for the county’s ambulances;
  • an extension of the original spend-down date on the July 1, 2020 Aging Subgrant Agreement with the Atlanta Regional Commission, which provides services to seniors under the CARES Act;
  • approval of the annual report from the county’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division;
  • the sale of CCPD’s K-9 Skuter to the White County Sheriff’s Office for $14,245 “to cover the cost of a new canine”;
  • a Memorandum of Understanding with Lake City, which would give the county the responsibility for “permits, inspections, reviews, issuance of certificates of occupancy, and submittals” for a new Clayton County fire station (this would be Station 15);
  • a similar MOU with Lovejoy for renovations and additions to the Clayton County Correctional Institute;
  • renewing the countywide COVID-19 State of Emergency through July 6;
  • applying for COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding under the federal CARES Act, which would come in two parts: a base allocation of $6.9 million and a high-need allocation of $3.1 million.

As for board appointments, here is the current list:

  • Greenspace Land Trust Board: “The Greenspace Board has six members. Two of them are always the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board of Commissioners. The other four are At-Large. Two members were previously appointed and live in Districts 3 & 4. This is for one of the last two appointments.” The appointment is for an at-large member.
  • Department of Children and Family Services: a five-year term starting June 30. Quenvetta Parker-Howard holds this seat; Commissioner Felicia Franklin recommends the appointee.
  • Library Board: three seats, each with three-year terms starting June 30. Current appointees are Julie Pizarro (appointed by Chairman Jeff Turner), Mapillar Dahn (appointed by Franklin), and Brenda Harrison (serving at-large).
  • Mental Health DD&A: a three-year term starting June 30. Victoria Williams presently serves at-large.
  • Parks and Recreation: two at-large seats, both for four-year terms starting June 30. Carlos Frazier and Elliott McGlory are serving at present.

Friday, June 4

4 p.m-7 p.m..: The viewing for the late Board of Commissioners Vice-Chair and District 1 Commissioner Sonna Singleton Gregory will be held at Travelers Rest Missionary Baptist Church, 2112 Rex Road, Morrow.

Saturday, June 5

11 a.m. The celebration service for the late Board of Commissioners Vice-Chair and District 1 Commissioner Sonna Singleton Gregory will be held at Travelers Rest Missionary Baptist Church, 2112 Rex Road, Morrow. A repast will follow immediately after the service. Please send flowers and arrangements to Watkins Funeral Home, Inc., 163 North Ave., Jonesboro, GA 30236. The phone is (678) 479-0806 and the fax is (770) 472-0304.

As always, please e-mail us with additions or corrections. We also ask that you consider supporting The Clayton Crescent, which is Clayton County’s only locally-based non-profit news source. This vital service cannot survive without your support!