By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

Morgan County Commissioner Andy Ainslie provided Morgan County-related updates to the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission during their meeting last week in Athens.
He shared that the county is using Precision Planning for its renovation design plans to get EMS, the fire station and all other public safety entities that make up 911 under one roof by Jan. 1. A 911 study is underway with Tusa Consulting Services to analyze the county’s current emergency system and to look at the long-term and determine the best direction to go in regarding the system.
The county is participating in a regional food hub study with the University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development. The study has been ongoing for several months. They should soon know whether or not the food hub will be located in Morgan County.
Ainslie said that the county is working with the Georgia Department of Transportation to replace several bridges in the county.
According to Greg Pennington, county roads and bridges supervisor, the roads leading to bridges on Old Buckhead, Brownwood and Kingston roads are closed. The road leading to the bridge on Davis Academy Road will be closed soon and he’s still waiting for the go-head regarding two bridges on Seven Islands Road between Godfrey and 441.
Ainslie said that these projects should be finished in the next six months.
Negotiations regarding the percentage of Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) the county and the City of Madison each will receive are ongoing. The county recently filed a petition on Sept. 14 requesting that a judge decide the percentages each shall receive.
Phone and internet upgrades and cost savings of $6,000 per month are in the works as the county switches from AT&T to Charter Communications.
The county is applying for a $300,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to build a community safe room near mobile home parks to help up to 200 people. Ainslie said that the tornadoes of a year and a half ago had many people seeking help.
A more interactive county website is in the works. That should also be done by Jan. 1.

Printed in the September 27, 2012 edition