BOC approves Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding
At a Forsyth County Board of Commissioners work session on Tuesday, Feb. 23, the board voted to accept the Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding of more than $7 million.
Commissioners also voted to approve the program resolution, budget resolution and nonprofit memorandums of understanding with room for modification from County Attorney Ken Jarrard. The items were all approved with a unanimous vote, 5-0.
Rebecca Whitmire, director of the county’s finance department, told the board ERAP distributes $25 billion nationwide to help households struggling to pay rent and utility costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Forsyth County is one of the 11 direct recipients in Georgia to participate in the program.
This is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. So just because [we have] our volunteers, we may not be able to use them at the events like last week and this week, we’re in this for the long haul, and we’re going to continue to support public health going forward,” Chris Grimes said.
Forsyth’s plan for COVID-19 vaccinations discussed at BOC meeting
During the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, Jan. 7, Chris Grimes, director of Forsyth’s Emergency Management Agency, answered the boards’ questions about the Georgia Department of Public Health’s plan regarding COVID-19 vaccinations.
Grimes said that as of Monday, Jan. 11, the state of Georgia would be in Phase 1-A+, which means that essential employees such as health care workers, police and firefighters are eligible to receive the vaccine if they chose. People who are 65 years of age and older, along with their caregivers, will be in the next wave of 1-A+ as soon as it becomes available.
New QuikTrip proposed on Browns Bridge Road
A new location of a popular gas station franchise has been proposed in north Forsyth.
According to documents submitted with Forsyth County, QuikTrip Corporation is applying for a conditional-use permit to operate a convenience store with gas pumps conducting round-the-clock business on 2.6 acres on Browns Bridge Road on the other side of the intersection with Walmart.
The documents said the total building area will be 4,993 square feet with 50 parking spaces and 1,014 acres of sewer space.
The application is still early in the process, and a public participation meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. at the Coal Mountain Park Community Building, 3560 Settingdown Road.
Forsyth County, Georgia leaders react after mob storms US Capitol On Wednesday evening, District 7 U.S. Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux shared a picture of her working over a laptop in a darkened room with the caption, “Pictured: Sitting in the dark waiting for the lockdown to be lifted, working on my floor speech in defense of our democracy and Georgia s elections.”
Gov. Brian Kemp readied the Georgia National Guard Wednesday in response to riots at the U.S. Capitol by President Donald Trump’s supporters protesting the Electoral College vote.
Kemp, who faced intense pressure from Trump and his allies to overturn President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia, called Wednesday’s storming of the Capitol “un-American” and “a disgrace.”